Category Archives: Event Design

Apr 05, 2016

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

We are thrilled to have our former bride, Ann E Ervin (also a new mom of a super cute little boy) sharing some of her advice about planning with other brides. Her wedding was quite a feat, 1200 guests in an outdoor space with lots of moving pieces. But, it was an amazing evening for everyone and one of our most favorite to plan, and we walked away with lifelong friends in our clients!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?

I enjoyed picking out everything and watching it come together as a whole weekend. We had a lot of elements to our wedding weekend so it was fun to figure out how to make everything feel intimate, look and feel like Tucker and me and to have the formal elements that I had always wanted.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What was the biggest challenge during the planning process?

Creating and putting together the list.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What do you miss the most now that it is over?

I actually had a blast planning our wedding. It was really fun! I miss the whole thing, but the best way to describe is I miss watching my descriptions of what I wanted come to life.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What is the moment that when you think back on your wedding you remember the most?

It is hard to say just one, but the first dances were very special moments. Tucker told me on the way from the ceremony to the reception that Drew Copeland (Sister Hazel) was coming to sing our first dance which was special because he wrote the song. Then for the father –daughter dance my dad surprised me by writing a song with Edwin McCain and Edwin sang it for us!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Is there anything you would do over and what? Would you wear the same dress?

I wouldn’t change anything about my wedding itself. The only thing I wish there was a way I could have gotten to stand in and walk through the whole reception “tent” before everyone else got there so that I could have really absorbed the final product before all of the guests got in there.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Can you please give a brief description of your engagement?

It was a few days after Christmas when we headed to Telluride, CO on our annual ski trip with some of our best friends and my parents. Telluride was the first trip that Tucker ever went on with my family so it has always been a special place for us. The first night we were there Tucker asked me if we could go into town a little before dinner because he wanted to look at something for his condo that he had just bought. I said sure and we into town ahead of the rest and when we walked up the hill from the Gondola and Tucker started talking to me about some friends that had just gotten engaged and about all of the things we had done together; we crossed the street and Tucker got down on one knee (in the snow) in front of the Courthouse on Colorado Avenue! What I didn’t know was that everyone at the house knew what was going on the entire time!

4.05.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Apr 04, 2016

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

photo by Corbin Gurkin

Happy Monday! We are back in the office after Spring Break here in S.C. and wrapping up a Gala for a non profit near and dear to our hearts, The Charleston Animal Society. Starting to wrap our heads around the final details of our spring weddings has me thinking about flowers and looks for bridesmaids.  We always like to add a special touch from the bride or maybe it’s just the Southern in us, but a monogram on the bouquet wrap is always a nice detail!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Perry Vaile

photo by Perry Vaile

We are still seeing long and most often coordinating dresses still a popular choice for brides and their wedding parties. The neutral pale palettes still reign supreme which I love because the flowers can perfectly pop!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Adrienne Page

photo by Velvet Raptor

A mixture of styles and colors in one designers line is still a popular way for brides to offer their maids a choice reflecting their personal style, and it does really make for pretty photos.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkinphoto by Corbin Gurkin

I love the brides who aren’t afraid of something different or fashion forward. Hearing a bride want gold metallic dresses could sound alarming, but when done as glamorous as these by Kate McDonald the look really pays off!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Stephen Karlisch

photo by Stephen Karlisch

When a bolder color choice is used, I love to keep the flowers light and complimentary- all white and natural greens is always classic and isn’t reserved just for the bride.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

image by Corbin Gurkin

We’re seeing lots of brides coming up with great alternatives when not able to find exactly what they have in mind.. Here, little white Lula Kate dresses turned into tops when a long ballgown was fitted over them. Love that the girls will have something else to wear after the wedding!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

image by Corbin Gurkin

Navy has always been a preference for me over black for maids… it’s still classic and formal, but also lighter and airier in photos… works great in both afternoon and evening settings and I love how many different colors really work with it.

4.04.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Charleston, Dresses, Event Design, Fashion, Flowers, Photographers, Weddings | Comments >>

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

What is more classic than navy and white? We have designed many combinations over the years in these two basics, but found lots of other colors to punch it up. In this couple’s case, a cheery yellow was the perfect compliment. A traditional church ceremony was followed by a tented reception at Lowndes Grove Plantation. Thank you Squire Fox for capturing the day for us.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

To soften the wedding Lettered Olive designed a feminine die cut pattern to use for most of the miscellaneous wedding printing.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

Our groom dressed the part in a navy suit and yellow and navy bow tie.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

Patterns were combined on the classic square letterpressed invites to create a  sophisticated yet youthful look.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

Yellow flowers are typically available all year round and remain quite hearty in our warm Charleston spring and summer temps.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

We were beyond thrilled with how this tent build turned out as it was our first time extending the base out over the water. It really helped maximize the view of the surroundings since the tent had to be enclosed and air conditioned because of an extremely hot month.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

Lounge seating was a must for a party of almost 500. Piped cushions and pillows and clear vases of lemons gave the party a fresh tailored look.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

Cocktails were livened up with decorative flags handmade in the patterns used throughout the wedding printing.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

The octagon tired cake by Jim Smeal mimicked design details from the brides dress. The beading and pleating were replicated in icing, it was stunning!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

To facilitate guests accessing the food stations and bars with no lines, we built long chef attended stations so that guests could walk up and grab a small plate that was already composed for them.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

The couple’s first dance as sunset over the river is the backdrop through the tent.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

It’s the littlest guests that steal the show sometimes… This precious flower girl is excited about the banana pudding station in the reception tent. Individual puddings were served in clear glass votives with demi tasse spoons, so guests could grab and go.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

For those wanting to take a piece of cake home with them…

Tara Guerard Soiree

A fun take on the traditional departing send off of birdseed.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Squire Fox

Paper flags in all of the wedding patterns adorned the getaway car

3.30.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Weddings | Comments >>