Creating weddings that capture a couple’s personalities is what it’s all about for event planner Brian Worley
By Sara Perez Webber
Like many event professionals, Brian Worley had no idea that what started as a side hustle would evolve into a passion and a career.
The creative director and owner of B. Worley Productions in Atlanta, Worley was working at a Banana Republic in Beverly Hills when he began helping a customer plan events. The gig eventually led to Worley launching his own Los Angeles event planning company, where he produced such memorable affairs as a Santa Barbara polo benefit for newlyweds Prince William and Princess Catherine, and a premiere party on Alcatraz Island. “I say that if you can do a party on Alcatraz, you can do one anywhere,” he quips.
Now relocated to Atlanta, Worley has produced and designed about 250 weddings in his career—including his own mother’s. CFE recently caught up with Worley to get his take on wedding design trends and to learn what inspires him when planning a couple’s big day.
CFE: Could you describe one of your favorite weddings from the past few years, and what made it special?
Worley: I would have to say my mom’s last year. She got married in June in Austin, Texas. She always wanted a garden wedding, but summer in Austin was too hot for an outdoor garden. We were able to give her a garden vibe in the venue and make her wedding dreams come true. She was beautiful and walking her down the aisle was very special. It will be a highlight of my life for sure.
CFE: What are a few of the top design trends happening right now with wedding receptions?
Worley: Couples are making their weddings more personalized, telling the story of their relationship and who they are through their wedding events. It’s all about the experience that the guests will have for the day or the weekend.
Hanging flowers are also very on-brand now. Lots of lots of “wow” moments, with flowers dripping from a chandelier or some sort of ceiling treatment.
Photo by @willettphoto
CFE: What about the general approach your clients are taking toward their weddings—have you seen any changes in that regard, with couples wanting to emphasize different aspects of their weddings than they did in the past, for example?
Worley: In addition to more personalization, destination weddings are becoming more and more popular. The weddings take place over a few days, so couples can spend more time interacting and celebrating with their guests. Food is also becoming more of a focal point as an elevated menu is exciting to create.
CFE: Are you seeing trends in the places your clients want to have their receptions, and could you describe a wedding where you dramatically transformed the existing venue or location?
Worley: The introduction of the glass greenhouse tent has changed the landscape of weddings for sure. The tent looks like a greenhouse structure that can be built pretty much anywhere that a pole or structure can be erected, but it is much more elevated and has such an incredible look and feel that you can enjoy the scenery at the beach, the mountains or a backyard.
We had a wedding recently where we had a big country band [Old Dominion] as a surprise for the bride and groom. We draped out the entire ballroom, created elevated lounges, and transformed the foyer bar into a convenience store because the bride’s family owned some. Because the band was a surprise, we had to create a double stage with a kabuki drape so that once the first band performed, we could drop the drape to showcase the headline act.
Photo by @willettphoto
CFE: What inspires you most when working on a wedding?
Worley: The couple and the bride’s dress or what the couple plans to wear on the wedding day. I think that what they wear showcases their personalities and gives me a foundation to create the design.
I learn a lot from my couples when I start to learn about who they are and what makes them tick, and I want to incorporate that into their wedding day. I think anyone can recreate pretty Pinterest photos. It’s more important to capture who the couple are so that when their guests arrive, they say, “This is so them!”
For more information, visit brianworley.com.
