Caroline – Wedding Date September 21st, 2024
We got married at Old Wide Awake on 9.21.24 and it could not have been a better venue for our special day. Margaret is wonderful to work with. She is professional, quick to respond, caring and compassionate. She put us at ease throughout the whole planning process. Every single guest was in awe of the venue. It is the perfect tucked away hidden gem and made the perfect back drop for our southern garden party wedding. We cannot recommend Old Wide Awake enough!!
Lisa H – Wedding Date February 6, 2021
My daughter fell in love with Old Wide Awake on our first visit and we were not disappointed! We decided on the venue approximately a year before the wedding, then extended the date another 5 months (Covid). From our first meeting through the event date, Margaret was so helpful and patient. She was pleasant and timely in her responses, offering advice and recommendations along the way. On the wedding day, John went over and above to ensure we had everything we needed and he assisted our family and coordinator with anything we asked.
The venue itself is stunning. It is clean and well cared-for. It offers the rustic elegance that just makes everyone comfortable. Photography opportunities are plentiful within the beautiful rooms, the expansive porches and the lovely grounds. We very carefully planned every detail of our event, but Mother Nature offered up the coldest, wettest day of the season. The versatility of the venue allowed us to quickly pivot and relocate the ceremony from the front steps to the porch. (I highly recommend placing a tent on rain hold regardless of the season!) We tented the travertine patio, extending 15 feet beyond the end to allow distancing between dining tables. The set-up was lovely and easily accommodated our guests (approx. 120). The terrible weather prohibited full use of the property. We planned a cigar bar on the dock, a lounge setting near the arbor, and many other details that had to be relocated. The ample space under the house and on the porch allowed us to do this quickly and easily. I feared my daughter and son-in-law would be disappointed, but they both say they wouldn't change a thing. Despite the cold and rain, the vast majority of our guests stayed until the end of the reception. Our ceremony was at 4:30 and we all had a blast until 10 PM. I cannot say enough to convey how pleased we are with Old Wide Awake, the staff, and our experience. The entire event exceeded our expectations and I would highly recommend this venue.
Grace C – Wedding Date May 7, 2022
My husband and I got married here in May after having to reschedule our wedding due to Covid. Booking this venue and choosing Margaret McKenzie as our planner was the best decision we ever made! Margaret felt like family from day one and we simply could not have done it without her. She guided us throughout the entire planning process, even making the date change as smooth a process as possible. On the day, she expertly orchestrated every moving part and I could totally relax knowing she had it all taken care of. There is no place better for a wedding and no better planner! We love you Margaret!
Emma Y – Wedding Date May 6, 2022
Our wedding at Old Wide Awake Plantation was absolutely perfect. The venue is gorgeous with moss covered oak trees lining the gravel driveway all the way up to the beautiful, historic house that sits next to a small pond with a lovely fountain. It’s got quite the Southern charm! We chose to have our ceremony on the venue grounds right in front of the pond where they’ve built an arbor and it was picturesque. The house itself was the perfect setting for our cocktail hour and reception with its wide wrap around porches and large patio on the ground floor that could accommodate all of our guests. The house was also great for getting ready as you have access to it all day. The upstairs has very large rooms which are perfect for the bride to get ready in. The upstairs also has a wide wrap around porch that overlooks the grounds and was great for our bridal lunch the day of the wedding.
We hired Margaret McKenzie, the venue coordinator, to be our wedding planner and that was the best decision we made! She helped us pull our wedding off without a hitch despite having to reschedule three times due to the pandemic. She truly wants your wedding to be all that you want it to be and all that you hope it will be and she works tirelessly to make it happen. She is very knowledgeable about vendors in the Charleston area and provided us with great suggestions. She is also very organized and meticulous and will help you plan your wedding down to the very last detail which truly gave us peace of mind and the ability to simply enjoy every moment of our wedding day. We are so grateful that we chose Margaret and cannot thank her enough for everything.
We hired Margaret McKenzie, the venue coordinator, to be our wedding planner and that was the best decision we made! She helped us pull our wedding off without a hitch despite having to reschedule three times due to the pandemic. She truly wants your wedding to be all that you want it to be and all that you hope it will be and she works tirelessly to make it happen. She is very knowledgeable about vendors in the Charleston area and provided us with great suggestions. She is also very organized and meticulous and will help you plan your wedding down to the very last detail which truly gave us peace of mind and the ability to simply enjoy every moment of our wedding day. We are so grateful that we chose Margaret and cannot thank her enough for everything.
Rachel W. – Wedding Date December 11, 2021
Margaret McKenzie and Old Wide Awake Plantation are exceptional. The quiet, magnificent house set just before the marshes and the park to the Stono River is stopped in time. I loved each piece of my experience. I grew up down here- it is difficult to find a place that is not tacky or overdone for the sake of tourists. The house and the land are reminiscent of every experience I had as a child- a soft silky breeze, the fresh smell of the river and flowing water nearby, and the vendors know exactly what to do and where to be. We had an amazing experience provided by Margaret. She is a stunning coordinator. I am certain, as with any large event, there were hang ups. I didn't see a single one. Every detail and minutiae was handled without a shred of evidence that it was anything but effortless. Her grace, poise, and elegant nature are exactly what any bride needs. My Husband and I had a spectacular day with brilliant sun which I am fairly certain Margaret also conjured as it rained every day around the wedding.
Alan H. – Wedding Date December 11, 2021
Our son, Brendan and now daughter-in-law, Katti were married at Old Wide Awake Plantation last December under the guidance of Margaret McKenzie as our wedding planner. As a wedding planner, Margaret is a "maestro" . She conducted and shepherded us through a detailed and compelling planning process and expertly coordinated all the moving parts the "week of" and "day of"; the wedding took on the dimensions of a world class symphony orchestra whose music was as fragrant and graceful as the setting of the Old Wide Awake Planation. She plans weddings held at OWAP as well as at other wedding venues around the Charleston area. I worked with all the vendors behind the scenes on behalf of the wedding party, learning that securing a place on Margaret's "rolodex" of vendors is a coveted goal as her planning and communication/connection skills are second to none in this global class wedding venue of Charleston. May I join the chorus of others who endorse her planning practices
Ryan N. – Wedding Date November 13, 2021
Last November, my fiancée at the time and I visited Old Wide Awake Plantation as we tried to find the perfect venue for our wedding. Margaret showed us around the house and grounds - with the oaks, moss, lake, and fountain, not to mention the beautiful house with multiple porches, we knew we had found our perfect venue. We quickly got our date set on the calendar as venues black book up quickly (especially coming off a Covid year).
Our wedding finally arrived last weekend, and everything about the venue was absolutely perfect. We loved it, our guests were in awe of the venue in all the same ways we were when we initially chose OWA. My wife and I were incredibly pleased with the entire ordeal - including having the rehearsal on-site the nite before. Working with Margaret only added to the magic as she is genuinely excited and happy for all the couples who pick OWA for their wedding venue. We cannot say thank you enough!
Caitlin R. – Wedding Date October 2, 2021
This wedding venue was stunning! It embodies the southern charm of Charleston while also being in a quiet location! Margaret McKenzie manages the site and was wonderful to work with! She made the venue available to us at all times during the planning stage and even let us bury a bottle of bourbon on the property as a southern tradition for no rain on your wedding day! (It definitely held back some rain on our big day) As a bonus to the venue, We actually hired Margaret as our wedding planner since she made booking the venue such an easy process. She helped us pull off a wedding in less than 6 months while everyone was also rebooking COVID weddings at the same time. She offered great vendor suggestions and managed our vendors excellently on our wedding day. On our wedding day, the venue was immaculate! The bridal suite was a great area for the bridal party to get ready in while letting the guys run wild downstairs! The grounds keeper also executed the ceremony perfectly by making sure no cars entered down the long driveway during our ceremony. Needless to say this venue made our day special and we will always cherish the help Margaret gave us to execute/create a perfect wedding! I would highly recommend the venue and Margaret to anyone looking to plan a wedding in Charleston!
Alyssa W – Wedding Date July 11, 2020
I couldn’t have had a better wedding experience anywhere else. Old Wide Awake Plantation is truly breathtaking. Every inch of the grounds is beautiful!! You will undoubtedly have the most beautiful wedding pictures to look back on. There are a few different ceremony site options and a huge patio perfect for your reception. Margaret was such a pleasure to work with. She is so sweet and incredibly knowledgeable on all things Old Wide Awake and wedding related. She is super quick to respond to any questions you may have and is such a joy. I would 10000% recommend this venue to all brides. You will not regret it.
Keeland K – Wedding Date May 22, 2021
Old Wide Awake Plantation is the perfect southern venue right outside of Charleston, SC. When my husband and I saw this venue, we knew immediately we wanted to get married there. After talking to Margaret, it was a done deal. Margaret and the entire staff at OWA are a dream to work with. They will make you, your bridal party, and guests feel like family. I highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to have a southern wedding.
Savannah W – Wedding Date February 11, 2021
We could not have had a better wedding thanks to Margaret! I loved her from the minute we met, and she bent over backwards to plan a COVID safe wedding for us. There are not enough compliments I could give to Margaret. She is attentive, has a great eye for detail, extremely qualified and so personable. Everyone at our wedding loved her and we didn't want the wedding to end because we loved her so much! If you are getting married, you HAVE to use her as your wedding planner!