Pinterest is a combination of free website, social network, and virtual pinboard that enables you to follow others, collect and share images, comment, and have people follow you.
Great — but here’s why Lovingly is writing about it.
And there are good reasons for that, which we’ll go into in this post.
Lovingly loves Pinterest because it helps us find even more ways to inspire and educate happy couples before they have a wedding flowers consultation with a local florist.
Brides-to-be can share their Pinterest Wedding Boards with their Wedding Florists from the very start.
Pinterest images become part of the information package sent to that florist, presenting a wealth of information about your vision, pre-consultation.
So let’s get into some details about how Pinterest can help your Big Day go your way.
Why is Pinterest so Popular for Weddings?
Pinterest is the perfect place to store all your inspired ideas about your upcoming wedding.
It’s also a great community in which to search for images and ideas to inspire you and add to your collection.
Wedding dresses, wedding flowers, wedding themes, wedding venues and more can all be thrown into the visual mix as you discover images that inspire you.
Still, that could get confusing after a while, right?
Actually, no. With Pinterest, organization is built in and highly intuitive, so not only can you throw all your ideas into one image-friendly place, you can pick and choose how and where you see those images within the platform.
Pinterest helps put your vision into focus.
Let’s take a deeper dive.
What is a Wedding Inspiration Board?
Once signed up to Pinterest, creating a board is as simple as clicking a button.
This would be the place you save — or pin — all the wedding images that inspire you. When you need to start organizing, you could create as many separately named sections within that board as you need. For example:
Wedding dresses
Wedding flowers
Wedding Theme ideas
and so on.
Or you could create a number of boards and name each with their specified titles, just like the section titles shown above. You could then use the sections each board offers to dive deeper. So a dedicated Wedding Flowers board could have sections like:
Bridal bouquets
Centerpieces
Boutonnieres
and more.
In other words, it’s completely up to you!
If you wanted to collect wedding images based around certain colors, or wedding themes like: classic, rustic, bohemian or Harry Potter themed, you can use the above described organizational boards to separate them into their own areas.
And with easy drag-and-drop features — along with other new features — you can organize your boards on your main page — as well as the content within each of those boards — very easily.
With drag and drop, you simply click on an image or board and move it to where you want it to be.
So if you have variously styled wedding dresses pinned in a board or section, and some share the same color, you could simply drag and drop them next to each other.
Easy!
How Else Can I Use Pinterest?
One thing Pinterest does is give you control!
If you have friends who continuously give advice and ideas, why not ask them to create their own wedding board on Pinterest and share it with you? Or, share your board with them!
The social side of Pinterest is powerful and important.
And searching for ideas on Pinterest is effectively limitless.
Countless businesses use Pinterest to get attention for their work, while Pinterest itself will offer suggestions based on images you’ve chosen!
Beyond that, there are literally millions of people pinning images you can find.
You will never feel alone!
Will My Florist Want to See My Board?
Yes!
Allowing your florist to see your very favorite images and ideas enables her/him to see through your eyes and really get a feel for how you see your wedding day.
In fact, Lovingly Weddings includes Pinterest integration, enabling couples to share select boards directly with their florist.
A picture paints a thousand words.
Then again, a thousand pictures could get confusing — that’s why you should do some thinking about what you love the most. For example:
Flicking through your wedding boards, between wedding dresses and flowers, for example, will enable you to start matching by color and style.
As you do this, you could create a new board where your color scheme/theme starts to take shape.
And that’s a very simple, very BIG STEP!
Turning up for your initial wedding flowers consultation with these ideas in place will make your florist very happy — and your consultation will be a rewarding one.
So get on Pinterest and start pinning!
What Other Wedding Flowers Ideas Are There?
Pinterest is a great place to start putting images together, comparing and contrasting; coming up with color themes and overall wedding themes will help you make great progress.
Lovingly loves Pinterest. So if you’re pinterested — whoops! — interested, check out Pinterest today!
Picture-perfect memories, your wedding photos, held safely in a cherished wedding album.
Wedding photography captures some of the most magical moments in life, to be looked back on lovingly in the years to come. Each page turned slowly and fondly, shared with family and friends across occasions and even eras in your life.
Each element in each image studied, considered, and questioned again and again and again.
The moment, the mood, the clothes, the pose — wedding dress, bridal bouquet, your Big Day.
So how do you make sure they don’t suck?
Well, it’s all down to your wedding photographer to ensure that you don’t end up with a wedding album filled with embarrassing wedding photos.
Here we’ll give you some valuable wedding photography tips to help you get it right.
Now we want to help you frame it with your wedding pictures.
First — go with what you know. One of the best wedding photography tips you can get is this: Think about the last time you saw wedding photography you thought was fantastic.
If you have friends who have had great experiences with their wedding photos — and you’ve seen the evidence and agree — start asking questions.
That wedding photographer may be available and could be perfect for you.
And since we’re always advising readers to trust their florist and seek their expert advice, we should point out that your florist could give you some great tips in this area, too.
Not only that, your florist could be in a position to guide you with regard to a wedding photographer’s style — or at least the sort of questions you should ask — once your florist and yourself have settled on your wedding theme and colors.
Wedding blogs and magazines are also goldmines of visual information — so get online and spend some time doing some inspiration research!
Of course, all this raises an important question:
When is the best time to start looking for my wedding photographer?
As early as nine months to a year in advance is advisable, depending on availability and other factors, but nothing is set in stone.
Still, the where to start, chicken-and-egg question dealt with in our related blogs is always irksome. In this case, however, it really does help if you have your wedding theme planned and, ideally, your wedding venue booked, before seriously planning your wedding photography.
Why?
Wedding themes, wedding colors, and all other critical elements really matter here.
The style and mood of your wedding requires a photographer who understands it — and who has previous experience capturing the spirit of it.
Knowing your wedding theme will give you a great starting point for deciding the style of photography you will want — which should lead to the right wedding photographer for you.
Traditional — Think of the wedding photos that always come to mind when somebody mentions a traditional wedding. Here the wedding photographer will almost certainly come with a “shot list” to work from, and a firm idea of what will be required.
Portraiture — Related to the above, imagine your wedding guests being herded together for a group shot, along with lots of highly posed wedding pictures of the loving couple, bridesmaids. Usually formal, traditional, conservative — but not always.
Documentary — Also known as photojournalistic, this should only get on your wedding photography checklist if you want the spirit of your Big Day captured in a completely spontaneous and candid way. These are unposed shots designed to capture the moment, taken by wedding photographers who are experts at blending in!
Fine Art — More often than not, this puts the wedding photographer very much in charge, with the event and everybody in it playing the part of the artist’s muse. Drama, striking beauty, drama or romance — whatever the artist feels represents a moment or a personality, or captures the general ambiance, will be what ends up filling your wedding album.
Illustrative — A daring blend of traditional and documentary, the cohesive whole will be achieved by concentrating on lighting and composition. Backgrounds play an important part here, too, with couples lovingly interacting against any compelling backdrops. The illusion of the candid is created by this method, although with highly calculated, often amazing, results.
Popping the Questions
Firstly, if you consider how broad some of the wedding photography styles described above are, the need to have a meaningful conversation with your wedding photographer becomes self-evident.
But first, the logistics: You’ve been all over the internet and made up a shortlist of potential wedding photographers. No matter how well suited any photographer may seem, the question of availability is crucial.
Set your dates and check your dates.
Next: If you find yourself dealing with a studio with more than one photographer available, and you speak with somebody you think is perfect for you, make sure your wedding photography contract specifies that this individual will be the one covering your event.
Never shout Cheese! at strangers.
Wedding photography cost are three words that also appear on any good wedding photography checklist.
The best way to evaluate cost is to decide what you ideally want. Think about how many wedding photos, albums, and extras you need, both for yourself and for family and friends.
And remember, these images are forever!
Wedding photography packages tend to break down in similar ways:
Budget: $1,000 or under
Moderate: $1,000 – $3000
Upscale: $3,000 – $5,000
Luxury: $5000 – $10,000 and up
Packages and special offers should be looked into. Hourly fees, fee ranges based on requirements, and anything else you can think of should be questioned. Variations on pricing can be based around things like:
Time spent working
Time spent on post-production
Travel costs
Number of wedding photographers hired
Photographer experience
Equipment required
Another question to ask is about copyrights on your wedding photos. And regardless of what you’re told, always read the small print of your wedding photography contract.
Post-production is another question you may want to ask about. What do you do to the pictures after the event? And How long can I expect to wait before receiving my pictures?
But let’s get back to embarrassing wedding photos and how to avoid them.
Most wedding photographers will show you his or her portfolio of highlights.
This is great, and you should pay attention to each image, including the quality of the print. Having done that, you should also politely ask to see a complete wedding album.
This will give you the feel of a complete wedding photography session and could be invaluable in making a decision.
During this meeting, you should also ask to see the various styles your potential wedding photographer excels in and has experience with.
Again, experience in the style you wish to use is central to getting wedding photos you will always cherish.
Picture-Perfect Preparation
While you’re looking through photographs and asking an endless stream of questions, you should also be considering the personality of the person you are speaking to.
Depending on your personal style, your wedding photographer will be mixing and mingling, shepherding and schmoozing, reassuring and relaxing you and your guests throughout your event.
Is this the person for you?
Clearly, it isn’t easy to find art that you love, combined with an artist who you feel you can trust to carry your event smoothly and successfully.
It’s a big ask — but that is what you’re asking.
And you shouldn’t settle for anything less.
Go with your instincts and talk to your partner.
Personal professionalism also carries over to how your wedding photographer plans to dress for the event. Will the Big Day dress code be adhered to, for example?
If you’re adopting a documentary style wedding photography session, your photographer will need to mingle in and barely be noticed — at least not enough to make you, your partner, or your guests self-conscious.
In that case, personal professionalism crosses over and becomes critical.
Ask your potential wedding photographer if a date is normally agreed upon to meet up, visit the event site, and agree on potential shots while scouting attractive backgrounds.
Questions the photographer asks should also play a part in your decision.
Apart from the style you’re hoping for, a professional photographer should be inquisitive about guest numbers, specific ideas you may have about when and where wedding pictures should be taken, your thoughts on group photos, backgrounds, and angles.
Always ask for personal qualifications in terms of certifications and memberships with professional organizations.
And when you decide on your wedding photographer, always be clear about what you expect from him or her on your Big Day, including dress code, arrival time, hours — and also complete clarity about what your photographer expects from you.
Once more: Always read every word of your wedding photography contract before signing, including the small print.
And how one choice either complements or clashes with the other.
One of the big “chick and egg” questions, from a logistical point of view, is the classic:
Do I choose my wedding venue now? Or do I confirm my guest list?
So we’re advising you to go with the latter! Have a highly educated estimate of your guest list before you book your venue!
This is always worthwhile.
Also think about the season your wedding is being planned for. And whether your event will take place during the day or the evening.
Priorities, Practicalities, Perfection
Every question you ask has important implications. And a lot of this depends on what your priorities are from the start.
Some might ask: “What’s the best venue to host a massive, Harry Potter themed event?” Some may wish for an aquarium wedding venue. While others may simply ask: “Is there a wedding venue near me?”
Whatever your priorities may be at the outset, you should ask to see images of the venue hosting events during your season, not some other season. And you may need to know what the lighting will be like for your evening’s entertainment, if that applies to you.
Asking to visit the venue at the time your event will take place is a good idea, although the season will need to be taken into consideration.
More on these questions in our lists below.
We also highlight transportation considerations in our lists, to encourage positive thinking about your guests’ overall experience.
Choosing a wedding venue that will essentially act as a blank slate upon which your vision can be painted is a difficult and potentially very expensive option.
These types of venues include:
Tents
Lofts
Converted warehouses
These spaces do tend to allow you creative freedom, but at a price. Tents, for example, present an air of naturalness and simplicity, but the logistics of the setup is often anything but.
Think about:
Bathroom rentals
Generators
A/C or heating
Flooring (ouch!)
Vendors
Caterer’s kitchen tent
Lofts and warehouses often come with their own lists of problems and possible restrictions.
Including hours, noise-levels, and more.
However, in most cases, your venue will come with its own look, feel, and character, and your vision must work with that.
See the Venues, Hues, and You section of our Wedding Colors post for advice on how to make your vision and your venue match.
Questions to ask wedding venue providers are numerous, and a lot of thinking needs to go into it before contact is made.
Happily, that’s why we’re here!
Big Picture, Small Details
You did great either asking or answering The Big Question! So now it’s time to think of all the little questions that need to be asked and answered to ensure your day goes your way.
Here’s a quick reprise of some of the things you need to keep top of mind from our Big Day Basics post, with some important additions.
Aside from the basics, like location, wedding venue type, and rates, ask yourself:
What is the availability of the venue? (Confirm that!)
How many weddings are held there in a single day?
Does the venue cater to all seasons?
Does that outdoor space come with a sheltered place?
Does the venue cater to guests who may need special accommodations?
Is there air conditioning/heat?
Is the venue full service?
What is the capacity of the venue?
What the lighting like in the evening?
Are there any planned changes to the venue before my date?
Are there restrictions of any kind that could affect your event?
Is there an in-house caterer? (Or restrictions on catering?)
What items come with the venue? What can/cannot be changed?
What transport considerations for guests are covered by the venue, if any?
Which venue representatives will be there to help on the day?
If you think it’s terrible that such cold logistics can affect your beautiful vision, we agree completely!
But be brave and ask these tough questions. And don’t sign up yet!
Now take a good look at the place, take photos, or check out the venue website pictures.
Visions and Decisions
Consider what you’re seeing and compare with your own wedding colors, style, and wedding theme ideas. Consider your budget in terms of the big picture and don’t underestimate anything!
Of course, budget-friendly and even free wedding venue ideas can always be found online!
Compare and contrast options.
A full service wedding venue is likely to be more expensive, providing everything from catering supplies, to linens, to table and chair rentals, but you should also talk to rental people and check out the numbers before deciding on the supposedly “cheaper” option.
If you want to book all your own vendors, make sure to ask if the venue has its own required vendors — rental companies, caterers, event designers.
Which would take away your freedom to shop around.
Does one work out more expensive, but is a much better fit with your style and wedding theme? Discuss with your partner — gently and persuasively!
Then speak with your florist.
Speak with your florist in all cases, but especially if you’re feeling obliged to take the option that is less suited to your style and wedding theme.
There are ways and means to make it work beautifully, and your florist can help.
Few things are as important as keeping the creative conversation flowing with your florist. But in this case, asking the above questions to the (potential) venue provider(s) is important.
If you talk to more than one person, take note of any discrepancies between what one person says and what another person says.
Then ask for confirmation in writing. Don’t be shy — it’s your day!
And even if you are shy, people love a blushing bride, so ask anyway!
Remember — anybody who isn’t happy to help is wrong for you. Move on.
Take a good look at the lists above. Write them down, print them out, or memorize them!
A small effort now will help things fall perfectly into place:
The right time. The right place. The right people.
Popular wedding colors can be easily broken down by seasonality. Choosing wedding flowers that are in season can help with your budget and make the season itself play a part in your wedding theme ideas:
When choosing your perfect wedding color palette, however, the above is just one of many considerations. Only one thing really needs to be kept top of mind at all times…
There are no rules, only guidelines. This is your day.
With so much advice and information available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
Still, it’s even easier to make the whole thing fun!
Then just sit back, relax, and see it all in your mind. Think about the colors and color combinations that inspire or comfort you in everyday life. Look around. Do a little research. You may see colors and color combinations you love used in ways you hadn’t given any thought to before.
Colors create moods.
Colors create the ambiance that fills up a room. They complement, contrast, or clash with each other. Even different shades of a single color can evoke completely different ideas or feelings, and work in different ways in different designs. And they will certainly represent who you are and what your marriage means to you in a very real, very powerful way, on your big day.
Aesthetics, hues, and your two top flower colors. Your two colors will act as the foundation for everything that flows and follows into your wedding flowers look and your overall theme. And that’s all fantastic, but it begs a harsh question.
Will your vision and your wedding venue match?
Are you hoping to find a venue that will match your vision? Or find a wonderful wedding venue and use it as the starting point for your wedding colors palette and theme? Or possibly find a great venue and play with hues and contrasts — to highlight or downplay certain elements — and make a creative compromise that works?
The critical element in all of this, of course, is simply to be aware of these things from the get-go. Discuss it with your florist, who will have had experience with these issues before and be able to help you, based on your feelings and priorities.
For example, you could find a wedding venue that you love for a combination of aesthetic and logistical reasons. But it doesn’t fit your ideal color palette.
So what to do?
A creative compromise could be made based around whatever elements are dominating the space. This compromise may not fit your ideal vision, but it could spark a new one, using those elements as your starting point.
And this could make the reality of your big day stunning, memorable, and successful.
Let’s say there are only a couple of disliked elements in the venue. Your florist would probably avoid using contrasting colors around those elements, as that would only serve to highlight the elements by drawing attention to them.
Complementary tones, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect, cleverly designed to enhance the wider space, while essentially making the offending elements invisible.
See the Words of Wedding Wisdom section of our Wedding Flowers post for more on the expertise of florists and why it can really help to heed their advice.
Some venues, on the other hand, are creative blank slates.
Wedding venues such as tents, lofts and converted warehouses, for example, are wide open to your color palette and the ambiance you wish to create. This provides more freedom; but building from the ground up, so to speak, can also be the more expensive option, depending on how you approach it.
See the Beauty, Budgets, and Balance section of our Wedding Flowers post for more on this.
Understanding that your theme, your venue, and your colors are interlinked is key.
Friends and Lovers
“All colors are friends of their neighbors and lovers of their opposites.” – Marc Chagall.
So here is where the wonderfully helpful color wheel comes into play.
The colors sitting next to each other, or near each other, on the wheel, will always combine well because they all contain elements of their neighboring primary colors. Creating a mood based on this simple formula is easy and can be very effective.
Light and dark versions of one color can also be used to create harmony and/or convey a mood, with soothing or intense effects as the desired result. Compare, for example, the gentle effect of combining pale pink blooms, with the more vibrant hot pink tones of the same combination.
The opposing colors on the color wheel can be used to enhance each other. Pairing red with green, for example, will make the red appear brighter. It’s usually a case of which color is your lead color and what is playing a supporting role.
Here’s an example of how to create a natural balance:
Try using three complementary shades:
Neutral
Main accent
Accessory accent
And add one metallic color.
There are many, many variations for different effects. And they can all be picked out and put together to support your wedding theme ideas and create your mood.
Again — this is an area your florist will be happy to help with.
Which means it’s also about your soulmate and what you feel represents you as a couple.
Do you feel that your relationship is based on the law of opposites attracting?
Just take a look at the section above to get an idea of how your wedding flowers, bridal bouquet, or wedding theme ideas as a whole could reflect that feeling.
If you feel your relationship is based on a meeting of hearts and minds, the above section also shows how similarities could be represented through your wedding flowers.
And what a great talking point these options make!
To take a deeper dive into this idea, you should also consider what meanings are usually ascribed to flower colors. Here are a few to consider:
Yellow — Love of life, sunshine, and summer joy. Yellow has always been one of the big winners for obvious reasons. Still, let’s not forget that lighter shades of yellow bring with them cozier feelings of warmth, springtime, and hope.
Green — From light, bright emerald green, to bottle green, or light spring green, the effect is always soothing and symbolic of peaceful beauty, growth, and balance. Greenery itself can work superbly with many combinations.
Red — Power, passion, and nature’s color to warn of danger — red doesn’t ooze confidence, it declares it! If passionate romance rules the day and your future plans, a red wedding bouquet, or a red theme, would send out much more than subliminal signals! Many Asian countries also consider it a symbol of good luck.
Pink — Love, devotion, elegance, softness, femininity. There is a long list for this color, with pale pink symbolizing new love and affection, and dark pink symbolizing excitement and passion. It’s also one of the most popular wedding colors, of course.
White — Symbolizes purity of spirit and innocence. It also represents truth and wholeness, and conveniently pairs well with everything, probably because it’s naturally easy to get along with!
Orange — Energy, fun, and honesty. Adventure and romance. Destination weddings in warm climates make orange a must have. Or just warmer times of the year. Orange is youthful, cheerful and brimming with optimism for today and for your future.
Blue — Serenity, peace, and deep tranquility. Lighter shades evoke a dreamy feel, great for spring weddings, while a royal blue or navy represents tradition and loyalty, working superbly for winter or night-time weddings.
Purple — Enchantment, creativity, luxury, and imagination. Think fairy tales. Royal purple represents nobility and royalty, while pale purples are considered feminine, often used as an alternative to pale pink. Different shades look particularly great together, too.
So it’s all about where you start.
Think of the colors you love and in what way you want them to represent your marriage through your wedding colors. It could all start with your wedding dress, your bridal bouquet, your wedding venue, your wedding theme ideas — where it begins doesn’t matter.
How it all comes together does!
Consider your wedding colors in terms of how they combine with wedding themes or style. Then think about your location and how that complements, contrasts, or clashes with you vision.
Consider the season.
As always, talking these things through with a professional florist is the best advice you could take. And when you have a big bunch of ideas to throw up into the air, having a florist on hand means they will be much more likely to fall together flawlessly on your big day.
The self-explanatory red wedding theme aside, you’ll find that any specific wedding theme comes with its own recommended wedding colors, which then makes demands on your wedding flowers, which can also inform you choice of wedding venue, and so on.
Regular readers know Lovingly will never stop reminding you of these critical connections!
So knowing your wedding theme is a great place to start. And if you don’t know your theme, now is a great time to start thinking about your wedding theme ideas.
Your Dream Wedding Themes
It’s all about the vibe.
Or should we say the ambiance?
What’s the difference? You are.
The kind of people you and your soulmate are. Your outlook. Your sense of humor. The way you think and speak to each other. The things you love: music, movies, hobbies — even elements of your professions that may speak volumes about you.
Your vision of your future.
It’s your day and the central element of your theme is your union. Your Big Day is your happy ending and awe-inspiring new beginning. It’s a movie and you’re the stars.
Indulgence is the order of the day, so enjoy it and make it yours.
Still, what that means is very broad.
If the above mentioned wedding themes are way too theme-orientated for your taste, or just make you shudder in horror, don’t worry, the world is still very much your oyster.
So let’s take a look from the broad view and see how easily it narrows down.
The Look of Love
Your muse can be found in your venue.
(And we don’t mean your partner!)
If you already know your wedding venue, you should think about what color scheme would suit it best. Again, talking to your florist is a smart move where these types of decisions are being made.
From your venue, your theme can start to flower (pun intended), naturally. Your wedding flowers will, of course, play a big role in that, being central to your wedding theme colors.
And if your venue is in a garden, with tents, or on a beach, it really ought to be your starting point of choice — because locations like that really mean you have already started on an outdoors wedding theme, and this affects everything else.
But any venue with a strong design and interior elements, including interior colors, can be used to inspire.
Done properly, it will look as if the whole place was designed around you!
If you don’t already have a venue, you should think seriously about whether to find a venue and go with the above advice, or plan to look for a venue best suited to the vision you want to come up with.
That’s a tough call.
Think about the designs you love, regardless of when and where they inspired you. Do your research, dig up favorite memories, and don’t forget to daydream.
If you have some ideas in mind as your search for your venue, it will help a whole lot.
Another tangible element is the season.
Apart from making the budget for your wedding flowers easier on you — by choosing flowers that are in season — thinking of your wedding theme, your wedding colors in general, and other related elements, in terms of the season in which your Big Day takes place is a brilliant idea.
A winter wonderland wedding theme, for example, can turn a cold winter’s day into a dream-like setting for a fairytale wedding. Again, this is an approach that says, “I’m using everything out there to make it seem as if it was arranged around my wedding — including nature!”
And what’s wrong with that?
Nothing, if you think about how effective it is. Deep burgundies and emerald greens would create an awe-inspiring ambiance for you in a winter wedding setting, for example.
The same goes for any other season. Think about how it can work for you. Because it can work wonderfully, enhancing your theme and making the mood palpable.
The Mood That Speaks for You
Of course, your wedding theme may be based around the idea of opposites attracting, as mentioned in our related Wedding Colors blog, or a million other things. If an idea, captured in a mood, is your thing, go for it.
And it doesn’t have to be complex either.
If a big part of your life philosophy is to be carefree and laid back, that is potentially your theme. Your whole look and approach can easily be based around that thought, with colors and other arrangements designed to represent it.
Anything from a life philosophy, to a musical genre, to a lifetime love of Fitzgerald leading to a Great Gatsby wedding theme can be yours, with a little planning and lots of attention to detail.
It’s all up in the air. So if your head is in the clouds right now, you’re in the perfect spot. Stay there for a while and mull things over.
Then get back to the internet! Collecting all your favorite image ideas on your own mood board is a good idea.
Remember — getting into the details should come after putting some big picture ideas together first. Think of a theme and how different elements fit that theme, rather than collecting random elements that you like and ending up with a confused, clashing big picture.
Still, make sure and fill in those details later. A big picture that’s too broad may end up confusing the person you’re trying to explain it to. Saying “Laid back, casual,” is way too open to interpretation.
Close your eyes and think about the things you want to see. Then casually put that mood board to work for you, and watch your vision start to come together.
As you do this, you’ll find yourself mentally — or physically — editing out any elements that aren’t fitting in with your imagined bigger picture. And your bigger picture will begin to form into a tangible reality in front of your eyes.
What springs to mind when wedding themes such as a romantic wedding theme is mentioned? Compare that with, say, a vintage wedding theme?
The latter can be romantic, too, while also painting an instantly clearer vision of elements the event should potentially be made up of.
With a clear vision of your theme, moving forward with rentals and other necessities will be a lot easier. Everything will be looked at from the point of view of how it will look in relation to your wedding theme.
That is a huge help.
And since your head’s in the clouds anyway at this point, make sure you have your dream wedding top of mind all the time.
This is no time for compromise.
Start at the top and try to stay there.
Curating Compromise
If compromises do need to be made later, your florist is a great go-to person, particularly when thinking of the relationship between wedding themes and colors.
You’ll be amazed at what expertise, experience, and talent can do to bring your dream into the real world against the odds.
For example, wedding themes can be interpreted in various ways. Your florist knows how a simple design effect, rather than an expensively flamboyant one, can actually be more likely to draw attention and be admired.
And isn’t that the point?
The right element in the right place — rather than an abundance that becomes background blur once all the guests are filling the space — can not only help your budget, but actually be the strongest design choice regardless of budget.
Trust us on this. Or trust your florist.
One compromise that should never be made is a compromise of visions. Don’t try to bring two seperate visions together, for any reason.
And that includes your soulmate’s vision!
You also can’t fight. That’s not allowed.
At the same time, you can’t try to put two disparate themes together for the sake of a quiet life. Feeling disappointed and thematically disjointed on your Big Day is also a bad way to start your new life.
So How Do You Find The Dream Theme?
Talk quietly about how you feel. Be honest and straightforward. Use your mood board with the gentle determination of a starving artist revealing a masterpiece.
It’s tough to argue with a mood board that effectively reflects your wedding theme!
Still, the very best way forward is to dream up your theme with your loved one.
Something that speaks for you both, for your union, and for your vision of your future together.
Fashions and trends come and go, so don’t go with the flow.
In the end, personal wedding themes are always timeless.
Originally published on Lovingly website January 5, 2018
You said YES!
Now you have tons of things to do before you say I DO!
So where’s that wedding checklist?!
Don’t worry — Lovingly is here to make sure the lead up to your big day is a series of easy steps, not a stumbling block to happiness.
This helpful page will deal with important items like your:
wedding flowers
wedding colors
wedding themes
wedding venue
wedding photography
And each succinct piece of wedding wisdom contains a link to an in-depth post dedicated to its particular subject.
(Yes, we stayed up nights for you — but, hey, it’s what we do!)
So first, let’s relax and smell the flowers…
Wedding Flowers
Flowers have meanings. Different shades of color can create different meanings in a flower. But your wedding flowers create a meaning all their own.
Flowers set the mood, the tone, the overall ambience of your big day.
Wedding bouquets, bridal bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, all build up the picture entitled Our Wedding Day.
So how do flowers do that without seriously interfering — or clashing — with the theme of your wedding?
In a nutshell, they don’t.
Your wedding flowers play a big part in the theme of your wedding — period. This needs to be understood when thinking about what flowers you want and why.
Are you all about tradition? The modern? The romantic? Vintage? Rustic? You’re getting married on a beach?
OK — that’s good to know!
Confused? A million details to be scrutinized and somehow pulled together with sheer strategic brilliance? Yikes!
Relax — the first thing to do is sit back, close your eyes, and simply picture your big day.
Wedding Colors
From avoiding awkward dress-color clashes in the bridal party, to coordinating a cohesive overall look, getting your wedding colors together is one of the central issues for your big day.
Challenging? Yes.
But most other stylistic decisions should fall into place with relative ease once your wedding colors have been decided.
So how do you even get started?
First you need to think about your wedding themes. Traditional? Rustic? Romantic? – and so on. Just picturing the look and feel you like, or doing some internet searches for images based around your favorite wedding theme ideas, will really help.
Think about the season. Colors are suited to seasons, creating the perfect spring wedding colors, summer wedding colors, fall wedding colors, etc., depending on your wedding date.
Seasonal flowers, of course, will help create the mood and complement your theme.
After all, the look and feel of your wedding is all about your soulmate and you!
You may go for softly romantic wedding themes, a classically traditional wedding theme, or your heart could be set squarely on a Harry Potter themed wedding!
Whether soft and fluffy, eclectic or edgy, wedding themes exist to express you and your soulmate, as an integral offshoot of the wedding colors described above.
And the easy answer is…
Think about where you look in everyday life. That could be interior designs online, or movies in which the plot melts away while the design themes stay. Everything in fact from hotel interiors to places you’ve visited on breaks or holidays.
Anything that has inspired you or left you in awe counts!
Still, the details you love will have to fit your bigger picture. When you look at wedding colors, you consider seasons; when you think about both, you consider your wedding theme.
And if it’s all taking place in a ballroom, or on a beach…
It’s all interconnected, but that’s ok. Your vision is your big picture. And once your heart is set on something, all the details will start to fall into place.
Wedding Venue
Where and when?
Ouch! The harsh facts of planning and logistics really kick in with those three words!
First answer this: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Or: Should you choose your wedding venue first, or figure out the guest list first, then base your wedding venue checklist on that number?
The ballroom or beach question, mentioned above, also comes into play. Your wedding venue, your wedding theme, your wedding colors, and your wedding flowers are intrinsically intertwined.
Again — think of the things you love, then go online and look around.
Simple things can fuel your vision.
Still, it’s not all about what you see. For example, you could see a wonderful wedding venue online. It’s the right size, the right price, and looks great.
Think about:
If the venue caters to all seasons
Does that outdoor space come with a sheltered place?
Does the venue cater to guests who may need special accommodations?
Is there air conditioning/heat?
Is the venue full service?
Combine simple logistics with your vision to make the right decision.
Wedding Photography
Once you achieve your perfect vision and bring it gracefully into reality, you’ll probably want somebody to take some wedding photos!
Everybody else you deal with when planning your wedding brings something tangible to the table. You can assess it quite easily.
Your wedding photographer doesn’t. You create the vision she or he must capture.
So how do you make a decision?
The classic, traditional option, is portraiture: The couple posing together; the couple with guests, etc.
Different people want their wedding day captured in different ways.
Documentary style, for example, takes candid shots in which the action of the day is immortalized spontaneously.
There are more options, but the point really is to think of your theme and ask yourself what type of wedding photography would best complement it.
And then there is the photographer him/herself.
Most will offer you a portfolio of highlights. However, you should ask for wedding albums. These will show you a complete wedding photography session, and give a much better idea of what you can expect.
It’s your day and your pictures represent your memories!
Conclusion
It’s your big day and you’re going to love it. Do your research casually. Find what you love, then think about what you can realistically afford.
Sit back and picture it all in your mind.
Your wedding theme, wedding colors, the season, wedding flowers, wedding venue.
The picture-perfect memories.
It isn’t difficult when you think about it that way to move from a big picture vision into the details that will ultimately make it real.
It may have surprised you to learn how important your wedding flowers are to your wedding.
Flowers represent a lot, and have for thousands of years, across many cultures.
Lovingly Happiness Ambassadors handed each person they approached on the street two flowers: one for that person and one for whoever they choose to make smile.
No charge. No donations. Just a gift. Or two.
From left: Myself, Michael Delgorio, Lovingly Fan, and Tiffany Putvain
A smiling man listened to a Lovingly team member as she explained the meaning of Petal It Forward. He nodded and seemed to think it was a great idea.
Then he surprised her by declining the gift.
“I’m so sorry,” he explained, “but I have a mother-in-law, daughter, and wife at home today. I’m headed straight back and it wouldn’t be fair.”
“Hey, if it’s the thought that counts, who’s counting?” Director of Corporate Development and Team Leader, Michael Delgorio, told the team member when she asked if an exception could be made.
The man left smiling with four beautiful roses.
And with that the spirit of the event came to life.
Still, the Lovingly team was getting pretty good at this. It was our second time out. Last year’s event had been a huge success also, with important lessons learned.
Like remembering to bring snacks and water!
The brainchild of The Society of American Florists, this nationwide event is one that Lovingly jumped into with both feet and as many beautiful flowers as it could gather.
And for a company that exists to encourage giving, it was a perfect fit.
Big hugs, kisses, and handshakes all around was the result of approaching one couple, who looked at us in amazement as we explained the event and what it meant.
“We’ve just come out of marriage counselling!” the woman exclaimed. “I can’t believe this!”
Quite possibly this couple — and certainly the Lovingly team — are still discussing if that moment was a sign that their love would overcome any difficulties.
Without doubt, it was a magical moment.
A quiet young man told us without embarrassment that he had no family or loved ones to give flowers to. He didn’t seem eager to escape, so we asked him to think hard and tell us if he knew anybody he felt deserved a flower.
After a few moments he slowly nodded and said he did.
With that, he accepted the spirit of Petal It Forward with the promise that he would give the extra flower to that person. He left smiling.
We wish him love, luck, and a new friendship.
Opening up such emotions, even secrets, and gaining insight into the lives of strangers we’d normally pass on the street without a glance was powerful stuff.
It should have been emotionally draining, but it was actually inspiring.
A frail older woman gratefully accepted her gifts and walked very slowly toward some nearby stores.
A few minutes later she was back, asking for more flowers.
So what had happened to the flowers we’d given her?
It turned out that she’d entered a store and offered her flowers to the ladies serving her. Having enjoyed the experience of giving, she’d decided to carry on and do it again!
We had just recruited a new team member!
With the spirit of giving becoming infectious before our eyes, we really let the spirit of the event take over, and started running out of flowers way before our scheduled time.
It was time to call in reinforcements.
Happily, the second shift of Happiness Ambassadors reacted quickly, bringing fresh faces and more flowers. They were needed.
Without doubt, the biggest change we saw in people came when we — finally! — convinced them that we did not want money or donations of any kind.
All defenses dropped and it was like meeting a whole new person.
It’s impossible to explain how palpably the atmosphere changed when the people we approached realized that we genuinely did want to give, not get.
Ultimately, it was moving, humbling, and life-affirming.
One man accepted his gifts with a huge smile. He told us he had bought flowers for his wife only the day before. He then explained that, until this moment, he hadn’t understood how she felt when she received them.
Now he did.
Another person, who had children — and consequently received more than the allotted number of flowers — expressed disbelief when we flatly refused to accept a financial donation.
We advised her to spend the money on her flower-toting children.
She was visibly moved.
Another woman told us she had not received flowers from anybody in many years. She was also visibly moved. Joyfully, she said, “I know exactly who to give my extra gift to!”
The fact that it didn’t seem right to ask her to explain made the moment even more poignant.
One man told us he had lost twenty dollars that morning and receiving the flowers had turned a bad day around for him. He had started to feel that his luck in life was headed downwards.
Now all he wanted to do was hand out his extra gift and create a smile.
A couple of people actually remembered the event and the team from last year. They congratulated us and told us this was exactly what the town needs.
And with that they accepted their gifts and joined in the fun.
One lady left us amazed after receiving her gift, and is quoted very carefully here, by a team member who heard her speak and remembered every word:
“When there is tragedy and disaster, no one cares about color, religion, ideology, politics. We are all the same. There’s too much emphasis on reporting bad news. What you are doing today is what is good in us all. THANK YOU.”
No — thank YOU! All of you. It was wonderful and moving to meet with you and share.
Defining an adverb isn’t the easiest thing in the world, so today we’re taking things a little easier on ourselves.
We’re figuring out what the spirit of giving actually is. (Gulp!)
Everybody — we hope! — knows how great it is to receive things.
Hey – new stuff! Right?
Still, it goes a lot deeper than that. When you receive something, it means somebody cares about you.
Somebody is making a statement to say: I’m celebrating with you, I care about you, I’m thinking of you, I want to encourage you, I miss you, I’m happy when you’re happy, I’m glad you’re healing, I accept you, I love you.
This is well established among family and friends — but how far does it go?
If the spirit of giving works best among family and friends, do the words I accept you really mean:
I love you because you’re a reflection of me?
Or
I love you because you’re unique?
It’s a key question.
Why? Well, figuring out how this works within a close-knit group means we can expand it out across our whole society.
In the United Kingdom, there is often anxious talk among fathers about how they would feel should their children grow up and decide to follow a different soccer team!
Happily, even in a land where the love of soccer causes sometimes terrifying tribalism, the subject usually becomes the stuff of jokes pretty quickly. Or half jokes.
But not everything does.
Here is how it breaks down, in highly intellectual terms! (Sort of):
A group becomes an extended family, the extended family becomes the tribe, the tribe accepts its own and rejects outsiders
Increasing similarity within a tribe reinforces acceptance of existing members and mistrust of anybody different
Rejection of outsiders magnifies the acceptance of tribe members
In what way can the spirit of giving exist under those conditions?
Being rewarded for being the same, or rewarding others for being the same, has nothing to do with real giving.
Why?
Because the spirit of giving isn’t tribal — it’s human.
In a family, the rejection of a family member whose values don’t/can’t reflect the established values of the family means the spirit of giving isn’t really there.
In society, the rejection of a group who are not similar to that society’s group, in one or more ways, means the spirit of giving isn’t really there.
And this is where it gets interesting.
The person who rejects tribal thinking to embrace the humanity of an “outsider” becomes unique in that moment.
Rules created by primal fears have been broken and the result is a celebration. Yay!
The spirit of giving is alive.
Or to be pragmatic about it, let’s look at a company like — ehm — Lovingly!
The Lovingly team is made up of people from different races, different backgrounds, different sexual orientations, different beliefs, different views about turning up for meetings on time (Ok – that’s just me.)
If we put up with each other resentfully, for our salaries, we couldn’t function creatively.
The company would implode. And we’ve existed for more than a decade.
It’s said that travel broadens the mind. However, in a country like America — celebrated internationally as a cultural melting pot — it only takes pride in one’s country to accept other people at a human level, regardless of differences.
Some just call it Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Inclusivity becomes natural in that context. Accepting becomes a central part of the spirit of giving. And celebrating the differences that make us unique is simply part of life.
So love is a gift to be shared.
And shared unconditionally — because you can’t put conditions on a gift.
It’s a simple enough philosophy, but it works for us at Lovingly.
Just as Sinatra is perceived in many different ways by many different people, he has been known by many names.
Swoonatra, The Sultan of Swoon, The Chairman of the Board, The Voice, Ol’ Blue Eyes…
And Scarface.
So who was he really, in terms of how much we can know for sure?
Let’s take a look.
1. Sinatra – Mobster or Mob ‘groupie’?
Frank Sinatra – “Every woman wants to have him. Every man wants to be him.”
And the FBI apparently wanted to arrest him.
They kept tabs on Sinatra for over 40 years, with the 1,275 pages of files dating back to 1943 only being made public after the great man’s death in 1998.
One nasty rumor that dogged Sinatra throughout his life is that he paid a doctor $40,000 to declare him unfit for service in World War II.
The FBI’s investigation found that his punctured eardrum and “psychological issues” made the doctor’s assessment and conclusion medically legitimate.
Despite this, some readers may still hear the accusation being made against him today.
Presented as fact.
Along with many others.
So was he a mobster, or a mob-struck fantasist?
The files show a lot of unproved or dismissed rumors, with the possible highlight being Frank Sinatra smuggling $1 million to exiled, ultimate mob boss “Lucky” Luciano in Italy as a favor.
Risking his career, his future and his freedom in one fell swoop.
And the Mob wasn’t even on strike that week.
The files are filled with fluff and nonsense from people making senselessly subjective, blowhard statements, like the claim Sinatra had a “mob complex” – the groupie claim – or that he “would give up his show business prominence to be a hoodlum himself if he had the courage to do so.”
Sure he would. That makes sense. Why not?
The 1972 Joint Senate-House Select Committee on Crime found itself on Sinatra’s bad side for not immediately refuting allegations of mob involvement made against him by mobster Joseph “The Animal” Barboza – who had admitted to killing 27 people.
Barboza was an FBI informant who became notorious for providing false testimony.
More on-point is the collected information on Sinatra’s friendships with the Mob and the way he allegedly allowed himself to be used to make political connections.
But first, the bottom line.
Sinatra’s grandfather, Francesco Sinatra, was born in 1857, in a little hill town in Sicily, just 15 miles from the town of Corleone, and on the same street as the Luciano family, whose son Salvatore would become the godfather of godfathers in America.
Evidence suggests the families were personally acquainted, which is hardly surprising.
Sinatra’s father, Marty Sinatra, and mother, Dolly, were formidable figures in their Hoboken, New Jersey, neighborhood. His father was a firefighter, boxer, and bar owner during prohibition.
His mother became involved in left-leaning politics, serving as a midwife, and performing then illegal abortions. Nobody dared mess with Dolly.
Frank, their only child, was born on December 12, 1915.
Weighing in at a hefty 13.5 pounds, he had to be delivered with forceps, resulting in severe scarring to his left cheek, neck, and ear – along with a perforated eardrum.
Baby Frank wasn’t breathing and the doctor concentrated on Dolly, who was not in good condition, believing the baby wouldn’t make it.
“They weren’t thinking about me, they were thinking about my mother. They just kind of ripped me out and tossed me aside.” – Frank Sinatra.
Luckily, grandma Sinatra decided to make an effort and held the baby under cold water until the shock started those famous lungs working.
“That’s life.”
Sinatra grew up during prohibition – a time when the government took it upon itself to protect the people from themselves, regardless of how they felt about it.
However, the people who added the words “liberty” and “the pursuit of happiness” – rather than “fearfulness” and “obedience” – to the word “life” were more interested in having fun.
The result was disaster and the rise of the Mafia.
And most grew to see their enemies as those preaching and pushing them around.
Not those reminding them it was a free country and catering to them.
It was a question of control and it changed hands quickly.
For a wannabe star to work the bars and clubs back then, dealing with gangsters was par for the course; rejecting them was par for waking up in bed with part of a horse.
Or so they say.
And of course, Sinatra’s family would have been known to most of them for their roots – and almost certainly for being old neighbors of the Lucianos – rather than criminality.
Sinatra was bound to become wrapped up with them, one way or the other.
So he wasn’t a mob groupie, a “made man” (laughable), or a “connected guy” in any criminal sense.
But he didn’t view the Mob the way many other honest folk would.
Sinatra: born bruised, battered, and ready to bounce back.
2. Enter (and Exit) the Kennedys
How John F. Kennedy and Frank Sinatra met is a bit of a gray area, although few would bet against it having something to do with nightlife and the company of women.
If not, they certainly helped things keep swinging.
Still, it’s most likely the friendship came through Kennedy’s sister, Pat, who married Peter Lawford, a friend of Sinatra’s who became one of the legendary Las Vegas “Rat Pack”.
Either way, for somebody with Sinatra’s starpower to promote the then Massachusetts senator and presidential candidate could only be a good thing.
But many saw more beneath the surface.
Not only was Sinatra at the top of his game popularity-wise, he was known and liked by the Mob. These two top placings – both above and below the table – made him the perfect middle man to help sway the unions.
And get Kennedy elected.
Kennedy’s campaign came during the legendary “Second Act” of Sinatra’s career – now an Oscar-winning movie star as well as top-selling recording artist – his influence over millions was clear.
Sinatra added glamour and starpower to Kennedy’s youthful, energetic image; Kennedy added the kudos of legitimate power to someone who often took political risks for personal reasons.
They were a match made in… America.
In public, Sinatra promoted Kennedy’s campaign by lending his private jet to Kennedy’s key people, made radio ads, “arranged” dinners-for-donors, and reworked one of his hits.
In private, the muscle and malevolent influence of the Mob allegedly used its power on the unions and wherever else its reach extended.
It all supposedly resulted in FBI evidence of widespread voting fraud, which the freshly inaugurated Kennedy decided not to pursue. All such claims remain hotly debated.
How much of this is fact – and how much of a role Sinatra really could have played as “middle man” – seems to be up for grabs.
Mob boss, Sam Giancana, central to any scheme for the Mob to secure votes in key state Illinois, was already allegedly associated with Kennedy’s father, ex-bootlegger Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.; and many writers report as fact that he personally asked for the mobster’s help.
Meanwhile, Sinatra helped Kennedy remain steadfastly unfaithful to his wife, Jackie.
Kennedy attended booze-fuelled, female fan-filled Las Vegas after-parties courtesy of Sinatra; and campaign trail downtime at Lawford’s Santa Monica fun-filled home.
At some point, Sinatra introduced him to Marilyn Monroe.
(Or was it Peter Lawford who did that? Accounts, not surprisingly, vary.)
And to Judith Exner, who claimed to have become Kennedy’s mistress – and to being the mistress of Mob boss Giancana (allegedly also introduced by Sinatra), and “friend” of Mob boss, John Roselli.
More champagne, anyone?
With John F. Kennedy safely elected to the presidency, Sinatra and all his dubious “friends” were dropped like a handful of hot potatoes.
Allegations that the Mob had been expecting big returns for their help and were furious abound.
So was Sinatra – who felt betrayed.
Expecting President Kennedy to stay at his home during a trip to California, Sinatra had a helicopter pad installed – as well as making who knows how many other arrangements – only to be left standing.
Sinatra also felt betrayed by Peter Lawford, who he shunned for the rest of his life.
It appears that Kennedy used Sinatra – and possibly the Mob – for his own ends, then promptly dumped him/them to protect his presidency.
Stories around this are rife.
One has J. Edgar Hoover playing tapes of Judith Exner’s calls to the White House to the administration, then following them with her calls to Sam Giancana.
What was allegedly said is unclear; the sleazy connection between Kennedy, this woman, and Giancana is crystal – with Sinatra at the helm.
Another alleges that wiretaps caught Sinatra talking to Giancana about an affair with Kennedy’s sister, Pat. In them he supposedly states that the affair was designed to influence the administration to ease off the Mob.
Was Sinatra caught talking drunken nonsense? Or is it yet another fake story?
How credible are the claims, given the mutual understandings that must have already been in place for the Mob to supposedly hand over an election to Kennedy?
Unless one is true and the other isn’t?
Or the idea that Pat could influence the administration after being crooned-and-swooned?
If any of it is true, it’s silly to think the Kennedys would have been shocked to learn the Mob expected favors for favors; but possible that they’d have been infuriated to discover Sinatra was having an affair with Pat.
Still, why did Sinatra’s feelings of betrayal by Peter Lawford rage so hard if this happened? Sign Up to Save 10%Ad By Sephora See More
To top it off, Robert F. Kennedy promptly kicked off a crusade against the Mob.
Putting a crimp in the evenings of many.
The awful deaths of Kennedy and Monroe fuelled endless conspiracy theories, of course.
One killed by assassination, the other by “suicide”; with Lawford embroiled in the latter.
The rest, as they say, is mystery.
There was only one kind of hit Sinatra cared about.
3. Sinatra – Nasty, violent, racist alcoholic? Or what?
In the modern era, the fact Sinatra made onstage cracks about Sammy Davis Jr. makes him “a racist.” Non-morons see this as part of Sinatra’s “complexity”, but there isn’t really much complexity to it.
The fact that many have conveniently forgotten the vile and often bloodthirsty attitudes toward Italian, Irish and other immigrants in the first half of the American century is unfortunate.
And it changes the way they perceive reality.
We could quote L.P. Hartley: “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there,” and move on without judging distant lives by our own standards.
But where’s the fun in that?
The Rat Pack made cracks at each other all the time; and Sammy’s non-macho “all-round entertainer” upbeat persona made him the natural foil for the macho group.
Sinatra himself had to deal with on-stage cracks about the “Sons of Italy,” followed by: “How about the good the Mafia does?” and many other close-to-the-bone macho digs.
Macho male-bonding means taking shots at anything perceived as personal or different; once done, the group becomes potentially closer to each other than they are to any other group – limited by:
“Those Without a Sense of Humor Need Not Apply.”
If Sinatra hadn’t been defiantly anti-racist at a time when that was not only untrendy, but not welcome, Davis would never have been a member of the Rat Pack in the first place.
A white guy would have been found to balance out personas, the jokes would have been just as barbed, but different, and nobody would have cared about on-stage digs among friends.
If Sinatra had played the racist game of the day, the word “racist” wouldn’t touch him today.
“The past is another country.”
Instead he risked his early career by speaking and singing out against all bigotry.
According to one story, Sinatra, at the famously low-point in his career in the late ‘40s, clinging to his waning fanbase, watched Davis perform with The Will Mastin Trio. Backstage, he invited his friend to come see him at the theatre he was playing.
Davis agreed, happily.
Some time later, with Davis a no-show, Sinatra went back to see him and told him how offended he was to have been ignored.
Davis explained: “I did come; but they wouldn’t let me in!”
Sinatra’s reaction was to head back to the theatre, tear up his contract, and walk out on what was at the time a much needed gig.
As Sinatra’s power in the industry was reasserted, Davis’ career grew. Racial barriers were broken down for him, often by dint of Sinatra’s explosive temper, and a movie career was made possible.
When Davis lost his left eye in an automobile accident, Sinatra paid all his medical bills and had him stay at his “Rancho Mirage Compound” to recover.
Nancy Sinatra referred to him as “My Uncle Sam!”
Sinatra made sure Davis recovered fully; and that his astounding talent was turned into superstardom.
“Sinatra did not like segregation. He didn’t like how black people were treated as creatures of inferiority. He always rebelled against that.” – Harry Belafonte
It was also Sinatra who, during rehearsals for the classic “Mancurian Candidate” movie, insisted that actor Joe Adams would be the best person to portray the psychiatrist character.
Many thought he’d gone insane. Despite this, of course, he got his way.
This became, according to director John Frankenheimer: “One of the first instances where a black actor was cast in a part that didn’t specifically say the character was black.”
Oddly, Adams’ role ultimately went uncredited.
If Sinatra was racist, he sucked at it.
Still, his ferocious temper wasn’t always fueled by principles, or directed at racists and bigots who insulted his friends, or tried to limit the careers of people he believed in.
It was also fueled by Jack Daniels.
Sending Sinatra’s sense of right and wrong veering straight off a cliff.
And often causing chaos in its wake.
Combine Sinatra’s love of Jack, his unprecedented level of fame, his ego and his insecurities, his career’s near-death experience (cheered on by many in the industry), and his incredibly powerful sense of right and wrong, loyalty and betrayal… and you have a BIG problem.
He also had dangerous friends who liked to be seen with him. The kind of people who can’t be shrugged off, or used by a drunk guy as shoulders to cry on about conflicts and upsets.
Not without consequences.
As the late, great comic Jackie Mason discovered the hard way. After criticizing Sinatra on television, a shot was fired in his darkened apartment by somebody who’d broken in.
“I don’t know who it was, but when the door slammed shut, I distinctly heard somebody singing ‘Doobie, doobie, doo.’” – Jackie Mason
Sinatra was capable of flying off the handle and becoming violent for any perceived slight; of falling out with friends and refusing to speak to them again, forever or for years – on something he perceived as a point of principle.
“Yes, my son is like me. You cross him, he never forgets.” – Dolly Sinatra
Or of hearing that an actor he admired, but barely knew, was ill in hospital and broke, only to have him transferred to a top hospital, with a top specialist, and given an apartment to recuperate in, as he had with Davis.
Which he did for the great character actor Lee J. Cobb, who’d had a heart-attack after being hounded by the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Sinatra even got him in a movie when no-one else would touch him.
Cobb credited Sinatra with saving his life.
You can make sense of Sinatra’s feelings toward an actor he barely knew by watching Cobb up against Henry Fonda in “12 Angry Men.”
Stories of Sinatra’s volatile temper and his generosity are legendary.
But was he an alcoholic?
Yes – a functioning alcoholic, according to experts. Even though it’s known that, later in life, Sinatra would go through a bottle of Jack a day, when gigs and recordings were on the horizon, he would hold back on the booze.
And even cigarettes.
Although some say that booze ruled his life, it didn’t. If it had, the downward spiral of alcoholism would have been inevitable.
This could be Sinatra’s secret: he would have been aware that should the booze start affecting his performances, he would have to treat it like a friend who had betrayed him.
And that could mean only one thing: Adios, forever.
So he never let it happen.
In fact, the friendship between Frank Sinatra and Jack Daniels survived to the grave. When he was buried at Desert Memorial Park, in Cathedral City (“Cat City”), California, his casket contained:
1 pack of Camel cigarettes 1 Zippo lighter 1 bottle of Jack Daniels 1 dollar’s worth of dimes
If Sinatra had any trouble passing through the pearly gates, he was ready to make a few calls and straighten the whole thing out.
With jokes put aside, the only color that counted was the blues.
4. Sinatra – Swingin’ lover and artist
One of the greatest musical artists of all time and objectively one of the best selling, Sinatra’s singing career spanned 60 years and is impossible to cover with the respect it deserves in a short space.
So it’s not getting the respect it deserves. (Sorry, Frank.)
After time on the road with local group “The Hoboken Four”, Sinatra, in 1938, became a “Singing Waiter” at a New York roadhouse called “The Rustic Cabin”, connected to the WNEW radio station.
Low pay for a strategic career move.
It led to live performances on show “Dance Parade” and his first solo studio recording: “Our Love.” Soon after, Sinatra signed a $75 per week, two-year contract with bandleader Harry James and released his first commercial record (a flop) called “From the Bottom of my Heart.”
Commercial failure, ambition, and likely Sinatra’s February 1939 marriage to longtime sweetheart, Nancy Rose Barbato, saw Sinatra dump James in November of that year and sign up with Tommy Dorsey.
And what Sinatra learned from Dorsey formed his legend.
Dorsey became a father-figure to Sinatra and recognized his ability to sway an audience with his unique style of song interpretation.
“I used to stand there so amazed, I’d almost forget my own solos.” – Tommy Dorsey
Sinatra even asked Dorsey to be godfather to his daughter, Nancy, born in 1940. Bringing her daddy luck, Sinatra started scoring hits.
Including his first Top 10 smash: “Imagination”, which was followed by a million-selling, 12-week chart-topper: “I’ll Never Smile Again”.
An ironic title, given all the smiling he must have been doing during this period.
But it wasn’t all rosy.
After virtually begging permission from Dorsey to record a few tunes on his own, Sinatra realized just how good he could actually be.
His dream now was to become a star in his own right.
However, he began to understand what breaking his contract with Dorsey meant, once the stars had fallen from his young eyes and the smallprint came into focus.
“43 percent of Frank Sinatra’s lifetime earnings in the entertainment industry.”
Thanks a bunch, daddy!
Sinatra denied that the Mob had been involved in convincing Dorsey to drop the contract for $75,000 (or $1.00 if you buy that kind of thing), and it’s fair to say that Dorsey was bitter about his “43 percent forever” clause not scaring the young hothead into submission.
Still, Dorsey told the Mob version.
“I was visited by Willie Moretti and a couple of his boys. Willie fingered a gun and told me he was glad to hear that I was letting Frank out of my deal. I took the hint.” – Tommy Dorsey
Moretti is named in many places as Frank Sinatra’s godfather. Whether correct or not, they were close from the early days and Dorsey would have known that.
Either way, Sinatra was free.
So came the bobby-sox swooners, creating controversy by their screams for Sinatra, catapulting him to superstardom.
Even Crosby – with whom Sinatra enjoyed years of lighthearted barbs – admitted the way Sinatra interpreted a song – as if expressing deeply personal thoughts and feelings – was completely original.
“Frank is a singer who comes along once in a lifetime; but why did it have to be my lifetime?” – Bing Crosby.
So Sinatra was a star, capable of withstanding even the notorious musicians’ strike that ran from 1942-1944.
It even benefitted him in part, due to the re-release of “All Or Nothing At All”, which became a million-seller.
But without the structure and dominance of Dorsey and his organisation, his sudden and powerful rise put him in freefall as a person.
Insecurely attempting to copy Dorsey’s dominant personality in the studio, he came across as an arrogant bully and young blowhard.
In the tabloids, his associations with mobsters, fistfights, and womanizing didn’t help, but came in second to accusations that he was a communist.
Apart from in the eyes of his faithful bobby soxers: Womanizing?
“Oh well! Oh gosh! Oh my!” – Every American Bobby Soxer (in unison)
“Frank’s idea of paradise is a place where there are plenty of woman and no newspapermen. He doesn’t know it, but he’d be better off if it were the other way around.” – Humphrey Bogart
His star waned and his marriage crumbled even as his third child, Tina Sinatra was born.
On Valentine’s Day, 1950, Sinatra and his longsuffering wife, Nancy, announced their divorce. In 1951, his marriage to Ava Gardner began in a publicity-blaze of hard-drinking, hard-living passion.
Including public brawls.
In 1952, both Columbia and MCA dropped him; and Sinatra became a singer without a voice.
His many detractors (haters) rejoiced. He was ruined.
But he had a powerful ally in Ava.
When Eli Wallach had scheduling problems with his casting as Private Maggio in “From Here to Eternity”, Ava worked her charms on Joan Cohn, wife of Columbia Pictures’ head, Harry Cohn.
Sinatra blitzed Harry Cohn himself with telegrams, signed “Maggio” – in which he offered to work for a measly $8,000.
He had received $150,000 for “Anchors Aweigh” a few years earlier.
Rumors of mob involvement have been soundly trashed by many. The idea that a studio boss as powerful and well-connected as Harry Cohn would be approached like that don’t add up.
Wars start that way.
And putting a horse’s head in his bed? Neigh. (Sorry – Nay.)
Big stars, such as Bogart, had already been rejected in favor of ideal casting; and everybody knew that Frank Sinatra and “Angelo Maggio” were the same person.
Also, an $8,000 payout probably brought tears of sweet love to Harry Cohn’s eyes.
He got the part, won over millions, and was handed an Oscar.
Beginning the greatest comeback show business has ever seen.
Which Sinatra ensured by creating a golden era of artistic achievement.
From roughly 1953 to the mid-sixties, Sinatra innovated a string of “concept” albums that were all breakthrough classics.
Rather than catering to public tastes, he commanded public tastes, rising above Rock ‘n Roll, beatniks, British invasions, and anything else that came along.
He became a crowned cultural outlier, who always appeared to be above everything else.
His tortured relationship with Ava Gardner came across in his untouchable renditions of other people’s songs and wowed the world.
“[Sinatra] presented the song like a landscape he’d restored, painting himself into the picture so masterfully that it was impossible to imagine it without him.” – John Lahr
During and following that period, Sinatra’s legend grew and grew.
And he continued living up to it, despite marriage breakdowns, Mob hearings, FBI files, love affairs, “retirement”, lost friends, and even the kidnapping of his son.
From the moment Sinatra bounced back in ‘53, to his final concert appearance on February 25, 1995, he was flying high.
Sources: Sinatra: The Artist and the Man by John Lahr – published by Random House, New York, 1997; His Way: An Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra by Kitty Kelly – published by Bantam, New York, 2010; Sinatra: Behind the Legend by Randy Taraborrelli – published by Grand Central Publishing, New York, 2015; The Dark Side of Camelot by Seymour M. Hersh – published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1997.
So it’s not a leap to say that Bowie is bound by contradictions.
Or that the reasons will be dark, tragic, and unsettling.
For a body of work that stands today as breath-taking, legendary, inspiring.
Let’s look into those eyes.
1. Ziggy played guitar (David played ukulele)
Bowie was born two years after World War II finally quit demolishing London with bombing raids.
Home was a nice house on a nice street in Brixton, in the south of the city. The old world meeting the new, in every sense.
Although Bowie’s father had risen to the cushy level of promotion’s officer at children’s charity Barnardo’s, David Jones belonged to a family of missing and half-missing people.
Possibly from a different kind of war.
Three aunts on his mother’s side had suffered mental issues. One died in her thirties, after years spent in and out of psychiatric hospitals.
A second was a diagnosed schizophrenic. A third aunt was treated for ‘bad nerves’ by being given a lobotomy.
Another of the sisters was Peggy, David’s mother, who also, apparently, exhibited signs of ‘borderline schizophrenia’.
Still, labels of schizophrenia and lobotomies were handed out liberally then, projecting often unwarranted fear of hereditary illness into the future.
Which may or may not be the case here.
David’s mother had two children before marrying David’s father. One, a sister, long gone – given up for adoption – the other, Terry Burns, unwanted but always turning up.
And a hero.
At least to David.
At least for the duration of the one shake of the dice life gave him.
A decade older than David and discharged from the RAF, where he had been a keen boxer, Terry knew he wasn’t wanted. And he could easily have resented his ‘legitimate’ and molly-coddled brother.
Especially when David’s doting dad took him to meet and greet stars backstage at Barnardo’s benefit gigs.
Showbiz, self-promotion, glitter and glam, ambition over benevolence, seduction over sense.
Watching as he won praise at his all-boys’ tech school as a performer and dancer, with teachers gushing about his “vividly artistic interpretations” and “astonishing” poise.
Listening as David played tea-chest bass, saxophone, and ukulele to skiffle and, later, the rock ‘n roll that changed his world; and then to his group, the ‘Konrads’.
Instead, the older half-brother became a true brother by taking the sensitive boy under his wing, opening up an even stranger world of American culture, jazz music, and beat poetry.
Along with tales of adventures, fights, and exotic, magical experiences in distant, foreign lands.
Expanding Rock ‘n Roll into potent new areas of art, entertainment, and mystery. All a magical mashup in the mind of young David Jones.
Terry came from worlds others didn’t know. Terry was a hero.
Unless he didn’t show up for a while, replaced instead by whispers about “seizures” that saw him gone for short periods.
Missed only by David.
Before returning, every bit as hip as before, smiling and larger than life.
So together they let the good times…
Leaving a Cream concert after becoming dizzy, Terry changed.
Seeing the street splitting open and spewing fire, he dropped to his knees.
Screamed at David that he was about to be lifted up into the sky.
David watched as Terry grasped at fiery cracks that weren’t there.
Desperately trying to stay; to avoid falling away forever.
Schizophrenia claiming his brother.
With no way to force it back. Or to help.
To stop the sky stealing a hero and leaving a shell.
Bowie as a blank canvas projecting otherworldly images.
2. Snubbing the alien
In 1962, regular life had reared its head with a fight over a girl and a punch in the face.
The scrap resulted in four months of hospital treatment for David; and a permanently diluted pupil, giving a strong – and wrong – impression of differently colored eyes.
Either way, it added to that unearthly aura he later exuded.
Even more unearthly was the news David announced as he ended school, still friends with the person who’d punched him in the eye years before.
He planned to be a popstar.
After a stint in advertising, David landed a management contract leading to his first single: ‘Liza Jane’, credited to ‘Davie Jones with the King Bees’.
After it flopped, David moved quickly through several groups, more flops, and began making threats to throw it all away and become a mime artist.
That’ll learn ya!
But not only was the world snubbing the strange-looking and sensitive artist, it was increasingly confusing him with a Monkee – Davy Jones.
An insult too great for even a mime to take.
So he changed his name to David Bowie.
David Robert Jones wouldn’t have fit on that anyway.
3. Gnome alone – Bowie lost in gnome man’s land
By 1967, Bowie’s broad artistic influences, and possibly his need to stay hidden in an image, saw him training in mime under Marcel Marceau protege, Lindsay Kemp.
And releasing his little gnome, sorry, little known, single: ‘The Laughing Gnome’.
Considered a matter of ignomey, sorry ignominy, to some, other critics applauded the original way it combined a song for children with a long list of ‘gnome’ puns and upbeat fun.
Either way, it flopped – and most pop fans were gnome the wiser, sorry, none the wiser.
Bowie’s broad range came into play – no pun intended – with his debut album ‘David Bowie’. Its broad mix of folk, rock, and vaudeville – and many other elements – left most baffled.
“I didn’t know if I was Elvis Presley or Max Miller.” — David Bowie
Bowie knew where he wanted to get, he just didn’t know who he was; and it was causing problems. Some critics noted the problem; one biographer later calling the album:
“The vinyl equivalent of the madwoman in the attic.”
At this point, only Bowie himself knew enough to ask the question.
By 1969, he was supporting his already successful friend, Marc Bolan, by performing mime at Tyrannosaurus Rex concerts.
David… boo!
And wasn’t appreciated.
Then he found himself being lifted into the sky.
The movie ‘A Space Odyssey‘ inspired a character he could hide inside;and a song his new record company could release right on time for the moon landing.
‘A Space Oddity‘ saw David Bowie rise up the charts, staring at the stars, for the first time.
Then reenter the atmosphere – hard.
Although peaking at a lowly #124 in the US, it hit #5 in the UK – despite the BBC’s refusal to play it until after the Apollo crew had returned safely to earth.
It was a hit, a future hit, and a classic – actually inspired by his recently lost love, Hermione Farthingale, with whom he’d seen the movie – but dismissed by many as a moon landing novelty.
Nothing more than another ‘laughing gnome’ from a writer of novelties.
Bowie was chained to the earth again.
No gold record for Mr Gnome, no pot of gold for us. Oh, well.
4. Bowie in satin dress, Janine and John Wayne
Bowie’s first album was such a flop that his second was essentially a restart, eponymously titled, as the first had been (although released as ‘Space Oddity’ in the US).
But something was changing.
Musically, the album tipped its hat to the hip sounds of the day, with elements of folk-rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, and even country in places.
Box checking over inspiration in some cases.
Lyrically, Bowie was coming into his own.
With songs about the recent death of his father and a public ‘Letter to Hermione’, Bowie’s dark side was rising in a way that would soon be more glamorously disguised, then more powerfully expressed.
Here, the theme of fractured identity, or split personality, was stark.
“Janine, you’d like to know me well, But I’ve got things inside my head, That even I can’t face.
“Janine, you’d like to crash my walls, But if you take an axe to me, You’d kill another man, Not me at all.”
Although the album included ‘Space Oddity’, it was released to mixed reviews and didn’t sell.
His next album: ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ demonstrated its schizoid tendencies by having a US cover with a cartoon drawing of a John Wayne-based character, toting a gun, standing in front of a Victorian-era asylum.
Much like the place Terry now spent most of his time.
The UK version presented a photo of Bowie with shoulder-length bleached blonde hair, reclining on a chaise lounge, wearing a flowing satin dress and knee-high black boots.
He appears to be scratching his head. (As many did.)
Musically, Bowie headed straight into previously unchartered hard rock territory. According to music critic Marc Spitz, it was a heavy blues album “worthy of Cream”.
Perhaps a strange place for Bowie to revisit. Or perhaps not.
Journalist Peter Doggett highlighted themes of “madness, alienation, violence, confusion of identity, power, darkness and sexual possession.”
“Day after day, They send my friends away, To mansions cold and grey, To the far side of town.”
Despite wowing growing numbers of critics, it didn’t sell. Bowie was in a dark place; but he was coming from a dark place. And if anybody asked, everything was “hunky dory.”
Which was about to become the official story.
Suffering and not selling. But Bowie was going through changes.
5. Bowie finds himself, hides himself, and returns to the sky
Hunky Dory was a commercial flop, huge critical hit, and glorious pop masterpiece.
The mad mime had found his voice and was going through changes fast.
“He has the genius to be to the ‘70s what Lennon, McCartney, Jagger and Dylan were to the ‘60s.” – Rock magazine.
Bowie had become so confident and relaxed at this point that he even wrote the quirky and beautiful song ‘Kooks’ for his newborn son Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones, child of David and Angela Bowie.
However, some of the songs were barely disguised cries into the abyss:
“I look out my window, what do I see? A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me, All the nightmares came today […] All the strangers came today.”
At the time of recording the album’s final track, ‘The Bewlay Brothers’, Bowie asked producer Ken Scott not to listen to the words, because “they don’t mean anything.”
Author Nicholas Pegg describes the track as “probably the most cryptic, mysterious, unfathomable and downright frightening Bowie recording in existence.”
“Now my brother lays upon the rocks, He could be dead, He could be not, He could be you. He’s Chameleon, Comedian, Corinthian and Caricature, Shooting up Pie-in-the-Sky. […]
“Leave my shoes, And door unlocked, I might just slip away, Just for the day…”
The songs were about Terry. And with them, Bowie returned to the sky.
Bowie the deep-thinking genius prepares to rock the world.
6. Ziggy came from worlds others didn’t know…
Ziggy was a hero.
Ziggy Stardust came from the sky, a hero with a message of hope given to the kids through the TV and radio.
Themes of impending doom, of having only a short time before our lives as we know them are suddenly gone, are strong.
Bowie’s previously stark take on madness, fractured personality and fear of insanity, appears to be more or less hidden behind dramatic images, concepts, broader themes of destruction, and play-on-word obscurity.
And because of this, they couldn’t be clearer.
“I always got the sense that he couldn’t quite work out the Terry element of his life. I’ve often wondered if the whole alien thing didn’t come from that.” – Hanif Kureishi
Although inspired by a slew of people and influences, most notable is rocker Vince Taylor, who, at the time Bowie met him, was having a breakdown and saw himself as a god or an alien.
‘Circus’ magazine called it “a stunning work of genius” and others had similar feelings.
So did the public.
Conversion to Bowie, anything he did, and whatever planet he came from, happened for millions in the UK when he appeared on hit show Top of the Pops on July 5, 1972.
“The first time I saw him, he was singing ‘Starman’ on television. It was like a creature falling from the sky.” – Bono
Ziggy was a star.
Ziggy Stardust: there, not there, and everywhere.
7. A superstar shell in hell… and on drugs
Living in the pressure cooker of fame, where the world wants to know everything about you, isn’t good if you want to live in the sky.
Hiding from yourself and from reality.
And your dark-side-of-the-moon muse. Your brother.
So… drugs then, anyone?
Bowie’s fears for his sanity were almost certainly real; his need to create a hero from the sky, filled with wisdom and larger than life, came from deep in his conscious, or subconscious, mind.
Ironically, self-medicating his fears away meant drugs; the one evil capable of driving him spiraling into a psychotic abyss.
Except LSD – which horrified him for obvious reasons.
But he increasingly needed escape – or oblivion – when the masks came off.
When David was all that was left.
“One puts oneself through such psychological damage trying to avoid the threat of insanity, you start to approach the very thing that you’re scared of.” – David Bowie
Terry had married a fellow patient at Cane Hill psychiatric hospital. They moved in together, but it didn’t work out, causing Terry’s condition to deteriorate.
At one point, David and Angie brought Terry to live with them, but the obligations of stardom, combined with Terry’s reluctance to take his much-needed medication and resulting chaos, soon ended that.
Bowie’s followup to Ziggy, ‘Aladdin Sane’ was his most commercially successful album to date.
Inspiring Ron Ross of ‘Phonograph Record’ to call Bowie, “one of the most consistent and fast moving artists since the Beatles,” it helped match sales with critical acclaim.
Strongly – and openly – influenced by The Rolling Stones, the album was, on the surface, inspired by the ‘schizophrenic’ split between Bowie’s love of success and hatred of touring – to the point that each track was given the location of its composition or inspiration.
The cover features Bowie’s face, eyes closed, his face split down the middle by a bolt of lightning.
Beneath the surface, the title and image are easy to discern:
‘A-lad-insane’.
Bowie’s career now glittered just as he did; however, like Dylan or Lennon, he made no compromises, shedding the Ziggy character abruptly and moving in new directions.
His talent and risk-taking providing him with a legendary career.
When Terry later became a permanent resident at Cane Hill Psychiatric Hospital, Bowie became too upset, or just plain scared, to visit regularly, which he openly admitted more than once.
“Its the terror of knowing What the world is about, Watching some good friends scream ‘Let me out!’”
As David’s career sailed through the stratosphere, Terry’s life fell apart.
On January 16, 1985, Terry managed to slip out of the hospital unnoticed, wander through snow to a railway station, lay on the tracks in front of a London-bound train, and end his life.
“Leave my shoes, And door unlocked, I might just slip away, Just for the day […]
“Now my brother lays upon the rocks, He could be dead, He could be not – He could be You.”
Believing his presence would turn the family funeral into a media circus, Bowie didn’t attend; instead sending a wreath with words paraphrased from the movie ‘Blade Runner’:
“You’ve seen more things than we could imagine; but all these moments will be lost, like tears washed away by the rain. God bless you – David.”
Aladdin Sane – the split Bowie never got over.
8. Aliens, heroes and brothers
Bowie’s preoccupation with souls beyond the sky continued throughout his career, to the end of his life. His personas also came and went quickly (feel free to add any missed):
Ziggy Stardust Aladdin Sane Halloween Jack The Thin White Duke The Blind Prophet
Throwing superstardom aside at the peak of his huge commercial success in concerts and recordings during the 1980s, Bowie didn’t want commercial success that came with critical failure.
So he did whatever he wanted instead.
Hoping to find himself once more.
Which he did.
In 1993, he released the song ‘Jump They Say’, dealing openly with his brother’s suicide and the pressures leading to it. Surprisingly to some, it became a Top 10 hit in the UK.
“I say he should watch his ass… My friend, don’t listen to the crowd, They say ‘jump!’”
Hustler, Actor, Artist, Hero – David Bowie: January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016.
Sources: The Complete David Bowie by Nicholas Pegg – published by Titan Books, 2016; The Man Who Sold the World: David Bowie and the 1970s by Peter Doggett – published by Harper Collins, 2012; David Bowie: A Life by Dylan Jones – published by Crown Archetype, 2017; Ground Control to Mental Health Justice by Dolores Sanchez – published by Mental Health Justice, 2016; Legends Series – Series 1, Episode 7 – produced by VH1, 1998; David Bowie’s early years revealed by Miranda Aldersley and Susie Coen – published by The Daily Mail, 2019.
"I apologize for writing such a long letter, but I did not have sufficient time to write a short one." Blaise Pascall.
