1. Real Weddings

A Shabby-Chic Southern Wedding at a Private Residence in Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina

Focusing on love and family for their nuptials, Elizabeth LaMance (28 and a lawyer) and James Bakker (33 and a real estate devel

Focusing on love and family for their nuptials, Elizabeth LaMance (28 and a lawyer) and James Bakker (33 and a real estate developer) got married at James’s parents’ home in Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. They loved the gorgeous gardens and the moss-covered oak tree altar, which inspired all the day's details. Florist Janice Clayton from Pretty Petals of Charleston brought the lush garden vibe to life with stunning textured arrangements. “When I was planning with our florist, I explained that I was going for an organic arrangement style and wildflower look,” Elizabeth says. “She and her team did such a beautiful job, and they really captured the look I was going for.” Elizabeth and James also worked with Amanda Lewis from Southern Chic Weddings and Events to bring their refined rustic theme to life with a purple, blush and white palette. The best part of the day? The wedding cake! “One of the day's most important elements was the traditional English wedding cake made by James's grandma,” Elizabeth says. “James's family is English, and we were so honored to have Grandma make a special cake for us with the traditional royal icing for our big day. The cake board used to display it was a gift from James's cousin, and it was made from a tree unique to the area of England where their family is from, which was very special.” There are so many details we love—see them all, beautifully captured by Riverland Studios, below.

Elizabeth wore a Stella York strapless ball gown wedding dress. She loved the luscious ivory fabric and the simplicity of the style. “I knew I wanted a ball gown because I love a full skirt, and I loved the little covered buttons all down the back and the chapel-length train,” she says. “I wanted to go with a simple style because I had picked a huge, colorful bouquet, and I wanted the two to be complementary rather than competing.”
Elizabeth carried pink peonies, white hydrangeas, purple lisianthus and purple sweet peas in her bold bouquet. She loved how it added a pop of color to her simple Stella York ball gown wedding dress.
James and the groomsmen wore white roses accented with green hypericum berries for their boutonnieres. The stems were wrapped in green satin ribbon and accented with green leaves.
The bridesmaids wore floor-length royal purple silk chiffon dresses. They completed their look with a small blush rose in their hair and white hydrangea bouquets.
“When I was planning with our florist [Pretty Petals of Charleston, South Carolina], I explained that I was going for an organic arrangement style and wildflower look,” Elizabeth says. “She and her team did such a beautiful job, and they really captured the look I was going for. I especially loved the colorful wildflowers in mason jars hanging on shepherd's hooks lining the aisle. It looked sort of magical.”
Elizabeth and James had their wedding at James’s parents’ home in Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. They had their ceremony under a huge live oak tree covered in beautiful green moss and ivy. The tree formed a natural altar that was perfect for Elizabeth and James.
Inspired by the wedding location in James’s family’s backyard, Elizabeth and James decorated the flower girl basket with green moss, just like the live oak tree that served as the altar. She wore a white ball gown that matched Elizabeth’s look, and the ring bearer wore a white romper.
Wooden Box-Filled White Rose Centerpieces
Wildflower-Filled Mason Jar Rustic Centerpieces
Traditional English Wedding Cake With Royal Icing
“For the send-off, we wanted to be as eco-friendly as possible,” Elizabeth says. “We used freeze-dried rose petals and seed-paper cones that not only were biodegradable, but would grow wildflowers if planted.”