Charleston (and the entertainment media in general) is still abuzz about the surprise nuptials of Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively over Labor Day weekend.  The couple was married here in Charleston at the cotton dock at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant. The event was planned by Martha Stewart’s crew, so you know it had to be one fabulous, well done affair that we’ll unfortunately have to wait until December to sneak a peek at when the event will be featured in Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine. The couple chose Charleston reportedly because Reynolds has a love for the city and it has become a special getaway for him and Lively.

Now you bride to be may be shying away from the idea of a destination wedding after reading “$3000 cake” or “Carnival hour” and “Martha Stewart’s crew” but a destination wedding is not just for the rich and famous.  If you are planning a wedding, look to Charleston! The weather here is usually gorgeous and even the winters are mild by the standards of most. And if you want a summer destination wedding but the idea of standing outside in the sun isn’t appealing,  the beach is a more breezy option for you, or a yacht during a coastal or harbor cruise.  There are also plenty of air-conditioned, indoor options.

And don’t forget the food. Get kitschy and rent the airstream trailer from Jack’s Cosmic Dog and treat your guests to hot dogs (and veggie dogs) with plenty of different fixins, cookies instead of cake from Charleston Cookie Company, believe or not Piggly Wiggly can make a great cake if you are minding your budget.  Or a catered mix of elegance and southern comfort food (like mac and cheese or shrimp and grits) from the likes of Cru Cafe or Good Food Catering.

Think of the wedding photography; the beach, the gardens, the harbor front, the pineapple fountain in waterfront park (I am proud to admit the pineapple has a special place in my wedding album).  The locale is beautiful, there is something for every taste from eclectic and funky to elegant to whimsical.

And the second to the commitment you are about to make to your partner, the guests! Dunes Properties vacation rental properties are a great option.  Vacation rentals are a perfect, cozier and often more cost efficient alternative.  You can make your own meals, a larger group can gather more comfortably in a living room than a hotel room which makes staying in a welcome pleasure, and the beach could be in walking distance or right outside the back door. And your guests will love that staying with Dunes Properties means a slew of local businesses will offer them discounts – Charleston SUP Safaris eco tours , Flipper Finders kayak tours, high speed boat tours of Charleston harbor with Thriller Charleston, golf at the Links at Stono Ferry, what would make better photo ops for groomsmen or bridesmaids than a day of roller skating at Hot Wheels Skating Center , horse drawn carriage tours of downtown with Palmetto Carriage Company, ghost tours with Bulldog Tours and others.   Charleston Green Taxi offers discounted transportation, and On the Spot Baby Equipment and Rentals has everything you need for little ones away from home at 10% off for guests as well. And if you just want to see where Blake and Ryan tied the knot, Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens offers $2.50 off adult tickets.

What are waiting for? Start planning that Charleston wedding!