bridal bouquet

How to Carry a Bridal Bouquet

2 · Jul 18, 2018 ·

So many of my posts here are born out of a rant. Things that drive me crazy with weddings, décor or the world. This one is no exception. Because there is something graceful and romantic about the way flowers should linger in a bride’s arms. They should be held gingerly and with love. They are an accessory to the overall attire of a bride and a focal point in one’s bridal portraits. When I am presented with inspiration photos or a stunning bouquet captures my attention online, the flowers definitely do a lot of speaking but it’s not only that, it’s the way it’s held, photographed and treasured. So when I see my flowers (which are my art – my heart and soul has gone into designing each and every piece) captured in an unfavorable manor I am immediately hit with a wave of sadness, wishing I could be the stylist on each and every wedding day making sure every detail is perfect.

Since that’s not a realistic option and most people aren’t quite as dramatic about their blooms as I tend to be, I’m simply going to share my word of advice here, lending some guidance. I always want the flowers to look incredible in person, but when your wedding day is over, the memories will eventually fade and your pictures are what you have left to reminisce upon. So let’s make sure that they’re every bit as amazing as your real life memories.

Stems Tucked in Towards the Body

First things first, make sure stems are tucked in towards the body and the faces of the flowers are facing out.

In the above picture, the bouquet is being held vertically, so the stems are parallel to the body. While this doesn’t make the photo “ugly”, it could be so much better because this isn’t the angle that the bouquet was designed to face.

Above our model simply tipped the bouquet forward bringing to flowers to the of attention. The stems are tucked in closer to her body. My bouquets are intensionally created with very short stems, making this much easier to accomplish.

Make Sure the Ribbon is Over You Hands

Long trailing silk ribbons are really popular right now. I love some of the hand-dyed options, like this one from Silk and Willow. However, I’m saddened when the beauty of these ribbons is hidden behind the bride’s fingers. Most times, I’m fairly certain that it’s unintentional, however I want to point it out just the same.

See how our model’s hands are crinkling the bow and blocking the ribbons? Below I’ll share a few ways that we still photographed the bride’s ring, but also capture the ribbons and flowers in a more favorable position.

Let the ribbon loosly flow over your fingers, showing off is delicate nature.

Play with Different Positions to Hold it In

I know I contradict myself often when I talk about flowers. I have been known to mention taking really good care of your bouquet, making sure it’s handled gently and given lots of water throughout the wedding day. I think this puts people in a panic, like they can’t set it down and touch any part of it besides the stems. Flowers are delicate and parishable, but they can handle being used a little. So don’t be afraid to really “hold onto” your bouquet. And here are some of my favorite ways to do so.

I love this one because the bouquet is slightly tipped to the side, with the stems still hidden. It gives a a different vantage point and elongates the lines of the bouquet.

Here the bouquet is completely vertical, almost making it appear as though it’s a cascading bouquet.

Resting the bouquet on your hip, either in front of you or behind you is a really comfortable way to hold the flowers during your portraits and gives the pictures interest making them seem artsy, but not unnatural.

I love the nonchalant feeling of the bouquet being tossed over the bride’s shoulder. It especially gorgeous here because it’s almost hard to see where her bouquet ends and her hairpiece starts.

No matter how you choose to hold your bouquet, my biggest take aways from this post are hide the stems – you’re paying for flowers! Show off your gorgeous ribbons and do what feels comfortable.

When Should You Carry Your Bridal Bouquet?

3 · Nov 15, 2016 ·

It seems like a pretty straight forward question and answer. As a bride, you have a bouquet and as a floral designer, I’m going to encourage you to have flowers around you as often as possible. But even with something as simple as a bridal bouquet, there are logistics and moments of practicality to consider and moments that you might truly want to have it by your side, even if you hadn’t previously thought about it.

When to Carry Your Bridlal Bouqet | The Day's Design | Bradley James Photography

Photography: Samantha James Photography

Getting Ready Photos

I like to drop off the bouquets sometime during the getting ready process rather than having the bouquets waiting at the ceremony location. I do this for a couple of reasons. First off, many photographers like to photograph the bouquet right away, along with the other accessories. So many of the photographers I work with start the day off with “detail shots” – meaning photographing the bride’s jewelry, veil, shoes and dress before she puts it on. The bouquet normally falls into this category and also adds some extra charm into these pictures. Secondly, bridal party pictures with maids in matching robes and fun styled photos like this have gained so much popularity in recent years and often bouquets are also incorporated in as well. And thirdly, if you’re doing a first look, sometimes locations have been known to change last minute due to weather or lighting or perhaps even running behind schedule. Having your bouquet there and ready for you makes one less detail that needs to be re-coordinated if there should be a timeline modification.

First Look

I am a huge advocate for having flowers with the bride for this moment. And I know not everyone agrees with me on this issue, but so much time, care and money spent on choosing the perfect blooms (or floral designer to choose the perfect flowers) and this is a highly photographed time so I think it’s only right that said blooms should be treasured and held in the bride’s hands. Furthermore, immediately following the first look is usually a small photo session of just the two of you and I really believe you’ll want your flowers accessible for this.

Wedding Party Pictures

Again, this seems obvious but the bride and her maids should have handfuls of blooms readily available for when their time in front of the camera arrives. A couple of helpful hints with this – make sure vases of water are kept nearby and certainly make sure the entire bridal party is aware of all the happenings of the day so they’ll know to keep their bouquets handy for the most important moments of the day. One of the most common questions I hear from the bridesmaids on a wedding day is whether or not they need their bouquet at any particular time and it can be challenging to communicate this especially with larger wedding parties.

The Ceremony

Smack me on the forehead and say “duh!” right now, because we all know the bride carries a bouquet during the wedding ceremony. But the reason I bring this up is because often with modern timelines of the day (i.e. – doing first look and all bridal party pictures prior to the actual wedding), this becomes one of the last opportunities for the bouquet to be photographed however most brides find it the most important and they’re fearful that it will be wilted from all the activity earlier in the day. In all honesty, this time isn’t normally about photographing flowers, and your guests notice your bouquet but don’t dwell on it. This is the time to capture emotion and focus on the sanctity of marriage. This is the time for you and your groom to shine, accessorized by the décor but not overshadowed by it.

Sunset Photos

Yes yes yes! Of course you need to see your flowers shining in that glorious golden light. But if you’re thinking you’re just over carrying the bouquet around all day, I encourage you to take it along anyway. You don’t have to hold it for every single picture, but I think you’ll be glad that you have it within reach for at least a few.

If all of the above holds true, you’ve just held your bouquet out of water for nearly 4 hours or more on what might be a really hot day. Here are a couple of extra tips for you to make sure that your flowers stay at the peak of perfection for as long as possible.

Keep a vase of water nearby, for both you and your maids. Replace the flowers into the vases whenever you have a break from photos – touching up makeup, groomsmen photos, etc. Do not just ditch the bouquets on a nearby table and do try to find a shady spot.
To help with that first tip – have each bridesmaid carry her own vase of water (which I’m sure it was delivered in) or if possible, designated one person to carry the entire box or basket of vases (I always deliver mine in a basket with easy carry handles). Transport that box/basket with you from getting ready location to photos to ceremony. This is a great job for that extra person who really wanted to be involved with your wedding but you just couldn’t find the perfect task for.
Appreciate the beauty while it lasts. Many of my favorite flowers actually shine the brightest in the moments before death. They open the fullest, find the perfect drape and shout romance. Embrace the fact that your bouquet will not look exactly the same at the end of the night as it did upon delivery. And that’s okay, it’s just the beauty of nature.

Shelby signature

Friday Flowers :: Olivia’s Burgundy & Blush Summer Bouquet

0 · Nov 4, 2016 ·

Olivia’s bouquet was to be completed after what had already been a full week of flowering. It was an unbearably hot day in the middle of July and I was feeling the burn – quite literally. I don’t like leaving such an important piece until the end of the day but unfortunately in this instance, I had no choice. Flowers are such a perishable items and these needed to be in their prime.

Burgundy & Blush Bridal Bouquet | The Day's Design | Bethany Small Photography

I’m guessing it was about midnight when I finally gave up. Try as I may, I couldn’t make the flowers flow right, there was something missing and I simply wasn’t satisfied with the results. I had the most beautiful burgundy charm peonies, some stunning red spray roses, burgundy scabiosa and some Talea roses in the palest shade of peach.

It just wasn’t enough. It felt lackluster and boring. Olivia had gushed over Good Seed Floral of Oregon and their gorgeous design work and mine was failing dreadfully in comparison. While I never try to replicate another artist’s work, I knew my results would never do. Her bouquet needed to be a piece of art marrying burgundy and blush shades in perfect harmony while capturing the essence of Northern Michigan and the pristine beach where she would be wed.

In situations like these, I do what any good florist would do – I take a trip to the hardware store. I fell in love with one bendy stem of speckled foxglove. I grabbed some coleus, yarrow and chocolate poke weed. And then some lacy, red, unidentified annuals off of the clearance rack.

Burgundy & Blush Bouquet Recipe | The Day's Design | Bethany Small Photography

Photography: Bethany Small Photography

These were the magic missing ingredients. Her bouquet few together in mere minutes of time and was one of my very favorites this season.

Shelby signature

How to Work with a Wedding Planner :: Part 2 :: Day-of Coordinator

0 · May 4, 2016 ·

Photography: Ashley Slater Photography | Floral Design: The Day’s Design

As my business has evolved, I usually only coordinate weddings that I’ve also done the florals or some aspect of design for. This wasn’t always the case, I used to do coordination or event management for the day as a standalone service. So I’m writing this post as if you were hiring me for that unaccompanied help – since we really are trying to single out the Wedding Coordinator’s role in the overall vision of the wedding.

This is purely speculation, but I think this is probably the most commonly hired wedding planning service. Couples are given some professional guidance without relinquishing control or loosing too much from their pocketbooks. While they aren’t necessarily contracted to do so, most Day-of Coordinators will give some tips on etiquette share their favorite vendors with you. After all, it’s in there benefit for the couple to hire a photographer that coordinator loves and makes their life a whole lot easier if you don’t hire that caterer who is terrible at communications. I always say, I’d rather that you come to me instead of asking Mr. Google.

The process of working with me as your Day-of Coordinator typically works like this: the bride and groom hire me. Sometimes this is the first thing they do, other times it happens in a panic three months before the wedding. Either way, I won’t really start talking in more depth about the wedding until about 6-8 weeks before hand. We’ll walk through what the couple has planned for the day, how they envision everything, chat about a brief day of timeline, locations for things such as the guest book, placecards and the cake table. If at all possible, I try to visit the venue together. Then I’ll get a complete list of vendors hired by the couple. I’ll address any concerns I have logistically or otherwise and then I’ll get to work.

My first task is filling in the gaps on the itinerary. Details like ceremony and reception start time aren’t up for discussion. But often no one knows what time the caterer is planning on arriving or when the tables and chairs will be set up so the florist can place her flowers (or when I can place the centerpiece if I’m also your floral designer). If no one has told the baker what time she should arrive with the cake, it might end up sitting out all day and we’ll end up with a big pile of melted buttercream. We want to make sure that pertinent events are scheduled during the time that the photographer is contracted to work. Coordination of these details is absolutely necessary and I fill in all those holes, working on arrival times, traffic flow and general order of the day – things that the bride shouldn’t be worrying about while she’s off having her hair and makeup done the morning of the big day.

Dear Vendors: Your first contact with me will be a nice little introductory email asking if you have any concerns, special setup needs or any lingering questions that haven’t been clarified quite yet. I’ll do everything within my power to address those and a couple weeks prior to the wedding, when all these details have been confirmed with each and every one of you, I’ll send along a copy of the finalized itinerary and contact information – important phone numbers, addresses and anything else I think you might possibly need on the wedding day. Yes, that itinerary will be chucked full of information that you might not think you need, but I think over informed is much better than under.

On the actual wedding day, I try to interrupt the bride and groom as little as possible and ask that you do the same. Please be respectful of what they hired me to do and address me first with questions or concerns. I don’t have all the answers, but normally I have a few.

Dear Clients: You can make this process go smoothly by being up front with those hired vendors about my existence right from the start. Give them my email and cell phone number, that’s excellent and telling them that I’ve authorized to make decisions on your behalf is even better. As for me, I ask that you let me know the person that you’ve been in most contact with. I’d like to know all previously arranged details and if you feel inclined to cc me in on emails or forward contracts my way, that’s perfect. This gives me a little leverage when the limo driver shows up a half hour late to pick you up from the church. But so we’re clear on things, I don’t address why things when wrong on the wedding day – we can figure that out later – my goal is moving forward to solve the problem. Please don’t ask me to focus on the negative on your wedding day.

And one more little reminder – the term Wedding Planner and Day-of Coordinator are NOT interchangeable.

In case you missed it, you can read Part 1 of this series here.

Friday Flowers :: Spring Seaside Bouquet

0 · Apr 15, 2016 ·

Spring Beach Bouquet | The Day's Design | Ashley Slater Photography

As it so often happens, last spring I was eager to make something pretty. I wanted to stretch my wings and create. I needed to dust off my flowering skills. Editorial styled shoots are one of my favorite ways to quench this yearning.

The story was inspired by the sea. The tablescape was to appear as if it had just been washed ashore. I easily sourced driftwood and nautical touches but we all know that the flowers sometimes make the greatest impact in the overall design. You may remember the entire feature with Ashley Slater Photography here.

I remember putting the flower order together. When it’s been months since you’ve seen and touched real live blossoms, you can start to feel overwhelmed with the whole order process. I wanted it all. And I always make it a point to order something new, especially with styled shoots – that’s the perfect opportunity to try something new.

Poppies. That was my new source of inspiration. I placed an order for lots of Matilija poppies to be the star of my bouquet. There’s something about them that remind me of sea anemones. Their petals are dainty and paper thin. And in my imagination, sometimes I see them living under the sea.

The day before my flowers arrived, I was informed that my precious poppies were not available. A quick change of plans and I substituted Bowl of Cream Peonies and other gorgeous variety with a cheery yellow center – both flown in from California.

Eucalyptus is another favorite of mine to use by the beach. The blue green tinge compliments the water in the background so nicely. I’m always cautious of using too harsh of a green tone against a blue backdrop.

California grown Caramel Antike Roses (the beigey, gold garden roses seen above) are some of my go-to;s. You’ll see them in my work time and time again. The perfect neutral.

But the piece that really pulled this whole bouquet together was the blooming branches foraged from my own neighborhood. I stopped early morning to trim a few flowers and as soon as I started working with them, I realized I needed more and more. I sent my husband down the road with hedge trimmers and told him to grab as much as he possibly could. He returned a short while later with a massive pile of branches. I thought there was no way I would ever use that much, he argued that I had told him to get ask much as he could. Very true. I think I ended up using all but one small branch. They were amazing. I’m sad I don’t have a wedding the first week of May this year – although I’m not longer living in that neighborhood either.

I added gold ribbons that complimented the stamens in my peonies, as well as the touches of glimmer in my other decor, and blue ribbons to match Lake Michigan in the background. Silk ribbons are your best friends in the breeze. I can’t get over how they glide in the wind.

Shelby signature

Style Me Pretty Bouquet Breakdown :: Nautical Lake Michigan Wedding

0 · Mar 21, 2016 ·

Building a bridal bouquet is so much more than just gathering a handful of flowers and binding them with a silk ribbon. It’s an artful composition of design. It’s a process of sourcing the right ingredients, crafting the perfect recipe and then weeding out any blooms that don’t quite meet the cut. And then the labor of love truly begins.

I remember the day that Becca send me a gorgeous, white mounded bouquet with the caption “this would be a dream”. I would never copy another artist design – there are a number of logical reasons behind this, but for the most glaring of those is because I wouldn’t be true to myself, I would be relying on someone else’s creativity and it might actually rob not only the other artist, but also the bride of having a piece that’s a one of a kind treasure that’s designed solely for her. The bridal bouquet is an artist’s floral interpretation of each bride, their story written in flowers.

So I asked, “What is it that you love so much about the bouquet?” After a little thought, she determined that it was the way that it was white, and yet had the tiniest tinge of pink scattered amongst the petals. It was so subtle and barely noticeable, and yet, there it was.

Becca was a very elegant and chic bride, so her bouquet was designed to be a reflection of her. It was just a touch nautical, perfect for a beach wedding. The blue hint in the greenery blended with Lake Michigan’s shoreline and the wild dune grass which prevalent all around. Then a couple anemones were added to tie in the nautical navy of the men’s suits. I chose to make the clematis and its silky smooth petals, the star of the garden rose infuse bouquet. This provided a resting place of the eye to naturally fall and also nodded to Becca’s appreciation of simple, clean lines.

Photography: Clary Pfeiffer Photography

You can read more about the individual floral ingredients and inspiration behind the bouquet here, as it was featured on Style Me Pretty over the weekend. You can also see the full St. Joseph wedding here as well from its feature back in December.

Flowers Made with a Mirror

0 · Mar 7, 2016 ·

Building a Bridal Bouquet | The Day's Design | Helter Photography

Photography: Helter Photography

I finish every single bridal bouquet I make in front of a mirror.

In our current home setup (which is only last for a few days more…) I begin collecting flowers, arranging all the beautiful blooms in my hands, painstakingly spending minutes which quickly turn to hours, agonizing and arranging. And then I stop what I’m doing, walk to the other end of the house and hold it in front of our full length mirror.

Then I tweak some more.

The mirror is also conveniently located at the end of our hallway, which gives me the luxury of being able to practice walking down the mock aisle – giving the bouquet a full test run and enables me to see exactly what everyone else will see on your wedding day. It’s fascinating to me how a shift of perspective can completely change the look of a bouquet.

Sometimes I completely start over. Sometimes I just adjust a flower or two. But inevitably, there always seems to be a pile of loose petals and random leaf trimmings that migrate down the hallway and into this area of my house.

My husband tells me to put a mirror in the dining room, aka my flower studio, “condense your steps,” he says. I think in reality he would like to suppress the spread of flower trimmings. He also gets upset that we have so many mirrors in our house. Seems a bit contradictive if you ask me.

This weekend I began to wonder where I would put my “bouquet mirror” in the new house. I was thinking I should find something full length and pretty fancy – since I will not be taking the gold and black trimmed, faux marble mirror that is glued to our hollow core wood door with me, such a shame. And then I realize flea market season is just around the corner. A mirror with a little aging and patina would fit the bill just right.

Shelby signature

Nancy & Andrew’s Love Story

0 · Mar 2, 2016 ·

Every day has a story. I don’t just mean wedding days, or fancy celebration times but literally every single day. Some tales are bit boring while others are a bit more momentous. Some stories are disregarded by the next morning. Some have a narrative that would rather be forgotten while others want to be relived continuously throughout time.

I don’t know the number of days or how many stories Nancy and Andrew have shared together. I don’t know how he proposed or what their wedding will look like. But I can surmise that their tale will have a happy ending. I can imagine that the day that Ashley followed them around Downtown Grand Rapids on this crisp autumn morning was a happy one, one that will remain in their hearts for years to come.

When an author writes a book, they are then tasked to find the perfect artist or illustrator to portray what the imagination cannot visualize on its own. In the same way, a photographer must tell the story of love, of engagement and then on to the happily ever after – the wedding day.

I will only play a small role in the overall plot of their lives. I’m merely an extra in the background or a set designer, supplying a couple props for the day, whether it’s a halo for engagement photos, a flower for a special occasion or a cascading showpiece for a bride on her wedding day. Photography: Ashley Slater Photography | Floral Design: The Day’s Design | Location: Downtown Grand Rapids

When people ask me how many weddings I do a year, I would rather tell them how many love stories I’ve had the privilege of being a part of. I’m merely helped set the stage, designed the set or illustrated a page where the romance will come to life.

1 Recipe… Endless Possibilities (Part 2)

0 · May 15, 2015 ·

I think today calls for another dose of cheery blooms. So I’m sharing what I learned from Kaci with Damsel Floral Co about creating a more traditional, or formal style bridal bouquet (here’s the post from last week talking about looser, more asymmetrical bouquet styles).

We stayed true to the original nature of this project, further proving that just because we’re using the same flowers, it does not mean we’re going to yield identical results. In fact, far from it. There’s so much to factor into the equation but the major influence is the designer’s eye and personal preference. This is an art form, you wouldn’t expect 2 painters to paint the exact same painting or two sculptors to sculpt the same statue. It’s all in the eye of the beholder. And no two flowers stems are the same.

To create a more traditional bridal bouquet, we’ll start from the inside and work our way out. Pick a cluster of blooms that will be the central focal point. In a circle pattern, startarranging around that focal point, one blossom at a time. Keep the stems in a tight and in a spiral pattern.

As you work, startadding a few textural tidbits and accent flowers into the bouquet. This will soften the overall look and add more visual interest. Once the bouquet is complete and has reached the right size, perfect it by adding a few more greenery touches and even out any gaps making sure the bouquet is aesthetically pleasing and balanced.

An extra tip: Pay attention to the natural curves of each flower’s stem. Blooms with straight stems fit better towards the middle of the bouquets and those with a slight curve or angled flower head make better border flowers.

My final results.

And Kaci’s beautiful bouquet… while I struggled a touch, she whipped this up effortlessly.

I loved seeing all the completed bouquet (minus one we had to disassemble due to running out of flowers!). They were all so different even though we had used the same ingredients.

Photography: Hetler Photography | Floral Design: Damsel Floral Co and The Day’s Design

1 Recipe… Endless Possibilities (Part 1)

0 · May 7, 2015 ·

Yesterday I received the most amazing flower order. I think I literally squealed when I opened the box – they were knock-your-socks-off pretty, oh my! And even though I’m the one that placed the order, it’s still like Christmas when they arrive. I don’t always remember exactly what’s in the box or sometimes I just flat out forget how pretty certain flowers can be.

Pulling out each gorgeous blossom made me think back to this fun project that Kaci of Damsel Floral Co and myself put together. As flower friends, we like to learn from one another, there’s always more to know and I love finding different ways of doing things. We were inspired by bouquet recipes — you see them across major wedding blogs, on Pinterest and always accompanied by a picture of a really gorgeous bouquet. However, I think they’re misleading sometimes. For the DIY bride, she now knows exactly what flowers to use meaning she should be able to duplicate that picture. For the less DIY inclined, they should be able to take this recipe to a florist and have them create an exact replica as well, right?

I’m going to compare it to a food recipe. You can give me a list of ingredients. You can even tell me how much of each ingredient to include in my dish. But if I’m not give any instructions with it, I won’t know when to add what and how long to cook everything. While I might be able to use some common sense and come up with a decent meal, the results could also be disastrous.

Back to flowers, if the person creating the bouquet doesn’t understand the basic style and composition, then the results might not be exactly what you hoped for. You might create 2 bouquets with the exact same ingredients and yet yield completely different results.

This was the point that Kaci and I hoped to demonstrate. She gravitates a bit more to a more classic or formal style bouquet and I tend to like mine looser and more reminiscent of the garden (although I’ve seen her create some amazing “loose” bouquets and I should probably watch out, I might have some competition!). We both use the same flowers and yet we created completely different looks.

We started the day my way, meaning I showed Kaci the basic steps I take for constructing a looser, more relaxed style bouquet. My methods usually involved starting from the outside and working my way in. So I begin with usually 3 pieces to build a frame, either line flowers or greenery, and create a tripod type shape. From there, I start to fill in with secondary blooms keeping in mind what I want my focal point to be, which is usually a giant face flower. That focal flower, which in this case were the lilies, are added towards the end and once they’re in place I will start to adjust and add a few more blooms as needed.

Fun facts: I’m always very scattered while making a bouquet… very thoughtful and purposeful, but scattered. Flowers get flung in every which direction until I find the perfect bloom and it often looks like a tornado tore though a flower shop after I create just one bouquet.

And I always keep a mirror nearby. I have to see what it would look like if I were carrying it down the aisle. I never create something for a bride that I wouldn’t carry myself.

Part 2 of this post will be coming to you next week, we’ll see Kaci demonstrate how she takes a more formal approach to a bridal bouquet using the same flower recipe. And of course more gorgeous photos from Kellie of Hetler Photography.

Photography: Hetler Photography | Floral Design: Damsel Floral Co and The Day’s Design

Just Create

0 · Feb 12, 2015 ·

Yesterday one of my favorite bouquets I’ve ever created was featured on Style Me Pretty, along with a whole other slew of talented ladies who love to create beautiful blooms, with beautiful hearts. It was a reminder of spring, of the vibrancy, the color and the much needed refresh we all need in our life after a long, cold winter.

Flowers have intrigued me for as long as I can remember, although it wasn’t with the passion for education and growth that they do now. When I was a little girl, I remember planting wildflower seeds around the perimeter of our above ground pool and waiting for them to bloom. The poppies always stand out in my memory the most. While it takes a while for those sprouts to grown, if you never plant the seeds, you will never see the fruits of your labor.

Kelly Perry, the creator of the Team Flower workshop, also shared our flowers on the Team Flower blog. It’s funny how two blogs can share the same content but connect with the subjects in a whole different way. To one, they’re just a bunch of beautifully captured images which audiences love to see. To another, they’re a story, a conquest and a beginning.

I was thinking about this beginning, the way we start our creations. Sometimes it can be paralyzing to start. We always want to put our best foot forward and aim for perfection, but like Kelly mentioned, it’s risky. It’s comforting to know that someone else also just starts arranging, not really knowing where the results will lead. And we can’t please everyone.

When I stepped off the plane to attend this workshop, I didn’t know where I was headed. I didn’t know who I would meet. I didn’t even know the girl I had agreed to spend the next 2 hours of my life carpooling with (she was awesome, by the way). And beyond this, I didn’t know where this workshop would lead me and the ways it would unleash a passion that was bottled up within, held hostage by fear.

Then I started to create this bouquet. Rows and rows of beautiful blooms were placed in front of me and I was told to go, create. It’s hard to know where to begin, I didn’t have a vision in mind. I didn’t have any limits or parameters. All I knew is that I wanted to make something gorgeous.

I remember seeing that big, beautiful fuchsia peony and I held it in my hand as it spoke to me. It was a starting point. I found some quirky little kumquats and a softer pink tree peony, which also called to me. This was the base, the inspiration. I continued to build upon this, grabbing ingredients that I liked and some that just felt like they belonged – they connected the colors, the story.

Every time I gather flowers for an event I seek to recreate this feeling that I had in that moment. I squeal with excitement when flower orders arrive at my doorstep. And I want to tell your tale while creating your bridal bouquet. It might sound a little deep but I can’t just cluster flowers together and call it a day. I’ve remade bouquets 4 and 5 times, until they’re accurately depicting the account of your celebration and worthy of being held in your hands. And sometimes that’s scary, sometimes I wonder where I’ll find the time or how I’ll ever conquer perfection but I know I have to start somewhere and my amazing clients are trusting me to take that first step.

So when I feel that pressure start to build up and that fear starts to creep in, I have to remind myself to take a step back, let the flowers do the talking and just create.

Photography: Heather Payne Photography

Team Flower Workshop :: The Bouquet

0 · Jul 8, 2014 ·

It’s funny looking back at my time in North Carolina. I felt like I was surrounded with beauty every single moment of the day, the number of flowers so easily accessible to us was slightly overwhelming and the gorgeous mountainside scenery really did steal your breathe away. Then I received the pictures back of my work and realized that I really only made two portfolio arrangements. But that was enough friends, they are two of my favorite pieces ever.

There was an entire day focused around personal flowers. From boutonnieres to bouquets to flower crowns, I love them all. I think we should make wearing fresh flowers a part of our everyday fashion, don’t you agree? By far, the bridal bouquet is always my favorite decor item of the wedding. It crosses the line of being an accessory and a decoration and is always by the bride’s side. It holds the most photographed flowers of the day and I want the bride to love it forever.

When creating a bridal bouquet, I often find myself standing in front of a mirror, envisioning myself in a white gown and carrying this lovely bunch of blooms. It was so fun to see that others do the same, there was a mirror available for just this purpose. I chose of of the most vibrant magenta peonies I have ever seen, along with a paler, tree peony friend and orange kumquats. This is was spoke to me and I built my bouquet around them adding smoke bush, mock orange and tulips. And the icing on the cake was the long, elegant, flowing silk ribbons that cascaded down from the flowers letting the colors live on a little longer.

And then we all climbed the largest hill (or mountain — not sure of the correct term here!) I have ever climbed, in the middle of a cow pasture, and handed our blooms off to the beautiful bride model Kelly had waiting for us. Even to watch the reaction on her face as she took the bouquet from my hand was enough to make my heart go pitter patter.

My legs burned and I may or may not have stepped in a cow pie, but it doesn’t matter because I would easily endure these “hardships” for any of my brides, sacrificing my own clothing for the most picture perfect moments, lighting and blooms. Because that’s what a wedding planner does – in that moment it’s not about me, it’s about making someone else’s wedding day dreams come true.

You can read more about the Team Flower Workshop in yesterday’s post here. All photos by Heather Payne Photography, they’re film and they’re amazing. But more on that later 😉

bridal bouquet

Stems Tucked in Towards the Body

Make Sure the Ribbon is Over You Hands

Play with Different Positions to Hold it In

Getting Ready Photos

First Look

Wedding Party Pictures

The Ceremony

Sunset Photos

Footer

Instagram