Inside the Reem Acra Bridal Celebration Collection with Preston Bailey

This fall, fashion designer Reem Acra debuted her new Celebration Collection of gowns for her eponymous bridal line during New York Bridal Fashion Week. With the New York Public Library as the backdrop, event designer Preston Bailey and his team of PB Protégés partnered with Reem Acra to set the scene for the occasion, creating custom runway installations that led to a jaw-dropping surprise finale. At the conclusion of the show, the curtains opened at the center of the runway to reveal the ultimate bridal fantasy scene: each model “bride” seated around a stunning dining table that was elaborately decorated with flowers, sculptural pieces, and lace, all inspired by the the collection. To set this fairytale table, we partnered with Preston to create a collection of unique settings.

When Preston and his team approached us with the task of creating the place settings for the fairytale scene, we had three guidelines: the pieces had to be white, platinum, or glass to coordinate with the overall design. From there, the designing process began. Business Development Manager Debbie Barnes says, “We met in the [New York City] Design Studio and created several different place setting designs, but the collaboration didn’t end there. When we arrived on-site for the show, we refined each place setting to complement the space, the gowns, and the gorgeous floral pieces that the PB Protégés created. It was an organic, creative partnership, and the final look was incredible.”

After the show, we caught up with Preston to learn more about the inspiration behind the design and just how many flowers went into creating it. Check it out!

How did you create the overall design concept for the runway and the finale?
We had this idea of creating an over-the-top setting that would feel as if the brides were dining in Heaven. Of course, for that reason, we asked you to create the most amazing tables settings to help us with this fantasy…and boy, did you deliver!

Look 1
Look 2-4
Look 5

Did the gowns in the Reem Acra Celebration Collection influence the design?
Some of the most requested fabrics for wedding gowns feature lace, pearls, or crystals. Creating the setting using lace was very much inspired by the amazing collection by Reem.

When the finale look was revealed, the audience was immediately drawn in to capture and share the moment. Do you ever design with “social media sharing” in mind or is your focus more on the live experience?
I always try to design with a big reveal to surprise guests as often as I can. In a way, this is perfect for social media. For example, when we did Serena William’s wedding, we ended the evening with a live indoor carrousel for the guests to enjoy. This created a huge social media moment. Of course, Reem is known for her originality which made it a perfect opportunity to create a social media moment.

How many hours did it take to create the runway and finale looks?
In most of our events, a lot of the guests may not realize the action that happens behind-the-scenes. It took us at least two weeks of preparation to create the design elements for the show.

How many flowers do you estimate were used in the design?
Lots and lots! [laughs] We had the help of the amazing brothers, Tony and Daniel Crespo from FMI Farms. They brought us all of the flowers from South America. For the table, we were adamant on just using two of the most romantic flowers, Roses and Hydrangeas.

While we get to be part of so many incredible weddings each year, partnering with the bridal fashion show gave us a new, fresh perspective. Debbie explains, “The whole experience was a novel approach to collaboration between two different industries — fashion and events. The most exciting part, for me, was seeing how the two industries intertwined using our common denominators — texture, fabric, color, and, most of all, collaboration and creativity. Getting the bird’s eye view of the bridal fashion industry gave us the opportunity to see the parallels between us.”

Thank you to Preston Bailey and Reem Acra for the opportunity to collaborate on the spectacular fashion show alongside the PB Protégés, Andre Maier Photography, the New York Public Library, Levy NYC Design & Production, FMI Farms, and Divine Designs and Events.