Feature in Well Wed Hamptons

Thrilled to get an email from the ladies over at Well Wed magazine letting me know that our inspiration shoot from the City Winery was included in the latest issue. I was so busy prepping for the event last week that I wasn't able to share. 

You can check it out here or better yet, pick up a copy of the current issue.

 

See more from the inspiration shoot here.

Skyline in Full Bloom at Top of the Garden

Being in the wedding industry you have the chance to see some great venues and meet some pretty amazing vendors. It's one of my favorite parts of the business. I love to see what's new and different, have the chance to meet some new people and catch up with others I haven't seen in awhile!

My friend and fabulous wedding planner Roey of Roey Mizrahi Events put together some of the best of the best for a great night recently and I was so happy to be a part of it.

I worked with both Roey and the Top of the Garden to design something for each of their tables and created a fall inspired entrance piece. Everyone did a beautiful job displaying what they do best and I've included just a few of my favorites here. The photos are all courtesy of the ever amazing Allan Zepeda. 

 

For the entrance piece I used hollowed out tree trunks for the base, pampas grass, hanging amaranthus and white gomphrena. We used additional branches with hanging phaleonopsis orchids.

 

 

KreatedByK had these super yummy cookies among other amazing sweets!

 Hushed Commotion has beautiful, handmade bridal accessories that you must check out here!

 Roey and I decided on this fun black and white combo for her table. A playful display using an overturned vase and silhouette paper to cover candles.

 The hanging garden we constructed for Top of the Garden's table was my favorite. I love the combination of fern, moss and sedum mat suspended over the table.

WEDDING TIPS: When should I book my floral designer?

We have discussed it before but the wedding planning process can be a daunting one. Knowing when to meet with and book your vendors is part of the challenge. Here's my advice and a bit from my friend and NYC wedding and event planner, Roey Mizrahi of Mizrahi Events.

Here are a few questions you may be asking yourself.

• When/how should you choose your floral designer? 
• When should you have your first consultation? 
• How long will it take to receive the first draft of a proposal? 
• How many revisions will be made before the final design? 
• When should you see a sample? 

The time table for choosing wedding vendors can be based largely on how early you begin the planning process but according to Roey, "based on the average year-long engagement, the florist, photographer and band should be researched and interviewed about 8 months before the wedding". I couldn't agree more with Roey as she points out that "interviewing floral designers allows clients to find a designer that no only matches their aesthetic and accommodates their budget but truly honors, and most importantly understands their vision".

A few more tips to on booking your florist:

• Already know of a designer with work that you love? Call them first and schedule a meeting.
• Don't know where to start? Ask around and get referrals. 
• Do some research and choose your top three to schedule a time to meet.

After you have scheduled your meetings gather inspiration so you can share what love, hate and everything in between with your potential designer. You should receive a first draft of a proposal within 7-10 days of your meeting. A follow-up conversation with one or two round of revisions and you should have a well defined creative vision to base your decision on.

Samples and fine tuning of the design will follow. Some designers require a signed proposal before the presentation of samples or will charge for it. In my case, when I charge for a sample (which is rare because I typically have a signed contract before that) I will deduct the cost from the invoice once the contract is signed.

You should be fairly confident that you are going to choose a designer before wanting to see a sample. You want your vendors to be straight forward with you in terms of pricing and delvierables so try not to "shop around" with no intention of choosing that designer. Nothing is worse than presenting a detailed sample to have your ideas taken somewhere else to be produced!

A good designer will present you with a portfolio and initial proposal to give you a true sense of their talent. Choose based on talent, creativity and experience BUT in the end, choose someone you TRUST. All the creativity in the world won't matter on the day of your wedding if you can't be confident that they will deliver on all of their promises.

The Consultation Process

So you're engaged and have finally set the date! Now what? Choosing vendors is a daunting process and the consultation processes vary, here is an outline of how I approach a consultation with client.

Initial conversation, whether it be through email or phone I discuss the basics of the wedding. Date, venue, approximate size and their initial thoughts for the decor. I also discuss budget. There are different schools of thought regarding this topic but I feel strongly that it's fair to everyone to have an open discussion. You may find that your original expectations are not realistic. This is most likely your first time planning a wedding while the professional you are speaking to has created 100's of designs at many different budget levels. Be honest and true to what you are looking for when discussing the budget.

Once we chat a bit we schedule a meeting to go over my portfolio. Bring inspiration material with you to the meeting, it can be anything from invitations to dress swatches. It's important to give an idea of the overall feel of the wedding and your own personal style which will help in
designing a unique look.

Following the meeting I will create a proposal. It will include a creative description and itemized list of costs for all of the elements of the wedding. Once the client reviews the proposal I will answer any general questions and create a revision if necessary.

Once contract is signed and deposit received, I require 50% at the time the contract is signed, I continue to have an open dialogue with the client (most often through email). We may schedule another meeting or two which could include a trip to the flower market. After one or two follow up meetings we don't usually meet again except perhaps for a final walk through. (Larger or more detailed weddings with more variables may require more meetings.)

I provide sample centerpieces/table set-up at no charge if the client has already signed on. Prior to signing the contract I charge for a sample but will deduct the cost of the sample from the proposal when the client decides to move forward. It is reasonable to expect a sample of the main centerpiece but not necessarily all of the other elements of the decor. If you anticipate wanting to see samples of your personal flowers and/or other arrangements you should expect to pay for some of these additional samples.

This an outline of my approach but of course there are always exceptions to the rules and as I've said before I don't like to think of there being any rules when planning your wedding. Ask all of your vendors about their process and the best way to for you to communicate and facilitate the process so that it feels right to you.

Hamptons Wedding
Photo by fmphotos.com Susan Baker
"Just Married" sign by Blade

Behind the scenes: Shopping for flowers

Back in April we took part in the Modern Tablescape Challenge over at Brooklyn Bride. While this end up being the final submission we did have a few designs that we played around with before choosing. I'll post those over the next few days but today I thought I would give you a little peek into the behind the scenes process of shopping for the flowers.
Sara Wasilausky was my teammate on the challenge and took some beautiful images of everything.

A view of the flower market early Saturday morning.

Vibrant pin cushion protea - we ended up choosing the yellow variety.

Thought about using this amazing palm leaf as a vessel but decided to go in another direction. Pretty common to start with one idea in mind and then be swayed in another direction by all the amazing options to choose from.

Rows and rows of tulips, hyacinth, ranunculus and other seasonal beauties.

Here I am choosing the final bunch of pin cushions.

These amazing open cut white calla lilies are not always available so I couldn't resist grabbing some for at least one of the table set-ups. My hands are also full with craspedia and waxflower as I make the final choices.

Nicky from Associated Cut Flowers and I catch up on the happenings in the market and new flower arrivals as he writes up our invoice.

Just another day for Fat Cat at Gpage.

A visit to the flower market can really give you a new perspective on your original design and help you better define the direction it will take. It's a great experience and I always welcome couples to take a trip with me to explore all the options available for their wedding flowers.

Stay tuned for our other table set-up options that we didn't end up using for the challenge.

Tips for choosing the perfect designer for your wedding.

Ever since the wedding reality show craze I've often been asked "Have you worked with any Bridezillas or uncontrollable couples??" and thankfully my response has always been, "No!" I must admit that I've been so lucky with the couples that I've worked with over the years. They have all had their own visions, opinions and expectations but each of them has gracefully allowed me to do what I love and create the perfect décor for them. Some are more involved than others, some have a clear vision from the onset of exactly what they want while others were looking to me to take the lead and design something specifically for them. In either situation I've loved the chance to design and redesign the look until it's just right. After all, the flowers and décor can help transform any space and set the mood for the day. So while you may know exactly what you want or you may not have a clue...here are some tips on choosing someone to help you create the perfect look for your special day.

• Remember, it’s your wedding there are no rules regarding the décor.
• Choose a floral designer that you trust and allow them the freedom to be truly creative and make decisions that you are sure to love.
• Learn the difference between a “florist” and a “floral designer”.
• Reflect your personality, the design and décor should show your style.
• Make sure to see a sample of the centerpiece or table design.
• Think about elements other than just the centerpiece; linens, lighting and other special touches make the difference and can complete the look.
• Gather inspiration and do some research before you meet with designers to have an idea of things you like and don’t like.
• Meet with more than one designer to find the right fit for your style and budget.
• ENJOY the process, choosing décor should be fun and you should be thrilled with the outcome on the big day!

Nyssa & Chris at the Mandarin

from the first minute i met Nyssa and her mother, i knew they had fabulous tastes and that they would be a pleasure to work with and i was right on both accounts. i worked with Nyssa and Chris (Chris, i met a bit later and thought what a great couple he & Nyssa made!) to create the decor for their rehearsal dinner and wedding. they were open to different ideas and in the end we created the perfect decor for their wedding.

Nyssa wanted to focus on pink and purple for the color palette and after a few revisions we decided to use pinks & purple blooms for the rehearsal dinner at Astra restaurant while we would focus mostly on varying shades of pinks for the wedding reception at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

the design was simple and slightly more contemporary; a combination of short and tall centerpieces created the perfect look. we used a crushed shimmer linen that changed depending on how the light hit it. clear glass candle holders and amber mercury glass votive candles completed the look.

so, as much as i try, taking pictures at any of my events is where i fall short. i try, i really, really try. but there is always something left to be done, candles yet to be lit and final touches that have to made. and well, then there is the issue of lighting, focus and a steady hand...none of which i have learned to control very well. so that's why i happily leave that to the professionals.

in this case, Carlos Andres Varela of Cava Weddings captured the details and i can't wait to see the results. and since he is the professional and he is producing works of art...we have to wait, just a bit, to see the images.

so in the meantime, here are some images that i did capture leading up to the wedding and some of tables in the process of being completely set.

shopping for pink hydrangea

verena rose hydrangea

captain romance calla lilies (from Holland)

low centerpieces while still at studio

a view of the Grand Ballroom...still in progress

a close-up...ahhh, love those phals!

low centerpieces bathed in a different light

so...i promise, you will see the real deal once i get my hands on some professional shots!!

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...