Sep 19, 2018

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Sharing some dreamy images from Liz Banfield on this Wedding Wednesday. We loved loved working on this wedding, and have since stayed good friends with the family,  and since worked on many other projects together. So, that always makes my job even better, getting to create something for people you really care about! This couple had 1200 people at their wedding so creating a space large enough to accommodate that, yet still have it feel intimate was one of our biggest challenges.

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Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The girls all started with a day of lunch and getting ready at the bride’s family home. The same car that would take the married couple from their ceremony to the reception took the bride and her mother to the church, spending that last bit of time alone together, which is one of my sweetest moments from recent weddings.

Guest Bag Collage

Guest boxes were packaged perfectly using the custom monogram that Lettered Olive created for all of the printed materials.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The bride’s style was traditional but also super modern. We went with an ice blue and grey color palette. Lots of squared/block shapes, clear acrylic, a modern monogram, and minimalist furniture were all part of the design aesthetic.

Church Collage

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The couple was married at her family church, which is a charming historic church in the quaint Old Village of Mt Pleasant. The sanctuary was softened with a white carpeted aisle runner and bountiful flowers. The couple was married in front of a lush flower wall that hid much of the acoutremants found on an alter but not necessarily needed at a wedding.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

If you can try to carve out any “alone” time to either eat, or just take a breather together as husband and wife, it’s a nice idea that I think you will appreciate after the wedding. This couple rode together alone from the wedding to the reception so they had a chance to discuss the emotions of the ceremony.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

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The reception took place at Boone Hall Plantation. Guests arrived to white gloved treatment from servers lining the walkway with trays of champagne, water, wine, etc. A carpeted aisle was laid, so that women’s shoes wouldn’t sink into the sand as they walked into cocktail hour.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

This was a special surprise to the bride and her family. She had bridal portraits taken before the wedding which, as Southern tradition has it, are typically displayed throughout the reception. So, we had these blown up and hung at the entrance to the reception tent surrounded by a massive flower wall.

Lounge Collage

Food Collage

Once inside the tent, large lounge spaces and food stations were strategically places so that guests would have no problems getting bites to end and finding places to sit. All of the food was pre plated, making it super convenient for guest to grab and go and keep lines down.

Cake Collage

A cake bar by Jim Smeal was a focal point in one are of the tent- 20 smaller cakes of different flavors were displayed around the centerpiece cutting cake to ensure that guests were all served and a variety of flavors were offered. The custom wedding monogram that was used throughout the printed materials was recreated in icing in a variety of ways and color combinations.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Edwin McCain (a close friend of the family) sang the Father/Daughter dance song. And, Josh Kelley (one of the couple’s favorite performers) performed for the crowd that evening.

Restroom Collage

You would have NEVER guessed, but this was the restroom trailer for this reception. With that many guests on the middle of Plantation grounds, we needed a lot of restrooms!  So, instead setting them off to the side as an unfortunate necessity, we glammed them up with draping, chandeliers, lounge furniture to rest your feet or wait in line, and the guest sign in (Aka “Grains of Wisdom” a take on the bride’s maiden name of Rice). We wanted to make sure that nobody missed the chance to give their well wishes to the couple, and this was a place sure to get the most traction!

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Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Of course, as the couple left, we had to bring in the traditional tossing of the “Rice”. However, wanting to protect the birds that inhabit the natural surroundings, we used Orzo pasta instead!

9.19.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Bridal Style, Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Photographers, Reception, Weddings | 1 Comment
Sep 18, 2018

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield photo by Liz Banfield

It’s that time again, when fall entertaining is in full swing! So, I’m sharing some of my favorite fall recipes. All inspired by one of the most lovely fall weddings we’ve done, which we’ll be showing you on Wedding Wednesday this week.  Our first one is always a hit- Devils on Horseback. This particular recipe is shared from marthastewart.com

24 large dates, pitted

12 slices bacon, halved crosswise

1/3 cup crumbled Stilton cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 24 toothpicks in a small bowl filled with water; let soak 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit with a wire rack; set aside.

Halve dates lengthwise being careful not to cut all the way through. Place a small amount of cheese in the center of each date. Wrap a piece of bacon around each date. Secure bacon with a toothpick.

Place dates on prepared baking sheet. Bake until bacon is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfieldphoto by Liz Banfield

We named this a “Blushing Bride” in order to make it a fitting signature drink for the wedding, but you can come up with whatever fits your theme!  Wooden drink stirrers for an added touch available thru Lettered Olive.

The POM Sparkler (yields about 8 1/2 cup servings)

2 cups freshly squeezed juice or POM Wonderful

1 1/2 cups lemon sparkling water

1/2 cup of your favorite vodka (I like Tito’s)

Garnish- Lemon or Lime rind strips, or a rosemary sprig

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher; pour over ice and garnish!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfieldphoto by Liz Banfield

Sweet Potato Biscuits (Makes 18-20), shared from my book, Weddings by Tara Guerard

3 cups flour

1 3/4 light brown sugar

2 1/4 tsps baking powder

1/8 tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

3/4 tsp plus pinch of baking soda

 10 1/2tbs shortening

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/3 cups chilled sweet potato puree

Mix all dry ingredients; add shortening, buttermilk, and sweet potato puree. Mix the dough, but don’t overwork, using a flowered board. Cut dough into 2-inch rounds or squares with a cutter. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 minutes- rotating after 12 minutes. Coat with melted butter when done.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfieldphoto by Liz Banfield

While these mini pecan pies are from Jim Smeal and beautifully adorned with a mini maple leaf and homemade cream, you can accomplish a delicious mini pie at home that is Pinterest worthy!

This recipe from the authorities on Pecan Pie at Karo Syrup yields 16 mini pies (or 1 large pie)

1 egg

1/3 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup OR Dark Corn Syrup

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1 box (14.1 ounces) refrigerated pie crust dough

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk egg, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.  Stir in pecans. Set aside.

Unroll pie crusts on counter.  Cut out 16 (3 to 3-1/2 inch) circles using a round cookie cutter.  A coffee mug or small bowl can also work, carefully cut around with a sharp paring knife or just press like you would a cookie cutter.  You will have a little dough left over.  Gently fit each circle into muffin cups (2-1/2 inch).  Dough should come up about halfway in each cup.  Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each shell.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until filling appears set.  Cool 5 to 10 minute on rack.  Using a sharp knife, carefully remove each pie from the muffin pan.  Store in a tightly closed container.

Recipe Note:  Extra pie dough can be cut in pieces, brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon to create little designs for decorating your pies.

photo by Corbin Gurkin 

Of course, you can’t go wrong with a classic cheese spread. I can go in so many directions here, but obviously 2 hard cheeses, 2 soft cheeses, and 1 something special is a good balance here. I like a variety of accompaniments- something sweet like a fig or quince spread, and something spicy like a sweet chili or pepper relish goes great. Dried turkish apricots, or Trader Joe’s dried wild blueberries are also favorites. Of course, you can add dried and cured meats, and garnishes to make the men happy.

9.18.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Entertaining, Food and Drink, Parties, Recipes, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Sep 17, 2018

photo by Corbin Gurkin

We are designing all of our fall weddings right now, and I’m loving coming up with new ideas and concepts for our table designs, specifically our place settings. Here is roundup of some of our past settings that we are taking inspiration from, and maybe you can too. One thing that we insist upon are perfect details. We love a linen napkin, sometimes with a custom designed embroidered monogram (a nice gift we give to the couple after the wedding for their new home).  Beautiful printing details (we commission Lettered Olive for most of our designing needs) can also make all of the difference!

photo by Corbin Gurkin 

For this light and airy fall fete, the finishing touch were sprigs of fresh rosemary, a perfect fall scent, and a punch of fresh greenery.

photos by Melanie Mauer 

This early fall tabletop was all about layering and mixing elements. Copper metallic, embossed leather, colored linen, and pops of pinks and purples in the flower arrangements came together for a chic table look.

photo by Squire Fox

I love love love incorporating different textures in fall and winter designs (hence our recent post on velvet), and one of my favorites is suede. Nothing seems more luxurious to me as a wedding guest than having a soft cozy luxe velvet linen.

photos by Gayle Brooker

The feeling of this wedding can’t be felt from the photos, but it glowed golden and warm. So many elements contributed here, like velvet linens, gold metal paper, and soft textured floral elements like peonies…

photo by Corbin Gurkin

A bright blend of seasonal blooms set the tone for this tabletop… The Balmoral plates lovely in and of themselves , and topped with embossed leather menu books, and accented with gold flatware an unexpected fall feel fell into place.

photo by Liz Banfield

Now this table design remains one of my favorites.. Ostrich leather topper (I mean… ) with wooden and burlap lamps and mixed blooms were so unexpected, but guests really couldn’t get over the custom ombre velvet menu booklets with etched bronze name plates for place cards… So lovely!

9.17.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Charleston, Entertaining, Event Design, Flowers, Food and Drink, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>