corporate

A Corporate Retreat with Lexus

  We were so thrilled to design a weekend getaway to Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina for Lexus! As part of an incentive for their top performing reps, we handled the design and logistics to show them the best of the lowcountry. Forget the norm of golf and tours, we helped them do something different. We got them into the southern spirit with painting classes, local chef demos, wine tastings, and much more!

What’s up Charleston? Things To Do: April-June, 2018

It’s not just a city, but an experience!

Charleston is a remarkably dynamic place. Our beautiful city manages to preserve its historic architecture, prime coastal settings, picture-perfect landscapes, creative culture, southern charm and friendly locals. There is no question as to why Charleston remains one of the most notable destinations to visit- and to live! On top of everything Charleston has to offer, here are some upcoming things to do to that might make you excited for the months ahead!

Cooper River Bridge Run: April 7th, 2018
The 2018 Cooper River Bridge Run is right around the corner! The Bridge run is the 3rd largest 10k and one of the largest road races in the U.S. This is not your average marathon, the one-way course is just as scenic as it is challenging. So what are you waiting for? Put on your running shoes and experience it for yourself!

Flowertown Festival: April 6th – 8th, 2018
The 46th annual Flowertown Festival is almost in bloom! Every spring, thousands visit Summerville SC, to see the beautiful bounty of colorful florals. Consistently ranked one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast, the three-day festival transcends the gracious Southern town into one of the largest arts and crafts festivals around!

Second Sunday on King Street: April 8th, 2018
Happening every second Sunday of the month, enjoy an afternoon of shopping, sipping, snacking, and socializing along King Street. This pet-friendly event features new product launches and showcases Charleston vendors.

North Charleston Art Festival: May 2nd – 6th, 2018
The 36th Annual North Charleston Arts Fest is not one to be missed! Attracting more than 30,000 residents and visitors, the festival offers a number of unique opportunities with a vast array of arts and cultural offerings. The annual multi-day celebration highlights national, regional, and local artists and performers in the areas of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, media arts, and literature.

Charleston Gallery Association Art Walk: May 4th, 2018
Named one of The Best Free Things To Do in Charleston, the Art Walk welcomes art lovers, architects, and history buffs out for a night of appreciating our city’s exceptional talent and beauty. With more than 40 art galleries in pursuit of gaining the world’s recognition of Charleston as a global art destination, the Art Walk showcases local, regional and national artists.

Piccolo Spoleto: May 25th – June 10th, 2018
Focusing primarily on artists of the Southeast region, Piccolo Spoleto is the perfect complement to its parent festival, Spoleto Festival USA.  Annually presenting over 500 events, the 17-day Piccolo Spoleto Festival transforms Charleston into an exhilarating celebration of the cultural vitality and diversity of the Lowcountry. With a majority of free admission offerings, Piccolo Spoleto provides a varied program including visual arts exhibitions and performances of classical music, jazz, dance, theatre, choral music, ethnic cultural, poetry readings, crafts, and film. From classical to contemporary, from traditional to cutting-edge – Piccolo Spoleto has something for everyone!

Spoleto Festival USA: May 25th – June 12th, 2018
Now approaching its 42nd season, for 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston’s historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces with performances by renowned artists and emerging performers in opera, theater, dance, chamber, choral, and jazz music. With programs of the highest artistic caliber exhibiting dedicated young artists, a passion for contemporary innovation, and an enthusiasm for providing unusual performance opportunities the Spoleto Festival is one for the books!

Crafty Ceremony and Reception Ideas

While preparing for the happiest day of your life, you’ll be creating amazing memories and keepsakes along the way. The only question is, what makes the perfect wedding craft? Here is some inspiration for getting in touch with your creative side to seamlessly infuse your personalities into crafty touches for the big day! 

Ceremony and receptions signs are extremely helpful in directing guests where to go. Why not make those signs a little more personable? Incorporating your theme into these focal points will help frame your picture perfect day. The possibilities are endless. Take a look at this customized seating chart design from one of our weddings at Harborside East!

A great way to showcase your wedding’s location is to integrate it’s natural elements into the design. Photo displays are a sentimental way to feature special moments or to honor loved ones. Peek your guests’ exploratory interests while giving them a glimpse of some family memorabilia with this crafty family tree…literally!

Cocktail hour provides guests with a little downtime to mingle and relax before the big wedding celebration. Give them something to talk about and consider adding a little floral fun to your signature drinks. These stunning edible flower ice cubes are impressive yet incredibly easy to execute. After all, who doesn’t love a little botanical pick me up? Check out how-to instructions.

The wedding guest book is for capturing the names and special wishes of those individuals who celebrated your wedding. Personalize this wedding detail by transforming it into an interactive, DIY activity that makes it memorable for you and your guests. Get creative and be unconventional.

Pro tip: Try a guest recipe book! Start by sharing your favorite recipe, ingredients, or restaurant as inspiration, and throughout the ceremony guests can join in the fun. How fantastic would it be to try out their suggestions throughout your marriage?

The newlywed send-off is a magical tradition that is meant to bring good health and prosperity to your marriage. Sparklers, confetti, and rice are typically the go-to wedding send-off, but why not shake things up? Ring in the start of your new journey with these DIY lace tambourines. This sweet craft will help end your celebration on a positive note, that will resonate with your guests afterwards. Check out how to make these here.

We’re always striving to do something different, and there is no better way than to be crafty and creative with elements from each part of your big day. For more inspiration, head over to Charleston Crafted for some unique, locally-made items that can be incorporated into your design to make the day even more memorable.

New Event Rentals at EventWorks

We stopped by EventWorks, one of the southeast’s largest event rental companies, to chat with Ashley about what they offer for events as well as all of their new amazing rental options for 2018!

Falling in Love with Kaley & Pete

One of our favorite parts of being in the wedding planning industry is learning about our bride and groom’s story on how they met, where they fell in love, and their dreams for the future. We love them so much that we want to start sharing these magical stories with you!

Kaley & Pete’s upcoming fall wedding at Magnolia Plantation is sure to be picturesque, romantic, and memorable. We cannot be more excited to be apart of making their visions of tying the knot a reality. We chatted with Kaley and got some insight on how their love story unfolded, why they chose Charleston, and so much more!

Pete pops the big question.

How did you two meet?

We met a few years ago when Pete was living with a mutual friend. We were both dating other people at the time but were always friends and one day, the timing finally worked out and we had our first date on Halloween night of 2015. After that first night, we were inseparable.

How did Pete pop the question?

Our engagement was an elaborate scavenger hunt around downtown Orlando, at places that were significant to our relationship, like the place where he asked me to be his girlfriend. My sister and best friends were stationed at each location to give me my next clues. My final clue led me to a garden where we often took our dog Scout for walks. Pete (and Scout) were waiting for me inside the gardens and the rest is history. Right after I said “yes!” He led me around the corner to another surprise of all of our family and friends waiting with champagne to celebrate. We all went back to our place and had a giant pool party to keep the fun going.

What made you decide on getting married in Charleston?

As soon as we got engaged we decided we wanted some kind of destination wedding. We had both been to Charleston numerous times and absolutely loved it. It was an easy pick for us! Beautiful scenery, awesome restaurants and fun bars. What more could we need?!

How did you narrow your focus on venue spaces?

Once we decided on Charleston, we knew we wanted to get married somewhere with beautiful outdoor spaces. We started doing some research and found Magnolia Plantation. As soon as we saw it, we knew it was the one. Pete’s younger brother Chris was actually a wedding planner in Charleston a few years ago. He still had contact with a some of the other planners there and put us in touch with Chelsye, who is one of his good friends. We had a quick phone call and felt good about it but then completely fell in love with her when we met her in person for the first time at Magnolia. Chelsye has been such a godsend since day one of the planning process. She is so easy going, enthusiastic and makes the planning process easy and fun. We adore her.

What are your dreams for your big day?

Pete and I actually agree on the most important aspect of our wedding- Fun! We want a beautiful night of dancing, eating and celebrating our love with our closest family and friends. Honestly though we have agreed on almost everything thus far with the planning- Either that or he just lets me run the show and goes along with it 😉

Where do you see yourselves after tying the knot?

After the wedding we will still be living in Orlando, hopefully in a house that we will be shopping for in the next few months. We will be honeymooning in summer 2019, either in Thailand or Switzerland most likely. TBD!

Kaley + Pete.

A Romantic Night Out for Two

Whether its a first date or an on-going ritual, all perfect date nights in Charleston must be romantic. In a city so saccharine, there’s no excuse for a night that leaves a bland taste in your mouth. So, let’s meet at a quintessential Italian eatery WAY North of Broad.

 Trattoria Lucca on Bogard Street features a vibrant array of authentic Italian cheeses, meats, wines and the freshest low country harvest. Let the owner and executive chef, Ken Vedrinski, do the cooking and tempt your taste buds with homemade pasta and riso like Tagliolini which features blue crab, anchovy, lemon & breadcrumbs.

If you’re not rolling out of Trattoria Lucca, hop on a pedicab to the bustling nightlife on Upper King and sneak into The Belmont for a night cap at a vintage themed bar. Their craft cocktails, such as their signature espresso martini, won’t disappoint and calls for a great end to the evening.

Local Tip!

 Trattoria Lucca is old school, so remember to call in order to make a reservation. Their menu changes daily, so every experience is unlike another. Buon appetito!

A few of our other favorites for an intimate date night: