Low-country Luxury
Event producer Tara Guérard of Soirée drew upon Charleston’s old-school charm and the elegance of black-and-white to craft a ceremony and reception rich in symbolism and style. Guérard turned paisley wallpaper into a dramatic aisle runner for the ceremony, establishing the print as a key wedding element to appear throughout the party. "Malabar Black and White" paisley wallpaper, from Lee Jofa Wallpaper by Cole & Sons, leejofa.com. Table and benches from Snyder Event Rentals, 800-932-5381 or snydereventrentals.com. Tablecloth from Immediate Tablecloth, 800-524-2588. Footed hurricanes, from Soirée, are filled with dried peas and candles. Wreath made of wallpaper and Fuji mums. Event design by Tara Guérard of Soirée in Charleston, SC, 843-577-5006 or soireecharleston.com. —Betsy Goldberg
Historic Romance
The William Aiken House, 843-853-1810 or williamaikenhouse.com, a restored 19th-century home in downtown Charleston, serves as the ceremony and reception site. The property, a popular spot for weddings large and small, features two Victorian-style ballrooms with piazzas, two Carriage House suites for overnight guests and one acre of well-kept grounds.
Fresh Ideas
The bride’s bouquet, the groom’s boutonniere and even the flower girl’s pomander bouquet were made with green blooms exclusively, though each was wrapped or adorned with white fabric and black ribbon to carry on the theme. The bride’s bouquet is a bountiful mix of green blooms—spider mums, amazon coleus and succulents; white fabric wrapping and a woven black ribbon tie it into the wedding design. Event design by Tara Guérard of Soirée in Charleston, SC, 843-577-5006 or soireecharleston.com.
Girlish Green
The flower girl carries a square "kissing ball" made of green spider mums; kermit mums are knotted into the dotted ribbon. Event design by Tara Guérard of Soirée in Charleston, SC, 843-577-5006 or soireecharleston.com.
Verdant Hues
Succulents and green amazon coleus come together in a lush groom’s boutonniere. Event design by Tara Guérard of Soirée in Charleston, SC, 843-577-5006 or soireecharleston.com.
Stir It Up
Apple green also made its way, of course, to the signature drinks. Pastis martinis were poured into short, conical glasses sitting in crushed ice, and added black licorice sticks as a fun garnish. "We love having the drinks ready on trays so that guests can get them fast, as they’re walking in to the cocktail hour," says Guérard. "If the drinks are creatively done, they also become a conversation piece." "Clio" martini glasses (including bowls), $10 each, from Crate & Barrel, 800-966-9960 or crateandbarrel.com.
Couched in Fantasy
Another striking green element was a tented lounge area meant as a relaxing spot for conversation during the party. Here, the indoors were brought outside, in the form of sleek white couches accessorized with green-and-white pillows by Redux and Charleston, 843-722-0697. Urns filled with dried peas and candles were used this time to create dim lighting and a low-key atmosphere. Black piping on the couch cushions, black-stained wooden coffee tables and a black-and-white paisley lantern overhead all brought the party’s decor scheme to the tented mingling area. Banquettes, ottoman, tables and glass hurricanes filled with ivory pillar candles and dried split peas, all from Soirée, 843-577-5006 or soireecharleston.com. Hanging lantern (made with the wallpaper) by Ann Yancy for Y Designs, 843-708-4127.
Local Delights
Even the food doubled as decorative and symbolic elements. For starters, sweets and savories from the region, such as candied pecans and benne-seed wafers (sesame-seed cookies), were included in paisley-print welcome bags for guests. Bag and clear boxes from Bags & Bows, 800-225-8155 or bagsandbowsonline.com. Calligraphy by Elizabeth Porcher Jones, 843-209-7545.
Exquisite Taste
Tuna tartare hors d’oeuvres were artfully arranged on crostini "spoons," and dill-, paprika- and cumin-dusted balls of goat cheese resembled tiny truffles. Food by Executive Chef Ryan Herrmann for Fish, 843-722-3474.
Colorful Cuisine
The main course, wild salmon with teardrop tomatoes and pesto coulis, continued the reception’s organic feel; served alongside a plantation-rice cake, it was also an example of local fare. Food by Executive Chef Ryan Herrmann for Fish, 843-722-3474.
Fine Prints
The centerpiece of kermit mums and amazon coleus pops against stark-white table linens; a shotglass filled with dried split peas holds the table-name card. China, crystal, flatware, tables, chairs and napkins, all from Snyder Event Rentals, 800-932-5381 or syndereventrentals.com. Napkin ring made from "Malabar Black and White" paisley wallpaper, from Lee Jofa Wallpaper by Cole & Sons, leejofa.com. Calligraphy by Elizabeth Porcher Jones, 843-209-7545.
Charleston Triad
A trio of apple-green confections feature an ornate paisley pattern "stitched" in white icing. All three cakes have butter-cake layers brushed with Triple Sec, filled with Key lime curd, and iced and decorated with Italian buttercream. Cakes serve 180, $1,125, by Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal, weddingcakesbyjimsmeal.com.
A Southern Send-off
For the favors, tea leaves and strainers were placed in wallpaper-adorned bags. Boxes, $4 for five, from Paper Source, 888-727-3711 or paper-source.com, filled with Charleston Tea Plantation black teabags, $18 for 24, from Wadmalaw Island, americanclassictea.com. Ribbon from M & J Trimming, 212-391-9072 or mjtrim.com.
