Tag Archives: Charleston wedding

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 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 >>

May 09, 2018

Eyelet I Do

This bride’s Carolina Herrera eyelet ballgown inspired our entire wedding design… We had so much fun designing all of the details with an inspiration element that naturally lends itself to delicate and feminine notes perfect for a wedding!

We used the massive dropping branches of an old oak tree to create our “alter”… Tying orchid blooms to ribbon in the wedding’s feature color, and lanterns, it made a dreamy backdrop without being too distracting. The flower girls blanketed the aisle with thousands of white petals.

So Southern! An authentic horse and carriage greeted the couple after their “I do’s” and brought them to greet guests for cocktails.

My staff hand made these drink flags from eyelet fabric we sourced, which was also used to tailor the dinner linens.

Guests dined while overlooking the Ashley River. We used an array of different white flowers atop eyelet fabric runners down the long tables.

The place cards doubled as the favors which were contribution cards made towards he brides young cousin born with a genetic disorder. The seating cards were fashioned into magnets and as guests took those cards, there were encouraged to replace it with a little wish to the couple made on a blank magnet card.

Still one of my favorite cakes by Jim Smeal. We wondered how we could get away with “blue” icing on a cake, but it just turned out beyond lovely.

The backdrop at this venue is breathtaking on it’s own, so we didn’t need to many over the top details. We just went for cozy, warm, comfortable, and lovely.

A little retreat for guests wanting to enjoy a cocktail and conversation or a cigar away from the partying of the main reception tent.

We couldn’t believe our luck when shopping our sources for wedding design and stumbled across this eyelet lamps, couldn’t be more perfect!!!!!

A happy end to a beautiful evening! For as long as they’ve been around and as much as they’ve been done, those sparklers just make for pretty photos! All photos by Liz Banfield.

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