The Wedding of Her Dreams

Over the weekend, my beautiful baby sister was married to the love of her life at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. To say the wedding weekend was blissful is an understatement. My sister just kept saying, over and over, that it was absolutely perfect. It was everything she ever dreamed it would be. It was, in a word, breath-taking.

The wedding weekend kicked off with lots of fun at the hotel where most of my family, both immediate and extended, were staying. With all of our aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and second cousins (from all over the country!) attending the wedding, we pretty much took over the hotel and had a blast doing it!

Luggage cart rides with Digby

 Family fun in the hotel lobby while playing (kids) and watching some college football (adults)

Sweet sibs hanging in Banks' big ol' hotel bed

Saturday began with a casual rehearsal followed by the bridesmaid luncheon at Magnolia's in downtown Charleston, which was so kindly hosted by my paternal aunt, Faye. It was a lovely affair with a room that was filled to the brim with love for the bride. 

 Three of the littlest members of the bridal party, ready to rehearse

 The beautiful flower arrangements...

 ...and absolutely delicious menu

 The bride with our proud Momma

 The wonderful hostess of the event, our Aunt Faye

 The awesome bridesmaid gifts! A knotted infinity bracelet...

 And TOMS to wear in the wedding! If you know my sister, you know this was a PERFECT bridesmaid gift!

 Our Momma and the six sisters

The happy bride at her bridesmaid luncheon

After a little afternoon down time spent playing and watching college football, we dressed for the evening's rehearsal dinner, hosted by the groom's sweet parents at the beautiful Virginia's in downtown Charleston. The menu was absolutely delicious, the children were very well behaved (despite the dinner lasting until after (9:00 pm, well past all of their bedtimes!), and the toasts were met with both laughter and (happy) tears. It was an awesome evening. 

 Fiances at the rehearsal dinner. Love the sign behind them. Ha!

 More delicious food, right up this pregnant lady's alley!

 The first of many toasts, this one by the groom's parents

 Banks loves his Aunt Whit!

One of the co-matron's-of-honor (moi) and the beautiful bride

The wedding day was spent getting ready with the bride at my brother and sister-in-law's home, which was conveniently located a short 5-minute drive from the wedding venue. My sister was surrounded by not only her Momma and sisters, but also her closest friends, including those she has known since childhood as well as those she has grown so close to during her four years in dental school. It was a fun, emotional, and love-filled afternoon of wedding day prep. 

 Our bride with some of her most favorite women

 Getting her hair done by sweet Jennifer, who came all the way from Columbia

 Getting her make-up done by her childhood best friend, Lauren 

 Tears were free falling by all in the room as she opened her gift from the groom

Sweet Baby Lu, ready for his/her first wedding!

 Her gorgeous dress, hanging on a specially made personalized hanger

 Being zipped up by our Momma, who has never looked more beautiful than she did watching her baby girl get married

"Going to the chapel and she's...gonna get maaaaarried."

We arrived at Boone Hall Plantation without a minute to spare, just in time for some pre-wedding pictures with the photographer.

 The absolutely beautiful, breath-taking bride

 Co-bff's and Co-matron's-of-honor

Co-bff's and co-flower girls :) 

My sweet duo, ready to walk down the aisle

 How precious are the baby's breath halos the flower girls wore? 

Love.

 My Raleigh, watching the guests arrive as we wait for 5:00 pm

And then, came one of the most beautiful moments of my life: seeing my older brother walk my baby sister down the aisle. If only you could have seen the look on her face as she stared deep into the eyes of the love of her life. She was absolutely RADIANT. She was BREATHTAKING. She was STUNNING. She was the most beautiful bride I have ever seen. She seemed to float down the aisle, and I'm pretty sure there was not a dry eye during the beautiful outdoor ceremony as she and her high school sweetheart said "I do,"11 years after first becoming boy/girlfriend. 

Next up, came the reception, which was held in the Cotton Dock, a gorgeous, old, barn-esque building complete with a beautiful dock housing the most amazing marsh views, located on the grounds of Boone Hall Plantation. There was a fire burning in the large fireplace all evening as guests dined on delicious Southern cuisine (my favorite? The macaroni and cheese bar!) and danced the night away to the bride and groom's favorite tunes. As the night came to a close, the newlyweds walked, hand-in-hand, through an aisle of their loved ones, with sparklers raining down upon them as they made their way to their getaway car. It was just magical, and I don't think my sister, or my new brother-in-law, stopped smiling all night. 

The gorgeous reception site, the Cotton Dock, on the grounds of Boone Hall Plantation

 The sunset view of the marsh, from the dock

Mr. and Mrs.!!!

 Father-daughter dance. :) 

 My precious baby boy, who had the BEST time!

 These navy blue blurs are the flower girls, dancing their hineys off at the reception :)

 My girl and me

 Sweet daddys and the sleepy flower girls, just before 10 pm!

 My co-bff, my beautiful sister, the bride

Siblings. <3

Congratulations, Whitney and Ronald. It was a weekend none of us will ever forget!!!