The Land of Weddings: January

January in the land of weddings means wedding shows, expos, and open houses every weekend. As a wedding and event vendor, I get the opportunity to meet excited brides, proud mothers, and caring bridesmaids. I love hearing the incredible stories of “the proposal” and seeing all the creativity that emerges as a bride plans her special day.

On the first weekend of January I participated in the Brides Club Wedding Expo at the Tacoma Dome. I once again worked with American Party Place to decorate their booth with flowers. Our colors for the show were an iridescent crushed orange sunset linen, cardinal red, and black. I used green, white, and orange flowers accented with a variety of ribbons from May Arts. This hand-tied bouquet (above) is made up of white gerbera daisies, green spider mums, white mini calla lilies, green tea roses, and variegated lily grass.

The trio of glass cylinders (left) was on the buffet table. Each cylinder contains a bunch of one single type of flower: white tulips, orange roses, and bells of Ireland. The cylinder on the right is filled with blood oranges (I purchase most of the fruit I use in arrangements from Harbor Greens) and topped with an arrangement of green cymbidium orchids, green tea and orange roses, green spider mums, curly willow, seeded eucalyptus, and maidenhair fern.

The bouquet above consists of all green flowers: green spider mums, green tea roses, and bells of Ireland. I added silver and green bullion wire around the bouquet and with the black skeleton leaves that frame the bouquet. It is tied with reversible black and white polka dot ribbon.

A classic yet fun bouquet of orange roses, 2 types of orange spray roses and seeded eucalyptus is tied with green striped ribbon above.

The cake (above left) is topped with green cymbidium and green dendrobium orchids while the altar decor (above right) consists of 2 columns topped by arrangements of curly willow and green dendrobium orchids arching towards each other.

The aisle is swagged with iridescent crushed orange sunset linens and accented with a single green cymbidium orchid, beargrass, and reversible black and white polka dot ribbon.
Mindy with “whiteweddings” on etsy.com made an invitation to compliment our color scheme.
Thanks Mindy!

This past weekend I also visited the Seattle Wedding Show which was filled with great ideas and wonderful vendors. I was able to take photos in photo booths, have a flip book created from 7 seconds of film footage, and visit with some of the incredible people I get to work with on a regular basis!

Tacoma Museum of Glass, 11.28.09

On November 28th I had the pleasure of creating the flowers for a wedding at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. The bride and groom share a love for succulents, fall, and white ostrich feathers. In the photos below these elements are represented.

The brides bouquet (above) was very soft in color. Peach mini calla lilies, cream roses with yellow undertones, velvety succulents, seeded eucalyptus, fern curls, curly willow, and berries. The bouquet was wrapped with thin bark and tied with velvet ribbon.

Each bridesmaid in the wedding wore a different dress so I made a different bouquet for each of them and they got to choose which one they wanted. The flowers I pulled from were: mango mini calla lilies, orange and yellow bi-color roses, orange freesia, red hypericum berries, fern curls, seeded eucalyptus, and preserved fall leaves. Like the brides bouquet, the handles were wrapped with thin bark and tied with velvet ribbon.

For the centerpieces, we elected to keep them all tall and in beautiful “flower tower” vases.

Half of the tables had centerpieces made up of curly willow and orange vanda orchids (above). I wired the orchids to the branches and also to longer pieces of brown bullion wire (by Smithers Oasis). I hung the strands of orchids from the branches.

The other half of the tables had centerpieces of white ostrich feathers and red james storei orchids (below). The white ostrich feather holds special meaning for the bride and groom of this wedding as they purchased one on their first date.

What a pleasure to share in part of this memorable day. Congrats to a beautiful couple!

Persimmons, Crab Apples, Pods & More…

On a beautiful fall evening this past month I had the opportunity to create a series of arrangements for a very special dinner party. The photos and descriptions are below. I thoroughly enjoyed shopping for this event and seeing the vision of my designs come to life.

The above arrangement was located in the family room and carried a more rustic elegant feel. Curly willow, millet, and seeded eucalyptus made up the base of the arrangement while Chinese lanterns and persimmons added playfulness to the spider mums, roses, and berries.

This small arrangement was made for the main bath. Seeded eucalyptus, millet, and dark greens showcased the cherry brandy roses and dried lotus pod.

I put together a trio of arrangements for the kitchen counter/buffet area. Each glass cylinder is wrapped with dark papyrus bark paper from The Paper Zone and finished with chocolate brown velvet ribbon. The smallest arrangement consists of antique hydrangea and seeded eucalyptus while the middle is a simple mix of gerbera daisies and Chinese lanterns. The largest of the trio is made up of dark greens, yellow dogwood branches, red berries, and cherry brandy roses.

Showcased in the formal living room, this arrangements gets its height from the yellow dogwood branches, leucadendron, and dark millet. The arrangement is anchored by antique hydrangeas, red berries, dried lotus pods, and seeded eucalyptus. Cherry brandy roses, orange tulips and green hanging amaranthus add a pop to the overall look.

On the dining room table cherry brandy roses, red spray roses, red mini calla lilies, leucadendron, orange tulips, and crab apples accented a base of green hanging amaranthus, seeded eucalyptus, and dark greens while curly willow looped gracefully around the arrangement.

Chapel on Echo Bay, Fox Island

I had a wonderful time working with Matt & Madelene on their October wedding. It was a perfect fall day at the Chapel on Echo Bay, Fox Island.

The brides bouquet (below) consisted of terracotta roses, black baccara roses, red mini calla lilies, purple lisianthus, and mixed greens. It was hand-tied with a red crinkle ribbon and accented with white lacing.

The bridesmaids bouquets (below) were made up of red freedom roses, black baccara roses, purple lisianthus, orange alstromeria, and mixed greens. They were hand-tied with the same red crinkle ribbon.

In addition to boutonniere and corsages we made up an altar piece (below). The arrangement was anchored in a bronze metal container and contained curly willow, burgundy snapdragons, roses, purple lisianthus, red mini calla lilies and mixed greens.

Matt & Madelene also chose to give their mothers a keepsake from the wedding day and had their corsages made up on pearl bracelets.

Best Wishes and Congratulations Matt & Madelene!

Enchanted Forest: Purples, Moss, Ferns & Fairies

(click photo to enlarge)

Just a few photos from this event. I worked with A Greater Plan Wedding and Events on this wedding. The setting out at Rock Creek Gardens was a perfect.

The bouquets were wrapped with moss and deep purple ribbon. The brides bouquet was a base of green hydrangea, lavender roses, purple lisianthus, sword fern and fern curls while the bridesmaids bouquets were simple posies of white dahlias, purple lisianthus, tree and sword fern, and fern curls.

The reception tables were topped with iron trees from Rented Elegance. I attached seeded eucalyptus to the branches of the trees. There was also a seeded eucalyptus garland attached to the gazebo structure where the ceremony took place.

Purple, Plum, & Peacock Feathers!

September 12-13 was the Tacoma Wedding Expo put on by Brides Club. I once again teamed up with American Party Place to decorate their booth with flowers.

We chose a linen palette of black and champagne with teal and purple accents. For the flowers I used purple and plum flowers with mini pomegranates and peacock feathers.

(click photo to enlarge)
Description (by column starting at top left):
Left: glass cylinder with purple lisianthus and peacock feathers; white urn with manzanita branches in a base of moss. Glass jars with tealights hang from the branches.

Middle: bouquet of dark purple mini calla lilies, lavender roses, hellebore, purple tulips, and peacock feathers; centerpiece of mixed purple flowers and peacock feathers in glass cube lined with hand-made paper; bouquet of million star gypsophilia (baby’s breath).

Right: arrangement atop a tall cylinder consisting of bells of ireland, red hanging amaranthus, peacock feathers, lavender roses, purple tulips, and ivy; hand-tied bouquet of blue hydrangea, lavender roses, dark purple mini calla lilies, mini pomagranates, and peacock feathers; bubble bowl filled with carnations and lined with hand-made paper.

Kensington Gardens, August 2009

In August we did a wedding at Kensington Gardens in Gig Harbor. The grounds are impeccable with fountains and lush green lawns and the indoor facility is elegant and traditional.

We worked with a color scheme of black, white, and red. Using black beauty and red freedom roses, white asiatic lilies, white roses, stephanotis, and mini red carnations.

The brides bouquet was consisted of black beauty and red freedom roses dotted with rhinestones. The bridesmaids carried posies of white lilies, white roses, and stephanotis dotted with red rhinestones that complimented their dresses.
For the ceremony the aisle was lined with pomanders made of red mini carnations. The gazebo structure was decorated with a garland of greenery, red fabric, and roses.

The sun was shining, the bride was radiant, and the event showed all the signs of being romantic, fun, and memorable. Congratulations to a beautiful couple!

Hot Pink & Navy Blue at Lakewold Gardens

Late July at Lakewold Gardens was beautiful. I had so much fun working with Sara on her wedding! What a great color scheme of navy blue and hot pink…perfect for gerbera daisies.

For the bridal bouquet I used white gerbera daisies, cream roses, and stephanotis with rhinestone pins. Sara’s bridesmaids carried hot pink gerbera daisies and cream roses tied with a navy blue ribbon. For the boutonnieres, I paired a mini gerbera daisy with lily grass and then accented it with the navy ribbon. The garden setting was the perfect back drop for the cylinder centerpieces filled with grass and hot pink gerbera daisies. The base of the cylinder was finished with hot pink and navy ribbon from
May Arts.

Congratulations Sara and Shaun!

Real Weddings: A few from July 2009

Britt and Tony got married at Steilacoom Town Hallin July. Their overall color scheme was sunset. For Britt’s bouquet (below) I used sunset lilies, mango calla liles, red sunflowers, white dendrobium orchids and lily grass.

For the bridesmaids I used the red sunflowers, sunset lilies, and white dendrobium orchids hand-tied with and orange/red ribbon.

Also in July, Mark & Jessica got married in Cle Elum, WA. For their wedding I brought in a black and white polka dot ribbon from May Arts and I carried that throughout the wedding, tying the bouquets and napkins.

Jessica’s bouquet (above) consisted of white roses, black painted lily grass, and black skeleton leaves.

Mark’s boutonniere (above), was a white rose, black skeleton leaf, and a pop of polka dot ribbon.

One the tables I floated an open white rose in a large bubble bowl that had pale pink and black glass rocks in the bottom. The cutlery was rolled in black napkins and tied with the polka dot ribbon.

Pink Gerbera Daisy Real Wedding: Mindy & Patrick, July 3, 2009

My very good friend Mindy married a wonderful man named Patrick on July 3, 2009 at Pioneer Park Pavillionin Puyallup. She chose the color scheme of watermelon, black, white, and a touch of lime green.

For the flowers the main emphasis was gerbera daisies in hot pink and white but I also pulled in roses, dahlias, mini calla lilies, green hypericum berries, and beargrass.

Pink, green, and white striped grosgrain ribbon (by May Arts) finished off the bouquets.

Mindy (right) and I
photo courtesy of Ashley Schultz

Head table arrangement: pink gerberas, pink roses, dahlias, mini calla lilies, and hypericum berries in a base of cut limes.

The Bouquets
photo courtesy of Ashley Schultz


Tall glass cylinders filled with limes anchored the bar (above)
Short glass cylinders filled with limes decorated the escort card table (below)

Large bubble bowls with lime slices and floating pink gerbera daisies served as the centerpeices for the guest tables.

Bridesmaid Bouquet (white), Brides Bouquet (pink)
photo courtesy of Ashley Schultz

Mindy decorated her own cake! Varied shades of green fondant rolled to resemble flower stems with mini pink gerbera daisies decorating the top of each tier!

Photographer Ashley Schultz snapped a photo of me with all the bouquets…thanks Ashley!

Congratulations Mindy & Patrick, it was a beautiful day!