Art of Weddings

I am so excited to be participating in the Art of Weddings boutique bridal show in less than two weeks! I have big plans at this point and am busy with the preparations. I am creating a space based around a black, white, and turquoise dandy damask theme - bright and bold to attract all my potential brides' eyes! The other vendors that are going to be there are diverse and premium quality and should attract a unique type of Portland bride. I look forward to posting loads of pictures from the event!

Holiday Designs

Happy Christmas & New Year!

Fragrant Pine, Snowflake Mums, & Holly

(My Fave - red roses, green spider mums, peppermint carnations, ming fern, green button mums, white button mums, sparkly leaves & ornamnets, green & red apples, pears, & pomegranates)

(Dusty miller & eucalyptus pods for a silvery January table)

2008 Weddings In Review

With year 1 as a full-fledged wedding florist coming to a close, I have finally mustered the gumption (and time) to look back and see what actually happened since this random alteration of my life's plan. As of today - total wedding count: 46. Here are a few of my favorite bouquets & such that weren't featured in any of my previous posts:

Gooseneck, Dusty Miller, Star of Bethlehem, garden roses, & lisianthus

Anemones & ranunculus

Blue hydrangea, white lisianthus, & white freesia

Cream football chrysanthemums, white lisianthus, & white gladiola blooms

White callas, white lisianthus, white roses, Queen Anne's Lace, & purple vanda orchids

White dahlias & white lisianthus

Peach roses & peach hypericum berries

White dahlias, pink garden roses, green hypericum berries, Star of Bethlehem, fiddle head ferns, variegated aspidistra leaves

Pink tulips, orange mini gerbera daisies, orange mokara orchids

Mini succulents, fiddle head ferns, poppy pods, green lisianthus, super green cabbage roses, white lisianthus, spiral eucalyptus

Champagne callas, fiddle head ferns

Orange mokara orchids, green dendrobium orchids, pink nerine lilies

White hydrangea, white freesia

Orange pincushion protea, orange tulips, decorative peppers, & green anthurium

Pink carnations

White mini dahlias & pink spray roses

Green cabbage rose, white lisianthus, & fiddle head fern

Pink garden roses & green hypericum

Purple callas, purple cymbidium orchid, & lycopodium

Lizzy's Wedding - October 14

Though many brides give me a ton of artistic license when it comes to their flowers, it never gets better than having a sister get married!

Because I also served as a makeshift wedding planner, the color pallette was primarily my choosing. While I could have gone with a traditional fall color scheme of rust, pumpkin, and chocolate (read: borderline blah...), I just couldn't resist the fresh pop of clear, brights hues of green and orange. Liz loves green, so it just took convincing her that the orange wouldn't look too garish (or gourd-ish).

The right floral combos were finally achieved using Bells of Ireland, decorative peppers, mambo and super green cabbage roses, green hydrangea, green gladiola blooms, orange pincushion protea, orange ranunculus, orange standard and mini dahlias, orange mokara orchids, orange celosia, and green dendrobium orchids.

Despite having one of my last 35" gathering vases bust in half in the back of my Element on the way home, the day went just beautifully! Here is a small glimpse...

Photography by Robbie Augspurger

Nikki & Spencer - September 27th, 2008 - Veiled Gardens at the Abernethy Center

Caitlin & Edward - September 20, 2008 - Tualatin Country Club

I found the most amazing large-petal mottled purple hydrangea to make up a large part of Caitlin & Edward's deep purple, blue, and gold wedding. It all turned out so lush.

The elements: deep purple hydrangea, cornflower, aster, bella donna, scabiosa, and stock.

Above photography by Tanasbourne Photography.

Above photography by Images in Time.

Tricia & Phil - August 31, 2008 - Rhododendron Gardens

Tricia was one of those brides that floral designers like me dream of. A designer herself, Tricia wanted something completely apart from the norm (think: polar opposite of "I just think red roses are so romantic...). During the consult, she just kept repeating the word "sticks" over and over. I actually had to convince her to incorporate some flowers (in her bouquet at least)!

She originally wanted fresh eucalyptus pods to match the sashes on her bridesmaids' gowns, but the pods aren't in season until late November, so I had to wing it - I ended up using dried eucalyptus pods (originally brown) sprayed to match and then whitewashed to look like they do when they are first snipped from the tree. I attached the pods to a bark covered wire to add some length. We wrapped a cameo necklace in the ivory satin cuff on the stems of Tricia's bouquet in remembrance of her grandmother.

Elements used: Dried eucalyptus pods, tiger sticks, white lisianthus, seeded eucalyptus, & pheasant feathers.

Photography by Jasmine Photography.

Lindsay & Pete - August 30, 2008 - Tualatin Country Club

I have to say that Lindsay and Pete are probably one of the absolutely nicest couples I have ever met. Not only did Lindsay have great taste, but she was conscientious, alert, and caring throughout the process as well - such a pleasure to work with! Their colors were white, shades of pink, and turquoise. We used pink california roses, white garden roses, pink garden roses, pink & white bicolored dahlias, white freesia, pink and white spray roses, and white hydrangea for a fabulous mix of pink feminine and white & turquoise crisp sophistication. I just love that Lindsay liked the belted rhinestone buckles on all the tall & short centerpieces as much as I did!

Dropping off the goods.