On a crisp January day, Kait and Eric said I do in front of their closet family and friends. As a designer, Kait dreamed of a personalized event where she could use her creativity to design a thoughtful and meaningful experience for her guests. When the couple started planning their wedding, they both fell in love with the Golden Isles and Jekyll Island Club.

With incredible coastal views, Jekyll Island Club is one of our favorites to work at! As soon as you step onto the grounds, you are greeted by Crane Cottage. Built in 1919, Crane Cottage is inspired by Italian Renaissance architecture and provides the perfect backdrop for a wedding.

Fall Inspired Hues

Kait wanted a lovely fall-toned wedding palette with soft creams, marigolds, rust, and mauve. We took color inspiration from her bridesmaids, who all wore gowns in various shades of blush and copper. Kait’s bouquet featured copper cymbidium orchids, tied loosely together with cream ranunculus, mauve roses, and handpicked flowers in shades of honey and blush.

They chose to have their ceremony outdoors in the sunken garden, which provided guests with a picturesque view. Since this space is already gorgeous, we kept the ceremony decor simple, with pampas, grass, and candles to make the area romantic. The couple incorporated a Celtic handfasting tradition into their ceremony to honor their Irish and Scottish heritage. They chose meaningful cords, including a guitar string from Eric’s first guitar and a ribbon from Kait’s first ballet slipper. It was such a touching moment and so meaningful for both families.

Intimate Wedding at Crane Cottage

The reception took place on the wrap-around porch of Crane Cottage, just steps away from the ceremony. This venue allows for guests to really enjoy the property and take in its incredible beauty! They can mingle during cocktail hour while you get sunset portraits by the water.

To create intimate spaces for guests to connect, we styled a seating area on the lawn featuring a cozy rug and chairs. Kait designed pieces throughout the day, including the wedding invitations and the escort sign. Large dahlias were featured on the large printed sign, which bought the beautiful fall colors inside Crane Cottage. Long tables were covered in white linens, and the centerpieces were thoughtfully designed to allow for conversation during dinner. Small vases were placed throughout and tied into the velvet napkins and gold silverware. Tapered candles finished the design and added a soft glow to the evening. 

It was such a joy to design this wedding with this sweet couple! From the paper to the napkins, every single detail came together to create a stunning wedding. You can see more of this romantic affair featured on The White Wren!

Vendors:

Photographer: Amanda Olivia Photography
Venue: Jekyll Island Club
Floral Designer: Gray Harper
Dress Designer: Pronovias
Hair & Makeup: Erin Ryser
Men’s Formalwear: Suit Supply
Accessories / Decor: Maison Sabben
Film Lab: Photovision
Videography: AG Videography
Paper Suite & Invitations: Kait Clarke Creative
Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux
Getting Ready Robes: Lavender Dreams
Rings – Mavilo
DJ / Entertainment – Island Sound
Bridesmaid Dresses – BHLDN, Revolve & Lulus
Bridesmaid Earrings – Shop Moss

We love creating gorgeous color palettes with our couples, and Tracey and Charlie’s autumn Savannah wedding was a dream come true! Since we are in the deep south, fall isn’t as lavish here. So we are always seeking a beautiful fall color palette and love to use unique color combinations. For this November wedding, we worked with Tara Skinner Events to create this perfectly detailed affair.

For the color palette, we started with an autumn sunset as our inspiration. We pulled in shades of marigold, cream, apricot, and berries. To accent this warm color palette, shades of soft sage were added with the bridesmaid’s dresses and paper. The pop of green sage balanced out the autumn caramel hues.

Tracy and Charlie were initially supposed to be married at Victory North, but the pandemic forced them to switch venues to Charlie’s family home on the water in Savannah. While it was a different location, it worked out flawlessly. The ceremony took place overlooking the water, with the most beautiful sunset that popped out after a day of rain. The ceremony arch was a statement piece! It was covered in flowers, with draping ivy and greenery that was tied into the reception.

Autumn-Inspired Flowers For a Coastal Savannah Wedding

Since the reception took place on the family’s property, we wanted to make sure the tent was exceptional. The large clear tent provided the guests with cover from the rain, while the strung lights and endless candles provided the softest glow. We hung greenery across the ceiling and created a focal point as guests walked inside. The tables were a mix of large farm tables with rounds, which made an intimate setting. The farm tables featured copper candlestick holders with cream candles. Clear bud vases and gold mercury glass added metallic touches to the reception and bar.

When it comes to designing a wedding, the florals are truly what tell the story. From the color palette to the texture to every little stem, flowers tie it all together. We turned a family property into a fall escape for Tracy and Charlie, complete with lush blooms and statement details. If you dream of a wedding like this one, we would love to work together! We can turn your dream into a floral experience that you, and your guest, will cherish!

Savannah Wedding Vendors:

Wedding Planners: Tara Skinner Weddings + Events 
Photographer: JB Marie Photography
Rentals: Eventworks Rentals
Hair And Make-up: Spa Bleu
Pianist: New Arts Ensemble
Cake: MollieCakes – Mollie Stone: 912.657.2552
Caterer: Current Catering
Bar: Johnny Ganem’s
Lighting: JLK Events
Transportation: Old Savannah Tours
A/V Rental: Advanced AV
Cocktail Hour + Reception Band: The Retreat – Sam Hill Entertainment
Vintage Car: Callan’s Classics
Rehearsal Dinner Invitations / Paper Styling / Custom Signs: Ashley Curry Calligraphy
Bridal Gown: Mikaella
Bridesmaids Dresses: Birdy Grey
Groom’s Attire: J. Hilburn

Katherine and Keifer were married this June, surrounded by their closest family and friends at the Savannah Yacht Club. This couple are Savanah natives but never met growing up. It wasn’t until a mutual friend mentioned they should meet that they did, and the rest is history! Located a short drive outside of downtown Savannah, this is the ideal venue for couples looking for a coastal view, with a timeless reception space.

As florists, we love to create unique and stunning designs that are personalized for each of our couples! When it came to the flowers, Katherine specifically asked for no roses. Her vision for the wedding was showcasing the beauty of Savannah, with plenty of nautical details. For the bouquets, we focused on palm leaves and ferns, with all white flowers. Since Katherine didn’t want roses, we made sure to pick large statement flowers like dahlias and ranunculus while giving organic drape and texture with orchids and anthurium.

Nautical Details at the Savannah Yacht Club

To tie in the nautical elements for the groomsmen, we tied nautical knots on all of the boutonnieres. The coastal theme was tied into the reception as well, which was inside the Savannah Yacht Club. Design Studio South worked with the couple to design a reception that made the all-white flower and tropical greenery stand out. The tables were draped in navy linens and accented with bud vases. The dramatic high ceilings were a focal point of the space, so we created floral statement pieces. The chandeliers were covered in lush palm leaves and greenery that added the most radiant glow as the sun set over the harbor.

When creating the design, the couple wanted some personal items included. So all of the oyster shells that were scattered around the reception were found by the bride and groom’s parents on their home property! It was the perfect way to tie in their local roots while creating an exquisite design detail.

Here at Gray Harper, we are passionate about the complete event experience. From the moment guests first arrive, to the bar details, to the reception design, we work to create an incredible design that ties it all together. When designing the space for Katherine and Keifer, we wanted every detail to carry into each space. Every piece was thought out, from the large palm and floral baskets at the reception to the modern gold and glass bud vases. It was such a beautiful and romantic wedding that we know you will love!

Savannah Wedding Vendors:

Planner: Alysse Sweeney at Design Studio South
Venue: Savannah Yacht Club
Photography: JB Marie Photography
Hair and Makeup: Beyond Beautiful by Heather
Cake: Mollie Cakes
Videographer: Square City Productions
Ceremony Music: New Arts Ensembles
Officiant: Jim Shumard

2020 was a year to remember in many ways. However, it was also the year our sweet couple, Bethany + Jesse, had their stunning wedding at The Mansion on Forsyth in downtown Savannah, GA.

We paired up with Design Studio South to design this destination wedding, which included a whole lot of romance and some historic Savannah southern charm.

In addition, their color palette incorporated muted tones with pops of burgundy, which played into the romantic vibe of the outdoor venue itself. To see more of this showstopper, see their gallery below.

Photography by Kati Rosado Photography

Brooke and Brian’s wedding at the Charles H. Morris Center in Savannah, Georgia was nothing short of magical!

From sweet, soft pinks, muted greens and pops of crisp white flowers to a stunning floral ceremony arch completed with a petal toss recessional. It was a picture perfect day for our beautiful couple that ended as a night to remember. Event coordination by Sincerely Yours Events.

Photography by Holly Felts Photography

We are sending all the happily-ever-after vibes to our sweet couple who braved the torrential downpour, crazy winds and tornado warnings that April 2021 brought the south!

But in the end, our stunning couple was surrounded by all of their family and friends as they tied the knot at St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Savannah, GA, and celebrated their new marriage at The Ford Field and River Club in Richmond Hill, GA. Guests celebrated under white sailcloth event tents and each area of the celebration burst with beautiful spring flowers from the entrance of the venue to the dance floor. The Gray Harper Florals team transformed each space for guests to experience as they danced the night away – check out our designs below!

Photography by The Happy Bloom

Our sweet couple, Caroline + Nate, had a beautiful, enchanting and moody wedding at the Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah surrounded by their closest family and friends!

Their wedding design featured a ton of color in a modern and unique way that gave off magical forest vibes. Guests enjoyed cocktail hour and dinner provided by J Thomas Catering and then danced the night away under the twinkling lights! Caroline and Nate’s wedding cake may be our favorite part as it imitated a watercolor painting that played right into the whole wedding design aesthetic.

At the end of the night, our couple enjoyed a beautiful sparkler send off and left in style in a vintage car for their happily ever after! We could not be more grateful to be a part of such an epic design and the sweetest couple’s big day.

Savannah Wedding Vendors

We often have couples tell us that they are going to DIY their wedding flowers to save money. And that statement is usually met with wide eyes and silence on our end. Because here is the thing: we know how hard, time-consuming, messy and frustrating the process is and we know the skill level required to pull off an event this important. Let us take you through an overview of the wedding florist’s process.

The Wedding Florist’s Flower Prep

To give you an idea of a wedding florist’s process, for a Saturday wedding our flowers arrive on Tuesday, and are stored in our floral cooler. The entire day is spent processing, cleaning and hydrating the flowers. We don’t live near a nice big flower market, so most of our blooms are shipped in via FedEx.

Having flowers shipped is a very frustrating experience. Our flowers are often delayed or stuck somewhere overnight, and FedEx assumes no liability for dead flowers. If you are DIYing wedding flowers yourself and don’t have a floral cooler, you will want your blooms in-hand on Thursday (for a Saturday wedding) to hydrate and process. You CANNOT put flowers in a regular refrigerator. Gases from food in the fridge will reduce the vase life of the blooms and usually fridges are kept colder than floral coolers since they are used to preserve meat and dairy.

Tuesday – Friday: Designing Wedding Florals

Once our flowers are hydrated, we have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to design the flower arrangements, bouquets and decor. Since you will be getting your flowers in on Thursday (to preserve freshness), that leaves you with just Friday to design. But think about it: You’ll be far too busy on Friday to spend the entire day working with flowers (assuming you even know how to create these designs in the first place)! You will have appointments, the wedding rehearsal, rehearsal dinner and people to see. What if your flowers come in and they are not perfect and you have to find last-minute replacements? What if they get lost by FedEx? 

On the Wedding Day: Floral Installation and Setup

Typically our team of about four people load the florist van at 8am to arrive at a venue around 10am. For a bride and her bridal party, that time is spent getting hair and makeup done. You also have to think about weather and what time you can start setting everything out. Sometimes we place flowers just an hour prior to ceremony due to hot weather or wind. This task would be extremely difficult for you or a family member to take on right before the ceremony begins. 

Other things to consider for DIY wedding flowers:

• Flowers take up lots of space and are fragile to transport.
• You will make a huge mess processing flowers, so make sure you have plenty of space to work and access to trash cans and sinks.
• Flowers need to be kept in a cool, dark place in order to ensure freshness on the wedding day.
• Designing takes more time than you think; we design most wedding florals in our studio over three full days with four people working.
• Ordering the flowers – do you know how many flowers to order for table centerpieces and bouquets?
• As a florist, we have access to wholesale pricing. Unfortunately if you are not a florist, you will still have to pay retail price for any flowers you purchase, which really adds up on a budget.

How to Save Money on Wedding Flowers

Focus on a few focal elements that are beautifully designed

You don’t need flowers everywhere! Think quality over quantity. Tip: Splurge on a floral altar backdrop but skip putting flowers on every chair down the aisle.

Repurpose your bridesmaid bouquets as centerpieces

We like to place bouquets in a vase at the center of the table and then have six bud vases with blooms placed around them. That way it looks like a centerpiece and not like someone just plopped a bouquet down on a table.

Have your florist design decor that’s easy to move

This will probably add more labor to your quote, but your flowers will do double duty. Tip: Line the ceremony aisle with blooms designed in trays and then move them to line the front of the stage for the reception. 

This past June we had the honor of designing flowers for the sweetest elopement in Savannah, Georgia.

Teresa’s bouquet was definitely the star of the show (after Teresa, of course!). We incorporated three different shades of hand-dyed raw-edge silk ribbon from Tono & Co.

This wedding day, while intimate, was FULL of beautiful details. We kept the boutonnieres simple and sweet with a mix of flowers from our garden, our favorite tiny lilies, garden roses and eucalyptus.

We loved the contrast between the subtle, intricate linens and boho ceramic vases.

Teresa + TJ shared these special moments with Teresa’s two children, and the foursome spent most of the day together. Despite the Savannah summer heat, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a happier bunch!

We fell in love with the color palette Teresa picked and had the best time sourcing blooms for her event from The Floral Reserve, Grace Rose Farm and even my very own garden.

Following the ceremony, the family sat down together at a lovely table styled with Nuage Linens for a delicious post-wedding brunch.

Interested in learning more about our intimate wedding packages or how we can make your small wedding have a big wedding feel? Fill out our contact form here!

Later that day, Teresa + TJ returned to the lovely table (which we had expertly transformed since brunch) to enjoy a private five-course meal, just the two of them.

Planning an intimate wedding or elopement in Savannah, Georgia or the surrounding areas? We’re here for you! Get in touch with us using our contact form today!

Savannah Elopement Vendors

Joanna + Eric’s colorful fall wedding at Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina was one of our all-time favorites to design. Bride Joanna, a wedding planner IRL, gave us the color palette and a few key details and then let us run with it.

The focal point of their ceremony venue was the famous Liberty Oak in Hilton Head Island’s Harbour Town. We wanted to design something that accentuated this landmark and highlighted the beauty of the Lowcountry without distracting from it. This colorful floral aisle was the perfect solution.

The 18th hole overlooking the water at Sea Pines Resort is already stunning. We kept floral arrangements simple yet impactful by highlighting colorful autumn blooms and reducing filler flowers and greenery.

Photography by The Happy Bloom