'The Girls' Articles

These extraordinary people are what the international wedding industry is really all about. So sit back, grab your favourite Starbucks indulgence and enjoy the read!

Preston Bailey-US/Panama

When celebrity real estate mogul Donald Trump, THE Oprah Winfrey, or Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones decide to throw a party, there is only one man they trust to stage the magical backdrops they desire: that man is the legendary event and wedding planner, Mr. Preston Bailey.

Mr. Bailey is the very definition of beauty himself. Within two minutes of our conversation, I was completely overwhelmed by his genuine humbleness and gratefulness that I rarely encounter in this corner of the bridal industry. There is not ONE DROP of pretentiousness in the body of Preston Bailey. I can honestly say and quite truthfully, that is he is a non-diva of the highest order. He lives to share with others and isn't afraid to speak his mind, which makes him all the more admirable. But Preston's own personal path to success has hardly been a cake walk.

As a poor child living in Panama, Preston appreciated and was/is always inspired artistically by the rich, exotic Carribean landscape that was once his childhood playground. As one of THE most influential and premiere event/wedding planners in our universe, his former home's surroundings still fuels his creative inspiration today. Whether he's pulling together an elaborate, celebrity wedding or a small, elegant get-together, Preston possesses the very requirements that make a great event, the most memorable event. When sitting down with a client, he will tell you that he automatically becomes his client's “vision interpreter”, takes the client's vision and successfully marries his own unlimited imagination to that vision.

From a sublimely theatrical wedding in a hotel's grand ballroom to a rich beach setting with only the bluest skies and azure blue waters to serve as his canvas, Preston Bailey weddings are magical, breathtaking and beautiful strokes of an artistic genius. I was honoured to be able to speak with this wonderful man during a break that he had in a terribly busy workday, and I'm so grateful to be able to share with you, today, our conversation.

Mia: Preston, how did you get started in the event/wedding planning industry and what inspires you to to magically put together, the celebrity and non-celebrity events, that you do?

Preston: Honestly, I needed a job. In 1980, a designer friend of mine thought that maybe I should help with this party that he was throwing. I've always loved throwing a great party. While putting that party together, I realized that I was good at this. My inspiration and desire comes from my clients and I can't think of a better job to have, really.

Mia: Melissa Rivers (Comedianne Joan Rivers daughter) wedding took on this realistic, Russian Winter Wonderland theme and you had all of these, in what looked like, snow covered trees involved and all of these winter white roses were cascading down off the branches. And the Trump's wedding, where the theme's major color scheme consisted of creams and whites. From conception to birth of an event, what elements are influencing you to create the themes that you create?

Preston: I'm from Panama and as a boy, I was always playing outdoors, running around out

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