Tag Archives: vintage wedding

Sep 13, 2017

I’m thrilled to share this vintage Charleston wedding we did several years ago, because the bride was personal to me. Not only did I babysit her years and years ago, but we’d also done her big sister’s wedding in the early days of Soiree. The wedding was a simple and lovely garden party with lots of personal details. The bride wore her great great grandmothers dress which remained nearly intact from her wedding day! Photographs are by Gayle Brooker…

Food stations were scattered and seating vignettes created throughout the garden to keep the guests moving and offer a change of scenery.

September and October while still very popular and seasonably warm in Charleston, are the months when a slight chill can creep in at night. We draped soft blankets over the lounge sofas to keep guests cozy as the air chilled after the sun went down.

Lanterns and string lights are lovely during the day and give a glowing ambience into the evening. Behind the bars, calligraphied mirrors listed the cocktail offerings.

A bountiful and textured mix of flowers created the ladies’ bouquets. The bridesmaids’ gowns took a note from the one shoulder design of the bridal gown.

One of my favorite items by Lettered Olive are our champagne collars. The bride and groom’s silhouettes were used throughout many of the printed items. Custom wine labels were printed and used to create a pretty bar display.

Each food station offered lovely and composed dishes to allow for easy guest movement and conversation like this Lowcountry seafood trio…

Smaller tiers of the bride’s favorite coconut cake from Peninsula Grill was built onto custom stands. Guests received crafted rose petal bags for the send off at the end of the evening.

A party in the garden can still be lovely even in the evening with great lighting… String cafe lights and glowing candle lanterns gave the perfect night time ambience.

The bride and groom departed in a fabulous vintage Jaguar convertible…We always like to do something a little fun with our Just Married signs so using the couple’s silhouettes we had used throughout the rest of the wedding printing seemed like the perfect vintage touch for this wedding.

9.13.17 | TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal Style, Cakes, Charleston, Event Design, Flowers, Food and Drink, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Weddings | Comments >>

Jun 29, 2016

Bits of Lace

We’re celebrating Wedding Wednesday with this ocean side soiree on Kiawah Island. Our bride loved Pinterest, so a lot of the inspiration for her wedding came from lots of her long hours of Pinning. Sweet, vintage, and romantic touches were the main focus, and the bride wanted to incorporate items she had been collecting into the wedding decor. Thank you to Virgil Bunao for the lovely imagery.

A garden trellis draped in fabric helped frame the scenery for the ceremony. Stepping stones painted with “Bride” and “Groom” and all of the wedding party names were laid out for all of the attendants to stand on during the ceremony.

Bountiful bouquets of roses (the bride’s favorite) and dahlias were hand tied with vintage lace. Flower girls adorned tulle fairy dresses, and the bride fashioned a custom birdcage veil.

Groomsmen flowers were tied off with pieces of complimentary lace as well. Bridesmaids’ bouquets were presented in antique hatboxes.

Lace was a design element that Lettered Olive took notes from for the invitation suite. Pearlized paper was letterpressed with an image mimicking a vintage picture frame.

During cocktail hour on the lawn of the Ocean Course, guests were served “Lowcountry Lemonade” out of apothecary bottles tied with lace; the bride collected bits of lace and vintage fabric that was used on trays and tables throughout the food stations. Handkerchiefs were repurposed into cocktail napkins.

An antique baker’s rack was used to house the champagne station. Fresh fruit and purees were available for guests to turn their champagne into cocktails like Bellinis.

Cakes were framed in a fabric covered trellis and a custom made ruffled linen was created just for this girly bride.

The groom is a musician in a local band, so the bride commissioned a resemblance cake topper from Etsy; Tie backs made from fresh roses softened the structure. Cakes by Jim Smeal.

Photos of other brides and family members were displayed in the lounge. Centerpieces for sideboards and other tables throughout were the bride’s bits of lace and bowls of dinner plate dahlias in the perfect dulce de leche shade.

Guests partied into the wee hours to “Who’s Bad” a Michael Jackson cover band.

There is a gentleman on Kiawah Island that offers his antique car and services to drive couples to their accommodations at the end of the party, and who could resist this??? The vehicle and it’s owner are pure perfection!

6.29.16 | TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Bridal Style, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Flowers, Food and Drink, Parties, Photographers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

Jul 15, 2015

Wedding Wednesday

I have known this bride since she was little (I used to babysit for her!) and we did her older sister’s wedding many years ago, so this was a special wedding for us. The bride wore a dress that her great grandmother had worn so many years ago and was stored in the attic, there were a few minor adjustments made, but it’s amazing how the condition withstood the test of time That was really our inspiration behind all of the vintage touches, while adding in some modern freshness. All photos from Gayle Brooker, printed items from Lettered Olive.

We are usually blessed with a few truly perfect Saturdays in October here in Charleston, and this was one of them, so we were so lucky to play up the “secret garden” feel with seating vignettes throughout the garden at the Governor Thomas Bennett House. Food stations were also scattered throughout the garden encouraging guests to mingle throughout.

The restored dress from the bride’s great grandmother.

Rose gold foil printed silhouette (these are the actual bride and grooms’ silhouettes) cocktail napkins from Lettered Olive.

Champagne collars for the specialty cocktail

Since the wedding offered just beer and wine we wanted to make sure to pay some special attention there, so Lettered Olive designed custom wine labels and we affixed to every wine bottle (also used as part of the bar display)

7.15.15 | TARA GUÉRARD
Bridal, Bridal Style, Charleston, Event Design, Event Planning, Fashion, Food and Drink, Photographers, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Weddings | 2 Comments