Summer + Jon: A Mid-Century Chic Inspired Wedding at The Dewberry Hotel and Hotel Bennett
SUMMER AND JON: A Mid-Century Chic Inspired Wedding // The Dewberry Hotel and Hotel Bennett
Note: YouTube blocked one of their favorite songs from 2:30 - 3:50, so please excuse the super lame royalty-free dubbed music over this YouTube upload ^. To hear the proper soundscore, select “Highlight Reel” below! :)
Some love stories are too beautiful for words–
—but in the spirit of reminding everyone why this kind of love is truly worth waiting for, I’m going to try my hardest to tell you Summer and Jon’s story.
Let me kick this off by sharing what Summer had to say about her big day—
Set against the incredible mid-century architecture that The Dewberry Hotel Charleston and Hotel Bennett are known for–
“A gift to love stories everywhere. I didn’t want a wedding video. I wanted a wedding documentary. Shelby and the Ruby Riot team delivered…and then some. ”
I’ve spent 15 years in television news telling stories across the country. I now produce documentaries and host a TV show. I know good visual storytelling. In fact, I’m a bit of a quality snob.
Now, imagine being a fellow-industry professional trying to find someone to capture the most important day of your life in a way that meets these standards. I interviewed 26 wedding videographers. I watched more wedding video samples than I ever thought possible! Every single one looked the same. Generic. Formulaic. A copy and paste from the wedding before with different main characters. Where are the natural sounds, I thought? Where are the moments? The action? The STORY? Anyone can take some video and slap together a series of shots. It takes an absolute artist to put together a personalized storyline.”
Shelby Ring captured OUR love story with honesty, tact, and creativity. She was a gift to have by my side on my wedding day.
Stripping down naked to get into my dress in front of her didn’t even seem weird even though I had never actually met her ahead of time! Her team captured moments I never even knew they witnessed. They were everywhere and I never noticed in the best way. She navigated the delicate emotions that accompanied my wedding with grace. My dad died unexpectedly three months before my wedding. Though our wedding was full of love, joy, and happiness, it was laced with gut-wrenching sadness. She captured it all in a way I can only describe as genius. How lucky we are to have Ruby Riot Creatives telling love stories. Thank you for the heart you put into every single one.
I’m pretty proud of this one. There’s nothing like great feedback from a fellow industry person (Summer Dashe-Hall, in case you didn’t know, is an award-winning news anchor and storyteller). But the truth is, she made my job easy. Really easy.
My colleagues and I often wondered how people in the same industry as us would ever entrust creative control to someone else and document one of the biggest milestones in their lives. How do you tell a story that was worthy of your own vision?
But that’s exactly what Summer did. Well–26 wedding videographers and a cancellation later at least. But we were in! And we were handed over and entrusted creative reins. And boy, were we stoked to make sure we got this one right for her.
Behind the Lens
The idea of having Summer as a client was both thrilling and intimidating. But the moment we jumped on a call to talk about their wedding, I immediately fell in love with her and Jon, and all my apprehensions about taking on this project were put at ease.
Summer is equal parts kind and sassy, fun yet chic. She’s also honest. It’s a widely known fact that Summer suffers from a chronic illness that can–at any point–flare up and affect her ability to do her job or in this case, prevent her from walking down the aisle. I’m no stranger to debilitating medical conditions (I myself have been through my own grueling journey with Premature Ovarian Failure at 19 and know all about being a lab rat; getting your faith and well-being pushed to its limits.) And at this point in the conversation, Summer and I realized we had more in common than meets the eye. It was enough to give me the confidence to stand behind the camera and capture their love story for posterity.
Summer and her entourage of BFFs kicked off wedding preparations at one of our favorite wedding hair and makeup venues–Lashes and Lace (we freakin’ adore Kacie and the team! Truly, TRULY, such powerhouses!).
Lashes and Lace is a wedding-getting-ready favorite venue for a reason. Their team is the best in the industry–always on time (and we all know how much THAT matters during weddings) and they exude such an empowering and sweet energy that anyone who’s set to march down the aisle just needs. Not to be outdone, the groom and his entourage were getting ready at Habberdash Charleston, their “brother” operation for the boys!
As expected, Summer and Jon’s entire crew were just as fun and lovely as the couple. They were playful, lighthearted, and a good time all around. The carefree chatter that punctuated the girl’s day as they eagerly got ready ranged from silly (I think my abs are still sore from laughing so much) to profound. The boys were equally excited and showed their goofier side on camera.
A Love Letter to Mid-Century Chic: The Dewberry Hotel & Hotel Bennett
A couple’s first look is arguably one of the most looked-forward-to moments of a couple’s wedding day, and Summer and Jon chose a gorgeous suite at Hotel Bennett to serve as a backdrop for this moment.
Hotel Bennet Charleston reviews mark it as a wedding venue favorite–and for good reason.
Hotel Bennett’s old-world grandeur was evident in key details that framed this pivotal scene. From the polished marble to the interiors decorated in soft sage and burnished gold. The gentle scent of verbena wafted through the air as the couple–on their journey to forever–took their first look at each other.
Around Summer’s neck was a dainty necklace where a pendant filled with her father’s ashes hung. It punctuated this moment with bittersweet joy for being able to spend it with people they loved and longing for the memory of those who wouldn’t be able to. But it wouldn’t be Summer and Jon if this moment, teetering on the verge of serious tenderness, didn’t shift the mood to playful joy–a reminder that despite loss and pain, it was still a day of love and celebration.
After some group portraits in the stunning Hotel Bennett lobby, the wedding party made their way over to the iconic Dewberry Hotel.
If you don’t know about The Dewberry Charleston— here’s why it should definitely be on your list of wedding venues.
The Dewberry is steeped in old-world charm and luxury, juxtaposed with a distinctive modern edge, best described by founder and owner John Dewberry as “Southern reimagined.”
Its distinctly mid-century modern architecture puts couples and their guests at the heart of Charleston. By Charleston standards, this historic hotel looms grandly over Marion Square–its cool, lime-washed facade gives way to an elegant, marble-slabbed lobby warmed by wooden walls and complemented by mid-century interiors. Inside, you’re ushered into luxury starting with a brass lobby bar, wraparound views of the cityscape, and a vertical, urban landscape against a beautiful sunset.
Jon and Summer’s ceremony was held in the hotel’s walled garden–a venue framed against elegant flora and historic brick walls draped with English Ivy. The garden leads to the ballroom, which evokes the historical grandeur of old Charleston in both vibe and feel. The interiors feature a Viennese cast brass palmetto chandelier and oversized gilded antique mirrors that manage to make this sprawling 1,750 square-foot space feel intimate and grand at the same time. White Oak parquet floors that hark back to Versailles add to the space’s quiet opulence.
For cocktail hour, the guests were ushered to the Rivers Room–an iconic Dewberry wedding venue favorite that offers a 360-degree view of the downtown Charleston skyline and sweeping cityscapes that include the Charleston Harbor and Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Bathed in natural lighting, it became the perfect backdrop for some of the more memorable portraits of their big day.
Finally, reception saw the couple and guests head back into the downstairs ballroom where dinner was served while the couple was serenaded by their incredibly talented family members in the Nashville music scene.
“Making Beautiful Music Together”
Music was inevitably going to be a HUGE part of this whole milestone. So when it came to their soundscore–and really the narrative of their day–our hope was we could do so in honor of Summer’s dad. And it became one of the most incredible, serendipitous moments of this beautiful wedding.
(Story time!)
During Summer and Jon’s first site visit to The Hotel Dewberry, Summer’s mom snapped a moment where Summer and her dad were playfully walking down the imaginary aisle to the altar. They hummed the iconic wedding march as they did so, the photo reflecting an air of nervous excitement and anticipation for the future. It was a bittersweet and pure moment that was shown during the ceremony before Summer’s brother walked her down the aisle. (I’m not crying, YOU ARE! 😭)
“I wanted so much to capture all the emotions of this moment and layer that into the storyline of the day. ”
I asked Summer to share photos and videos of her dad and their family showing some of the more gentle moments they’d had through the years — video clips that showcased who this wonderful man was.
She sent me clips of him sneaking her pup mini bites of hamburger at the table, his contagious laugh as he’s sitting at the table with a goofy crown on, and a clip of him laughing so hard at his granddaughter he could hardly catch his breath.
We weaved these moments into the story and I loved how it managed to tangibly show the love this family had for each other.
I have thoughts about how a wedding film shouldn’t just be a “recounting” of a day — but rather a documentation of our memories, visually represented in an almost abstract way and coming together in a way that captures a moment in a couple’s life that’s filled with hope, love, and anticipation.
I hope I did one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve had the privilege to be a part of justice–capturing and sharing the tiniest of moments that make up the biggest of milestones.
Summer + Jon | The Dewberry Hotel & Hotel Bennett Wedding Round Up
Video Package
Ruby Riot Creatives signature Head Over Heels, 12 hours on-site, with vows and speeches woven in, with mini social clips added.
Bride + Entourage Getting Ready Location
Groom + Entourage Getting Ready Location
First Look Location
@hotelbennett
Ceremony Location
@thedewberrycharleston
Cocktail Hour
The Rivers Room, 8th Floor, Rooftop Dewberry Hotel
Wedding Planner
@spellbound.events
Ruby Riot Creatives | Destination Weddings + Events. We travel everywhere! [Currently booking 2023-2024]
Visit https://www.instagram.com/rubyriotcreatives @RubyRiotCreatives to view our portfolio and current work, hear some embarrassing stories on our podcast, The Ruby Hour, and check our availability for your event! If you have an upcoming wedding or event, we would LOVE to be a part of it.
Which Wedding Video Package Was This?
This is our signature Head Over Heels, 12 hours on-site, with vows and speeches woven in, with mini social clips added.
Getting married soon? We totally want to film your wedding. We travel anywhere. Let’s schedule a time to chat after you check out our media kit.