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This week’s topics: luxury wedding planning tips, how to choose a wedding venue, Taylor Swift wedding inspiration, Four Seasons Seattle weddings, nontraditional bridal party ideas, immersive wedding experiences, Pacific Northwest wedding trends, wedding ceremony layout ideas, weekend wedding advice, planner insights for engaged couples, 2025 wedding design predictions, bold wedding color palettes, personalized event timelines, creating a wedding that reflects your personality, Gian Events Seattle
In this episode of Wedding Day Podcast, host Sonja Babich and co-host Alexis Sanabria, Publisher of Washington Wedding Day and Oregon Wedding Day, sit down with Reneille-Gian Velez — owner and principal planner of Gian Events. Recorded at the Grand Hyatt in Seattle, this conversation explores Reneille's luxury wedding planning style, her Seattle Four Seasons design process and the experiential trends captivating today's couples — including her take on what Taylor Swift's wedding might look like. With Swifties eagerly speculating on the pop star's engagement, Reneille shares her design predictions for a Taylor wedding and how they're already inspiring brides in the Pacific Northwest.
The conversation opens with reflections on the recent Best of 2025 gala for Washington Wedding Day, produced by Gian Events, where Reneille's team delivered a seamless, high-energy celebration. With over eight years in the industry, she's known for translating major-market trends into the Pacific Northwest landscape — elevating Seattle weddings with bold, immersive design. Her work is not just logistically strong but emotionally intuitive, offering couples the kind of luxury experience typically seen in L.A. or NYC.
Reneille gives listeners a rare peek into her own wedding planning process as a bride-to-be. She shares her intentional design choices for a chic black-tie celebration at the Four Seasons Seattle, including a ceremony "love circle," dramatic candlelight aesthetic, red-and-black color palette and a cake inspired by her custom gown. She's skipping the bridal party tradition in favor of a more intimate feel, and plans to infuse the day with personal touches like 2000s R&B playlists, glam bot moments and a reception she's dubbed "Club Teodoro."
Listeners also get a window into the structure and ethos behind the Gian Events team. Reneille breaks down her multi-layered approach, where each couple is supported by dedicated planners, coordinators, creative directors and a personal bridal concierge on the wedding day. The goal is to make clients feel truly celebrated and supported while crafting a visually bold and unforgettable event.
Looking ahead, Reneille predicts a continued rise in experiential design — from synchronized catering and immersive florals to surprise performances, live engravings and unexpected entertainment transitions. She also speculates that Taylor Swift's engagement will spark a resurgence of vintage luxe and floral-forward trends in weddings, including tented events, rust-toned palettes and garden-style meadowscapes.
Whether you're a wedding pro, a bride-to-be or someone dreaming of a highly stylized celebration, this episode is packed with inspiration and industry insight.
This episode is powered by Dan Riggs Films, Grand Hyatt Seattle and Gian Events. Special thanks to members Linen Effects, Continental Diamond, Warpaint International.
Custom Wedding Mood Board - Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce
Custom Wedding Mood Board - Reneille-Gian Velez
Reneille's Work
