Personal Touches

There is nothing like getting to incorporate a little bit of the Bride and Groom' s personality into the flowers and decor. This is what makes it all about them. This is what makes it unique. This is what makes me as giddy as a 13 year old with preview tickets to see "New Moon."

I met with a bride a few months back who's fiance loves to race cars, so we decided to put little touches of black and white checkered flag ribbon on the boutonnieres. What a fun surprise for him.

I was assisting a fellow floral designer with a wedding this summer, and the Bride's Mother brought a hankerchief that was used at the Bride's Baptism. The hankie was pinned into the bridal bouquet. This is a great way to use an heirloom.

This past spring I had the honor of creating designs for a very special friend. Her ceremony was to be held outdoors, so I thought fluttery butterflies in some of the decor would be a fitting touch. When I asked her what she thought of this she said "I LOVE IT" and then told me a story that still gives me goosebumps. You see, her mother got a butterfly tattoo after her masectomy as part of her battle against breast cancer. Sadly, she did not win the battle. Both my friend and her sister got a butterfly tattoo after their mother had passed. I used about 5 dozen butterflies throughout, including miniature crystal ones in both her bouquet and the corsage that marked the Mother of the Bride's chair at the ceremony.

Many people don't realize that their personalities can be reflected in so many details. Be sure to let your floral designer know if there's something that you would like to showcase at your wedding and I'm sure they will come up with a fabulous way to display it.

Black and White and Gorgeous All Over

My current obsession is the black and white wedding. It can be goth, preppy, mysterious, comfortable, simple, intricate, classic or modern....or all of the above. It is always, however, dramatic and

gorgeous.

Whether you want something bold and graphic (think large spans of each color... like floor length white tablecloths with a shorter black overlay).

Or something soft and feminine (billowy white chiffon tied with a little black bow).

Maybe you like the vintage look of wing-tipped inspired shoes? The decidedly Parisian feel of a damask pattern? There's a black and white style for just about every personality.

But what about black and white for flowers, you ask? Well, there are no TRULY black flowers, but a few that come close, and most will look even closer to black in photos. Schwartzwalder mini callas are actually a very deep purplish-burgundy. They are available year-round for the most part, but in limited quantities and should be ordered well in advance with a second choice. Chocolate cosmos are a little more seasonal with a rich brownish burgundy color.

There is endless amount of white flowers available anytime of the year. Roses, hydrangea, and orchids are some of the most popular. There are even black AND white flowers. White gerbera daisies, for example, can be found with a black center and are widely available and quite affordable year round. White anemones can come with a velvety black center, but are much harder to find in the summer and autumn months.

If an accent color is being used with the black and white, the floral arrangements are a fabulous way to introduce this color. A monochromatic bouquet in red, fuschia, pink, yellow, orange, apple green, or violet will absolutely pop against black and white. As if it wasn't already dramatic enough...

My Wedding Flowers

Coming up on my first wedding anniversary, I have been thinking about the details of my own wedding last October. I had a blast planning everything and, of course, designing my own wedding flowers. This was, afterall, something I have looked forward to since I started working in a flower shop at the age of 15. My dream wedding flowers have changed approximately once a year since then.

How was I ever going to choose what blossoms to use when the time finally came? I knew that I would look back at my photos many times and think, "I wish I would have done ____ instead." So, I just accepted that was going to happen and picked out exactly what I wanted at that moment. So far, I have only thought of about 50 things that I could have done differently...ha ha ha. Here are some photos of what I chose last October.

I Heart Weddings

There have to be others out there like me. I love weddings. I mean REALLY love them. I love designing flowers for, planning, attending, talking about and even daydreaming about weddings. When a friend has attended one I love hearing about all the details. My pulse quickens a little when new issues of my favorite wedding magazines come in the mail. I spend countless hours poring over photos online, especially of gorgeous bouquets.

Well I have decided to embrace my inner wedding nerd and start a blog about the things I love most- weddings and flowers. And all I wanna know is...who's coming with me?