A Formal Pastel-Colored Wedding Outdoors in Charleston, South Carolina

The Happy Couple

After five years of dating, Jeffrey McKee proposed to Katherine Bakker in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. The couple decided to hold their nuptials on the grounds of Katy's parents' 1,000-acre property on the Combahee River.

Here, the couple pose under an oak tree dripping with moss. The groom sports a suit by Grady Ervin; the bride is wearing a Carol Hannah gown and veil.

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Warm Welcome

Guests were driven around the gated property in golf carts.

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Welcome Gifts

Guests were welcomed with exceptional Southern hospitality: boxes filled with venison sausage and honey from the property, Charleston Breakfast tea, and a bottle of wine from the family's Bakker Estates in Mendoza, Argentina.

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The Programs

The program, made of wood veneer and accented with a quail feather and tea-stained organza ribbon, outlined the evening's events.

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The Stationery

A quail feather embellishes each save-the-date, and the envelope liners feature bird drawings from an Audubon book. Guests were given rice to toss at the newlywed. Simple, sophisticated invitations hint at the pastel palette. The wedding planners surprised the couple with monogrammed thank-you notes. Reception cards were letterpressed onto silk-backed wood veneer.

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The Bouquet

Katy had the plans sketched for her custom gown a year in advance of the wedding, but she didn't see the finished dress until just six weeks before the big day. Its delicate bodice matches the mood of her bouquet of sweetpeas, roses, peonies, and white feathers.

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Boutonniere

The groom's boutonniere was fashioned from quail feathers, scabiosa buds, and tuberose, its stems wrapped in blush dupion silk.

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Grand Entrance

The bride made her entrance at the outdoor ceremony on the arm of her proud father.

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The Sun-Dappled Ceremony

Katy and Jeff were married at 6:35 p.m., precisely when the sun set.

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Festive Headpiece

Fine feathered guest Meryiel Edge, wearing a hat of her own creation, crafted the bridesmaid's fascinators and the mother of the bride's hat.

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Mother of the Bride

Katy's mom wore a custom hat for the occasion.

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Soft Touches

Bridesmaids wore feather fascinators with their sherbet-colored gowns.

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Drink Options

The couple offered three signature drinks: Kir royales, classic mint juleps, and strawberry soda made with vodka and muddled locally grown fruit.

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Cocktail Hour

Family friend Karl Smith savored a sip of his Kir royale.

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Dress Designer

Charleston native Carol Hannah Whitfield, designer of the bride's wedding dress and bridesmaids' gowns (and wearing one of her own designs), was once a finalist and fan favorite on "Project Runway."

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Guest Book

"Audubon's Birds of America: The Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio" doubled as a guest book.

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Unexpected Guest

The mother of the bride's horse, J. B. (for Jim Beam), got his photo op.

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Farm Animals

Lambs on the land were originally bought for the purpose of meat, but after their mothers died, the Bakkers bottle-fed them and raised the sheep as beloved pets.

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The Romantic Reception

The tent's dramatic fabric ceiling was inspired by the draping on Katy's dress; "it took a lot of work to construct, but it softened the entire room," she says.

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Centerpieces

The elegant centerpieces overflow with pastel peonies, ranunculus, roses, and lilacs; vintage brass birds found on Etsy.com hold table numbers.

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Cake Display

Katy and Jeff's wedding cake featured tiers of lemon-raspberry and pistachio, while a smaller cake presented chocolate and orange, and a third offering is fruitcake -- a traditional English dessert -- made by Katy's British grandmother.

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The Send-Off

The couple set off into wedded bliss -- and an epic honeymoon adventure. "Elephants are Katy's favorite animal, but she'd never seen them in the wild. So I surprised her with a 10-day safari in Kenya," says Jeff. "I'll never forget the look on her face."

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