Near the Saddle Peak Lodge in Malibu, CA, there are scenic canyons along the windy road where the sun is always shining and you may find yourself in the company of people on horseback. Before it became a restaurant and fabulous wedding venue, the Saddle Peak Lodge used to be an old hunting lodge complete with mounted deer heads and hand-crafted wood chairs.
To complement the rustic, organic, and wild feeling of the lodge, we used lots of vines in the floral arrangements – ivy vines encircling bright orange dahlia in a moss covered container for the cocktail tables and and curly willow wound together into a wreath for the dinner tables. The reception centerpieces were simple with the curly willow acting as the framework for us to tuck in ivy, dendrobium orchids, roses, stock, and tulips.
Even if you don’t plan to hold your wedding on Valentine’s Day weekend, you can still have beautiful, romantic bouquets in multiple shades of pink and red. Accent with deep purple or peach for something a little different. Adding ostrich feathers makes a dramatic and glamorous statement. And little sparkling rhinestones glued onto roses and calla lilies or just placed between the flowers add a little bling bling edge.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought I would share with you a classic pink wedding featuring flowers in different shades of pink.
For the bouquets, big, fluffy peonies were mixed with full-petaled roses in light and dark pink. Pink cymbidium orchids and freesia completed the bouquets with different textures, sizes, and scents.
Last week I wrote the first part of this post. I explained the process of growing and how much time and effort goes into bringing a blossom to your bouquet. When you are staring at your final flower proposal from your florist, it is important to keep all of these processes in mind. I often hear that people think wedding flowers are expensive. I guess as a mother of 7 kids, I would have to agree that the final bottom line number seems costly. What you need to understand is that in actuality flowers are incredibly under priced. You need to consider all of the time, labor and cost it takes to grow the flowers. Next you will work with your florist for hours trying to get educated on what will be best for your wedding. You will need to be taught what will look the best and preform the best on your wedding day. In a way your florist will have to extract from your mind exactly what you are looking for. Most brides do not know the names of flowers or speak the language of flowers. In fact, you will often think your florist is speaking another language, and quite often we are, as botanical names are in Latin and the common names, which you may be familiar with, are different. So, first your florist will be your teacher. Then, more often than not, we will be asked to help you tie all of your themes, looks, and colors together; this is really a separate career that so many wedding florists take on without an addition in cost to you. I have helped brides countless times to pick out linens, favors or develop concepts. Quite often I even act as a mini wedding coordinator. I offer my knowledge willingly, asking: do you have a photographer? a cake baker? do you need help with hair and make up? All of this fabulous information is often given at no charge and is given to you under the same invoice as the cost of your flowers.
I love what I do; you could even say I am addicted to growing, designing and delivering wedding flowers. I am from a long line of farmers. The picture above is my father and my son Elijah. It seems my whole life I have been surrounded by farming and growing. My father has operated a garden and produce center since before I was born.
Bud vases adorned with a single blossom can make beautiful wedding favors. When placed at each reception table setting, they also enhance the floral and table decor. Or they can make a dramatic statement when all are arranged on the escort card table with pretty little name and table number tags.
Small bud vases can also be pretty economical, about $2-$5 each, comparable to what you would pay for wedding favors. And there are many interesting designs available on the market today. Each and every bud vase can be uniform in shape and design, or break up a set of vases for a variety of shapes and sizes.
Here are some interesting and unique little bud vases I found in Paris recently.
We recently provided dark pink and lime green centerpieces for a holiday party in Huntington Beach, CA. The theme was “festive tropical” and I think you can incorporate some of these ideas into your own wedding decor whether it’s for a winter bridal shower, engagement party, or wedding reception.
If you are having a winter wedding and want to incorporate a touch of holiday flair, nothing suits the holiday season more than glittery and sparkly accents. For a recent holiday table, we focused on just three simple elements: bright green glitter encrusted curly reeds, white phalaenopsis orchids, and fluffy white baby’s breath. We wanted to create a look that was both contemporary and fresh, so instead of classic holiday red and green, we chose white and lime green for the colors.
This bridal bouquet was created just this week for one of my December weddings. I loved the hot pink tones with all of the holiday decor. The hotel was decorated in navy blue and silver so the hot pink was stunning. To give a little hint of the season to the florals, we added green cedar to the designs. The look was fabulous.
Fall weddings around Thanksgiving time can feature rustic, warm toned colors. Think deep reds, golds, and oranges. Ivory also pairs well with these colors for a more “bridal feel” and to present a bit of contrast. Hypericum berry, available all year and in shades of burgundy and red, can add texture and variance. Similarly, small delicate freesia in shades of orange also get the job done.
Manzanita branches, found naturally in the chaparral regions of western North America, are commonly used decoratively because of their beauty, unique shape, and strength when dried. As wedding décor, manzanita branches are hot! I have had many brides come in asking for manzanita branches for their centerpieces. These branches go well in
There’s that word again. Chignon. Do they choose fancy french words just to embarrass us??
Relax. No, its really not all about you… (hahaha…bet cha haven’t heard that one since you started planning your wedding!). The word chignon, pronounced “sheen-yon,” is actually derived from the French phrase “chignon du cou,” which translates to “nape of the
Our exploration of orchids available as cut flowers continues with the more luxurious and extravagant orchids.
Phalaenopsis
phalaenopsis orchid
Phalaneopsis orchids are everywhere in bridal magazines! They are the typical “moth orchid” plant you might see at Trader Joe’s or any other shop selling plants. As cut flowers, they are no longer that Home Depot plant,
Many couples who plan a beautiful summer wedding are dismayed to learn that their wedding also falls during hurricane season. With Caribbean and Mexico honeymoons among the most popular destinations, it may be a bit nerve-racking trying to decide where to go. After all, hurricane season lasts almost half the year, and the last thing [...]
Just because it’s no longer Breast Cancer Awareness month, doesn’t mean we should stop talking about this very serious matter. It also doesn’t mean we should stop helping to raise money for breast cancer.
Purple Lab’s creatrix Karen Robinovitz understands this and has given us one of the best products I’ve seen in years: SWAC (Sealed [...]
I’m getting married in May, the day will be either the 28 or the 29th. What colors go best for that month? My favorite colors are a deep plum, fuchsia, and a bright blue like electric blue but I’m not sure if they will fit with the time of year. Any suggestions?
