March 2020

Mar 24, 2020


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photo by Liz Banfield

 One of the most popular topics that remains at my speaking engagements or questions we receive are how to look at food serving and displays in new and different ways. So, we’re sharing some ways we have styled food or incorporated it into the decor… Like above- for a wedding with stations and over 400 guests, we had to make the food accessible and interesting. We took a garden fountain from a hardware store, sealed and treated it with food safe materials, and then turned it into a cocktail shrimp focal point.

photos by Corbin Gurkin and  Liz Banfield

We find cocktail hour and passed hors d’eouvres an easy place to get creative. Of course, the trays you use can be customized and you’ve seen us talk about printing paper liners to fit your look.. but ask your caterer about different ways to present the food. Here, mini tacos are served in lime wedges that can also be used to squeeze atop the taco for a bit of extra flavor, chicken and waffles are much more elegant in mini waffle cones; and ceviche in scallop shells makes such a pretty presentation.

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photo by Corbin Gurkin

I feel like a big part of my job is to make sure that guests have a fun and and seamless experience. So, again, for receptions where the guests aren’t served a plated dinner, finding easy and creative ways to serve the food is important. Here, shot glasses are pre filled with hummus and veggies for a quick pick up option.

photos by Nickie Stone and Corbin Gurkin 

photos by Liz Banfield

Another popular item we are playing with are cheese or antipasta displays during cocktail hours, or even as late night food around the dance floor area.  We have been using different pieces of furniture to create a display, which works well for a self serve function. We have also built tall lucite tables with butcher block tops for some cocktail hour antipasta displays, I love how guests can access them from all angles.  And we have a marble topped push cart that we use often for serving, so doing a classic glamorous cheese cart after dinner is one of my favorite things to do!

photos by Tec Petaja

I love this new twist on a classic celebration food- caviar.. For a recent cocktail hour, we recently designed a beautiful  self serve station including all the varieties of accompaniments, and even chilled vodka.

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photo by Elizabeth Messina

Sometimes food can make an impact just being used in an unexpected way… For a bride whose father grew watermelons- we had our ice sculptor put slices in ice for a pop of color on a seafood display.

photos by Tec Petaja and Corbin Gurkin

Speaking of seafood displays, oysters are a long standing wedding food, especially in Charleston when we can get local ones. They can be a challenging food to serve because you have to find a nice way to present them and to deal with the shells when finished. We built wooden oyster tables that allow us to serve oysters on the half shell over crushed ice – of course with mini tabasco bottles and lemon wedges… Catering here by Cru Catering.

photo by Liz Banfield

This couple chose pies over a traditional wedding cake.. Individual pies in an array of flavors were displayed on tiered stands, with printed flavor flags!

photo by Virgil Bunao

For one wedding, a bride wanted to have a self serve champagne station with different mixers and embellishments… A rented bakers rack made a pretty and unexpected buffet set up. If guests have to serve themselves, then better make it thoughtful, right?

3.24.20   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Entertaining, Event Design, Event Planning, Food and Drink, Parties, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Mar 17, 2020

couple-in-house

Happy St. Patrick’s Day… We are throwing it back to this gloriously green wedding we did several years ago at  Lowndes Grove Plantation. This venue is a fave because it allows us to create different spaces and designs based on historic architecture, tented courtyards, and glorious trees overlooking the Ashley River. Liz Banfield provides all of the lovely images.

printing-collageFor the lush and natural garden feel the bride wanted, Lettered Olive created a printed “nature” paper along with die cut patterns to use on the wedding invitations. Canvas garden totes made the perfect unexpected guest welcome bags. For an outdoor afternoon ceremony, ceremony programs doubled as fans.

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bride-and-bridesmaids

A varied mixture of white and green florals provided lush texture and I loved how the bouquets incorporating both colors looked against the bridesmaids’ green dresses and the bride’s dress.

ceremony-collageHeel savers were provided so ladies could easily enjoy the ceremony on the lawn. Natural woven bags full of rose petals were provided for guests to toss at the bride and groom after they were married and coming back down the aisle.

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Antique church pews mixed with rustic chairs overlook the greenery covered alter.

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Guests were treated to cocktail hour bites and sips by Patrick Properties Hospitality Group. The seafood station was housed over ice blocks full of green leaves for added decor.

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The couple met while on a Peace Corps tour in Africa, so we had African made fabrics brought in for different areas of decor, like these dinner escort cards.

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Dinner took place in the oyster tabby tented with a clear view of the sky.

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The African fabric brought a varied mix tied to the dinner chairs. Branches calligraphied with guests’ names provided the natural place cards.

table-upclose

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Like life floral vines covered the wedding cake from Jim Smeal’s artistry.

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The after dinner lounge and bar provided a perfect space for guests to retreat for dancing after dinner.

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An after dinner dessert station featured individual treats full of fall flavor… Servers passed mini cones to guests on the dance floor need a little treat to call off…

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A vintage convertible in the perfect shade of green provides a photo worthy getaway for the bride and groom!

3.17.20   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Weddings | Comments >>
Mar 10, 2020

What a lovely day in Chicago for Carolyn and Mark! Loved revisiting and can’t wait to share more with you when we get all of the images.  Video by Siegel Films.

3.10.20   |   TARA GUÉRARD
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