Tag Archives: wedding ideas

Nov 07, 2017

In honor of our recent appearance in the Martha Stewart Weddings feature on creative table numbers, we wanted to share a few ideas from our weddings that were a bit hit. Because, you know we can’t resist every little detail. For a fall wedding in Aspen, Colorado, die cut wooden cards were perfect for our sophisticated rustic wedding. Lettered Olive does all of our printing (and can do yours as well), but you can also find many of these on Etsy.

Photo by Liz Banfield

Many years ago (before you were readily able to find agate slices) we found this green agate at the gift market show in NYC. So, we scooped up enough to have our caligrapher hand paint the table numbers on them.

Photo by Liz Banfield

One thing we always have to think about when designing our tabletops is how crowded they may end up- for example, if we do offer bread service we incorporate it into the meal because there is never room for the b&b plates! To eliminate crowd on these tables, we ordered metal house numbers to hang from the overhead chandeliers…

Photo by Liz Banfield

For a beachfront wedding in September that was high on style and metallic accent colors, we had sheets of metal cut and our calligrapher painted the table numbers on them. These marble card holders in a neutral color we found have proven to be so useful and versatile.

For a golf themed wedding hole flags printed with the table numbers were a thoughtful addition to the tables and offered a bit of height in the tent…So cute, right?

Photo by Liz Banfield

For those that prefer something a bit more along the traditional route, cards that were painted with the numbers were draped by ribbon from the chairs.. We just hot glued button mums to the ends of the ribbon to hide the cut ends and jazz them up a bit. You could use many different flowers or other decorative items here.

11.07.17 | TARA GUÉRARD
Entertaining, Event Design, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

Sep 25, 2017

Delightful Displays

photo by Corbin Gurkin

We love to get creative with our escort cards and their displays. Cocktail hour can often be an area that is hard to do a lot of decor, so this is a great way to add something of interest. Maybe some of ours will inspire yours! Above, for our Newport, RI wedding full of Francophilia, a French market stand display was set up- we filled printed paper cones with lavender and caligraphied guests names and table numbers on them. A sweet touch for guests to take with them to their table. Lettered Olive does all of our printing.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

For a garden inspired wedding, metal plant tags were handwritten with names and table numbers and planted in moss covered garden boxes.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

Sometimes there is an empty space or something you’d like to cover up… For a late summer wedding in Aspen, CO bringing in some softer colors to the darker masculine space was needed. A large chandelier was covered with natural greenery, and die cut floral cards were hung at eye level creating a gorge “floral” centerpiece.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

At a nautical themed rehearsal dinner, flags were pinned to a watercolored painted board just for fun!

photo by Adrienne Page

We had a lot of fun designing details for a wedding we recently featured for a golf loving couple… their escort cards were embroidered golf towels .. guests were blown away by this detail.

photo by Liz Banfield

Sometimes something more simple or traditional is more fitting. Thoughtful details can go far in making a lasting impression. For a Georgia wedding, the traditional escort cards were displayed using granite rocks (native to the state). Think about local resources or surroundings that you can bring into the design. A gorgeous floral arrangement and linen finishes the look.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

For a wedding using varying shades of blue, we found a pretty patterned fabric that we used throughout the wedding decor, and then had our calligrapher using complimentary shades of blue ink for a layered look. Oh, and we used white subway tiles instead of paper just for something fun and unexpected.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

We needed to incorporate animals into the decor for a “party animal” wedding… Animal busts are having a moment so finding affordable ones to use wasn’t too hard- lay out perfectly simple cards on a moss covered shelf and you have a keen little vignette.

9.25.17 | TARA GUÉRARD
Entertaining, Event Design, Event Planning, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, The Lettered Olive, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>

Jan 03, 2017

Elegant Escort Cards

photos by Corbin Gurkin

Escort card displays have come a long way from the days of white printed cards set out on a table in alphabetical order. Many brides (and their wedding designers) are choosing to make these a focal point or another place to pack a design punch. Since this is an area that guests are guaranteed to see and experience, it’s a great place to get creative. For a floral themed Colorado wedding, we dressed up a simple chandelier in the foyer leading into dinner, by covering it in greenery and hanging die cut flowers from ribbon. The flowers were caligraphied in different shades matching the color palette… Flower tags by Lettered Olive.

photos by Corbin Gurkin

For a recent traditional wedding at home, an arched doorway leading outside to the dinner tent was covered in garland, and the escort cards were alphabetically woven into the greens. Simplicity ruled best here, but with a hint of whimsy, guests noted the thoughtful touch. Cards by Lettered Olive.

photos by Liz Banfield

If you want to stick with a more traditional route, ways you can dress that up or give a new look to it are by using different holders, or placing them on a topper with pretty color or pattern giving it some depth. For a wedding we did down in Georgia, native granite rocks were weighty card holder atop a palm printed linen.

photos by Corbin Gurkin

At this wedding with lots of blue pattern play, white glass subway tiles were caligraphied with varying shades of blue just to add some dimension. It was so tailored and lovely atop a blue patterned linen.

photo by Elizabeth Messina

At this outdoor tented affair, a sailcloth tent awaited guests on the adjacent lawn. A moss covered board was adorned with flower buds, and vintage keys and metal tags embossed with guests’ names. The paper tags attached let guests know which table to find, and the tags doubled as little keepsakes! Tags by Lettered Olive.

1.03.17 | TARA GUÉRARD
Event Design, Event Planning, Reception, Stationery, Invitations and Pretty Papers, Uncategorized, Weddings | Comments >>