How to Bring a Dose of Glitz and Glamour to a Desert Venue With Tips From Harutyunyan Events!

From Hovik of Harutyunyan EventsSelecting your wedding venue is one of the biggest wedding decisions you will make. Your venue determines the aesthetic concept; the vendors you’ll need or be required to work with; your wedding budget; the guest capacity; catering options; music and entertainment; etc. Desert venues present an array of possibilities for color schemes, decor, flowers, and rentals that can help bring your design vision to life. Below I share five tips on how to bring a major dose of glitz and glamour to a desert venue. I also share one of my favorite weddings at the elegant desert oasis Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Santa Susana, CA.

1. First Things First: Choose High-Quality, Experienced Vendors

Like most outdoor venues, desert venues tend to be a blank canvas. This means you will need to rent and install almost every aspect of the event. Invest in a high-quality wedding planner, caterer, and rental company who are familiar with the venue and all of its unique considerations. Since there will be a number of logistical and production needs, these experienced vendors will know exactly how and what you’ll need to produce your vision for the big day. Common considerations will be what furniture rentals are needed; power and lighting needs; vendor restrictions and rules; installation and breakdown requirements; guest flow and timing; and decorating guidelines. These vendors will align you with the resources and know-how to successfully design the glamourous wedding of your dreams. So now, the fun part can begin…

2. Bringing Glitzy Colors and Glamourous Flowers Outdoors

Don’t be afraid to color outside of the lines when it comes to your wedding colors at a desert venue. Metallics like gold and silver paired with bold dark colors perfectly capture all of the glitz. While these colors effortlessly work in typical glam style venues, we wanted to interpret how we can give it a fresh and organic touch to make it work in the desert. We didn’t want the typical heavy, dark glamorous color palette to overpower the natural space. We used clear and crystal textures in the vases and ghost chairs to keep it soft and lighter yet still feel glitzy. This allowed us to strategically sprinkle gold throughout the design to achieve the perfect amount of sparkle. We also complemented the darker colors with premium white flowers nestled in lush greenery. This created a great balance of romantic refinement – centerpieces that felt luxurious but still captured the wild spirit of the desert.

3. Statement Lighting Installations

A desert venue is the perfect blank canvas to create a statement lighting installation that defines the space and creates a WOW moment for guests. Think beyond the typical rustic market string lights, which can suffer from a lack of character and design. Lighting up the desert is not only a functional matter but also a not-to-be-missed design opportunity. For this wedding, we created a cosmo of lush twinkle lights over the reception that mimicked a starry night in the sky. While a covered tent or draped canopy may block and hide your venue, the open-air form of this twinkle-light installation harmonizes with the space. Light installations like this are a great way to beautify, enhance, and elevate an outdoor venue.

4. Plan an Unforgettable Party

To me, great wedding design is about more than just the decor. Achieving a truly glamorous wedding is thinking about all of the ways you can treat your guests to a memorable and fun celebration. Instead of just a regular buffet or plated dinner, work with your caterer to create a luxurious family-style menu that features a myriad of mezzes and multiple main entree courses. Keep your guests entertained with live musical performances. To honor the groom’s Mexican heritage, we surprised guests at the end of cocktail hour with a performance by the Grammy-award winning Mariachi Divas, who then led guests in a processional into the reception area. The couple made their grand entrance alongside Lebanese zaffa drummers, paying tribute to the bride’s cultural background. Unique, experiential entertainment elements like this really provide guests with an unforgettable celebration.

5. Don’t Forget the Fashion

And last, but certainly not least, we can’t discuss a glitzy, glamorous wedding without mentioning fashion. In addition to your wedding dress, we highly recommend a second party look for later in the night. Brides can wear a more formal, elegant gown for the ceremony while switching into a flirty, sparkly dance dress during the reception. Grooms can swap out their formal tuxedos for a statement jacket piece in a fun color or pattern. These second look not only add more personality and glitz to your big day but can also provide a much-needed reprieve from wearing formal wear all day long in the desert. And another important note: a desert venue may not always imply a formal dress code. Make sure you communicate your desired dress code on your invitations to communicate the formality level of the celebration to your guests. Designing your wedding decor is one of the most fun and most creative parts of the entire wedding planning process. A desert venue is one of the most unique places you can choose to tie the knot. We hope these tips inspire you to plan your perfectly glitzy and glamorous big day!

Photography: KLV Photography | Cinematography: Light Up Video | Event Design: Harutyunyan Events | Event Planning: Harutyunyan Events | Floral Design: Butterfly Floral & Event Design | Dress: Hayley Paige | Stationery: Peony & Plum | Ceremony Venue: Hummingbird Nest Ranch | Catering: Brandview Ballroom | Makeup: Beauty by Arpi | Hair: Hair by Nare | DJ: International Entertainment LA | Mariachi: Mariachi Divas | Rentals: A Rental Connection | Sparklers: Dashing Events | Zaffa: Fusion Zaffa