Old Hollywood Glamour Meets Modern Elegance | January 2025 | Harvard Club of Boston Wedding

Hemlock Ridge Designs
Jun 20
3 min read

Old Hollywood Glamour Meets Modern Elegance in a Winter Wedding Full of Personal Touches

From the ribbed glass details to the deeply personal place cards, Nicole and Donald’s January wedding at the Harvard Club of Boston blended historic charm with contemporary style. Designed in close collaboration with Ashley Fidler Events, this wedding was a celebration of contrast: timeless elegance with a twist of playfulness, classic architecture with modern design, black-tie formality with heartfelt detail.

A Stylish Start: Early Planning Makes All the Difference

Planning began more than six months in advance, with the couple’s planner reaching out to Hemlock Ridge Designs in June 2024 - a great reminder for couples that custom signage and stationery takes time, especially when the details matter as much as they did here. The vision was clear from the beginning: a wedding aesthetic rooted in Old Hollywood luxury, paired with clean, modern chic elements.

Design That Balances Texture, Shape, and Contrast

While we worked primarily with Ashley Fidler Events, the couple's creative fingerprints were all over this event. I pulled inspiration from the couple’s ribbed glassware and translated it throughout the signage suite: the welcome sign base, place card pockets, bar signage, memory table signage, and seating chart trim all echoed this subtle texture. Mixing matte and gloss acrylics also created depth and interest in an otherwise minimalist color palette, while shapes like rounded-corner rectangles became a unifying design motif.

From a matte white welcome sign with glossy black lettering to a monochromatic seating chart featuring layered acrylic panels, the signage offered an elevated experience without ever feeling overdone.

Personal Touches That Made a Statement

Two standout guest-facing details reflected the couple’s personalities in the most charming way:

Table Numbers with Childhood Photos: Each table was labeled not just with a number, but with photos of Nicole and Donald at that corresponding age. A guest sitting at Table 8, for example, would see snapshots of the couple at eight years old - a sweet and unexpected nod to their shared journey.
Handwritten Notes at Every Seat: On the back of each place card, guests found a personal message from the couple. These emotional touches helped balance the high-end styling with genuine warmth.

The Welcome Sign That Tied It All Together

Of all the pieces created for this wedding, our favorite was the welcome sign - a showcase of every visual element that made the day so memorable. With ribbed texture, rounded edges, a refined black-and-white palette, and the interplay of matte and gloss finishes, it set the tone for the entire guest experience.

Creative Collaboration for a Cohesive Result

Working closely with the planner, florist, and venue, we ensured every sign and paper good not only looked stunning on its own but also complemented the space. Mockups were shared in advance (as always!), and we were hands-on during setup, coordinating floral and candle placement around key pieces.

Luxury Isn’t Just About Looks - It’s About Intention

Nicole and Donald’s wedding is proof that high-end design can still be extremely personal. With thoughtful choices, consistent branding, and meaningful personalization, every detail worked in harmony - just like the couple it celebrated.