Daughter of Design – Annie Lee
Keen on creativity, Daughter of Design is regarded for its fresh thinking and positive “can do” approach to planning and producing events. Daughter of Design is the preferred wedding planner for discerning and stylish brides worldwide and has been hand-picked as one of the top event planners in NYC, Southern California, and South Florida. Recently, Daughter of Design planned the first New Year’s Eve wedding in Times Square and 14 Valentine’s Day weddings atop the Empire State Building.
The daughter of an interior designer, Annie Lee is constantly at the vanguard of wedding and event style, fashion and design. As the principal planner and founder of Daughter of Design, Lee has an extensive events career having worked with the San Francisco Opera, Tribeca Film Festival, BizBash, ASMALLWORLD, Quintessentially Events and various other prominent event industry professionals. Annie Lee has been recognized as a “celebrity entertaining expert” by People Magazine and a “Woman in Action – Entertaining Expert” by Shape Magazine and is a sought after authority on new trends.
ASIANCE: Please tell us about your family background. How did you know that this business was for you?
Annie: I’m actually a daughter of an interior designer, so you can say it’s in my blood. What led me slightly astray from the family interior design business and more towards event designing and planning was my love of organizing and coordinating. I’m the world’s best worrier so I’m constantly thinking ahead of worst case scenarios. I prepare everything so none of those actually happen.
ASIANCE: How did you decide to break into the Wedding Planning business?
Annie: I was working at the San Francisco Opera in Events and absolutely loved doing them. I was looking to move companies and saw a position to be a Wedding Coordinator’s assistant and it took just one wedding to realize that I love working with people on private and personal events. It is so gratifying to be able to help someone on one of the biggest days of their life.
ASIANCE: Is there a favorite wedding or one that sticks out in your mind as just Fabulous?
Annie: That’s easy. Lake Como, Italy! We did a wedding there a few years ago and it was like getting married in Heaven on Earth. Lake Como is fabulous period.. but sprinkle in some high fashion New Yorkers, add amazing food and music and ouila you have the absolutely most fabulous wedding you can imagine.
ASIANCE: Do you have a fantasy wedding that you would like to do?
Annie: The guests’ attire to the wedding plays a huge part in the ambience and the decor of the wedding; the more fab they look, the more fab the event looks and feels in my opinion. But it’s always the one variable part you can’t predict when designing and planning the wedding. The ultra control freak wedding planner in me would love to dress all the ladies in couture dresses or amazing cocktail dresses and the men in the finest suits and tuxes that we’ve styled for them to accentuate the design and to make them look almost as amazing as the bride and groom!
I didn’t get to do Chelsea Clinton’s or Will and Kate’s wedding. But I’d like to plan Harry’s and both the Obama girls!
ASIANCE: Is there a famous couple or celebrity’s wedding that you would have loved prepare?
Annie: I didn’t get to do Chelsea Clinton’s or Will and Kate’s wedding. But I’d like to plan Harry’s and both the Obama girls!
ASIANCE: Where do you receive your inspiration when you plan your couple’s (client) wedding?
Annie: I take the couple’s personal style, interests and tastes and turn them into a wedding. From looking at how a couple design’s their home or what the bride’s favorite dress is, I can get a fast read on their design aesthetic and from there create a design that compliments them and the venue they’re getting married at.
ASIANCE: Is there a famous wedding that, in your opinion, you would have done something differently?
Annie: For Hilary Duff’s wedding there was a picture on the cover of People Magazine that made me cringe. I would have made sure the videographer was not in the shot right in the back. We plan everything keeping in mind, “How will the photos look?” and am obsessively mindful of staff keeping out of shots.
ASIANCE: Now, you are working on exclusive events as well. Was there a favorite? What events are you working on at the moment?
Annie: One of my favorite events we’ve worked on was the first ever wedding in the middle of Times Square on New Year’s Eve. The couple won a contest with www.Getmarried.com and I helped to plan the history-making event that was televised and broadcast for millions to watch!
Currently, I have about 25 weddings for the rest of this year and am also producing the Gen Art Film Festival. In the past, I’ve also planned events for the Tribeca Film Festival. I love the arts and I love intimate personal occasions and am so lucky that my job is to plan events for both.
Tzo Ai and Ken. New York, NY. Film courtesy of Pennylane Productions. Wedding by Daughter of Design.
Tzo Ai and Ken – Highlight Reel from Adam Forgione on Vimeo.
ASIANCE: Do you have a favorite wedding dress designer?
Annie: Tied between Monique Lhuillier and Vera Wang. Both take timeless and classic designs and add a fashionable and fresh look to them. Love!
ASIANCE: Do you have a favorite cake baker?
Annie: Ron Ben-Israel is my go-to for cakes. I can’t decide if they look better or taste better.
Monica and David. New York, NY. Film courtesy of Studio Z Films. Wedding by Daughter of Design.
Monica and David from Steve Zugelter on Vimeo.
ASIANCE: What 3 pieces of advice would you give brides who are planning their wedding?
Annie: 1) Don’t give yourself too many choices. Commit to a theme, streamline or you’ll get overwhelmed. There are so many blogs and great ideas out there but don’t try to incorporate everything or else your wedding will look like jambalaya.
2) Don’t shoot down your groom’s ideas! Let me save you a fight and avoid starting your marriage off on the wrong foot. His opinion counts too and you should take his feedback seriously.
3) This is hard, but when the day comes be able to let go. If you obsess over the details you will miss the day. Hire a planner to do the obsessing for you!
ASIANCE: What advice would you give girls who want to break into the wedding planning business? It’s tough and meticulous.
Annie: It’s not all trying on wedding dresses and picking flowers. There’s calling the city for permits, getting a nice portable restroom, etc. The hours are around the clock and your Monday is a Monday and your Friday is a Monday, kiss weekends goodbye! But after hearing about the unglamorous side of weddings if you still feel it’s your true calling, definitely do an internship with a local planner and see if it’s for you and gain experience in the trenches! I think that’s it!
Daughter of Design
New York
920 Broadway, Studio 1703
New York, NY 10010
t: 646 595 9009
f: 646 375 3184
Los Angeles
15542 Broadway Center St.
Gardena, CA 90248
t: 323 205 5510
Website: www.daughterofdesign.com