Bring a touch of spring to your table this season with these colorful settings!
Utilize emerald accents, suspended florals, bold colors, and loose arrangements. There is so much you can do, so let your table arrangement be a reflection of YOU. Use these for your own inspiration!
-xo Blake
Images via Pinterest
Happy Monday! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! At ACB, we have had quite the fall wedding season and as we wind down for a {very} brief minute, we would like to share some of our recent weddings with you. Here’s a few sneak peek snapshots of what we have been up to around Charleston these days…
An intimate affair at Lowndes Grove…
A gorgeous autumn wedding at the William Aiken House…
Dinner and dancing at McCrady’s…
Lighting up Lowndes Grove…
Spending a little time outdoors at the Legare Waring House….
Posted in: ACB, Blog, Decor & Design, Flowers, Inspiration, Outdoors, Real Weddings
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Baby’s Breath, typically a filler flower, often reminds us of cheesy cheap prom corsages. Recently however it has made a come back in a big way. When grouped by itself in the mass, we have found that baby’s breath can make a wonderful impact. Besides it’s stand alone understated beauty, it’s serious perk is that this feminine & delicate flower is a much more economic option to many other white wedding flowers.
At our wedding last weekend, we hung large baby’s breath clusters from the points in the tent. It looked gorgeous amongst the twinkling cafe string lighting.
We also had a baby’s breath wreath hung on the tree above the candy buffet. These simple baby’s breath statements throughout the event created the down home southern weddingy look we were going for. Both the brides dress & cake were lace & the daintiness of the babys breath helped recreate that lace look in a few of the floral pieces.
A couple of baby’s breath wedding tidbits & scenes that we’ve spied & loved are:
An all baby’s breath altar; created with wreaths & garland. Very elegant!
Incorporated in to a bouquet to help lend a soft, delicate feel- but also gives it some texture & depth.
Tied with burlap twine & paired with a linen suit. This baby’s breath bout & the monogrammed handkerchief screams chic southern wedding!
Or as lusciously large centerpiece. We love to pair this look with a simple white or silver vase.
If you don’t want to feed the birds during your exit, try a few of these different exit ideas.
Winter Wonderland
For an eco-friendly fake snow (and probably the only flakes you’ll ever see in Charleston), use dried mashed potatoes to send the bride and groom off in a flurry.
Wedding Wands
Not just for fairy godmothers! Painted dowels with ribbon (white is best for night events) are perfectly magical to wave as the bride and groom leave an enchanting evening.
Glowsticks
No techno music necessary- glowsticks in all colors and sizes are an inexpensive and fun way to leave the party.
Popcorn
Getting married in the American Theatre? Leave in a shower of popcorn (just go easy on the butter).
Feathers
No animals were harmed in the making of this beautiful exit idea. Simple, graceful, and elegant- your own version of Swan Lake on your special day.
Sparklers
Create a few sparkling moments with colored or white sparklers: mini-fireworks without the noise!
Rose Petals
White rose petals raining down on the bride and groom- timeless.
Tags:exit ideas, fake snow, glowsticks, popcorn, sparklers, wedding wands
Posted in: ACB, Blog, Decor & Design, Flowers, Real Weddings
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When you see a gorgeous flower arrangement, probably the last thing on your mind is where it came from or how much work it took to get every bud and stem positioned just so. Well, after a trip out to Summerville to visit our amazing florist, Jonie LaRosee, in her quaint workshop, I learned a thing or two about flowers that I NEVER knew.
Jonie LaRosee, our amazing florist
The drive out there was an adventure in itself- I followed Leigh in a giant rental Enterprise truck that she drove like a champ back to the Enterprise lot in North Charleston (if you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Leigh, she is petite and blonde and probably about .oooo1 % of the size of the rental truck). From there we were Summerville bound, jumping off the interstate to the strip of warehouses where Jonie’s shop is.
Jonie kept insisting that the shop was a wreck and nothing special, but I thought it was adorable, from the rows of vases lined up on the shelves to the bright green worktable next to the giant cooler.
There’s a story behind everything in Joni’s shop and the cooler is no exception. She told me about getting the cooler through a Swap’n'Shop in Columbia from a man who used the mammoth-sized cooler to freeze deer meet. Jonie thought the cooler was a steal, but when she had to buy a new cooling system to transform it from a freezer that went down to negative 32 degrees to a cooler to keep her flowers fresh, she might as well have bought a new cooler.
She can store six weddings worth of flowers in the cooler (read: hundreds and hundreds of flowers) and fills it on wedding weekends. Her production schedule is pretty tight- she makes the arrangements on Thursdays and takes them to events on Fridays and Saturdays, with help from her husband and her assistants Kat Brown & Mandi Kasey. Depending on the size of the wedding and the venue, Jonie will make anywhere from 40-60 arrangements for one wedding.
Getting the right flowers can be an ordeal- Jonie orders directly from growers in Holland, Ecuador, Israel, New Zealand, Canada, and all over the United States, depending on what the bride wants. Sometimes though, the color the bride wants doesn’t translate to the Israeli growers (Joni said “peach” to us is “orange” them) or Mother Nature simply won’t match the bride’s fabric swatch. Other times, natural disasters in different parts of the world will destroy the flowers or delay their arrival.
Even though her job can get stressful (and she’s been doing it since ’92!) Jonie says “I really still do like my job. I actually still love my job.” For her, the best part of the job is seeing everything come together and seeing the bride cry (a “good cry”).
“It’s amazing how much a venue can change, how different the outcome is depending on flowers,” Jonie said, “Your linens are not going to look good until there are flowers on it.”
Nothing is going to look good until Jonie’s flowers are on it…
Tags:arrangements, flowers, Summerville
Posted in: ACB, Blog, Decor & Design, Flowers, Photography, Real Weddings, Venues
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On Feb. 10, 2011 we we had the honor of being featured on one of our favorite blogs: Style Me Pretty.
SMP wrote, “Charleston, South Carolina is home to many of THE most romantic weddings that grace the pages of wedding glossies and blogs! Some of the very best come straight from the fabulous and artistic talents of the ladies at A Charleston Bride.”
To summarize, Style Me Pretty basically said that we are the QUEENS of creating romantic weddings to be remembered – and we must admit… its true! 
They also highlighted a beautiful wedding we did in May 2010 for Emily & David.
Check out pictures from their wedding and the nice things SMP had to say about us by clicking here.
During the planning process, we really get to know our brides personally. We understand their style and priorities which makes for a unique event tailored just for them. Often times, we struggle getting them what they want within their budget parameters. When this happens, details get cut. One of the first items that tend to go, are the bar flower arrangements…..
In the grand scheme of things, I understand that these arrangements seem unimportant. But besides guest table centerpieces, can you think of another arrangement that guests really notice? While at the bar waiting for their cocktail, guests are usually alone, quiet and taking it all in. These small representatives are there saying… “Hey, look at me! Your hostess really did think of EVERYTHING!!”
~Melissa
Saturday, April 10 marked the first time Cassique, Kiawah Island’s exclusive private Clubhouse was used for an event (post the Rivercourse disaster). Kara Roberts & Tyler Cole’s wedding couldn’t have been more perfect for a newly married couple to celebrate with their family and friends. The couple tied the knot on a bed of white flower petals in front of custom fabric panels created by ACB staff and hung in the existing arches. Two running waterfalls lent a soothing sound amidst the tears of happiness and vibrant smiles.
Photographed by the oh-so-talented Tim Willoughby, the dinner and reception took place in a tent decorated floor to ceiling with white and green custom fabric and too many white flowers to count. The peonies, hydrangeas, roses, tulips, and orchids were limitless; ranging from small to extra large, the arrangements added a new dimension of height, smell, and aesthetics to the tent.
Working with two colors, green and white, the ordinary reception tent was transformed thanks to many yards of fabric. From green fabric draped along the ceiling to hand-sewn green and white pillows to the custom stage skirt, virtually no surface was without some fabric adornment. Using ACB lounge items such as our white couches and green-painted parsons tables, guests had a comfortable place to relax after dinner. Kara and Tyler had an non-traditional wedding cake which consisted of a large strawberry cupcake surrounded by dozens of smaller cupcakes for the guests. It was clear this was a crowd favorite of the night, along with the band, the Mighty Kicks!
When the evening was through, we couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect: the weather, the location, the food, the band, the atmosphere, but most importantly a more precious couple!
It’s not that often that we’re able to plan an afternoon soiree, but Laura Mabe and Dave Gardner wanted to take advantage of 
the amazing sunset at the fabulous Lowndes Grove Plantation. It was the perfect time of year for such an event- Not too hot during the daytime ceremony, cool in the evening while everyone enjoys the beautiful sunset, and of course, a location to that makes all brides’ dreams a reality!
At the reception, we provided an outlet for guests of all ages to enjoy. Channeling our school days art projects, we created a fun set of games on the side lawn. Guests enjoyed playing bocce, horseshoes, and croquet next to the water during the evening reception. From grandparents to grandchildren, it was clear this was a party favorite for all ages!
We also worked to cr
eate a beverage station everyone could enjoy. Serving Southern sweet tea, lemonade, and water with cucumber, our refreshing display was more than a place for guests to wet their whistle. From the hand tied and decorated 
mason jars to the personally be-ribboned beverage dispensers, this display was too precious for words!
The wedding decor centered around a photo of a wedding cake Laura found in a wedding magazine. Covered in oak branches, leaves and Carolina Wrens, it proved to be the perfect inspiration for her sophisticated, yet rustic affair. Ashley Bakery did an amazing of job recreating the confection, but with a few added touches of their own. Not only did it look amazing, it was delish!
Here are a few pics from Melissa’s family dinner last weekend:
The Island Chef’s menu wasn’t the only thing local- Melissa & her mom actually bought the flowers from a local market- where they literally pick the flowers out of the field behind the shop!
At last year’s soiree, yes they do this annually, the candles refused to stay lit, hence the lanterns. It actually worked out perfectly with the nautical color scheme and managed to provide the perfect amount of light for dinner. The menus tucked into the dinner napkin is an absolute must for venues with high wind! They kept it simple and clean- just perfect for their beach front “grand finale”.
Green Tomato Bruschetta served with fresh colonial mint! Yum!
