Affairs to Remember - A Touch of Provence



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
Affairs to Remember - A Touch of Provence | Pull up a chair for this reception styled in the spirit of the French wine country 

Number of guests: 64

Estimated cost: $18,000

 

Having spent summers in Provence with her family, Anne Quattlebaum, owner of event design firm Bella, was fascinated by a particular tradition held by French winemakers. When a child is born, the family puts away a Salmanazar (a case of wine in one gigantic bottle) from that year; the vintage is later decanted to celebrate the child’s wedding. “I thought that was so charming,” she says. “For a bride and groom who share a love of wine and French food, a Provençal wedding is a relaxed, yet elegant way to go.” 

 

SETTING

Quattlebaum chose the Wickliffe House—an historic family mansion with double piazzas overlooking a lovely garden—for this French vintner-styled party. To import an authentic touch of Provence, she selected the purple colors of lavender and rosemary blooms, which she set off with special-order French majolica in warm shades of gold and yellow. 

 

INVITATIONS

Pulling details from the majolica plates, Alice Lemonade Designs handpainted the invitations and menu cards to match. “We found some lovely lavender and gold paper that pulled the color palette together,” says Quattlebaum.

 

DECOR

Topiaries of yellow and lavender roses studded with rosemary provide lush, soft shapes, evoking the formality of French gardens. Continuing the Provençal theme, the favors—rosemary plants in mini terra-cotta pots—accent each place setting.

 

FOOD

A Francophile’s delight, the three-course meal catered by Mediterra consisted of a vichyssoise infused with white truffle oil, tartare of beef tenderloin, and pan-seared whole trout with sauce mousseline served with haricots verts. “Soup certainly goes better with wine than a salad, and while lamb or beef would be an excellent main course, many brides prefer something lighter in the springtime,” Quattlebaum says.

 

DETAILS

Quattlebaum advises couples not to get overwhelmed. “I find that people often have one element that they feel is important, such as the cake or the flowers,” she says. “I tell them to use it as the centerpiece for the party design.”

 

Vendor List

Invitations by Alice Lemonade Designs

Catering by Mediterra

Cake by Kennedy’s Market & Bakery

Rentals from AAA/All Occasions

The Wedding Row

March 14 2019
Jaye and John fell for each other when both were students at the College of Charleston. Soon after they began dating, the pair headed to Savannah for a short trip and dinner at The Olde Pink House,...

March 13 2019
“My incredibly witty introduction goes here.” With that one liner, sent to Emilie over Match.com, Brian caught her attention, made her laugh and set off the relationship that led to this gorgeous Big...

March 12 2019
Elopements keep cropping up with good reason here: not only can wedding venues be hard to come by in Charleston these days (especially during weekends and on short notice), but also can you blame a...

March 11 2019
Houston, Texas, natives Haylee and Charlie have known each other since childhood; their families have been friends for years, and the two were even on the same swim team when they were eight years...

March 8 2019
Kristen didn’t know many people in Charleston when she moved here for a three-month rotation during medical school. Neither did Morgan, who had recently moved here to begin his residency at the...

March 7 2019
We welcomed in the New Year in a big way with these photos that popped up on our feeds. Two of them aren’t only among our most-liked ‘grams of the month, but are also among our most liked. Of. All....

March 6 2019
Here’s some good news for anyone struggling with that pesky mid-week slump: Your future hubby may be sitting next to you …  at this very moment. At least, that was how it went for Abigail and Grant....

March 5 2019
McKenzie and Ryan met during their junior year at the University of Toledo in northwest Ohio, when she moved in across the street from him. She already knew of a few of his roommates, who invited her...