David's Blog

"11 May 2009

Dear David, Christina and the Team at David Beahm Design,

My feet have finally hit the floor following [my daughter’s] wedding, although I have to say we are still "Beahming"! I’m convinced this smile will never come off my face. I can’t even begin to express my gratitude to all of you for your efforts in making [her] wedding an absolute dream.

We had interviewed so many talented floral designers and you were by far the best of the best. Your down to earth approach made working with you such a pleasure.

David, your caring attitude made us feel that my daughter’s was the only wedding you were involved in throughout the process. You constantly listened and nurtured every idea we came up with. To work with such a talented company, without the diva attitude we so many times had encountered, made the process so enjoyable. I cannot thank you enough.

Christina, what can I say? Your unwavering attention to detail was awesome. You are one of the most gracious women I have ever met. You truly are the best representative that David could ever hope for.

Your team worked the day of the wedding with the same enthusiasm that you both exude. You could see that each one had put their heart and soul into their work. This was not a job for them, it was a passion. The pride they take in their work was certainly evident.

We all worked hard on every detail of the wedding, but hands down, I have never heard so many compliments as I did about the flowers. You totally blew me away with the "chuppa-like" structure. When I walked into the room, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. In my wildest dreams I could never have imagined anything so magnificent! And when I came down the aisle, seeing it lit the way it was, was extraordinary.

Almost a month later, we are still receiving thank you notes daily and each and every one of them make mention of the flowers. Countless people have commented that they have never been to such a wedding and never will experience anything like it again. In fact, I received one today from an 84-year-old couple who attend many magnificent events, and they remarked that it was the most unbelievable event that they had ever been to. [My husband’s] boss, a partner in a large law firm in Atlanta, emailed us the very next day saying that he had never seen anything like it before, nor would he ever!

I could go on and on, but I had to drop you a note and tell you how much we appreciate you being the most important part of the "dream team" that we had looked far and wide to put together. You went over and above any expectation that we had (and we had big ones!) and I wanted you to know that it did not go unnoticed by us or any of our guests at the wedding. You all have such a gift and we enjoyed it immensely!

If you ever need a reference, please feel free to give my name and telephone number to anyone. Just make sure they have lots of time to hear me gush!!!"

- Mother of the Bride

I don’t always go half way around the world to check out a perfect site but recently I traveled to Hong Kong to scout out unusual venues for a fascinating international event.

I also wanted to visit Hong Kong’s flower market. It’s a fast paced scene, packed with energy and lots of calling out and shouting. You practically run from vendor to vendor. Within an hour, I needed a respite so I found a curb and parked myself. Immediately this wonderful dog greeted me. I felt he was telling me, “Slow down. Take time to smell the roses.”

He and I watched the Hong Kong world swirl by.

As we sat, I had this notion that Hong Kong is a metaphor for a really memorable party. A gathering that goes from great to being absolutely stupendous. The dog gave me the idea. As we sat, he began to sniff the air; his nose kept pointing higher and higher, so I followed the trajectory. That’s when I noticed that the visuals of Hong Kong are constantly changing, a veritable kaleidoscope of life. On any street in this exciting city, the senses are never bored. Hong Kong is a classic and sophisticated fusion of two distinct creative forces: East and West. Here in the flower market, and during the previous evening’s dinner at the Peninsula Hotel, I was witnessing a place of diversity— where new and old meet at every turn. It’s a city where the old can be truly ancient. And new typically is remarkably sleek and modern. Some streets twist and turn, shaped by a distinctive past. But often they lead to the most modern buildings. Despite its reverence for the past, Hong Kong imparts a strong sense of the future.

So there you have it: That’s the metaphor that came to mind. Really great events know how to do the exact same thing. They may give a nod to the past, or pay homage to certain traditions but they really must surprise us in the best of all possible ways. Like Hong Kong, a memorable celebration should have a certain forward motion that permits each guest a glimpse of what will be.