Destination Wedding | Charleston, SC

Nov 9, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Nov 13, 2025

Dante and Rondejia wanted to give their friends and family a memorable 21st night of September, and they did! Their wedding took place in Charleston, South Carolina, at Founders’ Hall, a beautiful private state park venue (I may be an Atlanta wedding planner, but I travel!). Even though it was fall, the sun was shining bright on everyone. We were surrounded by gorgeous greenery and striking black and white decor, along with equally stunning guests dressed in all black.

Dante and Dejia are college sweethearts. They’re a fun loving couple who balance each other out - Dante is vibrant and such a clown, and Dejia balances him out by being very detailed and organized. He planned a romantic birthday proposal in 2022, complete with rose petals and a stunning rooftop view in Chicago.

I met Dejia long before she and her husband, Dante, hired me as their month-of wedding coordinator. I actually worked with Dejia’s mom at American Intercontinental University and knew the bride as a young girl.

The first time I met the pair as a couple, their energy was very warm and positive, and I felt like I’d known them both for years. That positive energy, along with the couples’ trust in my guidance, made them very easy to work with.

There were many unique elements to this wedding. Dejia actually created all the decorations herself, down to her bouquet, and it was exciting to help her assemble her vision. Another unique element was the runway style seating we created for the ceremony. This was my first time working with runway seating, so that was interesting.

destination wedding planner — runway style Ceremony

As a certified wedding planner, I have to stay two steps ahead of a very fast moving train. This wedding had a lot of moving parts and key elements that the couple wanted to include in their wedding day, which was challenging. With 9 years of experience as an Atlanta wedding planner under my belt, it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.

One of those challenges was the formal photo process. Dejia and Dante did not want to see each other before the ceremony. before the ceremony they exchanged private vows. their combined photos were taken during cocktail hour. We created a family photo shot list, but it was still a difficult process to manage. I stepped in to ensure the couple didn't miss the important photos they wanted to take.

The ceremony was outside on a concrete slab with a picturesque green background. The altar was made of 2 broken arches decorated in white roses and baby’s breath. The bridesmaids wore silver dresses and the groomsmen wore black suits. The ceremony was beautiful, complete with a “flowerina” who performed during the ceremony and a soloist who sang “Blessed” by Daniel Caesar as Dejia walked down the aisle. My favorite part was the private vows, which the couple actually exchanged before the ceremony, standing back to back during their first touch. At the end of the ceremony, “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire played as the bride and groom’s recessional song.

Cocktail hour took place in the venue’s indoor/outdoor patio. It was a lot of fun - the couple provided lawn games like mini-golf and Jenga for the guests to enjoy. There was also a caricature artist available to draw portraits of everyone!

The black and white decor continued into the reception with white linens and black accents. The centerpieces were made with white roses and baby’s breath. The long stem flatware and sleek black trimmed charges gave the space a very modern look and feel. During the reception, I was looking forward to Dejia dedicating her bouquet to her mom. It was a beautiful moment that was a surprise for her mother.