EP. 20 Making Your Wedding One-of-a-Kind with a Personal Twist!

Unlock the secrets to unforgettable wedding and event design with Nicolette from Chic Concepts as our guest on the Tipsy Guest Podcast. Gain expert insights into transforming your wedding into a true reflection of your personal style and story. Nicolette shares her innovative approach to incorporating personalized elements, from hobbies and passions to timeless design fundamentals like color, composition, and texture. You'll learn how to move past fleeting trends to create settings that are as unique and memorable as the couples they celebrate.

Explore the transformative impact of lighting and decor on ambiance, with practical advice on leveraging candles, track lighting, and mood boards to align your vision with reality. Discover the charm of unique venues like the McNay and how thoughtful design can seamlessly blend with existing architectural features. We dive into budgeting tips to help you prioritize design elements within your financial plan, emphasizing the importance of statement pieces that capture the essence of your celebration. Whether you're planning your big day or an unforgettable event, this episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration, all while encouraging you to share your favorite vendors for future features. Join us to turn your event dreams into reality!

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

Welcome to the Tipsy Guest Podcast. I am your host, marco Buenrostro, and every week I'm here with the top industry experts, amazing clients and all my vendor BFFs to bring you the best tips, advice and juicy behind-the-scenes stories to make wedding and event planning a breeze. So grab your favorite drink and let's get this party started. Hey guys, welcome back to the tipsy guest, marco, your host, and today we're going to be talking about event design and decor, and for that I have an expert here nicolette, with chic concepts, is with me today.

Speaker 2 0:40

Hi, nicolette, hi how are y'all, hi everybody?

Speaker 1 0:44

I great.

Speaker 2 0:45

Thank you for coming in today.

Speaker 1 0:46

Thanks for having me. I've been wanting to get you in here for the longest time, but of course we had busy season and yes everybody was going crazy. I know I'm so glad we're here Finally, for some reason, and the time of recording of this is a January 2025. So we just went through the holiday season of 2024. And, oh my gosh, it was crazy it was Like Christmas came.

Speaker 2 1:10

I was like, oh, it's Christmas, and then it just went yeah.

Speaker 1 1:13

Then it went yes, yes, yes, but okay. So event design and decor, I mean the things that you create are incredible.

Speaker 2 1:23

Oh, thank you.

Speaker 1 1:25

And for those of you who are listeners that are not familiar with nicolette's work, make sure you follow her on social media. What is your instagram? Uh sheet concepts, uh tx okay, and they can find you, I'm assuming, on your website, on facebook. Yeah, yes, all right, perfect. Yes, I mean, I've had the pleasure to work with you so many times yeah throughout the years I mean eight now Absolutely that we've done events together and every time that I work with you, thank you.

Speaker 2 1:48

I mean everything is stunning, thank you, and you work with Gina too, because she did your house. Yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 1 1:54

So Gina, just fun story here. Gina is Nicolette's mom and she is an interior designer and oh my God, her work is incredible. I used to live at an apartment downtown right by the riverwalk and gina, she took care of my decor and, oh my god, every time I walked into that apartment I felt like I was at a furniture store it was rad.

Speaker 1 2:17

It was like a showroom, it was that art pieces and, yeah, it was cool, incredible, and I moved from that apartment but of course, I brought everything with me and now in my new house. I incorporated. I saw it.

Speaker 2 2:27

When I walked in I was like, oh, there's a little chest piece nice.

Speaker 1 2:30

Yeah, so thank you, gina. Shout out, I still love that, but anyways. So let's dive right in into event design and decor. I mean, tell us how understanding why it matters and how each couple can pull personality into their wedding space. Yeah, how is the entire process? From the moment that a couple reaches out to you, how do you bring everything to?

Speaker 2 2:56

life? Yeah, that's a great question. So the first thing I always ask is you know how important is designing according to you? You know, on a scale of one to ten, and I tell them if it's the first thing that's important, let me know if it's really not that important, because I need to know. You know we don't want to go all lavish with them. If it's like not not important to them, they're just like I have to do it because I have to do it. But then we get the clients that it's very important to them, and those clients, you know, we ask okay, what do you like to do for fun? Tell me a little bit about your hobbies.

Speaker 2 3:22

And I think one mistake that a lot of times couples make is I love trends, I love what's you know happening and what's cool, because style is important. But design, good design, the things that matter are color, composition, scale, texture, you know all of those things and that will go through the end of time. That doesn't change, because that's art and that's like you know this the principles of art, right? One mistake I think that clients make is they see everything on Pinterest and it's like oh, this is cool, I'm going to do this, I got to do this and they think they have to do what everybody else is doing and I'm like, no, what do you like? What big deal to you, and it's how your life is. Let's, we could do some, like you know, really funky, cool, like antlers, and we can put them into floral pieces and arches. We can make it modern. Doesn't have to be old school, obviously.

Speaker 2 4:14

Um, if you're into reading, I'm just saying, and you're a librarian, let's pull in. You know, I've done like we pulled in books and then we have wrapped them in different um, like they kind of were. Like we pulled in books and then we have wrapped them in different um, like they kind of were. Like the colors were pink and they wanted floral and we wrapped all the books in this like floral paper and we incorporated into the centerpieces.

Speaker 2 4:33

Things like that, I think, are, you know, a lot of times overlooked, because we kind of see it as flowers, linen, lighting, and it's like one, two, three, but there are so many other like intricacies that you can bring in that reflect who you are and kind of like that inner child. I always like to think about that like what is it when you were dreamed of when you were little, that you really liked, you know, was it being a princess? Well, let's you know we're going to do a forest. Let's make it happen. Let's bring in the butterflies, let's bring in the fruit elements, let's bring in the moss, let's bring in the hanging amaranthus, and they think that that's what makes you know, bringing in that personality, you know different, into the design and making it really cool and for them it's reflective of who they are I love that.

Speaker 1 5:13

I love that because sometimes they they think that it might be silly and, you know, because they don't have the design mentality yeah, and I've had clients that they were like we want sexy and cool and they were, they were.

Speaker 2 5:24

They were this two couple. They were, um, they were those, they were sexy and they were cool, they were, they were both. They're really smart and they were just, they were fun and they were like but we're not. We want flowers. We're not really big flower people but we want some and all we did mostly we did some floral, but we did candles and we did like I did these big, you know, brentmore stands and all we did was candle. And when I say that thing was sexy and cool for just having it was black and white and just candlescapes. It was sexy, it was cool, it was minimal, which is what they wanted, but it made an impact and I think that's what you have to think about when you are talking with your designer. What is it about you that makes you y'all and let's reflect y'all.

Speaker 1 6:05

It's not about you know what's in it's about. This is y'all's wedding, what's important to you? I love that. I love that you know, because, yeah, a lot of the time people, a lot of the time couples, they want to do like they want to have the most amazing wedding, but they want to do it because they want to impress other people.

Speaker 2 6:19

Yeah, but I feel like no, like you should impress yourself, like this is your big day exactly and and guests will appreciate, because they'll see that and they'll see the love that's in it, and then they do appreciate it exactly.

Speaker 1 6:31

I like, like, except, like, for example, earlier when you mentioned about the antlers with the florals and things like that, you know, the moment guests walk into the, into the wedding, into the space, they're automatically going to relate that to the, to bride or the groom, whoever's into that. They're going to be like oh my God, that is so cute, it's so relatable, it's so him, it's so her. I really like that and I think modern couples are that's exactly what they're doing. I feel like all the traditional stuff it's still there, but I feel like now it's like everything has to be modern, everything has to be like, very chic, everything has to like. I mean, everybody wants to show off on social media and and I just feel like the decor is a very important piece when it comes to, you know, your big day, right, it can either make it or break it. I mean everything is important. Of course. You know the dj, you have to have good music. Yes, the food I mean everybody's gonna remember the food. The, I mean the photographer.

Speaker 2 7:31

Those are things that you're gonna cherish forever.

Speaker 1 7:33

The decor sets the ambience exactly I love that and right now that you mentioned the candles, I think that is one of my favorite decor pieces like oh yeah, I'm all about lighting. Yes, and I think candles can just transform any space into something incredible.

Speaker 2 7:50

And one thing that you know, my gina taught me. You know. She always says you know, when you go to a furniture store, why is it that the furniture always looks better in the furniture store? Sometimes, when it goes to your house, what is it that's different?

Speaker 1 8:00

she's like it's the track.

Speaker 2 8:01

Lighting, yeah, and lighting's a seventh layer design probably makes sense, you know, and I also married a man who was in life, so you know it's kind of funny how that that goes. But yeah, the pin spots, the candle light, all of that reflects the art, and when the lights go off you can't see it, and so you know you want to make sure that you. That's why I also love working at the matinee too, because you really get to it's all dark and then you bring in that light.

Speaker 1 8:26

Every time I work at the matinee, I mean it is so different. I feel like every time I work a wedding there, I'm walking into a complete different space. Yes, I, I work a wedding there. I'm walking into a complete different space. Yes, I don't think there's been like two weddings that look like the same to me. No, and I've worked there so many times with different designers, with different planners. Yes, and I just feel like every vibe it's so good at what he did. God bless him, you know we miss him, but yes, what?

Speaker 2 8:50

he did. He was such an artist in that way and and yeah, lighting is so important and it's such an integral part of the overall decor. It's not just that's the thing I also think about really makes good design. It's never just the one element, it's not just the floral, it's not just the linen, it's not just it's all of it, encompassing together to make that art piece the texture, the glassware. That's what makes it like oh, my gosh.

Speaker 1 9:17

I mean when you work. I mean because you've worked at so many different venues throughout the years. I mean there's, you know, there's like hotel venues, there's like just standalone venues. There's museums, there's, you know, the botanical gardens. What is your favorite type of space to decorate for a wedding?

Speaker 2 9:41

Well, that's a good question. I think my favorite type of space is one I don't want to say that it's a blank space, because I do like blank spaces, because you can pretty much do anything but I think ones that have architectural pieces that can be shown within the space. Like you mentioned, botanical garden. You have all that beautiful window. You have all that beautiful light. You know you can work with that. We talked about the McNay. It's such a blank canvas, you know you work at chandelier. You've got that beautiful chandelier, you've got those hanging boxes that you can really make fun. So I think that whatever space is in, it's using the principles that are already there and the architecture that's there, and everyone, every piece is unique, and I was. Another question was, as clients, why did you choose this venue? Yeah, what is it about this venue that you like? And then they tell me I'm like, okay, okay, let's play that up, let's play that up, let's, let's work with that.

Speaker 1 10:26

Yeah has there ever been a time where the couple comes to you with a, you know, with a mood board or or an idea, and then the final, the final decor turns out to be completely different from when you started?

Speaker 2 10:41

yeah, I think that happened. It happened a couple times, like during the pandemic, because we had to do like um, you know, a lot of clients re rescheduled, right, and so there were time lapses and so they change. Or sometimes a client will come to me and I'll ask a question or they'll show me pictures. I'm like okay, why are you showing me this picture? You know what is it about. That was that's another question. I was asked what is it about this picture that you like? Because sometimes they'll be like it's just the color. I'm like, well, hell, forget it, I don't know, that's completely different what I'm looking at.

Speaker 2 11:09

Yeah, so sometimes that has happened, and I think it's because they don't even know yet what they're looking at, because it's going back to the original question of we see things and we think, oh, this is pretty. But when you really start taking things out and asking questions like why this and what about this, and they're like well, really, it's this. I'm like OK, that's not really your style, this is actually kind of what. And they're like oh, yeah, that is what I like. And it turns into and transforms into something different all right, all right.

Speaker 1 11:34

And when it comes to budget, do you? I mean every, every couple you know they show you like the most amazing, like kardashian wedding style, like, you know, mood boards, but then, of course, everything comes down to budget. What percentage, would you say, of a couple's budget goes into decor and design?

Speaker 2 11:52

that's a good question. I would say you need to, depending on what, how important it is to you. I would say easily anywhere between 30 to 50, 30 to probably 45 percent, you know.

Speaker 1 12:04

Okay, pretty fair and then, um, I guess, when you're designing something, are you, um, you know, we talked about, you know, the flowers we talked about, uh, lining, candles and things like that? What about, like you know, like lounge areas, furniture, uh, you know what other components do you?

Speaker 2 12:20

oh, you know take place into, into design yeah, love, love, love.

Speaker 2 12:24

Creating vignettes with, with lounge furniture you know we forget about, like the cocktail area. We want to do a photo when you have your photo booth. You want to make something, you know, really sleek and give a nice um seating section, um, I think, also pieces that are really people starting to lean into, and we really talked about that when we first started doing design, when we would do, like, hanging floral pieces is, you know, statement pieces. If you not everybody has that 30% to put in, it doesn't mean your wedding shouldn't be beautiful. Some people can only put, you know, they have tight budgets, so where are we going to put the money? Well, let's put it into a statement piece. That maybe will really knock everything out. Um, and I think that's important too. Yeah, I love and helpful right now that you mentioned.

Speaker 1 13:03

You know the photo booth right now, so something that's going to be really popular in 2025. Uh, it's still part of the photo booth family, but portrait stations are becoming so popular, so it's still the same, the same type of fun as a photo booth, but instead of having a standalone machine, what we have is an actual photographer taking pictures with a beautiful set. We've done a few events like that and, oh my God, it is so much fun. I love that. We incorporate floors, we incorporate furniture, we incorporate chandeliers, things like that that you can't really capture with a photo booth because of, you know, like it has to be within a certain frame. Yes, having a photographer would not. With our portrait stations, you know, we bring the lighting, we bring the photographer, we bring, you know, like, all the everything that is part of a photo booth, but with a, yeah, we did that we did we've done that for corporate gigs, like for christmas events, and really do it up.

Speaker 2 13:57

I remember one event we did with um curtis cronk. This was a 25th wedding anniversary. It was 1920 theme and I don't know the year was a while ago. But we did like it was, we did very much. It was all 20s and we brought in carpets and chess and gold sequin and and we, he, we actually he actually rented these um from austin were like lights and they actually worked. They took up a lot of power but they were the old school Hollywood.

Speaker 1 14:20

Oh my gosh.

Speaker 2 14:21

So we really created that piece, that ambiance. So when people felt they really felt like they were in the 1920s, it took them and we had a red carpet and it took them to that place.

Speaker 1 14:28

I love theme events yes, especially the Roaring Twenties of the most popular uh themes out there.

Speaker 2 14:37

But you can do it with anything you know. We can make it modern. It doesn't have to be thematic, but yes, it's so much fun.

Speaker 1 14:39

I love that. I absolutely love it. And, as a planner, what are the biggest decor related challenges that you face throughout the years as as a designer?

Speaker 2 14:49

um, decor related. That's a good question. I think logistics is a is a not necessarily a challenge, but it's. It is a challenge in that when you're thinking about, when you're having to work with everything it's not just what makes it pretty you have to also think about logistics, because if you're in a hotel, for instance, you know love my hotels, but the reality is is that they have a sales to meet right and so sometimes they can sell the hotel in the day.

Speaker 2 15:16

I've done that where I've had corporate gigs or I've had weddings where they sold it in the morning and we had a 300-person event and we only had like an hour to two hours to flip. And so you have to like think about okay, how many manpower am I going to need? How many people Because you got to go up the elevator, you got to go down the hall, you got to go. What are the elements that we need to make this logistically work in the time frame that we have? And so that is. I think logistics is a huge thing to think about because it can really affect your budget and the manpower that's needed.

Speaker 1 15:52

And I think that is a great point because and not that you know, not that couples need to pick their venue based on how easy it is to get in and out of the venue for vendors. But I mean, we do have to go through so much to get, sometimes to to an event space, especially downtown, because sometimes those loading docks are so tight. Yeah, sometimes there's no elevators, like it is crazy.

Speaker 2 16:17

And then even even places that aren't downtown, that have really strict contract guidelines, that are like oh, you have the venue for this long, we only have it for two hours. Okay, we can do that, but it's going to go up on your labor because I need more people, exactly, or we're going to have to go with a simple design if you don't want to pay for the labor, because we can't. I need people and time to do these big pieces, and that's with anybody, anywhere, anywhere, any company. So those are things I think you know. If you don't have a planner with you the whole time holding your hand, you're not going to think about, you know, as a guest or as a excuse me as a bride or groom.

Speaker 1 16:46

I like that. You know that sometimes you know the couples that are hiring the vendors. They take that into consideration. And again, I guess this is a tipsy tip of the day you know, as a couple, always check with your, you know with the, with the venue, and be like, hey, how easy is it for my vendors to get in and out, what is the timeline gonna look like? Because that is something that you know. You have to plan with your vendors way in advance, because sometimes you have to schedule different time frames of the day for the vendors to arrive and and be able to go in. Because if everybody shows up at the same time and there's only one elevator, or one loading dock.

Speaker 2 17:24

Oh yeah, Forget it.

Speaker 1 17:25

It is craziness. So, yes, I guess always check in with the venue, that way your vendors know exactly what to expect, you know when you know the day comes. And then they have to figure out how to get in there and a lot of the venues don't allow, like, if it's a hotel, you know, they don't allow you to go through the main entrance. You have to go through the loading dock and it doesn't matter if it's a lot of stuff that you're bringing or if it's just a few bags. You have to go through the loading dock. So yeah, it's always good to know you know what you're getting yourself into.

Speaker 2 17:54

Absolutely yeah, you know what you yeah.

Speaker 1 18:06

Again, you don't know what you don't know. So, um, that's why it's important to hear, listen to things like this, to learn a little bit, yeah, or hire a really good planner that, too, knows what they're doing. What they're doing. That's really the key. Yeah, because it's really important. I mean, I, I've been in the business, you know, for 10 years now. How long have you been in the business? 2011? Was that 14 years?

Speaker 2 18:14

oh, my goodness yeah, so you know I've been around the block or two.

Speaker 1 18:18

Yeah, no experience you know, because a lot of people, there's a lot of vendors out there, there's a lot of new vendors out there, and this is, of course, nothing against new vendors. We all start somewhere, exactly. But experience, you know, comes to place in a situation like this, because us that are, you know, veterans in the business. We've worked at probably every venue in town, so we know how the loading situation is. We, we know the time frames, like, for example, with me at the Magne. I already know what time I need to arrive because I know that the spot where the photo booth normally goes is open to the public because it's a museum. So I have to wait until the museum closes for me to be able to access that space.

Speaker 1 18:56

Right, you know, with Hotel Emma, it doesn't matter, I can go set up as early as, like you know, like 10 am. Right, with Hotel Emma, it doesn't matter, I can go set up as early as 10 am. Chandelier, I can go at 10 am. The Preserve I can go at noon. But every vendor, every venue, I should say, is different with the access for different vendors. Not everybody has access at the same time. So, yeah, this is when a good planner that has been in the business for a long time and that knows every venue in town. This is where you guys come into place exactly.

Speaker 2 19:24

You know what you're doing, you know your people and they know you know. They know everybody, and so it helps yeah yeah.

Speaker 1 19:30

So there's another, another tip hire an experienced planner. And of course, here are the tips. I guess we support also the new planners, but but again, you know, it's always good to, I guess, depending on your venue, depending on your budget, right, you know, but, um, but yes, all right. So what advice would you, uh, would you give our couples on how to prioritize design elements while staying within their budget, like you don't want to like go over the top. If you know your budget, of course you know it's like not the best, like how can you, how can they prioritize?

Speaker 2 20:01

I think, like, if you have a really really tight budget, really focus on color. You know, if you're not afraid of color which I never have been, you know really think about what linens you can use to make it pop, to make a statement, to make the room feel warm. If you're going to go with all beiges and you're, um, you don't have a big budget to really do big floor things might kind of blend in. Do you know what I'm saying? So I think that's important color. Secondly, prioritize what's important to you.

Speaker 2 20:31

You know, when you're planning something is the ceremony most important thing to you and that's where you want to put your money, is it? You want to put a big statement piece? Is it? Are we going to do, you know, maybe four, six big arrangements and everything else is simple and that's okay. Think about the flow of the room and where your eye is going to go. If, if we do all tall, it's not going to work because your eyes flat. But if you kind of create, this is a statement piece. This statement piece, this statement piece, it gives a place for their eyes to go the the guest um, which elevates the guest experience and it makes us, it makes a statement throughout the room there you have it.

Speaker 1 21:00

Oh, oh, my gosh. All right, nicolette.

Speaker 2 21:02

Well, it is time this went by quick it did and it was nice Good conversation, thank you for having us so quick.

Speaker 1 21:08

We learned a lot for our listeners out there. Make sure that you come back next week. We, as usual, have a different vendor every week and, nicolette, this is your open invitation. I would love to have you again I mean, there's so much to learn from you.

Speaker 1 21:24

oh, thanks, thank you. Thank you so much and make sure to our listeners that you tell your engaged bffs about the podcast again. Every week we have different vendors and if you have a favorite vendor that hasn't been in the podcast, make sure that you send us a dm, send us your recommendations, and we will reach out to them and hopefully we'll have them here next. Thank you, girl, thanks, cheers everyone. Thanks for listening to the tipsy guest podcast recommendations and we will reach out to them and hopefully we'll have them here next. Thank you, girl, thanks, cheers everyone. Thanks for listening to the Tipsy Guest Podcast. If you know someone who could benefit from these tips, spread the love and share it with them. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. Next round's on us, same time, same place. Cheers, same place Cheers.