Welcome to the final entry in Bloom Room's series of "Wedding Reception Flowers"

Today I thought we'd chat about those forgotten places at your Wedding Reception that may warrant that extra something to brighten them up - Window Sills, Mantles and Stairwells. The general rule of thumb to remember is less is more, and if you have a horrid stairwell that your Wedding guests must pass through to arrive at your Reception, sometimes decorating the heck out of it is not the answer. You will only be bringing attention to that space, and if that is not your intention, then don't do it.

Think about what function the space in question will hold for your guests - is it a pass through only, a place where they may spend minimal time? Or is the space one in which your guests will have more time in?

The three examples I have in the photos below show various floral designs for accent, as a focus and as a guide for Wedding guests. The mantle sat behind the head table and needed something for accent only. The window sill at this Wedding needed more than an accent, as the space acted as the Ceremony area and the dance floor later that evening. And the pears in the vases were placed on this stairwell to guide the Wedding guests in the right direction.

photo: bloomroom.com

photo: bloomroom.com

photo: Jennifer Houghton Photography

Check Back next friday for Bloom Room's new series; "Wedding Centerpieces"
The "Wedding Centerpieces Series" will be posted every Friday in August and September

Who Cleans Up After The Wedding?

The answer depends mostly on the venue of choice, and what type of Wedding you have had. When checking out possible venues, ask the important question of who is responsible for clean up at the end of the evening. Most venues will clearly state in their contract what clean up they will do, and if any extra clean up is involved, what their hourly rate is.

Something simple and sweet as rose petals, for instance, is the responsibility of the client to clean up, in some venues. Other venues just don't allow rose petals to be placed or tossed. If you gather up a gang of friends to hang fabric, ribbon or place other decor items, be very clear with the venue on what is allowed - are you allowed to use tape only? push pins? Are there any restrictions on decor you can use?

As a precaution, you may want to assign a friend or two who will stay until the very end of the evening and do a walk around of the venue - inside and outside - to look for any misplaced items, and gather up all of your items.

Here's a quick top five list of five things you should have ready for your out-of-town Wedding guests, upon their arrival.

1. Map
Give them a map of the immediate area they are staying in, as well as map for the Wedding Day. Include the locations of the Wedding Ceremony and Wedding Reception, and any other important locales such as the next day brunch.

2. Phone Number List
A list of all important phone numbers. Include emergency numbers just in case, and phone numbers for your Wedding Coordinator or go-to person.

3. Directions
If your guests are not too familiar with their surroundings, directions written out in bullet or point form, from their Hotel to Wedding function locales can be a good thing! You may want to include approximate travel times between each venue.

4. Copy of Your Wedding Invitation
Don't assume that in the last minute panic of getting out of town, that your all guests remembered to pack their Wedding invitation. By including another one, they can rest assured that they have all the important info regarding time and place at the ready.

5. Itinerary
A nicely presented itinerary of the weekend, that can be tucked into a purse or pocket allows your guests to access the information at their fingertips. Upon arrival, your out-of-town guests may appreciate a quick look ahead as to what and where is expected of them.

The Guest Book area of your Wedding Reception is usually the first impression that your guests will have of the celebration to come. Even if you are not having a traditional guest book - maybe you've opted for a "Wishing Tree", photo table or signature book - it is important to have at least an accent of floral design that welcomes your guests.

Some Brides want to place their Bridal bouquets here, to re-purpose and save money by not having to get another floral arrangement.....BUT typically you will be arriving AFTER your guests get there, so the timing just doesn't work. If you going to toss your bouquet (yes, it is very traditional and some say dated....), then your guest book is a good place to have your toss bouquet. It can fulfill two parts and you only pay once.

Below there are a few examples of guest book tables.

Check Back next friday for Part 9 of 9 of "Wedding Reception Flowers" - Mantles, Window Sills & Stairwells
The "Wedding Reception Flowers Series" is posted every Friday in June & July

Here's one of my favourite summer flowers to design with....HYDRANGEAS!

Hydrangeas come in whites, blues, pinks and purples - and a full range of inbetween these hues. The soil acidity determines the colour, and if you plan ahead and work with a grower of hyrdrangeas, they can play with the acid level and the results can be gorgeous!

Hydrangeas are best designed en masse with minimal or (better yet) no other flowers.

They can make a big visual impact massed in funky containers, traditional vases or country buckets - their versatility is endless. Remember though, that hydrangeas need to stay well hydrated with special solutions that your floral designer will know about. Even if you put them in water right away, if their stem capillaries aren't fully open, they won't absorb the water and the next thing you know the flowers will be wilted.

If masses of hydrangeas is on your Wedding design board, make sure your floral designer has experience working with them!

Often I will get asked by clients to do some extra set up at the Wedding Reception. One task that pops up frequently is the placement on the guest tables, of the place cards. The Brides want each guest in an exact seat, at a particular table at the venue.

No problem!
But...I advise my Brides of the way I expect the information to be dropped off to me prior to the Wedding. This will sound super deluxe intense, but so far there have been no mistakes!

1. Each, individual table needs to have a clear, Ziploc bag assigned to it, with the corresponding table number written clearly on the outside. For instance, 20 Guest Tables and one Head Table will result in my having 21 bags.

2. In each bag is a piece of paper with a bird's eye view of the table (round or rectangle shaped tables drawn onto the paper). The Guests' names will be written around the table in the order as seen fit by the Bride & Groom. Also on the piece of paper will be the key factor of an arrow pointing towards the head table.

Why, you may ask? So you can pre-determine who has the best view from the Guest table. Priority of course would be with relatives or maybe Great Aunt Betty has a bad back and can't twist around so easily.

3. Included in each bag will be the Guests' individual place cards.

4. In the Head Table's bag, include a copy of the floor plan with all the tables and their numbers listed.

5. Make sure to tuck a few extra (blank) place cards and the same pen - just in case.

This is the fastest way I know to complete this task with little or no room for error...

photo: Todd Duncan Photography

Here are two examples of flowers on a cake. These Brides wanted fresh flowers on their cakes, to create a simple, yet beautiful show of sweet. The flower colours were part of the Wedding theme and colours used, but we chose to not overwhelm the cake with copious amounts of blooms.

The last photo shows a cake with no fresh flowers - we added a circle of votives to create a romantic atmosphere and left the creativity to the cake designer.

If you are unsure of whether or not to add fresh flowers to your cake, ask the opinions of your cake designer and of your floral designer - they may have good information to share and suggest. Some types of cake (icing and inners) require refridgeration for the better part of the day, and some need to be assembled on site - these details may be more conducive to a specific floral design.

photo: bloomroom.com

Check Back next friday for Part 8 of "Wedding Reception Flowers" - Guest Books
The "Wedding Reception Flowers Series" is posted every Friday in June & July

Do You Need To feed Your Vendors?
Absolutely!

The usual vendors that are with you all day or a large portion of your day are photographers, videographers, DJs, and Wedding Coordinators. Sometimes they may have assistants who will also need a meal or snack. If you are celebrating your Wedding with a full Ceremony, cocktail hour and evening dinner Reception, then you may need to include a traveling snack pack for the Vendors, as well as an evening meal.

Make sure to double check with your Vendors if providing a meal is part of the arrangement. You should have something in writing to this effect, as well as guidelines for non-alcoholic drinks only. Most professional Vendors will abstain from all alcohol, but it is worth checking.

A few years ago, I had a client who called one day to ask my opinion on "an awkward situation". This Bride had booked me and during one of our meetings, she wanted to know if I had any direct experience with a particular Wedding Vendor (non floral related).

I said I had and asked her why?

A discussion ensued whereby I was informed about how the Bride was getting cold feet for one of her Vendors and second guessing her choice. The Bride had already paid a deposit and felt that the customer service she was receiving was not up to par. The Wedding Vendor in question was not returning e-mails, was dismissive in telephone communications and seemed not interested.

Because I had nothing but respect and admiration for my colleague, it put me in a difficult situation, as I was privy to some personal information about the Vendor which may have been the reason they were acting less than professional. I advised the Bride to bring up her concerns in her next phone call and try to get to the source of the uneasiness. They ended up sorting it out and the Bride's day was beautiful!

If you are having an issue with a Wedding Vendor, make it a priority to sort it out sooner rather than later. Realize that Vendors are people too, and can have off days. Take extra time at the beginning of your organization process to do thorough research on your Vendors and comparison shop. And don't forget to ask for references of past Brides.

"Wedding Reception Flowers" Part 6 of 9 - Ideas for the Head Table

In general, your Head Table should be adorned with the same amount of floral decor OR BETTER than your Guests' Tables. This idea may seem counter-intuitive (since most Brides want their guests to be comfortable first), but leaving your Head Table too bare or simple may look like you cheaped-out.

If you don't want to put alot of floral budget into your Head Table, you can ask your attendants to place their bouquets here - if you have enough bouquets, they will make one big, visual impact. Or, set a simple table for two, a sweetheart table - just for you and the Groom. This is a great way to spend time together that day, and really enjoy each other.

Another thing to consider is to forego the traditional Head Table design - one long table with all of you sitting on one side, facing the guests. Instead, opt for an oval table in the middle of the venue, with the guest tables surrounding you. You'll be able to seat more people here - like all your family members, and the Head Table then becomes the focal point in your decor and floral designs. This allows you to place simple designs only on the guest tables and not go over budget.

One last thought...on the Head Table (and possibly your family tables), put a little extra something - maybe a single bloom at each setting, a ribbon sash on the chair backs, or a special ribbon-tied serviette. Let those close to you feel special.

Check Back next Friday for Part 7 of "Wedding Reception Flowers" - Flowers for Your Cake
The "Wedding Reception Flowers Series" is posted every Friday in June & July

Happy Birthday to our neighbours to the South!

Some of my closest friends live south of the 49th and I love your country. I have travelled to numerous states and most recently, I had the opportunity to drive from Vancouver to Nashville. Through the Western states to Vegas, then down to Flagstaff and across on Route 66 (with a stop at the Grand Canyon), to our final destination of Nashville. Over 3400 miles in a rental car, my husband and I zoomed our way on highways and byways - we nicknamed our journey "Bourbon & Banjoes".

"Wedding Reception Flowers" Part 5 of 9 - What Type of Chairs for Your Wedding Reception?

The "Wedding Reception Flowers Series" is posted every Friday in June & July

photo: chiavarichairs.com

First things first - where is your Reception venue? - outside? inside? formal or informal setting? The answers to these questions are a good starting point for deciding on which chair type will best suit the needs of you and your guests.

For indoor Wedding Receptions, the Chivari chair (see above photo) is the most popular. Classic in design, the Chivari Chair is versatile in that you can dress it up, cover it up, accent it with blooms of ties, or it can stand alone with no added bling. The most recent addition to the Chivari chair line-up is the lucite, or clear plastic Chivari chair - YUM! (see photo below)

photo: diytrade.com

The photo above is of the typical white folding chair you often see at outdoor venues. They are basic, simple, white and fairly comfortable. The seem to go with an outdoor Wedding Reception in theme and colour. For a more natural look, try to find the same chairs, but unpainted - just plain wood. These will allow for more attention to other decor and floral elements, since they somehow blend into the scenery instead of adding a big "pow" of white colour.

Check Back next friday for Part 6 of "Wedding Reception Flowers" -

Today marks the 142nd birthday of Canada. Born and raised in Vancouver, I am a Canuck through and through - although sometimes I do prefer a Krispy Kreme or a Tim Hortons, I have never been so happy to be a Canadian. We may not be perfect, but I thank the universe for giving myself and my family the best country to live in. I love everything about this place: mountains, fresh air, ample water, GST, PST, and mostly freedom for everyone who lives here.

So Thank You, Canada.

Thank you for everything.