Hello, ladies! I’ve just returned from gorgeous Charleston, South Carolina, and the Charleston Spring Bridal Show, and I am in looooove. Why bother with winter when you can have palm trees and Southern charm? All that, and 30-degrees-warmer-than-Jersey temps. Here’s a roundup of everything I saw:
1. A WHOLE NEW DEPARTMENT STORE
I’m a sucker for a regional chain {Ask me or Petra about the El Corte Ingles from our trip to Madrid. }, so I was smitten with Charleston’s Belk department store. Just look at this #flatsfriday selection.
2. REEDS JEWELERS
Another new-to-me store, this one has crossed the Mason-Dixon line, but I’d never been to a Reeds Jewelers before. We swung by to check out the super-sparkly engagement ring that was up for grabs in Charleston Weddings’ Diamond Dash, but I got distracted by a bunch of emerald-cut Tacori diamonds.
3. SOUTHERN PROTOCOL
Southern Protocol is an event planning shop and a wedding dress boutique that carries some of my favorite designers, including Carol Hannah, whom I adore and who designed this prettiness. 
4. TAXIDERMY BAGS—AND A GLITTER FLOOR
Oh, did I mention Southern Protocol has a GLITTER FLOOR? Because it does. Unfortunately, you probably won’t notice it in this picture, because all you’ll be able to see is this super-fantastic, shockingly pink tote from Taxidermy. It’s possible that I spent a little too much time swooning over it while perusing the wedding dresses.
5. I very randomly met Amy, the owner-designer behind Taxidermy, in Starbucks the next day when I started squealing over her bag, which had the same deer logo. (I was all, “Is that Taxidermy?!” And she was all, “I AM Taxidermy.” Cue squeal-fest.) Obviously her husband, who was wearing the floral Taxidermy sneakers below and a matching bow tie, owns Grifter, a custom motorcycle glove company, because #coolkids. 
No idea why the photo is sideways. Possibly because the subject is too hip for my standard-orientation nonsense. But you get the idea.
6. LEON’S OYSTER SHOP
Super-yummy lunch and soft-serve for dessert. AND it was almost like Leon’s dressed the powder room on-theme for the Charleston Bridal Show. (Almost.)
7. MODERN TROUSSEAU
Modern Trousseau, the brand behind Emily from The Bachelorette’s pink wedding dress has a lovely, sun-drenched storefront in Charleston.
8. SPRING! SPRING!
Oh, hi, daffodils. Do you mind if I set up a tent next to you and move in until after the Northeast thaws out? Thanks.
9. ONE LOVE DESIGN
One more thing on my list of discoveries: Rachel Gordon of One Love Design is a new designer who’s bringing boho down South. Lots of the precise, pretty details that Southern brides love but with more free-flowing silhouettes. Birdsong accessories were the perfect match on the runway; you can’t see them in this photo, but click through to check ’em out.
10. WHITE ON DANIEL ISLAND
So much to love about the White on Daniel Island boutique: (1) There’s a champagne bar—hooray! (2) Amazing wedding dresses like this leggy number from Anne Barge.
11. KATE MCDONALD BRIDAL
You’ve seen this Kate McDonald Bridal wedding gown on a dress form, but be prepared to swoon when you see it on a real-live bride—well, someone who looks like a bride. I mean
12. And here’s something new from the designer: wedding shorts, a la Olivia Palermo! (Kate’s also behind the LulaKate bridesmaid dress that appeared on Southern Charm last week.) 
13. HEIDI ELNORA
We’ve been fans of Heidi Elnora for ages on Save the Date—you’ll recognize her watercolor Valerie Lynn wedding dress here—but the whole world is about to fall in love with her: Her TLC show premieres on Friday. (More on that later this week.) Heidi’s dresses are also carried at Southern Protocol. 
14. CHAMBRAY AND TULLE!
Here’s something new Modern Trousseau sent down the runway: A bedazzled chambray shirt with a tutu perfect tulle overskirt. SO AWESOME.
15. GOWN BOUTIQUE OF CHARLESTON
File this one under “Why didn’t I think of that?”: Gown Boutique of Charleston wedding dresses—including this va-va-voom number from Pronovnas—are organized by price, so brides don’t stumble into a gown that’s way out of their budget. So smart.
16. AMSALE
We know and love Amsale Aberra, the designer behind Hilaria Baldwin’s wedding dress—AND Amsale, Kenneth Pool, Christos, Nouvelle Amsale, and Amsale Blue Label. {Whew! } She headlined the weekend, so the shows wrapped with a phenomenal selection of gowns from all the lines. Here’s my favorite allover lace gown:
17. And the show-stopping finale dress:
18. MAGNIFILOUS TOY EMPORIUM
I was too busy shopping for souvenirs to take photos in Magnifilous, but if you’re in the area and need cool toys that you won’t find in the big-box chain stores, this is THE spot.
19. WILD DUNES RESORT
And, finally, Wild Dunes is where I was camped out for my work-cation. I didn’t make it to the beach, but I was in love with candy-color “village” where I stayed. 
Which of these wedding dresses is your favorite? And have you been to Charleston? So much to love, right?