Tag Archives: modern wedding

Sep 19, 2018

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Sharing some dreamy images from Liz Banfield on this Wedding Wednesday. We loved loved working on this wedding, and have since stayed good friends with the family,  and since worked on many other projects together. So, that always makes my job even better, getting to create something for people you really care about! This couple had 1200 people at their wedding so creating a space large enough to accommodate that, yet still have it feel intimate was one of our biggest challenges.

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Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The girls all started with a day of lunch and getting ready at the bride’s family home. The same car that would take the married couple from their ceremony to the reception took the bride and her mother to the church, spending that last bit of time alone together, which is one of my sweetest moments from recent weddings.

Guest Bag Collage

Guest boxes were packaged perfectly using the custom monogram that Lettered Olive created for all of the printed materials.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The bride’s style was traditional but also super modern. We went with an ice blue and grey color palette. Lots of squared/block shapes, clear acrylic, a modern monogram, and minimalist furniture were all part of the design aesthetic.

Church Collage

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The couple was married at her family church, which is a charming historic church in the quaint Old Village of Mt Pleasant. The sanctuary was softened with a white carpeted aisle runner and bountiful flowers. The couple was married in front of a lush flower wall that hid much of the acoutremants found on an alter but not necessarily needed at a wedding.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

If you can try to carve out any “alone” time to either eat, or just take a breather together as husband and wife, it’s a nice idea that I think you will appreciate after the wedding. This couple rode together alone from the wedding to the reception so they had a chance to discuss the emotions of the ceremony.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

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The reception took place at Boone Hall Plantation. Guests arrived to white gloved treatment from servers lining the walkway with trays of champagne, water, wine, etc. A carpeted aisle was laid, so that women’s shoes wouldn’t sink into the sand as they walked into cocktail hour.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

This was a special surprise to the bride and her family. She had bridal portraits taken before the wedding which, as Southern tradition has it, are typically displayed throughout the reception. So, we had these blown up and hung at the entrance to the reception tent surrounded by a massive flower wall.

Lounge Collage

Food Collage

Once inside the tent, large lounge spaces and food stations were strategically places so that guests would have no problems getting bites to end and finding places to sit. All of the food was pre plated, making it super convenient for guest to grab and go and keep lines down.

Cake Collage

A cake bar by Jim Smeal was a focal point in one are of the tent- 20 smaller cakes of different flavors were displayed around the centerpiece cutting cake to ensure that guests were all served and a variety of flavors were offered. The custom wedding monogram that was used throughout the printed materials was recreated in icing in a variety of ways and color combinations.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Edwin McCain (a close friend of the family) sang the Father/Daughter dance song. And, Josh Kelley (one of the couple’s favorite performers) performed for the crowd that evening.

Restroom Collage

You would have NEVER guessed, but this was the restroom trailer for this reception. With that many guests on the middle of Plantation grounds, we needed a lot of restrooms!  So, instead setting them off to the side as an unfortunate necessity, we glammed them up with draping, chandeliers, lounge furniture to rest your feet or wait in line, and the guest sign in (Aka “Grains of Wisdom” a take on the bride’s maiden name of Rice). We wanted to make sure that nobody missed the chance to give their well wishes to the couple, and this was a place sure to get the most traction!

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Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Of course, as the couple left, we had to bring in the traditional tossing of the “Rice”. However, wanting to protect the birds that inhabit the natural surroundings, we used Orzo pasta instead!

9.19.18   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Bridal Style, Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Photographers, Reception, Weddings | 1 Comment
Jun 14, 2017

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Oh, how I miss doing weddings at Drayton Hall Plantation.  It still remains one of my all time favorite locations, which you will see from this wedding from the archives. This wedding has a modern art deco feel, which put against the Federalist architecture of the plantation made for a really lovely juxtaposition. Liz Banfield captured all of the lovely imagery.

Bridal Collage

The art deco feel started with the details in the bride’s Carolina Herrera dress and hairstyle… an old wedding wives tale is to have all of the bridesmaids sign the bottom of the brides shoe, and whomever’s name is worn off first by the end of the night will be the next to get married (Miu Miu shoes).. This bride’s something blue was her bouquet!

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On the National Register of Historic Place, what amazing photos to have, as taken in the Plantation house ballroom.

Printing Collage

All of the letterpress printing was done by Lettered Olive. One of my favorite ideas was in the save the dates. There was a large amount of information to put in the save the dates, and not wanting guests to put it aside- we made a “tear off” piece that everyone could put on their fridge or daytimer with the date and location.

Guest Bag Collage

Guest welcome bags were canvas shoe travel bags making these something guests would want to leave with instead of leaving in the hotel. Custom printed snacks and waters filled the bags, along with a mini Archipelago “Charleston” candle with custom matches.

Floral Collage

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Bridesmaids carried white flowers with just a hint of color, while the bride carried the pop of color- for the bride that loves color, this is a great flip flop idea. For moms, and other special ladies who may not want something pinned onto their dresses or carry something, a bloom “corsage” tied to the wrist with satin ribbon or pinned on a purse is a great alternative!

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Ceremony Collage 8871_5a.@LizBanfield

The wedding white ceremony included a white carpet runner, a scatter of petals at the alter, orchid strands draped down the aisle, and chandeliers hung from the grand ok. An arch made of willow branches and lilac made a simply pretty focal point.

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The couples two “babies” made a guest appearance at the end of the ceremony for photos…

8866_15a.@LizBanfield Lounge Collage

After the ceremony, guests kicked off the reception in a cocktail lounge, and lounge seating set up on the riverbanks for a little eye candy.

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A custom Boutique tent was the pretty entrance way into the dinner tent…

Tabletop Collage

Playing off of the art deco look, tables were set with an array of mixed centerpieces surrounding Knoll acrylic dinner club lamps. Menus, escort cards, and other signage are made from etched acrylic… Guests wanted to keep all of the printed materials!

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The amazing cake by Jim Smeal was octagon shaped and mimicked the art deco pattern on the bride’s gown. It’s hard to tell her, but it had the faintest hint of light blue and lavender shimmer playing off of the printed items… LOVE!

8856_2a.@LizBanfield Dancing Collage 8856_4a.@LizBanfield

When guests finished dinner, we pulled back the curtains for a big reveal of the all white after dinner lounge. It was so warm and inviting with a glow that was breathtaking. All white arrangements of Oriental lilies even gave the room and irresistible fragrance.

Silly string Collage

For a truly different and festive send off, we made custom silly string containers which guests sprayed at the couple as they made their way to the getaway car.

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For one take on the traditional, the couple departed in a vintage Rolls Royce tied with oversized paper flowers…

6.14.17   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Cakes, Charleston, Dresses, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

I love pulling this wedding out of the archives. Our clients wanted a traditional Southern wedding reception, but wanted a mod flair added to it, it was such a fun combination to work with. The pop of the kelly green with the black and white softened it and we went with a very simple script and design which rounded out the modern feel. The bride’s bouquet is still one of my all time favorites that I’ve ever done! Thank you to Liz Banfiled for these photos.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

“Mr. and Mrs” became the tag line, and was used on the cookies in the welcome bag, on the cocktail napkins, and on printed materials throughout. In the guest welcome bags, we packaged a note along with different vintage Charleston  pre stamped postcards and asked that guests write a little something while they were in Charleston for the wedding, and mail them back to the couple. What a great surprise for the bride and groom to have to relive the weekend when they returned home!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The reception took place in a beautiful Charleston building overlooking the water, but we really wanted to make the inside special. As guests entered the foyer, they were greeted by a Dixieland Jazz Band (the couple lived in New Orleans at the time) playing in front of a wall that consisted of hundreds of cymbidium orchid heads hanging from satin ribbon. Stunning!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

The wreaths with custom acrylic and caligraphied Mr. and Mrs. signs were brought over from the church gates to adorn the plan exterior doors at the reception venue.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

To soften the room and create dimension, little seating vignettes filled the corners so guests could have drinks and conversation away from the dance floor.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Mini plates of sushi rolls made for a much more elegant display than a buffet type bar that needed to be constantly replaced. We had a sushi roller on site rolling several varities and plating them for the guests.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

I always try to discourage my clients from going old school on ice sculptures, so we like to come up with something innovative yet functional. So, for the crab salad cocktail, we had holes made in the ice that fit little clear votives. It kept the seafood cold, and was easy for guests, not to mention nice looking!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

We created “pin boards” for guests to write sweet notes for the bride and groom in lieu of a sign in book. We saved the boards for the couple until after their honeymoon and then sent them to their home… Great for a kitchen, office, mudroom, etc!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

For a drop tile ceiling, luckily we were able to cover it with pleated fabric… We also lined the top of bookshelves holding glassware at the bars with flowers and candles, so guests had something lovely to look at while waiting for a cocktail.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Again, in the empty but expansive open room, we wanted to have some ambient lighting over the dance floor (it’s so important to have lights that are NOT too bright, or people won’t dance!), and give something pretty for photos.  So, an old chandelier we built from wood was repainted and repurposed into a floral chandelier.  And they lived happily ever after….

1.13.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>