Truth time: Sometimes we get these engagement sessions and straight-up envy the charmed Instagram-worthy lives the couples seem to live. And Kaitlin and Allan’s shots could do just that. But....
Inspired Reception Shoot at Boals Farm
Event Design by Pure Luxe Bride
Photography by Monica Gauthier
We pretty much gasped when this ridiculously vibrant celebration came across our desks. "We are not afraid of color and wanted to show how it can be done right!" laughs planner Francesca DiSalvo-Follmer. Right, indeed. The mix of hues, the depth of the shades, the pops of gold, and the balance between the rustic setting and the decadent appointments show how a chorus can create fabulous harmony. If this is what it looks like when the pros get a chance to play out their design fantasies, just think what they can create with a few guideposts from you. Read on for details and tips to make your own reception as divinely detailed as this special day at Boals Farm.
Host a colorful Celebration
❶ Set the tone. Invitations are the first impression of your wedding. Here, calligraphy and hand-painted watercolors roll out a colorful statement for the festivities to come.
❷ Follow the signs. On the Big Day, signage is often the initial introduction to your wedding. Best bet for a polished look that adds to the décor rather than detracts from it? Add a line item for signs when you budget for your basic printed materials (save-the-dates, invitations, placecards).
❸ Choose a muse. When the Pure Luxe Bride team found this floral napkin, the rest of the event’s design bloomed. “We referred back to it for each element of the design process,” says planner Francesca DiSalvo-Follmer.
❹ Mellow out loud statements. “Watercolor helped to soften the designs and let us use bold colors without those being too dominating,” says Francesca. The watercolor flowers on the cake were just one example.
❺ Pick and choose. “To keep prices low, opt for specialty items only on your head table and let it be the showcase,” says Francesca. An alternative, she says, is to incorporate specialty china or glassware on all the tables for initial impact, and then stock the bar with basic plates and glasses.
❻ Trip out on china. Vintage china patterns provide great color and decoration. Use gold paint pens on thrift store finds and mount those in frame stands.
❼ Pump up the pops. Amplify the impact of color statements when you add them as accents. Here, chairs in pale coral make the bride and groom seats a focal point.
❽ Take every opportunity. Even drinks are a chance to add color. Vincenzo DiSalvo with Salthouse Catering created this “Something Blue” cocktail with local ingredients: High Wire Hat Trick Gin, Jack Rudy Tonic, blueberry juice, muddled mint, and club soda. For fun, he garnished glasses with mint and a spiked a pickled blueberry and lemon wheel.
Vendors
Event design, pillows, floral napkins: Pure Luxe Bride, www.PureLuxeBride.com
Florals: Anna Bella Florals, www.AnnaBellaFlorals.com/charleston_floral_designs
Venue: Boals Farm, www.BoalsFarm.com
Photography: Monika Gauthier, www.MonikaGauthier.com
Rentals: Event Works, www.EventWorksRentals.com; 428 Main Vintage Rentals, www.428main.com (bar cart); Innovative Event Services, www.IESProductions.com
Catering: Salthouse Catering, www.SalthouseCatering.com
Cake: DeClare, www.DeclareCakes.com
Beverage: High Wire Distilling, www.HighWireDistilling.squarespace.com
Bar service: Salthouse Catering, www.SalthouseCatering.com
Cocktail napkins: Made on Marlow, www.MadeonMarlow.com
Stationery, signage: The Silver Starfish, www.TheSilverStarfish.com
Watercolor: Britt Bates, www.BrittBates.com
Calligraphy: HR Deneau Paper Co., www.HRDeneauPaperCo.com
Bride’s attire: (gown) Lazaro from Gown Boutique of Charleston, www.GownBoutiqueofCharleston.com; (jewelry) Kiawah Fine Jewelry, www.KiawahFineJewelry.com
Beauty: Paper Dolls, www.MyCharlestonWeddingHair.com (hair and makeup)
Groom’s attire: (suit) David’s Tuxedo, www.DavidsTuxedos.com; (bowtie) Wickhamhouse Shop, www.Etsy.com
Models: Gregory Keys; Taryn Berger
Transportation: Lowcountry Valet & Shuttle Co., www.LowcountryValet.com
