The warmer weather we’ve been having these last few days has us daydreaming of summer weddings. Anyone else? Luckily, CWM Vendor guide member Serena Star Photography is helping us out today with these stunning images. After all, is there a more perfect location than a boathouse setting nestled in Cooper River Park? From the outdoor ceremony to the cheerful color palette and textured florals, we’re soaking up all this inspiration below.

From the Bride…In a Nutshell…We Met the Old-Fashioned Way! We met in March of 2013 in Center City Philadelphia, at a popular nightclub called Vango Lounge & Skybar. An after-work mixer for young professionals, sponsored by Johnny Walker scotch, is what drew us to the same place, same time…Call it destiny, call it fate! (Shout-out to Johnny Walker and Vango for bringing us together!…Oh, and a little introduction from ole chum & mutual friend, Solomon Harris, who was also in attendance 🙂 It was unseasonably warm that mid-week spring evening, as most of the guests gravitated towards the 2nd floor outdoor rooftop lounge. The night presented guests with great music, samples of J.W. spirits, scotch infused cupcakes for the ladies, and cigars for the men. The venue was wall-to-wall filled with sophisticated ladies and well-put-together men….a nice social scene with beautiful people mingling everywhere, and an evening to remember. Standing in the middle of the room, profiling, was none other than Miss Felicity, and that’s where Curt and Felicity locked eyes! Curt walks over, and speaks his first words to her…“Are you single?” The rest was history! Curt proposed 3 years later, 2016, in the Turks and Casos islands over dinner on our annual Valentines week vacation.

Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
I wanted our day to be elegant, filled with style & class, and wanted our wedding to be different from any others we’ve attended. With only 100 guests, we looked for an intimate venue that could accommodate both our ceremony and reception. I wanted to incorporate nature into my photography, so the boathouse was perfect with beautiful park grounds, and positioned along side the Cooper River with breathtaking views. Navy and pink was our color theme, and I incorporated these colors throughout the wedding. The bridesmaids wore pink dresses and the groomsmen wore navy suits.

Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
The ceremony had white resin folding chairs, a floral arbor to serve as our wedding arch, and 2 whiskey wine barrels with pink flowers atop to be our wedding isle entry.For my reception, I liked the idea of having large, dramatic floral centerpieces in tall vases, filled with clear beads, and table decor that complimented my wedding colors. The floral arrangements had a variety of pinks incorporated, and greenery pooling down & standing upright atop the vases. I chose untraditional wedding linen colors with navy table cloths, white chair covers & navy bows. I hand-designed cream menu cards and name placement cards with pink glitter washi tape and a single jewel. Bedazzled oval picture frames served as my table numbers. Tons of candle light was also incorporated into each table. We had an all white sweetheart table set up, with a tall-back white leather button-tufted love seat. We were surrounded by candle light. Tall varying heights of cylinder vases and floating candles surrounded the floor.

Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
Elegance, and modern is what we were looking to achieve. My husband had a custom navy 3-piece suit designed with a double-breasted vest, using Joseph Abboud fabric. My gown was a sand-colored Justin Alexander design, strapless with lace and beading throughout. I also had a long cathedral veil to compliment my gown. Badgley Mishka shoes and Allen Edmond was our footwear. I wore my diamond necklace wedding gift from my groom, and he wore his Movado Museum wrist watch, gifted by his bride.

Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
Our vowels were 100% personalized. My husband said his vowels off the top of his head and from the heart, unrehearsed! I prepared mine in advance. We hired a 3-piece string trio (violin, viola, celo) to play during the ceremony and cocktail hour, and I arranged for the trio to play modern-day favorites from Bruno Mars to Ed Sheeran for the music selections to add to our elegant theme.

Reception Venue: Camden County Boathouse / Caterer: Mcfadden Catering / Officiant: Marriages by Mark / Photographer: Serena Star Photography / Floral Designer: Flowers by Elizabeth / Apparel: Le Bella Donna / Wedding Gown Designer: Justin Alexander / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Menswear: Joseph Abboud / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Makeup Artist: Blushing Brides Artistry / Linens and Coverings: Karcher Event Rentals