A 11/11/2011 Wedding For Kristen & Butch Cooper At The Chic Magnolia Plantation Gardens

Christmas time, always reflects, family and friends, well for me being that I am always so, so, very fortunate, with my art it is about reflecting on how great my clients are and how amazing this wedding year was to me and for them.

Here is one of them, I received a phone call from Kristen back in February of this year who was looking for a artistic photographer, that was referred by another bride, Elizabeth & Ollie, she required not just a regular Charleston wedding photographer, her first question was, tell me you have 11/11/11 available.? Thank God I was, as she came in to my studio within the hour and booked my services for her wedding.

Here are in Kristen words how they picked there venue:

“We started discussing possible dates and locations for a fall, Friday wedding, and after viewing a few locations our mutual love of the outdoors and the water lead us to the Carriage House at Magnolia Plantation. I immediately called Jessica Cruz and was thrilled to learn that they still had a Friday evening in November available! Because of the rustic, shabby chic feel of the carriage house, we decided on a theme of “Sophisticated Southern.” With wooden boxes, mason jars and vintage bottles filled with white and ivory flowers, burlap linens, sweetgrass baskets and touches of kelly green, my favorite color, the wedding was everything I envisioned!”

The wedding day was great,On November 11, 2011, just as the sun began to descend, Butch and Kristen were married under the oak trees on the Carriage House Lawn looking out at the Ashley River. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and they could not have imagined a more serendipitous celebration with there family and friends.

Here is how the couple met:

Both being from Charleston, Butch and I met through mutual friends at a pig roast in 2006, while we were both dating other people, but it was not until summer 2010 that we had an opportunity to really get to know each other. Butch and his best friend Ollie are Captain and Mate of a sport fisher, the “Sweet Deal,” and Ollie’s wife, my friend Elizabeth, invited me to drive to Georgetown for Memorial Day weekend to enjoy the festivities of the Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament. Although we both instantly felt a connection, we decided to build a strong friendship first.

After spending the summer traveling to fishing tournaments with our friends, going on our first official date to The Fat Hen and meeting each others’ families, I knew there was something special and different about Butch and the way he made me feel. He proposed to me after finishing a home-cooked meal on Valentines Day 2011, which was completely unexpected, as I am not a woman who normally celebrates that “holiday.” I have never been so perfectly surprised and elated and will never forget how I felt at that moment.

Michel was fabulous to work with! He was recommended by our friends Elizabeth and Ollie Burwell, and when we first met, he knew I had a very strict budget and did everything possible to make sure I received the best service at a comfortable price. Most importantly, he managed to capture every moment while making it fun! My guests are still talking about how wonderful he is! He is extremely professional and his talent speaks for itself. He is more than our photographer, he is our friend! Butch and I cannot wait to work with him again for family photos in the future. Trust me, you will not regret the decision to hire Michel!

Aww, you guys are to sweet and thank you Butch & Kristen for making me a historian on your biggest day.

Vendors are:
Photographer, Michel Berda:
Venue,Magnolia Plantation Jessica Cruz :
Catering,Eric Gaffin and Sarah Coffey, New Dream Catering :
Flowers, by Beth LeonGuerrero,Wildflowers,Inc :
Cake, D’Lish Desserts:
Innovative Beverage Services :
Rentals, Event Drs :
Ceremony Music, Palmetto Strings:
Band, Plane Jane:
Bridal Dress by The Gown Boutique of Charleston :