And the Bouquet Goes to...

We love us some good times around here at Charleston Weddings, and last Friday we had a big dose.

Our cover bouquet contest has been going on for some time, open to anyone getting married next year who wanted to have and hold Eventa Bella by Sabrina Ward’s lush bouquet of peonies, coxcomb, and coffee berries, which we featured on our winter 2010 cover.

After poring over the entrants, the staff voted on their top picks based on answers to the question: Why are you saying “I do” in Charleston? Then we took those semifinalists, and randomly picked a winner from the pile.

Sooooo? Congrats to Sarah Ashley Whalley of Altadena, California, and her fiancé, Jared, who will say “I do,” here in town next October. For all those who didn’t win—it killed us so bad we’re doing a WHOLE WEEK OF WEDDING GIVEAWAYS! (Boy, this must be how Oprah feels.) Stay tuned here on the blog, as the details will roll out in the coming weeks and giveaways will happen daily January 3-7, 2011.

For those who want to hear Sarah’s thoughts on why she’s coming home for her nuptials, read on…   

“I grew up in Charleston and find myself missing the sand dunes and warm sea breeze air, the historic aura of downtown, and the Southern culture.  I long to see Spanish moss in oak trees and miss the river tributaries of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. 

“When I first brought my fiancé, Jared, to my hometown from California in 2006 for Thanksgiving, I felt honored to take him to my favorite places around town and share some of my past with him. We visited Folly Beach where I spent every summer laughing with friends. I took him downtown where we walked through the open air market eating pralines and sat on the swings near Waterfront Park.  We enjoyed delicious cakes at Kaminski's, my most favorite desert bar in the world. 

“Charleston is the city I first fell in love with my one and only while spending every moment immersed in the Southern culture with him.  A bit of Charleston has captured his heart and we've decided to have a plantation wedding with swaying oak trees near the Ashley River. 

“Charleston is the city that holds my past and will be the city where my future with Jared will begin.  We are ecstatic to share the Southern culture with all of our friends and family near and far, and will be proud to do so!”