The wedding planner

The date: 18th November, 2000. The venue: New York’s glitzy Plaza Hotel. The occasion: Hollywood meets Wales in what’s being touted as the wedding of the year, the marriage of Hollywood titan Michael Douglas to Catherine Zeta Jones. The list of invitees reads like the cast of a blockbuster movie—Sir Sean Connery, Jack Nicholson, Sharon Stone and Michael Caine. The scent of more than 20,000 cream coloured roses fills the air. The estimated cost of the star-studded extravaganza? An astounding £1.5 million. The man who’s making it all happen? Preston Bailey, wedding and event designer to the stars.

Be it Donald Trump, Liza Minelli, Uma Thurman or a middle-eastern princess, Bailey’s clients, during his 27 years in the business, have been some of the richest, most high profile people on the planet. He caters to their dreams and whims on their most precious day. And his innate sense of style has transformed raw, ordinary venues into awe-inspiring masterpieces.

A case in point—the royal wedding in Abu Dhabi, which took place in the middle of a desert and the guest list comprised of more than 4,500 people. I caught up with the New Yorkbased designer while he was on a whirlwind visit to Delhi. Clad in black Versace overalls, there’s an air of confidence about the six-foot tall Bailey. Not one to mince words, he says that he’s the best and the biggest in the business. So, we sit down to get some D-day tips out of him.

One: Get the brief right
First things first. “Before we decide on the décor, it’s important to get the agenda right. All aspects like the theme, the colour schemes and the décor depend on the occasion,” points out Bailey. The client needs to brief the designers in detail about the event in question: Whether it’s a big event, small event, what the guest list is like.

Flowery altar: For Liza Minelli

Two: Go natural
Using flowers and other natural arrangements are highly recommended. “You really can’t go wrong with colours like hot pink and green that are in this season. For me pink has always been an all-time favourite, but the trick lies in designing with one or two colours and not mixing too many,” says the designer. One can take these small, simple elements, reshape them and repeat them on many layers to create grand dramatic statements. “One can do so much with flowers,” says Bailey.

He would know, as the man has used flowers, primarily roses, to create topiary, hanging globes, man-sized candelabras and even life-sized elephants at some of these famous celebrity weddings. “The emphasis should be on combining exuberant and harmonious colour palettes, sensuous textures, and shapes that are both architectural and organic.”

Blue light: For Joan Rivers daughter

Three: Surprise them
“A wedding is one event that’s truly unforgettable. So, if possible at every step try and surprise your guests,” points out Bailey. It could be through food, scents or colours. “I love to play with illusions. Through innovative lining and projections, I once created fountains to symbolise walls of water and the guests could actually walk through them!” he recalls. Some of Bailey’s ideas include a rural wedding chapel filled with a silk forest of autumn trees, and a swimming pool blanketed with floating peonies.

Subtle lighting and flowers all the way: Bailey did events for Laurence Fishburne

Four: Reinvent the ordinary
It’s all about taking what exists and reinventing it. “Designers here should go out and play with colours and textures. Nothing should be left to chance,” says Bailey. “Even when you’re working on a budget, the event should be fun and full of surprises. Something as simple as putting orchids on the napkin or putting a striking floral centrepiece is bound to catch attention. Don’t be afraid to take risks and keep dreaming, as that’s where it all comes from,” he sums up.