Annie and Luke’s destination Charleston black tie waterfront nuptials at the Pavilion at Patriots Point Links were a classic, chic celebration for these two Washingtonians! The couple had envisioned a modern, coastal wedding day on Charleston’s harbor, planned by the phenomenal team at Pinnacle Weddings, and wanted to create a day that was entirely a reflection of their love, their families, and all their sweet friends that had traveled near and far to celebrate with them. We are so thrilled to see this wedding recently published in print in the Summer 2023 copy of Charleston Weddings Magazine, which you can also find online here!
DC Engagement Photos
Annie and Luke’s love story reminds me of an old Hollywood film – they both grew up in the Northern Virginia area only a mile away from one another! But fate would have it that they didn’t cross paths until after college when they were both working in the Washington D.C. area about five years ago. A mutual friend’s introduction one pivotal evening has led to a whirlwind D.C. romance that culminated in Luke proposing to Annie in front of the National Christmas Tree at the White House, followed by a surprise Christmas-themed engagement party with their closest family and friends at their favorite restaurant in the District, St. Anslem. We met up with this sweet couple in Washington DC last spring to photograph their engagement photos at the Tidal Basin, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the cobblestone streets of Georgetown.
Charleston Wedding Photographer
From the Bride: “My parents moved down to the Charleston, SC area about six years ago, and it has quickly become one of Luke and I’s favorite places to visit. Many of our extended family and friends had never visited Charleston before, so we were excited our wedding weekend would give them the perfect reason to come visit one of our favorite cities. We both absolutely love being on the water, so incorporating that into our day was high on the priority list.”
Their early autumn Charleston wedding day started with arguably the most perfect Lowcountry weather – clear skies, lots of sunshine, and a balmy 75 degrees accompanied by a gentle breeze! Both the bride and groom chose to get ready at the Faber House property in historic downtown Charleston, which offers floor-to-ceiling windows for lots of natural light, sumptuous getting ready spaces, and a historic stately exterior restored to its original 19th century glory. Their details and invitation suite balanced their city-chic, modern tastes with coastal, southern hints throughout as a nod to their wedding’s South Carolina backdrop. Their custom invitations, designed by the bride herself, featured blue and white floral motifs, personalized velum suite wraps, and a hand-drawn emblem of their initials incorporated into their paper goods, seating chart, and wax seals featured throughout their day. A first look on the lawn of Faber House, followed by couple’s portraits with a vintage Rolls Royce from Lowcountry Trolley lent a timeless element to their portraits, which also served as Annie’s transportation to the chapel for their wedding ceremony.
The couple chose St. Patrick Catholic Church in the center of Charleston’s Radcliffeborough neighborhood to host their traditional Catholic ceremony. Boasting a four-story brick bell tower spire, vaulted cathedral ceilings, and a whitewashed interior to compliment the original stained glass throughout, it was the perfect start to their Holy City wedding day for them and their guests. A vintage trolley transported the couple, their wedding party, and their families to Charleston’s Hampton Park for portraits shortly after the ceremony. Hampton Park is filled with splendid gardens amongst shaded walking trails and hidden green spaces in the heart of downtown Charleston, and its iconic Spanish Moss tunnel pathway made for an ideal, sun-drenched backdrop for their portraits.
The Pavilion at Patriots Point
As the evening turned to golden hour, the couple and their party made their way to their waterfront reception venue, the tented Pavilion at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant, SC. This venue has everything you need for an oceanfront Charleston wedding! The golf course overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and the bay, the Ravenel Bridge frames the lawn, and a tented pavilion is the perfect outdoor celebration option while accommodating for a rain plan. Just steps away from the USS Yorktown and the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, this venue is surrounded by history, and equally creates an iconic backdrop. Both aficionados of Charleston’s delightful waterfront, Annie & Luke sought out a Charleston area venue that featured spectacular views of Charleston’s harbor and Ravenel Bridge, while still allowing guests to enjoy the early autumn weather with an open air design.
Charlston Wedding Reception Inspiration
A custom-built sage and white seating chart welcomed guests to the Pavilion at Patriots Point, featuring the bride’s designs of seating cards, wax seals, and a hand-drawn emblem of their initials, realized by the creatives at Sawdust and Sweetgrass. Creech’s Florist played an integral role in bringing the bride’s chic, intentional vision for her wedding reception to life, and curated a whimsical floral design featuring various textures of white, sage, and ivory florals throughout. A white pillar candle and bud vase-filled head table created the pièce de résistance of their reception tent’s design to compliment the black-and-white checkered dance floor and crystal chandeliers above, and created an inviting, contemporary reception design for their guests. Hanging white draping lined the ceiling of the tent to add additional depth and softness, while white cafe lights dotted the ceiling over the dance floor to create warmth and additional light sources for their guests once the sun went down.
Distinctive climbing greenery was expertly hung from the tent’s support structures to conceal the tent poles, while simultaneously creating a dramatic and eye-catching effect inside their reception. The climbing greenery flanked each side of their checkerboard dance floor, creating a stunning centerpiece to the tent’s design execution. Upon their arrival to the reception, guests were greeted with similarly hung greenery and white draping at the primary entrance to the tent.
Wedding Reception Celebration
From the Bride: “Luke and I had many favorite moments throughout our wedding day, but the one that stands out to us the most was sunset portraits on the 18th hole down by the water. We were supposed to sneak away from dinner just us two for golden hour ‘newly married’ portraits, but the sunset was absolutely showing off, and many of our guests ended up joining us down there to watch the sunset and the sailboats passing by. We got to spend a few quieter moments mingling with our guests at the waterfront before the party really started, and we loved every minute of it.
Once the sun set and the reception kicked off, we wanted to ensure that our guests had an amazing time! We brought in a live local band, Flash Mob, for the dancing portion of our reception. A few months prior to the wedding, we were visiting my parents and took a walk along Isle of Palms beach. We just happened to walk past a beach bar, and heard some incredible live music, so we stopped in completely by chance. We heard the band playing Lizzo and instantly knew they would be a hit at the wedding.”
Luke & Annie’s soirée concluded with a magical energy on the dance floor thanks to their live band, and a fashion-forward outfit change for the bride featuring a strapless neckline, mini length, and white beading and fringe throughout from brand Retrofête. These two danced the night away on the checkered dance floor with their closest friends and family of all ages to classic rock hits like ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ and ‘Sweet Child of Mine’, and culminated an incredible wedding day with the couple’s favorite jam, ‘Mr. Brightside’ before a sparkler exit to close out the evening. I am so thrilled we got to be a part of their delightful wedding day with such a stellar group of Lowcountry vendors that made it all possible! Cheers and best wishes to Luke & Annie!
If You Are Planning A Wedding In The Southeast, Colorado, Or At A Destination Worldwide, And Looking For A Destination Wedding Photographer, Let’s Get In Touch Today!
Photography Team: Sarah Nann Photography
Film Processing: PhotoVision Prints
Planning & Design: Pinnacle Weddings
Floral Design: Creech’s Florist
Wedding Dress: Rita Vinieris
Bridal Salon: Hayden Olivia Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses: Mumu Weddings
Groomsmen’s Attire: The Black Tux
Catering: Good Food Catering
Hair & Makeup: Silhouette on Site
Getting Ready Suites: Faber House Bridal
Ceremony Venue: St. Patrick Catholic Church Charleston
Reception Venue: The Pavilion at Patriots Point
Bridal Accessories: SJ Bailey Co.
Transportation: Lowcountry Trolley
Live Band: Flashmob Charleston
Custom Signage: Sawdust & Sweetgrass
Rentals: Curated Events Charleston
Rentals: Broad Street Events
