I wanted to define the vocabulary of a wedding both visually and intellectually. The book is about more than weddings or wedding dresses. It's a metaphor for women's lives, their creativity.

The key is falling in love with something, anything. If your heart's attached to it, then your mind will be attached to it.

Let's be realistic, how many people are buying a $2,000 skirt? I love to design things that people can actually buy. I'm staggered by what a boot costs today.

Every woman hates her own body. I don't know a woman who doesn't . . . well, I do know a few who love themselves but in the case of most women it's like, "ugh." And when I dress a woman, my design intention is to give them an attitude or a grace, no matter whether it's a wedding gown or ready-to-wear.

A woman is never sexier than when she is comfortable in her clothes.

When you have a passion for something then you tend not only to be better at it, but you work harder at it too.

Success isn't about the end result; it's about what you learn along the way.