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.

The Daily Petal Featured on Style Me Pretty!

Happy New Year!  I wanted to start the new year by blogging about one of the highlights of 2011--being featured on Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book.  You can check out the full feature here.

Thank you to Kristeen of Kristeen LaBrot Events for coordinating such a wonderful event and submitting the beautiful photographs captured by Phoebe Joy Photography.

Floral Design: An Art Technique

There are moments in my life when I look back and I have to chuckle softly to myself.  Well, I had one of those moments a few weeks ago.

The Scene:  Bookstore
My Mission:  Finding an inspirational floral design book 
The Problem:  Didn't know what section to look in

I scan the walls for the department heading not once, but TWICE.  I walked over to the section that I thought best described what I do as a floral designer--Art/Design Techniques!  I looked through all the books in this section not once, but TWICE.  I guess, only graphic design is considered an "Art Technique."  I felt lost.  Where could the books for my craft be?  I ask for help.  There they were, in very limited quantities under "Hobbies!"...very subjective, in my opinion =)

I had to laugh at the assumption I made and I secretly still think I'm right...**chuckle**.  So, if any of you work for B&N and are in charge of categorizing books, here is a bouquet for you to consider.  This is a quick photo I took before an event.  I'm still waiting for the professional images, but I thought it was a good representation of art in floral design.  

 

The placement of the yellow mini calla lilies had to be carefully designed.  Coral peonies gave an unexpected pop of color.  Craspedia was used to offset the fluffy texture of the white hydrangea and lisianthus and for its inherent whimsical quality. 

New Mission:  Getting floral design re-categorized at the bookstore

I tell this story only in good fun.  It was sad to hear when I talked to a sales rep at the bookstore that they took out the floral design section for lack of books in that category.  I hope you guys enjoyed my story...and my art.

THE Peony Centerpiece

I have 10 minutes.  Just doing a drive-by blog entry!...because I've missed my blog and haven't had the time to tend to it : {  I was just thumbing through my files and came upon a set of pics of something I designed a while back.  The photos were taken by Smith at Smith Photography (check out his work on www.spphotostudio.com).

Here's the front view, filled with Coral Charm peonies, Sarah Bernhardt peonies, pink dahlias, roses, lisianthus, and mini hydrangea. 

 Here's his behind ; O

Nothing beats a close-up shot of peonies.  My ten minutes are up.

 

I Have the Blues (and Yellows)

Blue flowers are the black diamonds of florals...very few and far between.  If you happen to have a blue wedding around Spring, Fall or Winter, try blue anemones on for size!  They definitely pop nicely against the yellow ranunculus and craspedia (billy balls!)--an exquisite combo of structure and femininity and a touch of modern whimsy.

Doesn't this combination of color take the blues out of your life?? 

Peacock Feather Wedding Done Simple

Peacock feathers display an undeniable mix of color that has so much depth even the best box of Crayolas would be envious.  They make a statement with very little effort.  It is no wonder why they swept the wedding scene in 2010.

Usually, peacock feathers are added to arrangements that are already over-the-top and there's no arguing the beauty of this ornate style of design.  However, I wanted to mimic the simplicity and elegance of the feathers in Orchid and Tony's wedding.  As a couple, their interaction was so natural and effortless and their floral choices reflected this.

In the bridal bouquet, green cymbidiums played the starring role with hydrangea, narcissus, and an unexpected spiral eucalyptus as the secondary players.  Hints of peacock feathers are seen throughout the bouquet without overpowering the flowers.

 

Their reception centerpieces have been one of my favorites.  In person, they were grand (spanning at least 4 to 5 feet at the widest and tallest points) yet still natural and minimalistic...a feat I'm proud to have accomplished! Thanks to Eric J Photography from Jim Kennedy Photographers, the beauty of the flowers and the evening was captured.

THE Purple Wedding Bouquet

Being that flowers are like my children, it's hard for me to pick favorites.  So, it's our little secret that  anemones and lilacs are crawling to top of the list.  (Sorry "my little" peony and orchid, you now have competition!).  

My purple Winter/Spring bouquet of anemones, lilacs, hyacinth and viburnum display these two favorites quite nicely.  Anemones exhibit an understated elegance that I'm naturally drawn toward.  The dark centers command attention, while the petals add softness and a touch of femininity.  They are quite versatile and can easily be dressed up or down...although, even in the most casual of bouquets, they still uphold a certain level of elegance and polish.  Anemones are major players in filling the rare blue and purple color category (which wins them extra Brownie points in my book) and they also exist in red and white.

 

Lilacs are equally stunning and offer the bonus of a lovely fragrance.  They do have a larger price tag, but even the best impersonators [of these flowers] cannot match their effortless beauty.  They have an abundance of random florets, but they don't appear to be clutter in a bouquet, which completely intrigues me.

If you happen to have a purple wedding at the beginning or end of the year, adopt these two extraordinary flowers into your family of wedding flowers and you won't be disappointed.  I won't tell Little Miss Lisianthus,  Hydrangea, or Roses that you have found their replacements.  It's our little secret!

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!

The Ultimate Red Bouquet

I'm back!  The flu bug hit me for over two weeks!

Recently, I participated in a bridal show where I had an opportunity to showcase my designs and meet great new clients.  It's hard for me to pick favorites since all my designs feel like my "little babies," but this one is somewhere close to the top of the list (don't tell any of its siblings!).  It has so much texture and depth without appearing busy, inherently giving it a lush, elegant and polished feel.

My favorite flower in the mix is hands down the red garden roses with its intricate petal structure closely resembling a peony (with a similar, but slightly lower price tag).  What do you think the little fluffy guys are that's filling in the negative space?  Yes, carnations!  If used correctly, they definitely can enhance a design. 

The Daily Petal Website Launch This Week!

With one eye open (and yawning every 10 seconds), I'd like to officially announce that The Daily Petal website will be launching at the end of this week!  Keep your fingers AND toes crossed for me that I'll be able to accomplish this goal on top of a full workload this week.  Who needs sleep, anyways??  Come check it out at www.dailypetal.com and let me know what you think.  Connect with me on Facebook to get updated as soon as the website goes live.