Janie + Tommy // wild Dunes Resort

Coastal Wedding on Isle of Palms, South Carolina

Southern Coastal Soiree

Janie is from Michigan and Tommy grew up in Chicago but their sweet thoughtful personalities pair perfectly with the spirit of southern hospitality so it was fitting that on a trip to visit her sister at college in Charleston, Janie found the perfect venue. Even more serendipitous, Janie and her family asked a stranger on that trip to snap a photo of them and the stranger turned out to be an incredibly talented wedding photographer (Kendra Martin Photography).

I had planned the Michigan weddings of two of Janie’s cousins so when she and her mom asked if I would travel to South Carolina, I was all in – this family knows how to have the best time together. A few emails and phone calls later and we had Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms on the May 2023 itinerary and Kendra Martin booked for photography. We met up by the Wild Dunes pool in August 2022 to test the margaritas (fully approved) and liked the steel drum player so much, we booked him for their welcome party.

Just like the planning, the four day celebration was marked with such personal connections and authentic moments that after the drive home, I was ready to turn around and do it all again.

Coastal Ceremony

The weekend kicked off on Thursday with a southern bbq rehearsal dinner complete with Charleston Tea signature drinks and hummingbird cake at the golf course. Friday’s poolside welcome party featured low country boil kabobs and margaritas with a view of the ocean under bistro lights and palm trees.

On Saturday, after a relaxing day at the beach resort, guests stepped onto a rooftop terrace and were greeted by “Bubbles & Bubbly” (shelves of champagne, min-champagne bottles of bubbles to blow for the ceremony), live music, sweeping views of the ocean and resort, and a stunning white floral arch (kudos to French Quarter Florals for hours of artistry on this one).

Bridesmaids in light blue floral dresses and groomsmen in navy suits framed Janie & Tommy in an exquisite scene.

Ocean Excursion

Guests lingered on the terrace for cocktail hour and we set the scene with a play of blue and white patterns. Cocktail tables alternated between Colonial Toille with white flowers and white linens with blue patterned vases. The custom crest from Janie & Tommy’s invitation suite was repeated on their mirrored seating chart, their signage and their card box.

As cocktail hour ended and guests were invited to the lower ballroom for dinner, Janie & Tommy took a quick golf card ride to the beach for some photos in the evening light and for some fun moments together in the midst of the revelry. They had a way of fitting in those moments together thru the whole weekend and I admire their intentional way of carving out that time together.

Palm Trees & Oyster Shells by Candlelight

The Indigo Ballroom at Wild Dunes Resort is coastal by nature with it’s blue and tan carpet and shell chandeliers in the foyer. We used rattan chargers, palm tree menus and oyster shell place cards to compliment the oceanside aesthetic. (Thanks to Aunt Kathy for hand-lettering those oyster shells!)

We layered in a Charleston-esque vintage southern charm with textured plates, a soft floral palette and candlelight. The fresh pop of green in our napkins lent a cottage vibe to the look and popped the palm tree motif. To really pull the look of the room together, we used the Colonial Toille blue and white patterned linens on a long head table. A cake with vertical wave texture on the dance floor and a boxwood wall with “The Cetinas” in neon finished the room.

While I get excited to see the design come to life, it’s truly the best to see the room come to life with a couple and their families (who we’ve loved planning with) come to life with the guests they love celebrating with. This was one of those weekends, from the rehearsal dinner thru the donut departure at the beach on Sunday, that was truly the best experience to be part of. Thanks for taking us to the ocean, Janie & Tommy (and families)!