Hydrangea Blu Barn

Farewell 2014

0 · Dec 31, 2014 ·

I was not going to do a year end post, I mean, do people even read these? I don’t think it’s an original idea and I’m not sure that there’s a single person out there that truly cares what my year looked like. But earlier this week I was going through some goals, figuring out how to get where I want to be in 2015 and it really did inspire me to think about where I started in January of 2014 and how my business has evolved over the course of a very short year.

Even though 2014 was The Day’s Design’s second official full wedding season, I was still a little unsure of myself and did not have high expectations. But the thing about having low expectations is, it’s not hard to exceed them — which I did, 10x over. I gave myself a boost of confidence this past year and know that I am worthy of an amazing 2015, which is looking really busy and cannot wait to celebrate with the sweet couples I have booked this year and the ones I am yet to meet.

I hope my journey inspires someone out there to keep moving forward and following their dreams, it’s not easy but if you’re passionate about doing what you love, then it’s so worth it. Without further ado, I’ll take you on a walk through my year.

January

I got the brilliant idea to put together a Valentine’s bouquet and model it myself… in the middle of a blizzard. Thanks Heather for freezing along with me!

February

Rachel, with Sincerely Ginger Weddings, and I collaborated on a gorgeous winter inspiration shoot in my favorite place ever – Leland, Mi! It was so sweet and full of wintery romance and rumor has it, Style Me Pretty will be featuring the shoot in it entirety next month! Photography: Eliza Jean Photography.

Later that month my Valentine’s bouquet was featured on on Burnett’s Boards. You can see the feature here.

March

Cabin fever officially set in and I found myself getting antsy and itching to use a little creative energy. In remedy, Ashley Slater Photography and I teamed up to put together a little tutorial on how you can make your very own gilded floral crown.

April

This month was special for two reasons. First off, Heather Cisler and I teamed up once again to put together a fabulous fairytale inspired photo shoot.

And secondly I made a HUGE business changing decision and took a leap into adding floral services alongside planning and coordination. All I can say is, what took me so long!? This passion was hidden deep within me and a creative freedom has been unleashed and I will never look back. Bring on the blooms!

May

I stepped away from weddings and floral work for a moment to be a part of something a little different, but equally amazing. Kellie Hetler has a heart for service and put together the More Than a Face campaign, which is designed to help high schools girls to find their inner worth and realize what a difference they can make. Each one of these women was so beautiful and unique – I’m so glad I had the opportunity to be a part and bring a little extra style to this shoot.

Shortly thereafter I packed my bags and headed for the mountains of North Carolina. I wasn’t prepared for how this experience would change my life. I realized how to create, how to better see things and found a deep appreciation for my surroundings and finding beauty in the everyday. I climbed mountains both literally and figuratively and walked away with friendships I will cherish forever. Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers is an absolute delight and the true definition of a floral artist. The rest of the Team Flower ladies are an equal treasure. If only we could travel back in time, I would relive those moments of and over again, sure to find something fresh and new every time. Photography: Heather Payne Photography.

I rushed home from my workshop to share my experience with those I cherish most, my family. I picked a few foraged blooms and we ventured out to the apple orchard to have our family photos taken with Kellie Hetler. I love these sweet moments.

June

June started out on a rather cold note. I was part of Bloom the Workshop, hosted by Ashley Slater Photography and Michaela Noelle Designs. While I remember how great is was providing beautiful blooms to such an inspiring group of women, I also remember how cold it was that day.

And then came the first wedding of the 2014 season… an intimate ceremony in the woods with an ode to Alice in Wonderland. This was a fabulous way to kick off the wedding season and was featured on Style Me Pretty last month. Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography.

July

July was a month of rest. I had a busy August ahead and took the first part of the month for a little relaxation and the second half and full on wedding prep — but there’s never any pretty pictures to share from that!

August

This was my busy month, but it’s definitely worth my couple moments of being frazzled to see the smiling faces at the end of a wedding nice – so happy, so in love.

First up, a day-of coordination with the ceremony at the blue bridge in downtown Grand Rapids and a beautiful blush and grey reception to follow at the Downtown Market. I haven’t tracked down any pictures yet but think modern, airy space, soft grey silky linens and soft blush blooms.

Next came floral design for a couple who said “I do” at the Bissell Tree House. And in case you’re wondering, Thursday weddings are totally fun! Photography: Joe Matthews.

And then it was off to Northern Michigan for a festive and fun celebration at a llama farm… because who wouldn’t want to get married at a llama farm?! Again, I don’t have pictures to share yet but if you’re looking for a fun celebration – why not get married on a hilltop overlooking Lake Michigan with llamas in the background. Think local wildflowers, a live jazz band and fun dinosaur escort cards.

Then we celebrated one more set of nuptials this month. I feel honored to be a part of any wedding day – it’s a big deal, and these memories are extremely important, but when the bride and groom happen to be a couple of your closest friends, that just adds a whole new level of special to the day. I was lucky enough to provide floral services, and then helped the couple celebrate into the night. Dahlias, dahlias and more dahlias surrounded this love filled day. Photography: Chelsea Seekell Photography.

September

The months of August and September seem to be increasingly popular times to get married. I did a little freelance floral work for not one, but 2 weddings in Northern Michigan with Sincerely, Ginger Weddings. It’s always super fun to collaborate with like-minded, creative individuals.

And let’s not forget Amy & Emyr’s picture perfect day at the Gull Lake Country Club.

Bloom 2.0 brought us back to the Hydrangea Blu Barn for another round of education and fun with Micheala Noelle and Ashley Slater. I love creating flowers and helping with their workshops. Photography: Jenn Anibal.

September also hosted one of my favorite styled shoots ever. I actually hesitate to call it a styled shoot because in reality we invited guests, guests who needed a little extra love and a night to remember just how special they really all. This was the dinner parties of all dinner parties and I’m so thankful for all the vendors who volunteered to be a part. Photography: Ashley Slater Photography.

October

This past summer I received a phone call from the sweetest bride you have ever met telling me how she didn’t have a florist yet for her October wedding. After hearing all the details she had in place for her Northport wedding, I knew I had to be a part. The Willowbrook Mill has been so high on my list “must work” wedding locations that I just about fell out of my chair when she said that was her venue. It was a match made in heaven as I created florals, helped design and coordinated all the details of Christina and Tim’s day.

November

In the name of furthering education, Kaci Muller (of Just Delightful Events) and I got together for a morning of flower talk and coffee and compared notes on how we typically create our beautiful wedding bouquets and Kellie Hetler joined in the fun so we’d have a few pictures to share with you.

I thought my wedding season would officially end with the conclusion of October’s love filled celebration, but surprise… my younger sister decided to push up her wedding date by 6 months and she tied the knot after only a month’s worth of planning. Photography: Katie Grace Photography & Videography.

December

And then to cap off the year, Katie Grace Photography and I just had to go play with a few of my leftover blooms. I’m going to start making bouquet and floral recipes a more common feature on my blog, I can’t wait!

It really has been a fantastic year! I can’t believe we’re bidding it farewell in just a few short hours. Let’s see what 2015 has in store – I”m ready, bring it on!

Simple: Defined

0 · Oct 23, 2014 ·

What makes a wedding simple? I find myself circling around this term again as yet another bride has used this word as a description of her ideal wedding.

I spent almost 15 minutes fluffing and re-fluffing, and making sure a tablecloth at last Saturday’s wedding fell with the perfect drape. I wanted it to look as though it had just been thrown in place with such grace and ease. But the fact is that simple and effortless look took a lot of time and care.

As an adjective, Dictionary.com offers 7 different definitions for the word simple. Seven!! That doesn’t seem “simple” to me. Let’s narrow this down a bit, let’s focus on just a couple of those definitions.

Easy to understand, deal with, use

Weddings for the most part are easy to understand. Most people have a general understanding of what is to happen during the wedding – there’s a bride, a groom and at the end of the day they became a united couple, usually with some sort of celebration or reception after.

Easy to deal with? Well, that point could be argued a bit. That can depend on family dynamics, individual desires, as well as multiple other factors. Some find planning a wedding stressful, some find it fun but I can almost guarantee that at some point during the process, even if just for a fleeting moment, the person planning is not finding their day easy to deal with.

Not elaborate or artificial, plain

I would wager this is the definition that most people think of when they tell me that they’re looking for a simple wedding. Think back to that perfectly flowing linen and how much time it actual took to perfect. Sometimes a plain wedding might mean a simple flower crown rather than a stuffy, traditional veil. Perhaps you’re thinking of a table overflowing with candles rather than packed floral arrangements. However consider how “unsimple” this really is. For the floral designer, you wearing a veil is much easier. Likewise, placing one flower arrangement on a table can be much easier than washing dozens of candle holders, hauling them to the reception site, keeping the flames lit and then taking them down and packing them up again at the end of the night. Consider who you want the wedding to be simple for.

Not ornate or luxurious, unadorned

Luxurious is a word that can have many definitions in itself. But I think one of the main misconceptions here is that if a wedding isn’t luxurious, filled with sky high floral arrangements and oodles of draping, it doesn’t feel stuffy and over the top, then it is simple and possibly lower budget. However, luxury comes in all shapes and forms. Sometimes it can be earthy and rustic. Sometimes it can be natural and easygoing. A luxury is really just something that isn’t one of life’s basic necessities, meaning that a wedding reception itself is really a luxury.

So what is it about your celebration that you really want to keep simple? Hiring awesome vendors to help you will simplify the day for you. Choosing an open, outdoor venue keeps the mood casual and unassuming. However, please remember that expensive blooms can be arranged in a causal way. Extra details, while “simple” are still extra work. Keeping your style informal does not mean it going to be any easier planning. Fussy doesn’t always mean expensive and inexpensive doesn’t mean carefree.

The tablescape pictured above seems unpretentious, informal and yet chic. It took lots of planning and was not easy dragging it into the countryside setting. Yet some might consider this a “simple” set-up.

Check back tomorrow and I’ll share more of this shoot. Photo by {Jenn Anibal}.

Bloom the Workshop :: Recap

0 · Jul 14, 2014 ·

I used to think that learning should take place in school. I thought that to get a good education, you needed to attend a good school or college. At least that’s what was always preached to me, so why shouldn’t I believe it? I was taught that in order to succeed in life, you needed a bachelor’s degree and possibly more. And if you didn’t invest in your education, you were destine for failure.

My thinking has shifted away from what my 18 year old self once thought. I definitely had those “why do I need to know this?” moments in school, but for the most part just sucked it up and went to class every day believing that this is what would help me achieve my goals and get a good job. In fact, the thought never occurred to me that perhaps I could teach myself a thing or two, or I could learn from other business people or attend small workshops.

I now think that it’s determination more than anything that will help you succeed in life. I learned language skills, basic business principles and various other things in college which I’m sure impact me more than I realize. I believe that college teaches you how to interact in the “real world”. However pushing yourself and being open to new ideas and learning from one another is HUGE. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals and people who inspire you – you will absorb so much.

About a month ago I was able to play a small role in bringing Bloom the Workshop to West Michigan. I supplied some super pretty blooms and did a little behind the scenes work for Ashley and Michaela and helped bring their creative vision to life. They are the type of people I like to surround myself with. And the best part is, they want to inspire, they want to teach and they want to see you succeed. I was able to watch them teach 30 ladies about business, blogging, social media, styling, design, photography and life. And I left inspired. I wasn’t even an attendee!

So while I want to share with you some of the pretty that took place that day, I also want you to consider investing in yourself, your creative side and your business. There’s always something more to learn.

One of my favorite parts of the workshop was how interactive it was. Ashley and Michaela didn’t give give the attendees a bunch a information and send them on their merry ways, but they also planned a time to put that information and new skills to the test. The afternoon consisted of a styled shoot portion, which believe it or not, is a great way showcase work in many industries, not just the wedding inspiration shoots we’re so accustom to seeing. From styling papers to models to flowers and beyond, participants photographed and played with different designs, poses, locations and lighting.

Photography: Ashley Slater Photography / Styling: Michaela Noelle Designs / Floral Design: The Day’s Design / Venue: Hydrangea Blu Barn / Wedding Dresses: Bridal Gallery / Chalkboard signage: Add {Vintage} / Mugs: Ashley & Malone / Calligraphy: Jessica Albers / Tassel Garland: One Stylish Party / Place Setting & Chair Rentals: The Rental Company

Want to attend a creative workshop? Bloom is coming back to West Michigan this September and rumor has it registration opens tomorrow. More info here.