Celebrity event designer Preston Bailey lives in a lavish, flower-filled wedding world (he's been perfecting his siganture massive floralscapes for nearly three decades). In Bailey's newest book, Designing with Flowers, which hit bookstores yesterday, he shows us how he takes a party from concept to execution, introducing us to some of his fabulous clients with never-before-seen images.

Bailey says, "Flowers are a feast for the senses: vivid colors, unique textures, and signature scents all work together to transform a moment. But flowers do more than just delight the senses—they also tell a story. Those who know me know how much I enjoy having fun with floral design, whether it’s a flower-covered ceiling that imparts the feeling of living in a garden or an unexpected floral sculpture that brings a sense of whimsy and joy to an otherwise serious occasion. Whichever way they are showcased, floral designs bring an event to life."

We sat down with the designer to talk abundant wedding flowers and this season's trends.

How did your passion for designing with flowers begin? My passion for flowers began many years ago when I needed a job. The interior designer Vicente Wolf, a very close friend of mine, suggested that I do weekly flowers in the home of one of his clients. The first week that I went to the floral market in New York, I was hooked.

Tell us about the most spectacular floral design you've orchestrated at a wedding. I can think of a few, but the one that stands out, was creating a life size elephant for an Indian wedding.

Who has been your biggest influence in your work? When I first started working I visited Barcelona and I was blown away by the work of architect Antoni Gaudí.  I found his ability to reinterpret nature with so many layers to be very inspiring.

Which flowers are real knock-outs? I find orchids to be show stoppers—especially the Vanda Orchids.

Which wedding trends do you like right now? I usually encourage my brides to create their own trends. For instance, I was recently at a wedding where the bride insisted on cutting her cake right after her first dance rather than at the end of the reception. I thought that made perfect sense! She allowed enough time for her cake to be cut and serve dessert to all 400 guests.

Images © JOHN LABBE, from Preston Bailey: Designing With Flowers, Rizzoli, 2014.