My Idol - Preston Bailey

I was recently lucky enough to spend an evening with Preston Bailey, world renowned for his fabulous event designs. As an event planner myself I have for many years admired his ability to change an average space into lush extravagant beauty. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought I would be lucky enough to share a room with my idol so when I heard he was holding a seminar in Sydney I was on the first flight there.

Preston Bailey is a unique man with a colourful and vivid imagination. His instinctive talent for dramatic transformation and design has led him to a successful 30 year career with cliental of celebrities, royalty and athletes worldwide such as Joan Rivers, Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Crosby just to name a few. His one of a kind event detailing allows him to transform the most ordinary space into that of an unworldly theatrical and lavish environment.

I took away from Preston many empowering lessons, he helped me to change my way of thinking when planning and designing an event. One of his main principles is to take the beauty of what we see within the outside environment and bring it inside in a new and magical way. He has no limitations to what can be pulled from your imagination and brought to reality. He thinks on a larger than life scale where his goal is to leave his clients in awe, transfixed on what only some will only ever be able to experience within their most beautiful and wildest dreams.

When planning an event he stresses some key elements to ensure its success:

      Have at least one dramatic element which has your guests stop and stare in awe of what is before them. A signature piece that is etched in the memory of all who is lucky enough to be in its presence. A defining moment which your guests will recall upon for years to come. If you have a look through Prestons portfolio you will notice he will recreate something beautiful with the use of floral art or creating an extravagant piece or a romantic mood with colourful tones of lighting.

Your table settings are imperial to a successful event. With a table being an intimate place for your guests to gather and spend the majority of their evening it is the perfect canvas to charm them by bringing together some beautiful elements including opulent flowers, crystal, tealights and beautiful linens. Every element must be considered from your chairs, to your cutlery, food to your centerpieces, place settings to your china, don’t be afraid to experiment as the possibilities are endless.

Consider every little detail. In his book ‘celebrations’ he explains “the exquisite layering of details is what keeps guests intrigued and on a constant path of discovery throughout the event”. I know many of you will agree that when attending events it begins feel like deja vu as they include all the basic elements you encountered at the last. There seems to be a standardised checklist which brides and event organisers alike will use to ensure they have ticked all the necessary boxes in the planning process. Many forget to consider adding details that will ensure their event is unique, it is so important to consider exciting elements and unpredictable ways to excite and entertain your guests so as to ensure it is not a replica of all those that have been held before it. If you want your event to be truly memorable you must dig deep within your imagination and see no limitation to creating truly remarkable details which can be created DIY, with a little planning and thinking outside of the box the possibilities are endless.

Preston has inspired me to think outside of normality and seek ways in which our most colourful and exciting dreams can be transformed into a space where others can gasp in awe of its opulence and beauty. For now I bring you some of Prestons events which took my breath away. As you look through your computer screen at these lush and inspiring spaces it is normal to experience loss for words or head to toe goose bumps, you can only imagine the feelings you would experience if you are ever lucky enough to attend one of Prestons events in person. 

For more Preston inspiration see our previous post 'The Beautiful Mind of Preson Bailey'

Yasmin xxx