From Vision to Reality: Breaking Down Wedding Designs
The Sailcloth Garden Wedding
You may see an outstanding wedding and stand in awe over the immaculate results, however, what you don’t see is the time it takes to carefully take that individual love story and bring it to life through design and execution.
With each event comes months of consideration and preparation to ensure that, when the day finally comes, it’s everything our couples have ever wanted - AND more! As a wedding planner, our job is to make your vision a reality. So, how did we pull off this stunning sailcloth garden tent? As we approach the one-year anniversary of this pastel dream, our lead designer, Allison Newton, is breaking down this one-of-a-kind day, from the initial concept to the final toast.
The Creative Journey
Great designs are formed by laying a solid foundation and outlining a realistic roadmap. In the early stages of any event plan, we work with our couples to fully understand who they are and what they’re looking for. Then, we dive into building out concepts that capture their true essence.
Our first few meetings consisted of inspiring mood boards and budget breakdowns that allowed us to gain a better idea of what we would be able to accomplish, given our couple’s desires and their boundaries.
With this client in particular, we were actually brought in to help revise their vision and bring it to the finish line. They already had a good idea of what they wanted, but weren't set on exactly how to bring it all together, within the budget that they set. We started our first meeting by reviewing what they already loved about their vision and what could be improved. We talked about how they wanted their guests to feel really comfortable, despite it being a black tie event. They wanted to be really intentional about sharing their love, warmth and their personalities.
Over zoom, they showed me their home that they had lovingly designed and we pulled a lot of inspiration from some of those elements. After this initial call, we put together a REALISTIC budget to show the elements that were pushing them out of their comfort zone and how we could bring everything back in line to where they needed it to be.
Later, we dove into an in-person design meeting. We had a table mock up of their centerpieces and some of their favorite linens and chairs that we had shown them on a design deck prior. We played with combinations of bright bold colors, fun textures, and made sure to take steps back to ensure it would all be cohesive throughout the day and in their space. We talked about elements that were really important to bring in their personalities. For example, the bride carries around small vessels of Irish Sea Salt, so we knew vintage glass salt cellars at each table would make guests feel like they were sitting in their home for a dinner party. Linen patterns for the tables were reminiscent of wall papers in their home and again, to make sure guests felt comfortable and playful, we settled on stunning hand painted menu cards from Momental Designs with icons of the meal ahead.
The design meeting lasted for about 2 hours and was completely productive. After we had a new design plan, rental quotes were confirmed in the following weeks, and our team created a production schedule to ensure smooth setup between all of the vendors involved.
Let’s face it, weddings like this aren’t born overnight. They’re perfectly curated, over time, to ensure that all bases are covered and all ‘t’s’ are crossed. Remember, every detail matters - from the story behind it all and the couple’s unique personalities to their aesthetic taste and logistical hopes - leave no stone unturned.
Behind the Scenes Tips & Tricks
Wedding planners don’t just design for your event. During this time, they truly wear just about every hat. They pair you with the perfect vendors, they project manage, they prepare for every possible unexpected moment or crisis, and most importantly, they’re there to accommodate you with anything you may need.
Whether you’re hosting a nearby ceremony or faraway celebration, the amount of effort remains the same.
For this particular wedding, we had eight DESIGN vendors to manage for the wedding day alone - from tent build, lighting and tablescape. Our team fully manages these details flawlessly. We start by sending out a detailed production schedule - think of your typical wedding timeline, but then add about 6 pages worth of information. All vendors and staff are given the full production plan along with detailed floor plans and the design deck so that they have all of the information they need and more!
Here we really lay out specific load-in times for each vendor, the items that they will be loading on that day and what time we are hoping they are finishing up so that the next layer and vendor can get started. We chat this through with each vendor weeks in advance to make sure they have everything they need logistically and that we have calculated timing currently for the project at hand and other events they may also be setting. We never want a vendor waiting on someone else because we didn’t do our due diligence to ensure smooth setup and breakdown.
For vendors that may not know the location or if it’s at a private home, we pull up Google Maps and talk through exact movement, so that everyone feels fully prepared when the weekend arrives and last minute questions can be left at the minimum.
We think through questions like, is there enough space for these large trucks to pull up? How many vendors will we have at any given time, do we need to space people out further so there is more space to move around? What items need to be placed first versus can wait until later? How complex will this new design element take to install?
Without professional coordination and oversight, you run the risk of hitting roadblocks and experiencing last-minute issues - and on a day like this, who wants that?
A Pastel Garden Transformation
Once all of your designs are finalized and your date is secured, it’s time to transform the venue space into an oasis that is customized perfectly for you.
From the outside looking in, it may seem as though things happen instantly as soon as the date comes. However, in most cases, we’re way ahead of the curve - starting days before the event even commences. To pull off this pastel garden reception, we coordinated our vendor arrivals and started the sailcloth tent set up three days in advance.
Here’s how we did it:
Installation for this tent began on Wednesday morning bright and early for the Saturday celebration. We measured everything out, made sure we were happy with the location and the team got started with the tent and flooring. By Thursday, final touches on the flooring were done, lighting was going in and bigger pieces like the bars, dance floor, and the band stage were in place by the early evening. The catering tent and generator, items that you typically don’t see or think about are also placed on this day - in plenty of time to make pivots, if needed.
On Friday, tables and chairs go in so that we have time to make sure everything is spaced correctly. We want to ensure your guests are able to move around comfortably and there aren’t any spaces that are too tight that they may create a bottleneck. Floral installations get started as well in the ceiling and entry way of the tent along with ceremony location as well. These pieces are works of art that truly take time and attention to build from scratch every time. For this wedding and most of our full-weekend celebrations, our team splits into two on this day. One is managing the tent build while the second is setting the rehearsal dinner and welcome party as well as conducting your actual ceremony rehearsal with you, your wedding party, and immediate families.
Once Saturday morning arrives and you have gotten a good night sleep post rehearsal dinner and welcome party, our team is back and ready to put those final touches in the space. Linens are put on the tables and steamed. Chargers, glassware and flatware are all placed along with specialty details. For this wedding, we used custom artwork by the couple's friend on the bars that we needed to perfectly center and secure.
Again, this is just the tent - our team seamlessly takes on the ceremony location with double checking chairs that are straight and we have the right count, that the aisle runner is down and secure once flowers are done so that it doesn’t get ruined before the big walk down the aisle. We are at the cocktail hour space, ensuring linens and flowers are set, the specialty bar sign is in location and that despite the beautifully refreshing breeze, nothing is toppling over.
From pastel florals arrangements and tortoise accents to personalized menus and beautiful tiered cakes, each wedding should come together exactly how a couple has always envisioned it - regardless of what it takes to set it up.
A Day to Remember, Forever
Before you know it, the best day of your life will come and go and soon enough you’ll be left with a lifetime of loving memories that you’d experience over and over again, if you could. Regardless of the location, season, venue, or backdrop, you deserve to feel an endless amount of love on your wedding day.
Through countless details and hours of preparation, you will achieve the design you’ve always dreamed of. Embrace the journey, cherish the moments, and above all, enjoy every step you take towards saying “I do”.
If you're looking to kickstart your 2024 or 2025 wedding or event planning, get in touch with our team today, and let us craft an unforgettable experience tailored just for you.
Learn more about Allison Event Design and our services at www.allisoneventdesign.com.
