Today on the podcast, we have a true legend in wedding design-David Price of DEP Creative and Elleroy Linens. David has been in the wedding industry since 1988, and today he is on Wedding Secrets Unveiled! to share with you the tips and tricks that he has acquired over his years of experience. Despite being in just about every part of the wedding industry over the years, David has found his true calling-wedding designing. So how are wedding designers different from wedding planners? Find out on today’s episode of Wedding Secrets Unveiled!
Meet David.
I’m the owner creative director of DEP Creative, which has been around for about three years now, post COVID. I also introduced Elleroy Linens about six months ago, which is a custom high end linen company rental company out of Rhode Island. But I’ve been in the business since 1988. So, most of your brides and grooms haven’t been born yet.
Fair enough. But that just should show you exactly how much knowledge you have.
I started before Pinterest and I started before the internet, honestly. It was dial up AOL! I would call myself a creative event designer. I used to be a planner years and years ago, but I’m not into logistics. I’m into creating the vision by taking the bride and groom’s vision and running with it with from invitations to floral to food presentation to China glassware flatware to every aspect that is visual in designing your wedding.
Did you realize that early on when you first started that that’s the direction you want to go into?
Well, my degree is in theater design and business administration. At that point, to get into hospitality you went into hotel management or culinary. None of that excited me and I didn’t come to this work until I moved to New England and realize what weddings were. I’m from the Midwest and weddings where you got married. You went to the church basement, you had punch and cake and that was it. It was not until I came out here and I realized, wow, this is like theater production. I could design a wedding and it’s a little theater production!
Wow. Where did you go with your career then?
I first started as caterer working for Blackstone Caterers, when it was out of Central Falls. And I was hired to do their buffets design. That was in the 90s, then I was a florist. Honestly, I’ve been a florist since I was 16. And then the flower business went into linens. Plus, I had the food background. But I was missing something. At the time, linens were so scarce – just polyester, cotton, Damask. But the whole wedding industry has really developed since then. It has really become a more interior design and a more elaborate production than it was in the 1980s and 90s.
Weddings are turning into productions and events are just absolutely beautiful. I feel like there’s been a trend in elevating weddings lately. Are you noticing that?
I’ve been noticing that it goes through cycles. For example, for awhile linens were, as you know, basic, and then you got more elaborate and more custom over time. Lately, textures, prints and patterns have been really popular lately. Everything follows home decor. A couple years ago, everything was whites and creams and blushes. It’s what everyone’s doing in their homes. Now you’re noticing prints and colors in homes. When you start looking at some of the wedding florists, colors this year are really popular. We’re seeing bright colors, yellows, pinks, purples, lavenders, compared to two years ago was everything was white and green, or blush.
It’s so true! Before we dive into everything else, can you explain your two companies to our listeners?
DEP creative is an event design company. We produce weddings, and social events. I also help a lot of planners do the production end of a wedding day. They may have the vision, or they have come up with a vision with their client, but I will help with them with the tent location, that space, planning the floor plans. I can tweak their plans to help them execute the production of it all. That’s where my strengths are.
Then I have Elleroy Linens, because I was doing all this freelance work helping designers and planners execute their events, but everyone was saying there were no good linens out there. No one’s doing custom work. So, I said I have 14 years of experience, so why not do it? And 6 months ago, I opened the doors of Elleroy Linens. We have a studio to show couples examples and samples.
Amazing. Let’s jump into it. Right off the bat, you kind of talked about the fact that you started in the hospitality industry, and you just didn’t love it. And then you realized that you wanted to start getting into the designing but not planning. So run us through a little bit about the differences of a planner and a designer!
There’s a lot of there’s a lot of people who are planners and designers, and there’s a few of us who just design. We really unite the logistics and the vision of a wedding day. I will meet a client and get their vision. Not just that, but their style. We talk about what they just dislike and I ask them who their favorite designer is. What’s their favorite television show? Getting to know their personality is important – because the wedding should be about their personality and their likes not what’s trending on Instagram.
That’s a very simple, probably concept. But I gotta tell you, that is just so huge. You’re not asking people to see what they like or from what someone else is doing. You’re asking them what they like.
Exactly, I think it’s because I’ve been in it for so long. We didn’t have Pinterest when I started so it was asking them to cut out pictures from magazines and pull things from that catalogs. It wasn’t going to Pinterest and pulling things that you liked it was trying to develop that personality.
So, you sit down with a couple and you just ask them a little bit about what makes them excited and what they love. Then where do you go with that?
At that point, I will come up with a concept or design that I think they would like. That’s when I might pull pictures off the internet, or Pinterest just to see if that’s the right direction we’re going. Of course, if someone has something they know they want and makes them happy, we’ll incorporate that. But, when you work with a creative, a florist, or a designer, if you give them more flexibility, you’re gonna get more bang for your buck. Because you’re letting them get creative.
And if you’re looking for an Instagram moment, let the designer design! Don’t restrict that person into a hallway that you can’t get out of. My best clients have been, “I like the color yellow, and I want it to be formal or classic. See you the day of the wedding!” But some of my worst clients have been, “if I don’t have this color rose, you’re going to ruin my day”. I get it and I want my couples to be happy, but you have to give us some space to be creative and flexible. Maybe it’s as simple as putting a fig in the middle of a cake instead of a raspberry, which everyone does. That little thing is unique and not a budget breaker, either.
Basically, you tie in the overall concept together. That’s the difference with a planner versus a designer. A planner deals the logistics, the timelines, and the actual planning. But you as a designer, take their vision and you design and you curate, and you put everything together.
There are some great planners who can do that also. But I see what I do as a chance for a couple to do something different to tie their entire vision together throughout the day.
David, you mentioned a little bit about budget earlier. Obviously, you work with people that have unlimited funds, right? But there are people out there that really want a nice execution, a nice production and a nice design that might be a little bit conscious of what they have to spend. What’s your thoughts and suggestions for these listeners that are in that scenario?
Usually, I can work within any budget depending on what you want done. I’ve had a client that I had an unlimited budget, and I broke the budget. A perfect example is my nephew is getting married and they’re keeping a low budget. So, we’ve been doing disposable pieces. We found ways to stay in the budget and be consistent through their designs.
The point is, know what your main focus is. Is it a background for selfies? Is it your bride? Okay, is the ceremony more important than the reception? Or is the reception more important than the ceremony? When you know where you want to spend your money, I can guide you on a path of how to use your budget and get a big bang for each buck.
Let’s talk about the trends in event design!
Absolutely. A lot of the trends you’re talking about actual start out west and make their way across the country. So right now, we’re seeing colors and patterns, and textures. People are going into jewel or pastel tones, instead of the white, green and blush tones we’ve seen. I’m also seeing a lot of greenery. People think that just using greenery can save you money, but it can still get expensive!
We had one of the florists on talking about the same thing: people feel that greenery is a “filler” and can bring the cost down. But there’s she said it was kind of a myth.
It is it is. Especially when you use unique type of florals. Another popular trend I’m seeing is the “Granny Chic” which is really just coastal or Traditional Newport for me. All about patterns and prints.
And that’s the classic interior design trend again.
It circles around all the time. And it’s very interesting to see what will come back and what will not come back. Another thing that’s important to consider when designing is your venue. If you have a specific look you want for your wedding day, you have to make sure you pick the right venue. I mean, if you have unlimited budget, I can transform any space to do anything. But if you have a certain look, if you want something classic, or you like the traditional look, don’t go to certain venues that are more modern.
So look for the venue that will help your vision.
I mean, as you know, hotel ballrooms have really got off ugly carpets. But sometimes you can play off of that with your design. For example, during the Great Gatsby theme for a gala, the carpets were blues, and reds and greens, and we’re playing off of that coloring with the black and silver accents you’d expect for Gatsby. Like I said, if you have an unlimited budget, I can transform anything into what you want it to look like. But if you want a rustic barn, but you’re at your local country club, do you need to find a rustic barn or a tent that can give you that feel? Choosing a venue that fits your vision helps save your budget.
How did you get started in the linen company 6 months ago?
Elleroy Linen started because everyone needed custom linens – something different. I’ve found that our clients aren’t using custom for every table, they’re focusing on specific ones like the place card table or the cocktail tables, the cake table or the sweetheart table. Couples are looking for patterns, pleats, fridge – something that you might find with an interior design company. It’s not your normal go-to rental company. We help couples find ways to use really great linens (faux silk, satin) that will give you a great look. You don’t spend as much as you’re going to spend and it can help cut down cost other places, like flowers, because these linens can stand alone.
That’s amazing. I love that tip – especially for couples with more limited budgets. Sometimes the specialty linens can stand alone or elevate your tablespace without needing to overdo it with flowers or décor.
Exactly. I don’t want to take business away from florists but sometimes it happens. If you do a fabulous, printed linen for your cocktail hour, you don’t need a bunch of stuff on top of it. You can do a special fold, a pleat, or even just add something with a little trim. You’ve got your statement piece.
What other what other trends are you seeing out there as far as just something different – especially for centerpieces?
Other trends we’re seeing include interaction centerpieces. That’s great for family style seating. Just make sure you tell your designer that’s the layout you’re going with – so that the design has room for plates and bowls and platters!
You really do have to think about the execution of certain installations.
Sometimes the big installations are expensive too – a lot of your budget goes to those hanging centerpieces or ceiling installations. But you can always find ways to simplify.
Earlier you talked about your nephew’s wedding day and the napkins you’re using. Can you talk more about that?
Napkins are a great and inexpensive way to give you the happiness of a luxury design. Monogrammed napkins are really popular. I just did a rehearsal dinner where the groom’s mother bought five different styles of monogram napkins, so they now have those sets to own. I love being able to have something that can be used again. We’re also seeing a lot of prints on napkins – a basic cotton linen and then a printed or striped napkin. It saves you money in the long run but gives you great impact.
So do you offer those custom linens?
We have the basic budget items that everyone carries silks, cottons, satins, burlap. We’ve curated a collection of items I think are trendy that will go anywhere. We have a limited stock, but enough to do a cocktail party, the head table, place card table – those types of things. Then we can do more custom things – for example, I just did an event where everything was velvet because of the richness of the material.
What are some key points that couples should be asking themselves when considering hiring a designer to ensure that their wedding day is an absolute perfect event?
Sometimes you need a designer, especially if your vision isn’t clear. Planners don’t always do design; they focus on logistics, but you need someone who can create the design and production of the day.
The venue you choose will determine so much of your wedding day design – and it may impact how much design you even need.
A designer will help you create a plan that everyone can understand – from the florist to the caterer. We have to get out of our own heads and a designer can help you do that so you can enjoy the process of getting married!
What We Discussed
Meet Katie (2:41)
Wedding design with a purpose (11:20)
Interior Design trends and weddings (25:46)
Budget of wedding planning (31:19)
Wrap-Up Question (59:37)
Links Mentioned in the Episode
Find DEP Creative at Website | Instagram
Find Ellroy Linens at curate@elleroy.net
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