Archive for the ‘Cool Wedding Flowers’ Category

Welcome to Eye Candy Friday — a new ongoing blog series featuring fabulous photos of some wedding goodies to inspire you!

For our first installment, we’re pleased to present these pretty kick-ass bouquets that we first fell in love with at the A Decadent Affair event at Wine & Roses Hotel Restaurant & Spa a few months ago. Made by the wonderful Shannon Cosgrove-Rivas from Flourish, these brooch bouquets are just plain super cool.

We hope you think they’re as unique and fun as we do. Enjoy a little “eye candy.”

Blog Post by Editor/Publisher Wendy Sipple.

Photos courtesy of Flourish.

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Welcome back to another installment of Real Weddings Magazine’s Partner Profiles!

This week, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight one of our vendors from our Real Weddings Magazine cover model fashion photo shoot that we just mentioned in yesterday’s blog. And, it’s the exceptionally talented (and just downright super-cool!) floral designer, Shannon Cosgrove-Rivas from Flourish. Take it away Miss Shannon!

Flourish

Tell us a little about your company?  We are a special event floral design company based out of Sacramento.

When did you establish your business?  I started Flourish in 1999, but I have been designing in flowers for 21 years.

What sets you apart from your competition?  Flourish is known for detailed and artistic floral designs. We pride ourselves on incorporating the personality of the client in to their event so it reflects them in a unique way.

Where do you find inspiration?  I find inspiration everywhere. I love to shop so I am always looking at the latest fashions, scents and colors. I find a lot of inspiration from nature. The way a tree’s branches are balanced, the color shading of a blossom and the seasons all inspire me.

When you opened shop, what was your promise to your customers?  Fresh, eye catching and “wow” worthy designs is what we make happen for our fabulous clients. I want every single one of my clients to feel like their event was unique and artistically executed. But most importantly, I made a vow to only use the highest quality flowers in our designs.

Do you have any hidden talents?  I can wiggle my ears. Does that count?

What trend do you see coming in 2010?  In wedding floral–the up and coming flowers are Amaryllis, garden roses and seasonal textural elements. The flowers still holding their popularity are peonies, dahlias and tulips. Flowers falling out of favor are callas and stephanotis. The color purple is super hot too!

Do you regularly blog? What’s your blog site?  Why yes I do! I try to blog at least three times a week. www.flourishdesigns.com/blog-new/

Dress from The Bridal Box.

Dress from Diamond Bridal Gallery.

What’s your favorite local restaurant?  Mulvaney’s is so yummy! I love the local and fresh foods and flavors they use when creating their menus. My less high brow favorite is In-n-Out Burger. I am originally from SoCal. Down there In-n-Out is a staple.

What’s your favorite local charity?  My children’s school and Wish Upon a Wedding.

What is your favorite fun thing to do locally?  I love to go on day-trips. I think we are incredibly lucky living here in Sacramento. We are an hour and a half from Lake Tahoe’s fresh mountain air, an hour from the world class Napa Valley and their amazing wine and an two hours from some of the most beautiful beach and coast line on earth. Well, if my husband is driving we can be on the beach in an hour and 15 minutes.

Do you have secret vice or indulgence? What is it?  I wish I had never discovered it. Lindt’s dark chocolate with a touch of sea salt. It is the best! I love the combo of sweet with a little salt (just like my personality).

What are you most grateful for in life?  My family. I am blessed with an amazing family filled with smart, funny and loving people.

If you were to plan your own wedding, or re-do your wedding, what elements would be most important to you?  Photography! I had a friend photograph our wedding (I know- gasp!). He had the best of intentions and tried really hard for us. Unfortunately he didn’t have the knowledge a professional wedding photographer possesses. How to get those great shots quickly, how to keep the day’s schedule on track and a million other little things that make the wedding day go smooth and give you the memories you will cherish.

What advice would you can give to brides and grooms getting married today?  Make the wedding about the marriage. The marriage of two lives, two families and two futures. And try not to take it all too seriously.

Anything else you’d like to share with Real Weddings Magazine’s brides?  I just launched a wedding blog focused on the Northern and Central California wedding scene. I am excited to share all the insider info I have accumulated over the last 21 years. The blog features lots of down to earth inspiration and gorgeous inspiration images. Check us out at Fancy Pants Weddings.

Find out more about Shannon and Flourish for yourself. Call her at 916-212-5179 or visit her Web site at flourishdesigns.com. And, check out her profile on Real Weddings Magazine!

All photos by True Love Photo, copyright Real Weddings Magazine.

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Bouquet by Ambience Floral Design. Photo by Allison Stahl Photography.

We’re back with the best buds of the season, bringing you some beautiful blooms for the late spring months of May and June. We asked one of our favorite floral designers, Katie Edwards of Roseville’s Ambience Floral Design, to share with us her picks for bridal bouquets in the coming months:

Tulips – The epitome of spring and all its playfulness. They come in a wide variety of colors and are a classically happy flower. They are unique and interesting in that they continue to grow about the length of their head each day.

Giant Allium- Allium is in the onion family and is one of the most fun and unique flowers. It is a large fuzzy purple ball, about 4-6″ in diameter sitting on top of a long bare stem. These flowers are such fun to play with during the short time we have them. Typically June-July is the typical timespan.

Bouquet by Ambience Floral Design. Photo by Gino Creglia Photography.

Peonies - Huge, fluffy and fragrant! Peonies are one of the most loved flowers based on the feedback I received. People (especially brides) beg for them all year long, but it is the lucky bride who marries in May and June who can plan on enjoying peonies at their peak. The colors are white, blush, pink, watermelon, fuchsia and burgundy-red. Oh, so gorgeous.

Bouquet by Ambience Floral Design. Photo by Anne Mask Photography.

Hydrangea – Hydrangea is available all year in light blue and white, but we heading into prime hydrangea season. The colors will range from soft lavender, pink and green to hot pink, rich blue and deep purple. These large romantic blooms are a wedding classic.

Thanks Katie!

About Ambience Floral Design:

Owner, Katie Edwards and her team are uniquely qualified to satisfy the requirements of people who are planning weddings, special events and business gatherings. They understand the current trends and their creative team is committed to making your event unique and extraordinary.

Contact Ambience Floral Design at 916-786-6851, or www.ambiencefloral.com.

Blog Post by Always a Bridesmaid Columnist Darren Elms.

To see more floral bouquets, visit our Real Weddings Magazine Style Files section

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I am a perfectionist by nature, so when I discover that I made a mistake (which is bound to happen because, despite my thinking I am, alas, I am NOT superwoman), I take it VERY personally. Especially with our Real Weddings Magazine.

So this blog post gets filed in the “Oops, we’re only human department…”

In our current Winter/Spring 2010 issue on page 125, we incorrectly credited the photo below. It should have said, “Photo by Andrea’s Images, andreasimages.com. Flowers by Accents by Sage.”

I apologize for this error and will flog myself accordingly!

Accents by Sage can be reached at 916-799-6242.

This bouquet photo is one of several in Laura & Nolan’s featured online exclusive real wedding on Real Weddings Magazine‘s Web site. Check out their wedding on our Web site – it’s gorgeous!

And, while we’re at it, for a little eye candy this afternoon…let’s check out more of the flowers from Accents by Sage featured in Laura & Nolan’s wedding (come on, like you were really working this afternoon?)!

Blog Post by Editor and Publisher Wendy Sipple.

Photos courtesy of Andrea’s Images Photography.

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My mom recently started a floral design business down in Southern California. I’ve frequently taken visits with her down to the flower mart to sample the wares. Every time I peruse the aisles I’m amazed at the sheer variety on display.

Talking with some of the local floral designers, I’m also getting a little education on seasonality…what flowers are best to buy at certain times of year based on color, quality, style and, most of all, price.

We though would be fun (and useful!) to ask some of our local floral designers their thoughts on seasonal flowers, starting with dreamy winter weddings. Hopefully, readers planning events from late December to early March will get fresh ideas when planning out your own bridal bouquets.

This round we asked Angie Zimmerman of Heavenly Flowers and Events to give her “seasoned” advice on wonderful winter blooms:

RING AROUND THE ROSEY

“Roses are a bridal favorite and available all year. However, at this time of year, both red and white roses will start to go up in price leading up to Valentine’s Day! There is a logical reason for this…besides supply and demand!

It takes about 45 days from the time a rose is cut from a bush until there is another rose ready to be cut. So that means that growers have to cut back their roses at the end of December in order for there to be enough supply for Valentine’s Day.

When the growers cut back all the bushes, it creates a temporary “lack of supply” which raises the prices. As for the actual Valentine’s Day roses, growers are trying to make up for the “lack of supply” and taking advantage of the supply and demand phenomenon. Typical rose prices from a retail florist will vary between $3-$8.00 per stem. The average is $5.00 per stem. During the two weeks before Valentine’s Day and up to Valentine’s Day, the cost of a typical rose will climb to double or triple that cost. The cost does not necessarily reflect “design” time or cost.”

TIP TOE THROUGH THE TULIPS

“Other flowers available for winter weddings include tulips, alstromeria, anemone, antherium, bouvardia, some cymbidium orchids, dendrobium orchids, carnations, some lisianthus, freesia, gerbera daisies, hyacinths, iris, lilies, calla lilies and ranunculus.

Freesia

Gerbera Daisies

Dendrobium Orchids

Ranunculus

Some of these flowers are less expensive to purchase, however, require more design finesse and thus raise the completed bouquet cost.

For example, tulips (as long as they are not French tulips) are relatively inexpensive flowers. However, tulips are an unusual flower in that they continue to grow even after they have been cut from the bulb. They also continually stretch and bend towards light or sun. So to use them effectively in a bouquet, they have to be wired and taped…which is a big labor cost. Otherwise, you cannot know for sure what your tulips will do when taken out of the cooler and presented to the bride.”

MIX IT UP

“The least expensive and most reliable flowers for winter bouquets are carnations and alstromeria. However, most brides do not adore these flowers.

Alstromeria

I have used carnations as a base for a hand tied bouquet and used more expensive/prestigious flowers as the flowers you really see above the carnations. It’s a great way to get a nice look without the added cost of an entire bouquet made of expensive flowers.”

Thanks, Angie!

For more information Heavenly Flowers and Events, visit www.heavenlyevents.net or call 916-941-1171.

Blog Post by Always a Bridesmaid Columnist Darren Elms.

Photo at top courtesy of Heavenly Flowers and Events. All other photos (c) istock.