Oct 01, 2019
Favorite Fall Bouquets

Photo by Liz Banfield

Designing flowers for our fall weddings means incorporating different color palettes, and using different materials. Above, traditional airy whites and creams find contrast in seasonal greenery. Greenery being a loose term in that it doesn’t all have to be green, rusty foliage offers a delicate balance.

photo by Corbin Gurkin 

I like being able to get creative and come up with something a little unexpected, which for us lately means softer colors or bringing in a metallic like rose gold or copper. For the Maid of honor in this wedding, darker blooms in the same family as the pastels were added for an ombre feel but as a special nod.

Photo by Liz Banfield

Without seeing the same old idea of it, this bouquet really says “harvest” to me.  I love the blush and beige tones and the mix of different blooms. The succulent addition is a great and fun alternative for greenery.

Photos by Corbin Gurkin

For this grand fall fete, a bouquet to match the grandness of the bridal gown was in order. There was a lot of “old world” feel to this wedding, so I thought a formal but very simple long stemmed bouquet could carry it’s weight with the dress. Long stemmed roses, and natural greenery with a few berries speckled in tied off with vintage silk ribbon.. if it’s possible for these two words to go together I think it’s full of an airy heaviness indicative of fall in Charleston.

photo by Melanie Mauer

Photo by Liz Banfield

For both of these bouquets, textured looks was the dominate design element. Our bride’s bouquet add berries on the vine, wild clematis, and drapey greens gave a gathered from the garden look. The bridesmaids worn black gowns, so the shades of creams and beiges really popped. Flowers only available in this season like Anenomes and craspedia balls bring in a different look.

Photo by Corbin Gurkin

Deep wines and burgundies mixed with purple or pinks is one of my favorite color palettes… and I love the just gathered wild flower look that many people associate more with spring, but just as spectacular in fall.

Photo by Corbin Gurkin

A delicate pale palette can still work in Fall, dahlias and anemones are blooms true to the season, and adding in a hint of golden tones warms the collection.

10.01.19   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Event Design, Flowers, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Sep 24, 2019
What Bridesmaids Are Wearing

photo by Tec Petaja

If you follow weddings like we do, you are probably seeing that anything goes these days for bridesmaids’ attire… The NY Times even published a story about a maid of honor showing up in a TRex costume after being given the note to wear ANYthing she wanted! But, our clients are sticking a with a more traditional sense of bridesmaids clothing, even if with a bit of a twist here and there.  Colors are running the gamut, and the standard appears to be different versions of the same dress fabric and colors, as in the above.

photo by Ryan Ray

This bride wanted a glam and formal event which called for formal gowns. Full length versions of these black dresses were perfectly appropriate and definitely ensures these ladies would be able to wear them again. Even though this was a spring wedding, florals in muted tones made them work for the season.

photo by Sylvie Gil

Shades of blue remain the most common color scheme our clients are wearing. For this seaside Hamptons wedding, watercolor tones created an ombre palette. While, the maid of honor wore a patterned frock, for a special designation.

photos 1 &2 Corbin Gurkin; photo by Jose Villa 

Long blue gowns for an at home fall wedding in Georgia; a winter Beach wedding in Watercolor, Florida; and a summer evening in Upstate New York.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

For a bride who is one part of the fashion house, Dee Hutton, custom made couture gowns in a varying but complimentary color scheme proved amazing in photos.

9.24.19   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Beauty, Bridal Style, Dresses, Event Design, Fashion, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Sep 17, 2019
Fall Menu Planning

photo by Corbin Gurkin

Even though it hard to think about heavier or more savory items right now when temps are soaring, many of you in the planning process now are most likely having a fall wedding and planning the details now… Do you know what you are serving yet?  Here are some of our favorite fall flavors from recent events and some serving ideas for you. Above, our wedding at the Roaring Fork Club in Basalt, CO worked with us to plan a menu totally based on seasonal items especially local items.  Spice rubbed pork belly over savory slaw served on tasting spoons made a pretty presentation for cocktail hour.

photos by Liz Banfield

Heavier items blended with lighter fare work well after summer. For this Palmetto Bluff wedding, pimento cheese biscuits, fried shrimp with a smoked tomato sauce, and she crab soup (that may not look the best on it’s own) is dressed up in mini containers and served up on custom paper lined tray.

photos by Liz Banfield and Squire Fox (bottom right)

Switching out standard flavors for ones typically associated with fall are something to think about… To change Southern Ham Biscuits, sweet potato biscuits are used instead. Lighter items like seared scallops and a vichyssoise are served on rustic wood platters… Definitely discuss how things will be presented or ask to see the caterer’s selection during your meal planning process.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

Another consideration instead of traditional displays or passing are mobile displays. We have a wheeled cart that we offer up to our clients often- whether for desserts, cocktails, or whatnot. Here, it’s used as a traditional cheese cart with accoutrements. This offers so much flexibility on items, and you don’t need to go overboard as you would on a display.

photos by Liz Banfield

Don’t get us wrong, we still like an abundant display.. We built these custom acrylic tables that we can top with surfaces like wooden butcher block or marble slabs depending on the design.  This antipasta display by Peter Ambrose was full of different containers, flavors, and seasonal herbs… photos by Corbin Gurkin

We do still see requests for multi course dinners, and there are ways to do this after a cocktail hour without leaving guests so stuffed they are uncomfortable.  Guests at this Charleston wedding enjoyed an artfully presented spinach salad, local fish with a rustic sauce, and then roasted tenderloin and asparagus with au poivre is about as traditional fall as you can get, but in delicate portions leaves guests with just enough.
photo by Adrienne Page

If you are planning for stations versus a seated dinner, smaller already plated dishes are how we like to suggest our caterers handle this. It makes it easy for guests to walk right up maybe with a drink already in hand and grab something easily… And of course to customize a standard wedding dish at this point- shrimp and grits, we replaced the shrimp with quail.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

Of course, you can’t forget the dessert… If you have always wanted a chocolate cake now is the time to serve it up… Love this design by Jim Smeal for one of our fall Charleston events.

9.17.19   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Cakes, Entertaining, Event Design, Event Planning, Food and Drink, Parties, Reception, Travel, Weddings | Comments >>