The Work

A Dinner at Wells Manor

Autumn 2025 · Greenville, South Carolina · Twenty guests

I met Tiffany and Melvin at an upscale wine evening in the South Carolina foothills. We talked for twenty minutes, and two weeks later, Tiffany called me to plan an intimate dinner at their home with their closest friends and family. My friend PaulieSFX and I designed this evening together.

Tiffany and Melvin, the hosts, beside the table
Jody setting the table at golden hourThe menu card at each place setting

On arrival the first thing we laid eyes on was the Angel towering over the garden, and in that moment I was certain the entire evening would be lovely no matter what.

Twenty guests by the pool. Friends and family hand-picked by the hosts, the kind who exude love, patience, and quiet respect for one another.

Currean Restaurant, the women-owned eatery in downtown Greenville run by our friend Vickie Zambrano, paired light dishes to a wine list that ran from a Burgundian crémant to Brunello to Cain Five. Kevin, the evening’s sommelier, walked the table through each pour with a magnetic ease. Deanna Rogers of Deanna Rogers Designs brought stunning flower arrangements. Tiffany chose to set her grandmother’s china, and the whole evening became, in that gesture, an heirloom. It is such a pleasure working with them.

Floral arrangement with grapes and feathersThe Angel statue over the garden with candles at night
The long table deep into the evening, florals and candlelight down its length
A guest laughing with a glass of wineMelvin raising a glass of white wine to the light

Guests should feel a heightened sense of belonging.

The hosts, Tiffany and Melvin Wells
The hosts. The reason the room loved itself before any of us arrived.

The hosts are the reason the room is full of love at the start, and I am simply honored to elaborate.

The gallery lands in the host’s inbox on the week of. Jeremiah Drummond’s work is the kind of photography most guests have never seen of themselves.

“You transformed our vision into a truly special celebration. Every detail, from the ambiance to the impeccable flow of the evening, reflected your artistry and thoughtfulness. The warm laughter, sparkling conversation, and the elegant glow of candlelight all came together to create memories we will treasure.”

Tiffany Wells · Host
Evening designed by Jody Marie & PaulieSFX · Photography by Jeremiah Drummond Photography · Florals by Deanna Rogers Designs · Culinary by Currean Restaurant · Menu & paper goods by Lindsay Dev Creative

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