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Do Yourself a Favour and Avoid a D.I.Y Disaster

These days we try our hands at all sorts of things….things we have no training in (outside of YouTube videos, of course!) But let’s face it, there is only so much you can learn from a couple of minutes of video footage, the expertise and guidance of a trained professional is irreplaceable.

Take the experience a Nebraskan Bride had recently for example. Determined to put her own stamp on her wedding celebrations, she and her crafty bridesmaids decided to make their own bridal bouquets, gathering flowers and foliage from her family property. Little did she know though, she had chosen a flower with devastating effects.

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Image; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre by Nan Hampton

Snow on the Mountain is one of many flowers that can give people allergic reactions. As part of the notorious Euphorbia family, Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) is a common garden ornamental plant. Like many plants within the Euphorbia family, when cut, the stem emits a white sap which may cause a severe rash, dermatitis like symptoms, swelling to the eyes, and irritation to mucous membranes. A person’s sensitivity to the plant will depend on age, weight and physical health. Children are the most vulnerable as they are the more curious, and small in size. The plant absorbs toxic substances, from the water, air and soil, and therefore the toxicity of the plant can differ depending on the season, and stage of growth.

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Image; Omaha World Herald

After being in contact with the flowers, Christine washed her face without realising that the plants sap was still on her hands. With that, she transferred the sap to her eyes, and so it began…

Christine’s pastor rushed them through the ceremony, so that the couple could get to the hospital where she was administered a steroid shot. The rash spreading over Christine’s body called for a quick wardrobe change, and then she and Jon headed back at her reception 3 hours late.

There are plenty of flowers that can cause similar reactions, so you must beware. Choosing a trained professional florist is certainly going to avoid these sorts of complications, and that means choosing a reputable business, not just someone who ‘does flowers’ from home.  A trained/qualified florist has the knowledge and skill base to point you in the right direction style-wise and also keep you safe with hypo-allergenic choices.

Luckily enough for Christine and her Groom, their generous suppliers helped create the magical day they had hoped for a month after their botched wedding day, allowing them to pose for the pictures they never had a chance to have.

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Image; Christine Jo Miller Instagram via Mamamia

Christine has remained pretty good spirited about the whole ordeal, describing herself as the “scariest-looking person at (her) wedding”.

Christine says that her less than perfect wedding day has reminded her to “Focus on the big picture,” the bride told the Omaha World-Herald.

“It’s so hard to do that when you’re trying to compare your wedding to other people.

“You are literally getting married. We make it such a big deal in all the wrong areas.”

So even though things didn’t go quite as planned for Christine and Jon, they gained great insight into the fact that the wedding day is only the start….we almost forget the fact that we are vowing to marry someone for a lifetime.

Christmas and New Year are traditionally popular times to get engaged- so if you know someone who plans to tie the knot in the New Year, send them our way! Florist with Flowers has oodles of experience in organising gorgeous wedding flowers that reflect each couple perfectly.

In the meantime, we want to wish you all a safe and happy holiday period. Thank you to all our lovely loyal customers. We certainly couldn’t keep doing what we do without your continued support.

Fwf x

Featured Image; Ritz Carlton

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Good Enough to Eat

Traditionally wedding flowers were a unique combination of blooms put together to convey the hopes and dreams for the soon to be married couple’s future.  A red chrysanthemum to say ‘I love you’, orange blossom to show purity, innocence and chastity, an arum lily would convey patience.

Then, wedding bouquets favoured classic blooms, such as the rose, lilies, lisanthus or stephanotis in pure and simple whites. They were often elaborate designs, long and trailing, using delicate feminine blooms.

Fast forward to today and just about anything goes. You can create a theme in pretty much anyway you choose.

Beach wedding? Short wedding dress ✔️  Sandals/thongs/barefoot  ✔️ Macrame backdrop ✔️  Gorgeous fresh tropical blooms.

Winter wedding? Fur bolero ✔️ Moody lighting ✔️ Rich colour tones ✔️ Lots of textured fresh flowers and foliage ✔️ Woodland setting ✔️

Vintage theme? Lace wedding gown ✔️ Muted, antique colour palette ✔️  Gathered bouquet of garden fresh flowers ✔️

But what about if you want to have something truly different? Like wedding bouquets that contain NO FRESH FLOWERS at all!!?? Now, I’m not talking about artificial wedding flower bouquets. I’m talking about doughnut bouquets. Yep. You heard right.

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Image;BBC via Paige Burgess

Seriously though, this week 23 year old Bride Paige Burgess from Sydney, surprised her 3 bridesmaids with bouquets of doughnuts created by Sydney-based company, Dessert Boxes.  It was certainly a diversion from tradition, and apparently a real talking point at the wedding, but what I find most amazing about this story after going to such an effort to do something so unique…..THE DONUTS WERE LEFT UNEATEN 😭

After getting through the ceremony and reception, with all the gorgeous treats on offer to eat, Burgess told the BBC: “We had plenty of goodies beforehand so we were too full too eat them.”

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Image; BBC via Paige Burgess
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Image; SBS via Dessert Boxes
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Image; SBS via Dessert Boxes

 

Weddings are entirely individual, and many ‘traditions’ that were once seen as essential to a beautiful wedding, are now quite easily substituted to better suit the pair who are aiming to create a memorable day. “We wanted the wedding to be a bit different and really reflect who we are as a couple,” Paige Burgess said of choosing her doughnut bouquets.  Her groom Steve even wore doughnut cuff-links! Dessert Boxes owner,  Samantha Khater says that it was all started as a social media based competition, where Paige was one of thousands of comments. Khater rang a few of the entrants before speaking with Paige and knowing she was the right girl for them. People’s response to the doughnut bouquets has been HUGE with brides-to-be inquiring about the doughnut bouquets which are currently not part of Dessert Boxes standard range.

It is not the first time that we have seen couples play around with traditional wedding details to suit their personalities and tastes. Over the years, many have shunned the traditional wedding (fruit) cake in favour of other popular cake choices. Or the cake has been omitted altogether in favour of a what has been dubbed a “Cheese- Cake”; not the New York baked variety, but instead a tiered display of delicious gourmet cheeses, adorned with fresh and dried fruits. And for several years now we have been able to send chocolate bouquets as gifts.

As a flower lover, I saw fresh flowers as an essential ingredient in my wedding day, but I know that everyone is different, and details I see as important may be insignificant to you. Would you consider edible bouquets for your wedding day?

Fwf x

 

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Wedding Inspirations: Watercolours

My latest infatuation for wedding themes is Watercolours. The options are truly endless, but the one commonality is the soft blotted texture and the blurred lines between the colours. Choose between soft pastel colourings, or stronger pops of colours to personalise this theme.

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WELCOME BOARD Image: Etsy via Pinterest

Get the look:

The thing that is great with using watercolours throughout your wedding is that you can use it as a stand alone theme, or choose to combine it with another theme.

Do you want to have a botanical influence? Or perhaps a bohemian affair with feathers? Something geometric perhaps?

Alternatively, you can choose to just use blotted colour blocks throughout.

Aside from using it on invitations to introduce the wedding theme, you can purchase key items like the bridesmaids gowns (or even wedding gown, if you are game) to emphasise this theme.

 

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WATERCOLOUR FEATHERS Image: You tube
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WATERCOLOUR GEOMETRIC Image: Etsy via Pinterest
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WATERCOLOUR INVITES Image: Colour Lovers

 

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Image: Wedding Party App
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Wedding Gown with softly blotted colourings Image: Southbound Bride

Colours:

The brilliance of this theme is that there are no limitations to the colours you can choose, but before you get started you certainly have to choose what direction you wish to go and tie everything together from there.

For me, the Watercolour trend works beautifully with a blend of soft pastel tones in an almost ‘ombre’ range. Think soft pinks, peaches, salmon and corals. Or what about soft grey together with pewter, browns and oyster tones accented with amethyst and pops of purple.

But like I said, there really are no limits, so you could choose to use more vibrant, iridescent colours within this theme also. What about gold, coral and fuschia tones with accents of black and lime green?

Even a Monochromatic, black, charcoal and white theme would work with this technique, just be sure to soften some other details, like the fabric you choose for gowns.

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Left Top Right Bottom Right

Textured elements:

Using watercolours on invitations, place settings, table plans and welcome signs certainly makes sense as it is easy to see the colour link. More so though, choose the texture of the paper/card carefully. Papers with a texture or pulp throughout will emphasise the blotted paint, central to this theme.

Similarly, use foliage and berries or buds throughout the bouquets tobreak up the blocks of colour. This will create a more ‘blurred’ appearance. If the colours are too strongly blocked, the softly blotted look of the watercolours will be lost. By ensuring you use a variety of sizes and shapes within the bouquet you will also help blur the lines within the bunch. So increase the variety of flowers you use rather than sticking to one colour tone, or one shaped bloom.

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Top Left Top Right Bottom Left Bottom Right

Feature flowers:

This will be guided by you colour choices of course, but in keeping with the soft blotted texture of watercolours, I would choose flouncy, soft, textured, rambling blooms. This could include papery poppies, fluffy peonies, rambling roses, ranunculas, gildarose(snowball) lisianthus, anenomes, cosmos, zinnias, berries, leafy greens and lacey cineraria.

Accessories:

Think soft capped sleeves, flowing gowns, honeycomb party decorations, confetti, splashes of colour on cakes, rock salt dyed silk table runners or drapery, coordinated candles. Channel you inner artist and get creative!

 

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Wedding Inspirations- Using Blue as your Primary Hue

As florists, the most challenging colour to work with is undoubtedly blue. Whilst blue is a primary colour, and what could be classed as a fairly conservative colour perhaps when thinking about Navy Blue, when it comes to flowers, it proves quite difficult. Despite this, varying shades of blue remain popular. One major factor that I believe contributes to blues popularity is the fact that in one of its varying shades, it seems to be able to complement most complexions. Aside from that, blue is a fairly conservative colour and therefore should stand the test of time, and when it comes to weddings, timeless is key.

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Image via Crossed Keys
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Image via The French Tangerine

But Blue in nature, doesn’t tend to be an easy task…..Blue, from soft powdery baby blues to strong navy blue in fabrics, no worries, but as soon as a client wants to ‘match’ that fabric…..well, that opens a whole world of trouble. The difficulty with blue when working with flowers is that very few flowers exist in straight clean colour tones, making it near impossible to ‘match’ them. As a florist, I do not see this as a major issue as it is not essential to match every element, but rather use complementary colour tones to create a harmonious colour palette. Some blue blooms are more silvery or dusty, with an almost grey over tone,  others tend to look more purple in some lights. There are several blooms available in more powdery baby blue tones, so if you do prefer to match colours, then this may be the best choice for you!

In order to incorporate true primary blue tones you may need to look beyond flowers. Think about ways you can add your chosen feature colour in unique touches throughout your day. Why not use coloured glassware on your tables, or bottles as your pew ends, ribbon details on plain dresses, or choose strong primary blue bridesmaids gowns.

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Image via Wedding Colors
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Image via Wedding Colors
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Image via Intimate weddings

If you favour softer, more powdery baby blues you can sprinkle touches of this colour thoughout most elements as it is not as strong or contrasting as a primary blue. Gorgeous flowergirl outfits can incorporate baby blues easily, soft blue semi precious stones in jewellry, soft blue toned flowers are easier to come by, men’s ties or handkerchief details, even powder blue suits, cake icing, or check out these gorgeous doors that you could hire as your ceremony backdrop!

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Image via Hello May
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Image ; Fab Tutus
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Image via Deer Pearl Flowers

Navy blue is the most conservative of all the blue hues. It is a strong, sleek tone that can easily be incorporated into bridal party outfits, with navy suits, bridesmaids gowns and navy detailing on flowergirls dresses.

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Image: Valient Wang
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Image: Princessly

I love the way this cake utilises some softer blue flowers on top, and then used blueberries at the base. Pieces of navy lace can feature on invitations, bouquet handles, and even as a trim on the cake.

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By no means am I trying to deter any beautiful brides-to-be from using blue, but rather trying to show alternative ways the colour can be used throughout your day with some gorgeous results!

Can we give you a helping hand with any other colours you may be considering using for your upcoming wedding? Drop us a line and let us inspire you!

Fwf x

 

 

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Victorian Posies- The Method and the Meaning

The Victorian posy is a traditional hand-tied or wired bunch where the flowers are placed in ascending rings around a central bloom, usually a rose. This design was very popular for weddings back in the mid 19th century, but lost favour to the cascading shower bouquet in the late 20th century.

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Image: Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Right

Like all things in fashion, trends come and go, and the Victorian posy can sometimes be requested from time to time, especially for those who like to run their own race, uninterested by what is popular or on trend at the time.

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Image: Patsy Smiles

The Victorians did not have the variety of material available to them as we do today, so their posies tended to use an assortment of pale pink, lilac and blue toned flowers, in what we would consider to be quite traditional flowers such as roses, hyacinths, and cornflowers. The stunning central rose, I am told is pretty much integral to the design, but these days you could choose to make a Victorian posy out of just about any flowers or foliage you can get your hands on.

The Victorians used to back their posies with starched lace, which then became coloured netting or raffia, or twisted wire frames with foliage or even doilies, but theses days many of these elements have been replaced, or modernised.

This style of posy contained secret messages to and from lovers; each flower had its own unique meaning, and the bride chose her flowers based on their significance. As a result of this, unfortunately many beautiful flowers were assigned rather undeserved, sometimes negative meanings, for example, lavender=distrust, or anemones= sickness.

These days, brides tend to choose their flowers based on their preferences or flowers with special significance to them personally rather than these somewhat outdated meanings.

Gorgeous bridal bouquet design for the fall bride.:
Image: The Knot, Flowers by Festive Couture Floral
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Image: Cut Out and Keep

The Victorian style of posy fell out of favour during the early 20th century, but the posy has slowly gained popularity again, whether it be hand-tied and natural stemmed, or wired. A natural stemmed posy, as the name suggests, uses flowers on their stem, simply cleaned off so that the handle of the bouquet does not become contaminated from breaking down debris, or too bulky. This style of bouquet can be formal or informal, structured or unstructured depending on what flowers are chosen and its composition. Generally though, this look is more natural and relaxed.

Alternatively a wired bouquet can be created; which is where the flower is cut from it’s natural stem and then attached to an artificial stem made from wire. The result is usually more lightweight and as it is more structured, tends to look more formal.

The formality of the Victorian rings has been dropped, in favour of either evenly dispersed placements, where the flowers are evenly placed throughout the arrangement to achieve balance, or alternatively the floral elements can be grouped together for a ‘chunkier’, clustered and modern look.

At the end of the day, if you are considering a Victorian posy, or posy of any kind for your wedding, talk to you designer about the colours, textures and the overall look and feel you wish to achieve. Wedding professionals have a wealth of knowledge and will be able to make appropriate suggestions to help you achieve what you are after.

I cannot stress enough the importance of aligning yourself with suppliers who have a body of work that emulates the look and feel you are after.  Trusting your supplier is the single most important thing you can do to lower your individual stress as well as allowing them the freedom to ‘create’ and do exactly what you employed them to do…

Fwf x

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Wedding Inspirations- Winter Wedding Flowers

Whilst Spring is undoubtedly the most popular time to get married, each season has unique qualities on offer that may appeal to different couples for a variety of reasons.

Aside from the temperature differences between months, the colder climate usually offers a larger choice between venues due to less bookings, as well as more flexible access, or even longer hire times. For us as creative professionals, it also means we get the opportunity to use a variety of products that are only available at this time of year.

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Image via Bridal musings, Photo by Sarah Kathleen Photography

 

Using flowers that are specific to a season, rather than available throughout the entire year, means that each year, when those flowwers begin to appear again, you will be reminded of your special day.

The Australian winter has an array of wonderful blooms available that can certainly make your wedding stunning. As an added bonus, many of the winter bulbs are also highly fragrant. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, fragrance has the amazing ability to instantly transport you to another time and place- and what a way to remember your wedding day!

Some of our favourite winter blooms include:

Tulips

Johnquils

Hyacinth

Poppies

Blushing Bride

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Image via Mayesh

Dusty Miller

Arum Lilies

Green Goddess Lilies

Daffodils

Violets

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Image via Mayesh

Sweet William

Snow Drops

Delphinium

Forget Me Nots

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Image via Craft Hubs

Freesias

Geraldton Wax

Hellebores

Pussy Willow

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Image via Aliexpress

Budded Magnolia Branches

Rhododendron

Anenome

Holly

Cymbidium Orchids

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Image via Married to Plants

Winter weddings also lend themselves to warmth, fire, and candlelight, so you may choose to bring candles into your centrepiece design. You could choose to do this in many ways; tealight votives have been around for years now and are certainly not specifically on trend, however you will notice that the details on them is evolving and many shapes, colours and styles are now at your disposal. Tealights will illuminate your room beautifully, adding a soft glow to the room, and added intimacy.

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Image via Wedding Chicks

 

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Image via Le Jardin De Claire

Certainly the colour tones you choose should also reflect the atmosphere you wish to create; warmer, richer hues will make the wedding feel more intimate and cosy. Think copper and rose gold highlights for a change from the standard silver details.

Alternatively you could utilise hanging tealight globes. They elevate the lighting and add a feeling of intrigue and magic to your room, especially if the overall lighting of the room is kept low.

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Winter weddings concentrate on texture; from the contrast in fabrics of the gowns and the fur/woolen shawls, perhaps you introduce vintage velvet blazers or earthy wooden elements like tree stumps.

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Colour schemes should be warm and rich; Try using pink with charcoal, rose gold and copper or Chocolate teamed with dusty blues, vanilla and navy blue. I think the key is teaming richer, darker elements with lighter tones to lift the mood and create contrast.

There is no reason why a mid Winter wedding need be cold and miserable. Choosing key elements like the venue, and the wardrobe are crucial in making sure everyone feels comfortable and warm, so be sure to keep that paramount in your planning.

Above all, enjoy the planning, and chill out 😛

Fwf x

 

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The Height of Fashion- Hanging Florals

Weddings are beautiful. The whole idea of marriage is inspiring, and idealistic, and often, even the simplest of affairs can hold it’s ‘audience’ captive, simply as a result of the genuine love on display and the conviction in which the vows are spoken.

But all that aside, weddings can be visually beautiful affairs as a result of talented and creative wedding professionals and open minded, inspired couples who want to make there day one of a kind in more ways than one.

These days the sky is the limit- quite literally. Venues are designed taller, bigger, better. Hiring companies offer a variety of structures that can be utilised to create intimate ‘capsules’ in which the whole scene can take place. Really the only limitations to the visual effect you create is the capabilities of your suppliers…..and your budget.

The floral fantasy wedding of just a few years ago is becoming more commonplace, with many couples choosing full floral garlands cascading along the length of their bridal table (and above!) rather than a series of smaller arrangements along the edge. Similarly, outdoor ceremonies are being favoured with gorgeous floral archways, gazebos or chuppahs becoming centrestage.

Generally speaking, if you are on a tighter budget, but would like to incorporate this concept throughout your wedding somewhere, I would suggest the ceremony is the best place to start. Firstly, it will feature in many of your photographs (the ones you actually frame and put around your house) and secondly, it will usually require a smaller area to be decorated, and thus will keep the cost down. Hanging florals can be attached to chuppah like structures, archways or gazebos, or even more unique choices like doors, and ladders. Check out some of the gorgeous examples we have trawled the net to find you below;

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Image: Wedluxe

 

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Image via Refinery 29
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Image via Style Me Pretty

One benefit of this style of decoration is that it creates a grand appearance that can fill what would ordinarily be an empty space.  It provides a more modern option to the twin pillars and alter style arrangements that have been favoured in the past to create parameters for the ceremony.  This may or may not appeal depending  on the location you choose; iconic destinations that you have chosen to show off to international guests may not require this sort of decoration, however in some ways, even a simple ‘framework’ can be utilised onsite to create an intimate focal, especially for photos.

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Image via Style Me Pretty
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Image via Mod Wedding
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Image via Deep Pearl Flowers

At the reception venue in particular, this style creates a feeling of decadence and opulence. With this style of decoration, you can expect a big price tag. Structures may need to be created, rigging experts may need to be consulted or on site for installation depending on the size, and the team required for ‘bump in’ and ‘bump out’ may need to be two, or three times the size normally required on site to get the job done in what are usually very tight time frames.

It is important to be realistic about the cost and not attempt to grind your supplier down on price as in the end, it will be you who loses out. These big and impressive concepts require a lot of work, man hours and a lot of talented people. If cost is your first priority, I would suggest this is perhaps not the best option for you.

However, if your heart is set on having flowers that are the height of fashion, and give you the feeling that the heavens are opening up for you, check out some of the hanging florals we have found to get you inspired.

Fwf x

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Image via Wed Me Good
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Image via Lucas and Co Photography
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Image via The Style Co
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Image via Style Me Pretty
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Image via The Bridal Detective
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Image via The Knot
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Image via Elegant Wedding Invites
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Image via Don’t Pay Full
Specializing in Candid Wedding Photography
Image via Pinterest

 

 

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Wedding Inspirations: Featuring Pantone’s Twin Tones of 2016

When you look back on photos, some things clearly give away the time and place of the picture, whether it be the fashion, the hairstyles, or even the decor and setting. Things that were at the height of fashion at the time, can seem so dated when looking back, and we find ourselves cringing at the choices we made for ourselves, or that our parents made for us as children (Hey, there has to be someone to blame right?)

Weddings are no different. The dress, the decor, the engagement ring even, can give away the time frame that the event took place, and just as fashions come, fashions go, and no matter what choices you make, there is a good chance that at some point in your lifetime, your tastes will change.

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No matter what, your pictures will take a snapshot of this time and place in your life, and at 80 years old, sitting up in the easy chair looking through your wedding album with your beloved, I can hardly imagine that you will be regretting what colour scheme you chose, or how you did your hair.

For a clear snapshot of the year that was, why not incorporate the colour of the year in your wedding palette. For 2016, Pantone chose two subtle tones, Serenity, a soft blue, and Rose Quartz, a pastel pink tone. And, as an added bonus, by choosing this colour scheme for your wedding, any traditionalists will find it easy to include ‘something blue’ with no trouble at all.

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Image: Fab Mood

Pastel tones work well for wedding palettes as they add soft bursts of colour without providing too much contrast against a light ivory/white/cream dress. The benefit of Pantone’s choice this year means that you can also incorporate the colour in key items such as the groom/groomsmen suits/ties.

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Image: Lover.Ly

 

Get the look for your bouquets by using a blend of flowers in the two Pantone tones. You can certainly add white/ivory/cream to tone the colours down, or include a third tone to make the blend a more harmonious pastel blend.

Soft pink choices could include: hydrangea, roses, hyacinth, sweet peas, dahlias, blushing bride, astibille, veronica, ranunculas, peonies, freesias, geraldton wax, jasmine, singapore orchids, celosia, cherry blossom, peppercorn,

Dusty Blue flowers could include: Sea Holly (Equinox/thistle), hydrangea, grape hyacinth, hyacinth, veronica, celosia, delphinium, forget me nots,

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There are amazing seasonal flowers that are available throughout the year. What is available to you, obviously depends on when you are getting married. I think that it is important to stress that the particular tones in this colour palette are soft and muted. This really means that any dyed varieties of flowers are out. The blue and pink tones achieved with systemic or dip dyes are far too intense to work within this theme. (Phew!)

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Bouquets Top L-R Bouquet handheld, Blue Bouquet, Bottom L-R Wild gathered Bouquet, hand held ribboned bouquet

The softness of the blue and pastel pink tones  lend themselves to a decidedly old world feel, reminiscent of Royal Albert vintage tea sets. They are particularly soft and romantic, and work well in gathered garden style posies, as well as cascading bouquets.

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Invites (L-R): Watercolours, Floral, Lace

I’m sure you will agree that the twin tones that Pantone named the colours of the year 2016 provide a beautiful, soft and subtle base for a wedding palette. The watercolour tones can easily be integrated throughout the wedding in small details like invitations, jewelery, and ties, or as major components such as bridesmaids gowns, flowers, and the men’s suits.

Regardless of the colour palette you choose, remember that in the scheme of things, a wedding day is insignificant within a marriage, a marriage is so much more.

Fwf x

Header Featured Image: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/wedding-color-trends-2016-pantones-rose-quartz-serenity-226737

 

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Jofia- A floral extravaganza by Jeff Leatham

A stunning bride and dashing groom were married last weekend in true luxury. Flowers literally dripping throughout the ceremony and reception with no expense spared. A detail orientated bridezilla (by her own admission) emerged as the wedding date drew near.

Following their engagement last Christmas after just 6 months of dating, with a 7 carat rock perched upon her finger, the loved up pair set upon creating the day of their dreams. They enlisted the elite in the wedding industry to help them bring it all together including floral designer extraordinaire, and rockstar in the floral world, Jeff Leatham. These are the kinds of jobs as a florist that test your ability, your creativity, your ingenuity and your ability to truly understand the vision inside your clients head and bring it to fruition but Leatham seems to be able to do it with his eyes shut. And we can only assume from the couples shout outs to Jeff online, that they were thrilled with the results.

Sophia Vergara married Joe Manganiello in a lavish ceremony At the Breakers Palm Beach Hotel, Florida, surrounded by some 400 guests, many of whom were celebrities of course.

Sophia was a vision in a gorgeous custom Zuhair Murad Couture design gown, reportedly adorned with 6 pounds of pearls and 11 pounds of sequins! Sheesh!  It was only one of three white gowns the beautiful bride-to-be wore over the weekend of wedding fun; including performances by Pitbull, pre-wedding cocktail parties, post wedding hangover brunches, Magic Mike striptease and more!

Floral designer Jeff Leatham and his team created a gorgeous orchid bouquet for the bride, and adorned the inside ceremony in The Mediterranean Ballroom, with white roses, hydrangea and orchid blooms, literally dripping from the ceilings. Sophia’s son Manolo, walked his mother down the flower lined aisle, to her waiting hunk of a spunk  to begin the ceremony which was performed in both English and Spanish.

In a stark contrast to the ceremony, the reception in the Venetian Ballroom was a rich and romantic mix of reds and pinks; a wild jungle of roses and orchids, stunning and opulent, a style that has become synonymous with Jeff Leatham. He has been awarded the prestigious  “Chevalier de L’Order des Arts et Letters”, in 2014 – The French Governments Highest Honor for Artists whom have made a significant contribution to French culture, and often his floral installations are compared to contemporary art. His style is a unique combination of his love for flowers as well as his passion for overall design. His pieces are bold statements, not merely backdrops, that focus on shape, colour and simplicity to produce a dramatic effect.

Formerly a successful male model on TV and on the runway, after leaving the world of fashion, Leatham turned to the floral world. Beginning at the Four Seasons Hotel Beverley Hills in 1994 as an assistant to the floral designer, Jeff made it clear he was extraordinary and was then made artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris in 1999 when the hotel was still under construction. Every 3 weeks Leatham creates a entirely new concept to “knock people over” when they enter the hotel, not simply adorning the concierge desk with a vase but rather creating masterpieces that carry right through the hotels public areas and into 80% of the guest rooms. The hotel very quickly became known as the ‘flower hotel’ and is on the to-do list for many visitors to Paris.

Leatham also presents seminars to us mere motals, where we can gain insight and inspiration from his work with celebrities and for luxury brnads. Leatham has written 3 books: “FLOWERS BY JEFF LEATHAM”, “FLOWERS BY DESIGN” and  “Jeff Leatham – Visionary Floral art and Design”.

Now, I’m sure it goes without saying that this wasn’t Leatham’s first rodeo. He has a regular list of celebrity clients, and had the honour of creating the florals for the Wedding of Marc Mezvinsky to Chelsea Clinton, daughter of President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as Eva Longoria, Avril Lavigne and Tina Turner. He has also serviced the floral needs of Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, The Kardashians and Celine Dion and His Holiness the Dalai Lama and has appeared on Martha Stewart, Queen Latifah and Oprah’s show. Talk about an impressive resume!

Despite his success, Leatham hasn’t forgotten his roots and is loyal to the Four Seasons:  “Whether at the George V or outside the Hotel, everything I do is on a Four Seasons level,” he says, adding, “I’ve had an amazing career and I own it all to Four Seasons. I’ll be here until the end.”

I certainly am inspired by the sheer volume, quality and intricacies of his works. Check out the gallery below, all posted by the beautiful bride herself on her Instagram page @sophiavergara.

You have a look for yourself and see what you think,

Fwf x

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Image of wedding flowers by Florist with Flowers

Seasonal Favourites for Wedding Flowers, Month by Month

So many of the flowers we use today are available year round as a result of growing them in controlled environments (like glass houses) or via importation.

Nevertheless, there is something special about choosing a bloom that is ‘in season’ at the time of your wedding. Why? Fragrances have the ability to transport us through time, to a special time and place. Memories like the smell of freshly cut grass, or sandalwood, may take you back to your childhood. A whiff of someone’s deodorant could remind you of a high school boyfriend, and similarly, walking past a garden with freesias growing wildly can transport back to your special day. Similarly, it is nice to be able to buy a bunch of something special for your loved one that is available around the time of your special day, perhaps for an anniversary.

Some especially seasonal favourites include:

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for January

January

Hydrangea

Garden Roses

Stephanotis

Blackberries

David Austin Roses

Tuberose

Curcumers

Globbers (Hanging Gingers)

Hybrid Delphinium

Water Lily

Bouvardia

Frangipani

Jasmine

Calla Lily

Lisianthus

Love in the Mist

Pineapple Lilies

Clethra

Queen Anne’s Lace

Copper Beech

Flowering Eucalyptus

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for February

February

Hydrangea

Calla lily

Curcumers

Globbers

Zinnias

Nerines

Water lily

Frangipani

Jasmine

Lisianthus

Love in the Mist

Pineapple Lilies

Sedum

Clethra

Queen Anne’s Lace

Flowering Eucalyptus

Snowberry

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for March

March

Hydrangea

Garden Roses

Gardenias

Dahlias

Bouvardia,

David Austin roses

Cyclamen

Zinnias

Bruneii (flowering)

Lisianthus

Waterlily,

Spinning Gum

Red Myrtle

Snowberry

Tetragona

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for April

April

Lisianthus

Freesias

Garden Roses

David Austin Roses

Waterlily

Stock

Bud Wax

Tea Tree

Spinning Gum

Nandina

Red Myrtle

Tetragona

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for May

May

Chyssanthemum

Cymbidium Orchids

Tulips

Freesias

Green Goddess lilies

Bud Wax

Thryptomene

Tea Tree

Spinning Gum

Nandina

Red Myrtle

Tetragona

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for June

June

Sweet Pea

Tulips

Cymbidium Orchids

Poppies

Forget me nots

Hyacinth

Camellia

Kale

Corokia

Thryptomene

Tea Tree

Spinning Gum

Nandina

Red Myrtle

Tetragona

 Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for July

July:

Tulips

Violets

Cymbidium Orchids

Oncidium Orchids

Stock

Flowering Magnolia branches

Bruneii

Sweet Pea

Hyacinth

Kale

Blossom

Poppies

Thryptomene

Tea Tree

Spinning Gum

Red Myrtle

Tetragona

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for August

August;

Anenome

Sweet William

Flowering Magnolia branches

Bruneii

Sweet Pea

Daffodils

Johnquills

Snowdrops

Blossom

Poppies

Daphne

Godetia

Thryptomene

Spinning Gum

Tetragona

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for September

September:

Ranunculas

Anenome

Sweet William

Berzillea

Hellebores

Geraldton Wax

Tulips

Cherry Blossom

Rhododendron

Flannel Flower

Erica

Snowdrops

Arum

Poppies

Daphne

Godetia

Spinning Gum

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for October

October:

Lily of the Valley

Snowball Vibernum (Guelder Rose)

Bearded Iris

Lotus Pods

Lilac

Garden Roses

Tree Peonies

Peonies (late in the month)

Queen Anne’s Lace

Hydrangea

Pieris Japonica

Field Freesias

Waratah

Boronia

Arum

Lisianthus

Chincherinchees

Spinning Gum

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for November

November:

Blushing Bride

Pieris Japonica

Thryptomene

Waratah

Peonies

Hydrangea

Jasmine

Arum

Lisianthus

Chincherinchees

Arab Eyes

Cockscomb

Queen Fabiola

Poppy Pods

Lotus Pods

Image for Seasonal Flowers - List of Flowers for December

December:

Copper Beech

Rosella

Dahlias

Gloriosa Lily

Amaranthus

Tuberose

Stephanotis

Calla lily

Hydrangea

Curcumers

Frangipani

Peonies

Bouvardia

Jasmine

Calla Lily

Queen Fabiola

Lisianthus

Gardenia

Cockscomb

Pineapple Lilies

Flowering Eucalyptus

Blushing Bride

We are now in the throws of wedding season. October to March is the most popular time to get married due to the warmer weather, and the variety of flowers available. If you still have some time until your big day, use the time to look at what is around at the time you are getting married. Wander into your local florist and see what is on display during the month of your planned nuptials. Trust your supplier!!! Weather wreaks havoc on our industry and if it is colder for longer during the winter months, or we have an extraordinarily warm spring, there will be variations to the flowers growth, resulting in blooms being available early, or later, for shorter periods, or for longer periods. There are no hard and fast rules with Mother Nature, so give your suppliers a clear brief and then let them guide you on your best choices.

Til next time,

Fwf x

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