Musings From Calhoun: A Step Back in Time to Fete a Couple Meant to Be
Joseph and Nancy Harwell. Courtesy photo.
Note from Tim: We could not be more excited to have Babbie Guscio on board as our first official columnist. I always loved Babbie’s columns in The Bluffton Packet and when I first dreamed up this concept of Lowcountry Chronicle, Babbie was one of the first people I spoke it out loud to. And she said, “Well, now it’s not just a dream. It’s out there. Go make it real.”
Babbie has had a five-decade love affair with Bluffton and it shows in every event and project she tackles, including her center of inspiration at The Store on Calhoun – which I like to think as a physical manifestation of the magic that flows through her brain.
We thank Bill Herbkersman for underwriting this column each and every week in 2023. He is the first official member of our Founders Hall of Fame. More on that to come, but we need folks like Bill that believe in spreading good news to help us in our mission. Email me at lowchron@gmail.com if you’d like to be part of the Hall of Fame roster.
Without further ado, we give you Musings from Calhoun.
DISPATCH 3: The year was 2016. The adorable Nancy Jones was carefree and loving her life as a textile rep for a very famous fabric company. Nancy 's territory was quite large – she traveled constantly through the South and was very successful.
Nancy's parents, Dr. and Mrs. Sydney Jones, had moved to Bluffton where they built a beautiful home on Myrtle Island. Nancy came for a visit whenever she had a moment, which was not often – she had the honor of being the No. 1 sales rep in her company.
One weekend, Nancy had time she could get away, so she nipped down to Bluffton for a bit of downtime. The weather was divine that weekend so with several friends in tow, the group headed to the May River sandbar with a picnic and libations with fun on their minds.
After making sure their boat was safely moored, they joined the gathering crowd greeting friends and relaxing with the throng of people who had the same idea. The May River sandbar has become even more famous now as THE place to be at low tide on weekends.
Enter Prince Charming. By an amazing stroke of luck or chance, a boat pulled up with several of Nancy's friends. Among the batch was someone who was a friend of a friend who just happened to be down for the weekend from Louisville, Kentucky. Joe Harwell was his name and as it turned out was quite a busy person himself as he had his own business and rarely had time to relax. Well, I think Nancy was smitten with him at once but played the role of a shy Southern belle beautifully.
Everyone had fun that day, but the weekend came to a close and good ole Monday showed up with all going back from whence they came. We were privy to what went on that very exciting weekend, thinking nothing would come of it. Two busy bees buzzing around in different directions not able to be in the same spot often.
Somehow Cupid found out about this and went to work as quickly as possible. Against all odds, Nancy and Joe became a couple. Nancy went into business for herself – she is an interior designer and antiques dealer and owner of a company called Savior of Style which has become quite well known. Joe's business has grown by leaps and bounds, too.
Nancy and Joe became engaged. Joe presented Nancy with a gorgeous vintage emerald and diamond ring and we were thrilled. Enter "the plague" so for two years, no wedding could be planned – but that did not stop our bride-to-be from making plans. Nancy's nickname is "Fancy Nancy" … she loves vintage everything, fabrics, jewelry, and clothes included.
While checking out her favorite website, 1st Dibs, Nancy found a vintage Robert Cavalli dress in dark red velvet with gold-stamped love birds perched beautifully down the front. It is amazing. So that was the starting point of planning the wedding.
The couple decided on a roaring 1920s theme in keeping with their favorite jazz and all of the fun times that happened in Paris during that time. The only problem was waiting for the time everybody could safely get together. Two years passed and bingo! Time for a wedding. It was to be a black tie affair … get adorned, girls, in your most beautiful outfit.
John Brandon and David Hueske, fully kilted.
The couple live in Old Town on the river in an adorable cottage which became the site of the nuptials. Everyone pitched in to transform it into a fabulous little French nightclub – candles, orchids, palm trees, a tent festooned with antique fabrics and furniture. A very dear friend, Matt Nadler, became a minister for the day thanks to a simple online process. Nancy's close friend, Tat Guscio, became her Lady-in -Waiting (we don't like the word matron) and the party was on. Bess Soper catered the reception in great Southern style and jazz played constantly.
Good friends from Charleston, John Brandon, Calhoun Witham and David Hueske, wore their dress kilts. David and Brandy Culp made the gorgeous wedding cake. And so the fabulous evening turned into the wee hours with a few cake crumbs left and much merriment as the band played on.
Tat Guscio and Nancy Jones Harwell.
The next morning Adelaide and Chris Corkern, Charlie and Maria Drawdy and Mark and Andi Boles hosted a lovely brunch at the Corkern's home for family and out-of-town guests. It was a truly marvelous step back in time, if only for a few hours.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Harwell are happily ensconced in their little cottage on the banks of the beautiful May River where their lives together began.
