When I run into former clients on the street, I’m always so happy to see them and immediately want to catch up and ask how they are doing. I breathe a sigh of relief when it sounds like they’re doing well and are still happily married. Usually, they then show me pictures of the kids.
However, sometimes I hear a story about how it didn’t work out. Of course, this happens. There’s not an exact science to what makes a marriage work and relationships are always a challenge (even when you’re happy). In spite of hearing tales of break-ups and marriages not working out, I still believe in being able to live happily ever after.
Which is why, I guess, I love to get wrapped up in the details of designing an amazing wedding. For me, walking down the aisle is the highlight of any wedding. It’s the first time guests get to see the bride, which is an image most people keep in mind when they think about any wedding. I can’t even count how many weddings I’ve done and how many aisles I’ve designed.
It would seem like a pretty straightforward piece of the ceremony, but I’ve spent a good amount of time making sure each bride experiences something magical on the path I created for her. One thing I’ve done over the years is try to re-interpret the idea of an arch over the walkway.
At the beginning of my career, I made the terrible mistake of using real candles down the aisle. As the bride and her father walked down the aisle, stray candle wax accidentally dripped on the father’s tuxedo. This is not good, especially since it was the bride’s father (and he pays the bill!), so I will advise never using real candles to decorate the aisle. No matter how romantic it seems, it’s not worth the potential consequences.
Now, I have a special question for all the brides out there. I’ve always been curious about what you’re thinking when you’re standing at the beginning of the aisle, ready to walk to your destiny. Please share with me what you’re thinking about right before you start walking down the aisle (and hopefully it’s not something like, “Oh my gosh, these heels are too high. I’m going to trip!”). Oh, and if you can get it out of your husband, ask him what he was thinking too. Maybe it was, “Oh wow, this is it!”
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
MELISSA
February 15, 2010
DEAR PRESTON,
I WOULD HOPE THAT WE ALL GET A SECOND CHANCE?
I PERSON COULD ALSO THINK (PRESTON WILL IS NOT OVER CHARGING ME TO FUEL THIS EXPENSIVE OFFICE AND LARGE STAFF…. YOU KNOW THE SAYING AS SOON AS A TRADESMAN COMES UP YOUR DRIVEWAY AND SEE A HUGE HOUSE AND GARDEN’S WITH ACRES AROUND IT THAT “THE PRICE GOES UP”…..
COMMENT ABOUT CLIENTS LATER DIVORCING:
THE PERSON IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS YOUR LOVER IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT YOU FEEL YOU DESERVE ON A DEEP LEVEL SO, WHERE EVER YOU GO AFTER THAT, “THERE YOU ARE”….
LOVE TO YOU,
MELISSA LEE
Paula Grace
February 16, 2010
Hi Preston,
I have been following your blog for a while now. It is wonderful. I have added it to my blog list and now I want to invite you to join my Timeless Tuesday link party. The premise is timeless beauty in various forms of design and art. I think you gorgeous work would be perfect and just the type of posts I want to promote.
I’d love to have you become a regular. It happens each Tuesday (I usually post in on Monday nights). Here is this week’s link ~ http://paulagracedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/02/timeless-tuesday-three.html
I hope to see you there!
Paula Grace ~
Corina
February 16, 2010
I walked down the aisle with my husband, not with my father so there was no one waiting for me to look at…The biggest amount of thoughts came into my mind when I stood at the beginning of the aisle:
“Look at all these people!!! They all came here for me, for us… And they are all so dressed up… So many people love me…”
and
“When I will walk back on this thing I will be a MARRIED woman… It’s just a short walk away.”
and
“I must “tattoo” every single step, every single smile, every single emotion into my memory… I don’t want to ever forget this… This is IT!”
It was the first moment of that day (and the most powerful one) when I felt like crying…
Happy tears, of course. I can’t believe how big the whole thing was, emotionally speaking. And all of it is coming back to me when I look at the video of that walking… It’s good I had a long dress, to hide my shaking knees and my husband beside me to hold my hand. If it wasn’t for him, I would have never got to the end of the aisle… nor to the beginning of it 