Thank you to Charleston Weddings Magazine for this fantastic feature on one my favorite weddings last year. This stunning springtime affair took place at the William Aiken House and we are grateful to Charleston Weddings for including us in the new issue out on newsstands now! We’ll be sharing more of Corbin Gurkin’s amazing photos from this wedding on the blog coming up, so keep checking in with us.
This rehearsal dinner was just too sweet not to share. Our bride Caroline, from our Real Bridal Advice series, and her soon to be husband celebrated with an intimate group of family and friends in the treehouse style gathering spot- Moreland at Palmetto Bluff.
Guests arrive by vintage trolley. One way we manage our transportation is by letting guests know in the Welcome booklets not only the pick up times, but scheduled return trip times so that we can ensure all vehicles are back on hand at the end of the evening to get everyone home.
Hand illustrated invites by Lettered Olive.
The quaint surroundings at Moreland are the perfect backdrop for our bar-b-que and oyster roast.
To play along with the travel totem pole signage, we created a custom sign for the couple.
For this sized group we thought community tables would really bring everyone together, and are a great way to have different samplings of all of the party food. I loved the simple arrangements of white hydrangeas and magnolia branches! Leaves were a big design element at the wedding, so these were such a nice compliment for the next day!
Burlap linens and carnival lights finished up the simple but stunning feel for this couple’s rehearsal dinner.
Thank you to Perry Vaile photography for being on hand to capture these moments.
We’re asking some of our past brides about teachable moments during their process, hoping to help anyone else going through the ups and downs of planning now!
What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?
My favorite part in planning was experiencing a world of beautiful, beautiful things. From a few visits to Palmetto Bluff, to tasting
lovely eats for the reception, as a bride, I had no idea I’d be so
warmly invited into an exquisite industry I knew nothing about. And
let me tell you the beautiful world of weddings is pretty epic.
What was the biggest challenge during the planning process?
My biggest challenge was managing the process, emotionally. With
heightened bridal senses, small things can feel gargantuan every now
and then.
What do you miss the most now that it is over?
I really, really, really miss the friends I made. From my
photographer turned best friend, Perry Adams of Perry Vaile
Photography, to gown designer, Katherine McDonald, to the rockstar
chick that helped me get dressed, Cacky Rivers from Cacky’s Bride +
Aid, I made lifelong friends.Seriously. I also miss working so closely
with Meg, Tarah, Molly, Abbie, and big T (Tara G) given they kind of
made it happen and we became TIGHT during that wedding planning
process! I wanted to be an easy bride for that incredible team.
Is there anything you would do over and what? Would you wear the same dress?
This sounds bananas, and please feel free to judge me, but I would
shorten our honeymoon from 7 to 5 days (St. Barths was piping hot in
June and we were not prepared). Heck no to the techno I could never
change my dress. I still dream about wearing that awesome frock.
Except now I’m 7 months pregnant, so things fit a little differently.
Can you please give a brief description of your engagement?
During our 11 month engagement, Wyatt and I lived in different
states for job opportunities. He, NY and I, NC. I think this made our
upcoming wedding, to us, even more exciting.
Caroline and Wyatt were married May 30, 2015 at Palmetto Bluff. Stay tuned here to see more lovely details from their Soiree on Wedding Wednesday.
Recognized as one of the nation’s leading tastemakers, Tara Guérard has earned a widespread reputation for her ability to create spectacular settings celebrating life’s most anticipated occasions. As the visionary and founder of Tara Guérard Soirée, she is best known for her distinct style that honors the storied traditions of Southern hospitality paired with a modern aesthetic and flair for the unexpected.
