1. Real Weddings

A Colorful DIY Wedding at the Historic Rice Mill in Charleston, South Carolina

<b style="font-weight: normal;">Charlee-Ann Charron (27 and the owner of Fancy Face Studio) and Jesse McMahon (31 and the owner of Old Stone Cold Brew

Charlee-Ann Charron (27 and the owner of Fancy Face Studio) and Jesse McMahon (31 and the owner of Old Stone Cold Brew) couldn't deny their instant chemistry upon meeting through a mutual friend at the beach. "Jesse and I ended up spending the entire day talking on the beach, laughing and flirting,” Charlee-Ann says. When it came time to say "I do," The New Hampshire natives hosted a rustic waterfront wedding at the Historic Rice Mill in Charleston, South Carolina. “It had the rustic charm of a New England mill but the Southern charm of being situated right on the water,” Charlee-Ann says. Owning her own wedding design company has its perks because Charlee-Ann beautifully handcrafted nearly every decorative element for a small fraction of the price. Tying in rose gold and ocean blue hues to accent the rustic mill and coastal environment, Charlee-Ann made her company’s signature tassel garland to string from large balloons that glistened in the setting sun over the Charleston Harbor. “I started experimenting with different types of paper and fell in love with the texture and flexibility of coffee filters,” Charlee-Ann says. The backdrop for the ceremony was made by dying the filters and stringing them together in cone shapes, mimicking the undulations from the surrounding sea. To maintain their strict budget, Charlee-Ann and Jesse had friends and family collect soup cans for a year. “I spray-painted them copper and used them as vases for our flowers,” she says. Sticking to what these small business owners do best, Charlee-Ann and Jesse poured creativity, love and ingenuity into their destination wedding. “The best thing we did was to do what felt right for us," she says. "You don't need to rush life. It will happen, and it will be beautiful. Just enjoy the ride.” —Juliette Cheatham

Silver Dollar and King Protea Green Bouquet
Oversized Balloons with Orange Tassels
Because all her bridesmaids were different in terms of height and body type, Charlee-Ann told the girls to wear whatever dress they wished as long as it was in gray. “They all picked dresses that suited their personalities perfectly, and it ended up being an amazing surprise for me on my wedding day,” she says.
After purchasing flowers from a local market, Charlee-Ann brought them to her bridesmaids for some quality arts-and-crafts time at the beach. “The girls got to pick the flowers they wanted and make their own bouquet," she says. "We had so much fun—I couldn't imagine doing it any other way.”
Along with their gray pants and navy ties, Jesse and his groomsmen sported matching blue suede shoes. “They looked as handsome as ever,” Charlee-Ann says.
“I chose to wear Tom's Shoes because I'm not the kind of girl to wear heels”, Charlee-Ann states. Not to mention after a 20 hour wedding and reception, comfortable shoes were key to enjoying the festivities until the very end.
Charlee-Ann, bride and owner of Fancy Face Studio specializing in wedding decor made her signature tassel garlands in rose gold and strung them from large balloons for the ocean side ceremony. “Driving to the wedding over the bridge in Charleston, I could see the mylar garlands glistening in the sunshine and I was overwhelmed with joy”, she recalls.
“I started experimenting with different types of paper and fell in love with the texture and flexibility of coffee filters,” Charlee-Ann says. The backdrop for the ceremony was made by dying the filters various shades of blue and stringing them together in cone shapes along a rustic brick wall.
Historic Rice Mill Wedding Ceremony
As a very sentimental part of the ceremony, the bride and groom’s son acted as the ring barer for their special day. He looked darling with his bouncing blond cherub curls dressed in a gray vest and gray dress pants like his father.
“Keeping in line with our budget, we had friends and family collect soup cans,” Charlee-Ann says. Although it was an unusual request from a bride, Charlee-Ann had a plan to spray-paint the cans an elegant copper color and use them as vases for the reception table centerpieces.
Custom Seed Packet Wedding Favors
Charlee-Ann and Jesse had a photo booth at the reception for guests to take photos not only for themselves but also for the guest book, with little notes and loving words. “Every once in a while, we pull out the book and reminisce about that amazing day," she says. "It's definitely the best memento we have from our wedding day.”