1. Real Weddings

An Elegant Beach Wedding at Seaside Lyceum in Seaside, Florida

With a palette of eye-catching yellow, coral, ivory and gold, Chandler Farquharson (27 and a marketing professional) and Gavin Wallace (32 and an insu

With a palette of eye-catching yellow, coral, ivory and gold, Chandler Farquharson (27 and a marketing professional) and Gavin Wallace (32 and an insurance broker) pulled off an elegant fete laced with plenty of playful panache. “I wanted the wedding to be unique and beach formal,” Chandler says. “Bright colors but in an elegant way.” With the help of the pros at It’s a Shore Thing and Events by Nouveau, the couple brought their vision to life with lavish textured florals, mirrored details and a canopy of white and gold lanterns that hung over the reception’s long banquet tables. After the “I dos,” a bagpiper led the newlyweds and their guests across the street to Ruskin Place for cocktail hour, where servers greeted them with wine, champagne and passed hors d’oeuvres. Dinner and dancing unfolded at the Lyceum Lawn in Seaside, Florida. A clear reception tent afforded guests views of the starry night sky, while decadent beef tenderloin, lobster ravioli and sun-dried tomato, and artichoke-stuffed chicken treated guests’ taste buds. Rubik’s Groove took over after dinner, driving guests onto the dance floor by the dozen with '80s-inspired ensembles and rockin’ tunes. “Everyone is still raving about how awesome and fun the Chandler says. Chandler says the day's success can be attributed to those who helped: “Christina of Events by Nouveau, Donna at Townsend Catering and Jen and Christie at It’s a Shore Thing were unbelievable. They had a great rapport among themselves that made everything seamless when it came to managing everything and preparing day-of.” —Libby MacCarthy

“Libby Pettit at Byrd & Bleeker worked with us to create consistency across all our stationery items. She’s a close family friend, so she already knew my style,” Chandler says. For the invitations, she created a suite of laser-cut cards with decorative edging, navy script and a custom gold monogram.
To ensure that their guests were well-equipped with everything they needed for a fun-filled wedding weekend away, Chandler and Gavin gave out-of-towners custom canvas bags filled with celebratory and beach essentials.
Though Chandler and Gavin passed on favors, guests were offered custom-designed koozies at the bar to take home.
Christina of Events by Nouveau put together a fresh, textured mix of ranunculus, roses, lisianthus and tulips in vibrant shades of coral, white, yellow and blush for Chandler to carry down the aisle. The bold hues popped against her classic white gown, bringing an element of festive flair to her look.
To complete her whimsical satin and tulle ball gown, Chandler and Gavin’s flower girl adorned her locks with a lush ivory and coral rose flower crown.
A canopy of gold and white lanterns hung over the long reception tables, elevating the decor’s sense of drama while instilling an air of whimsy and festive flair. The effect was further emphasized by the tall floral arrangements that lined the center of the head table.
After the ceremony, guests followed a bagpiper to Seaside Ruskin Place for cocktail hour. Upon being greeted with glasses of wine, champagne and passed appetizers, guests settled into conversation on the various lounge vignettes scattered across the lawn in Seaside, Florida. Cocktail hour had a more muted tone than the reception, with earth tones and natural wooden accents dominating the decor.
The head table was distinguished by a bold mixture of high and low centerpieces running the length of the table. Positioned atop gilded pedestals, the antiqued ceramic vases overflowing with bright color and pink roses struck the perfect balance of beach chic and modern elegance.
The names of each guest were hand-lettered onto round place cards that sat perfectly atop the gold-rimmed charger plates. The understated detail let the centerpieces take center stage with their mirrored vases and full coral, white and yellow blooms injecting the tablescapes with vibrancy and color.
Chandler let Gavin take full reign over all the dessert decisions. “When we went in for the tasting, he thought they were all so great that he wanted each tier to be a different flavor,” Chandler says. The six-tier confection included strawberry with cream cheese filling, carrot cake with pineapple cream cheese filling and coconut almond with coconut cream cheese filling and salted almonds, with each layer adorned with ruffled fondant. The cake sat atop a blue glass stand decorated with a wreath of ivory coral and ranunculus for a whimsical, modern look.
Dinner and dancing took place at the Seaside Lyceum Lawn in Seaside, Florida, under a clear, open-air tent. The transparent roof offered guests views of the star-filled sky as they wined, dined and danced the night away to the rockin’ sounds of Rubik’s Groove.