Happy Monday, friends! We just made it back home from our honeymoon this morning, and it feels good to be back! I took a much needed break from writing blogposts, and slowed down my presence on social media over the last 3 weeks to be able to enjoy time with my family and friends in Charleston, and to give my brand new hubby (eek) the attention he deserved on our honeymoon! With that being said, I am back, and could hardly wait to share these beautiful ceremony pictures with you! I will be sharing the rest of the wedding over the next few weeks in segments!

We got married at Lowndes Grove in Charleston, South Carolina on New Years Eve! Charleston holds a special place in our hearts for various reasons, so it only felt right to host our big day in the location of our dreams. If you haven’t ever been to Charleston, I highly recommend checking it out. The food is fantastic, the city is full of charm and history, and there’s plenty of entertainment for all ages. 

The weather in the Carolina’s can be iffy in the winter.  We gambled a little bit with choosing an outdoor location for the ceremony, and ended up with a very cold day (the high was 40 degrees). Despite the chill, everything about this day was perfect start to finish! Nothing can ruin your day as bride and groom. Plus, who doesn’t love a few extra snuggles to keep warm!?   

It was important to me that the person we chose to officiate our wedding, could really speak to our personalities and character from experience. Shane and I don’t attend a church regularly enough for a pastor to be able to do this, so we asked my dad to be our officiant. This was so special, and really meaningful for us! 

My dad is the Director of Nautical Operations for Holland America Line (a cruise line). Throughout my entire childhood and adolescent life, he was a cruise ship captain on one of the ships. The uniform he is wearing in the pictures above is his captains uniform, and the same uniform he married my mom in 27 years ago. 

In terms of decorations, the venue itself was so beautiful that we opted for “less is more”. Charleston is known for its old oak trees and spanish moss, so our ceremony was directly at the center of one of the oldest trees on the property. Out Of The Garden did the florals for our wedding, and recreated the arrangements you see on the arbor from an inspiration photo I found online. We later reused that arbor at the reception to frame the cake!

XOXO, Mrs. Dyer!