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