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...
May 31, 2025 / Old Wide Awake
Emily Garcia met Massimo Biscardi on a night out, “thanks to a serendipitous twist of mutual friendships,” she says. While celebrating a friend’s birthday, Emily ran into a childhood bud who happened to be in town with her boyfriend—and her boyfriend’s best friend, Massimo. As soon as Massimo and Emily started chatting, their connection was undeniable, as if they were the ones who’d known each other for years. Just seven months into dating, the couple knew they were ready for forever. Among the resplendent gardens of Middleton Place aglow at sunset, Massimo popped the question.
Choosing to wed in the Lowcountry seemed a no-brainer, as it’s the place the couple calls home. And the two fell for the timeless charm of the first site they visited, the historic Old Wide Awake property along the Stono River in Hollywood. “We were captivated by its sweeping, moss-draped oaks, peaceful pathways, and picturesque white house standing proudly in the center,” Emily says. Elegant and impossibly romantic, the venue proved the perfect backdrop for their May nuptials. Emily personally executed her vision of an elegant Southern soirée, creating detailed inspiration boards and utilizing her own décor before bringing on Patrick & Co. Events as the month-of coordinator.
An airy palette of soft blues and greens—her favorite colors—anchored the aesthetic and carried over to patterned table linens and arrangements of delphiniums, anemones, roses, and hydrangeas. Personal touches were plentiful, including the bridesmaids’ monogrammed bouquet sashes, linen napkins bearing the newlyweds’ last initial, and personalized cornhole boards for playing on the lawn. Even the signature drinks offered a snapshot of the pair: Emily’s an orange crush, the drink she was holding when she met her future groom, and Massimo’s an old-fashioned, a classic cocktail that fit his style to a T.
