Receptions: Paperwhite

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Behind the Scences - Courtyard Chic

Paperwhite

Crisp, clean, & contemporary design

Number of guests: 80-100
Cost: $100,000
Event Design: Tara Guérard

Today’s Charleston weddings are all about mixing the hospitality and charm of the Old South with modern aesthetics. Soirée by Tara Guérard did just that as they transformed the Gibbes Museum of Art’s intimate back courtyard into a garden of paper florals. “This ceremony and reception is for a young couple,” says Tara. “It’s fresh, it’s ‘green,’ and it still illustrates what people want when they choose Charleston.”

Setting & Décor
“A lot of young brides want traditional dress shapes with lots of flourishes,” says Tara of the Oscar de la Renta gown that inspired this bloom-filled reception. To get the look, the gals of Soirée crafted 60 flowers in various sizes and styles from recycled tissue paper and fastened them to everything from the fabric curtain sheers that formed the backdrop of the ceremony site to stems of champagne glasses. “You could organize a whole bridal shower around making these paper flowers,” says Tara.
Playing off the white paper decorations, she added mercury-colored tables, hurricane lanterns hung with platinum satin ribbon, gray silk pillows, white upholstered sofas, and white lacquer stools to create a polished scene.

Food & Drink
Because Southern weddings often feature hors d’oeuvres rather than sit-down dinners, Iverson Catering created hearty tapas, like shots of butternut squash bisque and walnut-encrusted goat-cheese fritters, as a nod to the tradition. The tapas were served from one bar while a second, fully stocked drink bar stood nearby.

Sustainability
Besides incorporating an abundance of recycled paper, Tara included other green elements amidst the event. Scores of beeswax candles were grouped throughout the site on tables and in lanterns to minimize the need for electricity. And opting for one downtown location for both the ceremony and the reception meant guests created a smaller carbon footprint as they could theoretically walk from their hotels to a single spot for the day’s events—never stepping foot inside a car.

Paper Flowers

Ingredients: 

• Varying sizes of recycled tissue or crêpe paper
• Clear tape
• Floral wire
• Zig-zag pattern scissors or pinking shears

Directions: 

Step 1: Lay a full sheet of tissue or crêpe paper flat on a level surface. Fold the sheet in half: first lengthwise, then crosswise, and crosswise again.

Step 2: Hold the paper on the folded edge and use the zig-zag scissors or pinking shears to cut edges. You can use other pattern scissors to create a textured collection of flowers.

Step 3: Secure the flower by tacking the base of the folded paper with clear tape.

Step 4: Unfurl your paper bloom, securing with small pieces of tape as needed to create a full shape.

Step 5: Use floral wire to mount your flowers to chairs, light fixtures, and table settings. See thefull fête for more ideas.

• Also check out www.nashvillewraps.com for a selection of eco-friendly tissue paper.

Variations & Ideas:

1. Paper Boutonniere
To make mini paper flowers, cut paper to 4-by-4”. Follow directions above. Wrap wire stem with floral tape and ribbon and finish with a pearl-headed pin.

2. Paper Bouquet
Bunch medium sized blooms together and secure with floral tape. Cover tape with satin ribbon.

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