Written By Melissa Reardon
Photographs By Lucy Cuneo
A transplant from Virginia, Weston “Wes” McAfee vividly remembers the first time he saw his future bride-to-be. Charleston native Dana Elaine...
PROP UP A PET PORTRAIT
Lindsey Shanks of A Charleston Bride cops to an obsession with her dog, Teddy. So when she spied like obsessives in Bria Matchett and Cameron Robinett (who are smitten with their pups Ayla and Winston, above), the planner thought to fashion life-size cutouts of the couple’s furballs for guests to pose with at their Kiawah wedding. Initially a preemptive move in case the pups were not formal wedding material, these cutouts proved so popular, the couple planted them in their home’s foyer. Try: Fromex; www.Fromex.com
MAKE A TABLEAU
Sea Star Arts teamed with Sweet Lulu’s Bakery on Wheels to fashion a photo truck tableau for couples to pose in, on, and around for portraits. The backdrop was Betty, a vintage pickup truck outfitted with hay bales, signage, and lifestyle props. Follow suit and let your getaway vintage car rental double as your photo booth. Try: Lowcountry Valet & Shuttle Co.; (843) 810-0107
FRAME YOURSELF
Commission a chalkboard artist to create a frame as a posing backdrop. Simple or elaborate works; if you go for the latter, incorporate personal elements like icons, faces, monograms, and more. Try: Charleston Chalk Chick; (843) 900-1416
ENLIST A STREET ARTIST
Love the murals on Redux Studios? The street art on the back of Folly Road’s Buffalo South? Shepard Fairey’s bold work all over town? Make outsider artwork part of your wedding décor when you enlist a local artist to fashion a mural backdrop for your wedding. Try: www.Facebook.com/ChARTInitiative (Message the group’s page administrator for leads.)
CUT A SHADOWY FIGURE
Grandfather-grandson Carew and Clay Rice have made silhouette art a Lowcountry family legacy. Pay tribute to the art form with a jumbo-sized silhouette backdrop for your Big Day selfies. Project and trace a favorite scene onto a sheet of paper roll and darken it in. Or try a shadow screen behind which posers are illuminated then snapped as live silhouettes. Try: Technical Event Company; (843) 297-8559
TRY IT! Give one of these ideas a try and send us your wedding hashtag at mbigner@charlestonmag.com. We'll post our favorites!
