Exclusive: David Tutera on CELEBrations, Party Planning, and More

David TuteraTonight WE tv premieres the third season of David Tutera’s CELEBrations. This season, viewers will get an inside look into events for celebrities such as Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day, Celebrity Apprentice), Kim Coles (Living Single), Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210, Sharknado), Big Ang Raiola (Mob Wives), and in tonight’s episode, Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty, Miss America 1983).

Recently, party planner Tutera talked to Jamie Ruby of SciFi Vision in an exclusive interview.

According to Tutera, there are a variety of types of parties viewers will get to see this season on the show. "On this season of David Tutera’s CELEBrations, you will be seeing everything from an outlandish birthday party for a demanding diva, to a rustic wedding, to a modern chic charity event, and everything in between! That’s what I love so much about CELEBrations; I have the opportunity to design more than just weddings. I can promise you that you have never seen anything quite like these events before."

David TuteraThe party planner has a couple favorite moments from the show this season, the first of which viewers will see tonight. "Meeting one of my favorite idols, Vanessa Williams was a moment in itself; I must say I was a bit star struck! And so honored, of course to have planned her bridal shower.

"Also, I do have to say that I am happy that I made it through Big Ang’s event alive, and without leaving any unfinished business for the famous "mob wife." "

One of the great things about CELEBrations, is Tutera's candid opinions he gives through the episodes. "This is reality television and I am going to give you 100% of my opinions - no filter."

One of the strangest parties the designer has ever had to plan was a divorce party. "In my first season of David Tutera’s CELEBrations, I was informed that I would be doing a divorce party for Tanisha Thomas. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it! Throwing a divorce party is completely unacceptable, and I refused to call it a divorce party. I only agreed to do the party with the understanding that it was a party to celebrate her "new life" and tried to keep it geared toward the positive."

Parties he’s designed don’t always end up the way he originally planned. "Seeing an event come to life is always my favorite part of the process - I like to step back and really take in the end result. When setup is happening on the day of the event, I usually end up making spur of the moment changes here and there. It’s a lot different when you see your design on paper versus in person."

David TuteraHe, however, doesn’t regret any of the designs. "When I think back to my old events, there are a lot of things that make me think, "Oh my God, why did I do that?!" or "I should’ve added this or that!" Whether it was a fashion choice, décor design, or an entertainment element, I know that whatever I did, I did it for a specific reason, and in the end it worked out, and my clients were pleased. They say you are your worst critic, so yes I’ve definitely critiqued little things from my past events, but I’m also proud of them."

Tutera enjoys planning both weddings and other kinds of parties, though weddings are more involved. "I love planning both, but there is definitely a broader range when planning parties. Weddings are a place for class, and elegance, and not that parties don’t have those same characteristics, but a party can have some elements that a wedding wouldn’t ordinarily have.

"In a few past seasons, we’ve had drag queens, live mermaids, dancing candelabras, contortionists, a fire-eater, stilt walkers; you name it, and we’ve done it!

"However, I think that there’s more logistics involved when it comes to weddings. There’s the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and one hundred other things happening behind the scenes. There are a lot of details and traditions that go into a wedding that a party doesn’t have, and because of that, it’s a little more difficult."

He however, doesn’t approach them differently. "The approach is the same. I like to think that if you can plan a wedding, you can plan anything else. You should always start with the budget. Once you have your budget set you can begin to think of the overall concept of the event; colors, patterns, style, etc.

"Then of course every event must have vendors such as your venue, catering, and entertainment.

"And, how could I almost forget fashion!

David Tutera"Then of course with a wedding and any other event, you have to always make sure that the client is happy!"

Planning a party can be different if you know the client well. "I would have to say planning a party for someone who is a close friend is much harder than someone I don’t know. I especially had to experience that this season as I planned a wedding for my dear friend and confidant Montré. Although I thought it would be an easier task, because I know him so well, it was easier said than done. Montre’s wedding was very important to him, as it is to anyone getting married, and I didn’t want to disappoint."

Tutera’s parties are always spectacular, but you can also have excellent looking parties on a small budget. "The number one thing I always say to do is DIY projects! Anything that you see at a wedding or an event is manageable by crafting it yourself. As for favors, they don’t have to be expensive by any means, they just need to be tastefully presented and practical. Try customizing a "thank you" tag on the favor by personalizing a sweet message and adding your monogram, or embellish with rhinestones or pearls. This will eliminate the tacky cellophane wrapping or "cheap" looking ribbons and bows."

With tomorrow being Halloween, the party planner talked a bit about throwing a stylish party for the holiday. "I don’t think there’s anything wrong with pumpkins, spider webs, and ghosts; it’s all in the presentation and the smallest tips that can take your event from cheesy to elegantly eerie. Start by creating a "spooky" ambiance. Dim the lights or use a lot of candles around the room. Create a playlist that sounds haunted and then transition to a few songs that will get the party going. No one said your color scheme had to be black and orange everything! Give your décor a sophisticated spin by spray painting pumpkins of various sizes white or metallic colors and have them on display in threes throughout your party. Another great way to spruce up your pumpkins are to paint some black stripes or add lace to give them a a chic and stylish flair."

David Tutera and Vanessa WilliamsAs the site tends to focus on sci-fi, Tutera also talked about the idea of a low cost party with a science fiction theme. "When I think of science fiction, I imagine a more futuristic or modern styled party. I would go to your local hardware store; buy stringed lights and attached them underneath your tabletops. This will make your tables glow and give it a levitating flair. I would also use a lot of metallic colors in your décor. You can use metallic spray paint or go to a craft store near you and pick up foil sheets, and adorn your décor items with metallic accents."

He sometimes designs parties with a more specific theme, such as a book or movie franchise. "On the first season of my show, David Tutera’s CELEBrations, I planned a fifth birthday party for Amy Weber’s twin children. It was just like stepping into a dream. The theme was based on The Chronicles of Narnia, and I created a fantasy world right in the middle of the woods. The guests entered the party through two tall wooden doors, designed to look just like the armoire in the movie. I had a bunch of Christmas trees brought in and had snow machines filling the space with white glistening snow. Characters strolled the grounds dressed exactly like the mystical creatures. There were unicorn rides, a puppeteer, and a candy bar that had branches dripping with rock candy. The whole event was magical."

Tutera enjoys planning others’ parties, but he can enjoy ones designed by others. "I actually really enjoy going to parties planned by others; there’s no stress on my end for once! That doesn’t mean that I don’t look closely at the details. I think that all event planners have a hard time not noticing details at other events - it’s a natural instinct of ours. It’s nice to sit back and admire the work of other event designers in the industry."

Tutera doesn’t just plan parties; he also now has other ventures, such as a wedding dress collection, David Tutera for Mon Cheri, and much more. "I actually have a bunch of other brands and items! I have a jewelry line, David Tutera Embellish. It’s a beautiful line with statement pieces for any occasion. I have a men and women’s tuxedos/suits, David Tutera Men’s Collection, a men and women’s shoes and socks, David Tutera Shoes, a nail polish line, David Tutera for Mon Cheri by Solo Nails, a fabric and patterns line, David Tutera Fabrics and David Tutera Patterns, and an invitation line, The David Tutera Invitation Collection. There are a few more new items coming out soon, so keep a close eye out!"

Be sure to tune into WE tv tonight to see the third season premiere of David Tutera's CELEBrations.

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