The Clifton Inn, with its lush and well-groomed grounds, was the perfect setting for this June 2011 wedding in Charlottesville, coordinated by Crystal Whitaker of The Event Company and Sperry Tents Virginia.

The entire day was a real treat for the senses. If you look closely, you’ll notice layer upon layer of detail, from the vintage-inspired lounge furniture and lanterns to what we consider the show-stopper – a vine-entwined pergola underneath the 66 x 66 ft. Sperry Tent!

Some dining tables are bare; some covered in linens. Floral arrangements by Pat’s Floral Design differ in shape, height, and container throughout the tent. Even the bridesmaids sported a unique bouquet each.

Escort cards by Meant To Be Calligraphy were paired with a key each and hung on old doors. Great idea!

After guests finished their dinner, they moved over to the dance floor thanks to the couple’s live band Another Level.

And most of all, we can’t forget these photos by Kristen Gardner Photography, which perfectly captured the light, the people, and the day. Thanks Kristen! Even more photos are posted on her blog – check it out!

We are excited to announce our new Guest Blogger series! Of course, we always have great things to say about tented weddings, but we also know that a lot of consideration goes into planning seamless outdoor events. So we’ve enlisted the help of experienced event professionals, asking them to share their expertise on a wide range of topics that we’ll be sharing throughout the year.

Our Guest Blogger for February is Desiree Spinner, owner of Desiree Spinner Events. With offices in New York, Cape Cod, and Nantucket, DSE is responsible for some of New England’s most creative and memorable occasions. Desiree’s own blog is filled with great tips and ideas, but for now, we’ve asked her to share her experience with outdoor wedding planning. (And we couldn’t forget to credit Rebecca Hansen Weddings for these awesome photos of a Martha’s Vineyard wedding orchestrated by DSE.)

Hi Sperry Nation! There are so many advantages to having an outdoor vs. venue wedding. Outdoor weddings are my most favorite, because you can create any type of look and feel that you want.

With a beautiful tent and the right décor, you can create an extravagant or very intimate setting. Here are a few tips I give clients for when we decide that a tented wedding suits them best.

Tent Size

When you select your tent, keep in mind that long farm tables take up much more room than rounds. Let your tent vendor know what you are thinking for a layout so they can help you plan accordingly.

Tent Sides

The weather, especially in the Northeast, can be so unpredictable. Make sure you spend the extra money to have an onsite tent coordinator who can put up/down/up/down (yes, sometimes it happens that much) those tent sides for you! Which leads me to my next tip…

Heaters

If you are getting married before July or after August, you need at least one heater. It may seem like an added amount of money that you might want to cut out, but earlier in the day it could be warm and then, by 6:00 p.m., you and your guests are freezing (even with the tent sides down). There is nothing worse than shivering while you eat your dinner. (*Heaters go fast! Make sure to keep one on your quote because, once you take it off, it may be impossible to put back on!)

Lighting

Although Sperry Tents are simply gorgeous on their own, they can also be made into a very intimate space with some bistro lights. When clients tell me that the tent seems large and they want to make it intimate, I ask Sperry for a bistro light estimate. It makes a very large tent seem like a cozy backyard space.

Creative event professionals should be able to throw a great party, and this event definitely did not disappoint! Earlier this month, a variety of vendors pooled their talents to help launch inWHITE, a collective of wedding businesses in Clinton, CT. Their goal is to help brides plan all aspects of their wedding in one place. (Learn more: visit their website or Facebook page.)

We were happy to help make the party happen, providing a 32 x 50 ivory tent for drinking, lounging, and dancing to a fantastic live band.

Masterminded by event planner Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events, the evening was  filled with unexpected, delightful details at every turn. It was a chilly January night but our heaters (plus the dancing) kept everyone toasty warm. Not surprisingly, white ruled the night, from the tent to the floral arrangements to everyone’s party wear.

Lounge furniture and custom lighting and drapery by Ryan Designs created comfy seating areas for guests and added to the glamour of the night. Positioning lights, such as these tufted sconces, directly over chairs and sofas was a great design idea.

The event wasn’t just about decor. Wonderful nibbles and fun signature cocktails by caterer A Thyme to Cook kept the party going. We particularly loved the upside-down calla lilies,  arranged by florist Datura, A Modern Garden, which formed an intriguing, modern backdrop to the bar. And we couldn’t help but include some of the night’s featured cake designs by A Little Imagination Cakes, because who doesn’t like cake?

And this blog post wouldn’t have been possible without the talented team at Carla Ten Eyck Photography. Carla’s firm (now a member of in WHITE) covered the party from start to finish. Her team is always great fun and never misses a shot – thanks Julie!

Everyone especially enjoyed the photobooth provided by Jim Altieri of Vintage Cinema (Sperry Tents attendees included).

One especially appropriate touch for such a social media-savvy crowd – the in WHITE Twitter feed projected onto the Sperry Tent. (BTW, if you want to keep up with Sperry news such as this party and more, follow us on Twitter @SperryTents).

It was a beautiful September day, perfect for a wedding at the Wauwinet on Nantucket. Melissa and Eric were married outdoors, overlooking the ocean, right next to their 46 x 85 reception tent from the island’s Sperry Tents provider, Nantucket Tents.

Guests looked on while the newlyweds danced on the resort’s zen deck, with a setting sun (and a sweet 24 round Blue Star tent) in the background.

Thanks to Brea McDonald Photography for sharing these photos.

Sperry Tents Mystic had a great time working with Caity and Matt on their recent wedding at the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT. After cocktails in the museum’s historic sunken garden, everyone headed over to the 46 x 125 Sperry Tent for dinner and dancing.

Managed by Sixpence for Your Shoes event planners, the day was perfect – except for one quick rain shower as guests headed inside the tent. Vibrant floral arrangements by Dragonfly Events were perfectly accented by china in a variety of colorful patterns. Strings of Asian lanterns provided interest overhead and plenty of nighttime glow.

Special thanks to IRIS Photography for allowing us access to their wonderful imagery. For even more pictures of this stylish wedding, check out their blog.