Meet Elisa Bricker, Founder of Emerson James Rental

Elisa wears the Faye Midi Dress

Meet Elisa Bricker, Founder of Emerson James Rental and Southern tastemaker known for her elevated tablescapes and impeccable event style. Based in Charleston, Elisa shares her journey from wedding photographer to rental visionary, offering design-forward decor for weddings and events across the East Coast. We caught up with Elisa—who recently wore our Faye Midi Dress—to chat about styling with intention, building a brand rooted in craftsmanship, and why Mestiza’s bridal collection caught her eye.

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I was born in Virginia, near DC and grew up alternately riding horses and playing in creeks, and participating in the arts in theater, choir, and dance. I love a life that’s a mix of the outdoors and the arts. I always feel a beautiful tension between being in the middle of a bustling city and all its delights, and wanting to wake up to birdsong and rolling pastures. For years, that meant Charlottesville, Virginia was a great place to call home and I started my company there. Three years ago, we expanded to Charleston, South Carolina (a place that’s always been special to me) and now I live there full time with my husband, son, and daughter.

We first met at the City Tavern Bridal Luncheon last month—such a gorgeous day! When you saw the Mestiza pieces in person for the first time, what caught your eye right away?

It was a beautiful event, and getting to see the new Mestiza bridal line in person was a special treat. What immediately caught my eye was the beautiful color palette of soft whites and greens. So fresh and appealing - and of course the quality is there as always. I loved how there were thoughtful convertible pieces in the bridal line - meaning a bride could purchase a dress for her shower or rehearsal dinner, then convert it to a mini dress or top for future wear. 

You own Emerson James Rental, and you provide the essentials for any beautiful event, including weddings! How did you find yourself in this business?

 Like many things in life, it wasn’t a straight line! I started in the event industry as a wedding photographer. I had always been taking photos with my dad (a trained artist and architect) and grandfather (who gave me my first camera and who had an incredible eye). While I loved photographing weddings, at a certain point I realized I wanted to participate more in the way events are shaped with the design pieces on the table, and I started Emerson James to bring more unique and artistic pieces to the beautiful events I was already a part of. Our commitment to excellence in both service and product and our desire to continue growing via custom acquisition for clients has been a mainstay in our success.

How would you describe the Emerson James aesthetic? 

This is a great question! We started small, knowing we wanted pieces that weren’t your everyday and had a more residential look than a standard catering plate or glass. I always want our pieces to be layerable, so that you can use pieces you may have seen before at another event in a new way. Our items ‘talk’ to each other, and aren’t chosen to be stand alone. We work up and down the east coast and our clients, whether they love vibrant color and pattern, or simple grace and restraint, are able to find a version of an ‘Emerson James’ look that suits their own particular taste. 

Follow along on Instagram @emersonjamesrental

Be honest - what is one rental item you think every host underestimates?

Glassware. I love a good charger because it’s on the table all night, and plates of course you can’t miss, but glasses are held in the hand, elevate the experience of your beverage, and are brought to your lips. Have you ever had a wonderful wine in a terrible glass?! It defeats the experience. If you can splurge, go for beautiful hand blown glasses on your table. You won’t regret it!

You are wearing Mestiza’s Faye Midi Dress from the Summer Collection! How would you style an Emerson James tablescape to coordinate with your look? Any go-to flowers, linens, or color combos?

I recently attended an event at Glenstone Gardens with a few friends (old and new) and this table was so perfect with the dress I’d do it all again. What I loved about this table and coordinating look was that it wasn’t meant to match, but to complement. The beautiful brown and rose tones of the table stood on their own, and my choice to wear the Faye dress was because the natural background and green in the pattern were already in both the beautiful garden landscape and the tablescape, and the blue in the dress set me apart from the table. 

What is your formula for a standout tablescape? 

Look at layering texture. It’s easy to feel intimidated by color, and I understand that, so I encourage clients to think about how to bring in a linen placemat, a textured charger, a scalloped napkin, or wooden elements like salt cellars or dipping bowls or napkin rings. Once you’ve added texture, it becomes easier to add those colorful pieces or leave it as-is knowing it feels like a finished thought.

In your job, there is beauty everywhere you look! When do you feel most put together, or stylish?

I remember at the beginning of my career asking myself what is ‘my uniform’? I find myself often drawn to some combination of a dress and ballet flats, loafers, or sandals depending to the season. With so much coming at me in a day, I can get decision fatigue, and when I choose a dress over a top and trousers, I’m cutting my decisions in half and ensuring I look put together simultaneously. When the weather gets cool, I’ll switch to a blouse and jacket with jeans or pants. I love a loafer and scarf to finish off the look. It’s comfortable and put together, and I often find myself moving from a meeting to a children’s event and I can do it without looking out of place.

What do you love most about the Mestiza brand?

There are several things I like about the Mestiza brand, but one that stands out the most to me is the quality of workmanship. Years ago I started focusing on long-lasting pieces made with great materials (cotton, linen, silk, cashmere, etc) and really investing in pieces I wanted to own long term. I can’t remember the last time I bought something I didn’t intend to wear for years to come, or purchased on a whim and regretted later because I’ve honed in on what’s most important to me. When you’re truly happy in a piece you’ve bought, you don’t mind wearing it again - in fact, you want to! Mestiza offers that quality and thoughtfulness in their pieces, and I see myself able to wear them over and over, and looking forward to doing so. 

How does wearing Mestiza make you feel?

The short answer? Like a million bucks! The fabric and cuts flatter in a special way (and the compliments I received when wearing Mestiza feel great too!). The Faye dress in particular feels wonderful on. I felt ready for anything!