Destination Weddings

How to Disinvite Your Wedding Guests

Bells Will be Ringing, But You’re Not Invited

Couples around the world who dream of the perfect wedding are now forced into difficult decisions.  Because COVID-19 limits travel, closes wedding venues, and creates health concerns over large gatherings, many to-be’s have decided not to be for the moment. While some couples chose to postpone their nuptials, others decide to move forward with small ceremonies. This creates one particularly sticky problem. Invitations sent pre-COVID now have couples faced with the odious task of having to uninvite wedding guests to their smaller celebrations.

Intrigue is here to help you uninvited wedding guests this without causing offense!

Nobody wants to be on the cut list, but during a pandemic that continues to spread and threaten lives, people are likely to understand a couple’s need to create a small and safe celebration. In fact, there will be those who can not, or are unwilling to attend due to virus concerns.

That’s why your first step should be to check with the core wedding group (family, wedding party members) to see what their reaction is to a more intimate ceremony.  You may find that some are immunocompromised or can not travel due to restrictions. Some may simply be unwilling to take the risk.

Once You Make Initial Cuts..

The time has come to establish some sort of rule for cutting, such as family only.  To avoid hard feelings, the last thing you want is to make your decision seem arbitrary.  You might even consider a virtual option whereby disinvited guests are asked to participate via digital access.

When you decide on numbers and who you are cutting from the list, it is important to make personal connections with those you are uninviting.  A phone call is the best way to chat personally and explain your situation.  If not, then the best etiquette is to send a personalized card.

The message you convey will also go a long way toward saving hurt feelings. Begin by emphasizing how difficult your decision is and that it is made absolutely out of concern for the health of all involved.  A nice way to make the ex-guest feel important is to tell them there will be a full celebration at a later (post-COVID) date where you will be eager to see them.  Or, if a party is already part of your smaller plans, you might suggest that you would like to get together with them later one-on-one.

Finally, When the Wedding Day Arrives..

Consider what you put on social media.  Posts that include photos of attendees who are part of a group to which some of the uninvited belong are bound to generate ill-will.  For now, it might be best to stick to shots of the happy couple and maybe the wedding participants.

If you are on the receiving end of wedding guests disinvite, try not to take it personally.  COVID-19 is a serious threat and cutting a hundred person guest list down to a handful is no easy thing.  You were important enough to be invited and important enough for the couple to consider your health. And, yes, you should send a wedding gift even if you are uninvited.  It does not have to be the full Reed and Barton silver place setting you had considered.  Maybe something more modest.  Maybe a lovely pair of toasting flutes or an alloy wine chiller; something that says, “I understand.”

Written by, Megan Glenn

Charleston Bridal Suite at The Faber House

Faber Bridal Suite

The destination wedding dream for many newly engaged couples often includes historic streets, sandy beaches, and southern hospitality. Many come to fall in love with the traditional homes or unconventional settings to host the big day. This is why we wanted to create a beautiful bridal suite that represents all of what Charleston has to offer.

Intrigue is so excited to share our amazing bridal suite with all of the couples choosing Charleston as their wedding destination.  We have over 1200sqft of space that includes a private bridal dressing room, full kitchen, traditional Charleston Piazza, full furnished bridal suite, 52″ flat-screen TV, a beautiful outside courtyard, and much much more!

Our Charleston Bridal Suite has a full kitchen so have fun creating your own catering menu for your special day. If you don’t want to worry about the details reach out to our friends over at Caviar & Bananas and select one of their bridal menus.

In reality, Charleston may not be your home, but we will make sure the Faber Bridal House feels like that on your special day. Above all, you and your bridal party will want to savor every moment together and experience a wedding weekend to remember.

Our couples have the option of bringing in their own stylist or working with the amazing team at Silhouette on Site.

Located in the heart of Charleston at

635 East Bay Street

Charleston, SC

Why choose a hotel when you can have the full Charleston experience. 

 

Guide to Hiring a Destination Wedding Planner

Intrigue offers full-service destination wedding planning and design! Read and learn more about our years of destination wedding planning experience. Additionally, our complete guide to the befits of utilizing a destination wedding planner!

There is something special about getting married in the destination where your partner proposed. Whether against a backdrop of mountains or in the sand on a tropical getaway, the magic is there. As gorgeous as these locations are, do not forget the legwork that goes into planning a destination wedding. After all, there is more to take into account than the venue and location itself. Timing of your ceremony, the weather, and guest availability to travel are all concerns when destination wedding planning. But with a little help, you can plan memorable nuptials for you, your spouse, and your guests. Follow these tips to help you find the perfect destination wedding planner and pull off a destination wedding to remember.

It may come as no surprise that destination weddings require more coordination than staying close to home. Besides, paying attention to detail is crucial. Not only are you planning an event from a distance, but you are likely hosting multiple events over the course of the wedding weekend. Instead, there is the potential of developing weekend itineraries, not just your wedding ceremony and reception. The good news is, destination wedding planners like Intrigue can help you with just that.

Intrigue Design and Events Destination Wedding Planner Destination Wedding Planning imageIn addition to the comfort of knowing your wedding is in capable hands, destination wedding planners are here to ensure you have your dream wedding!

Set Your Mind at Ease 

Destination wedding planners ease your stress by answering difficult questions and providing solutions.  Regardless, we layout facts, and offer an unbiased, professional opinion. Planners are an invaluable asset when making hard decisions like rain contingency plans, postponing, or handling unwarranted surprises.

Expertise Where it Counts

Top destination wedding planners like Intrigue Design and Event, have years of experience, connections, and relationships. We handle every problem that arises with grace.

Locals Welcome

Select a planner who is familiar with your destination or has excellent resources there. Experience-based insight is not always available, by simply searching online. In addition to knowing the best vendors to work with and suggesting the months for optimal weather, we recommend hidden gem locations to visit and eat.

Intrigue Design and Events Why Destination Planners are Valuable

In addition to traditional wedding planning duties, here is a list of common tasks we are responsible for:

 
  • Provide guidance based on knowledge and local research on laws, permits needed, marriage license requirements, etc.
  • Offer you select vendors and a venue best suited to your guest count, budget, and vision.
  • Help produce a realistic budget based on your needs and desires.
  • Offer travel guidance and advice to help you and your guests plan the trip with confidence.
  • Create contingency plans for rain and other unforeseen road bumps.
  • Coordinate with vendors and the venue, timeline management, and family management.
  • Manage RSVPs and guestlists.
  • Catering negotiation, communication, and management.

If you are not sure where to begin your search, here are helpful tips our team recommends!

 

Venue Insight

If you have your eye on a specific venue in your desired destination, ask them who their favorite destination wedding planners are. Ask questions pertaining to customer service, vendor management, organization, and professionalism.

 

Slide Into Their DMs

We know you save wedding inspiration pictures and now is the time to use them! Look to find the original designer, their location, and if they specialize in destination wedding planning.  Search hashtags, locations, and vendors located in your desired destination. Searching for wedding photographers on social media for your destination is a great resource to find like-minded planners.

 

True Testimonials

Read true testimonials from couples on platforms such as The KnotWedding Wire, or Google,  After reading, you will feel confident you can connect with your destination wedding planner and start to build trust.

 

Time For a Chat

Have an open conversation with your planner about your wedding day vision. Be completely transparent about expectations, and budget goals. You want a planner and team who mediate and solve problems on-the-spot. Additionally, those that make your aesthetic dreams come true. Ask about executed weddings and events. In fact, ask about when things went wrong and how a solution was reached.  Also, inquire about memorable wedding moments to get a feel for why we love what we do.

Anticipate Incurring Expenses

This includes transportation and lodging. If not station at the location, your destination planner will fly in a few days before to meet with your venue and vendors in advance. In some instances, location scouting may be necessary for the initial destination wedding planning process. Ask your planner to review these costs prior to receiving a proposal and signing a contract.

 

Utilize Modern-Day Technology

Some clients feel more comfortable traveling to their destination wedding location to tour potential venues. But it is not necessarily required. If flying out to your destination is not within budget or schedule, your planner can schedule a video chat with you and your vendors. By utilizing Facetime, Zoom, Skype, or any other realtime streaming platform, we virtually walk the venue space with you.

Organizing Your Wedding Inspiration

Guest Post from Aisle Planner

How to Clean up Your Wedding Inspiration Boards so You Can Find Your Perfect Wedding Style.

Wedding Inspiration and Planning

Oh to be an engaged couple freely pinning on Pinterest. Pinterest is this beautiful shiny black hole that you can easily enjoy getting sucked into. After all, long gone are the days where couples had to create wedding inspiration binders with clippings from magazines, now you can be flooded with grand and gorgeous images and with a click of a button. Regardless, you will find your Pinterest board full of a hodgepodge of color palettes and styles. For instance, having mint and coral beach wedding flowers found right next to the warm-colored cottage backdrop. Pinterest is your best friend until it is not.

With so much inspiration, it can be difficult to pinpoint the direction and focus you want for your wedding. However, this is confusing for you and your wedding planner. Wedding planners receive hundreds of photos and wedding inspiration boards. How will you or your wedding planner ever know exactly what you want? It’s time to clean up your inspiration boards and create style guides that will tie your wedding aesthetic into a pristine bow.

 

Getting Excited 

After all, you and your partner are complex humans with so many likes and sources of inspiration. However, it is common to have similar aesthetics or opposite ones that complement each other. Either way, most couples do not know exactly what they want for their wedding and that’s okay! Besides, there is so much to choose from and so many fun options. How can you only pick one!? Maybe you do not have to pick just one. You may be able to find a middle ground or blend styles to make a wedding uniquely yours. Think of a forest, rustic, rooftop wedding. It’s possible!

First Things First 

But first things first, at the beginning of the process, you are all bright-eyed and inspiration hungry. Nonetheless, everything looks so good and the world is full of possibilities, so it’s appropriate to go a little wild. See something you really like that definitely does not match your previous five pins? Save it! You are on a journey to finding the style that best represents your relationship. This is the first step to finding your wedding style. After all, every masterpiece had to begin somewhere and from a pool of ideas. Consider this your time to fill your wedding pool so you have ideas to work with.

Consider This 

But getting excited is such fun! First, there are no restraints, everything is good and all is imaginable. However, you realize that maybe you can not have it all and that having it all may not actually be what you want. In this case,  may feel overwhelmed with all of the options, but take a step back and take a deep breath…you got this. Now that the foundation is set, you can comb through your wedding inspiration and choose the ultimate favorites.

Find Your Wedding Style 

  • First, you will begin to notice a trend in your pins. Follow that trend and you will find that you and your partner are likely leaning towards a theme already.
  • Then, gain some perspective by thinking about the fact that all of the glamorous shots you are looking at were all staged to look perfect to engage couples like yourself. That delectable five-tier cake is probably not budget-friendly. Additionally, neither is the glass covering every inch of the table and chandeliers. Most of these images are not the most realistic and there is comfort in knowing that you can emulate parts that you like without feeling the pressure to have perfection.
  • In fact, trust each other and trust your instinct. Choose whatever brings you the most happiness and is a reflection of your love.
  • Finally, create specific boards and captions. This is the time to organize and clean the aftermath of the wild. You have your style chosen, stick to it, and organize by creating boards for every aspect of your wedding: favors, bridesmaid dresses, linens, flowers, etc.

 

We Have Your Back!

Now, you can organize on your own but having assistance from a wedding planner can go such a long way. Intrigue Events offers virtual planning so you can plan wherever you are and at any stage in the planning process. By giving you access to virtual consultants that walk you through the planning process, along with access to the Planning Tools, you can find the guidance you need. Also, as a helpful alternative to hiring a full-time planner, they can assist you in using and organizing your inspiration while incorporating both you and your partner’s personalities and styles into your wedding design.

We love using these tools to teach you how to focus your thoughts and ideas. Uniquely, you can use multiple boards, comment on photos, and even add other vendors! We are proud to be able to provide this service and guidance so that you can have your dream wedding style.

Reeling in your inspiration is a very doable and very satisfactory step that will get you closer to having a wedding that feels uniquely true to your love story.

Navigate Our Virtual Wedding Planning Program

Intrigue offers full-service wedding planning and has thoughtfully designed a virtual wedding planning program to help you navigate wedding planning.  Since 2008, Intrigue has planned destination weddings all over the world. As destination wedding designers, our norm is assisting our couples from afar. Now we extend our services to assist more couples by creating customized virtual design & planning packages.  

Our packages are here to help couples that may be working with a full-service venue, hired a Month-of Planner, looking for design assistance, or planning a small elopement.

Our Virtual Wedding Planning  Program Design Consultants are here to get to know you. We come to recognize your personalities, assess your needs, budget requirements, and bringing together your overall wedding vision. However, not only do we offer guidance, but we also offer the necessary tools through our wedding planning software. This allows you to organize your thoughts, designs, and vendors. Ultimately, creating a fun stress-free planning experience. 

Virtual Wedding Planning Program

It may feel like one notebook is not going to be enough as you start your wedding checklist.  Especially, for the next 12-months, 6-months, 3-month, or even the next 30 days. Our virtual wedding planning program consulting packages include access to our planners and the amazing wedding planning tools you need. Virtually Wed has you covered. We walk you through how to organize your budget, review vendor contracts, and customize your checklist. Not to forget, working through your wedding weekend timeline.

When working through the initial design process, we find our couples are overwhelmed by Pinterest. If you are one of these couples then our design consulting package is the perfect fit for you. Pinterest is a great resource for gathering inspiration, but can also seem like a wedding rabbit hole. 1 am Pinterest pinning, the uncertainty of not knowing which direction to go can cause of some overwhelming stress. However, this is what our Virtual Design Consults are here for. We will assist you through this process to organize your thoughts in order to create a cohesive design.

Virtually Wed Design Studio 

This is something we can not live without. We love this tool because we can take all of your ideas and separate them out by categories! This is great because it allows us to separate your ideas and concentrate on each individually. Additionally, there is a comment section to leave us a little note about what you like about the picture. We can share your design board with vendors to make your meetings with them more efficient. 

What is next? How to get started? How much time is needed with a Virtual Consultant? 

These are questions that we receive all the time. Your time and investment mean the world to us. We do not want to waste any time before we get down to the details. We are happy to set up a  FREE 30-minute consultation with you and your fiance. During the consultation, we will ask you a series of questions in order to get to know your personalities. Such as, where you are in the planning process and your planning stressors. From there we will determine which packages fit your needs best. 

Love is not canceled, and we are here to make sure you have the day you have always envisioned. 

5 Ways to Accommodate for Traveling Guests

It’s time to polish up the champagne flutes and pop open a bottle of bubbly because you’re getting married! You’ve finally bought your dresschose your venue, and sent out those gorgeous handmade calligraphy invitations that express you and your fiancé perfectly. 

But even if you feel that you’ve figured out all the details of your wedding, you still have out-of-town guests to think about. Because chances are, even if your guests have visited the destination previously, they’ll be looking to you for guidance on how to spend their time when they’re not involved in wedding festivities. 

It may feel like yet another stressor to wrangle family together and make everyone happy. But accommodating for traveling guests doesn’t have to push you to elope after all. Read on to learn how you can make everyone feel right at home on your wedding day.

Provide Your Guests a Welcome Bag


When your guests arrive, be sure to have a welcome bag prepped for everyone at the first event. Include items like a map of the local area, snacks, or a bottle of bubbly alongside your wedding itinerary and a personalized note thanking your guests for making it to the wedding. You may also consider including a personalized item like a monogram tote bag or a local magazine sharing the best things to do in the area, 

Whether you provide a welcome bag right at check-in or simply wait until the rehearsal dinner, this simple but lovely gesture will help your out-of-town guests feel right at home.

Invite Your Guests to The Rehearsal Dinner


Regardless of where or when you have the rehearsal dinner, you don’t want to skip out on having one if you have lots of out-of-town guests arriving for your wedding. Although your main event may leave you with plenty to do, guests who aren’t in the wedding need to be entertained.

It may also be a good idea to make sure there isn’t too much time before the rehearsal dinner. And, if you’re having a cocktail hour or meet up ahead of the rehearsal dinner, don’t leave too much time between the two events. Keeping your guests on a consistent schedule will make the weekend even more exciting for everyone.

Provide an Itinerary


You don’t want your guests feeling confused or out of the loop. Even if you provide your guests with a wedding itinerary in their welcome bag, make sure to check in with everyone individually if possible. 

If you’re having a larger wedding and it isn’t possible to speak with everyone ahead of the wedding, make your wedding website available for people to access the calendar of events. You may also consider putting members of your wedding party in charge of checking in with everyone to make sure they’re settling nicely.

Coordinate a Hotel Block

While some couples simply recommend places for their out-of-town guests to stay, it’s even better to take the extra step of coordinating a hotel block so everyone can stay in the same place. This is among the best ways to make sure your guests feel included in every activity. 

Plus, if other guests want to get together and do sightseeing, all they have to do is meet up in the lobby. We recommend using Hotel Planner to coordinate a hotel block. Make sure your hotel is in a fairly central location so it’s easy for guests to enjoy all the area has to offer!

Since most of your guests will likely stay more than one day when traveling for your wedding, give your guests some options of fun things to do outside of wedding festivities! Not only will your guests feel valued, but they’ll also have something fun to do while you’re prepping for the special day.

There are many ways to communicate the activity ideas to your guest. One easy way is to simply include a list with the welcome bag you provide for your guest. You can also include a “Traveling Guest” section on your wedding website in case you do not provide a welcome bag. If you are feeling a bit more creative, try to make a scavenger hunt or a check list of all of you and your significant others favorite places for your guests to visit. This will keep things fun and meaningful.

It can be stressful to figure out how to make all your guests happy but making their stay a little more fun will make the whole wedding experience even more fun for everyone. Of course, the best way to accommodate your traveling guests is to let them know how much you appreciate them. A simple thank you goes a long way!

Blog Contribution – Amanda Moore amandalmoore65@gmail.com

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Charleston Strong

David Tutera + Lifetime TV meets Charleston

Charleston is a gorgeous city full of unique wedding venues that fit almost any preference. We are so glad David Tutera with Lifetime TV My Great Big Live Wedding, decided to bring this opportunity to our town, and thrilled we were able to work together and truly demonstrate how Charleston Strong our community is!

This past February, us gals at Intrigue Design + Events  had the exciting opportunity to work with Lifetime TV David Tutera’s, My Great Big Live Wedding, in our location of choice—Charleston, South Carolina! Okay, so maybe we are biased since we are based out of this breathtaking place on the water called the Holy City. Charleston has an abundance of unique venues to choose from, and David and his crew certainly took advantage of this opportunity and we were honored to share in the process!

Having the opportunity to assist David and his team as well as these two high school sweethearts Chris Singleton and Mariana De Andrade, have the wedding of their dreams was priceless. With Chris’s love for baseball and starting spring training with the Chicago Cubs just a few days after he said “I do” we knew we couldn’t just have a their wedding at any venue. Can you guess? I am sure baseball park came to mind, but can you imagine building a full ceremony & tented reception in the middle of the field facing the water and centered off home base. Thanks to Shipyard Park  we were able to create something these two would never forget. However, a baseball field doesn’t come fully equipped with a wedding setup (weird, right?). Our team faced the task of utilizing our Charleston vendor relationships to construct this fabulous wedding venue! Charleston’s industry talent, such as Loluma EventsQueen Street CateringDarby Events, and Event works Rentals, were happy to lend their helping hand to David and his team to get this tremendous feat accomplished for this deserving couple. 

Shipyard Park was nothing short of accommodating for David’s plans, organizing its baseball practices around the production teams schedule and lending help when needed. Southern hospitality extends beyond everyday manners, it would seem—most venues in Charleston have offered assistance and thoroughness beyond what might be expected. In addition to this, the city’s various event spaces are unique due not only to their Charleston charm but their own distinctive features as well. Our city offers a multitude of centuries-old locations that are filled with gorgeous vegetation and seaside views, as well as more modern settings such as renovated historic buildings and newly-constructed ones. Examples, such as Lowndes Grove Planation, the  William Aiken House on King Street, 159 RutledgeLegare Waring House, and many more!

We are so glad David Tutera decided to bring this opportunity to our amazing city, and thrilled we were able to work together and truly demonstrate how Charleston Strong our community is. We travel the world for our couples and have visited cities such as Sydney Austria, Toronto Canada, Bahamas, Mexico, and many other city’s across the US and we are always humbled to share Charleston with our amazing couples. Creating a venue on a baseball field was definitely new for us and our city, but with the help of David’s crew, Chris and Mariana’s good-heartedness, and Charleston’s natural beauty and experienced vendors, our teamwork produced a memorable day for this young couple with memories to last a lifetime. 

Vendors

Venue | Shipyard Park

Floral | Lush Flowers

Rentals |Eventworks Rentals

Lighting | Loluma

Cake | Cakes by Kasarda

Photography | Kim Craven Photography

Entertainment | Darby Events + Cece Winan

Catering | Queen Street Catering

Bridal Ensembles | Focus on the Bride + Bari Jay Fashions

Elope or Bust?

You Decide

Wedding planners + married couples know how much preparation goes into a wedding—there are hundreds of little choices to be made and not a lot of time to execute the end result. But ultimately, it’s worth it….Right?

A lot of couples consider eloping because of that very question: Is planning a big wedding really worth it? Obviously, this is a complex thing to consider. There are all kinds of benefits and drawbacks to elopement and traditional weddings, but one thing is certain: the common perception of both events is changing.

Most people have heard their share of anecdotes about eloping. Spontaneous “Vegas weddings,” boat ceremonies in international waters, and simple courthouse services have started to become more popular; this probably has to do with a change in the perception of elopement over the last few decades. It’s gaining a more positive reputation, rather than being seen as a sneaky way for couples to wed without their parents’ approval or as a secretive last-resort for couples These days, the act has gained more respectability as an intimate, financially sensible choice. The increasingly positive perception of elopement is even reflected in pop culture. Spontaneous, secret, and low-key marriage ceremonies seem to turn out well!

As for traditional weddings, their reputation has remained fairly consistent, although many spouses-to-be are opting for ceremonies that break smaller traditions and better suit their personal interests. People are getting creative. There are a lot of options out there, and our understanding of what a wedding should look like is changing. Still overwhelmed? Planners love offering elopement packages as well..So, is elopement the way to go, or does the bad still outweigh the good?

All Cards on the Table..

Positively Pro

Attractive Price Tag

It’s true: weddings can be insanely expensive. You’re paying for every detail—from chairs and tables to flowers and sparklers. With elopement, most of those details aren’t included, so you don’t have to abuse your bank account over them. Due to the lack of guests, you won’t have to pay for catering, seating, transportation, decorating a large venue, or even accommodation (if it’s a destination wedding). The only things you’ll have to worry about buying are the necessities for you, your spouse, and whoever will be with you during the ceremony.

Stress Free is the Way to Be

For most of us, saving money decreases stress, but there are plenty of other things that you can avoid stressing over if you opt out of a traditional wedding. With an elopement, there are fewer guests to manage, fewer decorative elements to tweak, and a much looser schedule to follow—and even those things are assuming that you have any guests, decorations, or schedule in the first place. In the end, a smaller ceremony lets you take your mind off of the little things and focus all of your attention on your new spouse. In fact, that’s a pro of its own:

Intimacy is Key

Without a doubt, having your wedding day all to yourselves is special and personal beyond compare. Although a bigger wedding would allow more people and extravagance, the romance and intimacy of elopement cannot be overlooked; optimally, there are no distractions from one another during the ceremony that binds you and your partner together for life. It’s about just the two of you and your connection, rather than you as a couple in the wider family/community.

More Marriage, Less Wedding

In that same vein, elopement can make your big day all about marriage itself, focusing your attention on the lifelong love and commitment between you and your partner. A traditional wedding, on the other hand, usually requires that you split your attention between your new marriage and the party that surrounds it. Although a celebration can emphasize the excitement of marriage, it can also take away from the solemnity of the day itself.

You Me and Spontaneity

Up until now, I’ve mostly been concentrating on planned-out elopements, but it’s important to note that elopement is the perfect method for getting married without any planning at all. There’s something to be said for the passion and excitement that accompany spontaneity, especially with a decision as big as marriage. If you think you want to get hitched but you want it to happen in-the-moment, elopement is probably the best way to go.

Candid Cons

Where is the Personality

Although intimate, elopement doesn’t let you make the hundreds of little choices that typically go along with a big wedding, meaning that you might not feel like the ceremony is as tailored to your taste. There probably won’t be as many decorations, so choices like color scheme, types of greenery, and furniture arrangement won’t be as impactful to the ceremony’s overall look.

Lost Loved Ones

Some elopements include a few close family members or friends, but the guest list still has to stay relatively limited. Even if you have ten of your closest people with you, there will probably be others that you wish were there, too. Also, many couples consider eloping without anyone but an officiary and a required witness. This method, though very private and significant to the participants, is even more likely to result in regret over absent parties. Getting married can be stressful regardless of how it’s done; eloping may not bring as much pressure as a traditional wedding, but you still might want someone other than your spouse there to support you and calm any nerves.

Is Bigger Really Better

For many people, the festivity and socializing that come with a bigger wedding are an important element of their big day. Also, a little vanity can be justified—a lot of couples look forward to all of the attention being focused on them, their love, and their bond for just that one day. With elopement, there won’t be as many people there to give you the gift of their attention, excitement, support, or mere social presence. The lack of attendees and celebration can impact the significance of the ceremony, as well, making it feel like less of a big deal. So, these factors shouldn’t be considered lightly. They can be really important parts of a couple’s wedding day, but they may not be necessary for everyone.

Too Much Drama Mama

If you look up “elopement ideas” online, a lot of the results include tips on how to handle your family’s reaction to the concept. Along with judgement, you should also prepare yourself for drama or resentment from the people who hear about your plan to elope. More conventional people, especially family members, might feel that a wedding is a right extended to the couple’s family and friends rather than a privilege. They may take it personally that you’re not having a ceremony to which they will be invited, and these feelings could create tension between yourselves and your loved ones that you might not consider worth the trouble.

So, those are the ups and downs of eloping. What do you think—is it worth it?

2018 | What a Dream

2018 has been a dream and certainly one for the books. Filled with wonderful clients, top notch vendors, fabulous feats, new business ventures, inspiring ideas and design elements, challenges and growth, we say goodbye to 2018 and hello to the adventures of 2019. We say thank you as the year has comes to an end, and a new chapter of life begins. Reminisce with us in some of our most memorable events and milestones of the year.

 

 

 

Kat + Matt’s Wedding | Venue | The Cedar Room

Rentals | Snyder Events| Loluma
Photography| Catherine Ann Photography 
Floral| Roadside Blooms 
Catering|The Cedar Room
Entertainment| Darby Events 
Hair + Makeup|Paper Dolls

Leslie + Peter’s Wedding | Venue | Lowndes Grove Plantation 

Rentals|Eventworks | Snyder Events | Loluma | Ooh Events
Photography|Rachel Red Photography
Floral|Loluma
Catering|Patrick Properties
Entertainment|Darby Events
Hair + Makeup|Ash + Co.

 

 

Kristina + Nick’s Wedding | Cancun |Hyatt Ziva Cancun

Rentals|Love Memories Weddings
Photography|Love Memories Weddings
Floral|Love Memories Weddings
Catering|Hyatt Ziva
Entertainment|Hyatt Ziva

Charleston Food + Wine | Amaro Montenegro 

Kelly + Elias’s Wedding | Venue | Runnymede Plantation

Rentals| Loluma | Ooh Events | Snyder Events
Photography|The Image is Found
Floral| Roadside Blooms
Catering|Salthouse
Entertainment|Dj Rehab | Classical Charleston
Hair + Makeup|Pampered + Pretty

 

 

Collen + Andrew’s Wedding | Venue | Creek Club at I’on

Rentals|Snyder Events
Photography|Clay Austin Photography
Floral|Roadside Blooms
Catering|Creek Club at I’on
Entertainment|Darby Events
Hair + Makeup|Ash + Co.

Beth + Tyler’s Wedding | Venue | Legare Waring 

Rentals|Eventworks
Photography|Kaitlin Poirier Photography
Floral|Tiger Lily
Catering|Pampered Palette
Entertainment|Wilton Band

 

 

Ford – Team Building Event | Venue | William Aiken House

Rentals|Ooh Events | Nuage | Snyder Events
Floral|Roadside Blooms
Catering|Patrick Properties

Devon + Jeremy’s Wedding | Venue | William Aiken House

Rentals| Eventworks
Photography|Jolie Connor Photography
Floral|Frampton Florals
Catering|Patrick Properties
Entertainment|DJ Rehab
Hair + Makeup|Pampered + Pretty

RMC DMC |Rewards Weekend | Palmeto Bluff 

 

Catelyn + Luke’s Wedding | Venue| William Aiken House  

Rentals|Snyder Events
Photography|Aaron + Jillian Photography
Floral|Branch Design Studio
Catering|Patrick Properties
Entertainment|Epic Charleston

Intrigue Team Expansion + New Business Ventures

 

 

Updo’s for I do’s Launch Party | Venue | Cannon Green

Photography|Kelly Vann Calaway Photograph | Copahee Media
Floral|Roadside Blooms
Catering|In house
Entertainment|DJ Preach

Lauren + Austin’s Wedding | Venue | Lowndes Grove Plantation

Rentals| Snyder Events | LaTavola
Photography|Catherine Ann Photography | Dockhouse Digital
Floral|Frampton Florals
Catering|Patrick Properties
Entertainment|Paint by Chloe

Jazmine + Andrie’s Wedding | Venue | The Governor Thomas Bennett House 

Rentals|Loluma | Ooh Events
Photography|Aaron + Jillian Photography
Floral|Loluma
Catering|Cru Catering
Entertainment|DJ Rehab
Hair + Makeup|Lashes + Lace

The Event Group Weekend | Venue | The Charleston Place | Shipyard Park | Lowndes Grove

Intrigue’s 10 Year Anniversary

Kaley + Pete’s Wedding | Venue | Magnolia Plantation

Rentals|Eventworks | Lowcountry Entertainment 
Photography|Britt Croft Photography | Surrender Films
Floral|Roadside Blooms
Catering|Hamby’s Catering
Entertainment|DJ Rehab

Callie + Michael’s Wedding | Venue | The Cedar Room

Rentals|Eventworks | Loluma 
Photography|Clay Austin Photography
Floral|Roadside Blooms
Catering|The Cedar Room
Entertainment|Epic Entertainment | Classical Charleston

159 Rutledge Grand Opening

Rentals|Eventhaus
Photography|Kelly Vann Calaway Photography | Copahee Media
Floral| Juniper + Jasmine Designs
Catering|Cru Catering | Queen Street Catering | Mosaic Catering | Thurston Southern Catering
Entertainment|DJ Rehab

 

Charleston Wonderland NYE | Venue Memminger Auditorium 

Rentals|Eventworks | Nuage | The French Eclectic | Loluma
Photography|Magic Moments Photography | Low Country Films
Floral| Roadside Blooms
Catering|Salt Works
Entertainment|Quiana Parler + Friends

 

A Mindful Bride: Yoga Retreat

As a Bride,

you go to great lengths planning your wedding day to ensure everything will be picture perfect, enjoyed by your guests, and seamlessly executed. Of course all of these elements are extremely important, however, it is crucial to take time to prepare yourself mentally and physically for your big day! Yoga is the perfect outlet to rejuvenate your mind and body during the stress of wedding planning, and the perfect opportunity to relax with your bridesmaids before the big weekend. Treat yourself and your crew to a yoga session and brunch party here at the Rutledge House. Breath, let go of stress, relieve tension, enjoy the moment, and stretch your body. Have the instructor read passages that invoke thoughts of love and happiness. It will be the calm before the storm, literally!

 


 

Ditch The Studio: To make your yoga session an intimate affair, researchvenuesthat have private popup event packages, equipped with vendors and specialized personnel that will take care of the logistics and legwork for you.


 

Home Grown: After taking time to replenish your spirit and your mind, you and the girls can refuel your bodies by partacting in a healthful brunch. Take advantage of local artisans and indulge brunch-y selections such as cold pressed juices, Kombucha, organic blends of hot tea, chia seed pudding, homemade granola with almond milk, acai and smoothie bowls, avocado toast, and fresh heirloom bruschetta.