Elements of Inspiration

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Elements of Inspiration   

   

Amy's bridal bouquet rests on black & white Toile tablecloth at reception.

Amy

   
 Have you ever wandered through a fabric store admiring all of the colors, patterns and textures of textiles? Or walked through a craft store to spot beads of all colors and values of light? Perhaps you wandered through a garden center and mused over the beautiful shapes and forms of leaves, the immense and varied color palette of roses in bloom or the textures of succulents.

 September bride Amy Hawley did just that when she mused and dreamed of flowers for her wedding day. Amy was married on Saturday, September 5, 2009, to Brandon Heydt. The wedding ceremony was held at Lake Murray Presbyterian Church at 6:30 p.m. followed by a reception at Pine Island Club.  

 When I first met Amy she had a specific vision of colors, pattern and elements she wanted to incorporate in her floral designs. She was assisted by her dear friend Beth Austin who introduced Amy to me. I love referrals! I designed wedding flowers for Beth’s daughter Leslie approximately two years ago. How time flies! We had such a wonderful time planning Leslie’s wedding and now we were together again to help Amy’s wedding dreams come true.   

First element: Ribbon – Amy loved black and white toile pattern. She located a # 40 (2 ½” width) ribbon with a beautiful black and white toile pattern to be used to wrap around the bridesmaids bouquets.

 The bridesmaid dresses were a solid black colored tea length gown.   

*Note: The colors black, espresso brown and sage green are all considered neutrals and are a perfect building block when working with wedding colors.

 

 

 

 Second element: Feathers – Black and red feathers were used to create unique boutonnieres for the men in the wedding party and were incorporated in the bridesmaids’ bouquets and Amy’s bridal bouquet. The bridesmaids’ bouquets were designed in a classic hand-tied bouquet style and created with ‘Black Magic’ red roses and red and black feathers. ‘Black Magic’ roses are a rich, deep, velvety colored rose with 30-40 petals per bloom. The color symbolizes “passion and love.”      

 

  Third element: Crystals – Amy’s beautiful bridal gown was accented with iridescent crystals and silver beading. The fresh ‘Akito’ white roses in her hand-tied bouquet were intermingled with white, black, and red feathers and beautiful clear crystals that captured the light both in the church and outside for exterior photos. ‘Akito’ is a beautiful white rose that has 30-40 petals per bloom and symbolizes “innocence & purity.” Photographers Josh & Aaron Moore, http://www.joshuaaaronphotography.com/ captured the magic of Amy and Brandon’s day with beautiful, professional photography.  

 

Beautiful bouquets surround classic, elegant wedding cake.

Beautiful bouquets surround classic, elegant wedding cake.

 

 

Wedding Cake by Charlotte Rhett. http://www.charlottescakes.shutterfly.com/

Kristen & Kyle’s Wedding

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Gerbera & Hydrangea Bouquets

Gerbera & Hydrangea Bouquets

Gerbera & Hydrangea Bouquets – Gerbera daisies offer a big pop of color when used in bouquets and centerpieces. The Gerberas ordered for Kristen’s wedding were grown on a farm named Everbloom located in Carpinteria, CA and the spray roses were flown in from Discovery farm in Bogata, Colombia.

Customers are always amazed at how well flowers travel around the world. For an in depth study on the flower market from grower to retailer consider reading Amy Stewart’s book, “Flower Confidential”.
Gerberas can be very susceptible to bacteria so adding a few drops of bleach to the water will help the gerbera hydrate efficiently and behave beautifully in special event designs. If gerberas are hydrated properly they can be wonderful flowers to use in arrangements.
 
Gerberas are so colorful! Just think of a box of Crayola crayons and replace the crayons with gerberas – amazingly beautiful colors! Some Gerberas are large, some are small which are called, ‘Germani’. Some have a large “eye” or center of the flower, some eyes are small, some are a pale color and some have a layer of smaller petals in the center of the flower surrounded by larger petals. If you wish to use Gerbera’s in your wedding or special event, a professional florist will have photos and examples of several types of gerbera’s to help you decide what color, size and style you wish to use. Hydrangeas are the perfect “frame” & accent to use  with gerberas in a bridal or bridesmaid bouquet.
 
Hydrangeas are available in a variety of colors. You can either select a naturally grown color hydrangea such as blue, pink, green/pink or lavender, or a professional florist can air brush a hydrangea bloom the color of your choice. The rounded shape  of a hydrangea compliments any other flower you wish to select for your flower recipe.
A flower recipe is your choice of one, two, three or more flowers and foliages that are designed to create  your custom created floral bouquet or centerpiece.  Kristen selected a bouquet similar to her bridesmaid bouquets but added white cymbidium orchids to her bouquet for a classic, elegant bridal touch.
 
 
Kristen's Bridal Bouquet

Kristen

I deliver all of my bride’s bouquet orders in clear glass cylinder vases to keep the flowers hydrated before and after the wedding. At the end of the evening, the bridesmaids can pick up their vases and bouquets to take home and enjoy them all week. Kristen’s photographer who has provided the photo’s shown in this blog were by

Jessie Shealy
Shealy Photography
www.shealyphotography.com
 
 
Gerberas on wedding cake

Gerberas on wedding cake

 

 

 

 

Kristen carried the color scheme on her wedding cake with accents of fresh Hot pink Gerberas and white cymbidium orchids. The textures and colors against the buttery white wedding cake is scrumptuous!

A Bride’s Portrait Session

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Jenny's Bridal Portrait Bouquet

Jenny

Planning and coordinating a bridal portrait session is a favorite event most Southern Bride’s look forward to when purchasing their dress, selecting a bridal bouquet of beautiful fresh flowers, glittering jewelry, perfect make up and hair style and a photographer to capture it all. The completed professional framed portrait is usually set up on an easel at the wedding reception for friends and family to enjoy.

There are many benefits to planning and preparing for a bridal portrait session. It allows the bride to see her wedding ensemble all together and be able to change or tweak elements that may need attention so that her wedding day will flow effortlessly.

A bride must contact and coordinate many professionals for this portrait date. The photographer, makeup artist, hair stylist, florist and venue manager must all be contacted and a date agreed upon that will work well for everyone’s schedule.

The cost of a fresh custom designed bridal bouquet is often more expensive than on the wedding day because the florist has to specially order specific flowers that are sold in minimum stem count quantities. This cost is a bit less during the wedding event because a florist will factor in all of the flowers to be used in corsages, boutonnieres, bouquets, centerpieces, etc. Often a florist will charge the bride the same amount as the price of the bouquet that was quoted for her wedding day as a professional courtesy. Specialty flowers such as callas, orchids, specific colored roses, stephanotis, tropical flowers, etc. must be ordered by your florist 10 – 14 days in advance.

Jenny Fallon, our beautiful bride shown in this blog had met with her photographer Brantley Freeman www.AllDressedUpPhotography.com, at the historical Lace House (http://lacehouse.sc.gov/)located in Columbia, SC for her portrait session. The lovely black lace iron work of the gates and fences, beautiful large water fountain and mature plantings of magnolia, crape myrtle and ivy make it a perfect venue for weddings, receptions and bridal portrait sessions.

Jenny selected fresh, indigo blue colored hydrangeas and white cymbidium orchids styled in a hand-tied bouquet for her bridal bouquet. Professional photographer Brantley captured the beauty of Jenny’s eyes in a flirtatous moment as she enjoys inhaling the floral aromatherapy of her bouquet.

4th of July Pop!

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Fourth of July Wedding

Fourth of July Wedding

 

Summer is a wonderful time to celebrate a wedding especially if your venue is on the shores of Lake Murray, SC. Kristi and Dan’s family and guests gathered at Dan’s Aunt’s home located on Lake Murray to share their vows with each other and enjoy a “famously hot” 4th of July to be remembered forever. Wedding Planner, Melanie Murphy  provided all of the expertise to make sure that all the bride,her family and guests had to do was to relax, laugh, drink, eat, celebrate and enjoy this happy day.

 

 

Kristi and bridesmaids

Kristi and bridesmaids

Kristi and her bridesmaids selected a claret red colored dress for the bridesmaids to wear. Cool white Hydrangeas and white cymbidium orchids with red colored throats were the perfect compliment for the bridesmaid dresses. Kristi loved the same flower and color combination for her personal bridal bouquet. You may think that Hydrangeas are too fragile for a summer wedding but today’s grower’s are producing hardy blooms and with proper hydration and care, hydrangeas are the perfect flower for weddings year-round.
 
Native to Tropical Asia and Australia, Cymbidium orchids have thick, waxy petals and are 1″ – 5″ in diameter. They come in a variety of colors and on average bloom once a year per plant. They are available year-round. Currently, Orchids have a renewed popularity in special event and wedding designs because of their beautiful colors and graceful style.
 
 
 
The Groom and groomsmen boutonniere’s were designed with a white rose, red hypericum berries (common name: coffee berry) and a lemon leaf. Hypericum berries are the perfect accent when you want just a hint of color in a corsage, boutonniere or centerpiece.
 
Kristi’s adorable flower girl carried a white flower girl basket adorned with red ribbons and filled with red petals and a petite hairband with a simple miniature red rose attached.
 
The natural, fresh air “aisle” was embellished with fresh white rose petals.
 
Kristi and Dan’s wedding cake was adorned with a spiral of fresh cymbidium orchids. This cake was not only beautiful but also very memorable as her aunt was their special baker.