Nico here… So…. How luck am I??? On Sunday at 1 am we leave for New Orleans to speak at the NACE Experience 2012! Our session is at the Wedding Brunch where we will set up a tabletop vignette that showcases California Wedding Trends. Following the brunch, I will be selling and signing my book “L is for Love”. When we were selected to participate in this fabulous event, I really stopped, took a deep breath and took in the moment. Being seen as a trend setter is one of the best feelings ever. Living life against the grain has been a pattern throughout my personal growth as well as my career.

When I started the Bitchy Bride blog, I received a TON of judgement and ridicule. My email filled with concerned emails from my fellow peers, stating that I will ruin my career and that calling brides “bitchy” was offensive. When I came up with the name “bitchy bride” it was never meant to offend anyone.. At the time I needed a way to express my feelings.  The unnecessary drama that floods the wedding industry can get exhausting and drain you. I quickly realized that if I was going to stay in this business, I would have to learn to laugh at myself and also attract clients that do that do the same.

When I sit down with my clients, the first thing we talk about is their vision, the second is their DISLIKES. I feel that by being blunt in the design process is VERY VERY important. I take my clients wedding day seriously and I want more than anything to deliver what they want. The most popular question I am asked is,

“What do you do when a client has too many ideas, and none of them coordinate?”

My answer is this… I try my hardest to incorporate ALL their ideas, even if it is not in the most traditional way. For example… I have a client at the moment, who loves and wants to incorporate EVERY color in the rainbow, but wants her overall theme to look neutral… So…  I took all her colors and found flowers she likes in every color. Then I divided all her tables and labeled her tables after the names of the flowers. We proposed dark farm tables to add a strong base then labeled table ONE, the “Dahlia” table, having that table’s centerpiece, be a bouquet of ALL wine colored dahlias. Table two was the “sunflower” table and THAT table’s centerpiece was ALL yellow sunflowers and then so on and so on…. and so on… Using the same flower, monochromatically, helps to streamline the look and cut down on the “fussy-ness”.

Ok, I know I am off topic and sooooo terribly A.D.D this morning… Back to NACE… Below I am giving you a sneak preview of my inspiration for my vignette at the brunch.. I decided to highlight the neon trend that is strongly hitting fashion right now .When  I was a kid, I LOVED neon and I am so excited to see its comeback. I had Hypercolor t-shirts in every Hot color and I rocked them with my “flat top” and checker vans. .. I know what your thinking?? Neon at a wedding??? Ok, hang in there..

I thought a cloud and skyline back drop, white tulle ballet skirt inspired linen, and white chiffon chivari chair covers would be the perfect back drop for the “pop” of neon green, aqua, orange and pink. I am really excited to see it all come together.. All month we’ve been scrambling to ship out all our tools, flowers, linens, paper products, and props. Also, coordinating our rentals and lighting as well as working on our Santa Barbara based weddings and events. Its been a whirlwind of a month and we can wait till we’re in New Orleans sipping on  ‘hurricanes’ and eating locally made Gumbo!! xoxoxo Love and Celebrations, Nico