Darcy Miller

By Lexi Green
August 10, 2010

darcymillerbiopic

Chances are, even if you’re not currently, or never have been, a bride wrapped in the chaos of planning your own special day, you’ve still heard of Martha Stewart Weddings. As Senior Vice President and Weddings Editorial Director of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Darcy Miller has been a steadfast source of bridal inspiration since the brand launched in 1995. Whether she is crafting a beautiful tablescape or planning one of the many "real" weddings featured by the magazine, Miller knows how to embed unpredictability and thoughtfulness into any event. We caught up with her in the midst of her blindingly hectic schedule (she spoke to us in transit to her office after a summer filled with planning an actual Martha Stewart wedding in the Bahamas, a family vacation, running the magazine, the website, her personalized illustration company, and countless TV appearances). Miller filled us in on how she never gets sick of planning weddings, the secrets to a personalized event, and how eBay is a part of Martha Stewart Weddings’ daily vocabulary.

The Inside Source: You have been with Martha Stewart Weddings since its launch in 1995. How has the wedding scene changed since then?

Darcy Miller: The wedding industry is nothing like it was 15 years ago! Across the board it has exploded in every category: from fashion, to jewelry, to stationary, to the table tops, to the registry. Partially, we would like to think we have been an influence on the growth of the businesses, because not only has it become such a highly personalized and creative occasion, but the technology of the business has changed the way we plan. Even with MSW, in the beginning we were putting out magazines once or twice a year; now we are putting out a wedding idea a second, whether it is a tweet, a blog post, a segment on the TV show, or even the radio.

The Inside Source: What is your favorite part of a wedding?

Darcy Miller: My favorite part of any wedding is the personal aspect. People say to me all the time, “How do you come up with all of these ideas? Don’t you get bored?” And although there is definitely a formula to a wedding, every time you have a new couple it’s a completely different personal and special affair.

The Inside Source: At Martha Stewart Weddings, you actually plan a lot of real weddings that you then feature. Can you tell us a little about what goes into each one?

Darcy Miller: I think our “Real Weddings” is what really differentiates us from the rest. Most images of real weddings featured inside wedding publications are picked up from a photographer. But for us, we actually pick a handful of weddings and get involved in every aspect of planning: from helping the bride and groom pick out what they are going to wear, to talking to each vendor, to the smallest of design details. And then finally seeing them go down the aisle, which is ultimately, the best part.

The Inside Source: It is like you are basically a 24/7 Mother of the Bride!

Darcy Miller: That’s right! Me and every wedding planner out there! We just did a wedding in the Bahamas at Sandals, which will be in the fall issue. Our TV producer stopped me after the ceremony and said, “It is so emotional getting the bride down the aisle, I can’t believe you do this every day!” I think that working with real people is really the best part of my job. It keeps our incredible, talented staff that much more talented. Additionally, we get to feature each aspect of the wedding on our blog and Twitter and deal with real questions from our readers.

The Inside Source: Are there any recent wedding trends that you love?

Darcy Miller: I’d hate for brides to look back at their wedding photos and say something like, “Oh remember, that’s when chocolate fountains were in!” Your wedding should be timeless and trends don’t always lend to that. I do have to say that one of the things that I like that is very popular now, and has always been popular for us, is the Do-It-Yourself approach. I think at a time when weddings have gotten a bit out of control—and there is a lot of pressure and people are more concerned with budgets than ever—that the DIY trend is perfect. And it’s not just the super crafty bride who is choosing to go DIY! It’s the little things: like finding old jars on eBay and putting votives in them that is not only inexpensive, but also wonderfully charming.

The Inside Source: Do you take any of the design ideas you use at MSW and bring them into your daily life or home decor?

Darcy Miller: That’s a hard question because it is all intertwined at this point! I feel like what we do at work, I also do at home. I am a big scrap booker and I have my own personalized illustration company. And so, we just did a Martha Stewart Living story on scrapbooking. I think it is also often about the color palettes we feature or the resources we provide that resemble the way that most of us at Martha Stewart live and think of the design in our personal lives. Whether it is one of my daughters' birthday parties or an anniversary party for my parents, MSW is inspiration for entertaining in general. I have a lot of people come up to me to talk about their upcoming events and tell me that the ideas in MSW really translate.

The Inside Source: Your own wedding in 2001 was heavily chronicled on MSW? Did you have a favorite design element?

Darcy Miller: I have to say that I often get asked what my favorite wedding has been so far. I can’t deny that I wouldn’t be a bride if I didn’t pick my own! It’s really about getting all these people around you that you love and having them in one space. And about finding the person you are going to marry. My wedding was a bit bigger than I would have liked, so it was the details that made if feel more intimate. I had long tables, which back then hadn’t been used as much. The idea was to make everyone feel like they were sitting together. I also gave each female guest a handkerchief and each male guest a boutonniere to make them feel like they were in my wedding party. It’s all those little details and personal touches that make the day special.

darcymillermagshots

The Inside Source: You’ve said that eBay is part of the MSW vocabulary. How is that?

Darcy Miller: I think eBay has become a part of people’s lives with how they search for things and how they find things. Especially for busy people! Even for New Yorkers who have access to so many great shops and resources it is still such a quick, easy way to find great things or a great deal.

The Inside Source: Can you tell us about any MSW eBay finds?

Darcy Miller: We were doing one wedding where the bride’s mother wanted to use vintage champagne flutes. The rental company quoted them at such an expensive price, so we looked at eBay. In the end the bride got a wonderful set of vintage champagne flutes to keep at a great price. When shopping at eBay, creating those keepsake memories is possible. We really encourage brides to use eBay to help them not just on the cost of their wedding, but also to add a unique and special touch.

The Inside Source: And finally, you have three daughters. Are they in trouble having you as a mom when they get married?

Darcy Miller: Forget my daughter, try my husband! He has three girls! We’re hoping that we don’t have to worry about marriage for a while considering they're 1, 4 and 7. Although I will say that my 7-year-old does like what Mom does. She did a project in school recently where she had to talk about herself and she wrote, “I like to party-plan.” We’re in trouble!!!

** Images provided by the subject and Martha Stewart Weddings. **