Tag Archives: farm wedding

Jul 25, 2018

Fall weddings are on the horizon, so it’s perfect timing to share our Kentucky farm wedding recently featured on Carats and Cake.   I loved working with these clients from the beginning.  Just the fact that a hurricane (of all things) is what we had to contend with during production going into the wedding weekend, and they didn’t loose their cool, made all of the hard work even more worth it.  Thank you to Melanie Mauer for the weekend photos. 

What Lettered Olive designed for our clients is still one of my most favorite. The watercolor design of the antique barn on the property graced the save the dates. The invitations incorporate metallic copper ink and guinea feather accents- stunning! And, the wedding welcome box featured a custom barn emblazoned on the front and was filled with goodies perfect for a Kentucky celebration.

Our bride, owner of popular Lexington boutique, Morton James, of course stunned in a gown by Vera Wang. A gathered from the garden bouquet of garden roses, ranunculus, hellebores, and foliage was both a lush and lovely accessory. 

While in the planning stages with the couple, who were making plans to build on the property and move the barn, I knew we had to use it as the backdrop to the ceremony. It’s so perfect. We created a huge greenery wreath to act as our “alter” decor. Guests walked straight into the barn for cocktail hour. A huge square shaped bar anchored the room, and guests enjoyed small bites by Apiary Fine Catering and Events. One of my favorite elements to doing destination weddings is finding new and incredible vendors to work with… They are truly one of my new favorite caterers, our vision synched up perfectly!

Because of the torrential rains all week, the ground remained pretty soggy for the wedding day.  We were able to build a weathered wooden boardwalk for guests to make their way from the barn to the dinner and reception tent without getting too bogged down.

The sailcloth tent was breathtaking with greenery draping, oatmeal linen, and wildflower bouquets anchoring wooden lamps.  We found super fabulous feather candles so perfect for this event. Copper table top details included hand painted table numbers, copper foil printed menus, and even copper water cups. The place setting featured menus tied with twine and imprinted leather place cards… oh and a little guinea feather for good measure.

The simply stunning four tired cake by Martine’s Pastries was embellished with fresh blooms used throughout the wedding. Since the rent of wedding decor fell in line with the rustic feel, we wanted the lounge to be more on the feminine and airy side.

Of course, being in Kentucky there had to be a bourbon and cigar lounge for after dinner..  Guests enjoyed our dessert cart with a variety of treats passed throughout the dance lounge.

The couple was sent off by fireworks as they enjoyed S’mores by the the fire pit with friends late into the night.

7.25.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Event Design, Flowers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Weddings | Comments >>
Jun 13, 2018

Stone wall

Martha’s Vineyard is one of our favorite spots out of town for weddings.  We can’t wait to be up there again at the end of the summer! But for today’s wedding Wednesday, we’re sharing this July wedding from 2010. Blue and white ikat was the design inspiration along with wooden and natural elements playing off of the family barn where the reception was held.  Photos by Adrienne Page.

Guest bag

We love incorporating local flavor in the wedding guest welcome bags. The oh so perfect  Martha’s Vineyard bags from Maptote; also included were custom printed playing cards with the wedding emblem, locally sourced and bottled waters, vintage island post cards, Cape Cod chips, and homemade sea salt caramel bars.

Bridal Collage

A gift from the groom- a vintage Hermes enamel bracelet perfectly finished the bride’s ensemble.

Invite and bouquet

Flower girl Collage

Martha’s Vineyard has so many glorious roadside flower stands, for all of the bridal party flowers, we ordered nothing ahead of time and shopped these stands for all of the personal flowers that day.  For the brides’ something blue, all of the mother’s and grandmother’s monograms were embroidered on her bouquet ribbon.

Ceremony sign

The ceremony took place up on a bluff overlooking the farm, so guests were able to take in the property on their stroll to the ceremony.

Bridesmaids

The bridesmaids wore Lela Rose bridesmaids dresses (Lela, also in attendance is friends with the groom and his family in Dallas). All white bouquets from roadside farmstands were a contrast to the bride’s colorful bouquet.

Ceremony Collage

Massive clusters of baby’s breath created a natural and whimsical feel for the simply elegant ceremony.

Bride and groom 2

Front of barn

The father of the bride had an affinity for vintage barns, and had this one moved down piece by piece from Canada. It was the perfect spot for the wedding dinner.

wreath on barn color

Cocktail hour Collage

Cocktail hour took place below in the stable area below the barn with seating throughout. Individual wooden signs let guests know where they were seating for dinner.

View of barn overall Dinner Collage

Menus were printing on large wooden signs, much like the one we made for the stone wall entrance.

dinner Tablescape

Little wooden stirrers tied to the napkins with blue baker’s twine were sweet place cards.

bride and groom at table

Boogie tent Collage Reception Collage

After dinner, guests partied in the “boogie tent” and lounge for the rest of the evening.  A stylish blue lounge provided a serene place for guests to enjoy cake, a cheese cart, cocktails and a reprieve from dancing.

DAN17300440007

Getaway Collage party at night

After a birdseed toss (friendly for the environment of the farm), the bride and groom departed by a vintage Woody and spent the night in town before heading off for their honeymoon.

6.13.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Parties, Reception, Travel, Weddings | Comments >>

Bride and groom by Adrienne Page Photography

As we are looking forward to our upcoming wedding in Newport, Rhode Island, it reminded me of this splendid affair we did at the family farm of the bride in Martha’s Vineyard. The property was breathtaking, and the father of the bride had a century old barn moved to the farm from Canada. They host guests every fourth of July for dinner in the barn and festivities on site, so what a better way to celebrate than by hosting the wedding there as well.  Adrienne Page captured all of the images.

Bridal Collage

The bride had all of the women in her family’s initials embroidered onto her bouquet ribbon. The groom gifted his bride an enamel Hermes bracelet on the wedding day along with words to his future bride.

Guest bag by Tara Guerard

The guest welcome bags contained locally bottled waters, vintage Vineyards postcards, snacks included homemade caramel bars, and custom printed playing cards (the couple and their families enjoying playing several card games) all in a Martha’s Vineyard maptote.

Ceremony Collage

Farm ceremony by Tara Guerard Soiree

The baby’s breath en masse made a statement for the ceremony aisle.  The natural beauty of the land was the best backdrop.

Flower girl Collage

All of the flowers used at the wedding were purchased in town at the farm stand based on what was available.  Bridesmaids wore dresses by Lela Rose, a friend of the bride and groom who attended the wedding.

Cocktail hour Collage

Natural wood was a design element the bride really wanted incorporated, so we painted many wooden signs placed throughout the party. And, the seating chart was fashioned from calligraphied wooden paint stirrers.

guest sign in books at wedding

The bride and her mother work in the interior design field, so they selected many of their favorite design coffee table books and had guests pen notes to the couple in lieu of a guest book.

Barn at Farm Wedding by Tara Guerard Soiree

Dinner was held inside the vintage barn that was moved to the property from Canada.

Dinner Collage

All of the wooden flooring, beams, etc inside the barn were all original. We printed the menu on large wooden signs  to match the rustic feel of the barn.

Placesetting Collage dinner

Lounge Collage Cake table

Nighttime Collage

Guests enjoyed a cheese cart that was served after dinner in the “Boogie Tent”, full of local cheeses, fruit spreads, and honeys guests could select what they want and servers plated cocktail plates for them.

Getaway Collage

In order to keep foreign grasses or plants at bay, guests tossed bird seed to the couple as they departed by a vintage “woody” owned by a fellow islander.

5.04.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Books, Bridal, Bridal Style, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Parties, Photographers, Reception, Travel, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>