A Conversation With Events Luxe

Events Luxe creates some unbelievable events! From parties beaming with bold color combinations to weddings built around interestingly laid out floorplans, there’s never a dull moment with Amanda and Tiffany, the awesome duo behind Events Luxe. These two are design geniuses that can also wrangle logistics like it’s nobody’s business. From keeping an eye on the catwalk to tabs on interior décor trends, they pull inspiration from across industries to stay ahead of the curve in event design, always creating something unique and current while making sure it will stand the test of time.

Oh, and when you work with Events Luxe, you don’t have to pick between Amanda or Tiffany, you get both! This dream team spearheads each event together, with one of them focusing on design and the other leading the planning side. Let’s find out more about these two and the behind the scenes at Events Luxe…

Nüage Designs: Tell us your story – how did you begin designing and planning weddings & events together?

Events Luxe: We [Amanda and Tiffany] met when Tiffany’s husband-then- boyfriend’s roommate brought home a new girlfriend (Amanda). We were wearing the exact same pair of Armani Exchange jeans (remember when AX was cool?) and the rest is history! Quickly after, Amanda was married, living in St. Louis, and wanting to leave her career in insurance to pursue a much more fun and creative path in event planning. She reached out to Tiffany with the idea, knowing that as a St. Louis native with years of corporate and charity event planning experience in the area she was her ideal partner. Fast-forward to present day, seven years later, their business focuses on weddings and other celebrations, bringing a unique design to each event.

ND: Your designs always feel so fresh and unique, where does this inspiration come from?

EL: We gain inspiration from the TV shows we watch, the runways we follow, home fashions, hot colors and patterns, and what we like to see ourselves. Usually we’re not looking for inspiration – but something can just strike us just the right way. What we focus on is never doing what is “hot” right now. We like to get inspiration from what we see, and create what we think is unique or could be hot in the future – once you do what is hot right now, it’s over. We never want any client’s wedding to look dated or drab when looking back a few years later. We want them to always look fresh, unique, and fun. It’s also important to us to never make anyone’s wedding look like us – but look like them. We will have our ideas, but our ideas will always come from the inspiration of our clients as a couple, so that every wedding looks like THEM.

ND: You like to consider yourselves designers first, who are also great planners, instead of vice-versa, how does that set you apart from your competition?

EL: We like to consider ourselves designers who are great at planning, versus planners who can “do” design. This is important to us because design is what gets us up in the morning. What sets each wedding apart from the next is the design: the look, the feel, and the experience. The planning part is pretty standard across the board, but every wedding will feel different and unique. We think that focusing on this methodology sets us apart because we will never provide anything cookie cutter.

ND: How is the collaboration process with your clients? Where does the basis for their wedding begin?

EL: Each wedding begins with a custom budget. Once the budget is approved, we get started on the design process. The first step here is providing each client with his or her Style File, which is created, based on an initial design meeting. It is a one-page inspiration board collage that mainly highlights how we will showcase their proportion of color. Many weddings could be blush, gold, and ivory – but it’s the proportion of color that makes weddings different. Does the wedding, overall, look ivory with some metallic accents? Is the wedding overall more blush? Once the Style File is approved, we begin a Design Proposal, which highlights each and every element that we think should be included and how they all work together to create to cohesive design to suit that particular client. Once the design proposal is approved, we start selecting and booking every detail!

ND:Do you ever find it difficult to push clients towards what they might see as an “edgy” design?

EL: Sometimes clients come to us with ideas of what they want included in their Big Day and sometimes, they don’t know more than maybe a color or two that they have in mind. Either way, we have no problem bringing ideas together and creating something they never knew they always wanted. It is always a collaborative effort. It’s not our show. We just bring the ideas that we think will be “them” to the table and make our recommendations of what we think will be the most interesting and unique. Not all clients who want to work with us are edgy; sometimes they are more traditional or want to do certain things. We’re happy to work with any request so long as we are able to recommend a unique floor plan, a fun idea for the guest experience, a cool ceiling treatment, napkin fold, or even if it’s just a different way to utilize the! We find most modern brides are looking for this type of personalization.

ND: What are some of your trademark styles?

EL: Creating unique floor plans is one of our trademarks. We don’t usually design a room full of all round tables (but we can if that’s the client’s dream). Typically, other shaped tables are included and are laid out in a unique or interesting pattern. We also love ceiling treatments to draw the eye up, whenever possible. Also, when given the creative freedom, we love an interesting and bold color palette. We aren’t ever afraid of color (or pattern!) and we don’t think you should be, either!

ND: What is your advice to couples coming to you with a “trendy” design in mind?

EL: We usually advise against anything that is trendy right now. Once they see their beautiful photos six months later, the trend will be outdated. We like to find the balance between forward-thinking and traditional, so that their photos always look amazing and not outdated, yet look unique and special to them!

ND: If you could plan/design a party for anyone in the world, who would that be?

EL: [Tiffany] I want to plan Lady Gaga’s eventual wedding.

[Amanda] Princess Kate Middleton! This is pretty funny because Amanda and I love to blend hard and soft, sexy and romantic, modern and traditional… if we were to blend these events we’d really have something interesting!

ND: What is your favorite thing about designing weddings?

EL: Doing it differently every single time. Creating something unique to each individual couple is what gets us out of bed in the morning, what fuels our fire for this business. We love creating something that they will find incredibly special forever!

ND: Last one, because we have to pick your brain while we have you, what trends do you see for the spring wedding season?

EL: We saw that natural organic feel of bohemian inspiration big in 2016 and see that continuing in 2017, but being elevated a bit to a more elegant place. Or maybe that’s just how we like to do “Bohemian”! We call it Boho-Luxe, of course. We also see a trend of accessories or props as centerpieces versus traditional vases. This can combine modern unique candleholders, marble accent décor, piñatas (yes we’ve done that!) or even a canister or jar like you would see as an accent piece for home décor at Z Gallerie. Pro tip: not all centerpieces sit on your table. Sometimes they can hang above it! (We do this a lot).

ND: Are there any color palettes that you’re dying to use?

EL: We would love to work with a mauve/green or mauve/blue combination. We love choosing colors that seem like they won’t really go together and then making something truly striking and fabulous. We love using a range of colors in a palette instead of one single tone of each color. We think this makes things feel more organic and looks much better visually.

ND: Any other thoughts that you’d like to share with us?

EL: Trust your planner and designer. If you have hired them, you are obviously drawn to their eye and creative approach, and have seen what they can do on their site or Instagram. If they’re experienced and creative, know that they will do whatever they can to create something special for you to remember forever. They probably want you to participate and know who you are as a person or couple, so they can wow you on your wedding day when you walk into that room and it feels just like you!

Venues The Ritz Carlton St Louis, Wildwood Hotel,Hyatt Regency at the Arch, Forest Park World’s Fair Pavilion, Westin Downtown St Louis, The Caramel Room at Bissingers, Missouri Athletic Club, Downtown | Floral The Crimson Petal, The Special Event Florist, BUDS Florist, Belli Fiori | Photography Grace Havlak, Clary Pfeiffer, Kurtis Hall, Lisa Hessel, Eichar Photography, Pinxit Photo, Image Service Photographers (Italy), Mike Cassimatis | Stationery PaperCut Invites, PK Paper Art | Furniture Rentals Aries Co, Weinhardt, Premier Rentals | Linens Nuage Designs