From Vision to Reality: Breaking Down Wedding Designs - The Tented Garden Wedding
Planning a wedding may seem like an inspirational journey of blending thoughtful ideas with aesthetically pleasing designs, but what you often don't see, while dreaming of a stunning finished product, are the months (sometimes even years) that it can take to bring an event from a mere vision into a striking reality.
As each individual piece is carefully assembled throughout the planning process, even more lies ahead as the day approaches. While we would love to wave a magic wand and “poof!” the design magically appears, it’s up to us wedding designers and our skilled vendors to create, manage, and build the numerous components that make up a special day.
So, how did we go from the shell of a tent structure to this fairytale garden oasis? Our expert designer, Allison Newton, is breaking down one of our most iconic wedding designs in 2023 to give you the inside scoop on how she meticulously weaved the narrative of love into every detail of this breathtaking event - from start to finish.
The Creative Journey
The first step to a flawless wedding is a clear vision.
As a wedding planner, we know that the best events are born when the love story, values, and personalities of the couple can be felt through the designs. So, in the early stages of planning, we worked to fully understand the couple’s vision and what their main goals were for their big day - from both an aesthetic and logistical standpoint.
We talked through design inspiration, venue locations, ceremony features, and non-negotiables and then, we started building out our design decks to help with visualization. Here are some things we included for this garden masterpiece:
Moodboards: Moodboards served as a great tool to establish a jumping off point to showcase different ways that the theme could be well-represented throughout each and every detail. For this couple, we wanted to highlight some special places that represented the different chapters in their lives. For example, the flowing hydrangea floral centerpieces that draped each table, linked us to their New England roots while pulling together design concepts that were both inspiring and modern for a garden party twist.
Functionality: Outlining goals and looking at the logistics of a potential event was super important when inching towards a final design concept. We highlighted what was feasible, based on the couple’s budget, and what was necessary from a labor standpoint to accomplish all they were hoping to.
Finalizing: Once all bases are covered, we worked with the couple to lock down a final design concept and event plan. Then, the real magic happened!
The curation of this garden wedding theme required heartfelt exploration to achieve its subtle charm and elegant feel that landed it as one of our favorite designs of all time.
Behind the Scenes Tips & Tricks
Regardless of the destination, preparations need to be made in advance so that the event day can go off without a hitch. This meant paying the proper attention to each and every venue need, taking the time to survey the land, preparing for unexpected weather conditions, and going the extra mile to preserve the integrity of the new garden tent.
For this event, our clear-top tent was not only our reception space, but a true statement piece within our design. However, it wasn’t just a matter of building a beautiful tent setup and filling it with outstanding decor. Here are some of the checklist items that we made sure to include in our plans to help us pull of an incredible outcome:
Surveying the Grounds: To ensure that our guests were going to be comfortably moving about the space and our stunning tablescapes wouldn’t shift, we set out ahead of time to scope out the land beneath our tent - and above. For this tent, we needed to line it up perfectly so that it centered behind the iconic Palmetto Bluff Mansion Ruins, while also tucking under the spanish mossed draped trees so that you still felt like you were dining alfresco.
Power Sources: Outdoor events require solid power too, so we made sure to double check the status of the venue’s power sources and bring in backup generators, for not only the catering teams and lighting, but most importantly our incredible wedding band!
UV Protection: Lastly, to avoid creating a greenhouse effect and to protect from any unwanted messes that could distract from the beauty and diversity of adding a transparent roof, we covered the clear-top with UV tarps that were removed only shortly before the event commenced.
Let’s face it, you can’t have outstanding events without putting time and effort into analyzing and organizing all of the details. Staying considerably mindful of the coordination that was necessary for hosting in an environment like this one, was pertinent to achieving the vision and goals that our couple outlined throughout the course of the design process.
A Tented Transformation
Arguably the most important phase of the wedding planning journey is the execution process. Afterall, what’s a beautiful design if we can’t seamlessly bring it all together?
Although weddings and events often only last for a few hours, they can take many days, sometimes weeks, to build - this one taking our team and vendors over four days to pull together. From tent setup to floral arrangement and tablescape installation, all hands were truly on deck leading up to the celebration day.
Here’s how we did it:
Vendor Collaboration: We sourced and collaborated with our trusted vendors to help us carry out both the structural and visual elements of the design. Each vendor was carefully picked with the couple’s dream goals in mind and had worked with us throughout the design process and up until the day of the wedding.
Design Installation: We knew that the tent was going to require additional time to build, so we carved out several days within everyone’s schedule to start the process. Once the tent was fully built and the floor was laid, our next steps are always the tables, stage and furniture. We leave our final stage the morning of the event, of setting the tables with linens, tableware and flowers.
Site Management: Not only did we give our vendors crystal clear direction, we showed up each day to monitor the progress and confirm that it was coming along the exact way that we imagined. This step can’t be missed, especially when you are working with a blank space. We had chandeliers custom created locally that we needed to make sure were the right height to make an impact, but not be on top of your head!
For every occasion, there are numerous elements that must be set in motion and coordinated simultaneously for an exceptional outcome. Acting as the orchestrator, a wedding designer oversees each individual component, ensuring they blend harmoniously together.
Creating An Unforgettable Day
Each event is unique in its own way - much like the love story of each couple. Whether it’s a garden setting or modern scene, timeless designs require attentive curation and a considerable amount of time and dedication to bring from a dream into reality.
With this celebration - we were highlighting the journey of our couple and some of their favorite places to spend time with their family and friends. The tent’s black frame was modern and industrial like the Boston Brewery where they first met. The flowers had ties to their New England roots and their Mountain vacations. Oyster shells were used in centerpieces, on the cake and even alluded to with their dinner chargers that all tied us to the Lowcountry, where the wedding was hosted. We chose to start the ceremony and day, classically with all whites and greenery. Once we were really ready for the celebration, we punched up the color and added some depth of fall without being too moody.
Even the small details of your story can come to life in a big way. Wedding designers understand the true art of details because even the ones you never would have thought of, truly matter.
If you're embarking on the journey of planning your 2024 or 2025 wedding or event, 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.
