When the world looked at Joan Rivers, they saw a pioneering comedienne. Me too, but I also saw the woman who pushed me into a career in wedding planning. How could an insult comic I never met set me on the creative path that’s landed me as a wedding planning, etiquette and fashion authority at the top Palm Springs florist? Here’s how.
In 1998, Melissa Rivers, Joan’s daughter, got married. Joan swung into action as a celebrity wedding planner, seeking out the services of innovative event designer Preston Bailey to create a glittery snow garden inspired by “Dr. Zhivago” with 30,000 white flowers for the wedding at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The magazine photos live in my brain to this day. When a client says “winter theme” that’s what I see. That extravagant celebration showed me what was possible, what creativity could imagine and what opportunities were there to be a part of such events.
Thank you Joan, for your inspiration towards stylish entertaining – and being entertaining.
Be well and love well.
Dinah
A lovely post script: Joan officiated at the wedding of Preston Bailey and his partner Theo Bleckmann on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
