“Party Animal” Inspired Wedding With a Sophisticated Touch at the Elkridge Club

Lauren Megerdichian
December 11, 2024
Categories: The Blog

[section title=”The Planning”]

[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Bright and happy colors were used throughout the design concept. Libby requested a mix of vibrant summer colors and large floral blooms throughout the design. Greenery was used on the invitation suite and then carried into the ceremony decor. Blues, pinks, and yellows were also seen on the illustrated party animals in the invitation suite as well as in the floral pieces throughout the tent. The whole color palette was summery, festive, and inviting.[/field]

[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]Libby had always dreamed of having a tented wedding. She chose The Elkridge Club for its outdoor space and close proximity to her childhood home. From there, she worked with her planner, Cristina Calvert, to create a fanciful and sophisticated party animal celebration. Six foot tall moss covered giraffes, monkeys swinging from trees on the invitation suite, and a Mr. and Mrs. Fox wearing pearls and bowties were all included to create a straight-out-of-Africa evening for the new Mr. and Mrs. Blakeslee. [/field]

[field title=”Proposal Story”]Fond of animals, the couple got engaged at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. After being denied entrance due to early closure, the groom negotiated his way in to a private audience with the bride in front of the otters! After saying yes, they joined family and friends at Beuchert’s Salon on Capitol Hill for a wild affair with great cocktails and celebrations into the night.[/field]

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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]

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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]

[field title=”Wedding Gown”]Libby’s wedding dress was Martina Liana from Betsy Robinson in Reistertown, Maryland. [/field]

[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]Libby loves blue and wanted her best friends to wear something blue! She opted for a mix of blue and white patterned dresses. A few dresses were from Smith & Quinn while others were from Reformation and Anthropologie. [/field]

[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Trevor chose to wear a blue seersucker suite from Haspel, the originator of the seersucker suit in New Orleans, LA. His groomsmen wore chambray suites from Jos. A. Bank with floral ties from Tie Bar. [/field]

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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

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[section title=”The Details”]

[field title=”Food & Drink”]Libby and Trevor welcomed their guests to The Elkridge Club with a pre-ceremony cocktail hour on the front porch. For thirty minutes prior to the ceremony, guests were entertained by a jazz trio and offered champagne and white wine, which got everyone in a festive mood and right in time to hear the couple’s thoughtful ceremony. Following the ceremony, guests were greeted with flavored popcorn on their walk back to the porch for the cocktail hour. Passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails were offered as the jazz ensemble kicked it up to play contemporary songs for guests to enjoy. The formal dinner was served underneath a sailcloth tent and included short ribs and crab cakes. After dinner, guests thoroughly enjoyed the espresso martinis that were passed on the dance floor![/field]

[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Cristina Calvert Weddings designed an intimate dinner-party feeling underneath the sailcloth tent. Small bump out tents were added to the main tent to create cabana-like settings for the VIP tables. Amaryllis then added lush boxwood walls and beautiful greenery garland draped over the dance floor that was mixed with festive disco balls. The stunning centerpieces were composed of big floral blooms (Libby’s wish) in a variety of styles. Peonies, garden roses, and hydrangeas were the key players. Banquettes from Amaryllis were mixed in with dinner chairs to again create a festive dinner party feeling. The piece de resistance was a six-foot tall moss covered giraffe that stood proudly at the bar.[/field]

[field title=”Wedding Cake”]In lieu of a wedding cake, Libby and Trevor offered an assortment of mini sweet bites to their guests. The couple wanted to keep everyone dancing and not break up the party with a formalized cake cutting. Desserts were presented in the lounge area, outside of the tent, so that guests could take a break and enjoy a perfect summer’s evening.[/field]

[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #1″]The custom illustrated invitation suite by Li Wardian became the perfect first impression for what was to come at the wedding! Many of the party animals were used in various ways throughout the reception decor to truly brand the wedding as a sophisticated party animal celebration![/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #2″]The six-foot tall moss covered giraffe was a one of Libby’s favorite details! [/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #3″]Libby and Trevor wanted to begin their new lives as the new Mr. and Mrs. Blakeslee. Instead of the bride taking the groom’s last name or hyphenating it, both the bride and the groom chose a new last name to use moving forward. In their words – “Our story is about charting our own path while honoring history. As we look to our future ventures, we’re reminded of Trevor’s Great-Great Uncle George Blakeslee, who spent 30 years overseas chasing his own adventures. Taking inspiration from George, we decided to adopt the surname Blakeslee as a nod to the past while looking forward.”[/field]

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