“Regardless of its size or complexity, the perfect floral arrangement is the one that makes you stop for an instant and smile with surprise and delight,” writes Preston Bailey in his new book Preston Bailey: Flowers.
If that’s the case, then his beautiful tribute to blooms is bound to inspire awe.  Every bride I’ve shown Flowers to has grabbed the book from my hands and wanted to frame (not rip!) the out-of-this-world photos inside.  His anecdotal stories from A-list events—he’s planned parties for Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Hudson and Ivanka Trump—are equally fascinating.
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First, a word of advice from the pros: One of the most common questions that wedding planners receive from clients is how they can make their wedding different from all of the rest, especially if their close friends are getting married around the same time.  According to Mindy Weiss, the key to successfully personalizing your “I do’s” is to “Bring in something that will remind people of you, whether it’s a color you love to wear, a special song, or even just a feeling.”

It won’t feel authentic and you may regret it decades from now.  David Tutera sees this mistake happen all the time: “It’s very easy to go over-the-top…you want to make sure that your theme is incorporated in very simple and understated ways.”
Ready to get started?  See which style below best suits your personality and lifestyle.

Vintage Wedding Theme

This Mindy Weiss event was inspired by the rolling verdant hills and fresh flavors of Tuscany, but we also think it captures the elegance of a bygone era. If you’re going the vintage route, lace is a must: Look for a gown with a modern twist, like this bride’s matching bolero and sheer sleeves. A muted color palette with ivory, slate grey, rose, and gold is soft and pretty.
Unusually-shaped chandeliers hung from the overhead trellis and billowy fabric was used to create a faux canopy. Wood chairs were mixed with covered chairs with fabric floral detailing. The vintage theme can even extend to food and serving pieces, too: “We placed a French baguette at each place setting for guests, used vintage bottles wrapped with craft paper and twine for fresh lemonade and had a spread with produce like grapes,” said Weiss. What’s for dessert? A five-tier all-white cake with intricate detailing and a monogram of the couple’s initials, accented with a delightfully old-fashioned cake figurine.

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