 As 2020 draws to a close, me and my family are committed to making the last few weeks of this year be full of JOY and CELEBRATION - no matter what. Thanksgiving may look a little different this year. Yes, it may be smaller and circumstances may be different than any other year you’ve ever celebrated, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a wonderful, joy-filled, meaningful day celebrating the things you are thankful for. Here are my tips for setting your Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) table!   1) Set a long feasting table (outside, if weather permits) with a beautiful linen, fun china, flatware, and glassware. Pull out the fine china, or better yet, rent from a local event company to give them some business (and then you don’t have to worry about doing all the dishes afterwards…) 2) Use LOTS of candles! You can’t have too many. 3) With a smaller guest count than normal, pay attention to the little details. Think cute place cards, handwritten notes to your guests telling them why you are thankful for them, or other personalized touches. 4) You don’t need to be a florist to make a beautiful centerpiece! From your local supermarket, purchase some white (or light pink) pumpkins, brown pears, pomegranates, or other fruits to create a “garland” down the center of your table. Fill it with dried flowers, dried wheat, or other textured elements to make it full and festive. 5) Set the space, not just the table. The atmosphere around the table matters almost as much as the table itself. Put those twinkle lights up, candles around the space, etc.     At the end of the day, what matters is that you are gathering with people you love (even if it’s just 1 person!) to be THANKFUL for all of the things you have. After a long, hard year, having a spirit of gratitude is more important than ever. So, friends, have a wonderful Thanksgiving…and do it on purpose!    The team that made it all happen...
Photographer: Sarah Ellefson Design/Florals: Tyler Speier Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens Rentals: The Tent Merchant Calligraphy: Jessica Yee Venue: Private Estate in Santa Barbara, California
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Tiny weddings were the ultimate trend of 2020. Rather than waiting to say “I Do,” couples are choosing to move forward with their weddings in a revised fashion, with far less people and safety precautions in place. But, just because you are shrinking the guest count, you don’t need to compromise style, fashion, flowers, or details! Love isn’t cancelled. It will never be.      We partnered with a creative team in Santa Barbara, California, at the Canary Hotel, to create a beautiful tiny wedding inspiration. We’ve had so many couples reaching out and asking if their wedding will feel “incomplete,” “empty,” “sad,” or “anticlimactic” if they need to reduce their size and adjust their original vision. We created this styled shoot to show couples that you can ABSOLUTELY have a beautiful wedding with thoughtful details, impressive “wow” moments, and so much love, regardless of the guest size.   The bride wore two gowns -one by Hayley Paige and one by Lazaro. Her bouquet was created with autumn-inspired blooms, including caramel antique roses, antique carnations, and toffee roses.     The ceremony was on Spanish-tile rooftop overlooking Santa Barbara at sunset. We created two large urns of florals and surrounded the chairs (each row spaced 6’ apart!) with candles to make it feel intimate and warm.    The table for an intimate celebration was set on the rooftop as well, with stunning suspended florals and an elegant design. Lilac Patisserie created a beautiful cake, and Jessica Yee provided beautiful calligraphy details. 
  
 
While large weddings can’t happen right now, couples can have incredible celebrations. And, the best part is, most of our couples are having an intimate celebration this year, and a large party later on (to celebrate their first anniversary). Nothing like having TWO amazing celebrations to celebrate your love! 
 The Team that made it all happen...
Planning + Design + Flowers: Tyler Speier Venue: The Canary Hotel Photography and Videography: Chris Evans Linens, Napkins, Chargers: La Tavola Fine Linens Hair: Andrea Villa Makeup: 805 Makeup Cake: Lilac Patisserie Graphics (on Table): Jessica Yee Calligraphy Invitation Suite: Minted Gown Designer/Supplier: JLM Couture Dress 1: Hayley Paige Dress 2: Lazaro Tux Supplier: Friar Tux Models: Taylor + Quentin Even before COVID-19 sparked a trend for elopements and tiny weddings, we had the honor of planning and designing a beautiful tiny wedding in Santa Ynez at the Sunstone Villa. The couple only invited 25 of their closest friends, and the celebration was so intimate, memorable, and fun. The bride wore a beautiful lace detailed gown. I especially loved the bohemian flare of bell sleeves trailing down her arms. Their invitation suite was timeless, incorporating a classic black and white palette and an original sketch of the Sunstone Villa. When you are at the Villa, you truly feel like you have been “transported” to Italy - it’s such a stunning venue and always such a fun space to design in. What a special place to plan an elopement!          The ceremony took place at the front of the Villa using the neutral color palette of the brick on the Villa as a backdrop. We wanted the ceremony to be minimalist and natural - so my team and I created beautiful urns filled with textured greens to compliment the space. While walking down the aisle the bride held a gorgeous bouquet made up of a variety of white blooms of garden roses, ranunculus, lisianthus, and scabiosa. At the end of the ceremony each guest was given a glass of champagne to toast to a warm celebration for the newlyweds.           As the ceremony ended guests were invited to the patio of the Villa for delicious craft cocktails and an acoustic guitarist to set the mood for a relaxed and enjoyable night. After the sun began to set guests trickled into the back lawn and found an intimate candlelit table set up overlooking the Santa Ynez Valley.            When the ceremony ended, guests were invited to the patio of the Villa for delicious craft cocktails and an acoustic guitarist to set the mood for a relaxed and enjoyable night. After the sun began to set, guests trickled into the back lawn and found an intimate candlelit table set up overlooking the Santa Ynez Valley. We created a floral focal on the fireplace to give the illusion of greenery organically crawling up the side of the fireplace. The cake was displayed in a terrarium. Each guest had a laser-cut place card, and the table was adorned with beautiful white blooms, natural ceramic china, and mismatched chairs. As the night continued guests were able to cozy up to the fire for warmth and enjoy good wine and great company. Such a wonderful evening!        The team that made it all happen...
Coordinator/Florals: Tyler Speier Venue: Sunstone Villa Rentals: The Tent Merchant Photographer: Elizabeth Messina Hair/Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup Catering: Field to Table Bartenders: Simply Cocktails Musicians: AMS Entertainment Officiant: Friend of Bride and Groom Bakery/Dessert: Solvang Bakery Jennifer + Douglas were married at the iconic Rancho Dos Pueblos on the Santa Barbara coast. Both Jen + Doug are physicians, and they wanted their celebration to be unique, timeless, classic, and elegant. Jen wore a Monique Lhuillier gown with stunning lace detail and beautiful Loubotin shoes. I create a wild, whimsical bouquet for Jen to carry with eucalyptus, garden roses, ranunculus, and other seasonal blooms.        They said their vows on a private beach. Guests arrived in vintage school busses and were greeted with champagne, as a string quartet played and the waves crashed in the background. We designed the ceremony to be full of white, whimsical flowers - including a floral aisle and a deconstructed floral arch to frame the bride and groom (but not block the ocean view).       For cocktail hour, the guests enjoyed an avocado bar, fresh crudite wall, and fresh pacific-inspired bites on the beach. We created a flower wall backdrop for guests to enjoy.        Then, guests moved to the barn for dinner and dancing. We created hanging arrangements to give the illusion of wisteria over the dance floor. The guests dined at mismatched wood rectangular tables and round tables draped with natural linen. We created a deconstructed arch behind the sweetheart table to tie in elements of the ceremony decorations. Guests danced the night away, enjoying a sumptuous multi-course dinner, palletas for dessert, and a whiskey bar. It was an evening to remember!                The team that made it all happen...
Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier Venue: Dos Pueblos Ranch Rentals: The Tent Merchant Catering: Omni Catering Photographer: Christianne Taylor + Josh Newton Videographer: B Studios Lighting: Bella Vista Designs Ceremony Musicians: Organic String Quartet DJ/Band: DJ Hecktik Transportation: Jump on the School Bus Bathroom Trailer: Nick Production Services Hair/Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup Dessert: The Wild Posy, Cake: Crushcakes Trash Pickup: Marborg Officiate: Erik (friend of bride and groom) Plant Wall: Event Planting Bride’s Fashion: Monique Lhuillier Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin Bridesmaids Fashion: Amsale Greenhouse Wedding with Romantic Details, Modern Accents, Abundant Greenery, and Autumn Branches9/4/2020 Alexandra and Evan were married in Santa Barbara, California at Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm last autumn. They had a beautiful greenhouse wedding with abundant greenery, natural floral design, modern accents, and so many beautiful little details! It was an honor to work alongside Alexandra to design her dream day…and it was so dreamy!        Alexandra carried a small bouquet of Clematis, with her grandmother’s rosary attached - such a beautiful, personal detail! The bridesmaids wore beautiful floor-length champagne gowns. We created small bouquets for each of them to carry with small white blooms - each bouquet was a different kind of flower. It was so delicate and beautiful!         The ceremony took place on a bluff overlooking the ocean. We lined the back of the French-inspired chairs with autumn branches and greenery. The arch was created with neutral blooms, autumn branches, and abundant greenery. A vintage Mercedes brought Alexandra and her parents to the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, guests tossed little white flowers into the air after the kiss!            The reception was hosted in a beautiful greenhouse at Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm. It was so romantic! We covered the beams overhead with natural smilax vines, and then had vines accenting the chairs and walls near the head table. Guests were welcomed into the space with a seating chart created with natural paper and hand-lettered gold calligraphy names. The tables were set with natural linen tablecloths and centerpieces created with abundant greenery. Each menu had a white wax seal and each place setting was clean, modern, and elegant. Guests enjoyed a sumptuous dinner by romantic candlelight (there were HUNDREDS of candles in the greenhouse!), heartfelt toasts, and they danced the night away with the live band!                      The team that made it all happen...
Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier Venue: Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm Rentals: The Tent Merchant Specialty Rentals (Candlesticks): Otis + Pearl Linens: La Tavola Photographer: Sally Pinera Videographer: Pixel Perfection Transportation: Jump on the School Bus Hair/Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup Catering: Holdren’s Bartending Service: Simply Cocktails Band: Jordan Music Entertainment Ceremony and Cocktail Hour DJ: Music By Bonnie Photo booth: WittyBooth Trash Pickup: Marborg Industries Officiant: Michael (Brother-in-law of Bride) Bakery/Dessert: Crushcakes Calligraphy: Jessica Yee Specialty Car: Santa Barbara Speedster As we continue through the “corona-coaster” of 2020, more and more couples are opting to host tiny weddings in lieu of their larger, more traditional celebrations. As a wedding planner and designer, it has been so much fun (and such an adventure) to work alongside couples to plan these “minimonies,” “tiny weddings,” “intimate weddings,” and all the other fun names people are dubbing this emerging trend with 50 guests or less. Some couples are opting to host a tiny wedding instead of a larger affair, and others are hosting a tiny wedding in 2020 and will have a larger-scale party when all the COVID-craziness ends (let’s hear it for how EPIC those parties will be!). (This was featured on Wedding Chicks, here).              Tiny weddings are a great option for couples to consider. Across the nation, there are various rules and regulations that need to be followed - so rethinking a large celebration and planning something more intimate may be the right choice. If you are having a smaller soiree than originally planned, you can still make it an incredible experience for you and your guests! Here are a few tips:
          The Team of Creatives that made it all happen:
Florals/Design: Tyler Speier Events, events@tylerspeier.com, @tylerspeier Venue: Chandon (Inga Winkler), inga_winkler@chandon.com, @chandonusa Press: Bridal Bar (Harmony Walton), @bridalbar Photography: James and Jess, @jessfairchild @jameswitty Videography: Elysium Productions (Julie Hill), @elysiumweddings Calligraphy: Jessica Yee Calligraphy, @calligraph.yee Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens, @latavolalinen Specialty Rentals: Theoni, @theonicollection Rentals: Bright Event Rentals, @brighteventrentals Cake: Crushcakes, @crushcakescafe Favors: Sugarfina, @sugarfina Chiffon: Bella Vista Designs, @bellavistadesigns Female Fashion 1: BHLDN, @bhldn Female Fashion 2: Amsale, @amsale Men’s Fashion: Friar Tux, @friartux Models: Look Model Agency, @lookmodelagency Hair and Makeup: PMA Style (Maria Chang) @pmastyle We were so honored to have Gabriel and Celeste's beautiful tiny wedding at San Ysidro Ranch featured Martha Stewart Weddings this month! Their celebration was so full of warmth, love, and beautiful details - captured by the amazing Jose Villa. Here is a link to the feature on Martha Stewart Weddings.           Celeste wore an Oscar De La Renta lace gown and carried a bouquet I created using Cappuccino Roses, Combo roses, and Carmel colored blooms. We commissioned a calligrapher and artist to create a hand lettered invitation suite, menus, and calligraphy details. Their monogram was their initials intertwined with olive branches, representative of the beautiful olive trees lining the entrance to San Ysidro Ranch. Hand-painted roses also were included as an accent, since the ceremony was held in the rose garden.      The string quartet played as guests arrived to rose gardens at San Ysidro Ranch. We created a stunning arch with Caramel, taupe, and beige roses to anchor the space, and then create crawling arrangements of blooms, vines, and greenery behind the chairs. The natural colors in the florals was soft and beautiful against the bright green grass and trees. Celeste and Gabe exchanged their vows in front of their family and friends, and were married by a close family friend. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed sips and bites in the rose garden as the sun set.         For dinner, guests were welcomed into the Hydrangea cottage. We created a large “crawling” arrangement of roses on the fireplace, covered the ceiling in vines and greenery, and entertained all of the guests at one long feasting table. At the table, we set the table with traditional china, a soft natural linen tablecloth with a stitched “vine” pattern, hand-painted menus, dozens of pillar candles, and organic floral arrangements. The cake was placed on a long table and surrounded by a “garden” of flowers and pillar candles. Each guest received local handcrafted chocolate truffles, wrapped in handmade paper. The favors also served as place cards, with hand printed curled paper on each one denoting each guest’s seat. The guests enjoyed a multi-course meal until late in the evening. It was a beautiful, intimate celebration!                Planner/Florist: Tyler Speier
Photographer: Jose Villa Venue/ Catering: San Ysidro Ranch Rentals: Town and Country Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen Hair/Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup Musicians: Simone Vitucci Officiant: John Jones (Friend of Groom) Calligrapher: By Paper and Cloth Bride Fashion: Oscar De La Renta Ring :Tiffany & Co Last autumn, we had the amazing opportunity to partner with Chandon in Napa to help them curate some amazing content for their beautiful spaces available for site rental! I always love partnering with companies to develop materials for their marketing portfolio, and collaborating with the Chandon team was such an incredible honor. We designed this shoot in collaboration with the Chandon team and The Bridal Bar. It was recently featured on Destination I Do, and I am so excited to be able to share the images with you all!    Napa is such an amazing location to get married. There are so many amazing options for good wine, luxury accommodations, incredible dining experiences, and outdoor adventures. It’s close enough to major cities (San Francisco and Oakland) to be an easy destination location, and far enough away from the city to feel like you are on a relaxing get-away. With all destination weddings, we work with our clients to find locations that can entertain guests for not just a wedding day, but a full weekend experience. In Napa, we recommend that couples make their weekend full of good wine, amazing culinary experiences, and full of lots of outdoor/natural elements. At least some portion of the weekend should take place in a traditional vineyard - whether it’s the ceremony, rehearsal dinner, brunch, or welcome drinks.     Domaine Chandon is such a fun spot to host a wedding or celebration because it’s one of the only Vineyards in Napa that can host events. The beautiful lawns, sprawling oak trees, and rolling hills with grape vines make it an incredible spot to host a Napa celebration.        We designed this shoot to be playful, fun, and modern. I mixed colorful flowers with dried elements to create textured arrangements that are playful, modern, and fun. The bride’s bouquet was one of my favorites - so much color and unique texture. The feasting table was also super fun - I loved the mismatched taper candles and terra cotta candles. The Theoni inventory we got to use - from the modern velvet chairs to the natural wooden tables - was absolutely stunning! Me and my team created the menus in collaboration with Jessica Yee Calligraphy , using small clipboards and modern fonts.            The design was not just for a shoot - we hosted several event planners the following day to showcase the space, so the table was enjoyed during an incredible brunch.          The Team that made it all happen:
Florals/Design: Tyler Speier Events Venue: Chandon Press: Bridal Bar , Destination I Do Photography: James and Jess Videography: Elysium Productions (Julie Hill) Calligraphy: Jessica Yee Calligraphy Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens Specialty Rentals: Theoni Rentals: Bright Event Rentals Cake: Crushcakes Favors: Sugarfina Chiffon: Bella Vista Designs Female Fashion 2: Amsale Men’s Fashion: Friar Tux Hair and Makeup: PMA Style (Maria Chang) Entertainment (Brunch): Elan Artists Kelsey and Justin had an “East Coast Meets West Coast” affair at the iconic Rancho Dos Pueblos on the Santa Barbara coast. This wedding was just featured on Style Me Pretty - I am so excited to share these images with you! Here is a link to the Style Me Pretty Feature. Kelsey, a New Yorker, and Justin, a Californian, wanted to celebrate their love with their family and friends - bringing everyone together from around the country to celebrate! We worked closely as a team to design a beautiful wedding that captured the elegance of the east coast and the laid back California vibes.
 Kelsey wore a timeless sheer long sleeve bridal gown Her bridesmaids wore mismatched dresses in silver. We created their bouquets with textured white blooms and lots of eucalyptus, which grows locally in Santa Barbara.
 
 
 The traditional Jewish ceremony was held on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Guests were greeted with welcome drinks, customized yamakas, and pashminas. A vintage Mercedes brought Kelsey and her parents to the ceremony to come down the aisle. We designed a custom-built chuppah with beautiful chiffon draping and abundant flowers. I love the traditions in the Jewish ceremony - especially when the parents stand with the couple under the chuppah. 
 
    Cocktail hour took place on the beach. The signature cocktails were an “east coast” a greyhound with a bubbly twist and a “west coast” a refreshing cucumber margarita reminiscent of Santa Barbara. The appetizer menu was also so fun, including roasted corn and poblano empanadas, brie and truffle honey grilled cheese, and grilled shrimp skewers. 
 After an incredible sunset by the ocean, guests went to the barn for an incredible evening of dinner and dancing. The barn was draped in natural linen. Guests got their hand-lettered escort cards out of boxes with lavender, and then found their seats at mismatched tables with velvet or exposed wood. Abundant flowers adorned the tree in the barn and the wooden tables, and tall arrangements with greenery were created on the tables with velvet linens. All of the little details were so amazing - from the coordinated bathroom amenities to the flip flops available for guests, each guest was so well taken care of! The love in the room was so tangible - such a memorable celebration with such an amazing group of people. It was truly an honor to be a part of it. 
 
 
    The Team that made it all happen...
Coordinator/Florist: Tyler Speier Venue: Dos Pueblos Ranch Rentals:The Tent Merchant Specialty Rentals:Elan Event Rentals Lighting: Bella Vista Designs Linens: La Tavola Catering: Omni Catering Photographer: Natalie Bray DJ/Band: American Events Network Transportation: Jump on the School Bus Specialty Car: Santa Barbara Speedster Bathroom and Trash Pickup: Marborg Industries Hair/Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup Calligraphy: Jessica Yee Calligraphy Custom Chuppah: Event Planting Dessert: Enjoy Cupcakes Officiate: Rabbi Janice Mehring It was the summer after I graduated from high school. Two of my friends announced they were getting married - they had just graduated from college, and they were excited to plan a little wedding. They had $1,000 in their budget. When they approached me and asked if I would make their special day come to life, I was so excited! I had always loved hosting parties, being creative, and doing flowers. This was an amazing opportunity!  Photos by Naomi Ruth Duncan It was a hot summer day in LA. Taylor (my wife, who at the time was my girlfriend) came to help me bring the wedding to life. We used a tetherball pole to suspend bistro lights and create a “tent” of lights. We covered old youth group couches with white sheets from Ross to have soft seating for guests. Daisies and Baby’s breath were arranged in jam jars and placed around. Guests brought dessert potluck items. A friend took pictures, a friend played music. It was a reception full of warmth, personality, joy, and love. At that wedding, two of the guests asked me to plan their weddings. I said yes. By word of mouth, my freshman year of college, I ended up planning 14 weddings. No joke. It was just a side-job so I could support myself through school. I had no idea it would become my career one day. I am so thankful that I said yes to the opportunity when it came up. We all start somewhere, and reflecting on how far I’ve come is pretty amazing. From a $1,000 wedding to a $1,000,000 wedding, it has been quite the adventure!  |
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