Ashley and Matt’s Dewberry Wedding
The Scene
This Dewberry wedding is like walking into a mid-century modern dream! The Dewberry Hotel is truly a unique venue in Charleston. It has the design and decor of one of the most popular styles of our time, mid-century modern. This design aesthetic embraces clean lines, natural warm wood tones, and touches of gold and marble to elevate the scenes. The intentional design elements create an atmosphere reminiscent of the lounge scene of the 50s and 60s. If you’re looking for a unique event space that stands out in Charleston, SC, look no further. View Ashley and Matt’s Dewberry wedding gallery to learn more about why The Dewberry is a perfect venue for intimate nuptials to 200-guest soirees.
March is a beautiful time in Charleston. The weather is near perfect with low humidity and mid temperatures pleasing for locals and out-of-townees alike. A space like The Dewberry offers outdoor and indoor options suitable for any gathering. Ashley and Matt utilized a few event spaces at the hotel for their Dewberry wedding. The rooftop lounge offers a large indoor space with floor to ceiling windows. This creates a light, ethereal atmosphere. This pairs well with the outdoor rooftop patio. With its neutral tones dotted with green leafed plants, the rooftop patio is perfect for cocktails and mingling. Its best feature is the view. Guests can lookout over the Charleston cityscape. This is a breathtaking view as sunset light blankets the historic church steeples and modern Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. A view that mimics the best elements of The Dewberry.
The Memories
Ashley and Matt are the kind of couple not fond of the spotlight. And that’s okay! When couples feel this way, I try a few different ideas to keep them at ease during photos. The Dewberry was generous enough to let us use a private space for a some couple portraits. This meant no spectators. Though people mean well and are excited to see a couple on their wedding day, it can feel like a mob of meerkats gawking. I’ve even had tourists request a quick pic with newlyweds before. For this reason, I knew Ashley and Matt would appreciate a quiet spot for photos away from the hustle and bustle of The Dewberry bar, the Living Room.
The private room still had favorite mid-century modern touches. It also had plenty of natural light flooding the space. This is why it was a great backdrop for photos, and created a relaxing vibe for the couple. It is common for couples to take a few minutes to get used to being photographed. Once comfortable, those sweet moments begin to take place. From loving looks to sudden laughter, it is these interactions between Ashley and Matt that make for some of the best captures of the day. It is this approach that helps facilitate natural moments, and has been a main aspect of my wedding photography for sixteen years (and counting).
Prioritize the Celebration
We kept couple portraits short and sweet so that Ashley and Matt could attend a pre-ceremony cocktail hour with their friends and family. It is always a treat to document guests’ reactions to seeing the couple for the first time on the wedding day. There is excitement, surprise, and hugs galore! We mixed in family photos while the couple greeted loved ones, and captured candid interactions.
As guests made their way down to the ceremony site, I asked for Ashley and Matt to stay behind for just a few more photos. Natural light is where my craft shines. When weather and location permit, I always want couples to have beautiful portraits in natural surroundings whether that’s basking in the glow of the setting sun or nature crafted backdrops of oak trees and seasonal blooms. These portraits just before their, “I do”s embody the joy that Ashley and Matt feel and make for some of my favorite moments from their wedding.
The Dewberry’s walled garden is a modern, outdoor space. Ashley and Matt designed the ceremony to easily segue to the dining space by having family style tables already set. They exchanged personally written vows standing side-by-side and then a quick kiss sealed the start of their marriage.
Embracing the minimalism of The Dewberry, the wedding design is a sleek almost monochromatic styling with a pop of yellow. This modern chic aesthetic carries over into the ballroom. However, once the reception revved up, the lights were turned down and the uplighting set the dance party vibe. This group was definitely a dancing crowd, which makes for fun memories preserved in the photos. It was on the dance floor that Ashley and Matt ended their wedding just as it had begun, in each others arms.
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