When I was considering a move to Charleston from the Philadelphia suburbs, I couldn’t find much info beyond house listings. I wanted to know what life would be like here. That’s what this blog is all about. I’m a REALTOR® and founder of The Matthews Group with Coldwell Banker Realty. I help buyers from all over the world and sellers here in greater Charleston, SC. But it all started with a destination wedding and a love story…
My husband Damian and I first visited Charleston for my cousin Michael’s wedding. We attended an oyster roast hosted by the bride-to-be’s uncle. You may have seen Thomas Ravenel’s plantation home featured on Bravo’s “Southern Charm.” Would Rhett Butler show up? I’ve come to realize oyster roasts are the South’s version of a Philly beef and beer.
The next day we toured the Aiken-Rhett House Museum built in 1820. Historic homes are my thing and Charleston cheerfully defies the space-time continuum. One minute you’re in 1716 and the next minute you’re right back to now.
Pretty in Pink – The French Huguenot Church, Charleston, South Carolina
Michael and Sarah’s rehearsal dinner was held at McCrady’s – famous for celebrity chef Sean Brock’s innovative style. The nuptials took place the following day at the French Huguenot Church. Charleston’s nickname is the Holy City, but in a town filled with churches, this pink one stands out. The reception at the Carolina Yacht Club was a fantastic blur of fun. The next day, my husband and I recuperated at the dream-like Magnolia Plantation. Its misty swamps guarded by Cypress trees (and gators), gorgeous gardens and ethereal Spanish moss-draped oak trees left me wanting to write a novel — or at least a ghost story. I wanted…no I needed…to live here. My husband agreed.
Otherworldly – Magnolia Plantation
But we wanted to be sure. Over the next two summers, we enjoyed week-long family vacations at nearby Folly Beach. Days were filled with breakfasts at the Lost Dog Cafe, kayaking, dinners with the dolphins on Shem Creek, fishing, the South Carolina Aquarium and visiting with good friends who had recently moved to Mount Pleasant, just minutes from downtown Charleston. We felt like we were leaving home every time we drove back North on I-95. It was decided.
Shem Creek, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Both of us were born and raised in the same Philadelphia suburb. It was difficult to move away, but we’ve given family and friends a fabulous place to visit. After graduating Wando High School, our son is now a freshman at University of South Carolina. He misses cheese steaks, but loves cheese grits. My daughter, a recent Penn State graduate, has a sweet vacation spot. It was the right move. I know this as I sink my toes in the sand and watch the waves crash — on a random Wednesday lunch break. It’s snowing back in Philadelphia.
I want to help your Charleston love story unfold. Find out more about moving here.
Susan Matthews