Category Archives: Reception

Today’s pretty pretty party is from a wedding we planned and designed at Barnsley Resort in Georgia.  It was so so fun for us to be at a place that we had never worked before, and they did an amazing job bending over backwards to make sure they knocked it out of the park, which we love from our vendors.  When you have fantastic clients, vendors, and design the day just comes together swimmingly… All photos by Lauren Bailey.

Barnsley Resort is situation outside of Atlanta and since the original owner commissioned the estate to be built for and inspired by his wife, it’s a perfect spot for a wedding!

The ceremony was held on the ground overlooking the home and was situated under a sailcloth tent.  We decided to go that route to provide shade from the Southern sun, but there were a few showers off and on, so thankfully we were covered!Our bride wore a gown by Mikaella and carried a bouquet full of lush peonies, roses, olive leaf, euphorbia, and fern fronds.

Our bride had the sweetest handkerchief embroidered as a gift to her father on the wedding, so it inspired me to have individual hankies embroidered with the wedding date passed out to guests before the ceremony…

We wanted to make sure our pristine white rose petal aisle stayed picture perfect for our bride, so ushers seated guests from the outside of the aisles.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a  garden party cocktail hour on the lawn in front the house ruins, complete with our new custom built oyster tables… perfect for serving chilled oysters on the half shell.  One of our other favorite details at cocktail hour were the bar menu booklets… all of the drink offerings were described and printed for guests to peruse and order from.

The interior of the house provided a gorgeous backdrop for some of the cocktail stations… You know we love a decorated mantle, even if it’s in an abandoned house! We loved the look of the wedding cake cutting photos being in the house as well, so the couple went ahead and cut the cake before moving into the reception tent and the slices were passed out to guests on pretty trays. The centerpiece of the reception tent was a huge square bar with marble tops and fresh greenery “growing” all over it.  I love our new macrame lanterns that were clustered over the bar, and we created plenty of fun different seating vignettes for guests to gather and sip. Also adding depth and texture to the large white reception tent was our greenery band backdrop…. You have heard about our stage partitions that we created years ago to hide all of the cords and ugly parts of band setup and stage fronts, but we also love what doing backdrop walls does for our couples’ dance photos.  This living greenery wall added a more complete feel for our garden tent.  

The couple had a stellar send off to sparklers, a perfect end to a perfect evening… We look forward to being back in Georgia for another Barnsley wedding!

11.07.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Event Design, Event Planning, Fashion, Flowers, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Nov 05, 2018

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

This wedding was too fun and perfect for a fall wedding Wednesday, that we just had to pull it out of the archives. The weather could not have been more perfect for this warm fall afternoon ceremony overlooking the Kiawah River at the River Course on Kiawah Island, SC. Thank you to Liz Banfield for the images.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The perfect golf course green grass was the perfect backdrop for the green, orange, and brown harvest color palette we used for the wedding decor all based on graphic designer bride’s paper suite.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Fluffy Dahlias, snowberries, and star of bethlehem make up the bride’s bouquet.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

To designate an “alter” in such an expansive setting we took an ordinary brown linen and adorned it with orange mums. Orange mums were also secured into the grass as pew markers. Hand blown glass vases full of green peas topped with flowers offered a colorful and wind resistant design element.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Golden mums and olive greenery make up the wedding party flowers. The little girls carried posies that complimented their fab floral crowns. The ring bearer carried a miniature bird’s nest full of moss.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The bride, owner of  Oscar and Emma Designs designed all of the paper pieces. Wood paper liners encased the letterpressed ceremony programs.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Lowcountry Lemonade served with drink flags embellished with button mums in the color palette.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Dinner seating cards designed by Oscar and Emma had a precious copper leaf for each guest. We created a tree for the cards to hang from, creating a focal point for decor.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Moss green crushed velvet linens made the brightly hued florals and menus really pop but also allowed for the candles to create a warmth later into the evening.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Roasted pumpkin soup was served in hollowed mini pumpkins.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The cake by Jim Smeal featured all of the designs found on the wedding papers.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The couple, from Ohio, had to have a Grater’s ice cream station, couldn’t be a more perfect accompaniment to the cake.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The guest welcome favors served in a fall orchard basket featured all gourmet treats from their hometown.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Oscar and Emma designed tags topped off the caramel popcorn favors guests received at the end of the evening.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Guests enjoying cocktail hour by the warm glow of the sun setting over the Kiawah River.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The cozy after dinner lounge flanked by the espresso leather furniture and seagrass carpeting made the perfect spot to curl up with some bourbon and enjoy the festivities.

11.05.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>


Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Flashing back this Friday to US Women’s Soccer Team alumni, Kate Sobrero’s Halloween wedding.  This intimate affair took place at Hibernian Hall, a historic venue in downtown Charleston, SC. Since it was over Halloween weekend, we wanted to offer a fun yet still sophisticated and special evening for the guests. Escort cards for dinner were placed on individual mini pumpkins, and surrounded what would later become a take home candy bar.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Guests dined at 12 top rectangle tables, I like the set up of those as it makes it much easier than round tables to fit more into a space. And much easier for guests to enjoy conversations with multiple people.  Candles were everywhere filling the room with warmth.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The tables were dressed in deep red crushed velvet linens with simple pillar candles, and rustic wrought iron candlesticks topped with rose balls of Black Magic and Gospel Dark red roses.  The glow bouncing off the deep hues made you want to sidle up with your glass of red wine and settle in.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Since calla lilies were the main flower used for the wedding party, a burgundy calla lily adorned each guests place setting.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Again, dark burgundy calla lilies filled the bridesmaids’ bouquets and were perfect against their black dresses.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Calla lilies provided a deep red pop of color to the all white wedding cake.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

A scoop your own candy bar made for a fun send off at the end of the evening.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Fragrant seeded eucalyptus paired with the dark red roses gave a festive look to the horse drawn carriage the bride and groom took from their church ceremony to the reception venue.

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