 Photo by David Mendoza While we are all social distancing due to Coronavirus, several couples are working hard to postpone and re-envision events that were scheduled in the spring. Me and my team have successfully worked with several clients to reschedule and replan several events that were planned for April and May. It has been an adventure, but as I look back on the past few weeks, I am heartened by the amazing people who work in the events industry and the hard work we’ve all done to make these celebrations continue. I would like to share some of my advice for replanning or rescheduling an event. Keep in mind, couples need to reschedule events for all sorts of reasons - not only a global pandemic. Sometimes, couples need to postpone or replan due to economic reasons, natural disasters, an illness or family death, or other life situations that are outside of our control.  Photo by David Mendoza Here are a few things to keep in mind when postponing a wedding or event:
 Photo by David Mendoza With the Coronavirus global pandemic, I’ve witnessed wedding planners, venues, hotels, hair and makeup artists, videographers, caterers, bands, DJs, photographers, rental companies, lighting companies, transportation companies, and more work with couples to find amazing solutions and keep events moving forward. I’ve seen vendors pull-off some pretty amazing things to make things work for couples! If you approach your rescheduling process with grace, openness, authenticity, and asking questions (rather than making demands), I’ve found that it will go much more smoothly.  Photos by David Mendoza
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I have had so many couples reach out to me (both my own clients and people through social media) reach out with questions about postponing events and whether or not they should plan on moving forward with their wedding day, given the current situation with COVID-19 and everyone on quarantine.  Photo by Josh Newton Friends, the first thing I want to say: Love is not Cancelled. Regardless of when you get married, what government restrictions are in place, or what is happening in the world…nothing can cancel your love. Your love story is happening. One day, you will tell your grandchildren about how your love survived the global pandemic of 2020. The second thing I want to say (before going delving in to planning tips): each situation will be unique. Each geographic location, each couple, each guest list - all of your weddings are different. This post is meant to be a general guideline (and my own personal thoughts) regarding postponements later this year - but you will need to work with your own team of vendors, your own families, and with your significant other to decide what is best for you and your wedding day. Finally, before giving tips, I want to acknowledge that this post is being written from my perspective in April 2020. So, keep in mind - as the Coronavirus situation evolves, the right thing to do may evolve as well. So, with those three things being said, let’s get started…  Photos by Christianne Taylor and Josh Newton If you are getting married in May 2020: Odds are, you’ve already been talking with your planner and vendor team about backup plans. Each situation will be unique. Me and my team chose to move our May events to later this year. If you are getting married in June 2020: If you haven’t already, I recommend setting up a call with your planner to talk about backup plans. If you don’t have a planner, call your venue (or your vendor who is helping you most in the process) to ask about their policies. While we don’t know what everything will be like in June, seeing as it’s just two months away, I recommend having a strong backup plan in place. This way, as the situation evolves, you won’t need to feel panicked if restrictions on gatherings continue. If you are getting married in July - December 2020: All of us are hoping and praying that this situation is resolved (or less intense) as the year progresses. As a planner, I’ve been encouraging my couples getting married later this year to: 
 Photo by Christianne Taylor My main advice: don’t make a decision now because you are afraid. Take the time to see how the situation evolves, to pragmatically discuss your Plan B, and to embrace the fact that while none of us are in control, we can control our own actions and our own love stories. All of the weddings after restrictions are lifted are going to be so EPIC. Everyone is going to be so excited to GATHER and CELEBRATE. I can’t wait to be a part of them!  Photo by Naomi Ruth Duncan I’ll never forget where I was on March 15, 2020. I don’t think anyone in the events industry will forget it. It was Sunday, and Taylor and I were sitting on the couch. The kids had just gone to bed. We had all been watching the rapidly evolving Coronavirus news over the past few weeks, and I was scrolling through Apple News to get any latest updates. And there - in the headlines - I saw it. That cold, prickly feeling went down my spine. The CDC was recommending that no events over 50 people take place for the next 8 weeks. With that one announcement, our whole year changed. For those of you who know me, you know that me and my team have navigated several different crises. From replanning a wedding in 72 hours due to the Thomas Fire to navigating venue closures with the Montecito mudslide, me and my team are no strangers to thinking “on the fly” and implementing new plans QUICKLY when we need to.
I immediately jumped on my laptop and emailed all of my clients, saying that I wanted to set-up a phone call with them on Monday. I encouraged them and told them: “I’m On Your Team.” I told the truth: the situation is changing, and I want to get on the phone with you to talk about our next steps. Monday was hard. I talked with each of my clients who had events in the next 8 weeks. There were tears, people who felt hopeless, and lots of questions: what are we going to do? Do we cancel? How do we know if there will be any more dates open? How far out do we postpone? Should we just elope? The conversations weren’t easy, but I met each one with grace and was ready to listen. After listening, we worked with each couple to come up with the best solution for them (over the weeks that followed). Some were rescheduled to future dates, some re-planned their wedding to be more intimate or more of a party. It was a lot of hard work. But it was good work. And I’m proud of it. And here’s the thing: We are still in the middle of this global pandemic. The situation will evolve and change and isn’t in my control. I can’t control what is going on in the outside world, but I can control how I respond.
Friends, there are four things I want you to take away from this story: 1) Hearing that my source of income was being literally wiped out for the next 8 weeks (and potentially longer) was scary. None of us plan for global pandemics in our businesses. Sure, we plan for a client or two cancelling here and there, we plan for an unexpected shift in plans every once-in-awhile, but 8 weeks worth of work? Never in a million years. Until March 15, 2020. It’s ok to feel all the emotions when things are uncertain. 2) Instead of being paralyzed by that fear of the unknown (what is going to happen to me? My family? My clients? My events? My business?), we need to continue to move forward. We need to take action. When things are uncertain or not going to plan, it’s important for us to lead the communication with our clients. If possible, be the first to reach out and address the situation. When we are leading the conversation, we have the opportunity to do so with bravery, grace, and to develop a solution alongside the people we serve. 3) We don’t need to have an answer right away. It’s ok to say that you need to think or consider some options, and give your client an actionable date you will get back to them. 4) When things are tough, we need to SERVE. Serving doesn’t mean letting go of personal or professional boundaries. It doesn’t mean ignoring your contracts and pricing structures. It doesn’t mean letting go of your personal brand and the quality of your work. To me, serving means to work alongside my clients to hear what they need to say and work with them to develop the best possible solution in a pragmatic, professional, peaceful way. It means giving open, honest, authentic advice and walking them through what options they have. It means being prepared. It means being honest when you don’t have a solution right away. Essentially, to me, it means being on the SAME TEAM.  My friends, we are all navigating this global crisis together. We are not in control of what will happen. It’s ok to feel all the emotions as they come up. When we are faced with fear, we can take action and lead the conversation. We can lean in to the discomfort of the unknown We can work together and be on the same team.  Photo by Naomi Ruth Duncan My dear friends James and Jess host incredible education opportunities for event photographers. Our relationship goes way back - Jess (before she met James) actually was the photographer for Taylor and my wedding! I had the honor of being James and Jess’ wedding planner, and throughout our years in the industry we have stayed close friends. It’s always so fun to collaborate with fellow artists and to celebrate our successes together.   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. 
  After I spoke, me and my team curated a styled shoot for the attendees to shoot. I created a woodland-inspired whimsical chuppah, table, and lounge (Thank you Tent Merchant for the rentals!). For the ceremony, we lined over 100 candles under the oak trees, surrounding a chuppah covered in greenery and white/green blooms. It was so beautiful, especially when the sunlight was streaming through the branches…pure magic!     We set a table with wood chairs, charcoal gray velvet linens, modern white china, and textured blooms and candles. The lounge area was a beautiful French-inspired collection from The Tent Merchant, which we surrounded with candles and flowers. Once the models were added into the space, it was all so beautiful! I love creating styled shoots in an educational setting - it’s so fun to be creative and have fun (without the intense pressure of a wedding day timeline, guest arrival, vendor management, etc.). I hope you enjoy some of the images from James and Jess from this memorable experience! 
   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 Wedding Inspiration in New Albany, Indiana - Autumn Flowers at Loft Wedding in the Midwest3/26/2020 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. 
The invitation suite featured hand-sketched elements from downtown, including the bridge from Louisville. It’s always so fun to incorporate local elements when getting married in any destination! 
 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. 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. 
On the day of the wedding, guests were transported in vintage school busses to the ocean bluffs, where a custom-built wood aisle was adorned with rose petals and wooden arch was covered in abundant textured white blooms, including roses, hydrangea, astilbe, eucalyptus, and anemones. Emotions ran high as Chelsea came down the aisle with her dad, in a beautiful Rosa Clara lace gown. The ceremony was infused with heartfelt elements and lots of humor. Each guest laughed and each guest cried.   
   After the ceremony, the vintage school busses transported the guests to the beach, for a memorable cocktail hour. A large Ferris wheel was installed for the wedding on the beach, covered in Smilax vines and styled by the Tyler Speier Team. Guests could grab a cocktail (from the large wooden bar overlooking the ocean with a dramatic greenery installation), grab a selfie stick from the selfie stick station, and then enjoy a ride on the Ferris wheel! The other photo opportunity was the 16’ long living flower wall, with the couple’s hashtag displayed at the center. The food was also so memorable - from fresh-baked pretzels to chicken and waffle bites, the cocktail hour cuisine was inspired by carnival food and was oh-so-good! 
    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.
 Chelsea surprised Ryan and styled the cigar lounge after his favorite football team - with team decorations and props infused throughout the cigar lounge, which had Edison bulb lights, leather furniture, a retro beer cooler, and a chevron-patterned wooden bar.
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!                          The Team Who Made This All Happen...
Planning + Design + Flowers: Tyler Speier Photographer: Michael & Anna Costa Venue: Private Estate Rentals: The Tent Merchant Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen Valet: Blue Star Hair: Kathy Hill (family of Bride) Makeup: Natalie Jensen (family of Bride) Catering: Pure Joy DJ: Gavin Roy Presents Officiant: Reverend John D. Lund Bakery/Dessert: Christine Dahl Calligrapher: Jessica Yee Calligraphy Lighting: Bella Vista Designs Bride Gown Designer: Galia Lahov Groom Suit Designer: Armani Romantic Wedding in the Woods with Flower Aisle, Whimsical Flower Installations, and a Petting Zoo3/5/2020 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 wedding ceremony was in the woods outside the barn at Rancho Dos Pueblos. We created a stunning floral installation of olive branches, roses, carnations, and seasonal blooms that "grew" up one of the large trees to serve as a focal for the ceremony space. A harpist played as the bridal party came down the floral-lined aisle. Barbara and Brandon said their vows in the magical golden light - not one eye was dry!            For cocktail hour, Barbara and Brandon chose to have a petting zoo as entertainment for their guests! We had goats, llamas, sheep, and other fun animals for the guests to interact with while they enjoyed their cocktails.    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 |
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