Preston Bailey: A Royal Spectacle

Eminent event designer Preston Bailey is a master of theatrics who professes, "I love to transform spaces." He's created lavish and memorable parties for a who's who list of celebrities, and yet, he admits that an unequalled level of ingenuity was required when he was tapped to transform a "very generic space"as nondescript as New York City's The Javits Centerinto a wedding wonderland befitting a Middle Eastern princess and her four thousand female wedding guests.

"There's a lot of protocol with the palace," Bailey says, understating the complexity of this foreign affair, his first collaboration with Belgian floral artist, Danil Ost.

In the United States, "Ladies can go party wherever they like," says Bailey, but with no nightclubs or other social outlets, a wedding in the Middle Eastto which only women are invitedis a rare and impactful event. "Because it is so special, they give it great importance. No detail is overlooked," Bailey adds.

"The royal market is very different from ours," comments Bailey. "Basically, they have seen everything." While tradition still dictates many aspects of a wedding, "the new royalty tends to be much more modern and original; the sensibilities have changed," he says. Royal families are attracted to designers who "offer something unique that they have not seen. It has to be new; it has to be different."

While there certainly was pressure to "do things a certain, proper way," and he was required to send the royal mother and the bride "three different designs of everything" in preparation for the spring event, Bailey says, "For us, it was really a dream job."

His role was to create the overall plan and design for the event, while Ost was responsible for floral execution. "I could not have been more thrilled," says Bailey of the opportunity to collaborate with the Belgian stylist. "This man is brilliant; I greatly admire his work," he says.

With floating pools of flowers suspended from the ceiling, elaborate walkways for the forty-five-minute procession of the bride and a podium constructed with thousands of flowers, the two created a stunning environment for the immense celebration. Lighting and effects added to the drama. For example, images of gardens of flowers awakening were projected on walls as the young princess slowly made her way to the center stage.

Of course, neither Ost nor Bailey, nor even the groom witnessed the spectacle. "Because I'm a man, I had to leave the property once the women started arriving," explains Bailey. Female staff members stayed to ensure the event was orchestrated perfectly. "I was waiting up all night for them to hear the feedback," Bailey confesses.

The reaction? "Awe and wonderment," says Bailey, who also received a complimentary letter from the palace. "They were so pleased," he says.

While a royal wedding can test even the most accomplished designer's creativity, Bailey continually finds ideas in the bounty of nature and the diversity of the world's cultures. "Each country has a wealth of inspiration. It's just a matter of tuning into it and giving it your own twist," he says.

Written by Kim Knox Beckius; Photography: John Labbe