Flower Girls and Ring 'Bears'...grrrr!

Our darling flower girls.

Years ago my daughters were asked to be flower girls for their cousins wedding.  My youngest daughter was only 3 years old.  The day of the wedding the kids participated in the rehersal, pretending to toss their flower petals as they walked down the asile.  They practiced to perfection!  When it came time for the actual ceremony my husband and I entrusted out girls with the wedding coordinator and went to take our seats.  The music began and one by one the bridal party walked down the asile.  Our oldest daughter performed her flower girl duties perfectly .  We waited for our 3 year old, hoping she would do the same.  We waited and waited...after a minute or two I began to panic!  I snuck out of  ceremony to see what the hold up was.  Stage fright?   Tantrum? What was going on?!  The problem was our daughter was missing!  The cooridnator had no idea where she was!  Meanwhile, the bride, the groom and all of the guests sat waiting while I searched the mansion for our little 3 year old flower girl.  I found her up stairs in the brides room twiriling in front of the mirror.  After a delay of about 8-9 minutes the ceremony continued on.  Fortunately the bride was easy going and had no problem with the 'pause' in the ceremony.

Children can be a great addition to your wedding party.  It is a lot of fun to dress up a little girl or guy in fancy clothes and have them participate in your big day.  But remember - they are kids!  Kids can be moody, silly and very unpredictable!  If you plan on having children in your wedding party you must be willing to roll with what ever happens.  I have seen kids refuse to walk the asile.  I have seen children cry  as they are walking down the asile.   I have seen children steal the show during the ceremony.  During the ceremony I mentiond above, the same daughter, bored to death, decided to lay down on the floor while my older daughter - mortified - tried to get her to stand up.  Long story short - if you are a 'type A' personality having children participate in your ceremony may not be a great idea!



Notice the youngest no longer has her bag of flower petals!



So what are your options?  First, you can, as I said above, let children participate in the entire day and just know that things may not go perfectly.  You can opt to have them in the photographs and reception only, with mom and dad close at hand should there be any meltdowns).  It is also ok to not use cousins, nephews and neices etc.  Most parents will understand.  My daughters have been flower girls on several occasions and it is no small task keeping them looking pristine and happy- not to mention hair, dresses, shoes etc!  While it is an honor and a lot of fun - we would be just as happy watching from the side lines!

You may be wondering about the title of this post.  I'm sure you've all heard the story of the little boy who was asked to be the ring bearer for a wedding.  While walkling down the asile with the rings on the beautiful silk pillow he growl loudly all the way to the bride and groom.  The boy was very proud of the job he did as ring BEAR! 



Beautiful bride and Sarah.



Size Matters...The Size of Your Bridal Bouquet That Is!

Years ago, when I was the florist for a very popular upscale wedding reception center, I was lucky enough to do the flowers for a high school friends wedding.  My friend and I hadn't seen each other much after high school, so I was out of touch with what was going on in his life.  In fact the only way I knew I was doing his wedding flowers was due to the fact that he was listed as the groom on the floral order I received. 
Unfortunately, between the brides schedule and various other circumstances, (which shall go unnamed!)  I was unable to meet directly with the bride to discuss her wedding.  All I had was an order form filled out and priced by someone other than myself.  I had no idea what the theme of the wedding was, what the look was supposed to be.  I had never even met the bride!  I can remember to this day the bouquet she requested was all white, with snap dragons, white freesia and white roses.  She wanted it hand tied, presentation style, (think Miss America), with the stems wrapped in white and thin gold ribbon over the white.  I remember looking at the amount charged for the bridal bouquet thinking, "Wow!  She must want a big bouquet!". 

The day of the wedding I began to working on the flowers.  I was sure to add extra special touches so that my friend and his bride would be thrilled with their flower - and also, really, to show off a bit.  After hours of working I was very happy with the flowers.  The bouquet was large and beautiful...fit for a queen!  I couldn't wait to see the brides reaction!  While waiting for the bride to emerge from her dressing room, I pinned on corsages and bouts and distributed bouquets to all the brides maids.  I was pleased with the responses I received on my work.  Finally the bride was ready for her bouquet!  Feeling very confident in my work, I walked up the stairs to deliver her beautiful bundle of  flowers.  When I saw gorgeous Cicely I wanted to die.  Cicely is all of 5'2"  and maybe 100 pounds soaking wet.  Her dress was form fitting.  She looked stunning!  And I was handing her a bouquet the size of a small flowering shrub!  Even worse...she is moments from walking down the aisle.  There was no time to fix it!  That was one of those times in my life where I was literally sick to my stomach!  I was ready to vomit!  However, not only is Cicely beautiful, but she is also very kind!  She insisted that the bouquet was perfect and graciously lugged it down the aisle to her waiting groom.  It wasn't until after the ceremony and pictures that I was able to take the bouquet and make it the appropriate size.  Every time I see the wedding photos I am soooo embarrassed! 

SO!  What is to be learned from this experience?!  Several things - First, ALWAYS speak directly to your floral designer so you can be sure you are on the same page.  Do NOT trust your mother in law, sister or wedding planner to correctly convey your vision of your wedding .  Second, If at all possible show your designer pictures of the colors, flowers and style of bridal bouquet you want.  Last but not least remember SIZE MATTERS! 

The size of your bridal bouquet should be in proportion to your figure, your height and your gown.  You must also consider the style of your gown when choosing your bouquet.   No bride should look as if she is hiding behind her bouquet.  Nor should it be so small it looks like an after thought.
As a rule of thumb, I don't like to see bouquets that are wider than the brides hips/waist. 
Here are some examples I hope will demonstrate my thoughts.

This bouquet is beautiful, but I think it is too much for this gown and bride.  Her frame and the silhouette do not support such a large bouquet.  This bouquet would work much better for a plus size bride or a ball gown .  The style of this bouquet is called cascade.  Cascade bouquets and formal gowns are stunning together. 

 

Either of the above dresses are much better suited for a large cascade bouquet.  Because the skirts have such volume a large bouquet would not detract from the bride. 

This cascade is better for a more form fitting dress - but still maybe a bit wide for a thin or average size bride. 

These bouquets are better suited for a form fitting gown and any size bride petite to plus.  In fact, hand tied bouquets are very versatile.  The type of flowers used can make it formal or casual.  They can be made larger for larger gowns or smaller for smaller gowns and./or brides.

I love the look of this presentation/arm bouquet.  This is a great way to have a long bouquet without the bulk and size of a regular cascade. 

For more informal gowns and/or thin petite brides, small and simple is better. 

Ball gowns do not necessitate a large cascade bouquet.  This hand tied bouquet is the perfect size and style for this ball gown.  However, I wouldn't go much smaller.

Just remember, on your wedding day the focus should be on you, the bride as a whole.  Not the dress alone and not the flowers alone, but the complete look.  Oh and please - when walking down the aisle, keep the bouquet near your belly button!  Any higher and you hide your beautiful gown.  The photo above is a perfect example of where to hold your bouquet. 

Natures Bounty Lesson 2: The Mango

My family and I LOVE mangoes!  It is by far one of our favorite fruits. 

We love to make mango sorbet and mango salsa. 

 I think our favorite way to eat a mango is just by the slice. 

I have always loved the beautiful vibrant orange color of the mango flesh.  It is such a bright happy color!  But have you ever looked at the skin of a mango?  There are so many colors!  Deep burgundy, bright orange, yellow and chartreuse. 

There are a couple of different ways to go with a mango inspired color palette. 

The first option would be to stick to the oranges and yellows.  These colors would be bright and happy, but almost monochromatic, as these colors are right next to each other on the color wheel.  There are a plethora of flowers in oranges and yellows - from roses and gerbera daisies to more exotic orchids and calla lilies.  Here are a few examples of an orange and yellow color palette.

This beautiful bouquet has Leonidas roses, gerbera daisies, alstromeria lilies and orange roses.  I love the color of the gerbera daisies.  They remind me of mango sorbet!

I LOVE the attention to detail on this bouquet.  Check out the polka dot wrap and the orange ribbon!  Very cute!

Here is a more elegant look with the oranges and yellows.  Beautiful and simple calla lilies!

Now lets look at options with colors from the entire mango.

I can't get enough of this bouquet!  Again this designer went the extra mile with the detail on the wrap. 

Tulips, anemones, gerbs and roses.  This bouquet is so bright and fun!

These pomanders are a bit more red - but I think they are so fun!  These are made from Gerbera Daisies

I love this bouquet from The Knot.  The colors are gorgeous and the design is stunning!

Last but not least, take a look at how these mangoes are served.  Beautiful and YUMMY!

These are so great you almost wouldn't need buffet flowers!

Natures Bounty Lesson 1: FIGS

 The past month I have been part of a coop called Bountiful Baskets.  Each week people make a 'contribution' of money which is pooled together to purchase fruit and veggies at a discounted price.  It is so much fun to see what we get in our basket each week.  A couple of weeks ago we received Mission Figs.  They were beautiful!  The colors on the outside of the fruit were so elegant for such a humble little fruit - then I cut them in half and WOW!  BEAUTIFUL!  One little fig contains an amazing palette of colors.  Just look at these!

Mother Nature really does have things figured out doesn't she.  Now picture these colors for your wedding flowers or even for your living room or dining room etc.  These colors are warm, rich, comfortable, but above all absolutely gorgeous!  Look at the contrast of the green and purple on the outside of the fruit.  Look at the beautiful juicy color on the inside with the pithy color that surrounds it. 

 Here are a few flowers for a fig inspired wedding.   

<><><><><> Leonidas Rose

Dahlia

Kermit Mum

                           Fern Curl

PS:  Can you tell I am ready for Autumn!?

PURPLE! The most popular color for weddings!

Rumor has it purple is the most popular color for weddings this year.  I'll be honest with you - I don't love purple on its own.  But when paired with the right color purple can create many different moods.  One great thing about purple -  it is very versatile and comes in a wide range of intensity.  Purple can vary from a dark  rich, almost black hue to light, frosty and cool.  It can be rich and juicy or antique and dusty.  Take a look at the color wheel.  To make a bold or bright statement use the colors opposite purple, which are yellow green and orange.  For a monochromatic look move to the right or left of purple into rich magenta and violet blues.

The purple that I love is a scent.  It is the rich smell of Concord Grapes hanging sweet and ripe on the vine.  This purple is a memory of  rich Autumn fragrances, harvest, crisp air and rusty leaves floating from trees.  Personally this is the direction I would go with purple.  Picture this, rich plum with chocolate brown, bronze, orange, cream and green ...my mouth is watering!  What a rich and diverse palette for your wedding.

 
For a Winter wedding cool icy lavender and white would be lovely and brisk.

Green and purple or lavender with white make a clean and fresh combination for Spring. 

Bright pinks, yellows, oranges and whites combined with purple, violet and lavender make fun playful Summer bouquets.

I love the monochromatic look with just about any color.  All one color and/or flower make an elegant statement. 

Some of my favorite purple and lavender flowers.

Sweet Pea - Very Fragrant - Spring only

Anemone - Spring only

Lilac -  Very Fragrant -  Spring only

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Lavender - Very Fragrant -Summer

Hydrangea - Available year round

Calla Lily - Available year round

Ranuculus - Spring only

For more color combonations check out http://www.theknot.com/ as well as http://www.thebrideandbloom.com/