Traveling for the Holidays? 3 Mags to Snag for the Journey!

Hey Ya’ll,

I contributed to a bunch of fantastic publications this month, and I’d love for you to snag yourself a copy to read during your holiday travels! So, check out my featured commentary below, then be sure to look for each magazine on newsstands or online for your laptop or tablet all month long.

In Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, I commented on new wedding trends, like how the royal wedding and Downton Abbey have created a resurgence of interest in the pastoral charm of english gardens and wide, stately lawns.

I also offered up my advice on creating a green event by giving guests the freshest food, and sticking to what’s locally grown in order to support the local community and help to reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding.

In this month’s First for Women, I’m giving seasonal tips for creating stunning holiday floral arrangements. My main advice being, don’t be afraid to mix textures this season! Try velvety crimson roses paired with star-shaped paperwhites. Add evergreens and berries as filler to put a cheerful seasonal twist on any bouquet.

Inside this month’s Entrepreneur magazine, I’m talking “Party Protocol” for all of you attending holiday work parties. The main thing to remember here, is that while it may seem like a relaxed atmosphere with all of the free alcohol, drinks and food, decorum is still very important. People are watching… people like your boss. So respect yourself and others and be sure to stay on your best behavior. You’ll thank yourself come 2013.

Also, a wedding I coordinated earlier this year is being featured on The Wedding Channel.com. Click HERE, to see all of the stunning photos from Taylor and Matt’s wedding at La Cuesta Ranch, in San Luis Obispo, CA. Let me know what you think of the flowers and decor, since those were all my doing!

Lastly, thank you for taking the time to check out all of my recent press, I really appreciate all of your support. It’s been fun looking back on everything I accomplished in 2012… I can’t wait to see what 2013 holds!
-Brian

Turning the Ordinary into Extraordinary: My Centerpiece Design as Featured by California Wedding Day Magazine!

Hey Ya’ll,

I recently teamed up with my friend Mona Davis of Love Love Flowers to create a centerpiece for California Wedding Day magazine.

Photo by Hayley Young for California Wedding Day

The inspiration for our beautiful creation (above) came to me while roaming the aisles of my local Target, which happens to be one of my favorite places to shop for inexpensive yet chic and stylish decor—in addition to Z Gallerie.

Sneak peek behind the scenes of our photo shoot… more photos on Monday!

*** Check back on Monday morning to see our design come together in my behind-the-scenes photos from the day of the photo shoot. ***

It brings me so much joy to take ordinary household objects and re-purpose them in order to create extraordinary designs.

I try to look at items on the shelf as something beyond their intended use…

For example, I bet you’d never guess that all of the gorgeous flowers in the middle of our centerpiece are actually arranged inside of an inexpensive wooden wine rack!

Photo by Hayley Young for California Wedding Day

This is another design by Jennifer Rothfield of Belle of the Ball Designs as featured by the magazine…

Photo by Hayley Young for California Wedding Day

And the lovely design above by Kristeen Labrot Events with Primary Petals was also included in the spread. Side by side, I think that all three of our designs create a romantic and rustic vibe that’s perfect for a fall wedding or garden party.

Which centerpiece is your favorite? Let me know in the comment section below and look for this month’s California Wedding Day on newsstands now!
-Brian

Personalize Your Wedding with Monograms + Logos

Image via ProjectWedding.com

Hey Ya’ll,

Today, I’ve got another tip for you as featured by Wedding Bells magazine. It’s one of my most favorite ways to top a cake or add a little flair to a dance floor, and a great way to infuse your personality into your wedding day: Monograms!

Image via MarthaStewartWeddings.com

Consider incorporating monograms or logos throughout your celebration for an extra personal touch.

The logo above represented the couple attending the University of Texas. The lights feature the university’s longhorn mascot in one of the school colors – burnt orange.

Image via BetsyWhite.com

The best part of creating your very own wedding logo is that it can be used in so many different ways, from your wedding invitations, to your place settings, cocktail napkins, your wedding favors, on your cake, your gift table, it can even be projected on a wall in lights or on your dance floor.

In my opinion, the more personalized you can make your space, the more fun it will be planning and seeing everything come together on your wedding day!
-Brian

Friday Favorites: Wisteria Lane Floral Design Studio – Enter to Win a $200 Centerpiece Delivered to Your Doorstep!

Hey Ya’ll,

As an Eco-concious event planner, I am always trying to make our events as green as possible. One way that I like to do this is by using floral arrangements and plants that are not only beautiful, but also locally sourced, organically grown and Eco-friendly.

For these reasons, the folks at the Wisteria Lane Floral Design Studio in Beverly Hills, California are some of my absolute favorite florists to work with. And as today’s Friday Favorite, they’re graciously giving away a centerpiece to be delivered, free of charge, to one lucky reader!

GIVEAWAY ALERT: Head to the bottom of this post to enter to WIN a gorgeous centerpiece from Wisteria Lane!

At Wisteria Lane, owner Sherene Hulugalle, creates stunning arrangements using flowers that are grown locally and have been certified as either Organic, or Veriflora products. Sherene’s ultimate goal is to protect the environment and improve farm worker safety by eliminating millions of pounds of toxic pesticides from agricultural usage.

Each one of Sherene’s creations is a shining example of how you can do your part to help keep our planet healthy and create a stunning event all at the same time.

For Eco-conscious brides, Wisteria Lane floral arrangements not only add style and beauty to your wedding, they also offer peace of mind because you’ll know that the farmers and earth were treated with respect, which makes your day extra special.

Wisteria Lane floral arrangements create a sense of beauty and add an air of sophistication or relaxed charm to any special event. This is because Wisteria Lane’s designers are skilled at creating a signature look that uses nature’s gorgeous resources to the fullest effect.

Plus, proceeds from the sale of Wisteria Lane’s Eco friendly designs are used to support non-profit organizations dedicated to education, social justice, environmental conservation and protection.

Okay, it’s giveaway time! You must follow each of the steps below, in order to WIN a gorgeous centerpiece that will be delivered to you, free of charge, from Wisteria Lane!

HOW TO ENTER:

STEP 1: ‘LIKE’ the Wisteria Lane on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WisteriaLaneFlowerShop. You’ll LOVE their flower photos and only fans will be eligible to win!

STEP 2: Let us know WHY you would like to win either an organic floral arrangement or a succulent planter that can double as a living centerpiece (both valued at over $200) in the comment section below!

***This giveaway is open to everyone, but the centerpiece will only be delivered within the Los Angeles area. In order to receive the centerpiece yourself, you must live locally. Otherwise, if you know someone who lives in the Los Angeles area, you can enter to WIN a FREE Eco-friendly centerpiece to be delivered to them on your behalf.***

Again, everything in the winning centerpiece will be locally sourced, Eco-friendly and organic, so you can enjoy it knowing that you’re supporting a healthy planet. Check back *Friday, August 31, at 9AM PST* to find out if you’re our lucky winner. Good luck!
-Brian

Wisteria Lane Floral Design Studio
489 South Robertson Blvd.
Suite 200, Beverly Hills CA 90211
Phone: 888-345-6101
Tweet them at: @ecoflowers
Visit them at: https://www.facebook.com/WisteriaLaneFlowerShop

Winner Announcement: The Butter End Cakery Giveaway!

Hey Ya’ll,

I’m excited to announce the lucky winner of what is sure to be a delicious and beautiful custom cake from The Butter End Cakery! And the winner is… Shawna!

Congratulations, Shawna, I hope your paddle-boarding-military-pilot husband appreciates his lovely wife winning him a custom cake for his birthday! Send an email to brianworley007@gmail.com, and I’ll hook you up with all of the details on how to claim your cake! I hope you’ll post a photo of how the cake turns out for his birthday too! ; )

And if you haven’t already, everyone please like The Butter End Cakery on Facebook HERE and follow them on Twitter HERE for mouth-watering updates daily! Also, be sure to check back to see next week’s Friday Favorites post, when I’ll have another fun giveaway for you to enter and win more fabulous products from my favorite vendors!

The best celebrity weddings have a timeless, classic look!

In the meantime, click HERE to read an article I wrote for Fredericksburg.com, all about how to ‘Say I Do Like a Star’! Have a great weekend everyone.
-Brian

Mr. C Hotel Photo Shoot in Beverly Hills

Hey Ya’ll,

Today, I’m sharing a few photos from a recent photo shoot my business partner Jaime and I did for Mr. C’s Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.

We put together two distinct designs for this shoot, one for the mock-wedding ceremony outside and one for the reception inside the hotel.

For the ceremony, we went for a stripped-down, simple design, using only silver and gray Chiavari chairs and white flowers to dress up the hotel’s chic and clean, outdoor space:

For the reception, we mixed light with dark and feminine with masculine, to create an elegant space filled with pops of blues and pinks!

What do you think of these designs? Let me know in the comment section below.
-Brian

Credits:

Venue: Mr. C Hotel, Beverly Hills (www.mrchotels.com)
Design: YourBASH! (www.your-bash.com)
Photographer: Anthony Elgort (www.AEweddings.com)
Lighting: Images by Lighting (www.imagesbylighting.com)
Flowers: Empty Vase (www.emptyvase.com)
Linens: La Tavola (www.latavolalinen.com)
Furniture: Studio D Decor (www.studio-d-decor.com)
Cake: Butter End Cakery (www.thebutterend.com)
Chocolates: Azature Fine Chocolates (www.azaturechocolates.com)
Menus & Placecards: Alyssa Lynn Designs
Stylist: Style Studio, Keylee Sanders (www.keyleesanders.com)
Wedding Dress: Tara Keely
Bridesmaid Dress: Jenny Yoo (www.jennyyoo.com)
Bridal Accessories: Elle and Jae (www.elleandjae.com)

Check Me Out in California Brides Magazine + Creative Boutonniere Ideas Galore!

Hey Ya’ll,

I’m being featured in the premiere edition of Modern Luxury California Brides! I hope you’ll either snag a copy from your nearest newsstand (assuming you live in California!) or head to their website to check me out in the digital edition.

On page 44 of the print magazine, you’ll find my advice on using succulents for a groom’s boutonniere…

Actually, this is great advice even if you’re not considering using succulents in your groom’s boutonniere…

I always remind my clients to stick with items that are hearty and strong, that won’t easily fall off, wilt, break or crumble, because on your wedding day, the groom is the one who will likely receive a hug from almost everyone in attendance! That’s a lot for any flower to live up to!

Who needs flowers or plants when you can make these awesome super hero boutonnieres! Image via jaggerphotographyblog.com

With that said, here are a few more ideas for boutonnieres to get your creative juices flowing…

Image via brendasweddingblog.com

Guitar Pics with Amp Volume Adjuster via etsy.com

Image via etsy.com

Yellow Pom Flowers image via twopairblog.com

Image via bonmariage.blogspot.com

Image via virtualberta.net

Image via bonmariage.blogspot.com

Image via greenweddingshoes.com

What’s the most creative item you’ve seen used for a groom’s boutonniere? Also, let me know which one of these ideas you like best in the comment section below.
-Brian

Trend Alert: Live Streaming Weddings Online

Hey Ya’ll,

Want more guests at your wedding without all the extra costs? Well, according to a recent New York Times article, couples are live-streaming their weddings online in order to do just this!

Did any of you tune-in to the live-stream of the Royal Wedding?

The main motivation for streaming your wedding ceremony over the web, it seems, is to include relatives and friends that cannot attend your wedding in person. However, some people are streaming their weddings in hopes that they will go viral. Here’s an over-the-top example of a couple that turned their entire wedding day into a music video, in hopes that it would go viral (and it did!):

There are plenty of companies that specialize in this service, including I Do Stream, Marry Me Live, and Key Moment Films, but if you want to take a do-it-yourself approach, Mashable posted a few easy-to-follow instructions HERE.

Image via keymomentsonline.com

Do you think broadcasting your wedding live online is weird or wonderful? Let me know in the comment section below.
-Brian

Friday Favorites: ‘Say Hello to My Little Friend’

via http://beautifuldayphotography.com

Hey Ya’ll,

Today’s Friday Fav is an awesome activity I recently had the privilege of trying and a fun idea for a bachelor or bachelorette party: a trip to the gun range!

http://beautifuldayphotography.com

During our downtime at the Engage12 Luxury Wedding Conference in Las Vegas, we headed to the desert to check out Access Shot Tours and shoot famous guns from popular movies!

http://beautifuldayphotography.com

http://beautifuldayphotography.com

I knew this was going to be an extraordinary experience from the get go, when Access Shot Tours picked us up from our hotel in an air conditioned RV trailer and whisked us away to the middle of the desert in style and comfort for a fun day of shooting.

http://beautifuldayphotography.com

Once we were there, the Access Shot Tours team took care of us at each unique station, safely loading our weapons and getting us all comfortable with each model before we began shooting. As you can see, there were plenty of photo opportunities:

Follow and check out Access Shot Tours on Facebook. If you can’t make it out to the desert, I highly recommend checking out a gun range in your own neck of the woods. Who knows, you might be a really good shot! Either way, you’ll have fun posing with and shooting the guns, I guarantee it!
-Brian

In Vegas for Engage! 12

Hey ya’ll,

Just wanted to check in with you all and let you know that I’m in Vegas for Engage! 12. I’m having such a great time so far, who wouldn’t love getting all this fun swag?

Yesterday, I participated in a hosted lunch where the guests drew cards with different speaker’s picture on them and asked questions about our businesses in order to get to know each other better. Here’s mine:

This morning I’m speaking in front of everyone at the event. So thank you, for your thoughtful suggestions on what to include in my presentation… I’ve decided to speak about my process for designing Hollywood type events and my inspiration for designing weddings. Keep your fingers crossed that it goes smoothly!

For real-time photos of the event (you can probably spot me in a few!), click HERE.

I’ll be in Vegas until Friday. Let me know in the comment section below if you have any suggestions for things to do while I’m here!
-Brian