Flourish - Wedding Flowers & Floral Design, Florist

Perfect 5 star rating on Project Wedding!

We just received this e-mail today from Project Wedding:

"Congratulations! You have received a perfect 5-star rating on Project Wedding! Your clients love the impeccable quality and service that you provide, and we are excited to award you with this elite distinction."

You love us! You really love us!

Tell us: When planning your wedding did you read on-line reviews as part of your decision making process?

Labels: Project Wedding, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

My adorable niece's wedding

I love my job! One of the many reasons I have the best job on earth is when a friend or family member has a wedding I am lucky enough to have a front row seat in the planning. Usually I am in charge of the flowers (natch) but this past September when my sweet niece was married not only did Flourish design the flowers (thanks Mai!), I was second shooter for the amazing Beth with True Love Photo

My husband's family is from El

Salvador. So when my niece and new nephew were married,

the ceremony was filled with traditions and special meaning. I love to see couples include their cultural traditions in their ceremony. It makes the event so meaningful to them and their families.

The reception took place at La Provence in Roseville. They did a great job they did at La Provence! Service-perfect, food-delectable, setting- picturesque.

What a fabulous place! We had dinner out on their patio under the olive trees with the setting sun as our backdrop.

Party time was inside the venue and let me tell you- this family can dance! And dance! And dance! I think the servers at La Provence had to kindly tell us when it was time to leave.

I love fun touches- my favorite part of the evening was when we made smores over the open fire pit. What a great way to top off the night and a great way to bring the kid out in your guests. Memorable and tasty.

Labels: Ca, La Provence, Roseville, Sacramento wedding flowers, True Love Photo

Doo- dads for your bridesmaids

I love the idea of putting the initial of your bridesmaid's first name on the stem of their bouquet. Such a cute little detail and so thoughtful.

You can find them here: www.personalizationmall.com

What are you doing (if anything) to personalize your bouquets?

Image from Sharon Hoyt

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

On the way "in"- Lady Slipper Orchids

Part of my job is to forecast trends in wedding flowers. One flower that I think is up and coming is the Lady Slipper orchid.

Unusual, sexy and rare the Lady Slipper orchid is the perfect flower to add a twist to the traditional bridal bouquet.

But bargain shoppers beware, this lady is no cheap date! Expect to pay about 20 dollars per bloom. I say she is worth it!

Is there a trend in wedding flowers you think is up and coming?

Image by True Love Photo

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Christmas wedding

Stacy and Mark's wedding took place on December 28th with the reception at the Capitol View Room, Hyatt Sacramento, Ca.

What I loved: They named their tables after the 12 Days of Christmas. With the table numbers being the cutest plates featuring a painting of each day. Plus- candles, candles everywhere!

Labels: Ca, Hyatt Sacramento, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Real wedding Wednesday- Candace and Zac

I just received these photos from Jaclyn Photography of Candace and Zac's wedding. The wedding and reception took place in the Barrel Room at Wine and Roses in Lodi, Ca. Candace and Zac were a total joy to work with!

Labels: Jaclyn Photography, Lodi CA, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Wine and Roses

Photo shoot flowers

Chris with Shepard Photography asked me to make him a bouquet for an urban bridal shoot he was doing. I happily made him this bouquet of phalaenopsis orchids, Black Star callas, fuchsia carnations and black tinted tree fern. Very fun!

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Shepard Photography

Trendsetting wedding flowers- Martha Stewart

There can be no doubt to the major influence Martha Stewart's empire has over the wedding trends.

In the world of wedding flowers I can name so many trends that started in the pages of Stewart's "Weddings" magazine. Hand tied bouquets, detailed ribbon treatments, the use of garden flowers, the use of herbs, fruits and vegetable in decor, mono-variety bouquets (use of a single

flower en-masse) and vintage inspired decor are all trends began or gained popularity in a photo spread of the iconic magazine.

For me, the bouquet of the cover of the first issue of "Weddings" will always be most important of all the thousands of images that have been published in the magazine over the years. When brides first starting coming to me with this image I was amazed. The bouquet was lovely to be sure but, for several reasons, not practical for the rigors of the wedding day. The bouquet would be heavy, take forever to create and Ex-pen-sive.

A few fun facts about the featured bouquet:

*The bouquet was made with over 150 roses

*Each rose was individually wired to achieve the heart shape of the bouquet.

*This bouquet weighed approximately 20 pounds.

* The bouquet would take approximately 4 hours to create.

*The retail cost of this bouquet would be about $700.

And so began my love hate relationship with Martha Stewart's "Weddings". I love that the magazine encourages brides and grooms to personalize and pay attention to the details of their weddings. I hate that the ideas and decor featured are often not practical. But then, I love that the

magazine inspires couples to include unique elements in their day.

Nearly every wedding professional has a mixed reaction to Martha Stewart's "Weddings". But those same professionals will agree the magazine has revolutionized the way modern weddings are conducted.

For better or for worse do you, Shannon, promise to keep reading? I do...

Labels: Martha Stewart, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

Trendsetting wedding flowers- Princess Diana

I thought it would be interesting to post a series of blogs about wedding flowers that have appeared in the media and set trends or changed the way flowers for events were designed.

Certainly one of the most iconic weddings that have taken place in recent memory was the marriage of Charles to Diana in 1981.

Diana carried an elaborate cascading bridal bouquet. The bouquet was designed to scale with Diana's wedding gown. The bouquet set the trend of large cascading flowers for the bride. That trend continued through the 80's and much of the 90's.

Fun Facts:

Diana's bouquet consisted of gardenias, orchids, stephanotis, freesia, lily of the valley, roses, ivy, tradescantia, myrtle and veronica

It is a tradition for a sprig of myrtle, from the bush grown from the original myrtle in Queen Victoria's wedding bouquet, to be included in a royal wedding bridal bouquet.

Three bouquets were made for Princess Diana. One for the practice the night before the wedding, the second was delivered to St. James' Palace, the third bouquet was taken to Buckingham Palace on the day of the wedding and used for the formal photographs.

After the wedding one of the bouquets was placed on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.

The bouquet was 42 inches long and 15 inches wide and weighed approximately 6.5 lbs.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Merry Christmas!

Everyone at Flourish wishes you and yours a wonderful Christmas holiday filled with warmth and love.

These pictures are from our annual family photo session with Beth from True Love Photo.

Aren't the boys getting big?

Labels: family, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Fun to toss

As a fun alternative to the traditional white woven basket filled with loose rose petals give your flower girl something new to carry and toss:

Scented Spring: Organza drawstring bag filled with lavender buds and crushed rosemary for her to scatter.

Brightest of Summers: Galvanized metal bucket decorated with colorful trailing ribbon filled with wildflower petals of blue delphinium blossoms, orange zinnia petals, yellow sunflower petals and purple hydrangea florets for her to herald the bride.

Fall Fun: Gathering basket decorated with moss and acorns and filled with colorful maple and oak leaves for her to sprinkle down the path.

Winsome Winter: Crushed velvet cone filled with small, white tissue paper snowflakes to lazily drift down the aisle.

Image by Andrea's Images

Labels: Andrea's Images, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Real wedding Wednesday!

These lovely images are from a wedding we did this past summer. Thanks to the talented photographer, Allison Stahl for sending us the eye candy!

Labels: Allison Stahl, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

The most disappointing bridal bouquet, ever

I was never a religious watcher of the HBO show "Sex and the City". But I did pop in every once in while to see what Carrie and her gals were up to and wearing. I really enjoyed the fashions on the show. Sometimes it was with a loud "Oh no she didn't!".

When I saw the movie I was so

excited to see what Carrie's bridal bouquet would look like. Boy, was I so disappointed! Her dress was incredible, her veil was incredible (bird on her head is still out to the judges) her bouquet was NOT! A bridal bouquet should compliment and elevate the bridal ensemble. Much like a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Carrie's bouquet was sloppy, amateurish, half dead (note the petals on the ground) and ho-hum. The only thing good about her bouquet was it exploded quite nicely when Carrie used it to beat up Mr. Big.

What bouquet would I have designed? Maybe something like this (on the right):

Image by: Justine Belson

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

In Order of Importance

Choosing where to spend your floral budget can be a difficult decision. You want your dollars to go to good use and have the most impact.

Personal flowers: Anything anyones holds, carries or wears. These flowers will the most photographed and remembered on your wedding day. Spend the money to get exactly the look and design you want for your wedding. This category should be the one place you do not skimp.

Centerpieces: Your guests will spend most of their time at their tables. Choose your centerpieces to have the most impact. Be creative, have a sense of humor and have fun with your centerpieces. Give your guests something to talk about.

Cake flowers: The cake is the center of the reception. The first thing your guests will do after finding their table is go take a look at the cake. If you are opposed to fresh flowers on the cake (I know, sometimes people are) flowers around the base of the cake is a lovely alternative.

Ceremony flowers: The focus of the ceremony should be the marriage. Of course it is wonderful to have an abundance of flowers but if your budget does not allow for flowers everywhere you look, focus on the ceremony area. I design all the ceremony flowers to be re-used in some fashion at the reception for added decor.

Guest book table: It is nice to welcome your guests with an arrangement at the guest book table.

Head table: Most of my couples opt to use the bridal party bouquets as the head table decor. To add something extra to the re-purposed bouquets try pillar candles in large hurricane glass.

Place card table, food tables, and other areas: It is nice to have a beautiful floral arrangement in these areas but going simple or foregoing flowers in these spots altogether works as well too.

Images by: Rachelle Photography

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Wilted Blooms Be gone!

Make sure your flowers will last through the hottest days.

Keep in mind you will start taking pictures two to three hours before your trip down the aisle. After the ceremony there is another hour of photo taking. Like the bride, wedding flowers need to look perky and fresh throughout the rigors of the day. Ask your florist what flowers perform best and resist wilting, petal drop and browning.

Listening to the advice of a professional floral designer will save you the disappointment of a droopy bouquet on your big day.

Image by Wendy Hithe Photography

Labels: Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

My Inspirations- Flowers for Four Weddings

When I first started designing in flowers in the early 90's I found a lot of inspiration from floral designers in England. I loved their loose and natural style. Their designs were filled with and featured old fashioned flowers that spoke to me.

One of the books that inspired me when I first started designing was written by the florist in charge of the flowers from the movie "Four Weddings and a Funeral". If you have not seen this movie, put it on your list now! It is a wonderful romantic comedy and the flowers in the movie are amazing. This book has one chapter focused on each wedding from the movie. It is filled with really wonderful close up pictures with some how-to as well.

Labels: Inspirations, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Amazing cake!

I just came across these pics of the cake from one of my weddings. This was from the wedding of Anu and Mithu. I loved the elephant cake stand.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Wedding Cake

My Inspirations- The Language of Flowers

This is such a lovely little book. It contains such pretty pictures flower flowers and their meanings.

Everyone knows a red rose means love. But did you know Lilacs mean first emotions of love or sunflowers mean haughtiness?

This book was a re- release of a book originally published in 1885. It is small and sweet in size. The illustrations were done by the famous Kate Greenaway who was known for her children's picture books.

Why it inspires me: I love the romantic idea of giving meanings to flowers.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

and you are....

Have your floral designer label all the boutonnieres and corsages with the first name and designation of each recipient.

Assign a helper (someone who knows the members of your family) to distribute the boutonnieres and corsages. Your florist will not know Uncle Harry and Grandma Josie. but your helper will know these VIPs and can point the florist in the right direction.

A little for-thought will help eliminate confusion when the personal flowers for your wedding are delivered.

Image by Justine Belson

Labels: Justine Belson Photography, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Bouquet to toss

Tossing the bridal bouquet to the un-married women at your reception is a tradition many brides and grooms still observe.

First about the tradition from Lora Ward of A Day to Remember:

Tossing the Bouquet - Similar to the custom of tossing the garter, this tradition began centuries ago. Brides traditionally carried a bouquet of aromatic bunches of garlic, or fruit blossoms, herbs or grains - these scents were thought to drive the evil spirits away and they symbolized prosperity. However, in those "olden days" the wedding guests tried to get a fragment of the bride's clothing as a symbol of good fortune, sometimes tearing the wedding dress apart before the bride even left the celebration (good grief!). Out of self-defense, the bride would toss some personal item and generally would throw her bridal bouquet. This custom evolved where the bride would then toss the bouquet to the single ladies in belief that the lucky recipient would be the next to marry.

Many brides and grooms have done away with this tradition believing it to be antiquated. Here are some other ideas for flower fun with out the "old maid" connotations:

The Honor Bouquet: The MC or DJ will call out all married couples out on the dance floor. The couples will be released based on length of time they have been married until the bride and groom are left dancing with the longest married couple. That couple would then be presented with the bouquet.

The Special Couple: Invite the couple you whos marriage you hope to emulate out on the dance floor. Present the bouquet to them with a short speech about how they are role models for your own marriage.

The Free-for-all: Have your floral designer make a toss bouquet that will break apart when tossed into many miniature bouquets. When you throw the bouquet to your girlfriends everyone will get a piece.

The Fortunate one: Variation on the break apart bouquet. Attach fortunes to the mini bouquets such as "You will marry for love" or "You will live a long life filled with happiness". It is also really fun to include some inside jokes specific to the friends you know will catch the flowers.

PLEASE DO NOT TOSS YOUR REAL BRIDAL BOUQUET! I never type in all caps because it is like yelling at you. But this is important! Do not toss your actual bridal bouquet. There are many reasons this is not a good idea. It is expensive, It can be preserved, You can save the ribbons and or jewels as a keepsake- but if those reasons are not good enough- your real bridal bouquet will be surprisingly heavy. So throwing it at people can be a liability. Funny but true!

Images by: Sarah Maren Photography and Artistic Imagery

Labels: A Day To Remember Sacramento, Artistic Imagery Sacramento, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sarah Maren Photography, Toss Bouquet

Making your flowers "Pop" in pictures

Never choose dark flowers for your bridesmaids if they are wearing dark colored dresses or light colored flowers for your bridesmaids if they are wearing light colored dresses. You do not want your pretty flowers to blend away.

Keep this rule in mind when choosing your bridal bouquet too. If you are wearing a shade of white make sure your bouquet has some color (this can be achieved with greenery) so it does not appear to be a white blob in your wedding photos.

Image by True Love Photo

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

Inspiration- Madderlake

Before I started my first business there were several floral design books that, in retrospect, set me on the path to what I consider "my floral design style". I thought it would be fun to showcase the books I found so inspiring.

Madderlake was a ground breaking flower shop in New York in the 80's and early 90's. The two main floral designers, Tom Pritchard and Billy Jarecki authored three books during the height of their success with their business.

Travel back in time with me to 1989. At the time I had been working in a very traditional flower shop. Flowers were designed in a contrived and manipulated manner. Baskets, bows and cellophane were used in flower arrangements to the point of making the actual flowers an afterthought. I loved working with flowers and I could hear their little voices calling out to me. I envisioned designs where the flowers were cherished and featured

in a way that spoke to the receiver.

"Flowers Rediscovered" (1985) was so amazing to me. It opened my eyes to a whole other way to design flowers.Pritchard and Jarecki talked about designing flowers naturally. Letting the flowers tell you how they wanted to be designed. looking to nature for clues and inspiration.

When my business partner and I opened Blooming Art in 1994

"Madderlake's Trade Secrets" (1994) was the inspiration for our shop. Pritchard and Jarecki talked about using containers that would showcase the blooms they held. Trade Secrets is full of lovely images of flowers in glass beakers, antique bottles, test tubes and distressed tin pails. While that sort of designing may seem almost pedestrian by today's standards it was revolutionary in the early 90's. I opened Blooming Art stocked with clean lined clear glass vessels (hard to find in 1994), an eclectic collection of antique vases and buckets of cut flowers that inspired exuberant and artistic arrangements.

In the late 80's and early 90's Tom Pritchard and Billy Jarecki were rock stars of the American floral design world. They introduced new ideas and inspired a revolution and burned out quickly. I have no idea where they are now and if they are still creating with flowers (let me know if you know!). Tom Pritchard and Billy Jarecki opened my eyes and inspired me on so many levels.

I highly recommend all of the Madderlake books. They are as relevant and inspiring today as the day they were published.

Labels: Madderlake, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Tom Pritchard and Billy Jarecki

Flowers are good for you- Edwin and Robbie

A while back I ran a "Flowers are good for you" contest. In honor of a medical study that found having flowers around you lowers stress and improves health. I asked my blog readers to nominate someone they felt deserved a "pick-me-up" to receive an arrangement.

This is the e-mail I received from a wonderful daughter about her parents:

"I would like you to consider my parents for your flower giveaway.

My parents just celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary this

past July. Through their 29 years of marriage they have

been through a lot. This past year has been one of their most difficult years.

After working for the same company for 27 years, my father found out his job was being eliminated. His only option was to drive to Stockton and work a shift Sunday overnight to Monday and another shift Wednesday overnight to Thursday. My mother has been so strong through my fathers lay off and job transfer but she still worries about him all the time. The two of them have been through so much this year, yet they have managed to still be there for each other. My fiancee and I are getting married next year and look up to them and their marriage. I think that a floral "pick-me-up" would show them that their are people out their that see how hard this year has been. I am so proud of what they have overcome this year and want them to know they can make it."

This recession has been so hard on so many people. I wish all the best for Edwin and Robbie in the upcoming year.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

For the love of chocolate

More than half my weddings in the past two years have incorporated the some tone of chocolate brown in their wedding color palette. Yummy!

Images by (starting from the top): Kight photographers, True Love Photo, Melanie Mages, Justine Belson

Labels: Chocolate brown wedding, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

Marianne and Ryan at Berghold Vineyard, Lodi

I just received these amazing images from True Love Photo of Marianne and Ryan's wedding. Stunning, Right?

Marianne wrote me the most wonderful thank you note. "...people who said you were the best were so right. When I walked into your office for the consultation I was a nervous wreck (I really had no vision). But when I left your office I felt relieved and confident that my flowers were going to be beautiful! At that point my vision started. Your professionalism and organization was top notch! I probably would have gone crazy without you. :)"

I had so much fun working on their wedding. What an gorgeous couple and an amazing event!

Labels: Berghold Vineyard, Ca, fall wedding flowers, Lodi CA, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Wedding Flowers A to Z- Designing words

Before you meet with a floral designer take some time to think about the design, or look, of your wedding flowers. Do you like wild and romantic or simple and traditional flowers? Make a list of descriptive words and what they mean to you. Share your list with prospective floral designers. It will really help them see your vision.

Here is a list to get you started:

Naturally Wild- Loose and textural, floral designs using seasonally available flowers.

Romantically Inclined- Floral designs using old fashioned, blowzy and ruffled blooms.

Fashionably Funky- Bright, graphic and interesting blooms designed with non-floral elements (wire, colored glass beads).

Tasteful and Traditional- simply designed flowers in light and blended color palettes.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Centerpieces- different can be beautiful

I think it lends interest and fun to a reception room when you have a variety of centerpieces. Often times we will design half the tables with a tall arrangement and the other half with a low arrangement. Another idea is to use the same tall vase in a different way.

When designing your reception centerpieces you will want to make sure the different centerpieces relate well to each other.

The centerpieces on the right and left were from the same wedding. The vase was used in two different ways to achieve an interesting look. This can also be a way to save money. By having only half your tables with full arrangements you can save quite a bit of scratch.

Another way to add some interest is by designing half your centerpieces full and lush and on top of a tall vase and the other half a more simple version and in a low vase. The two centerpieces below were from the same wedding. The bride wanted a "Wow" effect but was able to save some money by scaling back on some of her tables.

Labels: centerpieces, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Flowers or Fashion?

These designs were part of the decor at a recent wedding industry function. I just had so much fun making these cuties.

Yes, those are real shoes covered in flowers!

Labels: Sacramento wedding flowers

The color of savings

If you are trying to save money on your floral budget choose colors for your wedding florals that are available in the most flower varieties.

Pink, Yellow and white are the most common colors for flowers. Blue and purple are the least common colors for flowers. By choosing readily available flower colors you will insure you have the most selection to choose from and at the best price.

Labels: pink wedding flowers, Sacramento wedding flowers, white wedding flowers, yellow wedding flowers

Real wedding Wednesday!

Who: Jennifer and Josh

What: Wedding in non-traditional fall colors.

When: October 17, 2009

Where: The Bridges, San Ramon

What I loved: The colors! The wide range of colors Jennifer used came together so well to make a eye catching display.

Bonus: Here is a snippet from the Thank You card Jennifer sent me after the wedding:

"...Thank you again for the beautiful flowers you did for our wedding! The flowers really made the room. I appreciate you working with me over the past months in order to get exactly what I was looking for. All of the flowers exceeded my expectations! Everything was just perfect. We got so many compliments..." -Jennifer and Josh

Extra Extra Bonus: Take a peek at the slide show their a-maz-ing photographer, Sarah Maren, put together, Here. Because the pictures I take are never as good as the ones the divine Ms. Sarah takes here is a better look at the bouquet:

Congratulations Jennifer and Josh!!

Labels: Sacramento wedding flowers, Sarah Maren Photography

A post a day keeps the doctor away!

Last December I promised one blog post everyday. I thought it would be fun to repeat the exercise this year.

For a limited time there will be a fresh spoonful of Flourish-y goodness every single day. So don't fill up on those other blogs.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

On-line reviews and your wedding

When I meet with my brides I always ask how they found my company. The answers vary some what but "referral" is the number one answer.

Referrals by another wedding professional or a past bride are an indication that I am doing my job well. These brides are coming to me because someone they trust says Flourish does great work. I have also found most brides have done some checking on Flourish before they meet with me. Including reading reviews from the many on line websites focused on businesses and the wedding industry.

Most businesses out there will tell you that on-line reviews are a great way to cement trust in your company but that they can also be a repeated and persistent thorn in the side. There are many problems with on-line reviews.

* A review, whether positive or negative, can be left by anyone. That includes a company's competitor, a friend of the business owner or even the business owner themselves.
* There is no moratorium on how long reviews can be displayed. So unlike your last traffic ticket, reviews will not fall off the company's record after a certain number of years. They can still appear on line years after they were first posted.

*Reading a review posted two years ago may not be a good indication of how the company runs today. Businesses change hands, the quality of customer service goes up and down.

I thought it would be worthwhile to mention how reviews, while a useful tool, should be taken with a grain of salt. If you were to search Flourish today and read all the reviews posted by clients you would see they are wonderful and glowing. And I am happy to be able to read the kind words left by our past clients.

Labels: Sacramento wedding flowers

Colin and Kari are married!

Who: Colin and Kari

What: Amazingly beautiful wedding filled with traditional florals in warm whites

When: October 24, 2009

Where: V. Sattui, Napa, Ca

What I loved: The colors! I loved the soft and romantic palette of ivory, sage, cream and champagne. Classically beautiful. Plus the dessert bar- yummo!

I was touched and honored by the amount of trust Kari and Colin gave me. Because the planning was done long distance (bride and groom live in Reno, NV) there was a lot of phone calls and e-mails. But when it came right down to it they were so willing to rely on advice. I have a great job! ;)

Labels: Napa wedding flowers, Sacramento wedding flowers

Keeping it funky fresh

Way back in the day floral design was my hobby. I am a big believer in having a hobby that keeps you creative and gives you a fresh outlook on life. When floral design became my career I quickly realized that I needed a hobby outside of my job.

What do I love? I love papers and fabrics (even though I do not sew), I love color, I love home decorating (seasonal and everyday) and I love my family and friends. All of my hobbies reflect these loves. Card making, collecting Dept. 56 Halloween villages, and most recently photography.

I have been dabbling in photographing families and children. It is so fun to step outside what I do everyday and try on a different chapeau. I have been photographing friends and family and friends of friends and family.

Is this a new career in the budding stages? Probably not. I love flowers way too much to ever give them up. But I have found photography gives me a new way to view composition and color. And that new view has made me a better floral designer. Plus I love having a new way to express my artistic side.

Labels: family, friends, Sacramento wedding flowers

Introducing- you choose freebies!

I am in a giving mood! But you need to strike quick before I come to my senses. :)

Book your wedding flowers with Flourish before 12-19-09 and you get to choose a freebie!!

Choose one free bridesmaid bouquet or free cake flowers or one free centerpiece or a free guest book table arrangement or a free place card table arrangement. *

What are you waiting for???

*must mention this blog post to receive the freebie. Free item cannot exceed 100.00 value and cannot be traded for cash or used towards previously booked events. Offer good for new bookings only.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

Jill and Jacob are married!

Who: Jill and Jacob

What: Light heart wedding with a fun and different color palette

When: October 10, 2009

Where: Vizcaya in Sacramento, Ca

What I loved: Jill and Jacob included many personalized touches to their wedding. The couple's dog acted as ring bearer, cowboy hats and boots were part of the wedding attire and other cute additions.

For your viewing pleasure, hop on over to the fabulous Sarah Maren Photography's website and watch the beautiful slide show Sarah put together of this wonderful wedding.

Labels: Ca wedding, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Vizcaya Sacramento

How to make a Harrison cake...

My son Harrison put together the following recipe as part of a class project:

Harrison cake

7 cups video games

9 cups skateboarding

4 cups black hair

4 cups knowledge

6 cups awesome

10 cups athleticism

Start the blender and warm the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is warming you can start blending the ingredients. Combine video games, skateboarding, black hair, knowledge, awesome and athleticism. Blend for 5 minutes, place in a pan and put it all in the oven for 15 minutes. There you go! You have made a Harrison cake.

Labels: family, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Jodi and Mike are Married!

Who: Jodi and Mike

What: Fun and funky, modern and interesting wedding.

When: October 2, 2009

Where: Lake Natoma Inn, Folsom, Ca

What I loved: Fabulous shoes and peacock feathers. Photo booth and lots of laughter. Need I say more?

Labels: Ca wedding, Folsom, Lake Natoma Inn, peacock feather wedding, Sacramento wedding flowers

Hello? Is there anyone across the table?

I am meeting with a bride, Michelle and groom, Joseph (names have been changed to protect the innocent).

"I want to make sure my guests can see over the centerpieces. I do not want the centerpieces to be in the way." Joseph says, practically.

"But- I want there to be a "WOW!" when the guests enter the room. The flowers should stand out and make an impression." Michelle asserts.

"The last wedding we attended people were moving the centerpieces off the table and on to the floor. What a waste!" Joseph says remembering the ill-fated flowers.

Is there a way to bring these two warring factions together? A Camp David for wedding flowers? Yes! It all comes down to the height of the centerpiece.

First the math- Centerpieces should be no taller than 13 inches. Elevated centerpieces should be raised above 24 inches. These formulas will allow for comfortable viewing and conversing across the table.

The picture on the left is an example of a terrible centerpiece. Imagine sitting

at this table. All you can see is a wall o' decor. Claustrophobic, uncomfortable and certainly not conducive to a friendly, partying atmosphere. If I were a guest at this wedding I would want to leave this table asap! Just FYI- I did not design this centerpiece.

The centerpiece on the right is from a wedding I designed last year. I love this centerpiece because it is an example of a classic low arrangement in a clear glass vase. This arrangement was about 13 inches tall at its highest point. There are a lot of creative options for low centerpiece designs. What a great idea for another blog post. *noted*

"What about my "WOW!" factor?" Michelle asks, butting in.

Elevated centerpieces are the way to go for visual excitement at the reception. Tall vases, metal stands, candelabras are just some of the ways you can elevate an arrangement and still allow for easy conversing

across the table. When choosing an accessory to raise your centerpiece use an item that is at least 24 inches tall and no larger than 7 inches in diameter. Also test your stand for stability. You do not want your centerpieces to come crashing down. Probably not quite the "impact" you were going for.

The exception to the rule: You know there is always a way to break the rules. Branches or other thin elements can add height to a low centerpiece with out getting in the way of conversation.

"You are the best!" Michelle and Joseph exclaim in unison. "How can we ever thank you enough?"

Bringing peace and to the warring decor factions is all the thanks I need. :)

Labels: centerpieces, Sacramento wedding flowers

Hi- Long time no talk!

I know, I know, I have been a bad blogger. Can you ever forgive me? It has been a crazy time in Flourish land. Weddings, weddings and more weddings! What does this mean for you? How does this impact your life? Well... it means lots of eye candy for your perusal. I will leave this post with this picture from a recent photo shoot:

Just in case you are wondering- yes that is how I have been feeling. Lost in a forest of weddings. But what is that I see? The light ahead is a lot of new blog posts comin' your way.

Photo by True Love Photo

Labels: Sacramento wedding flowers

Flowers are good for you--GIVEAWAY!

Recently I was made aware of a study done on the effect of flowers on your emotions.'Clinical Researcher in Psychology at Harvard Medical School Nancy L. Etcoff said she followed 55 women of various ages and backgrounds over the course of two weeks, surprising them with bouquets of flowers and asking them to keep diaries documenting their daily activities and emotions. "What we found is that living with flowers for a few days affected a wide variety of positive and negative emotions,” she said.' Quoted from "The Harvard Crimson"

This inspired me to sponsor a giveaway. Three lucky people will receive an arrangement of fresh flowers valued at 75.00 delivered to their home or place of work.

To win please e-mail me why your special someone needs or deserves a surprise "pick-me-up" of beautiful flowers. That special someone could even be yourself. :)

Fine Print: Delivery address must be with in 1/2 an hour of Downtown Sacramento. Flowers, colors, container and delivery date/time are at the discretion of Flourish. Winnings may not be used towards wedding flowers or recieved in cash.

Winners will be chosen on September 10, 2009 and will be notified via e-mail.

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Amy and Tom are Married!

Who: Amy and Tom

What: Beautiful wedding with fresh pops of color in the flowers.

When: August 21, 2009

Where: Wine and Roses Hotel in Lodi, Ca

Hi Gloria!!!

Labels: Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Wine and Roses

Lauren and Jason are Married!

Who: Lauren and Jason

What: Simple and gorgeous wedding celebrating late summer blooms, fresh seasonal food and award winning wines.

When: August 15, 2009

Where: RH Phillips Winery in Esparto, Ca

Labels: bright wedding flowers, Sacramento wedding flowers, winery wedding

Wedding Decor A to Z- Color

Series of topics about wedding planning, flowers and wedding trends categorized from A to Z.

"C" IS FOR COLOR

One of the first decor directions you will establish when planning your wedding is color choice. Color plays a huge role in the feel and look of your event.

I want to talk about color impact in flowers by discussing two ends of the scale. All white flowers and brightly colored flowers.

WHITE FLOWERS
All white flowers are the traditional choice for weddings. White symbolizes purity and a fresh start. But when using all white flowers there are a few problems to consider.

Lack of impact: When designing with white flowers there is a lack of the initial "Wow" factor. When your guests first enter the reception they may not be immediately bowled over by the impact of the flowers. Additionally, all white flowers have a tendency to disappear in photos. How do you compensate for this? By either using masses of white flowers or by using the flowers in an interesting and unusual design.

The picture above is of centerpieces in shades of white and touches of green. What makes these centerpieces interesting is the use of textural elements and the varying shades of white. The variety of textures and shades keep the flowers from blending away into a white "blur".

White flowers are more delicate: If your event takes place in the heat of the summer your white flowers might suffer for it. White flowers show bruises and heat damage faster and easier than deeper colored flowers.

BRIGHT FLOWERS

Brightly colored flowers at weddings have become more popular. for several reasons. But for me- I love bright flowers at a wedding because they communicate joy and happiness.

More bang for your flower buck:
Bright flowers give your reception room a lot of impact and visual excitement. Another consideration is bright or high contrast flowers will photograph beautifully.

More flower choices make good budget sense: When your floral designer is not limited to one specific color but is working with a palette of colors it allows for smart purchasing decisions. When I am working with a range of colors, I can take advantage of great specials offered by flower wholesalers and growers. This means more blooms for my bride and groom!

I guess you can tell where my heart lies. In a bed of sunshine, citrus and candy colored blooms!

Labels: bridal bouquets, bright wedding flowers, Sacramento wedding flowers, white wedding flowers

Incline Village wedding

I recieved this note with these pictures from one of my spring brides. Demetria and Reid live in another state so all of our planning was done via phone calls and e-mail. I met Demetria the first time when I brought in her bridal bouquet. The wedding took place at the goregous Saint Francis at Incline Village, NV and the reception was at The Chateau. The views were to die for!

This note is so sweet! I love my brides!

Shannon-

Here are some photos that my wedding photographer, Samuel Potter got of some of your work.

The colors and the designs were beautifully coordinated. I am so glad I have these pictures.

You were so great to work with and I will definitely recommend your work to my family and friends. You are very creative and those special touches is what made our photos come to life. Thank you so much. -Demetria-

Labels: bridal bouquets, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings, Tahoe wedding flowers

Kristen + Garrett= Married!

Wh0: Kristen and Garrett

What: Casual and fun wedding accented with a relaxed flair.

When: July 18, 2009

Where: Northstar at Tahoe in Truckee, Ca

The best part about working with Kristen and Garrett was they let me be creative and have fun with the flowers. Kristen gave me a stack of inspiration photos and then turned me loose on the flower market.

Labels: centerpieces, decor, Northstar at Tahoe, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, vintage

Candle Bargins at Michael's

If you know me well you know I love to shop. I love the thrill of the hunt. I have even been known to call my brides from the store (yes- brides o' mine I have your numbers saved in my phone) when I see a decor item on clearance that would be perfect for their wedding.

Today I was at Michael's. They are clearing out their spring and summer items.

Awesome deals on pillar candles! .99 for the three inch pillar and 1.99 for a six inch pillar. All their cute spring/summer colors are the on markdown.

The picture above is from a wedding I did last spring. The bride's mother received one of my famous in-store calls. They dressed the candle up with a twist of ribbon and a pretty pin and viola (!) they had a gorgeous centerpiece.

Have Fun!!!

Image by Andrea's Images

Labels: Andrea's Images, Bargins, candles, Sacramento, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

What's in your toolbox?

I am inspired by another post I just read by Kristin over at Wedding Bee Pro. How cool to read some of the things that go into her toolbox.

I have been designing flowers for about 20 years. But still every event teaches me something new. Over the years I have learned so many tricks and tips that I could write a book! My toolbox list has developed from many, many events and many, many mishaps, problems, Oops and "Oh No's!".

Here is a look at what my tool box looks like. I like the open tool bag better than the traditional tool box because I can grab the needed tool and run. I can also see everything at a glance.

Now for the list:

FLORAL TOOLS:
2- clippers
1- knife
1- scissors
1- pliers
1- wire cutters
glue gun and glue sticks
rubber bands (great for gathering fabric)
Pipe cleaners (all purpose fastener)
Cable ties (I was once told "If it can't be fixed with duct tape and cable ties; it isn't worth fixing.")
Green floral wire
Corsage and boutonniere pins
Floral Tape
Water proof tape
Greening pins
Thin black ribbon (for boutonnieres)
Thin ivory ribbon (for corsages)
Adhesive clay (for sticking arrangements to the top of containers)
Floral glue (special glue that glues flowers with out damaging them)

CLEANING SUPPLIES:
Lint roller (Great for getting little bits of flowers and greens off linens)
Windex wipes (I am super picky about finger prints on vases and candle glass)
Polish wipes (Great for getting finger prints off metal vases and containers)
Garbage bags (flowers create and HUGE mess)
Tide to go pen (works wonders)
Clorox bleach pen
Shout wipes
Baby wipes (good for getting the dirt and grime off linens)

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES:
3M hooks (they are wonderful for hanging items and not leaving a residue)
Clamps (the rubber tipped clamps are fab for attaching fabric to structures with out damage)
White out (In a pinch White Out will cover bruising on white flower petals with out causing further damage to the flower)
Candle Stick-um (Holds candles in holders)
Suction hooks (for hanging wreaths or flowers on glass doors)
Quarters (Parking meters eat quarters)
Double sided tape
Scotch tape
Low candle holders (for when the couple forgets the holders for their unity candle)
Water tubes
Glue Dots
Long lighter
Off- set spatula (great for repairing the icing on a wedding cake)

Labels: Sacramento, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings, wedding tips

Get thee to Pier One....

I was at Pier One today. They are having a massive 50% off sale!

My Picks:

Top left: I love these glasses for a small arrangement of casual flowers. They would be totally at home with garden roses, antique hydrangea and Queen Anne's lace.
Top middle: Lace covered hurricane is so perfect for a vintage romantic theme. The biggest one they have is 11 inches tall. Great size for a centerpiece.
Top right: Sassy and fun- perfect for a light hearted couple's cake table
Bottom left: L-O-V-E coasters would be cute on a guest book table, candy buffet or cake table.
Bottom left: Mercury glass votives are soooo hott right now!
Bottom middle: These Margarita glasses are substanial enough to use on cocktail table- float a candle or a bright ruffly dahlia- perfect!
Bottom right: I love this for a centerpiece if your guest tables have umbrellas.

Happy Shopping!!!

Labels: Bargins, centerpieces, Sacramento wedding flowers

Highlights from David and Sarah

I recieved a link to a highlights reel today. I designed the flowers for David and Sarah last year.

Take a look:

David and Sarah at Le Rivage

Thanks Jensen Video!

Labels: bridal bouquets, centerpieces, decor, fall, Le Rivage Hotel, Sacramento, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers

Joseph + Richard= {Married}

Who: Joseph and Richard

What: Renewal of their marriage vows before their friends and families. Colors were a cool blue and classic white.

When: June 27, 2009

Where: Grand Island Mansion, Walnut Grove, Ca

Labels: Grand Island Mansion, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings

Wedding decor A to Z- Budget

Series of topics about wedding decor, planning and trends categorized A to Z.

B is for Budget- Everyone has a budget. Budgets can be large or small, realistic or unrealistic, do-able or "No way!!" But I do not want to delve too deeply into the budget topic in this post. It would be too looooooong a post. Instead I thought it would be fun to offer some ideas for "fooling" the eye when it came to your floral budget (No- I am not going to tell you to choose flowers in season because haven't we all heard that little gem once too many??)

Have Fun!! Really- choose designs that are different, playful and interesting. Often times you can get a lot of "Wow" with out too much "Ow" when you are creative with your flower designs. Submerge flowers in a clear vase (pictured left) and float a candle on top. Instead of corsages give the all the honored women rings accented with flowers. Use candles floating in water instead of the more expensive pillar candles.

Recycle- Ask your friends and family (and friends of family) that were recently married if they have vases, candles or other items you can use in your wedding decor. Often times they are happy to get rid of the boxes and free up space in their house. If not, just guilt them into giving you the stuff.

Reuse- I love to re-purpose the flowers from the ceremony to decorate the reception. Some of my favorite ways to do this is: Use arch decor on the head table, use aisle flower clusters in posy cones to hang from wall sconces, aisle clusters can also be placed in short vases and used to decorate around the reception room, place large ceremony arrangements behind the cake table or head table. Pick up every single rose petal from the aisle and re-use them on the guest tables. Oh come on- I am just kidding about that last one. :)

Color- Use high impact color combinations. Hot pink, orange and lime green are going to give you a lot more visual decor than a room full of ivory and white flowers.

Image by Allison Stahl

Labels: Allison Stahl, Sacramento, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, wedding flower budget, wedding tips

Gosh- I am blushing!

Ubloom.com's blogger did a write up about our recent wedding flowers for Jonathan and Christy. I didn't even pay her to say such nice things about me!

By Lisa Luck

uBloom

uBloomer, Shannon Cosgrove-Rivas (Flourish) strikes again! This time, she created an exquisite, summertime wedding filled with fragrant English Garden Roses in pastel and muted tones, mixed with layers of unusual textural elements (some I had never seen before) that created interest and enhanced the ruffly roses and outdoor feel of the wedding.

Of course, I HAD to ask Shannon some questions about this wedding because I needed to know MORE about the elements she used to decorate the venue in an amazingly soft, lush and romantic style.

Shannon, tell me a little bit about the "look" and feel you were trying to create with this wedding for Jonathan and Christy.

The bride requested a really soft summery look with a touch of a vintage feel. When I think soft and vintage I think of ruffled and fragrant garden roses. I used Juliet and Patience roses (grown by Green Valley). Side note: When my usual Fed-Ex driver delivered the roses he comment on how good the boxes smelled. The roses have such a gorgeous scent.

You used some unusual elements in your designs, I’m really curious about them.

The wedding took place on the grounds of a private Victorian home in the small town of Clarksburg, Ca. The home overlooks vineyards and an off-shoot of the Sacramento river. My goal was to bring the surroundings into the floral designs. I ended up using quite a few field flowers. Fever Few, Tree of Heaven (the light green seed pods), Seeded Eucalyptus, Dusty Miller and Scented Geranium lent garden textures to the designs.

Share some of your thoughts on this wedding.

Christy was awesome at communicating the look she wanted. When we met she had put together a document with pictures showing flowers and designs she liked and a few she didn’t like. Once she knew I grasped what she was envisioning, she pretty much let me run with the flower choices. I love a client that trusts me. It really frees me up to do some of my best work. I am able to cruise the market and choose really fun flowers and textures to go with the wedding’s theme.

One of the things I really love about Shannon is that she has a natural talent and the enviable ability for coordinating floral materials, colors and textural elements to create an atmosphere that perfectly complements the brides dress, venue etc. Shannon interprets the brides vision in flowers in such a way that never ceases to WOW and AMAZE me (and many others). Her designs are full of well thought out details that make her work extraordinary and I LOVE how she takes many different floral elements and effortlessly arranges them together so that they always look perfectly natural, elegant and yet, always surprising.
To experience the "Flourish" style and a bit of summertime romance…check out Shannon’s Vintage Rose Wedding gallery.

Thanks Lisa- I love you (and uBloom), too!

Labels: Clarksburg, Sacramento, Sacramento florist, Sacramento wedding flowers, Sacramento weddings, uBloom