A humble thank you.

I know I have said it before but I wanted to take another moment to thank the amazing couples that I have worked with over the past year. They have given me the opportunity to do what I love and work with them to create the perfect decor for their wedding day. It's humbling to be given that opportunity and entrusted with making their special day even more so.

Thank you for your trust and kind words!

Read all of our Wedding Flowers Reviews at

Great vintage props

I love creating themed weddings and have so much fun sourcing the props I need for them. Unfortunately space in new york is not easy to come by so I'm offering up some of these great finds. If you are interested you can comment or contact me directly and I will let you know more about any of the items (including the price) and some ideas on how we used them.

Winter Quince

We all love flowering branches but some may think that they are only available in the Spring (oh, the beloved cherry blossoms!) but there are some great options already starting to bloom. Quince is one of my favorite, available in both white and pink (light & dark). The buds are small and when they bloom are still a petite flower. I really love the shape of the branches as well, they have a minimal feel to them making them a perfect option for something a bit more sleek and contemporary. I used them this week for one of my weekly designs, here I show the branches alone but I ended up adding some pink callas to the base of the design.

Love the deep coral color of these blooms!

A simple container is the perfect match for a contemporary look.

As with all hard, woody stems be sure to cut on an angle for optimal water absorption.

Add another cut down the center of the branch.

All of these tiny little buds WILL open, you will be surprised to see how long the branches last, especially if  you change the water every few days and give the branches a fresh cut.

Don't be afraid to prune back any broken or unruly branches!

Simple but will be stunning in just a few days as the flowers bloom!

2012, it's a pleasure to meet you.

It's already five days into 2012 and I'm excited, hopeful and ready to hit the ground running. I've read many blog posts over the last few days and they have all talked about new beginnings, a clean slate, a fresh start and resolutions. The idea that you can keep growing and changing and that each new year, new day, new moment is filled with infinite potential.

There have already been new engagements, new babies and new promises made in these first few days of 2012 and many more to come I'm sure.

In celebration of the New Year I'm often asked for bouquets of all white flowers which is no surprise since white signifies purity, innocence and can also represent the dawn of new beginnings.

Here's to new beginnings!

Looking back and moving forward

The year is coming to a close and as I sit here and try to recap 2011  I find it hard to believe that another year has passed. It was a busy year filled with weddings, corporate & social events along with many other projects that kept me running around. Not too mention the little man I have at home that never stops moving these days.

I moved into a new studio space and can't wait to settle in more over the next few weeks now that the craziness of the season has calmed down.

As I think back I find myself most thankful for the work that I had last year, for the clients turned friends that I was able to meet and for knowing that 2012 is going to be a new year to continue to grow and shape my business. I will spend the next few weeks celebrating Christmas with my family, I will turn another year older on the 30th and will ring in the new year with the ones I love. I want to enjoy the small moments and cherish these newly made memories.

I wish these same things for you this holiday season, whatever holiday you celebrate, wherever you are spending your time. I wish for you and the ones you love all the joy and fresh beginnings that a new year can bring.

I'll be taking a break until the new year and will be back with fresh ideas and more insight into the crazy world of flowers that I so love.

Enjoy!

Handmade Holidays

I dusted off my sewing machine recently and have been thoroughly enjoying myself creating some handmade items for Christmas. There are great ideas out there and it's so satisfying to finish something you've made. Of course if I was smart I would have started a bit earlier in the year but I lament about it every year with my friend Lisa (check out her blog here) and she encourages me to get to it and keep going. I've started with the little people in my life and I'm happy to report I've completed two crayon rolls and  two fishing games in just the past two days (most of the work has to be done after my real work and after my son goes to bed!)

I've adapted my designs from various tutorials I've found online, there are many to choose from. Skip to My Lou has a few different crayon roll tutorials with easy to follow directions. The fishing game, which I found last year but my little man was still too small to play, is so easy and can be customized how ever you like.

I have big plans for more items and as I create them I will definitely share. I can't give away too much of the grown-up gifts I'm working on since they may read about them here but I'm pretty confident the kiddos aren't reading my blog.

**As I write this post I saw some more great DIY ideas for gift giving posted over at Design*Sponge today. Of course they have fabulous ideas for DIY along with other genius gift guides for anyone in your life.

 

Real Wedding: Robyn and Lee

Here are some images from the final wedding of the season at The Garrison in the Hudson valley. It was a great way to end the busy wedding season. I'm just starting to fully appreciate all the spectacular weddings we did this fall and the awesome couples we worked with. Just a few of the things I'm thankful for this year.

Bridal bouquet was a mix of roses, dahlias (last of the season!), craspedia, grevellia greens and pin cushion protea, brunia, scabiosa pods and feather accents.

Coordinating bridesmaids bouquets with the addition of yellow ranunculus and silver brunia.

Kumquats on the vine for bar arrangements

Love the way this chuppuh turned out, the natural, woodsy look was perfect against the backdrop of the Hudson valley. Natural birch poles accented with golden curly willow, moss and hydrangea. A gold canopy trimmed with brown satin stayed in line with the warm seasonal tones.

Chair accents

I love the place cards the couple chose, coordinated nicely with the original invitation. The bird motif was continued through with the use of simple faux birds on a sandblasted Manzanita branch and moss accents.

Table arrangements for guest tables and sweetheart table were a combination of pin cushion protea, grevellia, dahlias, roses, two types of brunia and green hedera (bush ivy). Bronze pedestal urns were used for the guest tables.

A combination of seasonal persimmons, pomegranates and the kumquats were used for the bar arrangements.

All the images taken with my iphone...you gotta love natural light.