Garden Party Charleston Wedding Invitations

Maggie and Andrew’s love story is as charming and beautiful as their custom-made Charleston wedding invitations. Maggie and Andrew were married on August 26, 2023, in none other than the historically beautiful Charleston, South Carolina.

Surrounded by their friends, family, and the timeless beauty of the Gibbes Museum of Art, their wedding was the perfect blend of classic charm and modern elegance. Andrew—originally from Australia—is a track athlete and coach. Andrew’s international roots added a unique twist to their celebration and the invitations that we created for their big day (stay tuned for how we incorporated his heritage in their invites!). The task was simple: figure out how their invitations would reflect the sophisticated charm of Charleston and also incorporate elements of Maggie and Andrew’s unique love story. At E Stokes Creations, we were able to achieve this through a mix of letterpress details, watercolor artwork, a custom watercolor map of the city, and beautifully curated vintage postage.

Setting the Stage for their Classic Charleston Wedding

Maggie and Andrew envisioned a high-end, luxurious garden party for their wedding guests to enjoy. They wanted to celebrate their day with high-quality paperie and intentional details throughout both their invitations and on their actual wedding day. Maggie communicated to me that she desired for a vibrant, floral aesthetic to be carried through every element, from the invitations to the reception decor and created a cohesive and stunning visual experience for their guests (can we talk about how incredible their vendor team is to put this stunning celebration together?!)

Historical Venues: St. Patrick Catholic Church and the Gibbes Museum of Art

Maggie and Andrew exchanged vows at their wedding ceremony at the historic St. Patrick Catholic Church in Charleston. After the ceremony wrapped up, the happy couple and their guests moved to their garden party reception at the Gibbes Museum of Art. Personally, I love when couples have separate venues that hold both sentimental value to the couple! This also gives the opportunity for guests to enjoy more of the city they’ve traveled to for the wedding. The choice of these venues added an extra layer of elegance and history to their celebration. The St. Patrick Catholic Church is notorious for its historic architecture and rich heritage. The Church provided a timelessly sacred setting for their ceremony. And the Gibbes Museum is well-known for its stunning art and beautiful garden. For their Gibbes Museum of Art wedding reception, it provided the perfect backdrop for their party!

Designing Maggie’s Dream Invitations

Next, let’s get into the fun of Maggie’s Charleston wedding invitations! The invitation suite for Maggie and Andrew’s wedding was truly a labor of love. We worked together to reflect their vision while also capturing the essence of Charleston. Maggie’s formal invitation featured letterpress details in a stunning turquoise shade, topped with a hand-drawn palmetto tree. The details card contained custom watercolor illustrations on a watercolor map of Charleston highlighting key locations for the weekend.

Furthermore, a particularly charming touch that I absolutely loved is in the RSVP cards. Their RSVP cards included vintage stamps featuring track athletes and a whimsical design of a bald eagle holding the American flag alongside a koala with the Australian flag. This playful element beautifully represented the couple’s unique bond and delighted their guests. Maggie loved that we found unique and fun vintage postage that highlighted their love story in such a playful way.

Maggie’s Charleston wedding invitations also included a reception card with all the important details, and select suites had a rehearsal dinner invitation. For a touch of local charm, the envelope liners featured a watercolor portrait of a marsh with Spanish moss-draped trees. The envelope liners perfectly complemented the turquoise envelopes.

One of my favorite elements for their invitation suite was the gatefold. Their gatefold card featured a watercolor portrait of Charleston’s iconic Rainbow Row. The gatefold opened to reveal the entire suite of her Charleston wedding invitations, and set a powerful first impression. I personally love creating wedding stationery that gets more exciting as you interact with it!

Custom Envelopes and Printing

Creating custom envelopes from thicker paper posed a challenge, as they needed to be sturdy enough to withstand mailing while remaining elegant. Each envelope was cut in-studio before being hand-folded and glued to ensure quality. Maggie had thicker paper stock (known as double-thick paper) for all of her invitation cards, as well as thicker envelopes. While the envelopes and its contents were thick enough and made for a bit of a snug fit, each element within the envelope remained protected while making its way through the post office.

The couple and their guests were thrilled with the final results. Maggie particularly communicated how much she loved the watercolor map, the gatefold design and the addition of small details like the sand dollar on the RSVP card. The custom watercolor illustrations and the cohesive color palette brought everything together beautifully.

Setting the Tone for the Wedding Day

The invitations played a crucial role in setting the tone for Maggie and Andrew’s wedding. As a wedding stationery designer, I love to remind my couples that their wedding invitations are the first introduction their guests will have to their wedding day. It is so crucial for the couples I serve to have a wow factor for their wedding invitations because we want to make sure their guests know that this isn’t just another wedding, but instead an event to remember for a lifetime. Every detail, from the hand-drawn illustrations to the vintage stamps, was meticulously chosen to reflect the couple’s vision and the charm of Charleston. The consistency in aesthetic touches throughout the wedding created a memorable and beautiful experience for all their guests.

A Day to Remember in Charleston

Maggie and Andrew’s wedding was a perfect blend of elegance, charm, and personal touches. From the custom gatefold invitations to the luxurious reception at the Gibbes Museum of Art, every detail was thoughtfully planned and beautifully executed. Their wedding was a true celebration of their love and the timeless beauty of Charleston. Congratulations to Maggie and Andrew, and wishing you both a lifetime of love and happiness!

Inspired by Maggie’s stunning letterpress and watercolor wedding invitations? I would be more than happy to get the ball rolling and find ways to make your own big day that much more unique and special with custom wedding invitations!

Custom wedding invitations: E Stokes Creations
Photographer: Olivia Rae James
Videographer: Siegel Films
Wedding Planner: Fox Events
Stationery Photos + Layout Design: Peterson Design Photos
Wedding Ceremony Venue: St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
Wedding Reception Venue: Gibbes Museum of Art
Florals: Roadside Blooms
Bridal Gown: Guild of Hands
Makeup: Dan Duran
Hair: Vivienne Coiffure
Catering: Cru Catering