​Brooke + Nick were married on Cinco De Mayo.  I had so much fun working with them to design their wedding.  They are a great example of a couple who tastefully planned their wedding to give subtle nods to the holiday without going “overboard.”  We did this in 5 distinct ways:

1) We started with a neutral color palette, as they were getting married in a beautiful greenhouse on the coast.  We brought in bright pops of color in the florals to give the wedding a festive feel.

2) We served amazing Mexican food at the wedding - complete with a tortilla-making station manned by a chef!  Guests had chips and guacamole on the tables, an interactive taco bar, and fresh churros. 

3) At the end of the ceremony, guests tossed dried flowers into the air (reminiscent of confetti eggs, but much more eco-friendly).  It was colorful and festive!

4) At the bar, the signature cocktails were margaritas.  The bar at the reception was a “ranchero bar,” made with leather.  Love that piece from The Tent Merchant! 

5) Finally, we used subtle textures to bring in the “fiesta” vibe: small handpainted tiles on the place settings, textured linens from La Tavola, and beautiful handprinted signage and paper goods from Jessica Yee Calligraphy.

I love the final product: a beautiful, elegant, timeless, classic wedding (with a touch of whimsy) and a wonderful “nod” to the holiday weekend!  You don’t have to go overboard when planning your wedding around any holiday, but it is definitely fun to acknowledge and celebrate the holiday.  We have a fun wedding coming up this 4th of July, and I am looking forward to bringing some fun Independence Day Details to life at that wedding!

The Team That Made This Happen:
Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier
Venue: Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Linen Rentals: La Tavola Fine Linen
Photographer: Whitney Turner
Transportation: Jump on the Schoolbus
Hair/Makeup: Brianna Stewart
Catering: Omni Catering
Videography: Brett Williams Productions
DJ: DJ Hecktik
Photo booth: WittyBooth
Officiant:  Nick Bartsch
Cake/Dessert: Crushcakes

Alyssa + Scott wanted a South-Carolina-Inspired wedding in the heart of California Wine Country.  It was so fun to bring in southern food, lace textures, chandeliers, a soft color palette of flowers, lots of greenery, and chiffon draping to the barn at the Crossroads Estate (by Firestone Winery) to create a beautiful atmosphere!  For the ceremony, we had a chandelier suspended from an oak tree, and then I created a garland with roses and eucalyptus “growing up” the tree.  Guests sat on beautiful redwood benches from All Heart Rentals.  Then, guests were greeted with Firestone Vineyard Wines and southern-inspired lemonade in cocktail hour on the lawn, under a canopy of twinkle lights.  A sumptuous southern-inspired dinner by Omni Catering was served in the barn, and guests danced late into the night.  It felt like we were all transported right to a beautiful Southern home!

The Team That Made This Happen:
Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier
Venue: Dos Pueblos Ranch 
Rentals:  The Tent Merchant
Photographer: Allison Maginn Photography
Videographer: Surreal Wedding Films
Transportation: Jump on the School Bus
Hair: Beckie Covarrubias
Catering: Holdren’s
Bartenders: Simply Cocktails
DJ: DJ Hecktik
Bathroom Trailer: Nicks Production Services
Officiant: Ceremonies by Nanette
Bakery/Dessert: Enjoy Cupcakes
Lighting: Bella Vista Designs
Calligraphy: Jessica Yee

While we mainly specialize in weddings, every now and then we get to design and coordinate dinner parties…and this was one for the books!  We had some super fun clients who flew in to LA all the way from China! These clients wanted to plan a memorable birthday celebration for a family member.  They traveled up the coast from LA to Santa Barbara for wine tasting and a memorable evening at a private greenhouse on the Gaviota Coast.  We designed the space with neutral linens and clean modern place settings, juxtaposed with bright blooms and basket lamp lighting.  We curated a beautiful, multi-course meal with Pure Joy Catering, featuring local sea food, meats and farmer’s market produce. As the sun began to set, the guests were transported to the bluffs to watch the sunset with a glass of wine.  This was such a fun night!

Loved seeing this image from a beautiful wedding we had the honor of designing and planning featured on Belle The Magazine!  See link here.  Beautiful calligraphy menu by Jessica Yee Calligraphy, Image by James and Jess Photography, and Rentals from The Tent Merchant. 

The second day of our workshop last August was so much fun.  Each attendee got to create their own miniature styled shoot.  Everyone got to pick a sweetheart table, linens, chairs, china, flatware, glassware, print products, and floral/design materials to create something unique and fun.  Amber from Amber Jean Photography came in the morning and worked with each attendee on creating a flat lay of their unique details.  After a “Fiesta Lunch,” James and Jess of James and Jess Photography spoke about collaborating as a team and attracting your ideal client, then the styled shoot began!  James and Jess artfully captured each person’s work.  Then, as a team, we combined all of our florals and design elements to create a beautiful ceremony space under chandeliers from Bella Vista Designs.  Nicole, our model, had her hair and makeup done by Style Me Kristi and wore a beautiful custom gown from Lili Bridals.  As the sun began to set, we gathered and toasted to a wonderful two days of creativity, openness, learning, and growth.  

I think my favorite part of a workshop is that everyone is coming to learn.  Everyone is arriving open and ready to try new things.  It creates such an amazing atmosphere, and I find that everyone leaves inspired, refreshed, and ready to take on their “next step.”  I would love to have you join us for our workshop at the Sunstone Winery Villa on March 18-19, 2018.  Click here for more details.  Come create, be refreshed, and have fun!

To kickoff 2019, I got to attend the Florabundance Design Days Workshop and learn from some of the top florists in the industry (Holly Chapple, Tulipina, Hitomi, and many others). It was such an incredible experience and I feel so inspired and refreshed as we embark on the adventures that 2019 will bring.  As the Design Days workshop came to a close, I began to reminisce on our Tyler Speier Workshop we had last August at a beautiful private greenhouse on the Gaviota Coast.  It was such an incredible weekend.  I have a deep love for educating and teaching - and I remember when I was first starting in the industry, I often felt isolated and “in over my head.”  It can be lonely being a “soloprenuer,” and it can be overwhelming when learning how to plan weddings, do flowers, run a business, support your family, find work/life balance…the list goes on.  I remember wanting to have someone I could reach out to when I had questions about contracts, procedures, design elements, how to run a business, and how to attract my ideal client.  Now, with 10 years of experience under my belt and a thriving business in the luxury Santa Barbara wedding market, I love to give back and work with fellow creative entrepreneurs.   
 
Our August workshop was so much fun.  On the first day, we had brunch together and then had a discussion about who we are, what we do, and how we want to grow.  It was so inspiring to have so many creative people in one room sharing their visions for their businesses (or vision of starting a business)!  In the afternoon, we went to the venue and had a floral design workshop, where we created floral centerpieces, took headshots for our portfolio, prepared for a styled shoot (on day 2), and had a social media educational session.  It was such a fun day!  Here are some of my favorite images from the floral design portion.  The best part is…nobody attending had any floral design experience!  It was so fun to see how each person had their own unique interpretation of the centerpiece.  We worked with beautiful flowers from Florabundance Inc.  

​If you are interested in joining us for our next immersive, creative design workshop, we would love to have you!  Whether you are a seasoned event professional, looking for a career change, or looking to further develop your entertaining/design skills, we would love to have you.  Planners, florists, caterers, rental company reps, graphic artists, calligraphers, etc, - we all play a vital role in the art of designing an event, and having the skills of curating an artful design is key to attracting our ideal clients across the industry.   Our next workshop is coming up - March 18-19, 2020, at the beautiful Sunstone Villa.  (See more info here!) - we would love to have you!

And just like that, our season came to an end...and we are now gearing up for the holidays and our incredible 2019 weddings.  But, today, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this past year.  It was quite the year - we had over 30 incredible weddings and events, met all of our business goals, grew our team, continued to refine our design style, were featured on some amazing media outlets, and  created some of our biggest design installations to-date!

At our team Christmas brunch last week, we each shared a "high" and a "low" from this past season.  We laughed and reminisced about some of our crazy adventures this year, from extreme cases of wind to traffic delays (and all the unexpected things that inevitably come up while planning any event).  

As I was reflecting on my year, I think that my biggest "high" is this:  back in 2009, when my business was brand new, I would spend time dreaming up weddings designs, thinking "what if I could create this."  As the years went by, the "what if" turned into "one day."  And this year, I noticed a major shift in the way I think about my business.  Instead of dreaming about "one day" scenarios, I have the privilege of actually creating incredible weddings TODAY. 

I had a moment at a photoshoot this autumn where I took a step back, looked at everything we were creating, and thought to myself, "this is even better than what I dreamed up all those years ago."  I never dreamed about how much hard work, long nights, (and blood, sweat, and tears) it would take to get where we are, but I am so thankful to be where we are.

And don't get me wrong, I'm still a dreamer, and I have big plans for 2019 and beyond.  But, I am so incredibly grateful to be "living my dream," - working for myself, getting to be creative every day, and getting to work with amazing team members and fellow industry professionals to create one-of-a-kind, beautiful events that celebrate love.  

I am grateful to all of the couples who trusted me and my team with their weddings this past year.  It was an honor to work alongside you to create something beautiful.

I am so grateful for my team - an amazing group of people who work so hard, are so creative, and are so fun to work with.  

I am so grateful for my support system: our family, friends, and community.  I am especially thankful for my amazing wife, Taylor, and our two kids, Lucia (5) and Wesley (1).

This year was quite the adventure.  

I am looking forward to "signing off" for the next few weeks to spend quality time with our family, celebrate Christmas, and ring in the new year.  2019...here we come!

Merry Christmas,

Tyler Speier
​

Maegan + James were married at Circle Bar B in the mountains just north of Santa Barbara.  Their guests were able to stay at the venue all weekend, creating a camp-like, festive feel.  Maegan and James were high school sweethearts (just like Tay and I), and it was so much fun to work with them to create something unique and fun for their wedding weekend.

I especially loved how Maegan stayed true to her personal style when selecting her wedding gown.  It was so unique and reflected her personality.  

At the wedding, guests were greeted with welcome cocktails, and then escorted through the woods to the ceremony.  We created a simple, minimalist greenery arch suspended on an oak tree.  Each guest was given a shot of whisky as a part of the ceremony to kickoff the party.  Then, guests enjoyed an evening full of fun BBQ food, games, and dancing under the stars.  In the reception, we kept the design minimalist and simple - mainly whites and greens, with some pops of purple in the glassware.  I love creating beautiful celebrations for couples who are oh-so-in-love - it was such a joy to be a part of their special day!

The Team who made this happen:

Coordinator/Florals: Tyler Speier
Venue: Circle Bar B
Photographer: Indi Soul Photography
DJ: DJ Hecktik
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Bus Service: Jump on the School Bus
Appetizer Service: Lazy Acres
Hair and Makeup: Unveiled Make-up
Officiant: Mona Freedman
Dessert: Crushcakes
Calligrapher: Jessica Yee Calligraphy
Photobooth: 805 Camera Bus

Kristi + Aaron's wedding was our first of the 2018 season.  It was clean, elegant, timeless, and minimalist in design.  I love how the modern/minimalist design trend is seen so strongly throughout the 2018 wedding season, and I think that we're going to see a lot more of it in 2019!

I worked closely with Kristi & Aaron to develop their event design and vision: we used white, soft grays, and textured greenery to create a shared vision in a beautiful greenhouse on the Gaviota Coast.  I especially loved creating the bridesmaids' bouquets with lots of textured greenery and small blooms. Their ceremony was overlooking the ocean on the Gaviota Coast.  Their vows were so heartfelt and romantic - it was such a joy to witness them!

At their reception, which took place in a large greenhouse, we put the tables in the shape of a large "U" - so all of the guests were included at a single, large feasting table.  This table had long garlands, hundreds of candles, soft chiffon runners, and soft gray and metallic accents.  We suspended flowing chiffon from the ceiling, created some hanging greenery chandeliers, and then divided the large greenhouse into two unique spaces: one for dining, one for dancing.  In the dancing area, we had a fun lounge space and a bar for the guests to enjoy.  Dividing the space made it feel more intimate and the romantic chiffon draping made the space feel more elegant and refined.  It was so much fun bringing this wedding to life...such a fun way to kickoff the year.

Our Team:
Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier
Venue: Private Farm/Estate on the Gaviota Coast
Photographer:  Josh Gruetzmacher
Catering: Soho Taco
Bartending Service/Servers: Simply Cocktails
DJ: DJ Hecktik 
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Transportation: Jump on the Schoolbus 
Hair/Makeup: Style Me Kristi
Dessert: McConnell’s Ice Cream