PREVIEW POST - Photoshoot with Private Label By G

I know I begin every post with saying I'm too busy to post, BUT it's true!  Wedding season really ran past the norm.  I had SIX weddings in November alone.  I haven't even celebrated Thanksgiving yet...I swear!  I'll be cooking on Tuesday since my husband and I both had to work.  Anyone want to come for dinner?  It's going to be a good one since I have so much to be thankful for this year =)

I finally got a chance to sit down and look through some photos.  This year, I had the pleasure of designing bouquets for Private Label by G.   We've done multiple shoots together, so I have lots of photos to run through.  Here is a preview of a few of my favorites right off the bat.

 

Stay tuned...I'll be posting more soon! 

Perfectly Pink, Peach and Pastel: A Charming Romantic Centerpiece

"WELCOME," says this perfect array of pastels presented in the form of a breathtaking guest sign-in table piece.  Appropriately set in a beautiful residence on top of the Santa Monica mountains, the soft pink, peach, ivory and green blooms whisper sentiments of romance and purity through a stunning marriage of roses, tulips, hydrangeas and peonies, balanced by cascades of sweet peas and pierres japonica.  At any angle, this centerpiece drew the guests in and gave them a glimpse of the pastel charm the rest of the wedding had in store for them...and the rest is history.

Katie and Aaron's ORANGE AND LIME green wedding

A refreshing squeeze of orange and lime cleanses the wedding palette with a fruitful blend of modern simplicity, whimsy and charm. Orange dahlias, ranunculus, and tulips with accents of green hypericum and carefully placed mini persimmon branches added tanginess to the citrus mix.  Pucker up and dare to try this vibrant color scheme for your summer or fall event.

The fun-loving nature of Aaron and Katie are beautifully captured through the clicks of Figlewicz Photography.  Check out more photos from the wedding here.

Not Your Grandmother's Vintage Bouquet

If we were to play Word Association and you were to say "vintage wedding," I would respond with "intrigued"...oooh, ooh...or "endless possibilities."  Nowadays, things are much cooler if they are old and I'm wholeheartedly jumping on that bandwagon (with a disclaimer listing a million exceptions, of course).  It's undeniable that character is inherently in all things laden with rust and chipped paint, giving us a glimpse of the journey it has traversed.

Every bouquet I design evokes a certain feeling and takes me on an interesting journey.  This particular one is set during a time when life still felt slow through the eyes of an innocent little girl sifting through her grandmother's linen closet eager to play dress-up.  I picture her engulfed in large ruffly petticoats, long strands of pearls reaching her slightly turned in kneecaps, inching along in over sized white high heeled shoes. 

So many elements in this bouquet add to the feeling of innocence from the fresh color of the two-toned, blush and green tulips,  the abundance of soft petals from the ranunculus, garden roses and spray roses, to the presence of underdeveloped, green sprouting blackberries and ranuncula buds. The addition of the lace wrap finished off with a vintage broach completes the story beautifully.

I hope you enjoyed the journey, my little vintage creation has taken us on.  It doesn't sit in a rusted urn, but I still think it's filled with a whole lot of character and charm!

A Modern Lemon Yellow Wedding

Last month, I gave you a sneak preview of a contemporary, lemon yellow wedding I did back in September for a very charming couple, Regina and Rowel. I'm finally getting a chance to post the official photos even though Jordana from Hazelnut Photography was kind enough to immediately send them upon receiving my request.  Click on the link to check out more of her stunning photography and if my communications with her are even a small hint of how it is to work with her, you will be in for a delightful surprise. 

For the ultra-modern church, I designed two pieces to flank the front of the church using manzanita branches, orchid plants, China mums and aquabeads. 

 The Bride's bouquet was made of white cymbidium orchids and miniature calla lilies. 

 

We used yellow tulips and miniature calla lilies for the bridesmaids' bouquets, but added yellow roses, dark red spray roses and black miniature calla lilies to the maids of honor bouquets.

The reception was kept clean and simple with pave arrangements at different heights.  Each table had a different combination of yellow flowers.

Following this wedding, I was obsessed with designing in bright yellow for a while.  It's such a cheerful, clean and modern color to use.  Also, I didn't want to forget to mention their wonderful wedding coordinator Abby LaDuke who was awesome to work with, as well.  Congratulations, Regina and Rowel! 

Lemon Yellow Galore

In September, I had an opportunity to do a charming wedding for a very charming couple. Since then, I have been a little addicted to lemon yellow. I'm hoping to get some photos from the photographer, so here's a sneak peak at some of the centerpieces, as well as, the ceremony piece. Unfortunately, my camera was being a little wacky and I lost all my photos of the lovely bouquets. Stay tuned for some more photos...I hope!

Centerpiece of the Day - Summer Meets Fall

As my car thermostat reads 108 degrees, I'm thinking (as I turn up the AC) that summer has finally hit Los Angeles, right in time for Fall! As an ode to the heat wave, I am posting the "centerpiece of the day," an effective blend of summer vibrancy offset by a subdued fall palette.



It is amazing how such a simple blend of roses, ranunculas and tulips can have such a strong voice. The textures of the different petals, the color patterns of each flower head, and the use of neutrals to allow the eye to rest, all work wonderfully and effortlessly together.

Hotel Erwin Photoshoot

A few months ago, I was approached to be a part of a photoshoot for a hip and trendy hotel in Venice called Hotel Erwin. I knew it was a match made in Heaven when I walked past an elaborate graffiti wall to enter the hotel. The staff was wonderful and I really had a great time designing for their modern, minimalist banquet room. Here were some of the design highlights.


I chose to design arrangements that can work for both weddings and corporate events, so the flowers were on the simple, clean, modern side.

If you have a smaller size wedding or just want a fun place to grab drinks with friends, I would highly suggest their rooftop lounge, which has a spectacular view of Venice Beach!

Summer Peach

Living in LA has really spoiled me...at least in terms of weather. Today was our first "hot" day of summer at a whopping 88 degrees! I am going to celebrate our introduction to heat and the fact that my kids' swim lessons will finally not be overcast and chilly in JU-LY, by posting one of the popular color combos of the season. If I had a penny for every time I have been asked in the last couple months about a variation of this color combo, I would be rich...well, like $1 richer =)


I am in love with the roses in this bouquet. This may sound odd, but their color reminds me of a vintage baby drawing. Go on, go ahead and Google Image "vintage baby drawing" and you will see the coloration I am speaking of...SEE! It emits such a pure feel, where the blush center meets the flesh tone, all enveloped by "new growth" green. The rosy cheek color of the hypericum berries and the fresh green of the mini hydrangeas lend beautifully to this rather neutral palette. One would think that yellow tulips with red stripes would overpower the subtlety of the bouquet. I think it is pretty surprising that it not only blends quite nicely, but it adds texture more than it adds color...take a moment to think about that last line.


For the centerpieces, I added a little burnt orange to make it stand out on the table and above it's natural-colored wooden container.


This is me getting carried away with the camera and admiring it from all angles!


Ahhh...welcome summer and all of the the coral, peach colors that it may bring.

Spring Garden Bliss

I have been sick since Tuesday...actually, I think I've been sick since last Saturday, but my body and mind wouldn't accept it knowing I had a Monday wedding to prepare for. It's funny how the mind works! In order to lift my spirits as I get over the lingering cough, I decided to post a cheerful spring garden bouquet and its matching centerpiece that I had in my portfolio. I find this color combination rather soothing (and a great seg way into the topic of color selection!).

Most brides focus on one or two main colors and repeat them throughout their entire wedding, which is fine. However, many times a color scheme can be enhanced by adding one accent or "bridging" color, as I like to call it.

Let's first explore cases when you probably shouldn't add in another color:

1. You are going after a monochromatic color scheme.
2. Your color palette already has 3 or more colors.
3. You already love your colors the way they are!

So, in what cases do I think another color might be a good idea?

1. You feel like the two colors you have are bland and just blend together. For example, the light pink and lavender in the bouquet above may feel too similar in coloration. By adding the green, the pink and the lavender now have a contrasting color to stand out against.
2. Your current color palette has extreme contrast and you don't like that. For many people, red and white work as a great pair. If you don't personally like this type of contrast, try adding in pink as a "bridging" color. This allows you to visually move up the spectrum from light to medium to dark.
3. You want your color scheme to have more depth. If your wedding color is medium pink, try adding flowers one shade lighter and one shade darker to the bouquet to make it more dynamic.
4. The colors you chose don't exist in flowers. I have seen this alot in a blue color scheme. Very few flowers naturally occur in blue, so what do some florists suggest to their clients? They suggest spray painting them blue! (I might address spray painting flowers on another blog entry, but for now let's leave it at, run the other way if you hear this as the first option!). Greens, purples and whites are excellent options as accent colors for blue.

I was an Art Director of fashion and trends and one of my duties was color prediction. Even with my experience, if one of my brides asks me for my opinion, I still end the conversation with, "Ultimately it's up to you." I can give you options for days, but you have to love it for "your day." The most recent success story I have in terms of color pairing was the Monday wedding I just did (right before I got sick). Geline and Jod were probably the most open-minded couple I've had in terms of color selection. They really wanted magenta and purple to be in their color scheme, but they wanted the flowers to pop against the purple bridesmaids' dresses. So, what did I suggest? Add red. You will see how successful this marriage of colors was (if I can get some photos from their photographer...keep your fingers crossed). Let's just say, it already lifts my spirits reminiscing about it!

Life is Like...a Bouquet of Flowers

Today, I was perusing through some of the images in my portfolio and came across this particular bouquet and this might sound kind of odd, but inherent in this flower mix was a feeling of happiness and a subdued excitement that I felt summed up my weekend quite nicely. Incorporating flowers in decor lends more than just physical beauty. It also adds an emotional aspect to the event. For instance, an arrangement with a palette of deep rich reds using structured flowers like roses, calla lilies and orchids lends a bit of drama to the decor. In the same sense, this bright bouquet of tulips, ranunculus, and tulips adds fun, whimsy and joy to any function.


So, why was my weekend like this bouquet? (Still sounds odd to say!). It all started with a successful yard sale that allowed me to make room for my new flower cooler that was delivered earlier than quoted!!!! Then, I had the opportunity to meet a client and her fiance and she proved to be just as genuine and nice in person, as she was through her email communications. I also got the opportunity to relax with my family while sitting out in my front yard watching my piles of junk (or treasures!) disappear. When you are starting a company, life tends to be a bit hectic and you forget to relax. It is when you start appreciating the little things that makes you realize that life is going well and indeed it is. I've always known I have great family and friends, but recently with the start of my business, I've been blessed to work with a great group of clients who are so easy going and open to different ideas. With weekends like these, who needs a box of chocolates!

A Midsummer Night in New York

If flowers could take on a persona, this bouquet would be a cross between "a midsummer night's dream" and an "autumn in New York" in the literal sense (no association with the Shakespearean play or the Richard Gere movie). It is truly simplicity at it's best using only 2 colors and 3 types of flowers. You can't get more efficient than this...striking color scheme, check...effective combo of flowers, check...truly inspiring, check!