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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.

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

Charleston Wedding Favor Ideas: Unique Sweet Treats

There is no better thank you than receiving a taste of Charleston’s local flare. Wedding favors are the perfect opportunity to share something about yourself and to highlight your wedding’s location. With these memorable Charleston treats you can leave your guests with a little way to savor your big day!

Creatively Clean: Spun With Love!

Spun sugar treats aren’t just for kids!
Pure Fluff Co. is a clean cotton candy cart company located in Charleston. They provide seasonally inspired flavors made with natural ingredients! Bring a unique experience to your wedding day through these whimsical puffs.

Where Mason Jars Meet Mouthwatering Dessert! 

Sweet Lulu’s Bakery & Cocktail Caravan is Charleston’s cutest kitchen on wheels. As mentioned in our look at Charleston food trucks for events, Sweet Lulu’s offers delivery services to any occasion directly from their customer built vintage inspired cavern. With personally-tailored labels and birch wood tasting spoons, your guests will fall head-over-wheels with this fun take on cake!

Made By Hand in Charleston! ‘Morning, Noon & Night’

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit keeps Southern traditions alive. With a variety of locally inspired sweet and savory flavors, Callie’s biscuits are the perfect morning-after breakfast for your guests. Package these puppies in a cute box for guests to enjoy the next day before heading home.

Taste the Original! ‘The New Donut’

Sweet Belgium, Charleston’s own Belgian waffle bakery, is where traditional methods meet exceptional creations. Send your nearest and dearest home with these incredibly fun and versatile bites!

Mix Things Up! ‘One of a Kind Small Batch Beverages’

Crafted and carbonated in Charleston, Cannonborough Beverage Company’s sodas are a playful combination of fresh pressed juices, hand picked herbs, and fruits at the peak of ripeness. Sipping surprises everyone can enjoy are always welcome. Provide a colorful straw and encourage guests to crack their favor during your toast!

A Look at Charleston’s Best Rehearsal Venues

You’ve said yes to your fiancé and to Charleston, now its time to start looking at dates and venues. When you’ve planned your dream wedding day, you want a rehearsal dinner location that matches its charm. Charleston is consistently ranked at the top of the country’s food rankings, and with the plethora of prime bars and restaurants, deciding on the best venue for the day before the big day is no easy task. Take a look at our picks for the city’s top rehearsal dinner venues to help you narrow down your selection.

Leon’s Oyster Shed

We invite you to enjoy a different event experience: a less formal, more relaxed gathering. Kick back, laugh loudly, and enjoy your celebration. Within a historic Charleston home, our space takes cues from much of the reclaimed, comfortable charm that makes Leon’s so inviting.

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Cannon Green

Inspired by the timeless beauty of a 19th century Charleston home, we honored her elegance, the wisdom of her years, by creating an airy, garden-inspired dining experience around it with a classic-meets-cosmopolitan ambiance.

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Charleston Distilling

Located on King Street, this independent, small-batch distillery creates handcrafted spirits for people who care about how things are made. Using only hand-selected grains, they bring only the highest quality spirits. Their space can handle large crowds and allows outside catering.

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Ink N Ivy

Ink N Ivy was created to eat, drink, N be social. The atmosphere of this eclectic restaurant is all about being yourself and eating the food you love. As soon as you walk through the door, you’ll be blown away by the cuisine and delighted by the selection of cool cocktails.

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492

Located in historic downtown Charleston, 492 showcases the city’s charm that diners are looking for from the vintage building to modern fixtures. Guests can enjoy Executive Chef Josh Keeler’s award-winning cuisine & handcrafted cocktails.

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Edmund’s Oast

The restaurant can accommodate 130 guests inside with seating at the expansive bar, communal tables, and plush booths throughout. The Bower accommodates 100 seated and 200 seated for cocktail receptions under the newly-opened temperature control structure.

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Élevé

Bohemian elegance meets Southern charm at the corner of Meeting & Wentworth streets. Discover modern American cuisine with a coastal influence while enjoying spectacular views of Charleston’s historic skyline. Élevé’s carefully-crafted menu completes an ideal venue.

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High Cotton

In the heart of historic downtown Charleston, High Cotton is the ultimate setting for distinctive wedding events. With its blend of Southern style and sophistication, High Cotton takes wedded celebrations, rehearsal dinners, receptions, and luncheons to new heights.

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Historic Rice Mill

The Historic Rice Mill offers the best of the Lowcountry. Breathtaking waterfront views, historic property, and a well-planned space, all tied together with scrumptious food and beverage options to create your dream wedding or bring your special event to life.

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Magnolia’s

The upper level gallery offers two elegant dining rooms located directly above Magnolia’s restaurant. The wine room accomodates 36 guests and the Primrose Room comfortably seats 85 with balconies overlooking Lodge Alley and its neighboring courtyard.

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Marions

Marion’s in the French Quarter is located on East Bay Street in the historic downtown area where you and your guests will appreciate the charm of surrounding cobblestone streets and get swept away by exquisite waterfront views of the harbor.

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Palmetto Cafe

Giant glass windows bring the outside inside in this dramatic garden-style setting. Dine al fresco in the lush courtyard, perfect for enjoying the Holy City’s ideal weather. The Palmetto Cafe combines the very best of American lowcountry cuisine.

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Poogan’s Porch

Tucked away on quaint Queen Street in downtown Charleston, Poogan’s Porch is one of Charleston’s oldest independent culinary establishments, with a fresh approach to Lowcountry cuisine. This beautifully-restored Victorian house offers the ideal setting for events.

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39 Rue De Jean

The Upstairs at Rue event space offers a private dining room that can be transformed to host your event, accommodating up to 200 guests. This unique space, overlooking Upper King street, features vaulted ceilings, exposed brick and a private entrance.

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Stars

With its premiere location in historic downtown Charleston, Stars is an exceptional event venue. They offer customized menus for parties as few as 15 to as many as 140. Their event specialists will work alongside you to ensure every detail is exactly as you imagined.

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The Alley

The Alley is not just a bowling alley; it’s a one-stop entertainment hub that has excellent food and beverage options. The Alley offers two event spaces, the Upstairs Messanine that can hold 40-100 guests, and the Bowling Bar space that holds 20-40 guests.

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The American Theater

It’s no surprise that one of the country’s most beloved and historic cities is home to an Art Deco gem like The American Theater. Today, this stylish event venue on Upper King Street sets the stage for life’s greatest scenes, perfect for weddings and dinner receptions.

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Virginia’s on King

The Upstairs at Virginia’s dining room is completely separated from the downstairs dining room. Purposely designed to host small receptions, rehearsal dinners, and bridal luncheons, Upstairs at Virginia’s is your ideal local arena for your special occasion.

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The Westendorff

The main floor contains their full-service restaurant with covered patio. The Warren Room, on the second floor, is a large banquet space with dining room and piazza. It serves as both an event space and a reservations only, family-style dining area for groups.

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