Tag Archives: Jim Smeal

Jan 24, 2018

ceremony:sunlight

This breathtaking ceremony took place under the oaks at Drayton Hall Plantation. This bride was all about glamour and wanted a modern flair for her southern plantation affair. So, we added luxe details including chandeliers covered with spanish moss dripping from the branches of the old oak overlooking the pond. Swaths of orchid blooms draped along the aisle runner of plush white carpet.  An arch of floral covered branches in footed urns framed the spot where the couple tied the knot.

accessorie collage

Great little takeaway for upcoming and future brides- have all of your bridesmaids sign the bottom of your wedding shoes, and the first name to rub off will be the next to get married.  The guest welcome bags were canvas shoe bags (which made it easy for out of town guests to take home) filled with hotel room essentials, including a “Charleston” candle by Archipelago.  This braid/bun combo was a bridal hair showstopper!

flower girl aisle couple and dogs

This couple made a great point of including loved ones on the big day- Small nieces acted as flower girls, and the couple’s two golden retrievers made a guest appearance for photos.

tent collage

After the ceremony, guests walked the grounds of Drayton Hall towards the riverbanks where they entered a cocktail tent full of plush lounge furniture, candlelight and chandeliers.

printing collage

Lettered Olive was loving being able to mix up materials for this bride- the menu cards, escort cards, and table names were all etched acrylic signs. In lieu of a guest book, guests were asked to take a polaroid photo and write a note which went in a box for the couple to have at home..

lounge overall

After dinner, guests entered an all white and silver swank lounge for dancing. It had been sealed off during dinner, so the big reveal really wowed the guests. The Casablanca lilies used in the centerpieces filled the room with their scent which was an unplanned but pleasant surprise detail!

cake collage

Inexpensive and comfy asian slippers took place of flip flops for guests needing to change out of their high heels. This mod octagon shimmering cake by Jim Smeal was definitely a stand alone centerpiece. Guests not wanting to indulge at the party, were given slices in boxes that they could take home with them.

lounge center shot

Intimate seating lining the edges of the dance floor allowed for cozy conversation and quick break to rest!

Silly String collage

Having a fun couple allows us to get really creative, which is of course, fun for us. For the send off, everyone “Got Silly at Hilary and Will’s Wedding” with custom covered silly string cans.

getaway car

The vintage getaway car was adorned with paper flowers in the brides’ colors. Loved the throwback to weddings when decorating the car was a really big deal!
Thank you to Liz Banfield for all of the gorgeous shots!

1.24.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Bridal Style, Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Aug 23, 2017

Ste_a1_veil

I’m so excited to share another one wedding from way back when (can you tell Liz Banfield and I have been going through our archives?).  This was a smaller more intimate wedding here in Charleston, but we got to have fun with the design , and even though we had some rain that day, it didn’t damper any plans!

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A simple mossy green and pink color palette was established, and Lettered Olive created a floral motif that would be used throughout the wedding printing.

Guest bag Collage

Local goodies (including a book about Mrs. Whaley’s Charleston garden, which if you missed our YouTube episode inside this garden, see it here)  filled a moss green jute tote serving as a wedding welcome bag.

Flower Collage

Keeping the bridesmaids’ nosegays very simple with white tulips, the flower girl carried a  ranunculus bundle that was pretty in pink!

Ceremony Collage

Giving guests a true Charleston welcome, a floral basket with a welcome sign was hung on the gates at the church. Orchid blooms lined the aisle giving a whimsical touch of color.

Ste_b1_walkinrain

The couple arrive to their reception at the Gibbes Museum of Art to showers, but were totally prepared and received guests under a tent in the courtyard.

Cocktail hour Collage

Once cocktail hour kicked off at the Gibbes, guests enjoyed mini passed tomato pies and our signature Lowcountry Lemonade with orchid accents.  Escort cards were displayed in slender vases filled with orchids…


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We used to use Chef James Burns of J Bistro Restaurant/Catering (a long time old Charleston favorite) because we worked so creatively together. I love the presentation on this first course of Asian wontons served in individual bamboo steamers on a pretty plate with greenery…

Dinner Collage

Ste_c7_cake Ste_c8_cakeplate

A smaller wedding cake for the ceremonial cutting was a focal point in the chic and candlelit dining room, but what really gave guests the gasps were the beautiful and special mini individual cakes that were served at the end of dinner, by Jim Smeal of course.

getaway Collage

For a simple but oh so Charleston send off, paper cones filled with tiny orchid heads were passed out and tossed at the couple as they departed via rickshaw through the streets of Downtown Charleston.

8.23.17   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Flowers, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Aug 09, 2017

7646_15_BandG

Today we are sharing a preppy pink and green summertime wedding from 2007. The bride’s family had a summer home on Kiawah Island, but this wedding took place on a somewhat unexpected part of the island- Mingo Point. Usually reserved for guest oyster roasts or as a water sport hub, we love that the bride trusted us to transform the space into something special. One thing people don’t think about Mingo Point is the spectacular view of the sunset you get over the creek. Thank you to Liz Banfield for capturing the big day.

Printing Collage

The save the dates by Lettered Olive set the tone from the beginning. Guests received a letterpress packet so pretty no one would want to miss the weekend. Invitations were sent in a pale pink box stuffed with a silk envelope containing the letterpress invitation. Labels were affixed to the outside of the box with a green and white patterned wrap that was used throughout the wedding printing.  Welcome “boxes” were in the same patterned paper full of goodies like bathing suit sugar cookies, custom water bottles, and a Charleston coffee table book.

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Floral Collage

Shades of pink make a really pretty flower palette. So many gorgeous blooms can be gathered when using this palette. I loved the nerines we got in for this one.  Luckily we found a perfect green and white vine fabric to use in places like a custom ring bearer pillow, and wrapping the bouquets.

Ceremony Collage

 Bottled waters and Lowcountry Lemonade with printed labels helped guests cool off before the ceremony began.

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The groom, and most of the groomsmen are native Canadians, so they entered the ceremony to a classical version of their National Anthem.

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Due the space typically used for oyster roasts, having a unique shape, we opted for a ceremony in the round… We built a fabric canopy to shield guests from sun, and to help create an alter in the center. A friend of the couple performed the ceremony making for a personal touch.

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Escort card Collage

Wanting to repurpose some extra invitation boxes, we created an escort card station during cocktail hour. Guests found their names calligraphied on tags on the outside, and then a letterpressed menu card and table number on the inside.

Cocktail hour Collage

Cocktail hour was set on a wooden boardwalk overlooking the creek. We dressed it up by draping the ceiling with fabric and hanging glass chandeliers. Pillows made from the printed fabric dressed up lounge seating.

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Dinner Collage

In the pink and green dinner tent, custom linens were made with patterned fabric tops. Complimentary paper wraps dressed the place settings. Sweet chair covers were made for the bride and groom chairs.

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Instead of one large cake, several smaller ones that Jim Smeal decorated with the patterns used on the wedding printing made a show stopping centerpiece for the after dinner tent.

Lounge Collage

After dinner, guests were able to roast marshmallows in an existing firepit… Marshmallows were packaged to prevent attracting bugs.

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Nighttime Collage

After a long evening dancing in the green glowing lounge- the couple departed to guests waving miniature flags from the groom’s native Canada and bride’s, U.S.

8.09.17   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Flowers, Photographers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>