Charleston is a city rich with history, and we love when we get to do an event in our own backyard. Especially, when at such a historic property like the William Aiken House. Holly and Keo celebrate with a dinner in the courtyard. And, afterwards, a welcome party blowout on the front lawn. Carrie Patterson captures the evening for us. * Fun fact my son is named after William Aiken who is a distant relative of my husband.
There is surprisingly a lot of space to play with at this historic home tucked away on a popular downtown street. One of my favorite features are the wide piazzas that allow for bars and seating (in this case), or even dining tables.
Guests are greeted at the front gates with cocktails, with custom napkins of course. We also have the porch doors open so guests can meander throughout the home and gardens.
Here, we utilize the outdoor space by creating all sorts of fun seating areas. Bars are placed throughout so that you can access from many spots. And, our tent and dance floor for the welcome party later.
We took advantage of the already pretty interiors to create different spaces for guests. For example, a bourbon bar is set in the venue’s study. A perfect spot for guests to tuck away and still be a part of the party.
Dinner details include beaded napkin rings with guests’ names on them. The mother of the groom is heavily involved in a charity that supports female artisans in Kenya making the beaded crafts, so it was a really special way to bring in that personal touch.
Toasts always round out a good rehearsal dinner. Toasting is more and more becoming a focal point of rehearsal dinners, with many guests wanting to offer words of wisdom.
After dinner, guests arrive for a welcome party featuring dessert and dancing.
An array of sweet treats is displayed in the main ballroom.
A classic Charleston band, also happens to the be the father of the groom’s favorite band (and friends) from college. So, guests enjoyed a Blue Dogs reunion dance party!
Cheers to Holly and Keo… And, stay tuned for details from their wedding at Yeamans Hall.