If our events are not all magical, then what is their purpose? It’s my responsibility, no matter what the project, to create magic!”
David Beahm
New York-based event planner David Beahm is best known for his inventive work and trademark lavish floral creations. He has also designed some of the most talked-about parties for New York’s top non-profit institutions, including The Whitney, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, Harvard Business Review, The Met and Lincoln Center, to name a few…
An expert at transforming venues in the United States, David also designs events for clients around the globe. His destinations collection features some of the most luxurious and exclusive properties in the world, setting the stage for any event a client can imagine. Whether a beautiful wedding, a fabulous honeymoon or a relaxing corporate retreat, David can make any client’s dream a reality. David’s insights and designs have been regularly featured on television, in social media channels and blogs as well as in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Style, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Town & Country, People, Brides, TheKnot.com. Here we discuss David’s theatrical background, his grounding in nature and how he was inspired to become a floral designer by festive decorations in The White House…
C&B: “David, congratulations on your magnificent portfolio of global projects. Have you always been based in New York?”
DB: “I grew up in the Mountains, where I learned my love of nature, The Shanandoah Valley of Virginia. After teaching for five years I got my MFA in Musical Theatre and worked at the famed San Diego Opera. I originally set out to pursue my dream of being a star in New York, with my initial sights set on Broadway. Happily, the performer thing didn’t work out; I’m so appreciative of the life this wonderful town has figured out for me…”
I’ve designed countless weddings for society, including for high-profile and discerning clients such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, as well as a variety of celebrity and Fortune 500 corporate events.”
David Beahm
C&B: “How long have you been in the event design business and what first prompted you to go into this area?”
DB: “On August 3, 1998, I incorporated David Beahm Experiences. The two people who probably had the most influence over my flower career were my godparents, Reed and Wanda Tate in Luray, VA. Reed, after having helped decorate The White House for the holidays (below) with First Lady, Rosalynn Carter, hung a photograph of them right inside the door of their shop. At the age of 13, I started helping in his shop; it was a major influence in helping me realise that growing up in a small town in Virginia did not have to limit me. When he passed, Wanda gave me the photograph and a letter from Mrs. Carter. It sits beside my desk as a constant reminder to apply gratitude in every portion of my life because you never know what’s going to happen and where you are going to end up, as long as you keep moving forward…”
The two people who probably had the most influence over my career in floral design were my godparents, Reed and Wanda Tate in Luray, VA. Reed, after having helped decorate The White House for the holidays with First Lady, Rosalynn Carter (as pictured above), hung a photograph of them right inside the door of their shop. It was a major influence in helping me realise that growing up in a small town in Virginia didn’t have to limit me…”
David Beahm
C&B: “Do you have a particular signature or style that clients come to you for? What’s the David Beahm USP?”
DB: “We cater to the ‘quiet luxury’ client – they know quality, want custom work and appreciate detail. I think the worst thing that someone can say to me is, “Oh David must have designed this!” It’s very important for me to make sure that we tell the story of our clients and that we give our clients the wedding that they want, rather than what I envisage. We must make sure the guests leave the wedding knowing the couple better than when they arrived; that’s how to create an unforgettable wedding. Also, we pride ourselves in being able to make the venue of our clients choice work, wherever it may be. So, our USP is that we truly strive to make each and every event custom and unique!”
My diverse corporate client base includes well-known names such as The Discovery Channel, Champagne Perrier-Jouet, Van Cleef & Arpels Jewelry, Victoria’s Secret Beauty, Christian Dior, McDonald’s, Target and Louis Vuitton. I often undertake speaking engagements and I think now, more than ever, we all must start to work as a global community as this helps us gather, exchange ideas, and educate on our many levels of creativity…”
David Beahm
C&B: “Are there any major challenges you encounter when planning events with your clients?”
DB: “I’ve owned my company for 25 years, and it’s interesting to compare the process from when I first began to the present day. Our clients, due to the internet, are now very well-informed and often make many decisions before they even meet with me. In the past, our focus was primarily on educating our clients; now, it is more about helping them understand how each of their choices interacts within a space and how they will affect one another…”
I have a dozen incredible creative partners, backed up with an army of freelance artists, carpenters and helpers; for a large event, I require a team of between 60 and 70 in total. It’s our number one directive to step back, look at the big picture and see which strategic collaborations must happen for each event…”!”
David Beahm
C&B: “Planning these events can take months or even years – do you find the process stressful? How do you relax?”
DB: “In event design we have the first thirty seconds to make a memorable impression and then only a few hours more to thrill the guests. So, I try to use the past to inform my decisions. I relax by traveling and gardening, watching mother nature do her thing. I try to make notes of colors, shapes, textures and most importantly architecture. I focus on how rooms and buildings make my soul feel…”
C&B: “What would you consider personally to be the greatest indicator of a successful David Beahm Experiences wedding or event? Would you agree with the sentiment: ‘what touches the heart reaches the heart’?”
DB: “Yes. Recently I had the father of a bride – who was not involved in the creative process at all – walk into the venue and he broke down in tears. He understood that I’d made his little girl’s dream come true – and that’s our aim, every single time…”
WEBSITE: http://www.davidbeahm.com
