Blue and white is such a classic wedding palette, and this bride wanted to get even more fun and bring in a variety of colors that really ended up making the look. Thank you to Charleston Weddings Magazine for featuring this Lowndes Grove wedding of ours photographed by Corbin Gurkin.
This wedding was such a stunner, that we had to share some of our own favorite details in addition to the feature in the new Charleston Weddings Magazine. Our couple married at Kiawah Island Resort, with an indoor ceremony in a ballroom we transformed, followed by an evening of dinner, dancing, and details. The bride is Mexican, so were able to use a lot of beautiful details as a nod to her heritage, and incorporate glamorous design that represent the couple’s taste. Corbin Gurkin captured all of the lovely images. 
Wedding papers by Lettered Olive featured gilded paper and inks, a custom monogram and velvet touches. The save the dates were acrylic thumb drives of a styled video the couple made featuring Kiawah Island to get guests excited for the big day.
The bride wore a gown from Kleinfeld Bridal by Pnina Tornai and shoes by Christian Louboutin. We created her bouquet using shades of blushes and white with opulant orchids, garden roses, and lily of the valley hand tied with an embroidered velvet ribbon. Custom cuff links for the groom were engraved with the wedding date.
Classic black tuxedos complimented the bridesmaids lace and silk full length gowns- by Kate McDonald Bridal. I love seeing sleeves for the bridesmaids!
We transformed one of the ballrooms at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island by laying white carpet and bring the outdoors in… We covered golden branches with orchids, and lined the aisle with greenery boxes, and hung white sheer fabric for a beautiful photo backdrop.
A floral covered monogram added pretty detail to the hotel space. Members of the family who couldn’t be there where there in spirit with a remembrance table at the ceremony. In addition to the Virtuosi orchestra at the ceremony, a bagpiper, and Mariachi band provided a variety of music.
Perfectly timed, a confetti cannon went off just as the couple sealed their vows with a kiss.
Cocktail hour featured a salsa and taco station… Covered in greenery, a hotel chandelier makes for a great escort card station. Acrylic cards calligraphied by Penned by Palmer were hung by ribbon.
For this bride, typical chivari chairs just wouldn’t cut it. So, white fabric was woven throughout to give a frilly and extravagant feel. A centerpiece of the dining room was a large fixture we covered in greenery and draped orchid strands from.
Perfectly piped linens (one of our signatures) provided tailored tabletops with rows of lush floral centerpieces. Delicate glass candlesticks offered a mixture of height. Place cards were embroidered satin ribbons tied to the napkins at each place setting.
Jim Smeal created a modern and elegant cake using two of the main design elements- marble and gold gilding.
Perfectly positioned lounge seating and tables provided guests a place to perch when not dancing.
Marble was an element that kept popping up in the bride’s inspiration photos, so we created a marbleized dance floor as a stand out focal point of the room.
Since it’s seen in so many of the photos, the band’s stage can stick out like a sore thumb, or blend in perfectly. Fabric draped curtains and custom edging create a showcase for the band that show the extra thought that goes into designing the space.
As a send off, the guests were showered by orchids, and departed in a vintage car with the prettiest of petals making the final look as special as the first. Congrats Gaby and Ward!
I am thrilled to share this Fall Fenwick Plantation wedding with you, now that it is officially fall in the south. This is the 3rd daughter from a family that we have done all three weddings for, which I love because they were all so different and fun to design. This one is full of soft and feminine touches but using lots for rustic and natural elements. Thank you to Corbin Gurkin for all of the photos. 
Lettered Olive created a landscape scene reminiscent of the grounds at Fenwick Plantation (currently on the market if anyone is interested!), which was printed as the envelope liner on the classic letterpress invitations. 
Canvas “baskets” were printed with a handdrawn map of Charleston, with all of the weekend festivity locations noted. A custom printed puzzle also gave guests more information about the weekend events. Local snacks and treats filled the basket, including the groom’s favorite fortune cookies, but more on that later…
The bride wore a lace mermaid style gown by Eddy K with a keyhole back and a veil from BHLDN.
Bridesmaids wore gowns from BHLD, and the groom’s suit is from H Stockton in Atlanta.
Letterpress programs were fashioned into fans for the outdoor ceremony, luckily we had a warm beautiful day! After walking down a petal lined aisle with oversized magnolia pieces, the couple married under a magnolia and floral arch.
Cocktail immediately followed in the garden, where guests were greeted with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails named by the couple. Going with the garden theme, a “planted” escort card display was designed. Galvanized metal tags were calligraphied with guests names and planed in a moss covered box. 
Dinner under the clear top tent featured a lovely head table with the palest pink linen, and curated tabletop of flowers, differing candles, and elements like antlers and other curios.
Afterwards in the lounge tent, both the wedding cake and a grooms cake were cut. The bride chose a chocolate covered confection by Jim Smeal displayed with a custom monogramed linen… Due the groom’s love of Chinese food, Jim also created a to go box cake with gum paste fortune cookies on top.
The after dinner lounge featured several different seating arrangements for guests to gather… 
In addition to our traditional bar setup, we built a beer tap wall for the guys… Loved this new addition and it was a big hit with guests… Featuring 4 of the couple’s favorite selections. 
After a night of dancing and mingling with friends, the couple departed to a sparkler send off, in a vintage British convertible. Congrats Mary and Reid!
Recognized as one of the nation’s leading tastemakers, Tara Guérard has earned a widespread reputation for her ability to create spectacular settings celebrating life’s most anticipated occasions. As the visionary and founder of Tara Guérard Soirée, she is best known for her distinct style that honors the storied traditions of Southern hospitality paired with a modern aesthetic and flair for the unexpected.
