Flourish - Wedding Flowers & Floral Design, Florist

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kim and Tim are married!

Who: Tim and Kim

What: Early summer wedding designed in rich and romantic tones of deep red, pink and bright green

When: June 6, 2009

Where: Davis Community Church and The Old Sugar Mill

What I loved: The ceremony took place in the church the family had attended for years. It gave Tim and Kim's wedding such a warm, family atmosphere.

Photos by Sophie Maher

Labels: Davis Weddings, Sacramento weddings, The Old Sugar Mill

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

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

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

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