Trends
Color: Whatever your favorite color is should become your new trend.
Lighting: Lots of LED lighting, mostly battery-operated.
Gowns: Big dresses with great beading.
Tuxedos: Classic cut with long tie.
Menus: Family-style serving.
Attendent Fashion: Choose a color and have them choose their own style.
Tables: Long tables with dramatic flowers.
Entertainment: A surprise live act.
Cake: Sylvia Weinstock original.
Favors: Something useful (no more frames) or edible.
Post Party: A surprise after party with a hot DJ is always a great ending.

Wedding Elements

Every 15 minutes, create a wonderful surprise for your guests. For example, introduce a change of light, special scent or a new musical mood.

Stage something dramatic at the entrance.

Hide scented candles to create a wonderful aroma.

Introduce unexpected surprises, like handing out small chocolates at the entrance.

Shine a spotlight on the bride and groom.

Stage decor to center the room.

Hand out a rose to all female guests at the end of the evening.

Design special boxes for giving away pieces of wedding cake to guests.

Decorate serving trays with fresh flowers.

Close your eyes and imagine the last celebrity couple you saw tying the knot. Recall the grandeur of the event, the splendor of the wedding gown and the sheer romance of a Hollywood wedding. Imagine if your wedding planner could transform your wedding into an A-list celebration.

We caught up with celebrity event planner Preston Bailey to get you the scoop on the latest and greatest wedding trends. Bailey is world renowned for his theatrical, one-of-a-kind events that earned him the reputation as the world’s pre-eminent award-winning event designer.

Because of his desire to create original events, he has attracted such clients as Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers, Donna Karan, Liza Minnelli, Laurence Fishburne, Bill Cosby, Matt Lauer, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, Donny Deutsch and royal families across the globe. Bailey has offices in New York, India, Indonesia and the Middle East. He is originally from Panama.

Thirty years in an ever-changing industry, Bailey has become especially renowned for his ability to completely transform raw, ordinary spaces into sumptuous, theatrical environments, translating his clients’ visions into aweinspiring reality. We asked Bailey to share some ideas with you, our Wedding Event Style readers, about how you can transform your fantasy wedding into a reality.

WES: Over the years, how many weddings have you designed?
PB: Over my 30 years in the business, I have designed hundreds of weddings.

WES: What are the elements that are timeless in wedding ceremonies and receptions?

PB: The elements that are most timeless in weddings are the bridal bouquets, which always come alive in photographs. In the receptions, folks mostly remember the overall decor of beauty.

WES: How should a couple prepare to talk with an event planner?

PB: Couples should have a wish list of likes and dislikes. Also, it always helps to have lots of favorite tear sheets.

WES: What are the current trends in celebrity weddings?

PB: The current trend in celebrity weddings is understated opulence.

WES: How can our readers work with their planners to create a celebritylike wedding?

PB: In order to create a celebritylike wedding, it always helps to have a very dramatic statement either with decor, music or a performance that the guest will remember and talk about.

WES: You’ve been in the business for almost three decades. What changes have you seen over the years?

PB: In my three decades in the business, folks have learned a lot more about options for their weddings. I also have noticed that the reception has become much more important than the actual ceremony.

WES: In terms of destination weddings, where are the hot places to consider?

PB: The hottest places for destination weddings is Panama and the Maldives Islands.

WES: Do you believe in happily ever after?

PB: I do believe that happily ever after exists with a lot of love, work and understanding, but mostly work. It just doesn’t happen.

WES: Can you tell us about your latest book?

PB: My new book, CELEBRATIONS, is full of ideas for any kind of celebration, from the most opulent to the most intimate, and it’s a huge visual feast.