Dempsey & Carroll’s event curator Austin Ackles sat down with Lynn Easton of Easton Events to talk about Charleston, planning destination events, and more. 
AA: Charleston has to be the most beautiful town in America. How has the city grown and changed for the better?
LE: Charleston just continues to get better and better! It is constantly changing, evolving and moving forward. A wonderfully diverse town – with something for everyone. The spectrum encompasses everything from the original, down home oyster shack to some of the finest culinary haunts in the country. The experience is coupled with amazing hotels, miles of unspoilt beaches, a vibrant art and music scene. The economy is strong, they now refer to our town as Silicon Harbor – truly a quality of life that is hard to beat. All of this is interwoven with the backdrop of one of the most historic cities in the country. It continues to attract the best and brightest who are seeking a slightly more laid back pace of life. Charleston is flourishing!
AA: Your sense of color is amazing. What palettes are you using less? What colors do you always want to see more of?
LE: We love to incorporate hints of color into our classic, cool tone palettes. Whether it’s a touch of buttery yellow, grapefruit pink, or pomegranate, we are enjoying finding ways to add in the next unexpected layer to the décor. With any wedding, we strive to see and use colors that complement the natural surroundings of the wedding location. This can be touches of dark purple to accent the Aspen trees in a Colorado wedding, to Kelly Green and Pink to match the palm trees and Bahamian sunsets that truly are one of a kind.
AA: You created a gorgeous low country wedding and the client’s rabbit, a local celebrity, was included in the theme and festivities. Are you seeing more animals invited to join the party?
LE: Our fab bunny, Lightfoot, is a bit on an anomaly because as local celebrity she truly was a star in our client’s wedding. We are definitely seeing a lots of dogs having their moment in the ceremony but for our clients it tends to be limited to their four legged furry friends.
AA: We’re seeing a return to classic, elegant, yet discreetly opulent wedding papers and even an uptick in requests for the most traditional foldover invitations. What do you see coming in paper trends?
LE: We completely agree! Our brides tend to lean toward classic and tradition, but they are allowing themselves to be creative and expressive with their save the dates and day-of details. We like to keep a cohesive thread for the entire suite, and we are finding that the Easton bride is interested in embracing engraving, calligraphy, and classic typefaces for their wedding invitation. That being said we often suggest a beautiful liner, vintage stamps, or a colorful RSVP envelope to keep the palette consistent throughout the printed suite.
AA: You have a great deal of experience doing destination events. What is the most exciting and challenging venue for which you’ve designed?
LE: We love utilizing off-the-beaten track properties, especially in Europe where they tend to be a smidge more lenient about their rules. These estates, by their very nature, require the maximum planning and logistics, with typically a one way road system for load in and breakdown, but the effort is rewarded by the incredible visual impact that an extraordinary venue has on the guests. Particularly memorable was a wedding we planned near Portofino in an ancient abbey with only candlelight – literally no electric light. It was absolutely breathtaking.
AA: Finally, where will you be traveling to this summer for a moment of peace and quiet?
LE: We are going to the South of France for 10 days and staying at La Bastide de Gordes. Lots of family, fabulous food, extraordinary scenery and views. I always come back from the South of France feeling restored and inspired!