Category Archives: Reception

May 30, 2018

As you’ve heard me say plenty before, weddings at home are truly some of my favorite. So, in honor of our couple’s upcoming anniversary, we are taking you South of Broad here in Charleston for a wedding at the Bride’s childhood church, and then reception for over 400 at the bride’s family home. Corbin Gurkin captured the details of the day for us, and you can see more of this wedding in Charleston Weddings Magazine.

The classic home in black and white laid the perfect color play for our pink and white palette. Wanting to be respectful of their surroundings, neighbors received care packages of chamomile tea, ear plugs, and handwritten notes thanking everyone for their understanding.

Keeping in line with the traditional feel of the home wedding, simple and elegant black and white letterpressed save the dates, followed by engraved invitations set the tone for the wedding weekend.

The bride wore an Amsale mermaid gown which had sheer sleeves added and metallic Jimmy Choo wedges. Mother and bride carried embroidered handkerchiefs.

Bridesmaids wore LulaKate pink ball skirts over little white dresses (which they donned after the ceremony) and Ivanka Trump floral heels. Bridesmaids received crystal necklaces and Plum Pretty Sugar robes as a gift from the bride.

After getting ready at home, the bride headed to her first sight moment in a classic white Rolls Royce.

The bride carried a hand tied bouquet of pink garden roses and white calla lilies.

When hosting a wedding at home, we really encourage the family to open their home to guests and use it. We created seating vignettes inside so guests could enjoy a cocktail, and we brought in a classical piano player as a special touch.

The formal dining room also made for a lovely backdrop for the all white wedding cake by Jim Smeal.

A full scale garden party was set on the grounds. Guests enjoyed a bourbon bar, passed rose champagne, local seafood served on ice, and hors d’eouvres by Cru Catering served on the family silver. Custom matches were placed at the bars for guests to grab and takeaway.

Before they danced their first dance as husband and wife, the couple stole away to a special sweetheart table stashed on the second floor porch. They got to spend moments together discussing the emotions of the day and had a birds eye view of the party as it was happening.

After covering the pool with the dance floor, the only thing left to do was hope for amazing weather which we were blessed with!

After a quick change into a classic Armani getaway suit and birdseed toss, the bride and groom departed by Golf Cart – which is how they also first met.

5.30.18 | TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

May 23, 2018

Beachfront Bash

Can you tell how ready we are for summer and beach season over here? Today we are sharing this Sea Island wedding full of seagrass and shell details. Surprisingly, while we are located in Charleston, SC we are rarely able to do any beachside weddings as they aren’t allowed here. So, when we are working with a client hosting a beach wedding we do like to make use of the surroundings.

The ceremony itself took place at a local chapel before guests made their way to the Ocean Forrest Club at Sea Island. I love that this guest really got in the spirit with her woven and seashell motif Nantucket handbag.

Hearty flowers are a must for outdoor weddings. These bouquets included summer blooms such as tulips, roses, ranunculus, and cymbidium orchids.

Being held at a private beachside club afforded photographer, Liz Banfield, the chance to get some amazing shots of the wedding party on the beach. That light was so incredible!

And, I love the coastal groomsmen ensemble- white gabardine pants, navy blazer, crisp blue oxfords, and Vineyard Vines tie that coordinated with the girls’ dresses.

As a nod to the brides’ family’s Scottish heritage, a bagpiper greeted guests as they entered into the cocktail tent.

Woven seagrass beach bags with local food treats, and maagzine, waters, and emergency hangover kit, and koozies for guests to use on weekend boating and beach adventures.

Food and drink Collage

Using the local bounty available, we created a seafood ice bar with the catering team at Sea Island. Southsides (a favorite of the couple) were served beachside, head here for a recipe.

Each guest was seated at tables named after actual seashells and a coordinating shell was affixed to their card, giving guests a nice little take home memento.

This was easily one of the most difficult tent drapes we have ever done, but one of the most rewarding. The tent ceiling is made from woven sheets of seagrass, normally a hearty material, but in the blustery conditions of a tent about 100 feet off of the beach, it was beyond challenging. Guests couldn’t believe it when they saw it though (and it had an amazing natural scent).

In order for guests to have the best view of the ocean during dinner, we had the tent flooring raised up several feet, giving guests a literal beachside lounge.

One of the main design showcases of the evening were shadowboxes containing sand and shell displays. And, those are icing sand dollars and shells on the cake by Jim Smeal.

The bride and groom departed by a vintage car adorned with ribbon streamers and orchid blooms. Happy Wedding Wednesday!

5.23.18 | TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Cakes, Event Design, Flowers, Food and Drink, Photographers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Weddings | Comments >>

May 16, 2018

Soiree By the Sea

Because we clearly have Spring fever, and we are working on a new and exciting project that the mother of this bride is helping with, (our You Tube channel, stay tuned), today we are sharing this sweet and lovely wedding. The reception was at one of Charleston’s hidden gems, and there was definitely elegance but also graceful casualness that only hometown Charlestonians can offer. Photos are by both Gayle Brooker and Corbin Gurkin.

Traditional engraved invitations were accented with vintage sailing stamps as a nod to the yacht club where the reception was to be held.

A family heirloom locket held photos of the groom, so the bride could “see” him before seeing him at the church. While a mostly pale blue and green palette was chosen to reflect the water and surroundings, the bride wanted some sweet pastel colors brought in to brighten things. White tulips, perfect in Spring make happy boutonierres.

The bridesmaids wore varying pastel silk gowns by Lula Kate (available through Bella Bridesmaid),and carried perfectly plush bouquets of peonies, sweat peas, and tulips.

The bride and her maids got ready in her childhood home, which was a perfect backdrop for pre ceremony photos, especially with the family pup. The bride wore a custom gown by Carol Hannah.

Being a proper 6pm church ceremony, the gentlemen were in white tie and tails. All of the couples’ special little friends were honored as flower girls and ring bearers.

After the ceremony, the bride and groom rode separately to the reception (about 45 minutes outside of town) together to have time to reflect on the ceremony and the day. I love when couples can take some private time together.

Out of town guests were treated to the best of Charleston. The bride, who works for the Charleston CVB included locally made tea and sweet tea vodka minis. Along with cheddar biscuits her mother makes, and Charleston Benne Seed wafers.

Guests were treated to one of the best kept secrets with a reception at the Sea Island Yacht Club in the tiny coastal village of Rockville, SC.

The scenery here is hard to beat, river views, coastal marshland, and ancient live oaks.

A coastal map of the Lowcountry served as the couple’s guest book. Guests could sign well wishes, and the map is now framed and hanging in the couple’s home.

Bright greenery was used to cheer up the floral arrangements, as well as some of the quirky parts of the old yacht club. The mantles were such a great focal point, but obviously in warm months we didn’t need a fire, so we covered in lush greenery for more decor.

This cocktail reception offered local favorites like Crab cakes, mini chicken tarts, and a nod to the couples Mexican favorites- mini margaritas and tuna tacos.

Not being a seated dinner, displaying the food needs to be as thoughtful and elegant as the food itself. Stations on the grand porch had marsh views, and were tailored with lamplight and handmade signage. Our shadowbox bars were filled with gardenias, which all of the ladies just loved!

A floral cake by Jim Smeal was a show stopping centerpiece accented with family silver vessels of different spring flowers.

As the sun set, guests enjoyed the party both inside and out.

Wishing lanterns were released over the water as the couple left off of the dock by boat.

5.16.18 | TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Charleston, Dresses, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Photographers, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>