bringing out what is most important on your wedding day.
When it comes to designing your wedding day, there can be so many points of information and opinion. It can be hard to decipher what elements you want to bring to life and what ones should just stay in the past. The best way to ensure your wedding feels like you, is by letting go of the noise and really think about what is important to the two of you as a couple. Once the engagement excitement wears off (as if it ever really does), take some time to really discuss how each of you always pictured your day.
Also think about what are some unique details about your love story and how you met, who has helped you get to this point in your life and how do you want your guests to feel as they support you in this next chapter?
At the end of the day, one element that is arguably the most important is the family and friends that surround you. How can you highlight some very special guests, is there a family tradition that you want to highlight or has there been a friend that has seen you through all of the roller coaster rides?
the first introduction
While designing weddings in South Carolina, there were many special stories that made an impact on how we designed our couples’ wedding celebration. Here are some examples of how you can incorporate your love story into your wedding day.
For Andrew and Hannah, they met because of their adorable pup - Hayes. Hannah adopted Hayes shortly after moving to Charlotte. With every day walks by a salon, Hannah and Hayes struck up a friendship with one of the stylists. This very stylist had known Andrew for over a decade and recommended the two connect. Hannah reached out, asking Andrew to go to the salon for Hayes' first grooming, and the rest they say is history. With this sweet beginning, we highlighted Hayes on their welcome cards, he was a part of the ceremony and he was not missing any photo opportunities.
The family memories
Palmetto Bluff is a special place to the Lemmer family who has lived there for many years. Over this time, they have enjoyed family time exploring the dirt roads on bikes, eating s’mores by the fire and climbing the famous five-story tree house. With their wedding hosted at Montage Palmetto Bluff, they wanted to make sure their guests were able to explore all of their favorite spots on property along with a functional map to ensure no one got lost. To do this, we provided notes of all of their favorite places that accompanied a beautiful watercolor map by Meredith Stroud at Lowcountry Paper Co. It acted as their welcome note placed in welcome bags made with love by the bride and groom.
the family heirlooms
For Lexi and Brett, Lexi’s late grandmother had an extensive blue and white willow pot collection that is truly special to their family. At first we were going to ship some pieces of the collection from home, but not wanting to risk any issues or breakage, we worked with our florist and pulled pieces from her collection that resembled those in storage. We added small pieces throughout the day so that guests would know Grandma was close by. There were touches at cocktail hour along with the card and sign in table that housed photos of their parents and grandparents at their weddings.
wedding designer memories
Some additional very special moments as a Montage Palmetto Bluff wedding designer that I have been able to witness are proud fathers giving their daughters away and even fathers officiating with special advice as their family expands. Having a bride write and record an incredibly special song for her father that became their father-daughter dance and a surprise for all of their guests. A beautiful way a bride was able to have a special nod to her mother was by wearing an altered wedding dress at the rehearsal dinner. And what if this special person isn’t going to be able to attend? For one wedding, we chose to highlight the flower that was the namesake, Daisy, and what a beautiful tribute it was for the spring wedding in South Carolina.
These are just a few ideas on how to bring out the elements in your life that are important to you individually and as a couple as you begin your life together. We believe that there needs to be a balance between honoring traditions that are important to your families, while also ensuring you are bringing elements that reflect your modern life. That is where we work with you to make sure your day truly feels like the two of you.
What are some of the elements and traditions that are important to you? Are there any traditions that you feel pressured to keep but they don’t align with who you are now? Are there any pieces of advice in selecting these details that you have found most helpful? We would love to know, as we are always learning and looking for new ways to create a one-of-a kind guest experience.
If you are having trouble finding some inspiration, click here to see where we look to find it - hint, it’s every where.
