Category Archives: Parties

Jul 03, 2018

020_Irene_70th

As school is starting and summer is starting to wind down, I’m sharing a sweet 70th birthday poolside party we did for some former clients inspired by the Peppermint Lounge a Miami hotspot in the 60’s frequented by the birthday girl.  Thank you to Leigh Webber for the photography.

welcome Collage

203_Irene_70th

Guests were greeted by “pink flamingo” cocktails, and a poolside lounge and cocktail hour before dinner in the garden.

Food Collage

Cheese board displays were strategically set for guests to snack on, and “interactive” oysters on the half shell were passed with mignonette sauce in mini champagne bottles- genius food by Chef Sarah Adams.

066_Irene_70th

Dinner Collage 334_Irene_70th

After cocktails, dinner was served in the garden. Large brightly topped tables were set with custom Birthday menus, and fun flower pieces. An artist created a flamingo mural on the stone garden wall as the background for dinner.

417_Irene_70th

After dinner, guests could lounge around the pool and enjoy the open air evening, or party the night away in the “Peppermint Lounge”.

Lounge Collage

 A birthday treat display capped off the evening.. the perfect sugar pop to keep everyone dancing all night long….

7.03.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Entertaining, Event Design, Food and Drink, Parties, Uncategorized | Comments >>
Jun 18, 2018

photo by Liz Banfield

We have many brides that are seeking something new and different beyond a string quartet, dj, or live dance band to play a special song or tribute to someone or something on their wedding day. Maybe it’s a piece from their heritage or a type of musician they were exposed to growing up.  At any rate, we love helping bring these wishes to reality.  Here are just some of the interesting variations we have been lucky to work with over the years.  For the couple upstairs living abroad, but having grown up in the South, a Jazz horn section led the couple out to their send off for guests to toss rose petals.

photos by Adrienne Page, Perry Vaile, and Liz Banfield

For ceremony music, we’re seeing a lot of what we call “Tradition with a Twist”… For an outdoor ceremony on a bride’s family farm, Bagpipes worked so well to announce the bridal processional.  They weren’t too loud, and with the scenery were quite awe inspiring.  Our favorite string ensembles come from Charleston Virtuosi (they have a New York Virtuosi, and several international posts).  We love their professionalism and creativity- they can play “virtually” anything from Coldplay to Lady Gaga to the Beatles.  For another outdoor wedding, we had 12 string musicians play the processional as guests were escorted to their seats… it made quite an impression. photos by Gayle Brooker, Corbin Gurkin, and Perry Vaile

We love incorporating a choir into ceremonies… Some of the more unique ones that we have used are Gospel Choirs, and Childrens’ Choir.

photo by Perry Vaile

In this wedding ceremony, the Lord’s Prayer was sung acapella by a gospel choir member.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

photos by Liz Banfield

For receptions, cocktail hours, and rehearsal dinners, we have clients that really like to customize or do something totally different. We have had Jersey Boy impersonators (due to the bride and groom’s first date to the Broadway musical), Tone Loc for a fun loving couple’s surprise to their guests’, and even an Elvis impersonator!

 

6.18.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Event Planning, Parties, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Jun 13, 2018

Stone wall

Martha’s Vineyard is one of our favorite spots out of town for weddings.  We can’t wait to be up there again at the end of the summer! But for today’s wedding Wednesday, we’re sharing this July wedding from 2010. Blue and white ikat was the design inspiration along with wooden and natural elements playing off of the family barn where the reception was held.  Photos by Adrienne Page.

Guest bag

We love incorporating local flavor in the wedding guest welcome bags. The oh so perfect  Martha’s Vineyard bags from Maptote; also included were custom printed playing cards with the wedding emblem, locally sourced and bottled waters, vintage island post cards, Cape Cod chips, and homemade sea salt caramel bars.

Bridal Collage

A gift from the groom- a vintage Hermes enamel bracelet perfectly finished the bride’s ensemble.

Invite and bouquet

Flower girl Collage

Martha’s Vineyard has so many glorious roadside flower stands, for all of the bridal party flowers, we ordered nothing ahead of time and shopped these stands for all of the personal flowers that day.  For the brides’ something blue, all of the mother’s and grandmother’s monograms were embroidered on her bouquet ribbon.

Ceremony sign

The ceremony took place up on a bluff overlooking the farm, so guests were able to take in the property on their stroll to the ceremony.

Bridesmaids

The bridesmaids wore Lela Rose bridesmaids dresses (Lela, also in attendance is friends with the groom and his family in Dallas). All white bouquets from roadside farmstands were a contrast to the bride’s colorful bouquet.

Ceremony Collage

Massive clusters of baby’s breath created a natural and whimsical feel for the simply elegant ceremony.

Bride and groom 2

Front of barn

The father of the bride had an affinity for vintage barns, and had this one moved down piece by piece from Canada. It was the perfect spot for the wedding dinner.

wreath on barn color

Cocktail hour Collage

Cocktail hour took place below in the stable area below the barn with seating throughout. Individual wooden signs let guests know where they were seating for dinner.

View of barn overall Dinner Collage

Menus were printing on large wooden signs, much like the one we made for the stone wall entrance.

dinner Tablescape

Little wooden stirrers tied to the napkins with blue baker’s twine were sweet place cards.

bride and groom at table

Boogie tent Collage Reception Collage

After dinner, guests partied in the “boogie tent” and lounge for the rest of the evening.  A stylish blue lounge provided a serene place for guests to enjoy cake, a cheese cart, cocktails and a reprieve from dancing.

DAN17300440007

Getaway Collage party at night

After a birdseed toss (friendly for the environment of the farm), the bride and groom departed by a vintage Woody and spent the night in town before heading off for their honeymoon.

6.13.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Parties, Reception, Travel, Weddings | Comments >>