Dear Readers,
The funnest part of being a designer is the fact that we have the opportunity to create new, innovative designs. That said, after being in the business for so long, and having had the pleasure of writing a few books, I often find myself in the position of having clients request that I recycle designs I did as much as two decades ago! I am sure that many of you can relate to the feeling of being honored a client appreciates your work while feeling a little suffocated by the desire to create something new and unique, just for them. With this in mind, I would like to share my list of five design elements I would like to retire.
I can hear a lot of you asking “What’s at the top of your list?” That would be tropical flowers. Now, I would like to apologize to all of you Birds of Paradise lovers out there, but I am very into soft romantic stems these days.
Winter Wonderlands. I did the first for Melissa Rivers’ wedding in 1998, and have done 15 other versions. Perhaps it’s time to start working on a spring wonderland or something!
Plexiglass. In the past three years, we have all gone plexi-crazy! I think it’s time to put the cool look to rest.
Real Candles. I know, I know, they are romantic and cast a gorgeous glow, but did I tell you about the time wax spilled on a bride’s dress? Enough with the waxy candles. The LED alternatives are just as effective, without the mess.
Plain White Tablecloths. They reside in every single hotel and venue around the world, but that doesn’t mean we should use them. These days we have a wide-variety of choices when it comes to what we choose to cover tables with, why not do something a little more creative?
Now, I will gladly do any or all of the above if the clients insist, but at times it is a good decision to move ahead with a new concept.
At the moment I still love working with crystals, but I wonder how long it will be before I declare, “No more crystals!”
Question:
Do you also have a list of things that you would like to retire? What flowers do you currently enjoy working with? Are you a crystal lover like me? Do you agree with my list?
Looking forward to your comments!
Preston
(Crystal Photo Courtesy of Pinterest)