The End of One Crazy Summer!

Wow time flies!  I can't believe my last post was in May!  I promised to post more, but I have had a wonderfully busy summer working with some fabulous brides!  Over the next few days or weeks I will post about a few of my favorite events I designed this summer.  I will start now with bride Emily! 

Em was married in June.  The location she chose for her wedding was a beautiful outdoor setting with wildflowers a waterfall and pine trees - very rustic and lovely!  

My first planning meeting with Emily was in December of 2011.  From the moment she began to talk about her vision for her wedding I knew she was on the ball and would easy to work with.  For starters, she chose a venue that fit her personality, she had a flower budget worked out, and although she had ideas of what she wanted, she was flexible.  On our first meeting we planned most everything and scheduled a follow up meeting in April at the actual wedding venue.  I strongly recommend letting your designer see your venue if he/she is not familiar with it, even if they are 'only' doing flowers.  This enables your designer to get an idea of scale and it also let's them meet the facility manager or coordinator which is always helpful!

So, lets get to it!  What flowers did Emily choose.  Well, first we went with a wildflower theme.  Her colors were slate blue and raspberry - lovely!  

Emily wanted to have her bouquet mostly white.

 

 

The colors were highlighted in the brides maids bouquets. 

 

Her centerpieces were wildflowers in miscellanious bottles and vases with votive candles for sparkle.

 

I had such fun working with Emily.  She and her groom Clark were so gracious and lovely - a realy joy!  I am hoping to get more photos from them to post so you can see the overall effect of the planning and design.

 

How to Choose your Wedding Theme and Colors

Choosing the theme and colors of your wedding is important.  In fact, I think it is one of the first things most brides do.  Be honest, how many of you have had a wedding board on Pinterest with color combinations, dresses, cakes, etc?  Most girls kind of know the direction they will go with their wedding.  Most of us know what colors we like and don't like -we know we hate carnations but love raunculus etc.  When starting putting ideas together for color and theme, I suggest you take a moment to write down a few things about yourself and your groom. 
If I may, I would like to tell you a little story. 
Back in the 90's sunflowers were THE flower to use for weddings.  For a good year or more I went to weddings with sunflowers.  I made bouquets with sunflowers.  I even remember a couple of friends who were to be married just weeks apart fighting, each accusing the other of copying 'their sunflower idea'.  The only reason I remember these girls actually had sunflowers in their weddings was because they were such brats!  Had they not fought about sunflowers, their weddings would have blended into all the other sunflower weddings I designed or attended. They are all a blurr!

On the flip side, during the same time frame my friend Katie had a beautiful Mexican theme wedding.  She hung dozens of pinatas and bright red crepe paper flowers.  She had a mariachi band and salty margaritas, the whole 9 yards.  Katie had spent time in Mexico and had fallen in love with the culture, the food and the bright beautiful colors of that country.  Her wedding was unique,  it was meaningful and I remember it!  Katie's wedding was Katie, not another sunflower wedding.

It is easy to find all sorts of themes and color combinations on wedding sites and in magazines.  While these resources are helpful,  think about the thousands of other brides perusing these magazines and websites seeing the exact same thing you are seeing. 
I believe your wedding should say something about you. It should show your interests and personality, your likes and passions. Your wedding should be yours, not one you saw in a magazine.
 
By sitting down with your groom and answering a few questions you can put a personal stamp on your wedding.  Here are a few questions you may want to consider. 
1.  Where is your favorite place? Ireland, Versailles, Italy,  Newport Beach California, New York City?  Places can inspire with colors, traditions, food, music, etc.
2.  What is your favorite restaurant?  Do you love the food there or the ambiance.  Can they be    duplicated for your wedding?
3.  What artist inspires you?  Do you love the soft blurry colors of Monet or do the colors of Matisse match your personality more? 
4.  What is your favorite movie, (please think classics!) ?  To Catch a Thief,  Gone With the Wind, Funny Face...
5.  What is your style of dress?   (Do you like a lot of bling, do you use natural and organic fabrics, are you high fashion?) 
6.  Do you have a favorite time period?  Edwardian,  Victorian, Roaring 20's...
7.  What is your favorite book?  The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyer...
8.  What is your nationality or ethnic background?
9.  What are your hobbies? 
By answering these questions you may be able to find a theme, colors and style that put your personal stamp on your special day. 
Don't be a sunflower wedding!!!!

BeBetsy.com

Hey All,
I have neglected my poor blog lately.  Sorry about that - but I do have a GREAT reason!  I have begun writing for the fabulous website www.bebetsy.com  I have been contributing articles in 'Home Etc', 'Health' and 'Have Your Ever'.  This site is eclectic and fun with articles on technology, finances, health, fashion and much much more - including yummy recipes!  I personally love the 'Hot Finds'!
The button to the left will take you to BeBetsy where you can enter a contest to win a $50 VISA gift card.  While you are there could you help me out?  Sign up for BeBetsy and then select my name - with your help I can win the contributing writers contest.  The more people who select my name the better my odds of winning! 
Check back here at Bleu Bird often.  I promise to update more. 
Also, if you have any questions or issues, (regarding gardening, flowers, weddings and event planning), you would like me to address please feel free to leave a comment.

Wedding Trends

Wedding season is fast approaching.  I have begun meeting with my Spring and Summer brides to put the final touches on their weddings.  I love my job!  I enjoy, (well actually I am addicted to), finding wedding pins on Pinterest.  I love going to Barnes and Noble flipping through wedding mags while sipping a decaf mocha.  I love hearing different ideas and seeing the personalities of my brides come through in their wedding design.  For brides today there is almost too much information on line and in print - even on television.  Information is so accessible it makes easy for a bride to get caught up in all the trends. 

  

 Trend:  A general direction followed; prevailing tendency; drift. 

On my isp home page there is a section called "Trending Now".  Trend.   I am not a big fan of trends when it concerns something as special as a wedding.  Even the definition is a little sketchy for me.  I don't want to be a drifter or follower.  I am all for being fashionable, but 'trendy'...NO.  Recently I read a quote by Grace Ormonde which reflects my thoughts on trends with particular regard to weddings.  She said, "While I understand that trends are always changing, I don't believe that weddings should be 'trendy.'  I believe that everything - the photos, wedding gown, decor, and so forth - should be timeless."  Bravo Ms. Ormonde.  Consider the amount of time and money you put into the planning and execution of your wedding day.  It would make sense that you would want to always love your wedding.  One piece of advice I give my brides is this -  ask yourself the following:   1) Will I still LOVE my wedding in 5 or even 10 years?  2) When looking at my wedding photos what will my children say?  3) Will people be able to date my wedding almost to the year? 

 Trending now: peacock/feathers, burlap, lace, mason jars, billy balls, anemones, the 20's, food trucks, photo booths,  the messy up-do,  colored shoes for the bride, brooch bouquets, cupcakes...

If I am honest with you I must tell you that several of my brides will be using one of more of the above trends in their wedding.  I'm mostly ok with it... in moderation.  If you absolutely LOVE a trend incorporate it in your event sparingly and tastefully.  And again, ask yourself, "Will I love this in the future?"

Looking for classic inspiration?  Think Grace Kelly and Kate Middleton

No, you don't have their funds.  But the simplicity of their style...timeless