Heather Payne Photography

Branding :: New Website Launch

0 · Jun 26, 2017 ·

In 2014, I attended my very first floral workshop with Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers. She became the sweet voice of encouragement that believed in me, and pushed me to believe in myself. I nervously signed up for her Team Flower Workshop not really knowing where I was heading, but understanding that there was a void in my life and in the flowers that were being presented to my brides. I wanted to capture the garden, to put it in a vessels and allow it to add joy to a table. I wanted to allow clematis vines to trail from a bride’s hands or loosely encircle and arbor. I had visions of what it was like planting flowers each summer with my mom, but couldn’t quite figure out how to translate that into my event designs or how to bring that to life on a wedding day.

Photography: Heather Payne Photography

The Day’s Design is turning 5 years old this September, and this will be my fourth summer with floral design as part of my service offerings. That decision to learn more about flowers changed my world. It made me appreciate nature, my surroundings and see the beauty of Michigan in a whole new light. However, as much excitement as I feel when I find a rose with the most perfect muddy – champagne hue, the real excitement comes when I see the tears of joy in a bride’s face when she looks at her wedding flowers and knows that today will be the best day of her life, and I was privileged enough to be a teenie tiny part of that.

I think a huge part of moving forward is reflecting back and understanding where we came from. I’m not dwelling in the past though, but using it to build the future. I’ve been sharing a little behind my rebranding process and it has made me a little nostalgic. It’s also made me appreciate a lot of people that have helped me along the way. I’m eager to celebrate 5 years of business. In the meantime though, I’m excited to share my new website. My business has evolved much since those early days of burlap and lace. There are beautiful new projects and weddings that I’ve been holding back and there’s a dose of freshness, which I think beautifully represents who I am and what The Day’s Design is today.

I’d also like to send a huge thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey, from new flower friends, to both Northern and West Michigan’s amazing community of wedding planners. Plus, a little extra love to those photographers whose images you will find on my new site – Ashley Slater Photography, Cory Weber Photography, Katie Grace Photography, Kelly Sweet Photography & Samantha James Photography. Hire them, they’re amazing! And don’t forget to go look at my new website!!

A Story Waiting to be Written

0 · Apr 19, 2016 ·

Remember back in the day when people would want to show you slides from their vacations? Alright, so maybe I’m not that old but I have definitely been forced to sit through rolls of awful developed images with full of landscapes, with pictures and pictures of rocks and trees, a few buildings and inevitably the backside of the picture-taker’s thumb.

I remember always wondering why people would take so many pictures like this? Why aren’t there any people in these pictures? Where are the smiles and memories?

It’s funny how things change. Now, some of these person-less photos are some of my very favorites that come back after working on a wedding or an editorial piece. There’s an art and emotion that can be felt through this imagery. It’s like I can envision myself there without others in the picture to distract me. I’m instantly transported back to that time and place.

You may remember this post awhile back when I grumbled about the wedding guest who thought it was ridiculous that we’d want untouched reception photos. I’ve suddenly been able to jump in his shoes, channeling back to that time when I too thought “empty” snapshots were pointless.

While I can hardly compare some of the fine art produced by my photography friends on the same level as that of a disposable camera, I think the thought behind it was the same. There’s something special, something beautiful happening in front of them and they want to remember it forever. Those scenes deserved to be remembered always, whether they’re of a bride and groom, a flower girl twirling or simply the mountainside where the day of your dreams took place.

North Carolina Mountains | Team Flower Workshop | Heather Payne Photography

Photography: Heather Payne Photography

The above photo is from 2014, almost exactly two years ago in the mountains of North Carolina. I have oodles of flower pictures from that workshop, I have pictures with friends that I made that day. But this image always comes back to my mind. It instantly transports me back to that time and place.

Driftwood | Beach Wedding | The Day's Design | Bradley James Photography

Photography: Bradley James Photography

And this one. A simple piece of driftwood. I posted it on my Facebook page and had the most engagement that I’ve ever had for a non-floral picture. It seems relatively simple, nothing overly special about it – it just made me happy. I thought about the beach, what it would be like to walk there after a long cold winter. I thought about the first time I met Hallie (who’s wedding pictures it was a part of) and the day that we went on a sightseeing adventure when the weather finally began to thaw last April.

Beach Wedding | The Day's Design | Ashley Slater Photography

Photography: Ashley Slater Photography

Or this one. I certainly don’t love feet, but this image compels me.

I don’t know why these pictures are so powerful, why sometimes they can express more for me than I could even put into words. But I know they’re an important piece of the story. I know this world would be lost with only portrait photography. And there’s a reason beyond my understanding as to why when I’m playing with my own camera, I take picture after picture of my back yard – without a soul in sight or a real purpose behind it. There’s a story there – it’s just waiting to be written.

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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

Graceful Wedding Ideas :: A Collaboration of Artistic Forces with Team Flower Workshop

0 · Sep 9, 2014 ·

The first time I decided to collaborate with another planner on a project the feedback I received was less than positive. I was asked questions about why, how things would work and who would receive the credit. Many times we create these new works of art for the possibility of them being submitted to large blog or publications therefore gaining ourselves some publicity and secondly proving something – often to ourselves and also to the general public. When collaborating with another in the same business, there is possibility of confusion.

There’s also the possibility of seeing things in a new light and finding new ways of doing things. In all reality, collaboration shows teamwork, how one can feed and thrive off of each other’s ideas inspiring even more magical creations to be born.

Other than carrying a few boxes of plates and placing a couple spoons on the tabletop, for this creative masterpiece I can take no credit. This was the brainchild of another flower friend with imagination and visions that captive me to the point of no words. Everything about the Team Flower Workshop was beyond belief and I find myself giddy with excitement every time I see another glimpse of the day in my inbox.

My Team Flower friends made this happen, along with many other talented hands, and now I am simply lucky enough to be able to help share the results (which were also featured over on Once Wed last month).

Welcome to the mountains of North Carolina…

Design, Styling & Florals by Team Flower: Accents Floral Design, Andraya Northrup, Aunt Willie’s Wildflowers, Dimauro Originals, Jonica Moore Studio, Kennedy Occasions, Mary Margaret Powitz, Springvine Design, RiverOaks Charleston, Simone Gebsattel Design, Stone House Creative, The Day’s Design, Wild Green Yonder / Photography: Heather Payne Photography / Venue: White Fence Farm / Model: Ariana Claire / Heather Rogers of Haircut 101 / Dress: Grossamer / Stationary & Paper Goods: Brown Linen / Ribbon: Silk & Willow / Additional Contributors: Kathryn Goodwin & Goldmine Journal

This project was part of the spring 2014 Team Flower Workshop hosted by Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers.

Waiting

0 · Aug 27, 2014 ·

Waiting. I fear we live in a world where that concept is lost. It’s old fashioned not to have instant gratification. It’s rare not to have something new in your hands moments after discovering that you want it.

On Monday, I was sent of preview of what was to be posted on Once Wed this week. It was all about waiting. I have waited since May to see the results of the photo shoot which I had a very small role in producing along with my other Team Flower girls. And it was worth the wait.

“In ancient Hebrew culture when a bride and groom were engaged, there was a time of separation, of waiting. Rather than planning every detail of their wedding day together, the groom needed to leave his bride at her home and go to his father’s house to build a room for he and his bride to live in when they married. She never knew exactly when her groom would return, but she trusted him and waited. This trust brought peace and rest to her mind. In that time she prepared herself for his arrival, fully confident he would return at just the right time.”

The idea of not knowing when something will happen, especially something as big as a wedding, is so foreign. I feel as though I would explode from the lack of knowledge and constantly living on the edge of my seat, thinking every moment I needed to be prepared, at my best and completely ready.

I must admit, patience is not a strong suit of mine. But I feel lately that I’ve been sitting here waiting for something – something great, I just don’t know what yet. I’ve left my blog full of silence this month and I’ve just waited for the perfect thing to share. And while my month may have been filled with busy, it was also full of questions. So what’s next? What exactly am I waiting for?

The above picture is simply a tease, you must see the entire feature starring Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers & Heather Payne Photography, along with full vendor credits here.

Destine to Bloom

0 · Aug 6, 2014 ·

Photo by Heather Payne Photography

I think it’s really funny how life turns out sometimes. I mean you head down one path and completely turn and do a 180, finding were meant to be on another all along. And the answers really were simple, and right there in front of you – you just never knew it.

My great grandma was a lover of flowers. She had beautiful gardens and knew every variety. Sadly I just recently learned this and I never had the opportunity to meet her. But here I am, unknowingly following in her footsteps. It’s like all along this journey was there, it’s in my blood, and all I had to do was reach out and accept it.

Do you believe destiny is in your blood?

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 😉

Team Flower Workshop :: Philosophy Flowers, Boone NC

0 · Jul 7, 2014 ·

It seems I’ve been on the road a lot lately — quick trips to Holland, wedding planning in Northport and Maple City and then the every day travels throughout Grand Rapids. And while I love traveling, sometimes it’s just good to be in the comfort of your own home office (where’s there’s actually internet and phone service readily available!)

But by far one of my favorite trips this spring was down to Boone, North Carolina where I had an unbelievably amazing flower experience with Kelly Perry, Heather Payne and so many lovely new flower friends. As crazy as it might sound, the experience was life changing. It brought on a whole new appreciation for my surroundings, love of nature and showed me what new bonds and friendships can be formed over something as simple as the love of flowers.

If you haven’t noticed already, beautiful blooms are becoming a much bigger part of The Day’s Design. I have teased myself with the idea that I could be a floral designer for years now, but I now know more than ever that I won’t be happy without a big bouquet in my hand. Flowers have surfaced emotions that I didn’t even know existed. And when I got these pictures back from the workshop, I cried. Ridiculous, right? Who cries over seeing their work on film? Apparently, I do.

So here’s just a glimpse of the magic that took place down in North Carolina this spring. There’s lots more loveliness coming and I’m sure this won’t be the last time you hear me reference my ‘new flower friends’ or the charming Kelly Perry.