Preston Bailey, “Designer to the Stars”, was not always so fortunate. He is a native of Panama in Central America, where he lived until his move to New York City at the age of nineteen. His passion for flowers began in 1980 when he was in need of a job. An interior designer friend suggested Preston do weekly flowers for one of his high-end clients. As they say, the rest is history. He started working with the client and found he knew very little about flowers, but he really enjoyed it. He did his first wedding three years later – for the daughter of his first client. In this interview, Mr. Bailey willingly shares experiences, ideas, and tips to help you plan your wedding.

WWS: What is the best thing about being a designer?
Preston: I get such a thrill when I run into people I have done their wedding 10 or 20 years ago and they look at me and say, “you know, I still remember that day and my friends still talk about it”. For me, it is such a thrill to know you create this wonderful one day people remember forever.

WWS: You have done many celebrity weddings, which one was the most extravagant, in your opinion?
Preston: I loved, not because it was extravagant, but I loved, loved, loved Mr. Trump’s wedding. I also loved Donna Karan’s daughter’s wedding. I worked with Mr. Bill Cosby for his daughter’s wedding, which was really a very special one for me. Those are my three favorite.

WWS: Do you ever do simple?
Preston: NO! I believe more is better. I think it has to do with my background. I come from a very poor background and now think it is fun to work in quantity. When I say that, it has to be handled with a certain point of view. I always use the example of the cherry blossom tree. It has thousands of flowers and it is one of the most beautiful trees ever to see. That appeals to me more than to just look at one rose. I use the same concept decorating a room. I am not against simplicity, but I react to the grandeur of a tree full of flowers. You have to be careful with it because you don’t want it to go overboard or be over the top.

WWS: Are any artificial flowers and petals used in your weddings or receptions?
Preston: I do sometimes. A lot of the huge sculptures we do in the ceiling sometimes are set up three days before when we are doing a huge installation. There are an amazing amount of quality silk flowers, or permanent botanicals. For anything that can be touched or seen up close, I use fresh.

WWS: How do you keep the petals from turning brown when you hand-string them?
Preston: A lot of flowers are very hardy. It is really a matter of getting the right buds and the right flowers and nurturing the flowers so they open beautifully. Use the petals and keep spraying them with water to keep them moist. Sometimes they will last up to 2 or 3 days. It is really a matter of knowing how to take care of them. Orchids are one of the most hardy flowers ever.

WWS: I saw you on a program titled, Mr. Fabulous. Getting a look behind the scenes was very insightful. It showed the unexpected can and does happen. Is it usually as stressful as this show portrayed when working to make everything go exactly as planned?
Preston: Yes. Oprah, being one of my angels, and the Oxygen Channel suggested to me to do this program. When they came up with the name, Mr. Fabulous, I really got nervous because I don’t think of myself as fabulous. I wanted to show people these set-ups are very real and can be very stressful. I wanted to show a very real approach to what we do. What I liked most about the show was it showed me in a rather difficult situation. A lot of our job is improvising. Things are going to happen and you have to make it work without the client realizing it.

WWS: What trends do you see in the industry today?
Preston: I try not to look at what other people are doing. I can only tell you what I like and what I do and things that are appealing to me. I usually look at fashion design for guidelines. There is a lot of wonderful beaded work – beaded fabrics, sparkles and starlight quality. I am doing a lot lately with a lot of beads and crystals and things that shimmer…a fantasy, fairytale point of view. I am using a lot of pale yellows and greens. For some reason, yellow is one of my favorite colors. There are so many ranges to it.

WWS: What tips do you have for helping the bride plan her wedding?
Preston: Most importantly, she should sit down and get an objective look at how much they want to spend. Have a budget, see what is the most important thing for them. Is it the flowers? Is it the food? Is it the fabulous dress? Is it great music? Invest in what is most important to them and understate the rest.

WWS: With everything you’ve done, what is the most memorable for you?
Preston: I have so many memorable ones but, of course, the most memorable was celebrating Oprah Winfrey’s 50th birthday on the show. I thought it was a labor of love. Another one was Mr. Trump’s wedding. He took me in for two months, literally. They were very hospitable and warm…really lovely people. These are clients, not friends, but I felt very welcomed and it was a great experience.

Preston Bailey is an inspiration to others but he also brings joy to those who have the pleasure of utilizing his amazing talent. He considers himself blessed and he does not ever take that for granted. Preston has come from having nothing to being labeled “Designer to the Stars.” Now, he is living his dream!

For additional information on Preston Bailey Designs, Inc., New York, NY, you may visit his website www.prestonbailey.com. Be sure to view his stunning portfolio while there.
Books available at recognized bookstores or amazon.com
Inspirations by Preston Bailey and John Labbe
Preston Bailey's Fantasy Weddings by Preston Bailey and John Labbe
Preston Bailey's Design for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams by Preston Bailey

By- Robin Oliver, Area Publisher
Weddings With Style Intl., OK, AR, & MO