Under the Oaks

New Jersey native Randall Welsh “is completely in his element at Mackay Point,” says his bride Rael Thomas Welsh. “We visit 10 to 12 times a year because as soon as we arrive, our blood pressure just drops.” Naturally, the couple found it to be the perfect locale for their November wedding. Randall’s family purchased the plantation a decade ago, and it has become a regular retreat from their fast-paced life in New York. “We wanted our wedding to combine the charm of the South with the spirit of the North,” notes Rael. Event designers Ellen Cohn and Katie Huebel at WED (Weddings Elegantly Designed) helped Rael add a “mod, Manhattan lounge feel” to their magical Low­country surroundings. “Initially, we wanted something simple, but as things evolved, it just kept growing,” says Rael. “Nothing was over-the-top, though, because the beauty of the location speaks for itself.”