In today's episode, I'm talking with my friend Dawn Weisberg of Tularosa Flowers about what it actually takes to create and book large-scale luxury weddings — not just from a "pretty" standpoint, but from a strategic, energetic, and logistical one.

Dawn and I both came to the wedding industry later in life with long creative careers behind us — mine in directing and acting, hers in costume design for film and television. We get into how those backgrounds shaped the way we approach weddings as world-building: cinematic, intentional, immersive, and deeply rooted in storytelling.

We talk about:

How Dawn went from starting florals at 45 to designing six-figure weddings in under a decade
Why she treats every wedding like a film set: thinking in scenes, movement, and guest experience The behind-the-scenes systems and logistics that make large-scale productions possible
How her viral "Malibu Barbie meets Marie Antoinette" pink wedding came to life — and what made it blow up online The creative process of pulling inspiration from runway shows, architecture, art, travel, and above all, the couple themselves
Why color is having a moment in the luxury world and how to use it in a way that still feels timeless and elevated
The mindset shifts required to feel safe holding and delivering on big budgets
The role publications & Pinterest have played in her growth (and how she handles rejection like a pro)
How styled shoots and editorials catapulted both of our careers into higher price points
What florists actually need from photographers on a wedding day to grow their own businesses

We also explore the emotional and energetic side of this work — what it's like to be genuinely obsessed with your craft, how to avoid burnout by building a business that actually feeds you, and why weddings are still the modern-day fairy tale for both couples and creatives.

P.S. I'm hosting a Tuscany Real Wedding Workshop this spring — a real wedding with a real couple and 30 real guests, photographed and designed over multiple days. You'll walk away with:

A full multi-day destination wedding story (engagement, welcome party, bridal editorial, wedding day, farewell event)
A pre-trip mentorship to refine your brand, portfolio gaps, and shot list
A post-trip call where we turn your gallery into a 90-day luxury marketing plan

If your gut is saying "this is my next level," send me a DM and I'll send you the full proposal. We have very limited spots.

Meet Dawn

Dawn Weisberg is the owner and flower mastermind behind Tularosa Flowers, a luxury wedding design company in Southern California in the San Diego area. Voted Best Florist San Diego by California Wedding Magazine for both 2025 and 2024, she is dedicated to providing the highest level of design and service to her clients.

Dawn's breadth of expertise enables her to offer a visionary edge to her work with a unique perspective in the wedding industry. With a Master's Degree in Theatrical Design from New York University's acclaimed Tisch School of the Arts, her classical training was augmented studying fine art in Italy, where she apprenticed in a Costume and Mask Studio in Venice. After a successful career for 20 years in film and television as a costume designer, Tularosa Flowers's owner chose to pursue her passion for flowers. Dawn combines her cinematic design background with her love of nature to create one-of-a-kind immersive experiences for her clients. The Tularosa style is an effortless maximalism combining Old World European style with California vibrance.

Tularosa Flowers has been featured in all of the top wedding publications, including Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, The Knot, Brides, Ruffled, Green Wedding Shoes, California Wedding Day, Inspired by This, 100 Layer Cake, June Bug, Wedding Chicks, Hey Wedding Lady, Smashing the Glass, and the Gay Wedding Guide. Tularosa has also partnered with luxury brands including Hermes, and David Austin Wedding Roses. As one of the nation's top and premier floral designers, Dawn has appeared as a wedding trend expert on CBS and FOX, as well as multiple wedding industry podcasts, and was the Mayesh 2024 Wedding Florist Design Star.

Connect with Dawn

tularosaflowers.com Dawn's Instagram Dawn's TikTok

Click here for more ways to listen to this episode.