I Do Venues Style Guide: Beaulieu Garden ~ Feeling Blue

Photography by: Dorothy Hatchel Photography

Ask the Expert

There are literally thousands of wedding designers and coordinators. An extraordinary wedding designer evaluates every possible detail. Everything has a purpose and a reason - nothing is left to chance. That is what makes an event distinctive, memorable, and one-of-a-kind.

When you hang out with a wedding designer, you'll find we ask the oddest questions. To a wedding designer, an event is not just two or three dimensional, but four. We have to consider every angle, every sense, and possible light (not to mention, every possible back-up and contingency plan). We consider your event in reverse, from the side, and from the top. How will that look from the back? What will the guests see as they exit that area? How will that photograph from above? It's all about the details.

This exceptional wedding is suffused with brilliant hues and incorporates both romance and bling. I love how our own Alicia Falango of Alicia K Designs brings us some of the most fun and out of the box designs. She does not approach her design by creating a look that would be "expected" in the space. She truly takes your theme and color palette, and merges it with the venue to create something completely perfect and unexpected.

The outdoor dining pavilion at Beaulieu Garden needs little embellishment. The vine-covered arbor is spectacular, but when you allow a great designer to weave their magic, it's out of this world. This design is all about the layering. It makes you examine every detail more closely. Alicia has done an exquisite job of mixing styles and periods. Starting with the simple table design - at first glance it's the epitome of classic elegance: crisp white, cerulean blue, and shimmering silver accents.

Now take a step back and look at the depth we find in the layers, colors, and texture. Consider the perfect color match between the handstand hem on the napkin and the cushion on the chair. The pearl white plates are etched with silver rim, the scroll of the font specifically chosen to embellish the menu cards. This adds just the right touch of femininity to the design in a nearly Victorian feel, without losing the more contemporary feel of the overall design. The floral elements are wonderful; monochromatic in theory, but the floral choices offer plenty of texture and fullness and the proper amount of green peeking out so that you can see all the details.

The overhead chandeliers really bring this design full circle for me. The twinkle lights are charming, but when you add the chandeliers, you get so much more bang for your buck. The chandelier provides glamor, while repeating the cascading crystal elements used in other places in the design. But again, they help reinforce a feeling of soft romance and Victorian charm with a wonderfully contemporary feel.