​The James and Jess Retreat was in February 2020 at the beautiful Hidden Oaks Ranch.  This new venue on the Santa Barbara scene is so fun - the house has amazing accommodation options!  It’s perfect for a wedding celebration or for your wedding party accommodations (rehearsal dinner, welcome drinks, etc.).  

​At the James and Jess retreat, I had the honor of speaking to the photographer attendees.  The main focus of my session was to talk about being AUTHENTIC in what we do in our business.  It was so fun to share my heart with so many passionate individuals - they had such amazing questions about collaborating with wedding planners, publication strategies, and business strategy.  It was such a rewarding time - and I learned so much as well.

The Team that made it all happen...

Florals and Design: Tyler Speier Events
Floral Design Assistant: L + C Event Decor
Photographers: James and Jess
Videographer: B Studios
Venue: Hidden Oaks Ranch
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Calligrapher: Jessica Yee Calligraphy
Linens: La Tavola Linen
Bridal Fashion: Lili Bridal
Hair and Makeup: Janice Ramos
​Models: Casi McCarthy and Jimmy McCarthy

We had the amazing privilege to travel across the country to the Midwest to lead a workshop in the beautiful town of New Albany, Indiana, just outside of Louisville Kentucky.  We created an inspired styled shoot in a sweet loft in the downtown area, which has so many cute storefronts, restaurants, and is right across the river from Louisville.   ​

​It was such a dreamy set-up!  Because so many weddings in the Midwest are in barns and have a more rustic theme, we wanted to bring in modern elements and lots of wild florals to create a trendy look in the middle of a beautiful midwestern Downtown.  

The attendees created beautiful floral arrangements alongside Tyler Speier, with cappuccino roses, panda anemones, smilax vines, rich autumn-toned blooms.  We created a ceremony space with ghost chairs, gray taper candles, modern white candle holders, and ombre rose petal accents on the aisle.  Instead of a traditional wedding arch, we created a crawling arrangement of blooms and branches on a vintage screen.  This made the space feel so warm, natural, and inviting!  

The table had a gray velvet linen, ghost chairs, napkins created with vintage fabric, amazing menus and place cards by Lime and Lilly Calligraphy, and gray taper candles.  We created a crawling installation of vines on the wall to bring elements of the outdoors in.  Autumn-colored blooms adorned the table, bringing warmth and rich color to the space.  The centerpiece also had dried flower accents to add extra texture.  ​

It is always so fun to juxtapose various design elements together.  From the vintage screen in the ceremony contrasted with the modern ghost chairs, the modern inspiration against the backdrop of a beautiful midwestern downtown, to the soft velvet against the modern gold candlesticks, it was such a dreamy set-up!  We can’t wait to go back and visit New Albany, Indiana! ​


Credits: 
Event Workshop: Tyler Speier
Event Venue (New Albany, Indiana) : The Loft on Spring
Bridal Gown: Laurel Wreath Bridal
Photography: Naomi Ruth Duncan
Calligraphy: Lime and Lilly Design
Hair and Makeup: Celia Striegel
Rentals: All Occasions Event Rentals
Shoot Day Catering: Board and You
Dress Designer:Sophia Tolli
Models: Laura Allstar, Chloe Halbleib

​Chelsea and Ryan were married at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, California.  They wanted their wedding to reflect their genuine, fun-loving, adventurous personalities, and to be a genuine celebration of their love for each other and their love for their family and friends.  
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Guests were entertained all weekend leading up to the wedding: they had a sunset cruise and dinner party, a Karaoke night at a local bar, a golf tournament, a private wine tasting experience, a beautiful rooftop rehearsal dinner, a welcome drinks party, and then the wedding day itself.  

​After cocktails on the private beach, guests were brought to a barn on the property that was completely transformed with chiffon draping, crystal chandeliers, twinkle lights, and beautiful flowers.  In lieu of a traditional sit-down dinner, Chelsea and Ryan chose to have food stations and more of a cocktail-style reception.  Each food station was named after a family member or family tradition.  While we had some seated tables for guests to eat dinner, we also had high top tables with bar stools and several styled lounges.  

Outside the barn we had another entertainment area: three shacks on the property that we converted into a “Donut Shop and Espresso Bar,” a Photo Booth, and a Cigar and Whiskey Bar.  The espresso bar was so unique - there are custom screen-printed lattes with the couple’s hashtag!  Guests could enjoy a variety of lattes, cold brews, teas - a full coffee shop assortment, with each item customized with the hashtag.  ​

Guests danced the night away, ate sumptuous food (pasta station, Taco station with home-made tortillas, hot wings station, French fry station, popcorn station, pie station, and more), and ended the night with a confetti cannon shooting rose petals all over the dance floor!  It was definitely a night to remember…one of my FAVORITE WEDDINGS EVER! 

The team that made it all happen...

Planner/Designer/Florist: Tyler Speier
Venue: Dos Pueblos Ranch 
Photographer: James + Jess
Videographer: B Studios
Catering: Omni Catering
Band: The Lucky Devils
Rentals: The Tent Merchant 
Linens:  La Tavola Fine Linen
Transportation: Jump on the School Bus
Hair and Makeup: Carlyle Hair Salon
Ferris Wheel: LA Partyworks
Lighting: Bella Vista Designs
Dessert: Hook n’ Press
Coffee: Thunderking 
Officiate: John Patterson (Family Friend)  
Calligrapher: Jessica Yee
Plant Wall: Event Planting
Photo Booth: Witty Booth 
Bridal Gown: Rosa Clara

With Pantone's official color of the year being blue, I think it's appropriate to share the images from this beautiful wedding at a private estate in Santa Barbara, California.  Savannah + Matt had a beautiful celebration celebrating their nuptials at Savannah's parents' home. The design and creation of this wedding was quite the feat - Savannah's parents had tons of dirt brought in to level the back yard so that all 300+ guests could have a spectacular ocean view during dinner.  From when I first saw the space (and saw a sloped grassy hill) until the moment the project was completed, we designed the entire wedding based on sketches and what the final landscaping projected was projected to look like.  The landscaping project finished just days before the wedding, but it all came together beautifully! 

Savannah wore a stunning custom Galia Lahov gown, and she and Matt celebrated their vows overlooking the Santa Barbara mountains. Me and my team created a low-lying, half-circle floral arrangement to frame them during the ring ceremony, and we also had florals lining the back of the chairs.  A custom wooden aisle was brought in to anchor the space.

After the ceremony, guests went to the back yard where we transformed the space with chandeliers, hanging greenery, flowers on the trees, and beautiful table settings.  The tables had crisp white china, gold flatware, crystal glassware, blue velvet linens, and custom-dyed table runners from Tono + Co.  We created a stunning deconstructed arch of flowers behind the sweetheart table.  One of my favorite parts of the day was the grand piano (with the sweeping ocean view behind it).  Savannah and Matt are musicians, so there was a wonderful performance during the dinner where they (and some of their friends/family) performed. As a piano player myself, I'll never forget the silhouette of the grand piano against the sunset, under a romantic canopy of greenery and chandeliers! 

​Barbara and Brandon were married at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara,  California.  Their wedding was so fun to plan and design!  Barbara wore an incredible Alexandra Grecco gown with a beautiful tulle cape, and Brandon wore a green suit - gotta' love when a groom wears something unique.

The barn reception was so fun to bring to life. Guests entered the barn through the main doors, which we draped in chiffon.  The escort card display was a large linen board with hand-painted escort cards, and a hand-illustrated sketch of the venue displayed at the top (a fun keepsake for the bride and groom to enjoy and frame in their home!).  In the barn, a large crystal chandelier was hung over the dance floor.  We also create a "crawling" installation of flowers going up the wall behind the head table, which was lined with flowers and taper candles - a stunning focal to the reception space!  Guests dined on feasting tables with hand-woven chargers, natural ceramic china, and abundant greenery details.  Each place setting had a hand-lettered menu (with the sketch of the barn at the top), and a fun quote: “Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s most primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.” Julia Child.   

For dessert, guests enjoyed a beautiful wedding cake with stunning sugar flowers. During dancing, Barbara + Brandon's friends dressed up in "blow-up" costumes (dinosaurs, jungle creatures, etc.) and came on the dance floor - everyone was laughing so hard!  Such a fun, love-filled celebration...it was an honor to be a part of it! ​

The Team Who Made it All Happen...

Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier
Venue: Dos Pueblos Ranch 
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Catering: Neighbor Tim’s BBQ 
Bartending Service: National Bartender Staffing
Photographer: David Mendoza
Videographer: Bethany + Erik
DJ/Band: DJ Gavin Roy
Transportation: Santa Barbara Air Bus
Hair/Makeup: SB Hair and Makeup
Petting Zoo: Farm Friendz 
Dessert: Lele Patisserie
Calligrapher: Jessica Yee Calligraphy
Venue Sketch: By Paper and Cloth (Paul)
Trash Pickup: Marborg
​Officiate: Gar Ceyhan
Bridal Fashion:  Alexandra Grecco
Groom’s Fashion: Suit Supply

When Kristyn and I met to tour her wedding venue and brainstorm for her wedding design, she told me she wanted a "WOW" wedding. She then told me that she "TRUSTED" me and my team to make that happen.  Friends, let me tell you, when you trust your designer and planner to make your "WOW" wedding come to life, it can be magic.  Kristyn and I worked together to select the right color palette, textures, and details that she loved, and then she trusted me and my team to be creative and dream up something creative and unique for her and Jeremy's wedding. We used a soft color palette: whites, blushes, and silver/gray. We chose elegant, timeless rentals (velvet linens, fine china, beautiful cane-back chairs) and then filled the ENTIRE wedding with thousands of flowers to make it feel like a "lush garden" wedding at Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm.  

I designed the ceremony space to feel like an abundant garden.  We created a large flower aisle of delphinium, Larkspur, and greenery leading up to the beautiful arch - which was covered in olive branches, roses, carnations, and other blush and white blooms.  It was a slightly overcast day, so the flowers looked incredible against the gray sky and ocean backdrop.  

The reception was one for the books. Guests entered the greenhouse to see a large board with handprinted vellum escort cards with white wax seals.  Me and my team created an installation of hanging flowers (to give the illusion of wisteria) with hanging glass orbs over the dance floor.  We created a "sea of flowers" around the band to mimic what we did in the ceremony.  On the tables, we had compote arrangements with blush and white flowers, velvet linens, white taper candles, white china, vellum menus, and silver mercury glass candles.  We created a hanging greenery arrangement over each table.  In one corner, we had a beautiful lounge installed with a crystal chandelier overhead and two large floral arrangements to surround the seating and give the illusion of a garden growing in the corner of the greenhouse.  At the bar we used a custom beer bar with flowers.  The sweetheart table was surrounded with blooms and the sweetheart chairs had wreaths of flowers on the backs.  The entire reception was a jaw-dropping sea of blooms - one of my favorites of 2019!

The team who made it all happen: 

Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier
Venue: The Orchid
Photographer: Sun + Sparrow
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Linens:  La Tavola Fine Linen
Transportation: Jump on the School Bus
Band: Collective Music Group
Catering: Omni Catering
Photo booth: 805 Camera Bus
Hair/Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup
Officiant: Arland Steen
Bakery/Dessert: Enjoy Cupcakes
Lighting: Bella Vista Designs

Megan and Tom were one of my FUNNEST couples of 2019 (I'm hearing someone from my childhood tell me that "funnest" isn't a "real world" - well let me tell you, Megan and Tom made it real!).  Their bright personalities, love for their family and friends, and unique sense of style made their wedding so memorable...I'll never forget it!

They chose to get married at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, California.  The venue is right on the coast, so their ceremony took place on a cliff overlooking the ocean, the cocktail hour took place on the private beach, and their reception was held in a rustic barn nestled in the coastal trees.  Even though the venue is a rustic ranch, we decided to bring in lots of colorful, modern elements to make this celebration unique.  

Megan wore a stunning ivory gown and Tom wore a burgundy suit.  The bridal party wore non-traditional attire - the bridesmaids and brides men wore varying shades of bright pink.  Megan carried a coral coxcomb bouquet and her bridal party carried miniature bouquet of dried flowers. Such a fun, unique way to dress the wedding party - it was bright, colorful, comfortable, and fun!

The wedding ceremony was held on a cliff overlooking the ocean.  To complement the bridesmaids' bouquets, we created an arch comprised of dried grasses, pampas grass, twigs, and honey-colored roses to give a neutral frame to the bride and groom. We lined the aisle with greenery and pampas grass.  Guests sat on natural wood benches, after being transported to the bluff in retro school busses.  The bridal party danced down the aisle to Madanna's "Vogue," and the couple's puppy served as the ring bearer.  Such a fun ceremony!

The wedding reception was held in the beautiful barn.  Guests were greeted with brightly colored favors as they found their seats.  The entire barn was draped in soft chiffon and romantic twinkle lights were strung overhead (by Bella Vista Designs).  Over the white dance floor, beautiful boho basket lanterns from Elan Event Rentals were hung to create a dramatic focal and installation.  Guests dined at mismatched wooden tables and round tables.  All of the tables had clear ghost chairs and brightly colored florals.  The menus were created from a hand-painted watercolor artist.  I loved the various patterns and textures we used in all the linens. This design was particularly fun because we used so many juxtaposing elements: dried flowers and bright blooms, natural wood and clear acrylic, soft white embroidered linens and also black and white stripes, hot pink bridesmaids gowns and a beautiful ivory bridal gown...the list goes on.  
Take a look at all these fun details! 

The Team who made it all happen...

Planning + Design + Flowers: Tyler Speier
Venue: Dos Pueblos Ranch
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Specialty Chairs: Town and Country
Specialty Rentals - Lounges, Benches, and Lanterns: Elan Event Rentals
Specialty Linens: La Tavola
Lighting: Bella Vista Designs
Catering: Omni Catering
Photographer: Rad and In Love (Jamie Street)
Videographer: Shark-Pig Weddings
DJ/Silent Disco:  Dart Collective
Transportation: Jump on the School Bus
Cake: Sweet Lady Jane
Graphic Design: Julie King

2020 designs are including ALL the rainbow flowers, and I'm not upset about it.  I think that tastefully done pops of color are so vibrant and fun, and when bright flowers are paired with more neutral design elements, I love the end result.  

Zora and Dan were married in San Diego, California at the Prado Ballroom in Balboa Park.  Zora wanted the ballroom and floral design to feel lush and romantic, inspired by "A Midsummer Night's Dream."  However, she wanted it to be bright and colorful with a "tropical" twist.  The end result was stunning - we used ALL the fun rainbow flowers and tropical greenery to create something unique and magical. 

This romantic San Diego wedding ceremony took place in the gardens at the Prado in Balboa Park.  Instead of a traditional wedding arch, we used the wishing well in place at the venue and covered it in tropical branches, blooms, and greenery.  The "rainbow" pop of color against the lush green backdrop created a bright focal for the space. There is a reflecting pool in the ceremony area, so we surrounded it with lush blue delphinium.  The lush "oasis" of blue flowers around the reflecting pool created a dramatic accent, but didn't overpower the rainbow arch.  I loved pairing the two together!  The Bride's bright bouquet with peonies, garden roses, and colorful details matched the arch beautifully.  

In the ballroom, we created two styles of centerpieces: on half the tables we created growing "trees" with curly willow, twigs, tropical greenery, and lush colorful blooms.  Candles hung from the twigs to create a romantic, whimsical effect.  Then, on the other half of the tables, we created tall centerpieces that grew "downwards" with lush tropical blooms and greenery.  Each table had several candles and each guest received a small favor with local chocolates, customized with a white wax seal.  At the sweetheart table, we created a bright "rainbow" of flowers behind the bride and groom, set in front of a lush backdrop of blue flowers (mimicking the ceremony design) on the stage.  Me and my team had so much fun bringing this unique rainbow wedding to life! 

A huge thank you to the team who made it all happen...

Planning + Design + Florals: Tyler Speier
Venue/Catering: The Prado Ballroom at Balboa Park 
Photographers: James + Jess
Hair/Makeup: Style Me Kristi
DJ: Dancing DJ Productions
Bakery/Dessert: Cake
Lighting: San Diego Events Lighting
Calligrapher: Jessica Yee Calligraphy
Bride’s Fashion: Martina Liana, @martinalianabridal
Bridesmaid Fashion: Air of Romance from lulus.com, @lulus
Groom’s Suit:  Joseph Abboud, @josephabboud

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I had the pleasure of working with Mika and Steve over a year to plan their stunning wedding at Greengate Ranch and Vineyards in San Luis Obispo.  Mika is a graphic artist and had a very distinct vision for her wedding design.  We worked together closely to develop their wedding design concept.  She made all of the paper goods (so amazing!), which added such an amazing touch to the wedding, which had a color palette of white, blush, beige, and soft gold.  Mika's something blue (scroll down to see her amazing Gucci Shoes) were incredible. From the champagne wall escort card display to the dramatic floral garland on the head table, it was such a beautiful day!  I loved using peonies, hydrangea, ranunculus, eucalyptus, ruscus, dusty miller, and lots of roses in the floral design.  Mika's bridesmaids also wore all-white, which was super classic and stunning against the rustic backdrop of the ranch.  This year, it has been so fun seeing this wedding on Martha Stewart and Style Me Pretty.  

Mika and Steve chose to have a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony.  We kept decorations to a minimal at the church, to allow the setting to speak for itself.  I love when couples incorporate their traditions for their wedding ceremony - it is always such an honor to witness so many different traditions at the weddings we do. 

The reception was held at Greengate Ranch and Vineyard.  Guests enjoyed cocktails on the lawn (as the horses ran in the pastures nearby).  When it was time for dinner, guests took their champagne flute from the champagne wall, which doubled as an escort card.  Guests dined on mismatched tables (round tables with velvet linens and white chairs and wooden tables with runners and garlands) under a canopy of twinkle lights, which we covered in greenery to add a whimsical flair.  Field to Table catering provided an incredible multi-course meal, and dessert was a Milk Bar cake (and a cookie bar with home-made cookies from the mother of the bride).  After dinner, guests moved into the barn for dancing, and they celebrated late into the night.  

As January comes to a close, I am getting so excited to launch all of our educational opportunities for event professionals this year!  Providing educational opportunities to fellow professionals gives me so much excitement.  I remember when I was first starting out in this industry.  I was overwhelmed, had lots of question, and often felt very alone.  It's scary to ask questions and sometimes it's hard to find a safe space to ask those questions, without fear of judgment.  Sometimes industry events can feel more like a competition than community.  Well, I don't like that.  I truly believe that community is more significant than competition.  Sure,  we all need our defining elements that set us apart from others - this is how we book our clients - but we ALSO need solid community to support us.  Sometimes being an entrepreneur can be very lonely.  It's amazing how much creative professionals have in common when we come together.

This is why I love hosting workshops.  When creatives come together to learn, grow, brainstorm, and CREATE - magic happens.  The workshops I teach are centered around being BRAVE, KIND, and AUTHENTIC.  There are no such thing as bad questions.  Whether you are a professional just starting your career (or someone who is considering making a chance), to a seasoned professional looking for some new inspiration, my workshops are designed to encourage, inspire, and challenge.  

In 2019, we hosted four workshops: "The Art of Event Design" at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez, "The Tyler Speier Workshop" in Indiana, a Social Media Workshop in Santa Barbara, and a Thanksgiving Centerpiece workshop.  

I am so excited to share the images from "The Art of Event Design" at the Sunstone Winery Villa.  We had two days of laughing, learning, and creating together.  The workshop culminated in a styled inspirational shoot, complete with an incredible Lazaro Bridal Gown from JLM Couture, incredible floral installations, and beautiful details.  Here are some of the beautiful images from James and Jess Photography...

In the ceremony space, we created a deconstructed wedding arch with ranunculus, roses, hydrangea, huckleberry branches, and butterfly ranunculus.  We used cane back chairs and created a floral aisle with delphinium and Larkspur. The sandstone walls of the Sunstone Winery Villa provided the perfect backdrop for this amazing ombre installation!   

We also created an installation on the spiral staircase at the Italian villa.  The flowers "climbed" up the stairs.  The bride wore a flower veil - we clustered hydrangea on the veil to give the illusion of clouds.  It was so fun! 

For the dinner inspiration, we set a small table flanked with two pillars of flowers and whimsical vines growing overhead.  We used a velvet linen from La Tavola, fine china from The Tent Merchant, and a runner made with tulle and hydrangea blossoms. Crushcakes provided a beautiful cake, which attendees decorated with hydrangea and smilax.  Soft gray taper candles lit the space, with hand-painted calligraphy details by Jessica Yee Calligraphy.  

We had an amazing team of artists attend the workshop - it was incredible!  There were so many vendors who made it all happen as well...THANK YOU so much for being a part of this experience!  Here's the team that made it all happen...

Workshop Design and Coordinator: Tyler Speier
Styled Shoot Official Photographers: James + Jess
Videographers: Lace and Lapel
Venue: Sunstone Winery
Rentals: The Tent Merchant
Linens:  La Tavola Fine Linen
Gown Designer/Supplier: JLM Couture (Dress 1: Lazaro, Dress 2: Hayley Paige)
Hair/Makeup: Blushing Beauty
Calligrapher: Jessica Yee Calligraphy
Floral Supplier: Florabundance, Inc.
Model: Carisa Carroll, @carisa.carroll
Cake: Crushcakes
Calligraphy: Jessica Yee Calligraphy