Welcome back to Wedding Bouquets - (Part 4 of 4)

"Bridal Bouquets - Different But Matched Set"

photos by bloomroom.ca

This Bride really wanted to try and individualize her Bridesmaids' bouquets, without straying too much from her colour scheme. In other words, she wanted the bouquets to be different, but the same?????

This is not always an easy request for a florist to fill, so I came up with these bouquets.

The Bridesmaids each had one type of flower in their bouquets - one had freesia, one roses, one lisianthus and one alstromeria - all in tones of purple. The Bride's bouquet had all four flower types, plus mini calla lilies and berries - a mixed display. The Bride's bouquet was symbolic, as it made her feel like she had a piece of each of her Bridesmaids along her walk down the aisle.

Here's another example...

This picture says it all !

As the Bride and Groom were posing for photos at the top of Grouse Mountain, an uninvited guest appeared in the background. Not only did Bambi stroll into the frame unexpectedly, but the precise moment for a pit stop became apparent.

Things will happen on your wedding day that you have no control over. This photo shows the Bride laughing it off, and the unexpected that MAY happen on your day could be more intense than this example, but remember - it is out of your control.

I often think that how a couple deals with their wedding - the planning of, and the experience of, is reflective of how their marriage will be.

Link: http://www.vignettesstudio.com/index.html

If you're looking for only the best, most creative designer for your wedding invitations, check out Lois Kelly at Vignettes Studio. Lois has been creating custom design work for Brides & Grooms for many years and has vast experience.

Vignettes offers expanded services to include place cards, menus, table numbers, thank-you cards, wine bottle labels and so much more. Your imagination can fly high and go places with Lois on your team.

If you are tired of seeing the same designs out there, and want to work with a professional that will help you design a unique and beautiful invitation that is a true reflection of you and your partner, look no further that Vignettes Studio.

Wedding Bouquets - (Part 3 of 4)
"The Seasons and and How They Effect Flower Choice"

The catch-phrase "seasonal flowers" suggests a non-flexible list of flowers available for your wedding. This may be true in certain parts of the world, where delivery of flowers and growers are limited, but in most cities, you probably have more choice available than you think.

Some Brides want roses, but make a comment on how expensive they are. During Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, yes.

But usually they are an average price compared to other blooms. Of course some flowers are not locally grown throughout the year - in Vancouver, for instance, tulips are available from about October - July at auction. August and September are not great months for tulips. Roses, mums and gerberas are readily grown all year, but lilac and peonies are only around during the spring months. But if you really want peonies in the winter, some wholesalers can order them in from New Zealand.

The great news is that yes, you will always get more bang for your buck if you choose seasonal flowers which indirectly means you are asking for a locally-grown product.

But why not ask your florist more questions on what they recommend? For instance, sometimes the cost per stem is reduced with a pre-determined minimum order amount. If your vision includes an "en masse" design of flowers of one type or colour, ask your florist if a reduced costs is possible if you order greater amounts.

If your floral designer is experienced, innovative and creative they should be able to better determine your choices and think outside the "seasonal box".

Check back next Friday for (Part 1 of 4) March series;
"Corsages, Flower Girls, Ringbearers & Boutonierres"

Link: http://www.bloomroom.com/FWnoonehchris.html

Check out the link to my website to see fabulous photos from Chris & Nooneh's wedding.

Lovely Laura at Magnolia Photographic was the great visionary behind the lens.

http://www.magnoliaphotographic.com/

Bride and Groom, Nooneh & Chris were favourites of mine (and of Laura the photographer). Thought I'd do a post to honour the safe and healthy arrival of little Ethan - congratulations Chris & Nooneh!

If you are considering creating your own wedding flowers instead of hiring a professional, read this!

I learned the hard way years ago when I wanted to do all my own flowers. We were married in my in-laws' garden on a lake and due to severe budget constraints, we chose to do the flowers in-house. What a mistake! It was so stressful - I ran out of flowers and had none for my own bouquet (subsequently I raided my Mother-in-Law's garden!), the weather was too hot and there was not adequate cold storage, plus the clean up and stains on my fingers made for a 4am wake-up to re-do my manicure.

Although nothing earth-shattering happened, I would NEVER recommend this situation to anyone.

If you don't have experience in this, make sure that your own wedding is not the testing ground.

Here are five things to consider if you are even remotely thinking of DIY for your Wedding Flowers;

1. Money & Time
You may save money, but you will be adding last minute time to your wedding prep. The last days and hours before
your wedding Ceremony are the most precious - time for bonding with family, enjoying the giggles and nerves with your best friends and making time to visit the out-of-towners.

2. Flower Conditioning
Do you know which blooms need what conditioning? What kind of food and stem treatment is required?

3. Storage Space
After you create the floral designs, where will you store them? What kind of cold storage is there, and is it a cooler or a fridge - there's a difference. If there are small children or pets around they can make fast work of a "handled or sniffed" bouquet!

4. Flower Sources
Experienced floral designers and florists will have established connections with growers and/or wholesalers. The professionals will know where the product comes from - which is important information. If you think that buying the flowers from a cheap source to save the money is a great idea - think again. You may be compromising the quality of the flowers.

5. Transport
You may need extra trucks or vans to use as transport. There will need to be an emergency-flower-kit in place in case of a problem or glitch - will you know how to fix these problems such as repairing numerous broken stems that have not transported well?

Whatever your situation is that is steering you towards a DIY Wedding flower display, be realistic and remember that it is not a project to be taken on by the faint of heart.

photo: Lisa Petkau

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to my Michelangelo,

I first knew of you during my "pink" stage - way back when I was about five years old. We had not met yet, but I knew there was someone special out there just for me. Learning about Princesses, Princes and fairy tales, the impression of you was deep. One day there would be someone to take care of me, be part of my team, step up to defend me, catch me when I fall, kiss my tears away, save me from the evil in the world, smile when I needed it most and love me.

You are truly my knight in shining armor and I cannot imagine one day without you.

Happy Valentine's Day my love - for now and always, M

Wedding Bouquets - (Part 2 of 4)
"Seven Ideas on How To Personalize Your Bouquets"

There are so many ways to personalize your bouquets.

Here are my top seven ideas;

1. Choose your favorite flower or a particular bloom that is important to you.

It could be the type of flowers he gave you the very first time he gave you flowers. Or incorporate a flower type that was used in each of your Mom's Bridal bouquets - even if that is not your favorite bloom, maybe tuck a few into the bouquet somewhere to honour your Moms.

2. Heirloom fabrics - lace, ribbon, handkerchief or trim - use these in your Bouquet.

I had a Bride that wanted me to incorporate her Great-Grandmother's "love knots". The "love knots" were small rosette-like knots tied along strands of silk ribbon. They were very old and dear to the Bride, so I made sure to add them at the last minute so as not to over handle them. I mixed them in with current-day ribbon to tendril down from the base of the bouquet. The Bride loved that in her own special way, her Great-Grandmother was with her as she walked down the aisle.

3. Fresh blooms from the garden of someone special in your life.

Ask your floral designer if you can bring a few stems of blooms from your garden, or a garden of someone that you want to include in your day in a special way. Not all floral designers will welcome this idea for the entire bouquet, but it is worth asking. If you like this idea them make sure the garden blooms are a good fit with your bouquet type. For instance, wild fennel seed from a friend's vegie patch may not fit in well with the formal bouquet design you've always wanted!

4. Assemble your bouquet as you walk down the aisle.

An extension on idea number three (above), this works well for the Bride's bouquet. As you walk down the aisle, choose 8 or so people who you are close with and have them sit right at the aisle. Each will pass you a single bloom as you travel down the aisle - or possible fewer people with mini bouquets. When you arrive at the Altar, you'll have a nice bunch of blooms. Have the Mother's finish the bouquets off with beautiful satin ribbon so all the blooms stay tied together.

5. Monogram the Bouquets.

As a surprise for her Bridesmaids, there was a Bride who asked me to bead the initials of the Bridesmaids. If your floral designer does not provide this service, ask one of your family members or friends who are "crafty" or like to sew. You can choose a wide range of beads and add crystals or sparkles for that extra wow.

6. Customize the bouquets with names of individual maids.

If you like the idea of the monogram, but want a more subtle show of thanks to your Bridesmaids, try a beautiful hand-written card with their name. I mentioned this in a previous post - check out the photo!

http://blog.bloomroom.ca/admin.php?ctrl=items&blog=1&p=21

7. Add jewelry to your bouquets.

Get family members or close friends to donate some of their costume jewelry to use in your Bridal bouquet. If Grandma has a gorgeous brooch, wire it up and give it to your floral designer to add as a single accent of sparkle in your bouquet. Consider having a party with your Bridesmaids to make crystal & bead strands. Get creative with your bead choice and run the idea by your floral designer - they may want you to wire the bead strands in a certain way so they easily fit into the bouquet design.

Check back next Friday for Part Three "The Seasons and and How They Effect Flower Choice"

This fabulous beach in Tofino, BC on Vancouver Island was the setting for a fun wedding a few years back. It was a crisp and sunny May weekend when the Bride and Groom tied the knot! The Ceremony took place in the late afternoon after a sports day on the sand with all the family members participating.

BloomRoom scattered rose petals (blocked by the wind by the guests forming a circle), and dug "mini bouquets" into the sand. We also added some hurricane candles (a good idea to deflect the wind that you often experience on the beach). We transferred the hurricane candles to the gust tables at the Reception (a great way to double-up and reduce costs!).

Of course we had sand in the hurricanes to
keep the candles anchored, so the beach stayed with the guests as they devoured their seafood supper.

Floral Designers: Studio Based vs. Retail Stores

There are many floral designers out there.
We usually fall into one of two categories; retail or studio based.

Here’s some positives and negatives of both...

Retail florists range from your corner store that provides flowers to go to the high end floral shop with all the latest trends and funk. Retailers can offer a vast array of flowers to “play” with in your first meeting. They have the blooms at their fingertips and in their coolers to show you what certain combinations look like. They usually deal in volume, so sometimes the costs can be less for wedding flowers. Add these plusses to their established and continual relationships to wholesalers, and it could be a winning combination for you.....But with floral designers that are retail based, know this - they can be BUSY, BUSY, BUSY with their regular store orders and walk-ins.

They may miss the finer details necessary for a fabulous show of flowers the day of your wedding. Retail florists may also have limited times they can meet. Some retail florists offer delivery only for wedding flowers and no set up or transfer from ceremony to reception of your flowers. If you are considering a retail florist to design your wedding flowers, make sure that they have vast experience in weddings - from on site set up, to transport of volume (vs. just one of arrangements), set up for weddings are a highly specialized skill.

Studio based floral designers usually have private, by-appointment only spaces where they meet with clients and create their designs. Some do not have regular flower stock to show you, and if they are a newer business with fewer years of established relations with wholesalers and growers, then you may not get the cheapest price. Many studio based floral designers are specialists in their niche (ie, special events &/or weddings only) and do not offer services or designs for walk-ins. This means they usually will have more time to spend with you - many will offer after hours and weekend meeting times - a BIG plus when you are planning your wedding. Another plus with a studio based designer is that they will most likely have vast “onsite” experience at different venues for weddings.

Fridays in February Will Be Dedicated to Wedding Bouquets!

Welcome to Part One....
Wedding Bouquets (Part 1 of 4)
"Does The Size & Style of Your Bouquet Match Your Body Type ?"

Little thought is given to a Bride's or Bridesmaid's body type when it comes to size and style of bouquets.

More generous-bodied women should stay away from overly large bouquets, as well as cascade styles. Likewise if you are average-bodied but larger-boned. These body types may appear wider and less sleek with large bouquets - the emphasis of the floral volume will only be enhanced and not minimized to the average eye. Try a hand-tied or posy design between 8" - 10" diameter.

Petite frames should stick with smaller posy designs - approx. 6" - 8" diameter, and a cascade style will also look great, if it is not too long.

Hourglass figures can carry well a larger bouquet or a cascade design.

And what about that dress design? Is your dress full length, tea length, mermaid style, off the shoulders, strapless, princess style or what ?????? Here's a few hints for bouquet styles and dresses...

Mermaid Style Dress- Pageant style simple clutch of tall calla lilies
Princess Style Dress with full skirt and fitted bodice - posy or handtied
A-line Dress - cascade or posy style bouquet

Remember to keep the style of your dress reflected in your bouquet.

A formal dress with oodles of crinoline, a Cathedral length veil and train will most likely not look great with a small bunch of gerberea daisies which suggests more of an informal look. Likewise, a garden theme wedding with a tea length dress seems to say "mixed floral bouquet" and not pavee of roses.

At the end of the day, anything is do-able, as long as your Floral Designer is on board with your style.

Check back next Friday for Part Two of Wedding Bouquets "Seven Ideas on How To Personalize Your Bouquets"

Let’s talk Bridezilla.

Bridezilla: I dislike the term, plain and simple.

It conjures up images of Brides running around like screaming mimis - yelling, pouting and bearing their “all about me attitude” in its most raw state. A couple of years ago there was a special TV documentary on Bridezillas. I tuned in and watched as vendors were put in their place, family members found themselves in the eye of the storm and the Brides went ballistic when the smallest of things went wrong. A bunch of spoiled brats and princesses darted across the screen. The whole premise of the show made me cringe so I promptly turned it off.

I have never met a Bridezilla (as depicted in the TV documentary) - I’m lucky - in close to 17 years I’ve had minimal moronic spastics as clients. But I'll be honest - there have been a few along the way that have worn on my patience.

I had a few quick conversations with other Wedding Vendors about this and here's what they came up with - five qualities that may suggest a "less-than-desirable-Bride".

In the broadest sense, Brides considered high maintenance are ones who exhibit the following behaviour(s);

1. They are always late to appointments...
This excuses the five or ten minute latecomers - I'm talking 20 minutes plus...

2. They have champagne tastes on a beer budget...
You have to start somewhere in your vision for your Wedding - but be realistic...if you know that a $ 10K budget for your Wedding Flowers is not possible, then don't expect the "Preston Bailey" over the top designer look...

3. They are inflexible
Allow yourself to think outside of the box and really listen to your vendor's suggestions - we are professionals and may have a great idea to save you time and money...

4. They demand alot of your time....
Remember that most Wedding Vendors have multiple clients and in order for us to best service all our clients, time is valuable....as is your time...

5. They can’t make up their mind on anything....
This usually happens to a small degree with most Brides, especially in the beginning stages of organizing - at some point you need to decide on things...

Of course all of us have exhibited some of these traits at some point in our lives, but the accumulation of this energy prevents us vendors of doing our absolute BEST for you Brides. There is an Art to bringing together your Vendors, style, vision and long list of wants for your Wedding, without it becoming a stressful exercise.

photo: BloomRoom.ca

Some Reception venues have limited seating which can, in turn lead to your number of guests as maximum for the space. This sometimes results in the venue using narrow tables to increase the number of seats.

This picture shows a simple and classy dendrobien orchid with a curled bit of green leaf. They are showcased in a narrow vase that doesn't take up any excess space on the table top, yet the simple centerpiece still makes a statement.

The use of a clear glass vase (vs. a ceramic or solid container/vase) also adds to the non-cluttered feel.

I have so many stories and observations about family members and the shenanigans associated with family dynamics when it comes to planning a wedding. This post may shock many of you, but it is written after many years of shifting my thinking on this topic...and it has taken me a long time to get to this opinion, so please be kind...

Eventually I will share many tidbits, but here’s a thought for you to ponder;

How much consideration should you give to your family’s opinions and ideas for your wedding?

My answer is simple: more than you think you should!

Or at least try to. Here’s why;

When you have difficult times in your marriage, your parents, siblings, aunties etc, will be the people who help you through it all. They are with you through thick and thin. I know some of you out there will be screaming at the screen whilst reading my words. And yes, I KNOW it’s the Bride’s day and I KNOW that you are not marrying your in-laws.....But, after almost two decades of this industry and hearing about the lives of my clients post-wedding, I truly believe that Brides & Grooms shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the opinions of their families.

This happens alot in my consultations with Brides and Grooms (usually with MOB and MOG). I’m constantly amazed at how many Brides and Grooms shut down all ideas from their families (at least SOME of the interactions I see).

Think of it this way - in ten years, will it really matter how many layers the cake was, or the exact number of orchids in your bouquet? But in ten years will your relationship with your family will still matter?

Maybe what I really mean to say is one word: compromise.