Gentle Approach: The natural setting made Candice’s entrance all the more stunning.
Soft Spot : Guests witnessed the vows from linen ottomans.
Girl's Best Friends: “My girlfriends mean the world to me,” says Candice of her bridesmaids, four of whom were her high school friends
Rejoice, Rejoice: Voices of Deliverance performed at the ceremony.
Enter Here : A rustic wooden sign made expressly for the wedding by Tara Guérard Soirée marked the plantation’s sublime entrance.
Well Matches: The couple went for a classic look—Candice in a strapless Rivini gown, and Graham wearing a charcoal-colored suit from Grady-Ervin & Co. with an Hermès tie.
Stamp of Approval: Images of live oaks appeared on the invitations, programs, and etched glasses.
Snack on This: Guests were welcomed with treats that included bags of hand-roasted nuts and local sweets sporting labels designed by The Lettered Olive in colors and patterns from the wedding’s invitation suite.
Strong Roots: Besides showcasing the Lowcountry’s best assets—live oaks, marsh views, and a riverfront setting—Runnymede also happens to share its name with a Kentucky farm (“Runneymede Farm”) owned by Graham’s family. The coincidence sealed the deal.
Lounge Lover: Guests mingled in umbrella-covered conversation areas, set off by ikat pillows.
Southernsip: “Our signature recipe for Lowcountry Lemonade is a combination of fresh lemonade and peach schnapps,” says Tara. “Pour it over a glass full of crushed ice, garnish with mint, and enjoy!”
Up on High: To keep the reception from being overly formal-and to make it seem like guests were dining outside- the team at Tara Guerard Soiree covered the tent's clear ceiling in swaths of lemon leaf garland.
Field Feast: After Graham tasted Susan Mason’s fare at a family friend’s wedding, the couple brought the Savannah-based caterer to town to create a seasonal menu of rack of lamb with Madeira and mint sauces, jalapeño cornbread, and butterbean salad (Candice’s favorite). Each velvet-covered menu bore a copper plate with a guest’s name and acted as a place card.
Waterfront Property:The Ashley River flowed steps away from the reception.
Luxe Appointment: “We wanted an old-school restaurant feel for the menu book,” says Tara of the handcrafted velvet menus. Copper butler cards were engraved with guests’ names.
Rock of Ages: Table numbers were hand painted on agate.
Tall Tiers: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal created three blooming confections flavored with chocolate, coconut, orange, and Triple Sec and iced in buttercream.
Raise the Bar: Raise the Bar: Drum pendant lights, swags of greens, and fabric dressed up the bar.
Pavilion Perfection:The dining hall was lined with rye grass planters sprouting with copper garden signs engraved with guest names and table numbers. The enormous metal drum shades were four feet in diameter and four feet tall.
You're Glowing: Shaded sconces hung from custom-made wooden pillars that camouflaged metal tent poles.
Light the Way: Guests said goodbye to the newlyweds with sparklers tied with paper bands that read “May Sparks Always Fly.”
Shake It, Baby: Mini milkshakes cooled off Candice, Graham, and their guests as they danced well into the night.
Pick Me Up: Candice—whose reception dress was a short Jenny Packham number—and Graham departed in a Chevy truck painted the same teal that inspired the wedding’s palette.
Puppy Love: The couple's two beloved Australian shepherds inspired the "doggie bag" cake boxes which guests took home.
