Heather's Getting Married!

I am very very happy that one of my best friends is getting married September 2010. Heather and I went to high school together, and while we weren't friends then, we became friends at a graduation party I went to when I was home for the summer after my first year of college. She is such a loyal, genuine friend who wears her heart on her sleeve. She really deserves all of the happiness in the world.

And I am so excited to be able to do her flowers for her at cost. We've been talking about a few different ideas...what she wants....what her mother wants;) ..and she's sent me the following pictures from The Knot of ideas that caught her eye.

As long as I've known Heather her favorite color has been purple...so it came as no surprise to me that our bridesmaids dresses would be purple as well as the flowers. And these gorgeous shoes pretty much sum up her love of the color.

Dahlia's are a beautiful and affordable choice for an early fall wedding...it's the height of their season so the blooms are huge and in abundance. Here are some pictures Heather sent me of Dahlia arrangements that caught her eye for the cocktail hour.

I definitely noticed a theme in Heather's pictures....Dahilas, Hydrangea, Orchids, and Calla's. Orchids are always available and their price stays pretty steady throughout the year. Dahlia, Hydrangea and Calla's are in season...so great choices heather! I plan on combining the elements in these pictures to create all of the floral elements for the wedding.

Centerpieces

The centerpieces will be on a tall trumpet vase...like the one here.

And will be a combination of the pictures below

This will be perfect for Heather's Bouquet

And for the bridesmaids bouquets I'm thinking of using hydrangea, callas, orchids, and

And boutonnieres will be orchids...

Really this is only the beginning...Heather has just started looking at pictures, but I am so excited and love what she's sent me so far!

Working on some estimates on this beautiful snowy day

I love snow and call me crazy, but I am disappointed we didn't get as much as they were calling for. My father on the other hand, who lives across the bay from Atlantic City, is digging himself out from almost 2 feet of snow! Lucky!

I'm taking the time since my hubby is outside clearing the driveway with my 2 year old 'helping' to get back to a few brides. And while writing to one realized I never posted the pictures from a wedding I did last February! So better late than never here they are.

This was my first time decorating a Chuppah. The bride wanted something simple to dress it up a little and since a main theme in her wedding was orchids I used white dendrobium orchids.

The Brides Bouquet was made of hydrangea, cymbidium orchids in white and green, and bear grass. She found and mailed me the studded buckles that were on all of the bouquets.

The Bridesmaids bouquets were a combination of orange and pink roses. And the MOH carried a bouquet of white hydrangea and white roses

The Boutonnieres and Corsages were also made of white and green cymbidium orchids

And wanting a centerpiece that the guest could continue to enjoy for months after the wedding

Phalaenopis orchid plants were flown in from Hawaii and placed in a vase with grey river rocks and moss.

Winter Break

So this is the slow time of the year in the land of weddings, but with the New Year comes new brides and I have several meetings in the first week of Jan to start things off.  I know I promised to make arrangements for the Holidays and post them, but time just got away from me and I haven't made it into NYC to the flower market (I know you understand!).  So as things start to pick up again in the New Year I'll be back in touch to let you know the trends my most recent brides are following.  Until then...Happy New Year!  

Flowers Uncut

A Reality show about florists?!

I'm sure that many to be brides and floral designers will be tuning in this week to TLC for the premiere episode of "Flowers Uncut", with Jeff Leatham.  I know I will be.  It seems that I am more wedding obsessed now than I was when I planned my own wedding! (I can't get enough of "Say Yes to the Dress"!)

Who is Jeff Leatham...you can click on the link above to see his flowery resume, but he has a pretty crazy clientele list, he did the flowers for Eva Longoria's wedding and designs for the Dali Lama  (hmmm those two people in the same sentence doesn't really jive does it?!).  In the teaser he says that you learn something new with each event....so true.  Every wedding I do I learn something that will help me to be more efficient or help me learn something new about floral design and how best to work with certain flowers.  I'm looking forward to being inspired.  Maybe you'll even get some ideas for your own wedding!   Happy viewing!  

My new favorite Color Palette

What a strange day for the end of October.  Saturday October 24th was a dreary, humid, rainy day...not the best weather for flowers...especially Ranunculus.  Their thin petals seemed to droop under the weight of the air.  Still I was pleased at how the flowers turned out, just wish they had been a little fuller.  And I can't forget the colors...It's my new favorite palette....Orange, blue, and white.  

A boutonniere of white ranunculus and blue hydrangea

A boutonniere of orange ranunculus

A corsage of white ranunculus

Bridesmaids Bouquets; orange ranunculus, freesia, and greens

Maid of Honor Bouquet;  orange and white ranunculus, blue hydrangea, and freesia

Brides Bouquet;  white ranunculus...simple and elegant

It was a bit of a harried morning.  In between making bouquets/boutonnieres and such I was feeding little 1 month old Kenzie.  So my husband was in charge of taking the pictures before we left.  He didn't get all the shots I usually do, but you can still get the idea.

For the reception the bride found these amazing vases, such an interesting shape, and perfect for a dramatic centerpiece of floating ranunculus and a table loaded with candles.  I wasn't there to see the final result but can just imagine how sparkling the room was with the candles reflecting off of the vase and the water.  I thought it would be a cute touch to place one single ranunc under the center portion.  Ranunculus under glass.  

Unfortunately I have no pictures of the centerpieces...in the rush of getting out of the house with baby...yes Kenzie was on the job...I forgot the camera.  It was her first gig...and last...it's only because I am nursing and she is so young.  Here is a link to the pic of the vase.  It measures 9 x 9 and was definitely big enough to make a statement without using a ton of flowers.

http://www.wholesaleglassvasesint.com/images/product/VCP0909-CL.gif

This winter will be a slow one, with my next event not until April.  Last winter I had at least 1 wedding per month, but this year...who knows, I think maybe the economy might be deterring some brides and grooms from making their wedding plans.  Anyway it might be for the best as Kenzie is so little and by April it will be much easier to leave her with a sitter while I work.  

Don't worry though ;)  I'll keep posting with floral designs I create in the mean time (the holidays are a really fun time for flowers) and any interesting ideas I come across.  

My Own Dahlia's

In Early Spring I had grand ideas of planting a cutting garden.  Off to Home Depot I went, planning and buying bulbs so I would have flowers all summer.

Early spring turned into late...then into summer...I guess I underestimated how much being pregnant would hinder my plans.  So in a last ditch effort my husband threw some bulbs into a dirt pile on the side of the house...and who knew they would actually bloom.  How gorgeous are they!

Maybe next spring I'll finish my cutting garden ;)

A Baby Shower

I created these designs for a mother to be.  The question was...boy or girl?  The colors were chosen to reflect this question.  

Unfotunetly this was my first unhappy client. My heart literally sank when I read her email outlining her discontent.   I liked the designs, and would never deliver something that I didn't think was up to par with what a client was looking for.  So here are the poor un-liked arrangements.  You can give me your feedback and let me know what you think!

(The roses were a bright pink, they show up red in the photos)

Check back next week for pictures of a ranunculus wedding I'm doing this weekend!