1. Real Weddings

A Whimsical Plantation Wedding at Lowndes Grove in Charleston, South Carolina

Through common friends, Nicole Silvernale (27 and a second-grade teacher) and Ben Russell-Schlesinger (29 and a restaurateur) met while vacationing on

Through common friends, Nicole Silvernale (27 and a second-grade teacher) and Ben Russell-Schlesinger (29 and a restaurateur) met while vacationing one summer in Florida. “Truly, it was love at first sight," Nicole says. "We went on our first date and decided that we wanted to make our relationship work and agreed to date long-distance until we were done with school.” Ever since she was a little girl, Nicole has known she wanted to say “I do” on the Ashley River beneath draping Spanish Moss at Lowndes Grove. Striving to keep the decor as organic as possible to focus on the plantation's natural beauty, the color scheme consisted of sage green, champagne and white. Whimsical wooden swings were hung in the reception tent next to the dance floor, and the ropes were intertwined with beautiful greenery. Inspired by the couple’s favorite restaurant in New York, a champagne, vodka and caviar station was presented to the guests during cocktail hour. Passionate food lovers, the couple attempted to make each aspect of the menu as sentimental as possible. “Ben always makes boiled peanuts, so we made sure there were boiled peanuts everywhere for guests to grab,” Nicole explains. As well, the cake topper held significant value because it was initially purchased by Nicole’s grandmother as a gift for her parents to use on their wedding cake. Additional sweet details such as the drink stirrers that had the duo’s pets' faces on them, and using a wedding logo that Ben designed himself, truly created an intimate environment. —Juliette Cheatham

Classic Invitation Suite
Nicole walked down the aisle in sparkly Jimmy Choo sandals with a slight wedge to keep her comfortable throughout the night but still provide a bit of a heel. Ben’s shoes were velvet with skull and crossbones embroidered on the tops from Stubbs and Wooton.
Katie and her father share a sweet moment before the wedding as he comes in to see her in her gown for the first time. True modern elegance, she wore her hair in a low braided bun with added volume to highlight her delicate off-the-shoulder dress.
Groom's White Dinner Jacket and Groomsmen Tuxedos
Ben and his groomsmen wore Brackish bow ties made from animal feathers. When the groom asked the groomsmen to be a part of his wedding, he generously gave them each a different brackish bow tie to wear with their tuxedos.
The couple exchanged vows under a majestic chuppah covered in greenery, Spanish moss, ranunculus, peonies, hydrangeas and white roses. “Along the top we hung Ben's grandfather's tallit,” Nicole says.
Four lovely wooden swings that were hung inside the reception tent next to the dance floor. The ropes were intertwined with beautiful greenery to give them a fun and whimsical aesthetic.
“I always knew I wanted an off-the-shoulder dress, and when I found the Romona Keveza lace and tulle dress I was completely in love,” Nicole says. The gown had a sweetheart neckline with scalloped lace and off-the-shoulder straps, and the bottom was a full tulle skirt. The bride wore a white ribbon tied in a bow in the back for the ceremony and changed into a delicate beaded belt for the reception.
Ceremony Processional
The couple provided a caviar and raw bar complete with champagne and vodka for the cocktail hour, which was a huge hit among guests. “Food is pretty important to us, so we went all out with all kinds of stations as well as a gelato bar to go with our cake, which was three different flavors,” Nicole says.
The bride's bouquet included gardenias, peonies, ranunculus, one large magnolia flower, dusty miller and rosemary. “I love white flowers but I liked being able to choose things that had great scents as well,” Nicole says. The bridesmaids carried mostly greenery with touches of seeded eucalyptus and peonies.
The logo used on the koozies, wedding fans, and some of the paper goods was actually designed by Ben himself. It's a bridge with a heart in the center, but each side is a different famous bridge—half is the Ravenel Bridge for Skye’s hometown of Charleston, and half is the Golden Gate Bridge for Ben’s hometown of San Francisco.
After growing up on the coast, Charleston native Nicole knew it was important to be close to the ocean on her wedding day. The narrow dock leading away from the plantation offered incredible views of the surrounding brackish creeks on the Ashley River.
Newlyweds Cut the Three-Tiered Cake