A warm welcome back to Merci New York’s resident destinations expert, Christina Matteucci of david beahm destinations … Christina joins Merci the first Monday of every month to report on beautiful destination wedding locations adored by the David Beahm team.
For February, Christina traveled down south to the beautiful Lowcountry of Bluffton, South Carolina to give our readers an expert’s viewpoint on gorgeous Inn at Palmetto Bluff . With my husband’s family residing on nearby Hilton Head, it was so lovely to see the david beahm destinations executive director’s view on an area that is near and dear to our hearts… Take it away, Christina!
With the election year upon us, I’ve been feeling downright patriotic of late! And in case you’ve forgotten my dear Merci readers, having a destination wedding does not necessarily mean you and your loved ones must break out your passports. There are a plethora of domestic properties that will make you feel as though you’ve whisked your guests to a world away, when really, you are in our own red, white, and blue backyard {and supporting a local economy along the way}.
One of my very favorite places is located in the heart of the American South – in the Lowcountry of Bluffton, South Carolina. A chameleon of sorts, this jewel features a special breed of hospitality where black-tie formality meets down-home shrimp and grits. So let me get a move on, and introduce y’all to a shining star of the South: The Inn at Palmetto Bluff .
Your journey begins in Bluffton when you embark upon a five-mile drive lined with 100 year old oak trees laden with softly billowing Spanish moss. The locals refer to this drive as “the world’s largest decompression chamber,” hinting at what awaits when you cross a charming bridge into the intimate village of the Inn at Palmetto Bluff. Don’t let the word “Inn” fool you – there is no singular hotel per se, in fact, just the opposite… 
The “Inn” is comprised of a series of fifty individual cottages, each embodying iconic Lowcountry architecture with large screened-in porches that boast views of the May River and interior islands. In my opinion, there is nothing in the world as sweet as listening to a rain shower punctuate the metal roofs of these bungalows. It almost seems to keep rhythm with the beat of one’s heart. In addition to the cottages primed for romance, the Inn also offers elegant, two, three, and four bedroom Village homes that are perfectly suited for families and provide all the hotel amenities available in the cottages. 
So just how does one achieve the perfect amalgamation of wedding formality with Southern hospitality? Well, we believe that any event on this property has to begin with an Oyster Roast, Pig Pickin’ & Lowcountry Boil! There will certainly be enough time for seersucker suits and Chantilly lace gowns the following day, but allow your guests the delight of donning their Levi’s and throwin’ on their best pair of Tony Lama’s on their first evening here. 
On the banks of the May River, at an area called Moreland Landing: a rustic island pavilion (that also happens to feature a five story tree house), your guests will delight in shucking their own oysters and diving into fried green ‘maters, collard greens, and peach cobbler with whiskey cream. Add a blue grass band, some ice cold beer, sprightly wild flowers in mason jars and some twinkling amber carnival lights and you’ve got a vivacious party that will leave your guests wondering just what waits in store the following night. 
When it comes to the big day, there is nothing more quaint and romantic than the poetically simple, white, Waterside chapel. The rear wall of the chapel features a grand arched window that offers your guests gorgeous views of the river, all the while providing a picturesque backdrop to your vows. As you are pronounced married, the joyous tones of a gospel choir erupt from the bank of the river: a jubilant celebration of the Gullah heritage that has come to help define this area of the United States. 
After you receive warm congratulations from guests on the Village Green under the ancient oak trees, your reception will await in the ballroom and wraparound porches of the adjacent River House. It’s a bit difficult to trump the romance of flickering gas lamps and a crackling fireplace, but when it comes to the décor of a Southern wedding, we love reflecting the area in the floral décor. Big, showy, native branches such as magnolia, camellia and dogwood make for cost-effective visual impact, all the while honoring the local flora. 
For regular Merci readers, y’all know that I do love to suggest a great guest gift idea for each location the Beahm team travels. For this delightful locale, I’ve chosen an equally delightful product with which to end this installation of my blog: the lovingly crafted products from Savannah Bee Company. The brainchild of Ted Dennard, this local company produces two distinct lines of world-class honeys, and manufactures a luxury beeswax-based body care line. Making a beautiful gift to any guest is a willowy bottle of golden Tupelo Honey – when smothered over a little Manchego cheese, it is sheer perfection and a wonderful memento of your celebration.
Editor’s Note: david beahm destinations is an exclusive resource of amazing destination wedding, honeymoon and celebration locales, all expertly curated by the renowned David Beahm team. To learn about Winivan or any other hand-picked david beahm destination, visit their site here and begin daydreaming. Pretty fabulous, no?
