Welcome Dinner at The Archives & Rare Bird Rooftop Party | Clare & Eric

An Intimate Welcome Dinner at The Archives & Rooftop Celebration at Rare Bird

Clare and Eric’s welcome celebration at Noelle Nashville was the perfect start to an unforgettable weekend. Fun, relaxed, and thoughtfully designed, the evening gave guests the chance to reconnect, meet new friends, and settle into the festivities ahead.

The celebration began upstairs in The Archives, Noelle’s mezzanine library space, where a single long table welcomed family and friends for dinner. Candlelight, conversation, and heartfelt toasts created an atmosphere that felt elegant without being overly formal—a beautiful way to gather the people who had traveled to celebrate Clare and Eric before the wedding day arrived. One of my favorite images is one of the ring bearers eating his dinner at the head of the long table.

As dinner came to a close, the evening shifted upstairs to Rare Bird, Noelle’s rooftop bar, where the energy changed from intimate to celebratory. Against the backdrop of the Nashville skyline, guests were greeted by a custom Spritz Bar featuring Aperol, Limoncello, and Hugo Spritz cocktails.

One of the crowd favorites was Cowboy Cannolis, who wandered through the party filling fresh cannoli to order throughout the evening. It quickly became more than dessert—it was an experience.

Clare wore a chic short white dress with a dramatic trailing bow cascading down the back. From the front, it felt timeless and understated, but bow in the back added some drama to the outfit. One memorable moment: recognizing some of her St. Cecilia friends who were also in a wedding I photographed a few years ago.