Real NC Wedding: Jessica & Rory at The Cedar Room
If you choose to leave the Triangle to celebrate your wedding day, there aren’t many better places than Charleston, South Carolina. The ethereal charm and grace of the Holy City make it a natural fit for beautiful ceremonies. Throw in an affinity for partying and a slew of seasoned wedding professionals and, well, it’s a match made in destination wedding heaven.
Such was the case for Weddings Magazine employee and bride Jessica Siciliano. Her Charleston roots run deep and, while her respect and love for the Triangle wedding industry is undeniable, a Charleston wedding was always in the cards.
After an Isle of Palms Proposal, Jessica, and her fiancé, Rory set their sights on a Downtown Charleston wedding. The Cedar Room at the Cigar Factory was the perfect fit. Huge windows, beamed ceilings, and exposed brick bring this 19th-century building into the 21st century without sacrificing an ounce of historic charm.
The day of the wedding the bride and her bridesmaids spent the day getting ready at The Warren Room at the Westendorff, which was once the home and business of Jessica’s mother, grandmother, and great-grandparents. For her October 15th wedding, the bride wore a gown of intricate ivory lace with blush undertones from Bridals by Jodi and a geometric fingertip length veil from Triangle favorite Traditions by Anna Bridal Boutique. Hair and makeup were provided by Makeup for Your Day.
The design of the event was inspired by bold geometric shapes and a watercolor palette of nude, blush and rich marsala. The design hinged on an incredible floral design, which was entrusted to Triangle wedding florist Blossom Floral Artistry. The concept of the event began with the stunning ceremony backdrop. A hanging arrangement came in at eight feet tall and six feet wide and was made of six hanging chandeliers in various geometric shapes with illuminated Edison bulbs. The structure was draped in organic vines and marsala blooms to create an asymmetrical arbor for the bride and groom to stand against, all backed by custom draping by YOJ events.
The bride walked down the aisle to Blackbird by the Beatles, and the wedding ceremony was performed by the bride’s childhood pastor.
For cocktail hour, guests ventured into the courtyard for hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and music performed by three members of the Travis Allison Band, who would also perform the reception. Conversational areas and a traditional Southern joggling board mingled with cocktail tables, all underneath a canopy of cafe lights from Eventhaus.
The Cedar Room, which boasts an exceptional in-house catering team under the name Mercantile and Mash, provided the catering for the affair. During cocktail hour, guests were served roasted mushroom tartlets, fried risotto, deviled eggs, and bacon wrapped scallops with ginger miso sauce.
The guests then returned to the Cedar Room’s interior space for dinner and dancing. Three head farm tables anchored the center of the room while surrounding tables were draped with camel and champagne linens from Classic Event Rentals Raleigh. Blossom Floral Artistry created stunning arrangements at various heights, with blush, ivory and marsala proteas, roses, and dahlias. A lounge seating area was also provided by Eventhaus.
After the couple’s first dance, the Father of the Bride surprised everyone (including the bride) by performing the lullaby that he used to sing to Jessica as a child. He learned how to play the song on the banjo over a period of two months, and recruited the bride’s brother to accompany him on the guitar. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Following the first dances and incredible speeches, dinner was served. The reception-style dinner offered stations of charcuterie with house-made and imported meats and cheeses, a trio of sliders (South Carolina barbecue, braised short rib, and Southern fried chicken), and a to-die-for shrimp and grits bar.
Dessert, provided by the Cedar Room’s in-house pastry chef, was a gorgeous watercolor painted three-tiered cake made up of vanilla bean, red velvet, and carrot cakes. Alongside the cake were a variety of mini-desserts, including bananas fosters bites, derby pies, and salted caramel chocolate tarts.
All of the wedding party and their guests danced the night away to the sounds of Travis Allison Band. If they took a break from the dance floor, they retreated to the slow motion video booth provided by Epic Charleston, which was a huge hit! In addition to koozies (adorned with a custom wedding logo by Grid Creative Studio), guests got to try their luck with “For Richer or Poorer” scratch off lottery tickets! One guest even managed to win $200!
The entire day from start to finish was photographed by the amazingly talented Vesic Photography, who captured every beautiful moment, while the day of coordinator Valerie Curran kept the ship running smoothly! It truly was a magical night!
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Vendors
Venue – The Cedar Room at the Cigar Factory
Catering – Mercantile and Mash
Photographer – Vesic Photography
Florist – Blossom Floral Artistry
Day of Coordinator – Valerie Curran, Elevate
Linens – Classic Event Rentals Raleigh
Draping – YOJ Events
Furniture Rentals and Market Lights – EventHaus
Videographer – The Good Life Films
Reception Music – Travis Allison Band
Stationery – Rebecca Clements
Gown – Bridals by Jodi
Veil – Traditions by Anna Bridal Boutique, Raleigh
Ceremony Music – Classical Charleston
Officiant – Rev. Dr. Robert Marshall Thompson
Bridal Suite – The Warren Room at The Westendorff
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