Good Morning POU!
Event-planning entrepreneur Diann Valentine has taken her dream of mixing business and love and made it a reality filled with celebrity clients and business success. Valentine’s journey spans from modest beginnings as a teenage wedding planner to becoming the creator of lavish multimillion-dollar nuptial experiences at D. R. Valentine. She has brought to life a bride’s dream day for Usher, Toni Braxton, Kelis, Nas, Boyz II Men crooner Shawn Stockman, Chante Moore, Gary Sheffield, LaShawn Daniels, and NBA players Jimmy Jackson, Eric Williams and many more.
Famously known for sparking the “Tiffany blue” wedding color craze and incorporating exquisite details such as a fish tank dance floor, Valentine prides herself on catering to the client to design events that are both awe-inspiring and unforgettable.
After giving wedding and event planning tips on “E! News Daily,” “ABC’s InStyle Celebrity Weddings Special” “Entertainment Tonight,” “CNN,” and “HGTV” as well as doing spreads in Brides Magazine, InStyle, USA Today and Essence, Valentine published her first book, Weddings Valentine Style. The gorgeous, vibrantly colored coffee table book, which features the laced back of Kelis’ stunning emerald and gold wedding dress on the cover, is a combination of beautiful pictorial essays, inspirational messages, and tips from the expert herself on how to achieve the wedding of one’s dreams with the use of colors and modern expression while staying true to the traditions the each individual bride holds dear to her heart. With the success of Weddings Valentine Style, Valentine is currently working on completing the series, this time around focusing on entertaining and interior design, specifically.
Valentine has added stationery designer to her plethora of design pet projects. Through an exclusive deal with Wedding Paper Divas, Valentine has introduced a new line of wedding stationery. The designs reflect Valentine’s aesthetic, which includes the use of bold colors and modern motifs inspired by her love for natural wonders of the world. In addition to featuring traditional pieces, such as wedding invitations and save the date cards, the collection will also feature a new product conceived by Valentine called “rainy day cards.” These rainy day cards are small note cards given to guests so they can write words of encouragement for couples to save and read on a “rainy day’ when they need to be reminded of why they chose to commit their lives to one another.
Next on the horizon is Valentine’s third stunt in the world of television as she prepares to host and Co-Executive Produce I Do Over for WeTV. This fresh take on wedding programming will showcase Valentine’s distinctive design style and untraditional take on weddings. Also through a strategic partnership with Wildflower Linens, Valentine will release a line of luxury textiles for the interior design community. The collection will feature retro, geometric and botanical patterns that express Valentine’s passion for luxurious fabrics from around the world.