One of my goals is trying to be present in every single moment of my life. One of my favorites book is by the brilliant spiritual teacher Mr. Eckhart Tolle called The Power of Now. This book talks about the beauty of constantly being present in “the now.” I often practice this powerful tool every time I meet a new client or a potential new business situation.

For me, being in “the now” is gauging all the different types of feelings that come up at that moment. In these series of blog posts, I’ll try to describe, in a humorous way, what goes on in my head during various moments in meetings with my clients.

I’ll call this client Mrs Smith:
As soon as they walk in, I think, oh my god these women are gorgeous.
Mrs. Smith and Daughter: Good morning Mr. Bailey. I’ve heard so much about you. This is my daughter Jane Smith.
Me: (Thinking, “Wow, look at those outfits.”) Mrs. Smith, great to meet you both.

Fall colors in a spring wedding

Mrs. Smith: My daughter is getting married in the fall and I am trying to convince her to do it in the the spring.
Me: (I get it, she wants me to help her convince her daughter) Well, both times of the year are great for a wedding.
Daughter speaking for the first time: I happen to like the wonderful fall colors.

Winter colors in a summer wedding

Me: (Oh my DOUBLE GOD, LOOK AT THAT EXQUISITE RING. How does her tiny finger hold up that huge rock?) Well, at times, it’s kind of fun to use fall colors in the spring and spring colors in the fall.
Mother: (She looks at me as if I just asked her to spill red paint all over her Louis Vuitton bags) Mr. Bailey, in our community, that is simply not done.
Daughter: (Showing great excitement for the first time) Mom, this is my wedding and I can have any colors I want.

Winter colors in a spring wedding

Me: (You tell her girl!) Mrs. Smith, the wonderful part about weddings today is that you can use any colors you like at any time. Of course, my job is to make it work.
Mrs. Smith: (She is still not happy with this answer but has decided to move forward) Thanks Mr. Bailey, let’s see what you can do.


QUESTION: Are you a bride who’s ever disagreed with your mom on what you should and shouldn’t do for your wedding? How did you handle it?

I get this question often, and it’s understandable since most people cite inspiration as the one thing they need as artists. Well, guess what folks? Inspiration can come from anywhere. As I said in the intro to my book Inspirations:

“It can come at any time. It can come quickly, like a flash of lightning; it can come slowly, like a gathering storm. It can, quite possibly, not come at all. Or it can come when you’re not looking for it. The key, therefore, is to keep your eyes open, your antennae up and your senses attuned…”

I was inspired by this beautiful image from the book Valentino: Themes and Variations

The Celebrations book cover

There are a few things I generally cite as my inspiration for most of my work:

• The beauty of nature. I constantly strive to bring the organic creation of what I see around me into the work I produce. Nothing can match the color combinations of nature, and nothing can surpass the generosity of nature. You can witness this just by observing the beauty of a fall forest.
• Fashion. The runway is an endless source of inspiration to me. I love visiting fashion shows and checking out the new colors, texture and fabric.

This detail shot from Valentino: Themes and Inspirations inspired my Celebrations book cover.

The back cover of Celebrations

• Travel. You have to see beyond the small plot of land you live in. I love exploring other cultures. I try to immerse myself in the colors, scents and flavors other cultures use. Trust me, you’ll find yourself wanting to incorporate these new found joys into your next project.
• Relationships. The relationships I cultivate with my colleagues, my friends, my partner, all add up to a sense of excitement and inspiration. Just like in travel, exposing yourself to others’ point of view is a great way to find inspiration, especially when you’re not necessarily looking for it.
  
  This, of course, also applies to your relationship with your clients. They are one of my greatest sources of inspiration. Sometimes they will just give me one cue or word that will open up a whole new way of thinking about the project.

And, let’s be real here folks. Sometimes, there are days where you just don’t feel inspired. What do you do in this case? Suck it up and keep on working.

In the act of doing, you stumble across ideas or emotions that may be hiding. And THAT my loves, is what it’s really all about. Working through that blank feeling is what creates true success. Otherwise, if you just cite a lack of inspiration for your inability to produce work, you’re just making excuses.

Well, that’s my story. So now tell me, what do you find inspiring?

My friend Marcy and I had the most invigorating weekend with our mentoring program, Bailey and Blum. At first, we were ambitious in thinking we could have a large group of folks for the weekend. However, after some discussion and thought, we decided the most important part of the seminar was spending one on one time with each participant. Given the short timeline of two days, we decided to have a more intimate group of attendees, with a mixture of beginners and veterans (and even two people who traveled all the way from Portugal!).

We ended up with the most dynamic group of people. Not only did Marcy and I really like them, but they also really liked each other. There was a definite connection between all of us.

The luncheon table

The one question that was prevalent among all the folks was, of course, how to make money. What astounded me was how each and every person had such an incredible love and passion for this business. Since this was the case, I had no qualms in telling them probably one of the most important take-aways from the whole weekend: success is about endurance.  My favorite part of the weekend was speaking to each person individually. In meeting each person and talking to them about their businesses, it was very apparent to me that endurance will come easily for these passionate folks.

It was a growth experience for me too. Each person helped remind me about my own love for the business and the desire I have to work hard (and endure) every day.

Master foodie Olivier Cheng and his Executive Chef Jenny Glasgow created an amazing lunch. They also instructed the group on the importance of great food presentation.

Needless to say, Marcy and I had a very powerful experience interacting with and teaching all the participants. One really great addition to the weekend was having Millie Bratten and Maria McBride from Brides magazine there for the whole day. It was a joy having them join us. We’re definitely looking forward to the next installment of Bailey and Blum (possibly this summer).

I also wanted to list all the attendees here in alphabetical order, and tell them once again how how wonderful it was to meet them and spend time with them this weekend:

• Anne Bowen
• Linda Casals
• Deborah Dixon
• Daphne Douge
• Eric Ellen
• Chrisya Enriquez
• Alberta Marimba
• Grace Muchiri
• Autumn Oser
• Jill Pocsik
• Lydia Short
• Claudia Teixeira
• Katharine Warden

Please tell me, in one word how do you define success (and why)?

Rosanna was such a special bride to me. I especially loved this wedding because she taught me about how important it is to wait for the love of your life. She talked about how glad she was to wait and find the right person, instead of just settling for whomever may have been around at the time. I didn’t even need to ask her if it was worth the wait, because the happiness on her face said it all.

Rosanna wanted to get married in a place that looked like heaven. I’ve always thought the Rainbow Room is the closest thing you can get to heaven in New York City.

Her close friend Clive Davis was the one who walked her down the aisle and gave her away.

Do you think true love is worth waiting for? Or is that just a romantic fairy tale that doesn’t exist?

When I first started years ago, these were the most dreaded words to hear from one my clients (in reference to the design and services I had promised verbally). I just could not understand why they would say that. After all, this was exactly what I promised and saw in my head all along.

A rendering we created for a client presentation

There was one client who received her bridal bouquet right before she walked down the aisle. I had made it with great pride and thought it was incredibly beautiful. To my surprise the bride started crying, and I, for a moment, was so pleased with myself thinking these were tears of joy. This was, of course, until she uttered those dreaded words, “Preston, this is not what I had in mind.” Years later, I ran into her and she still thinks I ruined her wedding.

A picture from the actual job

I learned the hard way that it is extremely important your clients have as much information as possible in what they are getting before the event.

This is what I suggest:

• In that initial meeting, make very clear notes of a client’s likes and dislikes. Make sure you send your client a copy to review just in case they have something to add or you forgot to write something down.
• Give them a FULL PRESENTATION (never EVER before they are fully committed in using your services–read more about that here). Visual presentations are a very powerful tool. It could be done through drawings (there are a lot of great CAD programs, or you can even use something as simple as PowerPoint or Keynote), photographs, or whatever is appropriate.
• Even more effective: setting up a table or providing samples of what you will be using (fabric, cutlery, plates, etc.) to actually see and touch. In my experience, these are very powerful moments of tears and joy. Once they love and approve your design, you should take a picture of of the table or design and give them a copy. On the day of the event, make sure you have your copy, just in case you hear those dreaded words, “This is not what I had in mind.”
• If service is what you are offering, it is essential that you write these services down in great detail. Talk your client through each and every point, have them sign and hope for the best.

Saying you’re sorry is never easy. Do you think an apology should include some additional compensation?