Alice in Wonderland Themed Wedding

Madison and Chris

March 2013

Photos by Richard Harris of DeLite Entertainment and Photography

Madison's dream of an "Alice in Wonderland"- inspired wedding was a challenge. You see it was to be held on St. Patrick's Day. She set her main color as turquoise. And she wanted to to incorporate a rustic feel with lace, wild flowers and wrought iron. 

NO WORRIES. Together with florist Pam Verschuere of Flowers By Pam and Letti of Sweet Tweets Cakery, we helped Maddy create a very personalized celebration. 

The setting was at Karnes Stables in Northwest Hillsborough County. Practically everything was outdoors and the weather was perfect except for a few gusts of wind that played havoc with guest tables. 

Maddy provided us with lots of inspiration: from her Alice in Wonderland books to her vintage wedding attire and collectable teapots, we were ready to adapt our in-house decor to her theming.

Event though green needed to be incorporated (because of the date), it blended well with the turquoise/aqua and yellow color palatte that Maddy favored for her tables. Her attendants did dress in clover green and the gentlemen donned matching green ties.

Pam, the florist and Bradley, our event coordinator added just the right amount of greenery and hanging "sparkle" to the ceremony arbor set in front of a huge oak tree.

Fresh wildflower "bulbs" alternated with our white lanterns to line the aisleway. Guests chairs ultimately moved to the reception area, were dressed in turquoise chair ties.

                                       

   

Photographer, Richard Harris, captured many unique images prior to the wedding including the traditional hanging gown inside the Karnes Stable barn.

Inside the bridal room, Maddy was busy getting ready with hair and make-up. Florist Pam decorated a small wagon for Maddy and Chris's young daughter to  participate in the festivities. 

  

A last minute "kiss of the Irish" for her dad!

Chris and his gents had their own "grooms'" room. The ringbearer, also another of the couple's children, anxiously awaits his duties.

Chris and his mom enjoy a special moment together.

Guests arrived to sign in at the farm's antique dresser. Maddy supplied her favorite keepsakes: a turquoise mushroom vase, ceramic Leprechaun top hat and  "Alice in Wonderland" hard-back book.

During the cocktail hour and bridal party pictures throughout the farm, our staff was busy finishing up last minute details in placing our black wrought iron votive stands which Pam filled with fresh flowers. Maddy's collection of teapots and other vintage containers made their way to the guest tables where more pops of colorful flowers were placed.

The couple chose to have bridal party members to sit at a large feasting table. A beautiful lace runner down the center was topped with more lanterns, loose wild flowers, glass cylinders to hold attendant bouquets and purple orchid heads.

The long guest tables made a perfect fit for the stable courtyard setting and the dance floor was strategically placed in the center under another big oak tree.

We located the buffet behind the social hour area inside the barn. Being nestled in between two stall areas, it protected our hot chafing dishes from the wind. All linens were from the Catering By Robert in-house inventory.

And we didn't forget the White Rabbit!

St. Paddy's inspired custom cheese spread for the hors d'oeuvres display inside the barn for social hour.

 

And Maddy Hatter did have a tea party!

Centerpiece of the wedding was Sweet Tweet's Topsy Turvy wedding cake under our hanging net canopy.!

Thank you Maddy and Chris for allowing us to share in your very unique wedding celebration!

Event Planning, Design, Coordination and Catering: Catering By Robert / Event Concepts . FL

Bradley Dempsey, Designer

Photography - Richard Harris of DeLite Entertainment

Flowers: Flowers By Pam 

DJ: DeLite Entertainment

Cake: Sweet Tweets Cakery

Officiant: Vicki of Beachangels Notary

Romantically Rustic in Tampa Bay

Christina and Eric
November 24, 2012
Selected Photos by K and K Photography ***

Christina and her mom, Anne, were such special clients. Hailing from South Carolina, their southern charm set the tone for a very eloquent celebration at Karnes Stables last November.

Believe me when I say the approach from a seasoned southern family is much different than from a northerner trying to capture the same sense of style.

 

From their initial engagement pictures captured locally by  photographer, Jeff Kathrein, to every spectacular detail of the wedding itself, Christina and Anne were devoted to proper southern etiquette which included attention to guest comfort and convenience.

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Nice and Easy is how I describe the planning process in working with these two lovely ladies. Both always had groom, Eric's back, when it came to things like the comfortable surroundings of the "groom's room" the day of the wedding. While not every wedding planning project is perfect, the willingness of Anne to stay in touch with us whenever a question or issue manifested itself, made the day itself perfect.

 

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Casualness is awesomeness.  It means putting those in the pictures at ease so the results truly capture the true overall feeling of the celebration. We applaud Jeff for doing this with the couple during select private moments during their wedding. His organizational skills were paramount when it came to timing. Everything stayed according to schedule. 

 

 

Our florist colleague, Pam Verschuere, provided an array of fresh florals for the wedding and reception. Anne and Christina were very pleased with her eagerness to incorporate a natural, yet polished look to our abor and aisle way lanterns under the oaks.

 

  

 

Refreshing bottled waters awaited guests as they entered the ceremony area aligned with  moss-covered initials of the bride and groom.

 

Anne also ordered initialed hand-towels for the restroom!

 

 

Guests had no problem finding the smoker's area with signage provided by the family.

 

Behind the scenes, we were busy putting the finishing touches on the bar, located in the barn area for both the social hour and main reception. Cranberry, burnt orange, chocolate brown, deep purple, and rust were the main colors incorporated into the celebration environment.

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The farm's famed "white dresser" was set in the center entry area to the social hour complete with Pam's mason jar blooms, favor bin, and sign in album.

 

 

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A classical string trio was hired to play for the ceremony as the bride and her dad made their way to the wedding setting.   

 

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Immediately following the ceremony the bridal party made their way throughout the grounds for Jeff's hand-picked locations. Guests were directed by our staff to enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the barn area. Other staff members transferred farm benches to awaiting wood guest tables in the Stable Lawn area. 

 

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Freshly made hand-passed hors d'oeuvres were offered to guests and bridal party members no matter their location. These included a special pork slider with a favorite bottled Carolina barbecue sauce provided by the family.

 

Guests found their way to the traditional long wood tables via vintage luggage tags hung on a burlap covered board with couple/individual names. The family pinned each on clothesline rope in alphabetical order.

 

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Anne and Christina provided framed table numbers so guests could easily find their placements. Our black lanterns and mason jar glasses were all a part of our basic event package. Pam incorporated burlap runners, smaller brown lanterns and wild greens down the centers of each table.

 

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The family was all about the food. So much so they added a huge chalk board with the complete  menu at the start of buffet.

 

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Sweet Tweets Cakery provided a simple two layer cake for formal purposes and an assortment of mini cupcakes for guests to enjoy.

 

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The cake was elevated up behind the sweetheart table in front center of the Stable Lawn. Vintage chairs provided by Karnes Stables and various table elements were incorporated from our inventory and selected personalized block elements from the family.

 

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Back inside the barn after dinner, the couple enjoyed their first dance. The partying continued until "shut down time" here with music being provided by our colleague, Eladio of DeLite Entertainment.

 

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As nighttime drew near, the café lights, lanterns and sunset provided a majestic ending to a day filled with emotion and tradition.

 

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Many thanks to our event partners, mom, Anne, and bride, Christina along with  

K and K Photography

Pam Vershuere Florist

DeLite Entertainment

Sweet Tweets Cakery

 

Event Planning, Design, Coordination, and Catering: Catering By Robert / Event Concepts . FL:

Susan J. Stalnaker, event designer