A pro planner shares the elements of a perfectly sophisticated winter wonderland
Lush textures, lights aglow, and landscapes cloaked in white—there’s an inherent romance to the winter season. After getting engaged in a snow-dusted vineyard, that romance is just what Sadie English and William “Tucker” Shelton had in mind for their December nuptials.
The bride-to-be knew the vibe she wanted—a luxe winter wonderland more cozy than icy—and to pull it off enlisted the planning prowess of Haley Kelly, known for lavish, concept-driven bashes that feel elevated and personal.
Kelly helped Sadie and Tucker hone their vision and capture the magic and warmth of the season. She didn’t shy away from incorporating literal holiday elements—think 12-foot tinsel trees suspended from the ceiling, surprise clusters of mistletoe, Santa hats on the dance floor, and a grand exit set to falling snow—but balanced the seasonal whimsy with a sophisticated color palette, metallic accents, and stately patterned fabrics.
The elegant aesthetic set the stage for an intimate celebration best embodied by the couple’s fireside ceremony. Sadie had always imagined tying the knot in front of a mantel covered in candles but assumed she’d have to forgo it after selecting The Dunlin, which has a flush fireplace wall, as their venue. That proved no obstacle for Kelly, who had a custom cement mantel constructed and installed on-site.
Here, she takes us behind the scenes to share her secrets for executing this chic holiday celebration.
How did you refine the overall aesthetic for this wedding?
We worked through a few rounds of color palettes and patterns as well as a one-pager of initial ideas (things like lounge concepts, linens, and chairs). It’s important to spend that time—and not create an 80-page design board right away! We started with a plaid and mahogany “ski lodge” concept, but that wasn’t right. Then we moved in a more glam direction using vintage metallics. I describe it as a cozy bar with a touch of holiday cheer.
The suspended trees were showstoppers. How did they come to be?
We often attract clients who want to go all in, because they’ve seen past events where we did it all. That was the case here: Sadie had seen a wedding where we’d hung a tree. I didn’t want to do the exact same thing, so we used more trees and added chandeliers to create sparkle around the entire room.
What did draping add to the equation?
Fun fact: We added the draping at the last minute. With the venue’s exposed beams, we were originally going for more of a “woodland Christmas” vibe, but given all the sparkly elements coming together, I decided to do digital mock-ups with silver lamé fabric. It was a risk, but that’s what you do as a planner. It created an incredible overall shimmer, and dropping the ceilings down made the room more intimate.
Can you share details about the welcome party’s winter market?
This is our way of reimagining traditional welcome bags, something we do for about 90 percent of our clients. It’s a fun activity that creates conversation and reduces waste by allowing guests to pick and choose the items they actually want. It featured a few of the bride and groom’s favorite things, including Swedish candy, praline pecans, Diet Dr. Pepper, and Dr. Brown’s cream soda.
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