Birthday brunch celebration

who doesn't love a beautiful brunch with friends? especially when a dear friend hosts it for you in her home! a recent client did just that for a 50th birthday celebration. it was a beautiful fall day, even a few degrees cooler in Chappaqua than here in the city. i have to be honest the drive up there was half the fun...i love a ride outside the city when i get the chance.

the client only had one request, all white flowers...so the rest was up to me. with one long table for her guests i opted to use three simple white ceramic vases to line the table, each filled with a combination of hydrangea, dahlias, scabiosa (a different variety than the stellata), ranunculus and parrot tulips. i used four additional etched glass vases down the center of the table. an individual bud vase was set at each place setting for the guests to take home with them...i think that a special touch like that makes the difference. it adds to the design of the table and is a token of appreciation for all your guests.




roey mizrahi planned this lovely brunch while tastings provided the catering.

Scabiosa and other funky little treasures

i woke this morning with the thought of flowers...as i often do...i have that first waking, fleeting thought of flowers in one way or another. flowers i need to order for an upcoming event, how i can possibly get 300 stems of phaleonopsis when i need them or just how many beautiful interesting and funky little things grow in this wonderful world.

apparently i'm not the only one with the same thoughts...but maybe they get a little more sleep than i do.

christina over at floresdelsol talked about one of my favorites today, scabiosa stellata...not well known and completely underrated in my opinion these little pods can add THE perfect touch to many different styles of designs.

i also loved this real wedding i saw over at style me pretty and the super cool, chic and unique centerpieces using scabiosa stellata and two of my other all-time favorites, succulents and manazanita branches...throw some fiddlehead fern in there and i would be compeltely smitten...okay maybe they wouldn't look perfect in that design but i do love them!

Photo courtesy of Alderleaf Wilderness College.

it seems that more and more of my clients are interested in using these "textural" elements into their arrangements even in bouquets...here are a few i've created in the past that had a funky twist on the traditional bouquet.

would you consider using something different, even non-floral for your bouquet?
let me know!

Fall Wedding at The Roosevelt Hotel

Fall is officially here and we had our first wedding of the season. Eirene and Nick were married at the Greek Cathedral with the reception following at The Roosevelt Hotel. Here is just a sneak peek until the professional images are available.

The bride was looking for a rich, vibrant and warm mix of tones complimented by the iridescent purple pin tuck linens. It was a great look to compliment the colors in the ballroom.
Multiple vases used on the table were filled with a mix of Spicy orange roses, purple hydrangea, Schwarzwalder black calla lilies and purple trachelium. Tall candlelight and votive cnadles were used as well. The lighting was yet to be completed as we headed off to the church so I look forward to seeing the final look.

Now we're focused on our wedding this weekend at The Puck Building - an totally different look using all white and green blooms with black and white accents throughout. Stay tuned for images...