Tag Archives: Planning advice

Apr 05, 2016

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

We are thrilled to have our former bride, Ann E Ervin (also a new mom of a super cute little boy) sharing some of her advice about planning with other brides. Her wedding was quite a feat, 1200 guests in an outdoor space with lots of moving pieces. But, it was an amazing evening for everyone and one of our most favorite to plan, and we walked away with lifelong friends in our clients!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?

I enjoyed picking out everything and watching it come together as a whole weekend. We had a lot of elements to our wedding weekend so it was fun to figure out how to make everything feel intimate, look and feel like Tucker and me and to have the formal elements that I had always wanted.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What was the biggest challenge during the planning process?

Creating and putting together the list.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What do you miss the most now that it is over?

I actually had a blast planning our wedding. It was really fun! I miss the whole thing, but the best way to describe is I miss watching my descriptions of what I wanted come to life.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

What is the moment that when you think back on your wedding you remember the most?

It is hard to say just one, but the first dances were very special moments. Tucker told me on the way from the ceremony to the reception that Drew Copeland (Sister Hazel) was coming to sing our first dance which was special because he wrote the song. Then for the father –daughter dance my dad surprised me by writing a song with Edwin McCain and Edwin sang it for us!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Is there anything you would do over and what? Would you wear the same dress?

I wouldn’t change anything about my wedding itself. The only thing I wish there was a way I could have gotten to stand in and walk through the whole reception “tent” before everyone else got there so that I could have really absorbed the final product before all of the guests got in there.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Liz Banfield

Can you please give a brief description of your engagement?

It was a few days after Christmas when we headed to Telluride, CO on our annual ski trip with some of our best friends and my parents. Telluride was the first trip that Tucker ever went on with my family so it has always been a special place for us. The first night we were there Tucker asked me if we could go into town a little before dinner because he wanted to look at something for his condo that he had just bought. I said sure and we into town ahead of the rest and when we walked up the hill from the Gondola and Tucker started talking to me about some friends that had just gotten engaged and about all of the things we had done together; we crossed the street and Tucker got down on one knee (in the snow) in front of the Courthouse on Colorado Avenue! What I didn’t know was that everyone at the house knew what was going on the entire time!

4.05.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Reception, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>
Mar 15, 2016

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Today, our sweet bride Annie shares her top tips on the planning process. Annie and Davis wanted a fun and seamless wedding weekend for their guests- Mission Accomplished!

What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?

Working with Tara and her amazing team.  I started interning in the event industry when I was a sophomore in College; first in Dallas, then in NYC, and after graduating went to work in events in both NYC and LA for almost 6 years. I had always followed Tara and her work, so when I first spoke with her, I felt like I was speaking with a celeb. I was obsessed with everything she had done before, and couldn’t wait to see how she would pull together an event unique to Davis and I. I loved pulling inspiration for them and I really loved working on the invitation! I currently work in the custom stationery industry. Also, I loved the welcome boxes… people are still talking about them today!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Invitation suite by Lettered Olive

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Custom guest welcome boxes by Tara Guerard Soiree and Lettered Olive

What was the biggest challenge during the planning process?

Making up my mind and letting go so that Tara could do her thing. I knew she would do an amazing job, but working in the events industry makes you a little OCD… so I had a hard time letting go. We also had Soiree coordinate the rehearsal dinner which really made the weekend mesh so well.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

What do you miss the most now that it is over?

Looking back, it was one of the best parties we had ever attended, and it’s still hard to believe it was our wedding. Everything I had dreamed of for so long became a reality in that evening. I would relive that night over and over if I could!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

What is the moment that when you think back on your wedding you remember the most?

Our band was AMAZING – Simply Irresistible  – so dancing on stage with them and looking down on all our favorite people having an amazing time was one of the best moments. Also, when we first walked into the room upstairs, I was speechless. The custom navy and white geometric dance floor and the boxed woods on the stage made a huge impact and were two of my favorite things. Also, our honeymoon was a surprise, and Davis ended up telling me where we were going during the first dance. It was amazing!! One of my favorite pictures was taken the second he told me, and it brings back that feeling every time I look at it!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Is there anything you would do over and what?  Would you wear the same dress?

It really was as close to perfect as could be. It was the perfect weekend, and we had the best time. It still doesn’t feel real sometimes! I would absolutely wear the same dress (even though i was SO HOT before the ceremony), and I loved the dress I left it. I wish I had changed into my leaving dress earlier, but we were having too much fun to stop!

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Can you please give a brief description of your engagement?

Davis and I lived in Los Angeles, California for two years together, and he purposed on our last night in Cali – before moving back to Charlotte. He booked the best hotel room in my absolute favorite boutique hotel in Santa Monica (Shutters on the Beach), and ended up purposing on the balcony at sunset (unreal views!!). It was perfection, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. The next morning we got up to start our drive back across the country… it gave us plenty of time to call and tell everyone the story!

Annie and Davis were married on September 6, 2014 at First Scots Presbyterian with a reception at Hibernian Hall in Charleston, SC.  Corbin Gurkin is responsible for the beautiful imagery.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

3.15.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Photographers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Weddings | Comments >>

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Katie and Wes were married in June of 2015 at her parent’s home in Charleston, South Carolina. Today, Katie is sharing her perspective and musings looking back on her wedding day. Corbin Gurkin provides the lovely imagery. You can also see more pretty details from their big day over at Charleston Weddings Magazine.

Q- What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?

A- Collaborating with creative brains and seeing your own ideas come to life.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Q- What was the biggest challenge during the planning process?

A- Sometimes there are moments of “too many cooks in the kitchen”, but my advice is to take a deep breath and know as long as you are marrying your best friend, it’ll be the best day of your life.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Q-What do you miss the most now that it is over?

A- Meg and Tara!!!! They said day one they’re your “wedding BFFs” and it is true. Also, the planning in general. The wedding day is obviously such a large part of the process, but looking back, every meeting and thought put in before the big day is just as much as part of the experience as the big day.

Bride and groom on porch

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Q- What is the moment that when you think back on your wedding you remember the most?

A- After the ceremony, there was a table set up on the second story porch of my parents’ house (where the reception was held). As we ate, we watched everyone walk into the reception. It was pretty neat.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Q- Is there anything you would do over and what? Would you wear the same dress?

A- Of course same dress- wouldn’t change a thing.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

Q- Can you please give a brief description of your engagement?

A- It was the day after I graduated from grad school. The two of us drove out to Rockville, SC where my family has a house to relax after all the celebrations. It is both of our favorite place to spend time together. Wes put Oliver, our dog, in the house and we went for a boat ride. When we came back and were walking up the dock, Oliver somehow “got out”. When O ran closer, I saw he had a new collar. It read, “K8, Will you marry me?”. After I screamed “OF COURSE!!!”, my two best friends, family and his family came running out of the house. Wes had a big dinner catered and had collected every bottle of wine we had ever shared together. It is a weekend I will never forget.

Tara Guerard Soiree by Corbin Gurkin

2.02.16   |   TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Bridal Style, Event Planning, Weddings | Comments >>