Untitled - Emily McCarthy

something new
TURNING THE
TABLES
Creative centerpieces, heirloom place settings,
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Gorgeous Gardens
Infuse local greenery into your centerpieces to bring our
lush landscape indoors.
“Magnolias, Spanish moss and even cotton are requests
I receive regularly,” says Anissa Manzo of Urban Poppy.
A traditional spray of baby’s breath can take on new life
N AT E H E N D E R S O N
N AT E H E N D E R S O N
fresh flowers and elegant escort cards make
for a warm reception. | By Jessica Denmark
ALTHOUGH walking into an antebellum brick
mansion and being handed a mint julep will certainly remind
guests they are in the South, brides and grooms have begun
customizing the classics to make their events unforgettable.
“Savannah is the perfect mix of modern and historic,
romantic and adventurous,” says Bonnie Karr, a local
planner and owner of First City Events. “There is
something for everyone and at some point those lines cross.
You find yourself loving something that you never thought
you would.”
We asked area experts for tips to help you embrace
some of Savannah’s finer points.
fall/winter 2012-13
real weddings
AN
AFFAIR
TO
REMEMBER
With the help of a Savannah style maven, a destination duo keeps their
lavish wedding grounded in Southern comfort.
By Allison Hersh | Photography by Chia Chong and Hon Low
Joe Moore, owner of the largest Cadillac
dealership in the U.S., knows a thing or two about closing
a deal. But the best pact he ever made was when he asked
Deanna West of Madison, Ga., for her hand in marriage.
Joe’s second savviest move was hiring Savannah wedding
wizard Sebrell Smith to make the couple’s fantastical
destination wedding at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff resort in
Bluffton, S.C., a reality.
Master Planning
An event uninhibited by a budget is a wedding planner’s
dream—it simply allows big ideas to take shape. Joe and
Deanna’s main request was that their 220 guests enjoy a
first-class, four-day celebration. This gave Sebrell a good
deal of creative leeway.
“This was definitely the biggest budget I’ve ever had to
deal with,” Sebrell admits. “It was an amazing experience.”
Sebrell oversaw all of the elements of the elegant affair,
from the grand gestures—arranging limousine transportation and bringing in more than 13,000 flowers—to the
smaller details, such as getting the wedding invitations
scripted in impressive calligraphy by Savannah artist Bride
Kielty Whelan, who has also worked with celebrities such as
Martha Stewart and Caroline Kennedy.
Luxe Meets Laidback
In spite of the many high-end sophisticated touches, the
affair resisted pretention.
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fall/winter 2012-13
Deanna and Joe
Season: Fall
Guests: 220
Planning time: Nine months
Palette: Black and white with graduating color
changes from yellow to red
Rehearsal dinner: Harper Fowlkes House, catered
by Stratton Hall Catering
Ceremony/reception: The Inn at Palmetto Bluff
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real weddings
“Joe and I wanted the wedding itself to be very formal,”
Deanna says, “but we wanted to have casual, laidback
events throughout the weekend as well.”
Such events included heaping helpings of Southern
comfort—beginning on Thursday with a buffet dinner of
all Deanna’s favorite Southern foods at the Harper Fowlkes
House in Savannah, followed by a haunted pub crawl. On
Friday, a casual Lowcountry oyster roast and barbecue was
served on the lawn of Moreland Landing at Palmetto Bluff,
where guests roasted gourmet s’mores, enjoyed boiled
peanuts and local oysters fresh off the fire pit, and sipped
New Orleans-style Hurricanes in souvenir glasses.
On the day of the wedding, friends and family gathered
on the grassy lawn overlooking the May River for an
intimate Palmetto Bluff ceremony.
Deanna glowed in a strapless Vera Wang mermaid
gown with ethereal, layered organza flanges. She carried
a bouquet of garden roses and lady-slipper orchids. The
groom donned a custom-made tuxedo and greeted his
bride with a smile as she walked down the aisle.
“I was very nervous,” the bride confesses. “My bouquet
was shaking like a leaf. It was very comforting to see Joe’s face.”
Damask by Design
By the close of the ceremony, everyone was ready to
relax and revel. For the reception, guests retreated to a
large tent where nearly two dozen black crystal chandeliers
provided atmospheric lighting.
Eschewing a “theme” per se, Sebrell had created a damask
pattern for the custom-made black-and-white tablecloths
and used it throughout the wedding as a graphic motif.
“We were given so much freedom to create the design,”
says Sebrell, who had the pattern imprinted on menu cards
and wedding programs—and projected onto the drape
separating the cocktail section of the reception tent from
the dining area. “It served as an important unifying factor
to bring together different elements. That pattern kept
repeating to tie everything together visually.”
“Joe and I wanted the wedding itself to be very formal,
but we wanted to have casual, laidback events throughout the
weekend as well.”
— Deanna West Moore
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fall/winter 2012-13
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real weddings
Behind the Veil
The designer also cleverly added color throughout
the afternoon by way of thousands of flowers arranged in
urns, altars, bouquets and table arrangements. The floral
designs started out in shades of creamy white with yellow
accents, then evolved into deeper orange and red hues as
the evening progressed.
Deanna had envisioned hanging flowers at the
reception, so Sebrell designed a custom floral chandelier
adorned with yellow calla lilies, oncydium orchids and
antique green hydrangeas. She then artfully suspended the
fixture over the dance floor, working closely with a team of
master carpenters to ensure that it could bear the weight of
the massive arrangement.
A Grand Finale
After a cocktail hour with sushi, charcuterie and passed
hors d’oeuvres, Joe and Deanna’s sit-down reception menu
emphasized fresh seafood as well as traditional favorites
such as braised beef short ribs. After the gourmet feast,
guests retreated to the lawn for a dazzling display of
fireworks that exploded over the May River during the
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fall/winter 2012-13
cake-cutting ceremony.
In addition to the wedding cake—which was decorated
to mimic the embellishments on Deanna’s two dresses for
the day—family and friends savored red velvet and creamcheese cake shooters, fluff-and-nutter bites and miniature
Southern pies. After satisfying every sweet tooth, the
bride, groom and guests hit the dance floor for late-night
rock ’n’ roll.
Tripp Fabulous, Joe and Deanna’s favorite
Philadelphia-based band, capped off the evening with a
lively performance in the ballroom at The Inn at Palmetto
Bluff, which Sebrell had transformed into a sultry lounge.
Fueled by passed snacks such as tomato soup shooters
with grilled cheese sandwiches, mini cheeseburgers and
French fries, the couple and their friends celebrated late
into the night.
“The wedding truly exceeded my expectations on every
level,” the bride raves. “Our guests said it was the best
wedding they’ve ever been to. Everyone had a great time.
My only regret is that everything flew by so fast!”
For Sebrell, that’s the mark of a job well done. S
The big day: Saturday, September 17, 2011
Palette: Black and white with graduating
color changes from yellow to red
Planning time: Nine months
Guests: 220
Planner/event designer: Sebrell Smith,
Sebrell Smith Designer Events
Rehearsal dinner: Harper Fowlkes House,
catered by Stratton Hall Catering
Ceremony: The Inn at Palmetto Bluff
Officiant: The Rev. Phil Ferguson
Ceremony music: J & L Music
Ceremony/dinner gown: Vera Wang,
BleuBelle Bridal
Late-night dress: Romona Keveza,
BleuBelle Bridal
Hair and makeup: Marigold Beauty
Concepts
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Custom designed
by Wynokia Designs
Groom’s attire: Custom tailored in
Washington, D.C.
Groomsmen’s attire: J. Parker Limited
Reception site/catering: Palmetto Bluff
Reception music: Howard Paul Trio for
cocktails and dinner, Tripp Fabulous for
late-night dancing
Cake: Sally Nicholson, Something Sweet
Bakers
Stationery: Emily J. McCarthy, Emma J.
Design
Calligraphy: Bride Kielty Whelan
Rentals: Alex Clayson, Stage Presence
Transportation: Old Savannah Tours and
Coastal Limousine
Photographer: Chia Chong and Hon
Low, Chia and Hon Photography,
912.356.5044, www.chiaandhon.com
“Our guests said it was the best wedding they've ever been to.
Everyone had a great time. My only regret is that everything flew by so fast!"
— Deanna West Moore
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