What it Means to Hire an Event Designer | Wedding Planning Tips

Have you ever wondered what the term “event designer” means? A role that typically used to be delegated to the florist or the caterer, event design is a “relatively” new term within the wedding industry. So much more than picking out flowers or table linens, event design encompasses the entirety of the wedding experience. From the moment your guests receive their save the date until the bride and groom’s exit, there are endless opportunities for an event designer to bring the essence of the wedding to life. And today we are going to break down what it means when you hire an event designer to be a part of your wedding vendor team.

Floor plan Design

One important element of our event design services is floor plan creation and management. More than just sticking some tables into a room and calling it a day, floor plan design is a critical aspect to the flow and feeling of your event. Over our many years, we have found what does and does not work, and what can majorly alter your guest experience. We work with the entire vendor team on the floor plan, everyone from the caterer, to the bar service, to the rental company reviews the floor plan to ensure that all aspects of the event are considered.

When creating our floor plans we try to think of creative ways to utilize the space we’re in. We especially try to come up with unique ideas that have not been thought of before when working at the popular venues in Augusta.  This may mean having the event flow opposite of how it has in the past, using spaces for ceremony that may normally be used for reception or vice versa! It may mean putting the band in a completely different location, or adding a cool feature bar in an unexpected location.

The floor plan is our jumping off point for the rest of the event design, it shows our client their limitations and possibilities. And it can take many iterations to get the floor plan to its final state.

Cohesiveness

When a guest attends a truly exceptional wedding there is something almost inexplicable about the feeling one has when you leave. It may be that the wedding felt so completely reflective of the couple. Or maybe it’s that every need of the guest was anticipated and considered. However we strongly feel that the weddings that truly shine are the ones that have a cohesive thread running through it from beginning to end that ties it all together.

This starts from the very beginning of the event design process. A motif, a monogram, or other element used in the save the date or invitation design, in turn can then be used on the cake, or embroidered onto a dinner napkin, or printed onto coozies! We love when we can carry a color, a pattern, or texture throughout the design. Subconsciously your guests pick up on these details as they become so interwoven into the overall wedding day. That is why we prefer to be a part of our client’s wedding planning journey from the very beginning, to ensure that everything is designed in a thoughtful way.

Something that is important to keep in mind is that this may mean pulling back as well, not incorporating certain ideas, or trends, because at the end of the day it may not be truly reflective of our couple. Our end goal is a wedding that feels intentional. That every aspect has a reason or meaning behind it that contributes to the overall feeling we are trying to encapsulate for our clients and their guests.

A Beautiful Wedding

It would be remiss not to mention that one of the biggest reasons our clients hire us is because they want a beautiful wedding. They want a wedding filled with special details, gorgeous flowers, beautiful linens, and that “wow” factor that your guests get walking into a tent. Our favorite part of the process is that moment our clients get to see their vision come to life. That is what makes our job rewarding!

A classic Greg Boulus Events wedding is one that has first and foremost, beautiful flowers. That’s a given as that is where our beginning is rooted. However we realize that this is not the only element that is important when creating a beautiful atmosphere. A beautiful textured linen, up-lighting on surrounding landscaping, votive candles, decorative pillows, are all elements that add that extra layer of design that makes a wedding feel even more special then it already is!

So yes, while an event planner/designer is hired to not only make your wedding feel and run seamlessly, it is also to make your wedding beautiful. Over the years we have cultivated our little black book of vendors that we entrust to bring our visions to life. Depending on the client, we will recommend the use of different rentals, lighting, venues, linens, draping, etc. We have curated a list of the best of the best in the region to ensure our weddings come together exactly how we, and our clients, have imagined. Access to our preferred vendor list is one of the biggest benefits to utilizing our planning and design services.

At the end of the day, our goal as your wedding designers to create an event that is so completely reflective of you, that is beautifully understated, that your guests leave thinking “wow, wasn’t that something.” It is important to keep in mind though that the most important element of a beautiful wedding day is the unseen element. It is the feeling one has when all your loved ones are in one place, at one time, celebrating with you. That is something we try to remind all of our clients at one point or another during the planning process, and is something to keep at the forefront of your mind when planning your big day!

We hope that this post has helped anyone wondering exactly what an event designer does and how it differs from an event planner. If you have any more questions about our services, please feel free to reach out to us! We would love to be a part of your special day.

Photography by Ashley Seawell Photography, Robin Gerrard Photography, Lauren Carnes Photography, Laura Fulmer Photography.

2018: A Year in Reflection

2018 has been such a wonderful year! We have been lucky enough to have had the most wonderful clients, worked at some beautiful venues, and have been a part of some truly exceptional days. We thought it would be fun to have a little retrospective on our 2018 weddings, so without further ado…

Ansley + Richard

We started 2018 off with a gorgeous winter wedding for Ansley & Richard. The ceremony took place at Trinity on the Hill followed by a reception at Sacred Heart Cultural Center. The scale and grandeur of Sacred Heart is the most impressive venue in Augusta, it was a dream transforming it. The large bow tie bar (guests could select their Southern Proper tie of choice while ordering their beverages) was our favorite feature. Images below by Amy Noon Free.

Mary Hull + Patrick

Our next wedding was a stunning seated dinner held at the Augusta Country Club. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal among the candlelight of taper candles and towering flowering branches. This wedding was filled with incredible detail, not one thing was not thoughtfully considered. We loved creating an art lounge for guests to hang out in post-dinner with art loaned for the evening’s festivities by the bride’s talented friends. Images by Ashley Seawell Photography.

Lynnette + Dylan

Our spring wedding season kicked off with a Puerto-Rican infused celebration. Our bride and her family included many of their family’s traditions throughout the day including a Latin DJ and brandy soaked wedding cake. We loved the simplicity of the green, white, & black color palate. We especially loved the way the ceremony backdrop came together on the greens of West Lake Country Club. However the true scene-stealer was the sweet father of the bride, who’s tearful toast left not a dry eye in the house. Images by Ashley Seawell Photography.

Jesslynn + Scott

Jesslynn and Scott knew that they would want a brunch reception following their full mass ceremony at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Keeping that in mind we recommended the light-filled River Room at St. Paul’s. With a brunch-inspired menu by Tastefully Yours, and a DIY mimosa and bloody mary bar outside with a view of the river, guests were treated to a beautiful afternoon celebrating the couple. Images by Ashley Seawell Photography.

Sarah + James

Our next wedding took place at a new-to-us venue, the Reserve Club at Woodside in Aiken, SC. The bride’s family has close ties to Woodside and had all of their family and friends fly in from all over the world to celebrate with them! We loved the all-peony garland for the ceremony on the croquet lawn, the seated dinner in the gorgeous ballroom, and the dance party to the incredible Party on the Moon out on the event lawn. Truly a little slice of heaven right in our backyard. Images by Lauren Carnes.

Ellie + Brian

One of the best venues in the area is Champions Retreat out in Evans, GA. We always enjoy working out there and were so excited when Ellie and Brian came to us for florals for their May wedding! Even with rain in the forecast, that didn’t stop the party! Guests danced the night away in the party barn all night! Images by Rachel Tesch Photography.

Charlotte + Carson

Greg has been a part of several wedding out in Wadley, GA in the past, which is how Charlotte and Carson came to us for their May wedding out on Charlotte’s family’s property. It was a beautiful wedding dayA gorgeous pole tent set out on the green lawn with a ceremony taking place beneath a magnificent walnut tree, it was truly a picturesque setting! The weather was touch and go the whole week leading up to the big day and while there were some rain sprinkles throughout the day, they were all perfectly timed. The groom turned to us after the ceremony with a big grin on his face and said “I told you, I’ve got some good juju!” Images by Mark Williams Studio.

Taylor + Peyton

Our next wedding was for one of our own! Taylor and Peyton got married at St. Augustine’s, followed by a reception held at the Augusta Country Club. We loved Taylor’s love for french blue, so we incorporated it into much of the wedding design! The wedding took place a few days before the 4th of July, so we just had to have some star shaped sunglasses & American flags for guests while they danced the night away. A highlight was the vintage Land Cruiser that the bride and groom made their getaway in for sure! Images by Ashley Seawell Photography.

Elizabeth + Drew

Our first fall wedding of the season took place at the Old Medical College for Elizabeth & Drew’s wedding. While we only supplied the florals, we thoroughly enjoyed working with Elizabeth on her vision of a gathered, wild, textural look. Our favorite element was the large hanging wreath we hung in the rotunda. It was a showstopper, especially once the cake was placed beneath it. Images by Gately Williams.

Jamie + Adam

One of our favorite things about working in Augusta, GA are the number of garden weddings that our clients host at their homes. Jamie and Adam’s fall wedding took place at Jamie’s parents home and it was the perfect fall gathering. The gorgeous color palate and natural surroundings of the garden created such a magical backdrop to celebrate the couple. We loved the vintage car that the bride & groom took to get from their ceremony at Church of the Good Shepherd to the reception, it was so fun to see guests greeting them as they pulled up. A full blog post featuring this wedding will come in the new year! Images by Laura Fulmer. Detail Shots by Amy Owen.

To all of our brides, grooms, and their families, thank you for entrusting us with your big day. It is such an honor getting to be a part of each of them. We truly love getting to know our clients and miss them when it’s all over! We wish you many, many of years of happiness and love! Have a wonderful 2019!