Archive for the ‘Wedding Flowers’ Category
Posted on March 16th, 2008 by Kori Ellis in Wedding Flowers
Your choice in flowers can really add to the beauty of your wedding ceremony and reception. Sometimes brides get overwhelmed by all the floral choices. Though the decision is ultimately yours, you should try to talk with florists, wedding experts and other brides to get an idea what is working (and not working) in wedding flowers this year.
Clara Varga-Gonzales, owner of Tiger Lily Florist in Charleston, S.C., which has been named Elegant Bride Magazine’s Top Wedding Designers for 2005 and The Knot Best of Flowers 2007, offers up the following trends they are seeing for wedding flowers:
First there is definitely still a curiosity about natural elements. Flowers and botanicals, such as grasses, pods, herbs and lichens, are incorporated into all aspects of the wedding - from boutonnieres to pew markers and cake flowers.
Designs that focus on grouping materials such as chocolate artichokes, fern curls and green Goddess Callas lilies are presented in artisan containers and gracing the tables at outdoor receptions.
In color palettes, green is still the most sought after color with accent shades of creams and white or hot pinks and mango coral. However, combinations of deep burgundy red Black Magic roses, Black Forest mini Callas and rich purple, almost black, tulips are striking against ornate damask linen. No more white linen on guest tables for sure.
Ceremonies that are being held outdoors are letting nature provide the back drop, which can be quite dramatic here in the Lowcountry. Emphasis on ornate aisle starters and chair markers allow the bride and groom to be the main focus for guests during ceremonies.
Posted on February 21st, 2008 by Kori Ellis in Wedding Flowers
Everybody’s going green! I’m surprised there wasn’t already an organic florist open in NYC, but last month Gardenia Organic became the first. Gardenia Organic LLC is the first environmentally and socially conscious florist in New York.
Gardenia Organic sells individual flowers, pre-made hand tied bouquets and custom floral arrangements made only with flowers that have been produced using environmentally and socially responsible practices. All of their flowers are either USDA Organic or VeriFlora certified, whether they are grown in the US or overseas. VeriFlora is a certification program that ensures flowers have been grown using sustainable farming methods and fair labor practices.
Hannah Ling, the store’s owner, is making it her mission not only to highlight the issues within the floral industry, but also to prove that ‘green’ does not necessarily have to be more expensive.
“As consumers, we shouldn’t have to pay more to make conscious choices when making a purchase. Being environmentally and socially responsible needs to be a way of a life or it’s just not sustainable. Choosing to buy green should not be inconvenient or more expensive”, says Hannah. She also points out that organic flowers smell better and last longer.
Few people are aware that conventionally grown flowers are laden with unseen dangers. Eighty percent (80%) of the flowers sold in the US are imported from South America, where they use over 25 pesticides that have been outlawed in the US due to their carcinogenic nature. Coupled with child labor and poor working conditions for the farmers, there’s good reason to start buying organic and VeriFlora flowers.
And that’s not the only way this florist is doing her bit for the environment. The vases are made from recycled glass, the tissue paper and shopping bags are recycled and she even composts all flower waste. Ultra eco-friendly rickshaw bikes deliver flowers to anywhere in Manhattan.
Gardenia Organic also sells Fair Trade and/or environmentally friendly gifts and greeting cards for all occasions such as bamboo salad bowls, organic cotton baby clothes, hemp dog toys, candles, jewelry, body lotions and books.
Hannah moved to the US from England nine years ago. She comments that “You can buy fair trade all over London so I was surprised that so few people in New York even know what it means.”
To learn more about the organic flower concept, visit their website at gardeniaorganic.com. Gardenia Organic is located at 526 Hudson Street and can be reached at (646) 688-5753.
Tara Simone Powell is a floral and event design expert and owner of Barbara’s Flowers, an innovative flower retail boutique with two locations in New York City. Barbara’s Flowers offers clients a glimpse into the range of possibilities for extraordinary blossoms with a plethora of design choices.
Her impressive and extensive list of corporate and celebrity clientele include: Con Edison, CBS, Lehman Brothers, McGraw Hill, Essence Communications, Merrill Lynch, Macy’s, Senator Hillary Clinton and Alicia Keys. Tara was kind enough to share with us the trends in wedding flowers.
From Tara …
EMERGING TRENDS IN WEDDING FLOWERS:
TRENDS IN COLOR PALETTES: Sepia or Chocolate brown as an accent color to a cool color palette has been particularly trendy amongst brides this year. We have worked with mint green and chocolate brown, raspberry and chocolate brown, sky blue and chocolate brown. The intensity of the chocolate brown offers a warm balance to cool colors. Fiddle head, which resembles a chocolate straw, is often used as floral accessory in this palette.
TRENDS IN FLORAL MENU: Many cost conscious and younger brides are opting to veer away from the exotic and elegant and find flirty uses for the everyday blossom. Whimsical bouquets designed with gerbera daisies or dare I say “carnations!” Carnations, so often frowned upon as a “funeral flower” come in a wide range of colors and of course are very reasonably priced. For a day time wedding, consider a “tussy” of carnations bound with a whimsical patterned ribbon!
TRENDS IN DESIGN: We have found that many of our brides have opted for a blend of the chic and rustic. Often combining a natural vessel with elegant blossoms such as Cymbidium orchids. This offers a delicate balance between a well stylized design and something ethereal and abstract.
WEDDING FLOWERS FOR SPRING AND SUMMER:
FRAGRANT FLOWERS: Spring and summer are the perfect time to experience the fragrance that many flowers offer. Some of the more fragrant blooms are: hyacinth, lilac, lilly of the valley, freesia, Casablanca lilies, gardenia, tuberose and roses.
BLOOMING BRANCHES: One of the true signs of spring are the blooming Cherry, Quince and Pear branches. These delicate blossoms on tall branches offer a dynamic visual presentation for reception designs. The key to using blooming branches, however, is keeping them in receptacles that hold plenty of fresh water and in environments where the temperature is regulated between 65 – 70 degrees.
PURE WHITE: Crisp white blossoms offer an elegant palette for day or evening spring/summer affairs. Among my favorites are: Casablanca lilies, ranuculus, French tulips, peony and Cymbidium orchids.
We all know that a red rose represents love, a yellow rose expresses friendship, and a white rose symbolizes truth and purity. But what does a platinum rose represent? And what about gold or silver?
Believe it or not, you can now add gold, silver, and platinum to your wedding color scheme options, and you can order your roses to match your metallic theme! After a little bit of web searching, we found some interesting floral options at Love is a Rose, an online merchant offering 24 karat gold, sterling silver, and pure platinum dipped roses.
So if your theme includes platinum, gold, or silver hues, you could always show your diva side by carrying a bouquet of metallic flora down the aisle. The best part? You can be certain you’ll have at least one memento that will last forever.
After all, a rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but precious metal isn’t a bad alternative!
One cute idea for a creating your own wedding favors is to buy small terracotta pots that contain flowers or blooming plants. Then you can decorate the pots with acrylic paints to personalize them.
You can even put the name of each guest on a pot and they can double as a placecard holder. It’s a wedding favor, placecard holder and reception decoration all in one!
If you aren’t artistic, don’t worry! You can just stencil the name of your guest on one side of the pot and your wedding date on the other. It’s very simple! Stencils and acrylic paints are relatively inexpensive; you can find them at most craft stores.
You can also buy empty terracotta pots and give them as favors, along with a pack of seeds, and let your guests do the planting!
For more inexpensive wedding favor ideas, don’t miss the wonderful selections at Truly Wedding Favors.
There are hundreds of flower types to choose from when you’re selecting your wedding flora. There might even be thousands of flower types if you count the many variations of each species, and just getting started selecting your floral theme can be overwhelming! It’s probably safe to say that selecting flowers for your wedding bouquet is not likely to be easy. It’s even harder, though, if you’re concerned with sticking only to flowers that are in season to cut costs.
If you’re into the idea of keeping your wedding bouquet in-season, here are the most popular flower choices divied up by their seasonable months to make the selection process a little less daunting:
January – Bells of Ireland, Bird of Paradise, Candytuft, Delphinium, Heather, Protea, Star Gazer Lily, Sweetpea, Tulip, Waxflower
February – Bells of Ireland, Daffodil, Eucalyptus, Heather, Leptospermum, Ranunculus, Scabiosa, White Calla Lily
March – Assorted Lilies, Daffodil, Delphinium, Godetia, Heather, Protea, Scabiosa, Sweetpea, Tulip, Waxflower
April – Boronia, Candytuft, Delphinium, Godetia, Lisianthus, Peony, Ranunculus, Sunflower, Tulip, Veronica
May – Aster, English Lavender, Gladiola, Hydrangea, Miniature Calla Lily, Love in the Mist, Star Gazer Lily, Statice, Trachelium, Yarrow
June – Baby’s Breath, Bells of Ireland, English Lavender, Lisianthus, Gladiola, Godetia, Hydrangea, Protea, Statice, Sunflower, Trachelium, Tuberose, Veronica, Yarrow
July – Candytuft, Delphinium, Gladiola, Hydrangea, Lisianthus, Phlox, Scabiosa, Sweetpea, Tuberose, Yarrow
August – Aster, English Lavender, Heather, Love in the Mist, Phlox, Protea, Sunflower, Veronica, Yarrow
September – Bells of Ireland, Chinese Lanterns, Godetia, Leptospermum, Lisianthus, Ornamental Peppers, Protea, Scabiosa, Sunflower, Tuberose, Veronica
October – Aster, Chinese Lanterns, Delphinium, Eucalyptus, Godetia, Heather, Leptospermum, Phlox, Statice, Tuberose, Veronica, Yarrow
November – Bird of Paradise, Candytuft, Gladiola, Heather, Love in the Mist, Ornamental Peppers, Phlox, Scabiosa, Sweetpea, Veronica
December – Assorted Lilies, Calla Lily, Daffodil, Heather, Leptospermum, Lisianthus, Protea, Sweetpea, Tulip, Waxflower
Whether you want to design your bouquet yourself, or you plan to have it made for you, you’ll definitely want to know what your options are. After all, you’re not the only one carrying a bouquet!
You have the ultimate say in what type of bouquet your bridesmaids will be carrying too. So whatever the situation may be for your wedding, here’s some basic bouquet-arrangement terminology that’s bound to help you out:
Cascade: Every bride has seen or at least heard of this bouquet style! The cascade is a round of flowers trailing into a long, thin V-shape at the front. The length of the cascade can vary, from just long enough to cover the hands to reaching as far down as the floor.
Nosegay: A nosegay is a small, compact bouquet that usually consists of one type of flower with no greenery between the blooms.
Hand-Tied: The hand-tied consists of a cluster of flowers tied at the stems, usually with the exposed stems showing beneath the point where they are held. This is a very contemporary styled bouquet used in many weddings today.
Round: The round is a more traditional bouquet made up of flowers, greenery, and filler with no trailing elements. Rounds can also be made of just flowers and filler, with no greenery, or of a single type of flower, like a cluster of roses for a more contemporary look.
Presentation: The presentation bouquet (also called an arm bouquet or arm sheaf) is usually made of long-stemmed flowers that are held in the crook of the arm. It’s not very traditional, but it can look beautiful.
Tussy-Mussy: A Victorian-style bouquet in that accentuates a decorative holder. Generally, the holder is made of metal (and might very well be antique), and the bouquet is designed to show the holder rather than trail in front and cover it.
Now you’re all set! Head out to the florist of your choice and impress everyone with your extensive knowledge about flower arrangements while you pick out the perfect bouquet for you!
Balancing ecology, style, expenses and tradition isn’t always an easy task, but it’s important that couples inquire about the different eco-friendly options that wedding planners, florists, caterers, bakers, and venues have to offer when planning a wedding.
The more questions you ask the better it is for the environment, so why not go green!?
For your decorating and floral decisions DeJuan Stroud, Event & Floral Designer of DeJuan Stroud Inc has offered us these wonderful tips.
- Use locally (or regionally) grown and seasonal flowers that can be bought from community markets and don’t have to be shipped from foreign locations.
- Incorporate live trees in centerpieces that can be planted later (a great ceremony backdrop) or donated to a local school or charity rather than cut flowers that will be thrown away.
- Use products from nature in the theme of your wedding such as sand, rocks, tree limbs and flowers.
- Have your wedding locally; destination weddings are expensive and not eco-friendly.
- Recycled bamboo-disposable plates are chic, biodegradable, and add a unique touch to table decor.
- Incorporate candles of soy, hemp and citronella oils to give a romantic setting, yet earth friendly environment.
- Use wooden tables (ex. farm tables, mango slab tables) that can be used over and over and don’t need cloths.
Event décor and floral designer DeJuan Stroud at the top of the industry. DeJuan has created large scale, themed events, parties, weddings and movie premieres for celebrities, socialites, and film producers across the country. DeJuan specializes in custom-designed event décor and floral masterpieces.
With an impressive list of past and present clients, DeJuan has worked on events for celebrity clients such as Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Elizabeth Taylor, Sarah Ferguson, George and Barbara Bush, and the weddings of Robert DeNiro and Grace Hightower and the Weinstein family. In addition, DeJuan has designed large scale, themed after-parties for such blockbusters as The Good Shepherd, King Kong, Cinderella Man, The Producers, The Interpreter, Jarhead and American Gangster. You can learn more about Dejan and his services at dejuanstroud.com.
Flowers are an important part of making your wedding ceremony and reception beautiful. When planning your wedding, you should take time and care in selecting a wedding florist.
Choose several florists in the general vicinity of your ceremony and reception site. If the wedding florist is on the other side of town, they may charge more for delivery. Look in the yellow pages, on wedding websites and ask your friends and families for referrals before narrowing down your list to three or four options.
Set up appointments to meet with each of the florists. Before the appointment time, you should decide the following about your wedding:
- Wedding colors (color of bridesmaids dresses, table linens and other decor)
- Number of attendants
- Total budget for flowers, including delivery charges
When you meet with each florist give them an idea of what you are looking for, but also be open to suggestions. After all, they are the professionals!
A basic package of wedding flowers should include:
- Bridal bouquet
- Bridemaids’ bouquets
- Corsages for mothers, grandmothers and other important women
- Boutonnieres for the groom, groomsmen, fathers, grandfathers and other important men
- Centerpieces for the reception
You may also need a smaller bouquet for the “toss,” flowers for the flower girl, and other floral decorations.
Ask each florist to come up a quote that will meet all your needs. It may also be helpful to ask for a high-end quote if you want to trade out your standard flowers for more exotics, dye flowers to a specific color, or want anything else special.
Once you’ve visited three or four shops and gathered the quotes, ask for a list of references from each. Call previous brides to make sure there were no problems with customer service, delivery, or quality of the flowers.
Now that you are armed with all the information, you can make an informed decision and choose the florist that is right for you!
More Information About Wedding Flowers:
Photo credit: Hector Landaeta
Your mother wants lilacs. Your fiance’s mother wants calla lilies. Aunt Rose wants, well, obviously. You and your fiancé want to be able to afford a honeymoon. First thing to do (well, second, after scanning your neighbors’ gardens for easily pilfered plants) is tell your family that, unless they’re prepared to foot the bill, it’s time to step away from the potting soil. They’ll probably understand. If they don’t, promise whatever will make them shut their opinionated pie holes, and go on strewing the church pews with Venus Flytraps. If your family makes a fuss on the big day, tell them it’s the florist’s fault. If the florist is in attendance, offer her a bottle of tequila from behind the bar and tell her to start running.
One way to score blooms without ruinous credit card bills is to hit a nursery. You can often get small plastic pots of daisies, mini roses or greenery for a few dollars each. Pop them into bargain pottery or swathe the pots in fabric and voila! Centerpieces. If that feels too …unadorned, feel free to pick up an issue of Martha Stewart Living. Just don’t let Martha make you question your worth as an oxygen-consuming human if you don’t harvest your own flowers from wee organic seedlings.
Don’t be afraid to recruit creative siblings or friends. Give them a budget and send them to the farmer’s market for scads of stems and let them arrange until their fingers turn green. Instruct them not to use the word “wedding” as anything associated with the W-word will automatically triple the price. And don’t let baby cousin Kim and her goth aesthetic anywhere near your flowers, no matter how artistic her soul. You don’t want to walk down an aisle where all the flowers are drooping under black spray paint.
