The frog is the winner for the Rainforest themed event!

Where in the space do you think the sculpture should be placed?

Entrance

Escort Table

Reception Tables

Stage

This week we are planning a Rainforest themed event and need your help choosing which animal best represents this theme.

Which creature would you floralize to fit in with this exciting party theme?

Animal 1

Animal 2

Animal 3

Animal 4

Animal 5

This week, we’re designing a lounge seating unit centered around floral and crystal tree structures. Our client wants the overall feel of her event to be light and airy. Which tree silhouette do you think she will like best? We love your feedback. Check back with us Wednesday to help pick fabrics for the lounge! Tree 1 [...]

Thanks for your input on the chair covers and centerpieces! To recap, chair cover#5 was the winner, as was centerpiece #2.

Here is the final design for our new bride:

What do you think?

Which centerpiece should we use to compliment the chair cover you chose (#5 was the winner!)?

Check back Friday to see our finished table…

Centerpiece 1

Centerpiece 2

Centerpiece 3

Centerpiece 4

Centerpiece 5

We’re designing tables for an upcoming wedding, and our bride loves pink. She’s looking for a rich, saturated chair cover to set the tone for her reception. Which chair do you think we should go with? Pink Chair 1 Pink Chair 2 Pink Chair 3 Pink Chair 4 Pink Chair 5 [...]

Thank you so much for your help. Here’s the finished cake we’re going to pitch to our bride!

To recap, you chose wedding cake shape #3 and decor adornments 1 and 2.

Cake shape #3 is the winner from Monday’s post ! Which of these adornments should we use for this wedding cake? Decor Option 1 Decor Option 2 Decor Option 3 Decor Option 4 Decor Option 5 [...]

This week our bride wants miniature, individual cakes served to each of her guests at her wedding. Which silhouette do you think we should use for the base of our design? Cake 1 Cake 2 Cake 3 Cake 4 Cake 5 [...]

Thank you so much for all your help! To recap, you chose gazebo shape #4 and flower choice #5.

Here’s the finished gazebo you helped us design.

What do you think? Is this what you were picturing? How would you improve or add to it?

Gazebo four was the winner from Monday’s blog post. Which flowers do you think would work best with this gazebo?

Flowers 1

Flowers 2

Flowers 3

Flowers 4

Flowers 5

The industry is bombarded with a new generation of planners. I think this is great, however, most of them are under the assumption that you ONLY need great organizational skills to call yourself a planner. In fact a lot of brides, after planning their own wedding, love the process so much that they consider or think [...]

This week is all about the gazebo. Our bride is looking for an elegant and unique gazebo to stand under on her big day. Which silhouette do you think would be best for this wedding? Gazebo 1 Gazebo 2 Gazebo 3 Gazebo 4 Gazebo 5 [...]

Thank you all for your help this week! Below, you’ll see the final table design we rendered based off your choices. To refresh your memory, chair cover #1 was the winner and centerpiece #2. Is this how you envisioned it would look like? Do you think it captures the right balance between masculine and soft? Let us know in the comments! [...]

Chair cover #1 was the winner for this week’s mood board! Now, it’s time to discuss centerpieces. Which of these will appease our clients who want something that’s both masculine and soft? Centerpiece #1 Centerpiece #2 Centerpiece #3 Centerpiece #4 Centerpiece #5 [...]

We try to design an original chair cover for each couple. For this wedding, the bride wants something classic yet bridal and soft. The groom wants something elegant and somewhat masculine. Which chair would you choose? Chair 1 Chair 2 Chair 3 Chair 4 Chair 5 [...]

The final winners for this Modern Meets Traditional Mood Board were chandelier #4 and fabric swatch color story #2 . Here is the complete Modern Meets Traditional Mood Board: To download this mood board: 1) Copy and paste this URL into a new browser window: http://inspirations.prestonbailey.com/files/2011/01/Week4MoodBoard_Large.jpg (Clicking the link will only result in opening it in lightbox.) 2) Right click on image and [...]

To go with this week’s chandelier (chandelier #4 was the winner!), which fabrics would you choose for our tables?

Color Story 1

Color Story 2

Color Story 3

I have turned off so many clients by sending out a proposal without the proper follow-up. Most of the time, they usually faint after receiving one of my proposals. However, whenever possible, I like to follow up with a phone call or email then have them come in for a face to face [...]

This week we’re designing a wedding for a bride whose taste is traditional and a groom whose taste is modern. Which chandelier do you think would work for our couple?

Chandelier 1

Chandelier 2

Chandelier 3

Chandelier 4

Chandelier 5

This week’s mood board choices were very interesting. We predicted you all might like  flower arrangement #1 to set a classic table, but  fabric swatch color story #3 was a surprise. Thanks for helping us out this week! Here is the finished Subtle Elegance Mood Board: To download this mood board: 1) Copy and paste this URL into a new [...]

It looks like flower arrangement number one was this week’s winner! To go with that classic flower arrangement, which fabrics would you choose to complete our mood board and why?

Color Story 1

Color Story 2

Color Story 3

For this week’s mood board, we want you to define the word “classic.” You may also want to keep in mind the words “elegant” and “timeless.” Now that we have your head spinning with synonyms, please pick the flower arrangement that defines “classic” to you. Arrangement 1 Arrangement 2 Arrangement 3 Arrangement 4 Arrangement 5 [...]

Thanks everyone for all your help! You definitely knew what you wanted in a pink and purple mood board. The final winners were flower arrangement #2 and fabric swatch color story #1 . Here is the finished Pink and Purple Mood Board: To download this mood board: 1) Copy and paste this URL into a new browser window: http://inspirations.prestonbailey.com/files/2011/01/InspriationBlogv3_MB2_Large.jpg (Clicking the link will [...]

It looks like flower arrangement number two was this week’s winner! To go with that pink and purple flower story, which fabrics would you choose to complete our mood board and why?

Color Story 1

Color Story 2

Color Story 3

After much thought and careful consideration, we’ve decided to discontinue the Entertaining Blog for now. We have a lot of plans for the website, so keep your eye out for the amazing new things coming up. In the meantime, feel free to explore the archives of this blog for past featured parties , [...]

Winter events don’t always have to be white and blue. We wanted to add bright splashes of color to this week’s mood board.

Which arrangement should we use?

Arrangement 1

Arrangement 2

Arrangement 3

Arrangement 4

Arrangement 5

Thanks everyone for all your help! You definitely knew what you wanted and we appreciate that. The final winners were flower arrangement #2 and fabric swatch color story #2 . Here is the finished White Wedding Mood Board: To download this mood board: 1) Copy and paste this URL into a new browser window: http://inspirations.prestonbailey.com/files/2011/01/White-Wedding-Mood-Board_Large.jpg (Clicking the link will only result in opening [...]

Yesterday’s book recommendation was all about being a reluctant entertainer, and let’s face it: entertaining others is stressful. For today’s open thread, let’s talk about what stresses you out about entertaining and how you fix it. Tell us: How do you deal with the stress of hosting? What are your biggest fears when throwing an [...]

Who: Ani Kitsinian Where: Phoenicia Restaurant in Glendale, CA How many guests: 85 What time of year: October 2010 Reason: Baby shower for her sister-in-law Ani Kitsinian created a fabulous baby shower for her sister-in-law, Eliza, revolving around the theme “Showered Love.” The bright colors, upside down umbrellas, and floral designs provided a whimsical and cheery touch at this [...]

Flower arrangement number two seems to be this week’s winner! To go with those florals, which fabrics would you choose to complete our color story and why?

Color Story 1

Color Story 2

Color Story 3

Coming off the heels of the hectic holiday party season, I’ve been thinking a lot about Entertaining with a capital E . Yes, we understand that Entertaining with a Capital E is all about offering the right place, enough food and drinks, and the right mood, but what else? Well, the “entertaining” part, duh. There are many ways [...]

It’s a new year… time to make some changes. We want to know what YOU want to see on the Entertaining blog. Do you want more resources, more featured parties? Do you want Q&As or more links to party resources? Do you like or not like the product picks and book recommendations? Let us [...]

Happy New Year fellow designers! To begin 2011 anew, we’re going to make a few changes to this Inspiration blog. First, we’re changing our blog update schedule to three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). There are a lot of great projects going on over here at Preston Bailey, and we have a lot to tackle. [...]

This wraps up our round-up of the best posts of 2010! See you in January with all new posts.

We are excited to pay homage to such a classic fashion icon this week. Audrey Hepburn personified elegance both on screen and off. This dress from the film Sabrina personifies that elegance. The black embroidery [...]

We love the way fireworks fall from the sky after exploding. It’s as if they drop down in slow motion, fading out delicately. For this ceiling installation, we hung thousands of crystal strands. We wanted to capture the shimmering , almost fuzzy effect of fireworks on their way down.

Where have you incorporated strands of [...]

This week’s edition of What’s in your cabinet? celebrates paper. Paper can be one of the most colorful, versatile and exciting elements to work with. And luckily we all have it at home. For this tabletop we created a paper runner with matching placemats in a curved, baroque style. Wrapping paper would also make a [...]

When you want to add that flash of glamour to an event, you can never go wrong with couture. Here we drew inspiration from a gown in Monique Lhullier’s Resort Collection. The softness of her ruffle details mixed with bold reds led us to design a table cloth with layers of pink chiffon cascading [...]

For this week between Christmas and New Year’s, we thought it would be great to re-post some of the most popular blog posts from 2010. We’ll post one each day and resume normal blogging on Monday, January 3rd. Have a great New Year all! For this pink wedding, we drew our inspiration from weeping cherry blossom trees. [...]

Happy Christmas Eve! We’re going to be taking a break for the holidays here on the Design for Entertaining blog. While we’re gone, feel free to explore our archives: Explore all the partie s we’ve featured. Or how about just the ones for the kids ? Find a cookbook . Explore our DIY section , indulge in cakes or find some fun in [...]

Whether they are petals floating in bubbly, or a rose next to a glass, champagne and flowers always signal a good time to come. For this event, we took our inspiration from the effervescent bubbles dancing around in champagne. We juxtaposed wine tones with the golden colors of the orchids and draped glass spheres around [...]

From the luxurious textiles of 19 th century nobility to the glamorous gowns of Marilyn Monroe, wine-based reds exude a mysterious charisma. In assembling a color story for this romantic wedding, we started off with a palette of deep reds and burgundies. We played with rich textures and added accents of gold to play off the colors’ [...]

For this recent wedding we designed in Indonesia , a natural starry sky just wasn’t enough. We wanted to bring the sky down to our guests, for them to truly dine under the stars. We worked with an all white palette and incorporated vintage looking street lights throughout the space. Votive candles, white roses and orchids were [...]

I wonder what the crown of Rebecca Rather, the infamous Pastry Queen, would be made out of and if she would let me take a bite. Finally Christmas cheer and the Queen’s belt loosening recipes exist in a new cook book called  The Pastry Queen’s Christmas with the tagline: “Big-Hearted Holiday Entertaining Texas Style.” The best part [...]

In creating a mood board for an event at the St. Regis, we wanted to invoke a sense of royalty. The St. Regis represents Old New York class and it was important to emphasize the sophistication of the location and the clientele. We started off with a deep purple palette and interspersed it with jewel [...]

Who: Talia Rogers Where: Newberry, FL, near Gainesville How many guests: 20 What time of year: December 2010 Reason: Annual Christmas Celebration I was going to post a different party today, but when Talia emailed about her family’s new holiday tradition, I knew I had to post this instead. Her party just goes to show that any [...]

It’s Mood Board week on the Image Insights blog! We’re going to re-post our favorite mood boards from 2010 every day this week. Today’s mood board is from back in October. It’s for a White Wedding. For this elegant white wedding, we wanted to infuse delicate metal elements with an overall white tablescape. Phalaenopsis orchids brought the [...]

Instead of Product Picks today, I thought it might be more helpful to showcase some recipes you can use as your plan your holiday parties or New Year’s Eve. I’m not sure about you, but I’m definitely all shopped out. Goodbye memories of shopping mall mobs, hello tequila champagne cocktails. The folks at the tequila company Avion sent [...]

Dramatic lace detailing at the sleeves or hems of dresses were a lovely way to lend a genteel accent to dresses in the old days. We especially love lace applications spilling elegantly out of a sleeve, or down the back of a dress. For this event, we tied lace and flowers to the back of dining [...]

We love the beautiful detailing and appealing shapes of the Faberge Imperial Eggs. This gorgeous cake was created for a grand wedding, and the allusion to the Faberge eggs lent an air of royalty to the event. The impeccable detailing of the cake mirrors the fine jeweled detailing of the Faberge pieces, creating [...]

Finding new and appealing vegetarian dishes can be a daunting task. My father is a vegetarian so I have spent my entire life watching him try to spice up his limited menu with little success. That is why I was especially struck by Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty, which brings vegetarians dishes with excitement and flavor. What’s more is that [...]

For this wedding we designed in Bali, we wanted to take influences from different cultures around the world. We floralized both the bride and groom’s favorite animals to flank the entrance and incorporated a palette of pinks, reds and violets. To download this moodboard: 1) Copy and paste this URL into a new browser window: http://inspirations.prestonbailey.com/files/2010/12/03_East_Meets_West_Large.jpg (Clicking [...]

Frames can do more than hold photographs or pictures. Flowers look beautiful in vertical applications, and lend as much color and visual interest as any picture. Take some small frames and play with different arrangements and colors on a table, or try hanging them on your wall. If you need extra frames, your local [...]

Who: Shannon Tual Where: Her Matron of Honor’s house in Richmond, Virginia How many guests : 35 What time of year: August 2010 Reason: Her wedding rehearsal dinner With the weather being blistery cold here in New York, I thought it’d be fun to feature a party with a beach theme thrown at the height of summer. After seeing [...]

We love how quiet and serene a snowy day can be.  Life seems to slow down during winter, and we wanted to embrace this scene in one of our ceremonies. We covered tree structures with white flowers, crystals, and LED lights.  It was a beautiful ceremony “frozen” in time.

How have you incorporated a winter [...]

Table covers are a great opportunity to have some fun with design. We love transforming tables from furniture into fashion statement pieces. Here, we took lilac chiffon and layered it into a gossamer, ruffled skirt. We loved the rich texture and dramatic volume the treatment created, which we also see in this lovely dress by Christian [...]

Last week, it was all about the ladies in your life. This week, we’ve picked out gift suggestions for all the men who host a mean party. Once again, we broke up these gifts based on interests. So, click each category to jump down below. Is your host interested in Rustic Charm , Food, Animals or Wine? Rustic Charm Boston Bread Mold from Terrain Salt [...]

Who: Chris Nease Where: Her house in Chester, Virginia How many guests: 5 What time of year : September 2010 Reason: Her son Tyler’s 8th birthday It’s a tough job to fashion a classy pirate party, but Chris Nease makes it look easy. During this swashbuckling birthday event for her son, Chris combined both sophistication and fun to create a [...]

Learning doesn’t just happen in a classroom. As we are about to end the year and begin a new one, I think this is the perfect time to review our business priorities– re-evaluate what is working and let go of what is not. When one’s destination becomes gracious, the journey can be about growth. Looking back, I am [...]

We love the way icicles capture such a delicate moment.  This concept of an evening being frozen in time brought us to our winter theme for an evening affair. We dripped clear crystals from our tree structure and projected blue lights on them from above.  This gave our icicles an illuminated effect against the dimly [...]

In this season of multiple holiday parties, you may get tired of bringing your hostess yet another bottle of wine. Well, don’t fret dear ones. Here’s our lovely gift guide for your next hostess treat. We broke up these gifts based on interests. So, click each category to jump down below. Is your hostess friend interested in Glamour/Relaxation, [...]

How glamourous are these women with their perfect headpieces angled just so?  These photographs from Alfred Cheney Johnston encapsulate that old world style that continues to inspire our work. For this event, we wanted to adorn our model with a headpiece that echoed the sultriness of the 1920’s.  We think this white orchid bouquet lends [...]

There’s nothing more symbolic of weddings than the white rose bouquet and the white wedding cake.  For this event, we wanted to give these icons a fresh spin. Every inch of this decorative cake was tiered with white frosting roses.  We thought the scale and the geometry of the arrangement gave it a more modern [...]

For this recent wedding we designed in Indonesia , a natural starry sky just wasn’t enough. We wanted to bring the sky down to our guests, for them to truly dine under the stars. We worked with an all white palette and incorporated vintage looking street lights throughout the space. Votive candles, white roses and orchids were [...]

We love using flowers in non-traditional ways. For this week’s edition of “What’s in your cabinet?” we created a miniature garden atop our glass cake tray.

This is a perfect DIY project for any occasion. These stands work well as wonderful pedestals.

How have you brought nature indoors?

Who: Preston Bailey Where: His studio in NYC How many guests : 50 What time of year: Thanksgiving 2010 Reason: Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends For this year’s Thanksgiving celebration, Preston wanted to create the ultimate all-white Thanksgiving. But what accents white better than tiny (or in Preston’s case, large) pops of color? Preston says: I tremendously enoy creating [...]

From the silhouettes down to the details, wedding dresses are constantly inspiring us. Here, you can see how ruching is a great way to transform a simple fabric into a rich, textured surface. We incorporated these satin and crystal chair covers in a recent design and they were just that extra touch of elegance [...]

Who: Kellie Daab Where: Her House in Springsboro, Ohio How many guests: 12 (set for 22) What time of year : Thanksgiving 2009 Reason: Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. In addition to stuffing myself with a lot of my favorite food (hello mashed potatoes!), I really enjoy getting to spend [...]

Since it’s the Friday before Thanksgiving, I only have one thing on my mind: turkey. (And maybe cookies, pies and cranberry sauce…but that’s a different post.) Today’s product picks are centered around the humble turkey. Some are accessories for preparing the turkey and others are just plain fun. Gobble gobble… Vintage Turkey Platter from Chambers Farm Vintage Timber Ridge Deep [...]

Who: Cho Phillips Where: Her House in Rocklin, CA How many guests : 200+ What time of year: October 2010 Reason: CarnEvil 2010: A Halloween-Inspired Birthday Event Fire dancers, search lights, contortionists, body paint artists…this was not just another day in Rocklin, California. In celebration of Halloween and turning 40, Cho Phillips of The Wedding Planning Institute decided to [...]

To honor Preston’s all white Thanksgiving table , we thought we’d feature some coveted product picks in our favorite non-color. (There might be one “cheat” product pick in there. Silver is close enough to white, right?) Beast’s Feast Tureen from Anthropolgie Dr. Bird Juicer from Imm Living Serena Antique Mercury Glass Vases from Pottery Barn Dart Cocktail Picks Set from the W Store How [...]

Sometimes the most crowd-pleasing designs are the most nostalgic for our guests. For this event we turned the classic gumball machine into a playful table piece by dressing it up in silver and pearls, swapping the gum balls for mints. What have you recreated from the past for a current [...]

Generally on Mondays we feature a party from a fabulous person, and we get to hear their tips, tricks, party ideas and inspiration. But I thought today why not do something different? Why not indulge in a little collaborative fantasy party planning ? Every year, Preston throws a luxe Thanksgiving for all his friends and family. (The [...]

We love the plaid renaissance happening in fashion. Rather than just showing updated versions of prep school skirts and Midwest button-downs, designers are putting a modern twist on the pattern, like this coat from Ralph Lauren. But why should fashion designers have all the fun? Here, we put our own spin on the [...]

The minute it becomes November, I can only think of one thing: Thanksgiving. And with Thanksgiving comes pie. The possibilities are endless…pumpkin, apple, peanut butter pie with a chocolate crust. So, today’s product picks are based all around pie making accessories. Because anything that can help us get out of the kitchen and into the party [...]

Who: Jacqueline Weppner of Merci New York Where : Hudson Terrace in New York City How many guests : 75 What time of year: October 2010 Reason: “Shaken, Not Stirred,” A Surprise (007) 30th Birthday Party for Mike Weppner For many, including myself, James Bond is the definition of class. His suave and sophisticated persona has made him [...]

Well, it’s the Friday before Halloween and you’ve decided that yes you DO want to throw a party for the occasion. But is there enough time to plan and decorate something fabulous? Why yes, of course. To make quick decor decisions, I focused on one color, orange, and also chose products from national chains. That way [...]

Check out the beautiful screen in this week’s vintage wedding image. We wanted to add some definition and excitement to the classic screen concept,  so we often attach flowers directly to the screen itself.

How have you updated the classic screen concept?

For this cocktail party we transformed a bread and wine buffet into an art installation. We love the organic shapes of bread, particularly since no two loaves are ever the same. The clean lines of this glass box put even more emphasis on the organic forms beneath, and served as a perfect cocktail station for [...]

Who says kids get to have all the fun on Halloween? I spotted Mary T. McCarthy’s Adult Halloween Parties at my local bookstore. The self-published book weighs in at just under sixty pages and is jam-packed with party ideas, creative decorations, and over 100 costume ideas. Written in an informal, conversational way, I knew I had found my [...]

Whether it’s bold and bright or subdued and neutral, choosing your wedding’s color palette is one of the most important design decisions you’ll make. We were excited to hear our client wanted a vibrant green and ivory color theme for her Spring wedding. Drawing straight from the green saturation of a rainforest, our mood board [...]

There is this mystery among the elite designers of the world where they think they are in a group all their own. When in actuality, given the right circumstances, I think anyone can be a designer. I never dreamt that I could be a designer. The reason I started designing was because I was [...]

We love using flowers in non-traditional yet elegant ways. For this DIY project, we headed straight for our cabinet and dug out this ordinary ceramic cake stand. Atop our new pedestal, we created a fresh floral “cake” to be the focal point of our summer tablescape. How would you incorporate cake stands into [...]

Who: Adam Aleksander and friends Where: East Village Loft How many guests: 70 per night What time of year: July 2009 Reason: Carnivale of Ascension Masquerade Dinner party For Halloween week, we have a special party to feature– a masquerade dinner party held three nights in a row. Entertaining for one evening can seem daunting, so entertaining for [...]

Quite often we unnecessarily postpone, when we should simply take the risk and leap into a new beginning . If you are like me, you probably have at least three things you know you need to start, yet you might be paralyzed out of fear or lack of planning. How does one get [...]

Philip Treacy’s extravagant and beautiful hats are truly works of art. This butterfly adorned hat, created for an Alexander McQueen show, speaks to the surrealist in all of us. Completely inspired, we created butterfly topiaries for an in-house celebration last week. What unusual materials have you incorporated into your topiaries? [...]

To continue with Halloween themed products that are not too Halloween-y, let’s focus on the darker side of things. Here are six products I loved that had a little black magic… (I strayed from the normal four because there were too many to choose from!) Black Candlestick from Anthropologie. This one of a kind candlestick is made of cardboard, [...]

I’m sure we don’t have to remind you how important it is to take the time and artfully arrange the food at any event. Food styling is a very important component to our industry and can be easy to achieve at home. For these artichoke appetizers, we took an oversized leaf and distributed these tasty [...]

For this fall event, we wanted to capture the warm hues of changing leaves. We started by gathering deep toned fabric swatches and flowers we were considering incorporating in our arrangements. Fruit and votive candles were the finishing touches and successfully brought our tablescape to life. To download this moodboard: 1) Copy and paste this URL [...]

This week’s edition of What’s in your cabinet? celebrates paper. Paper can be one of the most colorful, versatile and exciting elements to work with. And luckily we all have it at home. For this tabletop we created a paper runner with matching placemats in a curved, baroque style. Wrapping paper would also make a [...]

Who: Joanna Gordon Where : Her House in Brunswick, NJ How many guests : 10 What time of year: Spring (weekend before Easter) Reason: Tea Party Eggs-travaganza for her daughter’s 7th birthday A springtime tea party is always a treat but when you’re seven years old it is a fairy tale. That is exactly the way Joanna wanted her [...]

For this DIY project, we drew our inspiration from the ballet. Believe me, designs do not need to be extravagantly expensive. We love finding unpredictable and inexpensive ways to make an event come to life. This tutu inspired chair cover was made entirely from felt. The colors contrasted well with the tabletop’s woven felt [...]

I wanted to do a Halloween-esque product picks, but I didn’t want to go the obvious route of pumpkin-shaped decor, toilet-paper mummies and hanging ghosts. I thought I’d focus more on what I associate with Halloween–dark colors, a certain kind of mood…perhaps blood? So, the following are some products in a deep, sexy, blood-red. Some of [...]

We love how oversized and overgrown bouquets were in the past. It’s like the bride is carrying an entire garden around with her! Today, we save these large arrangements for statement pieces on our tabletops. How have you been inspired by your family’s past events? Tell us about it in the [...]

For a spring luncheon, we wanted to give avocados a whimsical twist to accent our tabletop. We placed them atop glass votives for a light, airy effect and dressed them with orange mokara orchids.

Have you ever used avocados in your floral arrangements? If so, share your pictures on our Facebook page , or give us tips [...]

Growing up, every holiday dinner I was given the job of putting out the napkins. This may seem like a lame task for many but for me I adored folding the colorful cloth in different ways to accent the table. Now, years later, I have finally found people who understand my young fascination. Their names are [...]

Mood boards are a great way to visually summarize what your client is looking for in her event. Our boards consist of photographs, sketches, clippings, fabric swatches and color samples we want to incorporate. For this elegant white wedding, we wanted to infuse delicate metal elements with an overall white tablescape. Phalaenopsis orchids brought the table [...]

Who says salt and pepper need to stay inside their shakers? For a recent tabletop design, we displayed these condiments in silver shell dishes at each guest’s place setting. I have a collection of shells from vacations in the past that would be a wonderful way to replicate this idea at home. Let’s [...]

Who: Sharon Dalton Where: Her backyard in Simi Valley, California How many guests: 40 What time of year: January 2010 Reason : Her sister-in-law Elizabeth and brother Derek’s baby shower After collecting stuffed animals for an entire year to decorate, Sharon threw her brother and sister-in-law an epic party that was hard to forget. All I can [...]

While putting the finishing touches on a wedding we designed in Bali, our incredible floral designer Sanaw took our tabletop to the next level. Drawing inspiration from jewelry, he created these jewel-toned bracelet napkin rings . These were designed to do double duty–adorn the napkins, and serve as giveaways after the event was over! How has jewelry inspired [...]

For today’s Product Picks, I wanted to go with a theme based around color, but the only color I seem to be digging right now is gold . (Maybe it’s because I’m secretly excited about these new ATM machines that will supposedly be dispensing gold bars ? Yeah, right.) Add a touch of gold. Michael Aram Dandelion Serving Set from Nordstrom Analiese Taper Holder, [...]

Although it’s important to be influenced by the modern world, we love turning back the page and drawing inspiration from our past . It was the clean lines and repetition in this image that initially caught my eye. However, while designing an aisle runner, I couldn’t help but reference her elegant train in [...]

We threw a baby shower in the office last week and challenged each other to style our meals creatively. There were some impressive contestants, but our Pedro made his famous guacamole and took the cake. Literally. He formed guacamole into a cake shape and topped it off with a tomato rosette!

Does Pedro’s creation inspire you? How [...]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR8VRBObVmg

Preston has one more surprise for Lilit in this last episode of The Preston Touch. What will it be? Watch to find out.

To watch previous episodes of The Preston Touch, click here.

Sometimes…you know what? WE INSPIRE OURSELVES! Okay, maybe we just wanted to find a new way to reinvent an old design, but still… We loved these floral topiaries from a Spring wedding, but thought, why not recreate these with a cost effective twist? The results were these centerpieces made up of classic accordion-paper bells. We [...]

When designing your own tablescape, never underestimate products you already own. For example, a simple pie plate. Your mom probably gave you one of these, right? Designed for a Williams-Sonoma event, this whimsical twist on a classic pie was fun to create. By filling the dish with red roses and using gold [...]

Who: Hannah Trowbridge for her two year old niece Where: Gosport, Indiana How many guests: 70 (16 children) What time of year: Summer 2010 Reason: Macy’s 2nd Birthday Being a city girl, I haven’t had much experience with farm life but after hearing about one country girl’s birthday extravaganza I can definitely understand the appeal. With a [...]

We are constantly drawing inspiration from the runway. We thought it’d be great to show how we translated something from the runway to the banquet hall. For this DIY project, we wanted to incorporate items commonly found in our own closets. Who knew we would all own so many scarves? We pared it down to [...]

There’s so much inspiration that can be found in English gardens . Normally, I’d opt for less structure and polish when it comes to my nature (think wildflowers and dandelions vs. a classic english rose), but every once in awhile, a girl craves some refinement. I couldn’t decide between two tea pots, so I thought I’d share [...]

If you ask us, there’s nothing more romantic than a star-filled night sky. For this wedding we wanted to bring that same magic down to earth, closer to our guests. We captured this effect by suspending strands of LED Christmas lights overhead.

How have you incorporated twinkly lights into your designs? [...]

Often, the time of year comes into play when we’re developing concepts for an event. For this affair, we wanted to surround our guests with the warm hues of autumn leaves. What better way to achieve this than to bring autumn trees indoors?

How have you incorporated an autumn palette into your [...]

Working here, I’ve realized the versatility and impact flowers can have on an event, but have I ever stopped to consider the flower’s deeper significance? Not until now. If you had asked me about the meaning of flowers before I discovered Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field’s new book I would have probably recalled some time from my childhood [...]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apue0UClyeE

Preston presents his design concepts to Lilit in this episode of The Preston Touch. What will Lilit think? Will the designs be a success or a miss? Watch to find out.

To watch previous episodes of The Preston Touch, click here.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Who: Anne Bowen & Friends Where : Her shop in Charlestown, South Carolina How many guests : 22 What time of year: Summer 2010 Reason: Leigh and Bryan’s Baby Shower With help from friends, Anne used her shop to create an intimate gathering for Leigh and their friends. She used bold, primary colors, and I was especially drawn to [...]

I’m a big typography nerd. I love seeing big, bold graphics of letters and numbers, so I thought, why not do a Product Pick based on a numbers theme? I thought some of the following could especially be great for a child’s birthday party (by using numbers specifically related to the little one’s new age), or [...]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCxyuDoznWw

In this episode of The Preston Touch, Lilit arrives in New York for her client meeting with Preston. What will she request?

To watch the first episode of The Preston Touch, click here.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Who: Cindi Brooks Where: Her own backyard How many guests: 18 adults, 7 children What time of year: Summer 2010 Reason : Her daughter’s 4th birthday party When I heard that Cindi’s four year old daughter asked for a birthday party based on the dark film Moongirl, I was immediately intrigued. Such a bold request required much thought and planning. Cindi [...]

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. “White salt and pepper shakers? Isn’t that a little…specific?” Well, yes it is, but hear me out here. I was at a friend’s house the other night for dinner (nothing fancy, just two friends catching up) but it felt special. She set the table with her favorite tablecloth, favorite dishes, [...]

Now that summer is gently roaring away, it’s time to concentrate our entertaining efforts on all the bounties of the next season: fall. And what food signifies fall better than apples? (Okay, maybe pumpkins, but that’s a different post.) An Apple Harvest: Recipes and Orchard Lore by Frank Browning and Sharon Silva is a wonderful book full of, not [...]

We took a small hedge detail and applied it to the backs of chairs at a spring luncheon.  It was a fun last minute touch, but sometimes it’s those last minute choices that can be the most successful.

What whimsical touches have you placed on chair backs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woYvif-fzM8

Welcome to the Preston Touch! A new video series created by Preston Bailey. In this episode, Preston calls Lilit–a fan and admirer whose one wish is to have a Preston Bailey designed wedding. Watch what happens.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Tree lined streets have a romantic quality to them, greatly due to their symmetry. The trees in this image frame and capture that moment of driving down the road–or in our case, walking down an aisle. We were inspired by the trees’ organic connecting points, creating a canopy effect for the road beneath it.

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Who: Ebony Sparkes thrown for her baby sister Misty Where: Clubhouse in Leesburg, Virginia How many guests: 35 What time of year: April 2010 Reason: Misty’s Wedding Shower I absolutely loved seeing how crafty and clever Ebony and her mom were in decorating for Misty’s Bridal shower. The wedding colors are a vibrant fuchsia and turquoise, so Ebony [...]

For this black tie event, we thought it was only right if all partook in the dress code!

How have you added your own fun touch to food?

It always amazes me how something as simple as switching out your everyday tablecloth (or in my case, adding a tablecloth to my bare table) can make such a huge difference. Before I started working here at Preston Bailey, I didn’t give much thought to table linens. Now, everywhere I visit  (especially all the parties I [...]

We love the varying sizes of lily pads.  They seem weightless as they float among thousands on top of a pond. We wanted to recreate these layered forms as a ceiling installation.  It was important to us that they feel light and organic as they suspend from the ceiling.  This overhead garden had guests gazing [...]

We love the organic forms of nests. No nests are ever identical, because each bird always adds her own touch.  With such simple materials, birds are able to create beautiful homes for their fragile eggs. Building off this concept, we placed fragile flowers inside a nest made of thin branches.  We then backlit the setting [...]

Depending on how strong your sweet tooth is, every party usually needs one thing: Dessert. Banish the guilt by creating bite sized treats for all your guests. In Petite Sweets: Bite-Size Desserts to Satisfy Every Sweet Tooth Beatrice Ojakangas gives you recipes for all types of mini desserts from pies to ice cream. Some of the recipes that [...]

We love the way the giant hedges at Penshurst Palace create a perfect linear path.  We wanted to recreate this garden and draw inspiration for a spring luncheon setting. Moss lined the center of our table, acting as a runner, while green carnation chargers lined our dishes.

Where else could you incorporate these hedges? [...]

After gathering and draping our tent ceiling for an event, we realized how much it resembled radiating petals.  We thought it was only natural to treat this ceiling as a true representation of a flower. Roses and pearls made up the central focal point of our flower.

Have you ever drawn inspiration from a flower center? [...]

Our palette for a recent carport we designed came from the golden tones of a honeycomb.  Though we weren’t planning on ripping off the bees’ design any further, their hexagonal pattern fit perfectly for the oversized windows we were looking for. Every once in a while, try playing with scale. We love finding small details [...]

Let’s turn the tables around and have you do the easy part–being the guest. But wait, you do have one thing you can’t forget. A gift for your incredible host or hostess. Here are some of my picks for fun and fanciful presents. When you get the oohs and aahs, feel free to take all the [...]

For this pink wedding, we drew our inspiration from weeping cherry blossom trees.  We love how these trees lead your eye from the most flourished tops, down to the the dripping strands of flowers beneath. We recreated cherry blossoms for a ceremony and used pink strands of crystals to add a shimmering effect.

What are [...]

We’re constantly keeping up with other artists’ work around the world.  We recommend meeting with your team every now and then to talk about who/what’s inspiring you lately.  Keep the creativity flowing! One designer we’ve had our eye on is Tim Fishlock.  He created “What Watt?” an incredible chandelier made up of over 1,200 suspended [...]

Did you know the male is a peacock, and the female is called a peahen?  In fact, the rich blues and greens in that extravagant tail is only seen in the male.  He displays his fan formation of feathers with his sole purpose to attract a mate. We love the idea of a colorful courtship [...]

The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan isn’t your average cocktails book. One big standout? It doesn’t give you any cocktail recipes until almost the very end! What he does give you is a lot of important and interesting information about the history of cocktails, bartender’s etiquette, a breakdown of the proper tools you need, the [...]

We love reinventing every day objects to take on completely new meanings. Preston was challenged by The Today Show to design a beach themed backyard barbecue and he wanted to incorporate elements that are easily accessible to everyone.

We decided to use plastic spoons and create floral installations. The repeated curved forms of our spoons [...]

The Taj Mahal combines elements from Indian, Islamic and Persian Architecture and is considered one of the finest examples of ancient architecture.  The entire structure is a masterpiece, but we think the the most spectacular feature is the large, central, white marble dome. If you ever run into a challenge topping off your centerpiece, we [...]

We love the varying sizes of buttons in this image.  The random spacing, different shades, and depth of layering are all elements that can be incorporated into your designs. Here, we used green chrysanthemums to densely cover our centerpiece containers.

Where have you used chrysanthemums?

Who: Patti Davis Where: Her home How many guests : 8 What time of year: April Reason: Easter Dinner When we spoke on the phone, Patti mentioned that her mom was a big party thrower, which led her to do it in college, and slowly evolved into what it is now. She writes a great blog called Anatomy of a Dinner [...]

Don’t bake? No worries. Even yellow cake out of a box with chocolate frosting from a can will look elegant on one of these vintage cake stands. And, of course, no need to limit yourself to just “cake.” Cupcakes, cookies, mini pies, etc. would look amazing displayed on these stands. Vintage Tiered Light Blue China Stand from Orange and [...]

For this seaside affair, we naturally drew inspiration from beneath the ocean. This rare starfish set our palette of pink, white and green, making our daytime event feel light and welcoming. For our reception chargers, we used Andromeda flowers to mimic the starfish’s shape.  We love how many rays are radiating from its central disc. [...]

Bamboo is a great, sustainable and modern-looking material to use in your designs.  It’s one of the fastest growing plants in the world and can grow up to two feet in a 24 hour period. Here we used bamboo in our centerpieces as a container for the floral arrangements.

Where else would you incorporate this [...]

I’ve always wanted to go to culinary school . I had this romantic notion that somewhere after college and before settling down to get a “real job” I’d get a chance to go to culinary school, learn how to make the best food in the world, and become a culinary super star. But when it came down [...]

We love the way fireworks fall from the sky after exploding.  It’s as if they drop down in slow motion, fading out delicately. For this ceiling installation, we hung thousands of crystal strands.  We wanted to capture the shimmering , almost fuzzy effect of fireworks on their way down.

Where have you incorporated strands of crystals? [...]

We love designer Arik Levy’s work.  His exhibitions use thousands of light tubes all intersecting each other. His static work inspired floor projections we displayed at a wedding last year.  These lines were projected in the entrance area of the event and successfully drew our guests into the space.

What artists have inspired you lately? [...]

We often turn to classic architecture during our design process.  For this wedding, we wanted to introduce a new kind of escort table. We suspended place cards from the ceiling and chose to use a Gothic arch as our overall shape. This form provided more height and added a touch of elegance as the cards cascaded [...]

Who: Courtney Dial thrown for Joy Beth Bodie Where : On the patio of a historic home in Nashville, TN What time of year: Late July Reason: Birthday Party The following is from Courtney: Joy Beth is known for her fabulous baking skills and love of desserts, so I knew  I wanted to do something whimsical and unique [...]

With all the beautiful paper options out there, you’d think it’d be fairly easy to find a classy, elegant fill-in invitation. Not so much. In fact, I was searching for invitations the other day (for a surprise party my boyfriend and I are throwing–more on that later) and all I could find in the paper stores [...]

The amount of light that shines through umbrellas can provide for a perfectly dimmed event. We were inspired by other artists who have incorporated umbrellas into their designs. Adam Parker Smith’s installation takes metal framed umbrellas and beautifully creates soft, glowing clouds.  We also love The Workshop Project’s red umbrella installation in Talca. Another great [...]

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger.  We designed using this concept for our Hong Kong 2010 installation.  After researching the body language of tigers and their interactions with each other when in groups, the design was a success.  This installation could be viewed at all angles, and it was [...]

Okay, I’ll admit it. I Google myself. A lot. Come on… who doesn’t? It extends beyond ego, though. It’s about understanding what type of information is out there that’s tied to your name, and most importantly your business. While the web is a great place full of generous, interesting people, it’s also rampant with trolls and copycats–many who [...]

We turned to the kitchen for this one.  Layering artichoke leaves in a circular pattern created the perfect summer placemat for a picnic we designed.

How have you incorporated food into your designs?

If you’re tired of the chips & dip/pig-in-a-blanket routine, pick up the Big Book of Appetizers and discover that there’s more to life than tortilla vs. potato chips. You’ll find recipes that range in complexity from a simple rosemary olive to a slightly more complicated but equally delicious beef loin with horseradish aioli. What’s your [...]

The clients have to pay. Yes, one way or another, clients are the victims of these scams . Recently I had a meeting with a wonderful colleague from the Los Angeles area, and I was shocked to hear that the concept of commission is a rather common practice. I am not suggesting it is not also happening [...]

If you’re reading this in an RSS reader, or on your phone, quick, click prestonbailey.com and see how different the new site looks! I am so proud to say that the site re-design we’ve been working on for the past six months is finally up and running. You’ll see that we’ve changed A LOT. I’ll go through some [...]

The vibrant color of these fireworks inspired us for a birthday party design.  We love how the tips of these bursting lights are always brightest. To capture that effect, we focused on our lighting fixtures, using hundreds of white LED cubes spread evenly around a circular structure.  We hung each fixture at varying heights, as [...]

Sometimes our greatest inspiration is found while taking a closer look at nature–a much closer look. For this ceiling installation, we drew colors from the center of a sunflower to inspire our palette. The burnt umber and golden hues created a warm feeling for the overall event. Instead of including black ribbons to capture the [...]

When I first saw Aaron’s party submission, I knew instantly I’d  have to feature it. The sketches he created were just as magical as the party itself. Exquisite. I also loved Aaron’s party tip: “My party planning tips are take an idea you are passionate about and run with it to the very end! Pick a strong [...]

http://vimeo.com/9941600
Watch as the Preston Bailey team transforms the Armory in New York City from a raw space to a Celebration.

http://vimeo.com/9967506
Watch the re-cap of Preston Bailey’s Celebrations Book Launch party.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOUAAjvZ6JA

In this clip, Ira Levy Founder of Levy Lighting shares the special techniques he’ll be using for Preston Bailey’s Celebrations party.

To read Preston’s entire interview with Ira, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujc8Di20Ovg

Olivier Cheng, Founder of Olivier Cheng catering and Events, shares his tips for clients looking to find the perfect caterer.

To read Preston’s interview with Olivier, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIP23Pnsnyk
In this video clip, Marcy Blum event planner extraordinaire, shares her thoughts on what makes a Preston Bailey hosted party special.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u25ZyYaPlhI

Here we follow Joy Marsal as she tours us around the offices of Moment Factory. Moment Factory specializes in interactive multi-media design, telling stories and creating an environment.

To read Preston’s interview with Sakchin Besette, click here.

I love all kind of pets, so in this week’s Your Turn I’d like to share my beloved pet. He does not need walking or feeding and I chose him, of course, because of my crazy traveling schedule. I have him with me every day in my office greeting guests and clients. Please meet my beloved dog [...]

Though it can be difficult to find the time for traveling, we think it is crucial to draw inspiration from overseas. The Flower Carpet in Brussels takes place every two years, and we love seeing the patterns they create with millions of colorful begonias. We needed a wow factor outside of a stark white tent [...]

Our Creative Director Merv recently threw a birthday party for himself with a Star Trek twist. I wouldn’t really say “theme” because it ended up far less kitschy than you’d imagine (nothing wrong with kitsch–but you know how into it Trekkies can get). All in all, if one can do Star Trek elegantly, here’s how they [...]

It’s always incredibly flattering when someone sees my work and they’re able to say, “That’s a Preston Bailey design.” Mostly because they know what to expect: maybe something that’s a bit over the top, with luscious flowers and dramatic spaces. Years ago, I had a huge aha moment, while standing out in a field of [...]

We love the shimmering effect of grass on a winter morning. Dew is a delicate concept, because if the temperature drops too low, dew becomes frost. Though frost is a beautiful concept as well, for this ceiling installation in particular we wanted a softer, flowing feel. The colors from these images became our color story for [...]

Don’t let summer roar out of here without one last outdoor soiree for the season. Sometimes the best parties are those last minute, unexpected get-togethers that’s more about the company than the flash. To help you with your last minute summer entertaining, here are some of my product picks:

Big Cube Trays. Don’t let that pitcher [...]

We looped ribbon after ribbon, creating place mats and center pieces for a fun luncheon.  We looked to our inspiration image for more depth, and incorporated the different heights of metal pipes into different heights of ribbon pipes. Beneath the rusting, deteriorating metal of these industrial pipes, we found beauty in their simple forms.

Remember fields of dandelion wishes?  We love the varying heights of these delicate flowers.  Though fragile forms when standing alone, among thousands they become a powerful statement. We were also inspired by these glass bubbles from designer Liana Yaroslavsky. Her glass work feels weightless and elegant, like falling raindrops. OUR INSPIRATION

How [...]

Of course you can…as long as you can get it. Pricing is always a very tricky dance . However, so is the product you offer from the very beginning of your business. As you probably know by now, I started as a florist. When I first began, I made an instinctive choice to work with only the [...]

Maybe the term “Hotel Parties” connotes awful, underage high school parties thrown at your local Motel 6, but haven’t you heard that hotels are now the new epicenter of the social universe? (And by “universe” I mean Manhattan). Okay, quick, before hotels become “out” again, let’s talk about the latest (okay, only) hotel party I’ve thrown. [...]

Me (bottom right) taking a picture of you taking a picture of me. Eerie… So…I’m sure you’re wondering what this blog is all about. First, welcome! It’s been a lot of planning getting Design for Entertaining up and ready for you to see so I’m excited we’re finally here. To give you a quick description of what this [...]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JauOmmv5Hjo

Preston Bailey interviews Darren Olarsch, President of On the Move Entertainment and Events. In this clip, Preston asked Darren who the surprise guest will be for his Celebrations Launch Party. Find out whether he reveals the surprise…