The "outrageous" cost of wedding flowers

A must read for all prospective brides, we aren't trying to swindle you, we don't hack up the price just because it's a wedding…really,  a good trusted florist doesn't do this and if you don't trust your florist you need to find a new one, in all honesty if you don't trust any of your vendors don't book them, listen to your gut!

A warning, the article is long,  you really won't believe how hard we work to make all the pretty on your pinterest come to life.  So when you've had enough of the family this Holiday Season, sneak away with your phone, iPad, computer hunker down and read this article.

http://www.weddinggirl.ca/blog/2014/06/25/outrageous-cost-wedding-flowers-explained/

Featured in Munaluchi Bridal Magazine

I'm so excited to be in the current issue of Munaluchi Bridal Magazine!   The goal of  Munaluchi Bridal is to break down barriers, show the world that beauty comes in many forms, and to highlight the fact that there are many groups left out of the traditional mainstream bridal magazines.  With my own children being half Filipino, a niece who is black and Filipino, and a niece and nephews who are half Mexican this goal is close to my heart.  I want these children to see what beauty can be and is...what brides look like, that there isn't just one mold.  

Here are the pages I'm featured in in the magazine and I'll post some of my own photo's from the shoot soon!

 I want to extend a huge thanks to Munaluchi for letting me be a part of this shoot, it was an amazing experience!

The Cost of Wedding Flowers from Snippit and Ink

Any prospective bride should read this article.   Most people who spend a considerable amount of money on an item spend time researching beforehand,  say for example when buying a car.  Or when you are my husband buying lightbulbs.  Yes, he spends hours researching lightbulbs, the kids even make fun of him chanting "Daddy loves lightbulbs".  When we draw our mini town in the street with chalk mommy gets a flower shop, Daddy gets a lightbulb shop.  But I digress, I think when you start shopping for your florist you need to come at it from an educated point of view as well.     I really couldn't have said it better myself, this post from Snippet and ink is the perfect place for you to start your education.

http://snippetandink.com/cost-of-wedding-bouquets-budget-breakdown/ 

Inn at Mill Race Pond

Markow Photography has the whole story on this beautiful wedding at one of my favorite venues.  I was dying over her bouquet…sometimes you make one that you just don't want to let go of.  

http://markowphotography.com/2014/09/23/inn-at-millrace-pond-wedding-photography-laurie-and-nick/

The Inn at Fernbrook Farm August 9, 2015

I just received the most beautiful images from Jenny Kim Photography of a wedding held at The Inn at Fernbrook Farm.  Honestly the pictures on this venue's website do not do it justice.  Sprawling grounds, a ceremony space with an arbor that is over 100 yrs old, original to the home…I can't say enough about  it.  And the space available in the house for the bridal party is perfect to create a cozy, quiet, and calm atmosphere the day of the wedding.

I worked with Jenny Kim last year on the brides sister's wedding and was so happy to work with her again.  She takes thought out, intentionally beautiful pictures.

The flower girl..wait I should say the seriously cute flower girl, wore a crown of succulents, thistle, spray roses and greens.  

The boutonnieres were all a variation on a theme with brunia, greens, thistle and succulents.

The brides bouquet was everything, succulents, white garden rose, fresh lotus pod, scabiosa, ernigium, lady slipper orchids, artichokes!, scabiosa, sedum, lysimachia finished with grasses and greens.

Bridesmaids carried bouquets of white spray roses, lotus pod, dusty miller, scabiosa, thistle, and ernigium

Centerepices; scabiosa, artichoke, thistle, sedum, white spray roses, nigella, lotus pods and greens.  

Bridal Market: Sarah Jassir

I was so excited to be asked to create designs for the Sarah Jassir 2015 collection presentation at Bridal Market in NYC.  At first designs for the head of the runway and one bouquet was requested.  Then Sarah's team emailed me.  After looking through my work they fell in love with the floral/succulent cuffs I create and they had to have them.   I love making them and was so excited, so with a wedding Saturday Morning, the show in the afternoon, and a wedding on Sunday it was a bit of a crazy weekend…and I loved every minute of it.  Check out the show on Brides.com.  As more images come in I'll post them up on the blog, right now this is the only way to get them!

I'm a tree hugger…literally…Designing on a Tree.

At the end of May I had a bride with a bit of an issue.  A concrete paved patio where the outdoor ceremony would happen…at the end of the aisle a gigantic oak tree.  She wanted an arbor, or an arch…and I just kept thinking how 'off' it would look with that big ol' tree behind it.  So I made a suggestion, let's use the tree.  Instead of trying to hide it let's make it part of the ceremony so it distracts from the concrete.  And that's how this design came about.

And I did have to hug the tree to create the base this design was made on.  I visited the site before the wedding to measure and construct the frame.  It was a beautiful day, Kenzie brought her coloring book and crayons and Olivia napped in the stroller while I worked (CJ was at school).  The wedding day was another story though.  It rained all morning, and when I started on the tree it was still drizzling and the staff was setting up the ceremony under a tent where the cocktail hr was to be held.  Then, about one hour before the ceremony started…the skies parted and the pretty tree had a chance to show off her dress.

  It's so funny, in all, about 4hrs went into this design, from the trip to the venue before hand and building the frame to doing all the designing on site the day of the wedding…and I love how it looks like it was always there...

Working with Claire Pettibone

I had the opportunity this past spring to work with Claire Pettibone.  Her dresses are exactly the style I wanted to wear for my wedding, but couldn't find 10 years ago.   I'm a Munaluchi Coterie Member and when the editor of Munaluchi gave Claire my name when she came to New York to launch her new Romantique bridal line I couldn't say no!

Claire was so down to earth and we worked together to tweak the traditional take on a floral crown with these babies breath hair wreaths that hinted at being veils..

Then I created some bohemian style arrangements for the room.   This was so much fun…and I'm looking forward to Bridal Market in two weeks where I get to work with another wedding dress designer and create some cool goodies for the runway!  So exciting!

Montclair Golf Club May 16, 2014

Yes, I'm still posting May weddings…can you imagine all the pretty I still have coming!

When I think of this wedding I remember sipping on coffee creating cherry branch trees for the table centerpieces,  on a beautiful veranda while a soft breeze created a sense of calm and serenity.  Seriously, this happened.  I have never, never worked at a venue where I was treated so nicely by the management and staff.  Not only were my assistant and I served coffee, but the manager insisted that we stop working to eat the lunch he ordered us from the kitchen.  A-mazing.  All venues should read their handbook!  

Peonies are incredible…what else can you say?

The flower girl crown…I sadly found out afterwards they had a little trouble with it.  Seems they were tying it around her head and it kept falling down, when really it needs to be tied slightly smaller than the head so it sits on top, like a crown.  I make it a point now to give a little tutorial on how to put it on.  I felt terrible that the pretty little flower girl had a problem with her crown.

Floral crown of pink ranunculus, orange helios garden roses, jasmine vine, brunia baubles, and ivory spray roses.  

Bridal Bouquet:  Ivory spray roses, light and medium pink peonies, white ranunculus, juliet garden roses, jasmine vine, succulents, dusty miller and white astrantia.

Bridesmaids Bouquets:  light and medium pink peonies, orange ranunculus, white astrantia, succulents, dusty miller and orange ranunculus.

 There were two types of centerpieces, one followed in the same vein:  greens, jasmine vine, light and medium pink peonies, orange and white ranunculus, ivory spray roses.

The other was a cherry blossom branch tree.  These all have to be assembled on site.  The fireplace also received a cherry blossom branch treatment with the branches cascading off.  

I couldn't stop picking pictures to post!