Archive for the ‘lounge’ Category

Allison and Ben in Weddings Unveiled!

Monday, April 4th, 2011

Yay, yay, yay!

Our wonderful clients and personal friends Ben and Allison recently had their wedding published in the spring issue of Weddings Unveiled and we could not be more thrilled to share their “I do” details with the world. There were so many personal touches and charming details to inspire. Make sure to read the article, too… their engagement story is hands down one of the sweetest we’ve heard. I think they are both equally great catches for one another!

Enjoy the article and take a look here!

Allison and Ben, we love y’all!

Allison and Ben: Photography: Juliet Elizabeth Photography. Wedding Consultant, Party Rentals and Linens: Ellen Robinson with WED. Ceremony Location and Reception Venue: Lowndes Grove Plantation. Florist: Sarah York Grimshaw. Baker: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal. Catering: Fish. Invitations, Stationery and Wedding Papers: Studio R. Ceremony Music: Dwight Huthwaite and Jessica Smith. Reception Entertainment: Atlanta Rhythm and Groove. Bridal Gown: Vera Wang purchased at Maddison Row. Bridesmaid Dresses: Carol Hannah. Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Brooks Brothers. Transportation: Charleston Black Cab.

Posted in fall, green, lighting, lounge, Lowndes Grove, Printing, Published, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Ashley and Will

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Ashley is a dear friend of mine and is was SO MUCH FUN to help her with her June 2010 wedding at the Cathedral and Mills House!

What I loved is that Ashley completely trusted our vision for the colors, feel, etc. She would say, “I just can’t see it in my head at all, but I trust you!”

It all started around a gorgeous teal-toned bridesmaids dress that she chose. She really loved fresh, summery colors but wanted to make sure it all meshed well together. We brought in pale pinks, apricots, greens, pale blues and creams and I think the results were beautiful.

Here’s a peak of some of the photos that the lovely and talented Kate Thorton snapped for us that day…

Congrats to you both and I can’t wait to hang out with Mr. and Mrs. Jeter!

Posted in blue, cake, crystals, hydrangea, lounge, pink, roses, Uncategorized, white | No Comments »

WED featured on TheKnot.com!

Monday, August 17th, 2009

WED’s May 2008 wedding was just featured as Wedding of the Week on TheKnot.com!

Sara & Ben in Charleston, SC

Sara and Ben planned a spring wedding at a historic home in Charleston, South Carolina.

Photos By: Marni Rothschild Pictures
Event Planning: Weddings Elegantly Designed LLC
Location: The William Aiken House

Years after falling in love on a graduation trip to Costa Rica, it made sense for College of Charleston alums Sara and Ben to tie the knot in the place that started it all: the storied Southern city of Charleston, South Carolina.

The Bride Sara Givler, 28, attorney
The Groom Ben DeWolf, 29, stock trader
The Date May 17

While Sara was feverishly pursuing a law degree four hours away from Charleston, the couple began a long-distance relationship. When Sara finished up her first-year exams, she and Ben hopped on the first plane to Italy for a romantic getaway. On their third night in Rome, beside the Fontana di Trevi, Ben proposed, and soon the happy to-be-weds began dreaming up plans for their wedding day back in Charleston, the bride’s hometown and the place they’d come to call home.

– Elizabeth Stadele

Sara’s richly textured bouquet complemented the intricate Alencon lace on her Judd Waddell dress. Her unique, all-white bouquet featured mini calla lilies, peonies, dendrobium orchids, nerine lilies, and garden roses.

Sara’s bridesmaids carried white bouquets that mimicked the look and style of her own. The clusters of mini calla lilies and freesia were a dramatic contrast to the girls’ dark blue gowns.

Even with its contemporary square shape and romantic satin bow, the wedding program reflected a sophisticated aesthetic rooted in tradition. The formal, cursive script in the couple’s names made a striking contrast to the modern typeset used elsewhere.

After their pictures were taken with a Polaroid camera, guests were encouraged to leave a note beside their snapshots in one of the guest books. The table, complete with a lavish arrangement of tall, white calla lilies, was set up near the entrance to the...

The magnificent antebellum home, with its classic facade, beautiful interiors, and spacious lawn and garden, was ideal for a romantic Southern wedding. “Holding the reception at The William Aiken House was the perfect way to show our many out-of-town gues...

A bamboo box on a silver tray made for an exquisite presentation of chicken salad cones. These and other tasty appetizers paired nicely with lemon martinis -- the signature drink of the evening.

After sundown, a lighting design, projected onto the two-story carriage house, gave the lounge area a hit of instant glamour. The couple lucked out with perfect late-spring weather for an outdoor wedding and a full moon.

Toward the back of the property, an (almost) all-white lounge was set up for guests to kick back and celebrate. An orchid arrangement on the table complemented the mod lounge decor.

The elegant, four-tiered cake featured an intricate turquoise pattern inspired by the Alencon lace on Sara’s gown. Delicate strands of fresh, white cymbidium orchids hung from the ceiling, creating a defined space for the cake.

Sara and Ben left the reception in a rickshaw decorated with a “Just Married” sign. Luckily, the weather couldn’t have been nicer: The temperature hovered around 70 degrees and a light breeze blew in from the coast.

Posted in blue, cake, chandeliers, lighting, lounge, orchids, Published, tent, white, William Aiken House | No Comments »

Eimile and Drue

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Joyful. Utterly, blissfully joyful… that’s how I would describe our bride and groom from this past weekend.

Eimile and Drue met when they both attended Dartmouth and traveled the world over before settling into our city. With Eimile busy in medical school here, it only made sense to bring in their family and friends from around the globe to experience all they loved about the lowcountry.

Gracious… that’s exactly how I would describe the family’s attitude towards their guests. It all began with a detailed packet of info and a “wine and cheese” snack- featuring what else but southern pimiento cheese!

Drue’s family hosted the rehearsal dinner at Alhambra Hall. With sweet tea vodka drinks-a-plenty and a gorgeous Charleston sunset, every person knew this weekend was going to be an unforgettable one!

(the bride’s favorite red velvet cupcakes from Village Bakery, and a sweet treat for her brother on his birthday!)

There was no question where the ceremony and reception would be held: the ever stunning Lowndes Grove Plantation:

The ceremony was on the front lawn facing the water. I love Eimile’s musical selections… she even had her string quartet play an instrumental version of Led Zepplin’s “Stairway to Heaven” as she and her father walked down the aisle. It brought tears to my eyes!

Guests were greeted to cocktail hour with a champagne and peach bellini:

An evening of dinner and dancing (LOTS of dancing) followed… the dinner tent was more subdued and featured HUGE crystal chandeliers, while the lounge and bar tents were all about the BRIGHT colors… we loved that Eimile wasn’t scared of a little color!

(gorgeous flowers by H.B. Stems of Beaufort)

(we draped the lounge tents in pure coral, and so as a contrast we found these fantastic little lamps from IKEA- gotta love the new Charlotte location!)

And for those weary, danced-out feet, a bookcase filled with flip flops. Even the men were snapping these up!

Emilie and Drue- it was truly a pleasure. We wish you the best in your new marriage… and happy honeymooning, too!!

Posted in furniture, lighting, lounge, Lowndes Grove, pink, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Platinum Wedding

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

Unfortunately I’m not talking about the (fabulously funny) show… but we did have our own “platinum” wedding this past February… platinum, black, and white to be exact.

The stormy skies may have dampened anothers day, but I love that the bride proclaimed, “Well, I asked for a gray wedding, right? The weather fits right in!”

It was a gorgeous night…. lots of sparkle, but oh, so chic. Here are a few of the details:

Creeping flowers up black birch branches in custom-tin containers…

Orchids were hung from one of the lounge tents to create an art deco-inspired “chandelier”

Sequined linens paired well with minimalist arrangements…

Silver silk draping and white leather furniture created a hip space…

And the interior rooms for dinner will all about elegance… with a little bling, of course…

We had a silver graphic print designed to meet their mod tastes and carried this throughout the night, beginning with the save-the-dates, then on to the placecards, menus, etc.

The lighting in the dance tent was gorgeous!

Flowers were simple and elegant…

And of course the martini bar was a huge hit…

Beautiful!

Posted in blue, chandeliers, crystals, furniture, hydrangea, lighting, lounge, orchids, Silver, tent, William Aiken House | No Comments »

Golden night

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

I always call the hour before sunset “the Golden Hour” at The River Course Club on Kiawah Island because it always seems that the setting sun hits everything with the perfect glow. This fall 2008 bride wanted to bring out that natural gold light in her decor and a fabulous event resulted…

Rattan furniture created comfortable nooks around the porch, perfectly juxtaposed to the lush tent:

Gold tones shone throughout…

What a stunning view (note to golfers- this is on an award-winning course)!

Tags: furniture, gold, kiawah, lounge, rattan, rivercourse, roses, white
Posted in brown, cake, chandeliers, furniture, gold, kiawah, lighting, lounge, rivercourse, roses, tent | No Comments »

Sara and Ben- The William Aiken House

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

Seeing blue…

Sara received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her law degree from Duke, so was it any wonder her wedding ended up a chic combination of pale Carolina blue, deep Duke blue and crisp. clean white?!

Custom pillows matched the poppy motif from her printing and looked chic on the white leather furniture. The minimalist aesthetic was carried throughout from the white cymbidium stems in clear glass cylinders to the art deco crystal chandeliers…

No detail was spared from the orchid strands on the lanterns to the pale blue rendering of the bridal gown lace on the wedding cake….

AND– just to throw in a little “girly” into the mix, the pergola was lit in a hot pink that deepened as the night went on, ending in a simply stunning display as the bride and groom cut their cake and toasted each other as new husband and wife. Cheers!

Tags: blue, lighting, orchids, William Aiken House
Posted in black, blue, cake, chandeliers, furniture, lighting, lounge, orchids, Silver, white, William Aiken House | No Comments »

Visualizations and Transformations…

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

One of the most difficult things we face as wedding designers is helping clients “see” their wedding before it happens! We have to try to show bits and pieces and paint a picture of the potential as, after all, it’s impossible to put all the elements together and show a client exactly what their wedding will look like on the day of. Storyboards like these are fantastic, but can only take the mind so far…

But here’s a great example of what design elements carefully pulled together can do to a space… Ginny wanted the convenience of a downtown Charleston hotel wedding for her guests, but wanted the space to look like a South Beach nightclub… without any mod hotels in downtown we had to really use lighting, furniture, linen, and decor to transform the space!

Here’s the “before” shot of the Carolina Ballroom at the Francis Marion Hotel: