Category Archives: Event Design

Apr 18, 2018

Today, we are digging back into the archives for springtime wedding with the pops of color we need right now. There are so many details from this wedding atop Gorham’s Bluff in Alabama, it’s hard to narrow them down. This sweet shindig has all the trademarks of a perfect Southern affair- seersucker, nods to favorite college football teams, cocktails (many many cocktails), bows, outfit changes (the bride had 3 dresses!) and lots and lots of flowers, all done in the chicest way of course. Liz Banfield shot this wedding weekend for us and Lettered Olive is responsible for all of the printed items.

The printed materials all featured a sweet floral pattern countered by a seersucker pattern that we wanted included because of it’s prominence in the upcoming wedding design. The guests were welcomed with individual picnic baskets full of custom packaged goodies.

A palette of ombre punchy colors were balanced with varigated flowers were wrapped with seersucker fabric. The bride carried a bouquet with a bit more of a bridal feel, creams and whites with faint hints of pink.

The wedding ceremony was held in the property’s outdoor amphitheater overlooking the lake and valley.

Immediately following the ceremony, guests enjoyed an al fresco cocktail hour on the grand lawn overlooking the valley… We passed “Tigertinis” a nod to the couple’s Auburn University alma mater, along with other noshes.

Guests enjoyed dinner in a grand tent swathed in fabric and lush carpeting. Giant lampshades were fashioned from seersucker fabric, as were table linens. The place settings featured die cut floral letterpressed menu cards with grey leaves hand lettered as place cards.

An 8 tired cake with a hand painted floral design by Jay Qualls was a centerpiece of the tent. We made a custom linen perfect for this bride featuring ruffled flowers made out of taffeta. After dinner, guests enjoyed dancing in the late hours in a glowing lounge tent. One of my favorite elements of this tent started as a problem we encountered during set up. A tent was growing in the footprint of the tenting, and obviously we couldn’t tear it down! So, we cut the flooring and it appeared as if a tree was just growing right in the tent. Hang some lanterns from it, and it’s a pretty design element we didn’t even plan for!

The bride and groom are avid college football fans, so we had guests wave pompoms at the send off. The bride departed wearing her mother’s wedding gown- a cotton eyelet dress with bell sleeves- so fab!

4.18.18 | TARA GUÉRARD
Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

Apr 17, 2018

Lounging the Night Away

photo by Liz Banfield

We always get a lot of feedback and have come somewhat to be known for our lounge designs. Back when I started getting into weddings, you mostly saw your traditional tables set around a dance floor and people would get up to dance in between courses. I don’t know if it was a bit of that Southern sensibility that made me start to think- we like to get comfortable, stay awhile, smush together and enjoy conversation, and so I started designing reception lounges for our guests.

photos by Corbin Gurkin

There are definitely some key ingredients to a fabulous lounge… After a nice dinner, get your guests up out of their seats, and get them into party mode… We love a big dance floor, great ambient lighting (so people will actually dance), little vignettes perfect for retreating for rest and conversation. Of course, you need little details there- we like to use an element seen the wedding design for things like custom printed pillows to adorn the seating.

photos by Corbin Gurkin

We like for it to feel like someone’s living room, they are hosting you and want you to be comfortable. But, also thoughtful, with floral and design touches.- like maybe a lifesize golden giraffe! And of course, a big bar with lots of bartenders so guests never have to wait in line. Sometimes we print custom fabric to cover the front of the bars. photos by Corbin Gurkin

Of course not all lounges are indoors… We love building porches or finding the perfect lawn for setting up a lovely al fresco seating area. Custom umbrellas can help guard guests from too much sun. When you can open the inside up to the outside, it’s ideal! photos by Corbin Gurkin

Here in a very large scale tent a clear top and greenery swags help give the inside an outdoor feel. We built tall installations to house oversized greenery pieces to compensate for the height. And with all of the white carpeting, a patterned dance floor in the wedding palette helped give a fantastic focal point. With this being a winter wedding, sofas in luxurious fabrics like suede and velvet gave guests not only a glam space to sit, but cozy as well. photos by Liz Banfield

For another tented affair, we wanted to give the lounge space some definition… Individual cabana tents housing small little seating spaces and covered in the custom printed wedding fabric offered an unexpected wow factor.

photos by Liz Banfieldphotos by Liz Banfield

I still love this riverside outdoor lounge we created a bit off of the path from the tent, complete with lamplight…I know there were a few couples that sat out here all evening!

photos by Corbin Gurkin and Liz Banfield

One last detail we always consider is how the stage and dance floor will look for photos… We’re seeing large scale background walls and installations like we have been doing becoming popular now, but I can’t stand seeing the front of those ugly stages and all of that band equipment in bride’s first dance photos! So, we have what we call our stage partitions, which are covered in a printed fabric, or fresh plants, or florals in order to hide all of those chords etc. Much prettier in photos, don’t you think?

4.17.18 | TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Entertaining, Event Design, Event Planning, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

Apr 16, 2018

Adorning the Gates

photo by Liz Banfield

For this celebration of Spring time post, we are sharing a little pretty. We always do so much to design a ceremony, or a dinner table, or reception lounge, etc. but what about the first impression moments? The gates of the churches, or reception venues, the homes were the weddings were being held- we can’t forget those! So, here are some of the things we like to do to adorn those spots also.

photo by Squire Fox

One of our first design elements were to hang lovely window planters full of live blooming plants, maybe accented with some hearty flowers. But lush, wild, and thoughtful nonetheless…

photos by Corbin Gurkin and Liz Banfield

Of course, wreaths are such a part of the long standing tradition of weddings, and we still love doing wreaths…We find ourselves doing a lot of progressive parties, where guests have to move from spot to spot, and what’s prettier eye candy than a full flower wreath? Perfect on gates, church gates or doors, entrances at homes etc.

photos by Corbin Gurkin

Of course, in true Soiree style, you know that it doesn’t have to be just flowers… Greenery has it’s place and position as well… For the first photo, not only does a greenery swag fill in the gates, but full greenery wreaths were perfection as well. Paired with fabric for an elevated look or flowers for a sweet touch, the gates greet the guests with style.
photo by Corbin Gurkin

Our idea of a special touch that we can’t do without!

4.16.18 | TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Event Design, Flowers, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>