Tag Archives: Kiawah Island Wedding

Jan 14, 2020

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!

1.14.20   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Aug 08, 2018

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It’s Wedding Wednesday, our favorite day of the week! Today, we’re going back to a couple celebrating their anniversary this September. This beachfront beauty took place at the amazing Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, SC. Liz Banfield was the photographer for this big day.

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The bride had studied art history and worked in galleries, and the main inspiration for the wedding design came from the bride’s favorite Van Gogh painting.  Lettered Olive  incorporated the design into all of the printed materials along with developing complimentary patterns, which were great for designs elsewhere.

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We try to have Cacky of Cacky’s Bride Aid on hand for dressing all of our brides- if you can afford this on your day, it’s more than worth it! The bride’s strappy Chanel sandals worked all night from bridal gown to getaway dress. The bouquet was a textured mix of roses, berries, leaves, and astilbe.

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Bridesmaids wore a mix of colors and styles from JCrew, and Amsale through Bella Bridesmaids. The bride gifted the groom his Hermes tie for the big day.

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The groom is an avid golfer, so having his ceremony on the famed Ocean Course overlooking the greens and the water made for a very happy day.

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Guests were graciously greeted on the porch after the ceremony for cocktail hour, the ocean breeze made it a perfect and comfortable place to sip and snack.

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Cocktail hour was also full of fun details like servers in custom elephant printed ties and white glove service.  Elephants are the brides favorite animal and signify good luck! And,  signature cocktail was a replication of the bride’s favorite drink at the country club her family belongs to…

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The escort card display was a new take on a traditional display.  Gold caligraphied cards affixed with a mongramed wax seal were nestled in boxes of ruffled blooms.

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Lots of yummy details made for beautiful and luxurious dinner tables. The bride and groom sat at chairs with embroidered toppers that made the logo used on their invitations.

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Jim Smeal is the mastermind behind the cakes mimicking the favorite painting, and we SCORED when we found these elephant cocktail tables perfect as cake stands!

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As the sunset during dinner, the after party tent and porch lounge was a glow and ready for the revelers.

Lounge Collage

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In the dance and lounge tent, an extra long printed fabric bar was a super glamorous backdrop . Bar stools anchored either end, so guests wanting to take a cocktail break could still look in on all of the dance floor action. I loved the seafoam carpet we found, I really like the polished look it gave the tent.

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Favors were locally made Rewind candles, and custom printed matches with the couple’s favorite photo from their engagement session.

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Guests signed a book complied from engagement photos… a perfect coffee table book for their new home.

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After a change into a Christian Dior dress the bride found while in France with her family before the wedding, the couple departed by a rose petal toss. Cones of printed paper holding petals were passed out to guests on the way out…

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8.08.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Bridal Style, Cakes, Charleston, Dresses, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Apr 04, 2018

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This pretty, feminine, and chic beach wedding is the perfect share for this Wedding Wednesday. The bride, having grown up in SC and going to the beach at Kiawah Island, thought it to be the perfect destination for all of her Manhattan friends. With a really lovely pastel palette of lavender, pale blue, pale, pinks, and hints of grey, that was something about this wedding that just set my heart aglow. Photos are by Velvet Raptor.

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Lettered Olive created a letterpress invite set using a lavender ink and guipure lace belly band cutout mimicking the pattern from the bride’s dress.

Bridal Collage

The bride wore a corset style dress from Monique Lhuillier and killer jeweled heels by Miu Miu. The frilly bridal bouquet of sweet pea, peonies, and ranunculus was hand tied with an embroidered monogram satin ribbon and finished with a vintage family broach.

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The bride awaits her walk down the aisle behind the scenes with her father. Love these two and this photo.

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Sprigs of blooming lavender hand tied with satin ribbon made chic boutonierres.

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The mother of the bride acquired these plaster sheep and has them on the lawn at their beach house, so we had them brought over to greet guests upon arrival. Of course, they had to have floral wreaths!

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For a prime view of the ocean, guests sat on linen ottomans with a lush floral arch to define the alter.

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I just love this aisle being so fabulous and floral but beachside. Along the aisle were planter boxes full of lush white flowers.

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For the bride, who worked for a well known jewelry atelier, we found lavender velvet jewel boxes, which we put table numbers inside of and name tags on top as the escort cards. Lettered Olive designed a custom monogram that was used throughout the wedding decor.

Cocktail hour Collage

After the beachside ceremony, guests enjoyed an al fresco happy hour on the porches and lawn over looking the ocean.

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Dining room Collage

Inside for dinner, tailored linens and lush white florals and candles dressed the tables. The bride and groom’s chairs were adorned with floral wreaths. Embroidered napkins were cleaned and given to the couple to have in their new home.. Mini menu books at each place give details of the food, and schedule of the evening, along with anecdotes about the couple…

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The mother of the bride is a quintessential hostess and known for her cold cucumber soup. Best served- COLD. So, we had our ice sculptor design individual ice bowls for each guest’s soup serving.

Cake Collage

We love any touches that represent the couple or family that can be brought into the wedding day. Here, the mother of the bride had been collecting vintage cake toppers for years and then restoring them. She made a special one for the wedding cake, and then gifted one to each of the bridesmaids as well.

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Well into the late hours of dancing, a nasty storm started to roll in. We had a very special car for the getaway that couldn’t get wet, so we had the band play their “last call” , and got guests out front for the send off- just in the nick of time…

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Beating the weather, the couple departed in a vintage convertible (the driver is adorable in plaid knickers, and cap) and guests waved purple glow sticks (avoiding a mess and still giving great photos)…

4.04.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Event Design, Event Planning, Food and Drink, Reception, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>