Sweet Shades!

Spring 2017

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Sweet Shades! | Locally crafted garden umbrellas offer your guests respite from the spring sun (and bespoke style)

wedding Big Day weddings Garden garden umbrellas umbrellas inspiration Martha Stewart

Edisto Island’s Anne Girault—the powerhouse behind local company Boutique Tents—has long been a secret weapon of posh wedding planners locally and beyond. And it’s no wonder: her über-stylish custom cabanas and hand-painted aisle runners add pattern, color, and pizzazz to every fête they touch and have been featured in the pages of Inside Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, and House Beautiful. For warm-weather affairs, we’re especially smitten with her canvas garden umbrellas that are as stunning as they are sensible for shading an alfresco cocktail area, guest sign-in station, or outdoor ceremony seating (the latter is a smart trend we’ve spied of late).

“I’m a maximalist in every sense of the word,” says Anne, who draws inspiration from interior design, art, and architecture, as well as, in the case of Big Day commissions, colors and patterns found throughout an event’s design. “That may be a graphic motif from the invitation suite or a wallpaper pattern from the venue,” says Anne, who collaborates closely with couples (or planners) from sketch to finish to ensure the umbrella fits perfectly within the wedding’s aesthetic. The best part? When made with all-weather canvas fabric, the sturdy wooden umbrellas can bring style and sentimentality to your newlywed nest’s garden, patio, or deck for years to come.

Get Yours Going

Prices vary based on fabrics used and the intricacy of the valances. Expect orders (all are custom-made) to take roughly two weeks to produce. For more information, contact info@BoutiqueTents.net.

Images by (toile umbrella) Adrienne Page Photography & (white umbrella) Liz Banfield

The Wedding Row

March 14 2019

Jaye & John | Historic Rice Mill

Jaye and John fell for each other when both were students at the College of Charleston. Soon after they began dating, the pair headed to Savannah for a short trip and dinner at The Olde Pink House,...

March 13 2019

Emilie & Brian | Lowndes Grove Plantation

“My incredibly witty introduction goes here.” With that one liner, sent to Emilie over Match.com, Brian caught her attention, made her laugh and set off the relationship that led to this gorgeous Big...

March 12 2019

Styled Shoot | Hampton Park

Elopements keep cropping up with good reason here: not only can wedding venues be hard to come by in Charleston these days (especially during weekends and on short notice), but also can you blame a...

March 11 2019

Haylee & Charlie | Boone Hall Plantation

Houston, Texas, natives Haylee and Charlie have known each other since childhood; their families have been friends for years, and the two were even on the same swim team when they were eight years...

March 8 2019

Kristen & Morgan | Lowndes Grove Plantation

Kristen didn’t know many people in Charleston when she moved here for a three-month rotation during medical school. Neither did Morgan, who had recently moved here to begin his residency at the...

March 7 2019

January’s Top Five Instagram Posts

We welcomed in the New Year in a big way with these photos that popped up on our feeds. Two of them aren’t only among our most-liked ‘grams of the month, but are also among our most liked. Of. All....

March 6 2019

Abigail & Grant | Engagement Session

Here’s some good news for anyone struggling with that pesky mid-week slump: Your future hubby may be sitting next to you … at this very moment. At least, that was how it went for Abigail and Grant....

March 5 2019

McKenzie & Ryan | Lowndes Grove Plantation

McKenzie and Ryan met during their junior year at the University of Toledo in northwest Ohio, when she moved in across the street from him. She already knew of a few of his roommates, who invited her...

Feature

Sweet Cakes

Easy crafts transform plain Jane (but tasty) treats into something stunning. Plus, great coordinating wedding projects, all from Ooh! Events.

Feature

Butterfly Garden

Jennifer Koshorek & James Rader, June 12, 2009, Alhambra Hall

Feature

Ahoy, Matey

Love the water? Say “Yes!” to a ceremony at sea

Feature

For the Love of Football

Two Gamecock alum coaches say their “I dos” in Charleston with a spiritual, classic affair

Feature

Great Escape

Ooh! Events and Tusk Events team up to show you how chic a teepee lounge can be

Feature

Marriage à la Mode

From opulent new venues and swish reception options to romantic bridal fashions, these wedding headliners will have you saying “I do”

Feature

Five Tips for a Smokin’ Lingerie Shoot

Book a boudoir session into your wedding weekend photography package and define sexy for yourself

Feature

Top 10 Beat-the-Heat Beauty Finds

We asked the Lowcountry’s top hair and makeup professionals what products they carry in their bag of tricks that can withstand the heat and humidity. For a gorgeous glow and polished locks, check out their top picks. Bonus? The majority of the products are Charleston brands with enthusiastic national followings. Stock up with these tried-and-true besties and you've got your own glam squad

Feature

Couture Confections

Let your wedding palette, patterns, and florals inspire its sweet treats

Feature

The Big Reveal

The ins and outs of a surprise wedding, from a bride who pulled it off

Feature

Aquamarine Dream

Revel in pretty shades of teal, turquoise, and more in this chic reception at Boone Hall Plantation

Feature

Easy Breezy

Fresh inspiration for summer vows

Feature

Summer Sleek

The event design team at WED and photographer-slash-stationer Heather Forsythe joined to make a cocktail-hour or reception lounge area

Feature

Garden Party Perfection

Allison Thompson & Christopher Unger, May 12, 2012, The French Protestant (Huguenot) Church & Governor Thomas Bennett House

Feature

Get Your Glow On

Makeup artist Blair Mathis shares tips for the latest look in big day beauty

Feature

Bellissimo!

Get the scoop on the newest cool treat-on-wheels in town

Feature

The Perfect Blend

Learn how, despite cultural or religious differences, tying the knot can pay homage to your individuality as well as your union

Feature

Prints Charming

When an interior designer bride and an A-list event planner collaborate on a wedding that meets the missus’ aesthetic for graphics and patterns paired with foliage, the results are a visual feast for the senses