We send our heartfelt congratulations to Shenae and applaud her for celebrating her love in her style!

Photo Credit: FLAMEFLYNET

Before – Immanuel Presbyterian Church

Home of the wedding ceremony of Actress Lela Rochon and Film Director Antoine Fuqua!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Fuqua Wedding Ceremony!

Before – The Biltmore Hotel Grand Ballroom – Home of The Fuqua Wedding Reception!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Fuqua Wedding Reception!

Before – The Wyndham Toledo Ballroom

Home of the wedding ceremony of Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men and Sharhonda Jones!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Stockman Wedding Reception!

Before – Wieuca Road Baptist Church

Home of the wedding ceremony of Shawnee Sims and NBA Star Jimmy Jackson!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Jackson Wedding Ceremony!

Before – First Presbyterian Church

Home of the wedding ceremony of DeLeon and Gary Sheffield!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Sheffield Wedding Arrivals Experience!

Before – First Presbyterian Church

Home of the wedding ceremony of DeLeon and Gary Sheffield!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Sheffield Wedding Ceremony!

Before – The Cloisters Garden

Home of the wedding ceremony of Jennifer Guyton and Eric Williams!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Williams Wedding Ceremony!

Before – The Versailles Gardens

Home of the wedding reception of Jennifer Guyton and Eric Williams!

Photo Credit: Alison Duke

After – The Williams Wedding Reception!

As I look to the future and continue to visualize achieving my wildest dreams, this exercise helps to remind me that my success is not in a far off destination that I may or may not reach someday.  Rather, my success is in the journey and in my journey – down my own path – in my God’s perfect will – I am living my dreams!

So do share, how do you remind yourself of all of your life’s accomplishments?  Please join the Diann Valentine family and share it with us all!

Keep spreading the love,

Welcome to part two of my visit to the Wedding Salon at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles.  Previously, I shared a few favorite food and dress vendors.  This week I will share the other vendors that I enjoyed as well.

Every great wedding needs a few specialty cocktails.  Wedding Salon featured one of my new favorites Skinny Girl Cosmo.

Of course another fellow planner Christine Chang and I had to make sure to fit in a photo op in front of Skinny Girl’s Step and Repeat.

Premiere Party Rents was the featured rental company. Check out a couple of their table displays below.

Flowers are a key element to any fabulous wedding.  Love this display by Magical Blooms.

This display would be perfect for your rustic whimsical bride.

Whether it is for the bride herself or a gift to her bridesmaids, custom robes and nighties always add a little something special to the day from Love Ophelia!

The finishing touch to any wedding is making sure you have perfect honeymoon planned. Fiji and Mexico were represented at the Wedding Salon this year.  Personally Fiji is at the top of my list.

That’s the end of my visit.  Hopefully you enjoyed it and have a few possible new resources!

Dream with me,

Tiffany Pompey

I am running a simple writing contest between now and Friday to anyone that would like to be my personal guest at her Mother’s Day Brunch on Saturday, May 11^th at The Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica and hear from Sheree Fletcher along with my friend and previous client April Daniels their personal stories of restoration.  All I am asking is that you send me what you do to restore yourself during the cycle of life’s roller coasters.  Don’t panic!  Your writing does not need to equal the quality of a Harvard scholar, just something from the heart.  You can send your deepest thoughts to me personally at talktome@diannvalentine.com.  I will review all submissions immediately and choose my guest on Friday afternoon so you can get your wardrobe together to join me and some amazing women for an encouraging, uplifting and aspiration afternoon of restoration.

Sharpen those pencils and get to writing.  I can’t wait to hear from you.

Keep spreading the love,

This week is about Bridal Shows.  There are tons of bridal shows everywhere: small ones, major expos, and luxury shows.  As a wedding producer, I have been to them all at one time or another. Now I really only attend a few high-end luxury shows to see if there is anything new and fresh coming out.

One of my favorite shows to attend is The Wedding Salon.  The Wedding Salon was created in 2004 by Tatiana Byron when she partnered with Martha Stewart and they feature the must have luxury products and services for your sophisticated couple.   The show I happened to attend was in LA, but they also have shows in New York, Miami, Washington, DC, and Chicago.  If you have one in your area, I definitely recommend that you check it out.  The Wedding Salon LA had a lot of excellent vendors so I am going to break this up into two parts.

Here is Part One of my trip to this years Wedding Salon at the SLS Hotel in West Hollywood including a few of my favorite vendors.

Finding the perfect dress for you is key.  R Mine Bridal is amazing for luxury gowns, they allow brides to move away from the traditional all white gown look.

How cute is this cotton candy cart from Dolly’s Sweat Dreams Cotton Candy!  They can provide an attendant to make fresh cotton candy for all of your guests on the spot.

Love the custom Bride and Groom Strawberries from Bobalu Berries!

I personally love Hansens’s Cakes.  I get one for my birthday every year. They taste amazing and are perfect for brides who want traditional butter cream icing and not fondant.

Of course, we had to taste a few…

What is dessert without coffee?  Longshot Mobile Espresso Bars are amazing for events or receptions where you want to offer your guests a variety of after dinner coffee drinks worthy of Starbucks!

Thanks for sharing my Wedding Salon Part One, be sure to check back for some more great vendors next week in Part Two!

Dream with me,

Tiffany Pompey

I am currently engulfed in a large interior project and at the onset I began developing a library of items to help me tell this new story.  This design library carries a little piece of my soul in every textile, accessory, design board and random art.  Here is a peak into my heart…

Missoni fabrics make me happy!  I study their vibrant and sometimes dizzying patterns to catch the coloration of a metallic thread or intricate motif that likely originated in Africa.  They grant me the freedom to operate in my own esoteric zone – a place that gives my soul room to breath.

This artistic spine sculpture from artist Mauro Mori reminds me that regardless of how much the world wants to mold me into someone or something that I am not, my spine is strong and fierce and will bend and bounce back – returning me to my truest self!

The varying color ways in mother of pearl is striking.  As much as you want to identify it as one specific color it continues to change and trick the eye for only a ‘Mother of Pearl’ knows her true colors.

Crystal tie backs shine bright like diamonds and remind me that I was created to shine and resonate my light out into the world and everyone whose path I cross.

Every homeowner, bride and client is left with a little piece of my heart so that they are reminded that I am ruled by love!

I may not have the vocal prowess of Mary Mary or Jennifer Hudson nor the pitch and flow of HOV but yes oh yes – these are my bars!

So do share, how do you communicate to the world using your gifts?  Please join the Diann Valentine family and share it with us all!

Keep spreading the love,

Happy Easter!  I love holidays! In addition to the usual reasons people enjoy holidays (family, friends and all that jazz), I treasure them because they give us designers another reason to be creative.  I get asked by my friends and clients all the time for ways to decorate for the holidays that are not super expensive but still look great.

So I decided to share a personal event that myself and fellow DVLW team member, Cece Counts, worked on this past weekend that were more in the ‘DIY’ category than our traditional DVLW projects.  As you probably can guess, it was for an Easter brunch.  The centerpieces were very affordable and mainly required time and muscle.  If you’re willing to put in the time, then you can do the same.  Because, yes, there is a catch to great centerpieces for less…they take a little TLC.

Here are a few of my tips for creating your own great centerpiece:

1.  Have Fun.  If you are not having a good time, you’re wasting energy and it will show in the final product.

2.  Pick a Theme.  Your theme doesn’t have to be over the top – it just needs to get you started in the right direction and give you a guideline to stick to so you don’t get overwhelmed.

3.  Keep it simple.  Don’t over think it.  Use items that are easily accessible and that you already have around the house and appropriate to the theme.

4.  Stick to your budget.  If you spend a lot more money than you anticipated you’ll be upset with yourself and think it wasn’t worth it.

Check out our finished product below…

Use what’s available. It’s Easter, so to start with dyeing eggs seemed to make sense!

We used the dyes above as a base, some we left plain others we embellished with paint pens or fabric. Mostly we just had fun.

Next stop – flowers from the LA Flower Mart. Since we went bright with the eggs, we wanted to tone it down a bit and stick with white, yellow and green for the flowers.

*Flower tip – choose flowers that are full and will take up space to keep your cost down.  You will use less that way.

We filled up as many vases as we could with the amount of flowers we purchased, keeping in mind the power of odds.  When you use an odd number of something it always creates a more interesting design than keeping it even.

…add the eggs for color!

Toss in a few more accessories and your done!

We had extra elements, so we played with the layout a little bit and created a few different versions!

You too can create fun, beautiful centerpieces with a little time, attention to detail and using items that are easily available for an excellent price.

So what did you think of our Easter fun?  Join the Diann Valentine family and share it with us all!

Dream with me,

Tiffany Pompey

Thank you for reading along for the last few weeks!  A major part of my job is keeping up with what is new and hot.  So for this week I attended the New 2013 Collection Book Release Party for La Tavola Linens.

 If you are not familiar with La Tavola, they are a California company based in Napa Valley that specializes in fine linen rental.  Don’t worry if you are not in California, they ship all over the country.  La Tavola is one of the few fine linen resources we use and I highly recommend them.  They combine both quality and beauty and are definitely an easy way to up the style of your event.  This year they launched a couple of new lines, the Milano & Pompeii Collections, in their 2013 collection.  Here is a sneak peek!

It all begins with a beautiful invite!

Yummy desserts always help get a party started!

The Guests of Honor; books of the new collections.

Your first impression, full table of Brisa Blush linen in the 2013 Collection!

The detail is divine!

The gorgeous florals add texture and complementing colorations!

Shimmer, shimmer with the Soho Sedona cocktail table from the 2013 Collection. Perfect for when you want to add a little extra glam!

Savannah Black from the 2013 Collection. I can definitely see this for a black tie affair!

Up close and personal view of the Savannah Black linen!

Beautiful flowers always help finish a look!

Casablanca Turquoise from the Milano Collection. Reminds me of an elegant brunch or shower.

Hope in Snow from the Milano Collection! I think the beauty in this linen is the simplicity.

The detail work is lovely!

Visiting latavola is always a treat. They have an amazing selection that can suit almost any event.

I hope you have enjoyed my trip the what’s new and hot with La Tavola Linens.  Check them out at La Tavola Linen!  So what’s hot in your world?  Join the Diann Valentine family and share it with us all!

Dream with me,

Tiffany Pompey

Last week I discussed how my main goal for this year is to define, promote and grow DVLW Brides, and explained how step one was expanding our California presence.  This week I want to set in motion step two; creating a new product.

With that in mind we have created what we call our:

GET STARTED CONSULTATION Wedding Package*

 Just got engaged and are super excited but have no idea where to begin? Have an idea of what you want but not sure where to start?  Not sure if you want a full-fledged planner but need a little help?  Just overwhelmed in general and need some expert advice?

We Can Help!

Teamwork makes the dream work! – Stephanie Scribner, Tiffany Pompey and Christine “Cece” Counts

As you know, DVLW is a design firm with specialized disciplines in weddings, events, and interior spaces. Known for taking classic traditions and giving them a modern and unique flare, we push the envelope on design while helping our clients discover their own voice.

And we can now help you get started with our recently launched GET STARTED CONSULTATION Wedding Package.

Each package will be custom-built for you, tailored to your wedding needs, and will include:

• A two (2) hour in-person consultation if you are in the Los Angeles County area or via phone if you are not.
• A list of up to 5 potential venue locations that fit your budget parameters
• A custom budget/expense breakdown specific to your estimated budget
• A custom timeline to help you keep on track of tasks and deadlines from now until your wedding day
• A custom wedding notebook to keep you organized
• Two (2) additional sessions with your planner (via phone or email) for advice, if needed, later on in the planning process

Package Price: $500

To find out more information on how to begin the wedding of your dreams please send me an email at dreamwithme@diannvalentine.com.

Dream with me,

Tiffany Pompey

In the spirit of maintaining the success of 2012 and having a life changing 2013, I am committed to setting quantifiable goals and taking concrete steps to achieve them this year.

As you all know DVLW is an established design firm with specialized disciplines in weddings, events, and interior spaces. We are the brainchild of internationally acclaimed designer Diann Valentine and have become a brand that is synonymous with cutting edge, innovative, and non-traditional design. Known for taking classic traditions and giving them a modern and unique flare, we push the envelope on design while helping our clients discover their own voice.

Currently, DVLW is known for the high-end luxury that defines DV Signature Weddings and with that have the celebrity world as a normal part of our repertoire. While working with celebrities is fun, I feel like it leaves out a whole category of brides who also deserve to have a beautiful wedding celebration that tells their love story and reflects their personal style.

After a few brainstorming sessions, we are expanding the DVLW brand to include a new division that caters to the everyday luxury bride.   Welcome to the world of DVLW Brides.  A division that is not bound by traditions or trends but rather listens and assists brides in defining a unique expressions of their love story. We listen to ideas, respect a strict budget, and use creativity and bride/planner coordination to deliver magical moments.

My first goal for 2013 is to define, promote, and grow DVLW Brides!

Step One to achieving this goal is expanding our Southern California presence.  While we are an LA-based firm, we spend 90% of our time executing weddings and events out of state.  This year I will focus on becoming the go-to firm for trend setting brides in Southern California.  With that in mind, I have checked out all of the latest and greatest venues, made new friends and scoured these properties for the perfect setting to orchestrate a DVLW Brides wedding.  Here are a few of my favorites:

The Montage Beverly Hills

One word.  Amazing – the ultimate in Beverly Hills luxury.  Although the hotel is a new Beverly Hills resident, it exudes a unique combination of vintage Hollywood style and modern luxury.  This hotel is perfect for the bride who wants vintage glamour with all the bells and whistles.

View of The Montage from the courtyard. Photo from The Montage Hotel website!

Beautiful two-story Marquesa Ballroom. Photo from The Montage Hotel website!

Amazing outdoor ceremony space on The Montage Terrace overlooking the plaza below. Photo from The Montage website!

The Beverly Wilshire Hotel

The Beverly Wilshire Hotel sits at the base of Rodeo Drive and is featured as the iconic hotel in my favorite movie, “Pretty Woman.”  A historic Four Seasons property originally built in 1928, this hotel was the home of many Hollywood Icons and the scene of several Oscar and Golden Globe parties.

The Iconic Beverly Wilshire Main Entrance. Photo from The Beverly Wilshire Hotel website!

The Grand Ballroom – Photo from The Beverly Wilshire Hotel website!

Le Grand Trianon Ballroom – Photo from The Beverly Wilshire Hotel website!

W Hollywood

The W Hollywood is a relatively new member of the famous Hollywood and Vine family.  It is the heart of Hollywood – steps from nightclubs, theaters, and the most notable stars on the Boulevard.  I think it has a sort of rock ‘n roll, Hollywood glam feel.  This venue is great for a bride that has a trendy, modern style and wants to incorporate this style in her wedding.

Photo from The W Hotel website!

Amazing lobby staircase. Can you imagine this as your bridal entrance? Photo from The W Hotel website!

W Hollywood Great Room – Photo from The W Hotel website!

Park Plaza

The Park Plaza is one of the most legendary locations in Los Angeles.  “Over the years, the Park Plaza Hotel has played host to some of the most Hollywood elite and has been used in a variety of motion pictures, television series and commercials including an episode of Mark Burnett’s Wedding Day while our own Diann Valentine served as this TV show’s Host.”  If true vintage is your style, then this is the perfect location for you.  You honestly feel as if you stepped back in time to the glory years.

The Park Plaza Lobby and Grand Staircase – Photo by Richard Min

The Park Plaza Grand Ballroom – Photo by Richard Min

The Park Plaza Bronze Room – Photo by Richard Min

My goals for 2013 are moving fast and furious. What are your goals for 2013?  What steps are you taking to achieve them?  Please join the DVLW family and share them with us all!

Dream with me,

Tiffany Pompey