Southern Bride and Rosewood Manor

March 15, 2017 by Carl Kerridge

Who doesn’t love a southern bride and how she plans her wedding?!

Alison kept traditions in more than one way and they were nothing short of elegant. One of the most thoughtful was the memory of Alison’s mother sewn into her dress. She took her mother’s wedding dress, and had a section monogramed so that she could have it with her as she walked down the aisle. Just beautiful.

Picking a venue in the heart of old South Carolina, Rosewood Manor hosted a grandeur atmosphere for the Scruggs and their guests. Dr. Gary and his staff go above and beyond to create unforgettable memories at their plantation home, it was simply exquisite.

To add to the authenticity of the occasion, Alison and Jamie were wed in Marion’s First Presbyterian Church. It is a classic establishment with warm hues that dance against wood shutters. Not to mention an impressive organ sits behind the alter, overlooking each ceremony that enters its doors. Jamie’s father conducted the ceremony and he choked before pronouncing the couple as husband and wife. With a laugh the couple kissed and began their new chapter together.

A 1977 burnt-orange corvette sat outside the church, ready to take them back to Rosewood Manor to celebrate with family and friends. The Vistas Band performed in fantastic blues-brothers-style and performed pieces that had everyone giggling. Who could forget the duet with the little flower girl? It was a great celebration to ring in the holidays.

Once there, the crowd partied until the cold encouraged everyone to retire and go inside for a night cap. But before Jack Frost could have his say and as every southern bride does know, the night could only end with a sweet tribute to Sweet Home Alabama.

Wedding Hope, Faith, and Love

January 20, 2017 by Carl Kerridge

Gatsby Themed Wedding
“He smiled understandingly – much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced — or seemed to face — the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

While looking through Mallary and Travis’s wedding images, I pondered all that could be said of them and their wedding. I know that there is a gentle quietness of respect for all who choose to serve for their country and who marry and support that service. Thinking about Mallary’s bridal shoot, I began flipping through The Great Gatsby, wondering if Fitzgerald could spark my creativity, and then there it was – a quote that set the imagery for their wedding ceremony at The Cooper House.

When Travis told us to “rock on,” the other side of this strong couple came out to play. Avid Clemson and music fans, there wasn’t doubt they knew how to party, and the crowd threw down at Inlet Affairs in Murrells Inlet. At the same time, I enjoy thinking back about how simple the two wanted to keep the wedding details. Nothing is better than for a couple to focus on what truly matters, that the two of you are marrying each other. That is the sacred memory you’ll share forever.

As Mr. and Mrs. Haynie begin their future together, I have much admiration for them both and give them my best. There will be challenges, there will be beauty. There will be calmness and there will be spurts of energy.

My wish is that every time the two of you are close enough to touch, you rest against each others foreheads, remember your wedding to each other and feel all that matters – Hope, Faith, and Love.

Rustic Romance at Devil’s Thumb Ranch

October 21, 2016 by Carl Kerridge

When you venture into Rachel’s and Alex’s world, you are met with so much love and acceptance. It’s hard for it not to be contagious. Their “Rustic Romance” bloomed for 13 years before they took the plunge to say I Do’s. It is my pleasure to call them dear friends and a part of my family.

Devils Thumb Ranch, Colorado – There’s no better place to have captured the union of these souls. Their rehearsal party was hilarious! The mic was opened to all the guests to choose a roast or toast to the couple, and we heard some pretty hilarious stories. From mischievous parties to heartfelt memories, the connecting theme was how the couple are “designed for each other” and it was clear they are a product of many lifetimes together. The wedding day was full of mountain sunshine, delightful scenery, wild horses, the most incredible night sky and a party that went on well passed my bedtime…

Why is ‘Rustic Romance’ the exact definition for this marriage?

Sure the wedding setting was in the countryside in a rural part of Colorado, but the definition holds so much more. Their romance is so grand yet, “made in simple fashion.” All aspects of their wedding and love for each other is in its purest form. College sweethearts, they met while sitting together at orientation. They had rings fashioned in simple elegance, attire simple in it’s beauty and presence. Their vows described their lives together even more than I can. They, “love each other enough to let them go if that was how they needed to grow,” and here they stood at their wedding day. After 13 years, they are simply inspiring.

As individuals, they uplift everyone around them. They encourage others to live life as vibrantly as they do. There’s a renewing sense of “all and everything” when you’re surrounded by this couple, their families, and friends. As I try to find the sentences that describe these moments best, words fail me. There no vocabulary that encompasses all that this was and will continue to be. One guest reminded me that the essence of this rustic romance might just be a moment when we all were close to God, all His wonders, and how beautiful it will always remain.

I wish the happiest of everything to one of the most beautiful couples I know. May the world show you every bit of love that you bestow to it.

Vendors:

Location & Catering : Devil’s Thumb Ranch

Event Planner: Jolene Greenbaum Peterson

Music: Syndicate Band

Florists: Fawns Leap

Hair/Makeup: Bre Ortola Morris & Tina Merli from Alchemy Face Bar

Wedding Dress & Shoes: Anna Be Store & Badgley Mischka

Styled Photo Shoot – Members Club

October 17, 2016 by Carl Kerridge

Oh The Great Gatsby, a tale of impossible love, dreams and tragedies….thank goodness the iconic style of the 20’s and 30’s is what mostly influenced our styled photo shoot! We did have a hiccup, but overall the day was just as successful and beautiful as part one of our styled shoot at the Dunes Club last week (incase you missed it here is that blog).

Here’s the preparation list of contacts for our styled shoot

Check list:

Location – Vasilika at The Members Club at Grande Dunes
Model – Whitney
Make up – Mary Chestnut with Makeup Artistry on location
Hair -Wing Wong with Salon and Spa 18
Flowers by Robert Gerba with RSG Event Designs
Dress – Nichole at The Little White Dress

Our model was superb. Mary and Wing transformed her in to a classical and elegant beauty. The dress! I will never forget that stunning design, how it fit our model like a glove and fitted perfectly to our Vintage Gatsby inspired theme. When she walked out of the changing suite, even bystanders awed as we exited the building. We marveled at her hair, makeup, and how well the dress complimented her and the look we wanted for this shoot.

Then came the tiny tragedy, “Rollsmarie” (a 1930’s Rolls Royce) had a flat and the sun had already started to set. Were we going to have enough time to capture the essence of our location?

Making ample use of our time, we began without the classic car and Whitney moved beautifully in her vintage gown. Then, just as dusk hit, Robert cruised up and parked in front of the Members Club’s front doors.

With the car on site, our models boyfriend lending his support as our groom to be, we all decided to continue shooting as the light dipped in to dusk. The cool breeze in the air with night approaching gave the shots more vibrancy and atmosphere that we anticipated!

Remember from our other blog, I said I intended to make this styled photo shoot entrancing? Well, see for yourself! Thanks to the Members Club for allowing us to shoot at your beautiful location and to all the vendors involved for the time and effort to create such a wonderful series of images.

Styled photoshoot at The Dunes Club

October 14, 2016 by Carl Kerridge

In the past I have shied away from any kind of styled photo shoot. I prefer the authentic feeling of a real wedding day and the emotions that come along with it. However, there are times when you just can’t say no! When the opportunity for a custom fitted 1930’s White Rolls Royce styled photo shoot came through, I did jump and say a big,” hell yes!” Icing on the cake was the car’s owner is a good friend and fellow Myrtle Beach wedding vendor, Robert Gerba with RSG Events Designs. He offered the car and I put on my planning hat! Then came the dream team of Myrtle Beach wedding vendors along with my model for the day and my lovely wife Jessica.

Here’s the check list of contacts for our styled photo shoot

Location – Nicole at Dunes Golf and Beach Club
Model – My wife, Jessica, owner of Whereismyguru.com
Make up – Mary Chestnut with Makeup Artistry on location
Hair – Meg Hendrix with St James Salon
Flowers by Robert Gerba with RSG Event Designs
Dress – Nichole at The Little White Dress

For the actual shoot we had no rules, guidelines or preconceived notions of the final image. Ultimately we wanted to showcase the car as it is a new addition to our local wedding offerings but also create the images for a variety of marketing pieces that all the wedding vendors would appreciate.

With all the flowers in bloom and crisp skies, August is just a gorgeous month to shoot in. Now, raise your hand if you’ve had a South Carolina wedding in August… yep it was that hot and yep, we did swindle a golf cart to carry our model around and keep her cool. Everyone involved helped make the shoot a huge success. From Mary dabbing and touching up lipstick, to Nicole helping fan out the dress to perfection, we even had Robert working the model’s veil like a pro.

Robert would hide behind the Rolls Royce and spruce up the veil before I clicked my shutter. This brought the attitude into the images, the rest of the crew would cheer away, and our model’s smile made the moment. If you could have heard the sound of “Rolls Marie,” I’d say she even revved her engine nicely for us too!

As we got ready to call it a day at The Dunes Club, I knew that we had to do another shoot. The next styled photo shoot needed to have a grandeur Gatsby theme, perhaps the infamous novel could help spark our imagination….