Fall is bittersweet for a wedding florist... it's a welcome rest after summer's craziness and a chance to catch up on things like photos, notes, receipts, cough*blogging*cough - but with the next large event booked months away, it gives me that panicky "what am I going to do with myself???" feeling! Luckily, my behemoth "to-do" list quickly chases those feelings away.
While I sift through the remains of a busy wedding season, here's some recommended reading:
Bride&Bloom magazine on why not to DIY your flowers
Please note that I love to help DIY brides get things done in a sane fashion, but there are some situations in which DIY is just not going to end in fabulous flowers with no tears! Always, always ask someone with real experience to help you plan your project... preferably me! :)
Holly Chapple of the Full Bouquet on what a fully committed wedding professional looks like
This is what I strive towards as a wedding & event professional... well said, Holly!
Holly Chapple (again) on how to stay on a flower budget
Thank you, Holly, for saying what we couldn't figure out how to (tactfully) communicate! A floral designer will know how to give you the most for your money, but you might need to let go of absolutes (Hate carnations? Me too... but they can be used to add glorious texture and color in ways that hide all of their pedestrian carnation-ness. Yes, that's a word... now.) and embrace substitutes (I promise that no one, save possibly Grandma, knows that all the fluffy goodness in a bouquet comes from huge mums and lisiantus rather than peonies and roses). Come with as many examples of the look/feel you're after, and let your trusted floral designer figure out the details.
last but not least, Seattle Met's "Secret Lives of Floral Designers"
Don't miss the very last interview... been there, done that (and almost enough time has passed to laugh about it... almost.)
I tend to leave the photography to the experts (there's a reason I'm a florist, not a photographer!) which results in amazing pictures... but quite a long wait for them :( I'm praying that each wedding's photographers finish up quickly, so I can share this summer's designs!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Meet this summer's couples!
Dave reminded me recently that I NEED to update my blog... he's 100% right!
I've been spending much of this winter/spring helping him build his house - check out icfbuild.blogspot.com to check our progress. When I'm not tiling or assembling cabinets in the wrong order, though, I'm preparing for this summer's events. I am SO excited about allllll my lovely brides and their beautiful weddings! Here's a sampler...
B&H, a couple who met later in life are planning a gorgeous smaller wedding at one of my favorite paces in the world - Welch Village (okay, okay, it's only one of my favorites when it's snowing, but I'm super excited to see how it transforms into a beautiful wedding venue). We'll be using a striking combination of yellow tulips and royal blue delphinium for the elegant personal flowers, and then giving a nod to their bright, fun personalities (he's a kids pastor!) with vibrant crazy daisies in a rainbow of neon colors for the reception!
B&A, a friend God delivered to me in some very unlikely circumstances and the love of her life met each other as college lab partners. We're using a combination of romantic, fluffy Minnesota-grown peonies and a splash of modern, fresh bright green hypericum. Table centerpieces follow one of my favorite trends (it's been around long enough that I'm not really sure this should be called a trend, actually?) and incorporate Granny Smith apples. I've been thinking about this wedding for probably two years now (oh come on girls, you've thought about friends weddings wayyyy too much too, admit it!) and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. Oh yes, for this wedding... I'll be a bridesmaid, as well as the florist! Potential for disaster: high. Lets hope all my advance planning does its job!
C&S went to high school together, but didn't have much in common until God brought them together years later. The bride chose a gorgeous but nontraditional dress, and we're taking our style cues from it! Their wedding in my hometown will use a natural mix of cream, buttery yellow, and sage green tones while staying as fluffy as flowers can get. Stay tuned this summer for pictures of the oh-so-cute dessert centerpieces, with a little floral touch.
S&B will have been dating 7 (that's S E V E N!) years when they tie the knot this summer. They're an incredible example of loving each other "for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health" and their hope and grace is astounding. B has a particularly nasty brand of cancer - prayer warriors, do your thing! Their outdoor ceremony on the shores of Gull Lake will use saturated oranges and purples, including calla lilies and Gerbera daisies. I'm secretly a little jealous... so far this event is sounding like my secret dream wedding! I'm looking forward to living vicariously through these two :)
K&W met after more frustrations than one girl should have to endure, relationship-wise, and it's obvious their coupling was more than worth the wait! The mister is my most involved groom this year (in fact, I think he's the only groom I've heard discuss flowers?) and I'm looking forward to the challenge of getting creative within a smaller budget (no, I'm not being sarcastic - I love it!). We're using royal blues (so you know delphinium is making an appearance!) and bright oranges. In addition to being a FANTASTIC contrasting color scheme, blue&orange makes me feel right at home... goooooo Flying Dutchmen!
There you have it - a sampling of my next 6 months. With clients and events like this... I can't wait!
I've been spending much of this winter/spring helping him build his house - check out icfbuild.blogspot.com to check our progress. When I'm not tiling or assembling cabinets in the wrong order, though, I'm preparing for this summer's events. I am SO excited about allllll my lovely brides and their beautiful weddings! Here's a sampler...
B&H, a couple who met later in life are planning a gorgeous smaller wedding at one of my favorite paces in the world - Welch Village (okay, okay, it's only one of my favorites when it's snowing, but I'm super excited to see how it transforms into a beautiful wedding venue). We'll be using a striking combination of yellow tulips and royal blue delphinium for the elegant personal flowers, and then giving a nod to their bright, fun personalities (he's a kids pastor!) with vibrant crazy daisies in a rainbow of neon colors for the reception!
B&A, a friend God delivered to me in some very unlikely circumstances and the love of her life met each other as college lab partners. We're using a combination of romantic, fluffy Minnesota-grown peonies and a splash of modern, fresh bright green hypericum. Table centerpieces follow one of my favorite trends (it's been around long enough that I'm not really sure this should be called a trend, actually?) and incorporate Granny Smith apples. I've been thinking about this wedding for probably two years now (oh come on girls, you've thought about friends weddings wayyyy too much too, admit it!) and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. Oh yes, for this wedding... I'll be a bridesmaid, as well as the florist! Potential for disaster: high. Lets hope all my advance planning does its job!
C&S went to high school together, but didn't have much in common until God brought them together years later. The bride chose a gorgeous but nontraditional dress, and we're taking our style cues from it! Their wedding in my hometown will use a natural mix of cream, buttery yellow, and sage green tones while staying as fluffy as flowers can get. Stay tuned this summer for pictures of the oh-so-cute dessert centerpieces, with a little floral touch.
S&B will have been dating 7 (that's S E V E N!) years when they tie the knot this summer. They're an incredible example of loving each other "for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health" and their hope and grace is astounding. B has a particularly nasty brand of cancer - prayer warriors, do your thing! Their outdoor ceremony on the shores of Gull Lake will use saturated oranges and purples, including calla lilies and Gerbera daisies. I'm secretly a little jealous... so far this event is sounding like my secret dream wedding! I'm looking forward to living vicariously through these two :)
K&W met after more frustrations than one girl should have to endure, relationship-wise, and it's obvious their coupling was more than worth the wait! The mister is my most involved groom this year (in fact, I think he's the only groom I've heard discuss flowers?) and I'm looking forward to the challenge of getting creative within a smaller budget (no, I'm not being sarcastic - I love it!). We're using royal blues (so you know delphinium is making an appearance!) and bright oranges. In addition to being a FANTASTIC contrasting color scheme, blue&orange makes me feel right at home... goooooo Flying Dutchmen!
There you have it - a sampling of my next 6 months. With clients and events like this... I can't wait!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
January housekeeping... AKA no, I have not fallen off the face of the earth.
I know I've been absent for a while, but I'm cooking up some posts on planning & budget that I hope will be really helpful for you guys. I've got 2047 irons in the fire these days - classes, planning for this summer's weddings, and helping the boy build his new house! Be patient just a bit longer, or email me if you want to see my work-in-progress :)
Most of my work in the last couple months has been sympathy arrangements, so no pictures... I know, I'll have to get over this at some point, but for now blogging about these personal tributes is just too weird. Strangely enough I really do like sympathy work, especially when I'm given special requests. I love the challenge of representing a person or a relationship using nothing but flowers, color, shape, and the occasional ribbon. Being a florist is a unique occupation in that we see the heights of human emotion (joy on a wedding day, tears at the loss of a loved one, excitement of a new dad) more often than most, and it never ceases to make me feel thankful to be alive.
Last but not least, a plug for a venue -
FINALLY, an event space in Rochester with some character. Brides, if your guest list totals less than 100, check out Studio 324. I can't wait to decorate this space! Wood floors, brick walls, high ceilings... I'm in love.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Luke & Macai - August 2010
I was so blessed to be able to go visit my Michigan "family" this past week - as the saying goes, friends are the family you get to choose :) and the time I spent with my dear chosen family was priceless.
I realized today that I forgot to show off last summer's big wedding - both to them, and you!
On August 14, my home church came together to celebrate the marriage of our pastors' children... that's right, plural! Macai (daughter of our outreach pastor) and Luke (son of our former senior pastor) invited the entire church to witness their vows and dance the night away. It was an incredibly touching ceremony with both pastor dads officiating, and behind the scenes it was amazing to see the way people came out of the woodwork to help make Luke & Macai's day a fairytale. As you can imagine, a wedding with an open guest list presents some unique challenges (floral centerpieces on a budget for 700 people, anyone?) but the entire church came together to execute it beautifully.
My childhood friend Colin Cabalka happens to be one of the most talented wedding videographers I'll ever have the opportunity to work with. (We've come a long way from the snowboarding hooligans that terrorized the local slopes on weekends!) He captured Luke & Macai's day from beginning to end, and put together the most incredible video that wraps it all up in just a few minutes and ties it together with a sweet bow. Check it out!
I realized today that I forgot to show off last summer's big wedding - both to them, and you!
On August 14, my home church came together to celebrate the marriage of our pastors' children... that's right, plural! Macai (daughter of our outreach pastor) and Luke (son of our former senior pastor) invited the entire church to witness their vows and dance the night away. It was an incredibly touching ceremony with both pastor dads officiating, and behind the scenes it was amazing to see the way people came out of the woodwork to help make Luke & Macai's day a fairytale. As you can imagine, a wedding with an open guest list presents some unique challenges (floral centerpieces on a budget for 700 people, anyone?) but the entire church came together to execute it beautifully.
My childhood friend Colin Cabalka happens to be one of the most talented wedding videographers I'll ever have the opportunity to work with. (We've come a long way from the snowboarding hooligans that terrorized the local slopes on weekends!) He captured Luke & Macai's day from beginning to end, and put together the most incredible video that wraps it all up in just a few minutes and ties it together with a sweet bow. Check it out!
Luke and Macai | Letters of Love from Colin Cabalka on Vimeo.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)