Today, we celebrate this lovely couple and their anniversary. So, what better way to celebrate than with a blog post reliving their stunning Charleston wedding. The bride and her family are so fun, making them a blast to work with. I mean the bride was on stage all night with the band, and the Mother of the Bride did snow angels on the fluffy white carpet we had in the tent! And, we really worked with them to create a fun experience for their guests as well. We thank Ryan Ray for all of the lovely images.
Lettered Olive works with our clients to create paper pieces that are uniquely them! The cherry blossoms represent the groom’s home of Washington, DC. And, we incorporated the branches throughout the wedding decor. Also perfect for spring in Charleston. LO also created a custom wedding crest emblem for pieces like the ceremony programs, wedding welcome booklets, and save the dates. One of my favorite invite ideas is the “post toast”, which is the get together including all out of town guests after the rehearsal dinner.
Marcia, our Mother of the Bride, helps her daughter put on her Oscar de la Renta mermaid sheath.
Wedding party wore classic full length black gowns. And, classic tuxedos for the black tie formal affair.
After a ceremony at First Baptist Church in downtown Charleston, a gospel choir serenades guests as they board transportation to the reception.
Our couple hosted guests at Runnymede, outside of Charleston. Because it’s a blank slate here, we can add several tents, or utilize the outdoor space overlooking the Ashley River. This makes for stunning photo ops.
Cocktail hour features local seasonal items (by Cru Catering). And, fun cocktails are served with beautiful details. Custom printed tray liners and embroidered monogrammed aprons by Lettered Olive, for example.
We love to create bar experiences. This one is a huge square accessible by all sides so there is never a line, and glassware artfully displayed on the interior- I hate a junky/crowded bar set up. An element from the printed materials is put on fabric to cover the bar for a statement. And, huge lanterns covered in fabric featuring another pattern from the paper make the bar useful even after dark.
For a floral statement, escort cards are “planted” in this garden of blooms. We always have several “Soirettes” on hand to assist guests finding their cards. So, it’s not only a pretty but seamless experience.
Of course, the outside of the tent also has to be finished nicely. When the outside is as lovely as this, there are high expectations for the inside.
A super chic but formal and airy dining room is tailored with finished gray flooring, grey linens, oversized gold lighting features. Also, a mixture of tall and small statement florals. The place settings are watercolor acrylic menus with gold etching and tags featuring another pattern from the wedding printing.
Another Jim Smeal stunner!
After dinner, guests were treated a big reveal. One that we had already given the bride earlier, so she could enjoy and really take it all in. The lounge was carpeted and draped to created a dreamy and romantic reception area. We created lush indoor and outdoor lounge spaces for guests to enjoy after dinner.
Our bride was FUN!!!! And loves to dance, can you tell???? We love her second look, a short suit, with the most perfect bow on the back by Viktor and Rolf.
One of the other perks of my production team including firemen, is that we can do custom firework displays for our couple’s send off. Happy Anniversary Lauren and Clay!