Category Archives: Event Design

Dec 19, 2018

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

With Christmas right around the corner, for this Wedding Wednesday, we’re going back to this stunning celebration from 2013 in Oklahoma City. 525 people joined our couple for a sparkling metallic palette, glamorous, personalized over the top New Year’s party. There are so many details I want to share from this wedding it was hard to chose our favorites. Liz Banfield was there with us to capture all of the twinkling tidbits.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The bridesmaids sparkled in two piece silver sequined tops and ballgown skirt ensembles from Synderela. Our friend, Julie Sabatino with The Stylish Bride, worked with the bride and designer to develop the custom creations.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The Brides’ childhood church was the perfect ceremony backdrop. We added our own special touches to their already lovely Christmas decorations, which included lush eucalyptus garlands, spruce wreaths, and glowing candle cylinders covered in custom laser cut metallic paper.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

One of the most stunning ceremonies I’ve seen, after the processional, the lights were dimmed and the rest of the ceremony was held by candlelight. Truly magical and you could feel the love in the room!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Wow, did Lettered Olive get to have fun and create some spectacular design for the wedding papers.  Gold metallic foil printing, laser cut papers, velvet finishes, and a pop up skyline were just a few of the details.  We love the way the bride wrote her name along with the grooms, so we used her signature as a detail throughout too just to personalize it even more.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

 These guest welcome bags truly showered the guest who traveledfrom afar and celebrated with them over the holiday weekend. A custom candle with printed matches, custom letterpress coasters and Veuve Clicquot splits, waters, favorite snacks and candies from the couple, and an “emergency” kit left the guests with everything they could need for a comfy stay.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Guests were greeted with a glowing welcome to the reception, where the exterior of the private club was covered in the wintry candle cylinders.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The finest details were not spared for this event. White gloved servers donning aprons in the couples’ custom monogram (and custom bowties) received guests with an array of offerings including Manhattans (where the couple reside) and Champagne.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The cocktail lounge was a sight to behold. Suede covered loungers with orchid “chandeliers” offered guests a place to gather, and the escort cards were mini versions of the paper covered cylinders with the names caligraphied on them, and displayed together on shelves for a statement wall!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The dining room shone in silver and gold. Lamplight and candlelight came together to create the most perfect ambient dinner experience, and while there were over 500 guests, it still managed to feel somewhat intimate!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tables alternated complimenting pewter sequined linens topped with oversized clear crystal candelsticks and ones topped with soft silver suede and crystal lamps. All of the menus were backed in a gold laser cut velvet and place cards were gold name plates affixed to the letterpressed menus.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Two of my favorite little dinner details were the bride and groom chairs- embroidered with the handwritten names; and the first course soup served in these stunning gold bowls- fabulous!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

A spectacular 8 tier cake with handmade flowers by Fancy Cakes by Lauren out of Dallas, Texas.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The couple share their first dance as husband and wife on a dance floor covered with their custom “fireworks” design.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

This uber glam reception lounge provided the perfect pad for ringing in the New Year. The marble topped bar we built on site, and I always find the glassware to be an awful site, but we built a display for it, and it became a lovely backdrop.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The going away favors were a lovely packaged snack mix that included roasted dried black eyed peas- a traditional food said to bring luck to those who eat it on New Year’s day.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz BanfieldTara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

If there was ever a perfect time for a sparkler send off and fireworks at a wedding, it’s on New Year’s. The couple drove off into the night as coordinated “sparklers” popped as they drove by in their vintage convertible. Happy New Year to all!

12.19.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Event Design, Event Planning, Food and Drink, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

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photo by Nickie Stone

With the holidays quickly creeping up on us, we’re sharing a few tips and modifications on designs we do for our clients that you can easily do at home for your holiday tabletops. Feel free to leave any questions or comments you may have if not covered here.

For this first takeaway, I love the idea of a roll or bread piece served on the plate with a name “flag” in it- something so simple and easy that is just a nice little touch for guests sitting down.

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photo by Corbin Gurkin

This I love as a sweet touch for all of the upcoming holidays, a fresh sprig of rosemary laid out on napkins, you could also tie together a small bundle of fresh thyme with butchers twine in lieu of rosemary.

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photos by Adrienne Page

We used this concept to display escort cards for a wedding dinner, but for a smaller gathering or dinner party, taking corks that you have around the house or from what you will be serving and placing handwritten name cards at each seat would be just so.

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photo by Liz Banfield

Now, this is a really easy one – one even the kids could get involved with… finding a leaf or piece of greenery from the yard and writing names with metallic markers on them is truly a simply elegant design.

photo by Liz Banfield

I’ve been seeing different variations on this our and around a bit, but for the glam hostess, finding agate slices is fairly easy these days. Painting or writing with white or metallic on them for menus or place cards also makes a sweet take home surcie for the guests.

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photo by Adrienne Page

Lots of ways you can do this at home… Finding different vessels from around the house and filling them with small bouquets of flowers, or greenery makes for a pretty addition to to a formal table, and it also means you can do less in the center. You could also use thing ribbon or twine to tie name cards around the vases.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

This idea would be a nice detail for a buffet type setting where it’s hard to find a lot of decor opportunities. Pre wrapping the silverware in cloth napkins will make it easy for guests to carry along with a full plate. Wrapping them with pretty paper, scraps of special wrapping or wallpaper will give it a finished touch.

photo by Gayle Brooker

For a simple, lovely, inexpensive, and easy centerpiece idea- purchase phalenopsis orchid plants at your local store (Trader Joe’s has great ones!), and put them in pots covered in moss. This is such a small task but really gives a formal and elegant touch… You could even spray paint the pot to match the color scheme.

photo by Liz Banfield

For a client whose rehearsal dinner fell on New Year’s Eve- we took silver strands from decorations we purchased online and decomposed them… tied to each each seat with name cards gives a festive feel!

12.17.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Entertaining, Event Design, Event Planning, Parties, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Nov 28, 2018

I’m so excited to be able to finally share this gorgeous garden wedding we did for our former intern, Carleton. She married at her parents home in Birmingham, Alabama which featured the ceremony on the front lawn, and an alfresco style dinner overlooking the back. You know how much I love a home wedding.  Carleton is also the niece of Flower Magazine founder, Margot Shaw, who has always been such a great supporter of Soiree. See more of the gorgeous details over on Over the Moon. All photos courtesy of A Bryan PhotoLettered Olive worked closely with our client to make sure the simple and chic feel she wanted was delivered. 

Carleton chose the Greenhouse gown by another favorite friend, Lela Rose. For her it was the perfect mix of modern and classic…

While, the groom, Gael, wore a custom made Ralph Lauren tuxedo, the ladies were asked to chose their own dress within a color palette…. The look was so curated and worked perfectly with the “gathered greens” bouquet we did for each of the ladies.

The scenery, weather, etc was just so perfect for this garden ceremony. A simple arbor waited at the end of a blanketed aisle of rose petals. Greens attached to chairs acted as “pew markers”. Mini jute totes placed on each chair included blank note cards and pens asking guests to leave well wishes for the couple- in lieu of a traditional guest book. After a cocktail hour throughout the house and garden, guests make their way to the back lawn for dinner featuring family style tables and open air scenery.

Keeping in line with the simple at home feel, we wanted to do something different instead of an escort card display. Hatch Cove Designs and Lettered Olive worked together to create a watercolor illustration of the home and tables with the guests names in their places. This  also became a lovely piece of artwork for the couple’s new home.

The tablescapes married the French and Southern influences seen throughout the wedding.  Sweet garden roses and ranunculus were dotted with greens and fresh lavender peppered throughout. Handwritten and hand tied menus sat atop French lace patterened plates and 100 percent linen tablecloths.

After dinner guests enjoyed a lounge, bars, and dance tent with seating areas hidden throughout trees and secret spots.  To keep the intimate feel to the day, wedding cake was served inside the home’s dining room in petit comité. Before all guests finished their dinner, the couple gathered with their families in the dining room and cut the cake while a pianist played “La Vie en Rose,” a nod to the Groom’s French heritage. I think it’s so important for the couple to steal a few moments away from the larger crowds to soak in bits and pieces of the day here and there. After the cake cutting, a horn line (as a nod to the Southern heritage) came and lead the couple through the dining area to get guests up and out of their seats, and got them to the dance floor.  The first dance song, Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You by Frankie Valli was the perfect way to kick off the dancing.

The couple was sent off by biodegradable confetti and French “jut married” sign…

11.28.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Event Design, Event Planning, Food and Drink, Photographers, Press, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>