A Chic Flower-Filled Wedding at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina

Everything—from the gorgeous stationery to the towering centerpieces—was covered in flowers! Marianne Russolesi (29 and an account executive at an advertising agency) and Ian Stokes (30 and a marketing analyst) used a romantic blush, lavender and ivory color palette with glamorous gold accents for their chic floral soiree. Whitney Randall from Branch Design Studio created all the lush floral arrangements that added texture with a romantic garden feel. “We told Whitney Randall of Branch Design Studio what our vision was, and she did an amazing job bringing that to life,” Marianne says. Wanting to add rich history, lovely romance and sweet charm to their Charleston, South Carolina, wedding, they chose Unitarian Church in Charleston for their traditional ceremony. “The ceremony was at the Unitarian Church in Charleston, whose building dates back to 1787 and is a registered historic landmark,” Marianne says. “The interior of the church is remarkable, and the vaulted ceiling is fan tracery, white over robin’s egg blue, and is patterned after the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey. The brilliant chancel window was hand-painted between 1852 and 1854 and is complemented by the colorful stained-glass panels that surround it.” With the historic Colonial Ballroom overlooking Francis Marion Square through its grand windows, the Francis Marion Hotel continued to exude romance throughout the day. One of our favorite parts was the gorgeous blush floral invitations from Wedding Paper Divas that set the tone for the entire day. Pink peonies were watercolored onto the stationery for an elegant look. There are so many details we love—see them all, beautifully captured by Dana Cubbage Weddings, below. A tip from Marianne: “Everyone told us about how stressful it was going to be planning a wedding, but to be honest, we had fun with it and it wasn't stressful at all. Just figure out what is important to you, and narrow down the elements and vendors from there. Splurge on the things that will matter to you in the long run.”