Southern Style: Wedding Celebration

What a weekend! Keith and I were in beautiful Charleston, SC for the wedding of Lacey Terry. She is the daughter of our dearest friends Ron and Robin Terry, and the closest thing to a daughter that we will ever have. We rented a car and drove there from Palm Coast, FL on Friday.

The rehearsal dinner on Friday night at Leon’s Oyster Shed was wonderful. Hosted by Scott and Carla Toney, the groom’s parents, we were welcomed into the festivities as always. Not enough nice things can be said about the Toney’s as they are the kindest people and we are so fortunate to have met them and become friends.

Leon's outdoor venue

Grilled fish at Leon's

We had fish, fried chicken and all the fixin's

Early on Saturday Keith and I walked around downtown Charleston and then had lunch with Mr. Ron. Charleston is a city full of history and culture.

The Battery

"The Battery" is a historic landmark, defensive seawall and promenade that stretches along the lower shores of the Charleston peninsula. It is bordered by the Ashley and Cooper Rivers which meet here to form the Charleston Harbor.

Rainbow Row

This is a series of some 13 colorful, historic houses. It is the longest cluster of Georgian style row houses in the US.

Example of Charleston ironwork

Breads in pastry shop window

Cobblestone streets downtown Charleston

Cobblestones, now a novelty, were once common and used in most of the streets in port cities such as Charleston. These stones were used on colonial ships for ballast to weigh them down and stabilize them. They were removed upon arrival into port to make room for taking on cargo. Those stones removed were used for sandy/mudddy streets to make them more navigable for carriages and horses.

Keith and I have visited Charleston many times over the years and always enjoy our adventures. One thing we never did was to purchase a sweetgrass basket, so this time I picked one out to have as a remembrance of the city and our special visit this spring.

My sweetgrass basket

The coiled sweetgrass basket is a historically significant example of African cultural heritage transported across the Atlantic with enslaved African people. These coiled baskets appeared in the Low country of South Carolina in the late 1600s. They were originally designed as a tool for rice production and processing but also were a means to kept the African people close to their beloved homeland and culture. The craft was handed down from generation to generation with each basket maker developing their own unique style. As the late 1800s arrived the baskets evolved from agricultural implements into household items and eventually woks of art. In 1997, a marker was erected in the South Carolina Low Country along Highway 17 to commemorate the legacy and history of sweetgrass baskets and their makers. The sweetgrass basket is the official state handcraft of South Carolina.

Now onto the real reason for our visit to Charleston; the wedding. The wedding service and reception was at the historic Gadsden House in downtown Charleston. Lacey and Davis are the sweetest couple. The ceremony was simple and in keeping with their deep faith. We know Davis is the right person for Lacey. The reception afterward had some phenomenal food and it was great to visit with some people we have not seen since leaving NC last fall. What a great celebration. We wish Lacey and Davis all the best.

Gadsden courtyard set for wedding