The Parsonage in Charleston was the perfect venue for Brent & Lisa's intimate, family only elopement.
Read MoreNavy & Citron Nautical Wedding at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina | Charleston, Atlanta & New York Wedding Planner
Preppy nautical weddings abound in the Lowcountry but Scarlet Plan & Design and The Click Chick Photography rocked the boat with this wedding coastal inspiration!
When Mackenzie, THE Click Chick, and I first started talking about doing a shoot together we knew it had to be nautical and it had to be at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina (aka CHRM). We're both obsessed with all things coastal so it was a natural fit and the perfect venue for our Nautical South Shoot.
We started with the very nautical navy and white as our base colors in the palette and used a fun citron green and a deeper emerald green as an unexpected pop of color throughout the entire shoot. After the color choices were made we started assembling a team of awesome, creative vendors perfect for pulling off the incredible shoot we're about to share with you!
Catering and mixology was done on site and was mouth watering to say the least! With the stunning Kristen Cook (AKA the real Miss Charleston!) as our bride and Citadel alum Ben Hebel as our handsome groom and professional ballet dancer Crystal Wellman as our Maid of Honor, our fake wedding party was ready to go! Can you believe how gorgeous they all look together?
My biggest piece of advice given to all my couples is to look into your own lives for inspiration and to stay true to yourselves to create a memorable and unique wedding that is completely YOU!
as always, happy planning my loves!
xoxo, Sara
Vendor List:
Shoot Design & Coordination :: Sara Skinner with Regis Byrd of Scarlet Plan & Design | Photographer :: The Click Chick Photography | Venue :: Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina | Accessories :: Simply Southern Wedding | Accessories & Home Decor :: C. Wonder (now closed) | Cake :: Delicious Desserts | Boat :: The OM Sailing Charter | Bridal Attire :: designed by Sara Skinner of Scarlet Plan & Design, (skirt) Gown Boutique of Charleston, (top) Target | Bridesmaid's Attire :: LulaKate | Catering :: On site by CHRM | Customized Dockers :: Sperry Topsiders | Florist :: On A Limb Floral Design | Groom's Attire :: (jacket) Charleston Tuxedo | Linens :: Ultrapom | Makeup :: Hana Mohalo | Hair :: Hair by Takeshia | Live Sketch Artist :: C. Ellis Designs | Oyster Knives :: Custom Coastal Knives | Rentals :: Snyder Events | Stationery :: The Silver Starfish | Styling & Jewelry Curating :: Alden deHart for Scarlet Plan & Design | Vintage Trunk :: 428 Main | Welcome Bag :: A Signature Welcome
“Considering a sandy shores abound in the Lowcountry, it’s no shock that Charleston-based shutterbug Mackenzie Clark (aka the Click Chick) and Sara Skinner of Scarlet Plan & Design share an affinity for all things nautical. When an itch to highlight that aesthetic struck recently, the pair fashioned an inspiration shoot at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina bursting with maritime touches—from boat shoes to a compass-bound stationery suite. The result? A faux wedding any sea-loving couple would yen for. “Couples should look into their own lives and loves for inspiration,” says Sara. “If they stay true to the things that matter to them, the wedding will be unique and memorable.””
click on any image to enlarge
Custom made oyster knives make the perfect bride & groom gifts for the nautical couple!
Custom designed invitations sporting real compasses were absolutely perfect for helping guests find their way to the wedding!
We opted to skip the traditional flower boutonniere and use a nautical knot instead. Believe it or knot (see what I did there? ha!) that gold anchor is an earring!
The gals at A Signature Welcome worked with us to craft a welcome bag we'd LOVE to give our own guests! They used our color palette paired with perfectly curated gifts sure to make your guests feel welcomed and at ease during their weekend in the sun with you at your wedding!
The morning of your wedding don't forget to bring one of your fiance's button down shirts to wear while you're getting your hair and makeup done and for all those sweet "getting ready" shots with your ladies!
Ah, the details...the stunning engagement ring with the citron stone was on loan from a private collection and is unavailable for purchase at this time (insert sad face here!), but everything else seen here can be yours! All jewelry was curated by Bridal Stylist Alden deHart for our shoot and can be yours simply by booking her services! See our Styling page for more info.
I wanted to do something completely off the wall but still wearable for the bride's gown so I paired a huge tulle ball-gown skirt from Gown Boutique of Charleston with a navy and white striped top from Target! When we started getting Kristen dressed we realized that we needed a belt around her waist so Alden used a fabulous pearl necklace wrapped in a grosgrain navy and white striped ribbon and it was perfect! And don't even get me started on how much I adore that rope necklace!
In sticking with our nontraditional wedding attire, we had Ben rock dark washed jeans paired with a pale blue button-down and a crisp white tuxedo jacket. It was the perfect choice for our seafaring couple!
This is probably one of my favorite images from the entire shoot. All 3 of the models wore custom navy and white Sperrys and they could not have been more perfect! I mean, boat shoes for a nautical wedding?! Obvi! And wouldn't they make the perfect gifts for your wedding party?
A live sketch artist to capture your wedding day and provide a little entertainment for the guests is one way to go when you want to stray from the expected at your wedding!
Y'all, that's a real working cannon from the 1800's that my sweet hubby's buddy let us borrow. That little thing must weigh about 70 freaking pounds! Thanks for helping us get that out there, Snyder! And thanks for letting us borrow it, Chris!
See that beautiful catamaran in the background? We shot our next (and final) scene aboard her and you're going to love the unique Grand Exit "vehicle" we chose for this faux wedding!
For our Grand Exit aboard the OM catamaran we took Kristen out of the boatnecked 3/4 sleeved shirt and rope necklace and put her in a fun white and blue tank top and a more casual anchor necklace. We changed Ben's solid blue shirt to a fun floral printed shirt from Banana Republic. Captain Banff Luther sailed us out around the peninsula, around the harbor and all over Charleston treating us to a KILLER sunset and unparalleled views of the Battery and all the way up to Fort Sumter. I'd highly recommend booking a cruise on his cat with your friends ASAP!
What boat trip would be complete without someone pretending to be King of the World?
Could these two be any more gorgeous together?!
I spy the Charleston Battery in the background!
Indian Summer Bollywood meets Birmingham Wedding Inspiration at Middleton Place | Charleston Wedding Planner
Bollywood met Birmingham at Middleton Place for Revolution Wedding Tour's Charleston Mega Tour. Our Indian Summer design was jam-packed with vibrant colors, exotic accents, luxurious South Asian touches and filled with tons of inspiration for the perfect fusion wedding. Talk about a dream come true!
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Degas/Monet Ballet Inspired Wedding Editorial Shoot at Magnolia Plantation | Charleston, Atlanta, New York Nontraditional Wedding Planners & Designers
What could be more lovely than a wedding with real ballerinas at Magnolia Plantation in spring?
We combined soft blush pink with mercury glass and gold, with lush floral designs, rustic farm tables, stunning industrial chandeliers, and refurbished church pews to create this lovely Southern wedding inspiration. We adore the nontraditional elements mixed with the traditional used to create this crisp, clean, elegant affair. We hope you love it as much as we did!
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photo by Ben & Colleen Photography
7 Reasons Why You Can't Afford NOT To Have a Wedding Planner | Charleston, Atlanta, New York Nontraditional Wedding Planning & Design
Oftentimes I hear brides and grooms telling me all the reasons they can't afford a wedding planner and I just want to BEG them to reconsider that stance for sooooooo many reasons. You can't afford NOT to have a competent wedding planner on the ground handling all the details you've worked so long and so hard to put together. Here are just a few reasons why you should think twice before skipping a planner. I'm likely going to repeat myself a few times here, but trust me, I speak the truth!
I'm not going to touch on Destination Weddings in this post because we've got one specifically dedicated to that in the works so just stay tuned!
1. Peace of mind!
This is the biggest and the most important reason you should have a wedding planner that is both competent (and I stress that word) and professional (another word that deserves much emphasis) handling all the details of your big day. A real true event planner will have a whole team with her (or him!) so that no detail goes unnoticed.
Oh, what's that? Your auntie used to work at a flower shop in college back in '87 and she's going to do all the planning AND the flowers? Oh, your mom's cousin's best friend's step-brother's nephew's girlfriend does planning on the side? First of all, no. Second, do you really want your loved ones or some random person "working" your wedding instead of enjoying it? Don't you want to spend that wonderful day WITH your friends and family versus ordering everyone around and making sure people have done their "jobs" as well as making sure the vendors are on point? Wouldn't it be brilliant to have someone there to make sure all that happens while you get to be the Bride and not the Planner?
Furthermore, that person is more than likely not a professional wedding planner. Without the experience of a seasoned planning professional, when the average person gets hit with a high-stress, highly unpredictable day things can go very wrong. I'm not trying to scare you, but if things get hairy, can your mom/sister/cousin/aunt/friend handle the stress? And do you even want to expose her to that? Don't put the people you love to work at your wedding. The margin for error, stress and drama is exceptionally high when you do that!
Event & Wedding Planner jobs have landed on the top 5 lists of most stressful jobs for the last 5+ years. Simply put, we're used to this shit!
2. You will get access to our connections!
We've spent years carefully curating a list of vendors* we trust and highly recommend. We've built relationships with people and we know how they operate, we know that they are true professionals and we can attest to their abilities to deliver on their promises. We know exactly who to match you up with to fit your design and budget. We know who to guide you toward and who to steer you away from.
And even aside from discounts, we can open doors to vendors that may only work with clients that have wedding planners. That's right, there are many venues and vendors that will only work with people that have a planner. Without one of us, you'd likely never even know about them!
*PLEASE know that our Preferred Vendor list is not built on kickbacks, charging vendors commissions or referral fees. We find kickbacks to be not only dishonest, but wholly unethical and would never suggest a vendor based on them paying us to do so.
3. We can help you SAVE money!
Yes, you heard me right. We can save you money by helping you spend it smarter and negotiating better terms with your vendors. And sometimes our Preferred Vendors will offer discounted rates or throw in a little something extra for Scarlet brides. I'm not saying we will definitely be able to get you discounts and freebies with every single vendor, but sometimes it will happen. We work very closely with our preferred list for many reasons and occasionally they'll toss in a little lagniappe (a little something extra) for our clients. Let me reiterate that, we cannot guarantee discounts from everyone, but sometimes they will be offered. Do not go into a relationship with a planner simply because you think she's going to get you bajillions of discounts and get you a free wedding because you will be sorely disappointed, but certain vendors are able to extend discounts and upgrades for the clients of a planner they love.
We can also help you spend your money smarter by showing you where you can source things for less, talking you OUT of wasting $250 on a custom aisle runner you will probably trip on, and introducing you to the wonderful world of new talent! Love a high-end designer's flowers but can't afford it? We can introduce you to new talent that is very similar to their design aesthetic for a fraction of the cost. Bringing me right back to point #2 again, we know people!
4. Time!
Did you know it takes roughly 250-300 hours to plan a wedding for 125 people? Do you really have that much time on your hands? We do!
5. We can handle the drama!
If we know beforehand that Aunt Carol and Uncle Victor don't get along we can make sure they don't have any run-ins during the wedding. We can help you with the seating chart and make sure to seat them far, far away from each other at the reception (and we even keep an eye for trouble!) instead of them accidentally ending up at the same table and someone getting stabbed. This has legit happened. Buy me a margarita and I might just tell you that story!
6. We are your new, super organized, wedding loving best friends!
In addition to all the normal stuff like putting your timeline together and creating floorplans, we are one of the only people you know who will never get sick of your wedding! We spend hours gathering all your important personal belongings, helping you make your seating chart, putting together and delivering your Welcome Bags, helping keep you calm when your future sister-in-law gets a mad classy, monstrous new skull & crossbones tattoo right across her throat 2 days before your super traditional cathedral wedding (airbrushing isn't that expensive and works really well!), performing amateur relationship counseling when the groom insists on wearing his ratty old beat up Chucks with his custom Vera Wang tux (just let it slide!), coming with you to fittings, helping you pick out just the right shoes and earrings and then helping you again when you change your mind, keeping you hydrated & fed the day of the wedding, and answering every call and text you send our way. We keep track of payments for your vendors, help the best man and the MOH write their speeches if they need us, hand out all the tips, and we keep your event running seamlessly, handling whatever gets thrown our way.
And, honestly, the only thing we want at the end of the night is for you to hug us and tell us that you love us before you head off into Happily Ever After. That's the stuff we live for. Make your planner feel like she's loved and we will move mountains for you. Always.
7. We have brilliant ideas!
What? It's true Sure, you've seen all kinds of cool stuff on Pinterest but so have 100 million other Pinners. Most wedding planners & event designers strive to create unique events customized to the exact taste & budget of each client. And that means we get to know you as a couple and then come up with truly unique ideas for just y'all. We don't just copy our other weddings or another designer's work.
Or maybe you want to do something completely wild? We have crazy out of the box ideas (and the right connections!) to take your event to the next level! Want to hear more? Schedule your complimentary consultation with a Scarlet Wedding Planner today!
I know some of y'all are still worried that you cant afford a planner, but here's one last piece of advice, the ages old saying: "You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar" is one that will never go out of style. There is not one client that's been genuinely being kind and honest about their needs that has walked away without us finding a way to help them.
One of my absolute favorite past clients was on a tight budget and totally overwhelmed with planning, but she reminded me so much of my little sister, and on top of it she was absolutely delightful and gave me all the warm fuzzies when we talked for the first time that I knew I had to work with her and she's become one of my dearest friends (love you, Em!). So don't let your idea of what you can and can't afford stand in your way of at least talking to a wedding planner!
Happy planning, my loves!
Sara
enjoy a few photos of the SPD crew in action!
: photos courtesy of :
the click chick photography | catherine ann photography | milanes photography | VUE photo