Wedding Flowers - Bloomin' Blog

The Rustic Spirit of Fall Through Flowers

September 7, 2011 by Flower Shop Network Leave a Comment

The look this fall is: Rustic Chic

And with fall right around the corner, now is the time to start thinking Autumn colors! You want your rustic-themed bouquets and flower arrangements to look effortless, chic and natural. Organic colors will blend perfectly into your fall wedding.

Dark reds

Deep yellows

Burnt oranges

Deep purples

Sage greens

Add The Spirit of Fall To Your Wedding Ceremony

Think about all of the things that make the fall season so memorable and unique:

pumpkins,

rustic vines

figs

moss

cornucopia

berries

grass

different colored leaves

acorns

twigs

holiday ribbon

Using the above fall accessories, you can create an organic, chic rustic-themed bouquet. These simple, easy to find accessories will compliment any wedding ceremony. Textures make a huge impact and by creating a floral design with these alternative accessories you are sure to express your creative spark in more ways than one!

Your local florist can create the prefect wedding bouquet for you. Or if weddings aren’t on your horizon, opt for a beautiful arrangement of fall flowers instead! Same principles apply!

For more wedding photos, visit our sister site Wedding & Party Network’s galleries.

The bouquet featuring orange lilies was created by Floral Design & Home Decor in Coeur D Alene, ID

More Than Just a Boutonniere: Trends For Fall

August 25, 2011 by Flower Shop Network Leave a Comment

Boutonnieres are a long-standing tradition; generally simple, delicate, and reflective of the partners wrist corsage or bouquet. But who says a boutonniere can’t make a statement with a hint of flair, all on its own?

2011 fall boutonniere trends are leaning toward a more natural, earthy style than the average carnation or red rose. Twigs, rope, feathers, berries, shells, stones, and thick textures turn what could be an ordinary boutonniere into something outstanding!

Natural Boutonniere Ideas:

Imagine a sunflower donning driftwood and/or feathers
Fun-textured greens nesting upon the lapel of a dark brown tuxedo.
Green button poms with red berries, rope, and festive greens will POP against the back drop of a black lapel.
Twigs wrapped together in raffia with a pheasant feather

Natural and floral pocket squares are also very trendy this year.

No matter the color of the tuxedo or suit, these earth-inspired boutonnieres are sure to make a statement at any wedding or event.

Thinking outside the box!

Using your imagination as you get back to your roots with nature inspired boutonnieres will inspire you to create a piece of wearable art that will stand out amongst the others!

Check out the galleries our sister site, Wedding And Party Network, for more wedding flower inspiration.

Filed Under: Floral Design, Trends, Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Boutonniere Alternative, Boutonnieres, Floral Pocket Squares, Flowers For Men, Wedding, Wedding Flowers

Royal Wedding Bouquet Winner — Perfect Rose Floral Design

May 3, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Well, our contest has come to a close. If you haven’t been keeping up, we asked our florist friends to show us their predictions for the Royal Wedding Bouquet. We had a lot of fabulous entries, but Royal Wedding florist, Shane Connolly took us all by surprise. The actual design of the Royal Wedding Bouquet was modest compared to what florists were expecting. Connolly used Sweet William, lily of the valley, hyacinth, ivy and myrtle — all have small white blooms, but deep meanings from the Language of Flowers, used heavily in the Victorian Era. Check out the pic of Kate’s bouquet on Flirty Fleur’s blog.

Because we couldn’t just have a contest without a winner, we took the closest 3 bouquets and put them to a vote! We chose these because they (1) used white flowers, (2) included small flowers, (3) had a slight cascade shape, although Kate’s was very slight.

Our Winner Is

Tina of Perfect Rose Floral Design, East Islip NY

Created by Tina of
Perfect Rose Floral Design, East Islip NY
http://www.perfectrosefloraldesigns.com/

Tina does fantastic wedding work! She also entered these two bouquets in our Royal Wedding contest:

Great work Tina! Congratulations!

This post is brought to you by Flower Shop Network, your source for REAL local florists.

Filed Under: FSN Announcements, Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Bridal Bouquets, Wedding Bouquets, Wedding Flowers

Royal Wedding Bouquet Contest: Who Will Be the Winner?

April 29, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell 1 Comment

About a month ago, we asked our florist friends to submit their predictions for the Royal Wedding bouquet! We were blown away by the incredible submissions! After finally getting a peak at Kate’s bouquet, we’ve narrowed down the submissions to the 3 closest choices. Florist Shane Connolly went with something a little different than I think most florists were thinking. The bouquet was actually small, and predominately featured Lily of the Valley and myrtle. As tradition dictates for royal weddings, the bride’s bouquet contains a sprig of myrtle from the original myrtle bush planted by Queen Victoria at Osborne House, Isle of Wight in 1845. It also contains a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947.

None of our submissions were spot on, so it’s going to be a tough choice for the winner.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Scroll to the bottom and select which florist you think should win!

Created by Jennifer of
Joy’s Floral & Gift, Powhatan VA
http://www.joysfloralandgifts.com/

Created by Nancy of
Alma Blooms, Alma WI
http://www.almablooms.com/

Royal White Bouquet Created by Tina of Perfect Rose Floral Design, East Islip NY

Above 3 created by Tina of
Perfect Rose Floral Design, East Islip NY
http://www.perfectrosefloraldesigns.com/

Who do you think best predicted the Royal Wedding Bouquet?

A Perfect Rose Florist (64%, 90 Votes)
Alma Blooms (34%, 47 Votes)
Joy's Floral & Gifts (2%, 3 Votes)

Total Voters: 140

Loading ...

We will announce the winner on Tuesday, May 2nd. Good luck! Thank you for ALL of the submissions!

This post is brought to you by Flower Shop Network, your source for finding real local florists anywhere in the US and Canada.

Filed Under: Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Bridal Bouquets, Wedding Bouquets, Wedding Flowers

Florist Predictions For The Royal Wedding Bouquet

April 28, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

About a month ago, we asked our florist friends to submit their predictions for the Royal Wedding bouquet! We were blown away by the incredible submissions! Only about 1 more day left before we FINALLY get to see what we’ve all been waiting on!

The Royal Family has done an excellent job keeping the details of Kate’s bouquet top secret! We do know they have chosen renounced London-based, floral designer Shane Connolly to head up their wedding flower team. He also holds a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales, making him an official supplier of flowers for royal events, including Princes Charles’s 2005 wedding.

Royal Wedding Bouquet? According to the royal wedding website, he is known for his sustainable approach to floristry, using growing, rather than cut, plants and trees, and for producing “elegant and unique displays” using seasonal, natural and organic flowers.

While the bouquet is still a mystery, we know that the floral displays in Westminster Abbey feature a variety of seasonal growing and cut British flowers and trees sourced from Royal Estates and other growers around the country. The flowers and plants include blossoms, azaleas (rhododendron), euphorbias, beech, wisteria and lilac.

The floral displays in the Abbey itself will include eight 20 feet-high trees: six English Field Maple and two Hornbeam. All the trees will be growing in planters, which have also been designed by Mr. Connolly and which were made by craftsmen at Highgrove, The Prince of Wales’s Residence in Gloucestershire.

Also, according to the Royal Wedding website, the couple has taken an interest in traditional Language of Flowers and are using these flower meanings to tell a story through their flowers. So far the flowers they’ve chosen mean:

Azaleas (rhododendron) – “Take care of yourself for me, temperance, fragile passion”
Lilac – youthful innocence
Beech Trees – harmony, peace, balance and all that is good.
Wisteria – honor, memory, patience

After the wedding, the flowers and plants will be left in position in Westminster Abbey for the public to view until Friday 6th May 2011. Following this, many of the trees will be taken to Highgrove Gardens, where they will be planted. The Couple’s intention is that many of the cut plants and flowers and all the growing plants will be donated to charities or re-planted.

Now, take a look at the at the amazing designs created by real florists all across the US and Canada. Which one do you think will be the closest to the real design for the Royal Wedding Bouquet?? Let us know in the comments below! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Flower Meanings, Flower Memories, Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Bridal Bouquets, Flower Meanings, Wedding Flowers

Unique Diamond-White Flower Guide

March 31, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

DIAMOND FLOWERS

April’s favorite flower color is diamond-white. This year, we are spotlighting unique flower colors for you to use in custom flower arrangements, wedding bouquets, centerpieces and anywhere else you might need great-looking flowers. To make the chosen colors a little more interesting, we are starting with birthstone colors. Last month’s was aquamarine, and this month it’s diamond, or whiteish-silver. (Click here for all of our color of the month posts)

The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek word for “proper”, “unalterable”, “unbreakable, untamed.” This is a very fitting name for something as perfect and strong as the diamond.
We often see diamond used in jewelry, particularly for weddings, and it’s the birthstone for April.

When creating your wedding bouquet,

Diamond Flowers

Since ‘diamond’ is not really a color, we are associating it with lighter shades of gray. There are many, stunning flowers that come in light gray colors, as well as shimming silver and pale blue. When creating a color scheme using these light grays, you can either stick with a monochrome palette, or add a punchy, accent color to really bring out the dynamics! Imagine bright red with silver-diamond colors, or how about a vivid blue paired with diamond flowers and silver accent.

This is a great flower guide for brides looking for unique color palettes and unusual flowers for their wedding. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions, Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Color Schemes, Wedding Flowers, White Flowers

Florist Predict The Royal Wedding Bouquet

March 9, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell 9 Comments

SAVE THE DATE for the Royal Wedding coming up April 29th at Westminster Abbey. Sure, you may not get to be there in person, but I know we will all be watching or reading all about it for months to come.

FLORISTS: Now is your chance to be involved in this historic, Royal event. Think of how YOU would create Kate’s wedding bouquet by wedding florist Rob Van Helden for her magical day. Would you use classic white, or something more bold and colorful?

How To Enter: Create a bouquet fit for a queen, and post pictures of it on our Facebook Wall of in the comments of this blog post. You can use pictures of past bouquets you think are spectacular enough for Kate’s big day.

How To Win: Once everyone in the world has seen Kate’s wedding bouquet on April 29th (Unless there is an official preview earlier), we will take a look at our entries and see which florist’s bouquets were the closest. Those florists (and their websites) will be featured, on our blog and in our Newsletter.

This is a friendly competition from Flower Shop Network for all of our florist friends. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Possible Influences of the Bouquet:

Perhaps they will use the colors of Great Brittan’s flag in the Royal Wedding flowers?
April is known for spring flowers. Daffodils are blooming in the royal parks along the planned procession route.
The wedding reception will be held at Buckingham Palace and will be hosted by Her Majesty The Queen.
Princess Diana’s cascading bouquet featured gardenias, stephanotis, yellow roses, freesia and ivy from the Royal Gardens. Will Kate do the same?

This post is brought to you by local Grand Rapids MI florists.
Not in Michigan? No worries, use Flower Shop Network to find a real, local florist in your area!

Filed Under: Floral Design, Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Wedding Bouquets, Wedding Flowers

Can I Get Navy Blue Orchids For A Wedding Bouquet?

September 16, 2010 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: Blue Orchid arrangements
My daughter is getting married May 7th, 2011. She wants to use Blue Orchids in her floral arrangements, her colors are Navy Blue, White and a touch of silver.(winter in May) What other flowers could you suggest for the bridal bouquet and brides maids bouquets? Thanks for your help! Shelly

Flower Shop Network Flower Expert Reply:

I personally don’t know of a naturally occurring blue orchid. The most commonly used ‘blue orchid’ is the blue Dendrobium, however it is actually a Purple Bombay Dendrobium dyed blue. This flower is more of a purplish-blue color rather than your desired navy. (See picture to the left.) I’ve also seen Misteen Dendrobium dyed blue. This flower is a white orchid with light-pink tipped petals; when dyed blue, it still has hints of purple.

Florists also have the option to use a special floral spray paint and can make your flowers the perfect color for you! This is definitely best left to the professionals as it is very hard to achieve a natural look.

Because blue orchids are dyed, achieving a navy blue orchid might be difficult. Another option would be to use white orchids and navy blue accent flowers.

Some great blue flowers include:

Hydrangea
Agapanthus
Cornflowers or Bachelor Buttons
Phlox
Delphinium
Forget-Me-Nots
Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena)
Dyed Daisies
Dyed Roses
Dyed Carnations
Dyed Mums
Blue Flag Iris
Scabiosas
Bluebell (Scilla)
Grape Hyacinths

If you still aren’t able to find the navy you are looking for, you might consider using it in other ways, such as feathers, ribbon, wire or crystals. Get with your local florist about this and she will be able to design something fabulous!

For more great ideas, check out our sister site, Wedding And Party Network’s bridal bouquet gallery.

This post is brought to you by local Springfield IL florists.
Not in Springfield? Don’t worry, use Flower Shop Network’s directory of real local florists to find a florist near you!

Filed Under: Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Blue Flowers, Blue Orchids, Dendrobium Orchids, Wedding Bouquets

Why Aren’t Stephanotis and Lily Of The Valley Used in Bridal Bouquets?

September 11, 2010 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: Are lily of the valley used in bridal bouquets. Back when I was married (in the 50s) lily of the valley and also stephanotis were often used in bridal bouquets and they are beautiful but I never see them anymore. Any reason? Carolyn

Rose and Stephanotis Bridal Bouquet

Flower Shop Network‘s Flower Expert Reply: Every generation has it’s favorite flowers. In the 50’s, it was most likely stephanotis and lily of the valley. ‘Casa Blanca’ lilies or callas are probably the flower of choice for today’s brides.

That doesn’t mean stephanotis and lily of the valley aren’t or can’t be used in wedding bouquets. The rose and stephanotis bridal bouquet in the picture was a recent creation by MaryJane’s Flowers for a wedding in Berlin NJ.

Now that wedding flower options are not necessarily contingent upon seasonal availability, brides have more choices. They are no longer bound by what is considered a “wedding flower”. Today’s brides have the freedom to choose any flower (depending on their budget) for their bridal bouquets and wedding flowers. As a result, brides are interjecting their personalities into their wedding flower choices and designs.

So it just maybe that the brides whom weddings you are attending are choosing more trendy flowers. However, I am confident that stephanotis and lily of the valley are still being used in wedding bouquets. They really are beautiful flowers and should be considered a wedding flower option.

Filed Under: Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Bridal Bouquets, Lily of the Valley, Stephanotis, Wedding Flowers

Ceremony To Reception Flowers For Budget-Savvy Brides

January 7, 2010 by Flower Shop Network 2 Comments

Wedding flowers are taking a new shape in the 21st century. Budget-savvy brides want the same gorgeous wedding flowers but aren’t willing to break the bank for them. What they are willing to do is compromise. If you’re a budget-savvy bride or a wedding florist, these tips will help you create the perfect atmosphere for the wedding without losing a beat. Here’s a little information on what we like to call “transitional flowers.”

Transition flowers or transitional flowers are wedding ceremony flowers that can also double as reception flowers. Florists can create specific designs that look beautiful in both places. Double use = fraction of the cost. Examples and design tips are listed below.

Transitional Flowers & Suggested Uses

Tall Altar Arrangements

Ceremony To Reception — Use these ceremony flowers as buffet table decorations at the reception.
Design Tips — These arrangements may need to be designed in a round shape rather than a one-sided style if the tables are circular or two-sided.

Low Unity Candle Arrangements

Ceremony To Reception — These wedding flowers can double as head table centerpieces.
Design Tips — An option for a head table centerpiece is to remove the side tapers or remove all of the candles and replace with flowers.

Standing Candelabras

Ceremony To Reception — These flowers make great cake or head table accents.
Design Tips — A suggestion is to change the color of the candles for a unique look.

Altar Candelabra Arrangements

Ceremony To Reception — These flowers are excellent head table arrangements.
Design Tips — Like standing candelabras, these arrangements can be used at the head table but with a different color palette of candles for a unique look.

Aisle Candelabra Arrangements

Ceremony To Reception — These wedding flowers are the perfect guest table centerpieces.
Design Tips — Place these arrangements in plant saucers and a table centerpiece is made! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Wedding Ceremony Flowers, Wedding Decorations, Wedding Reception Flowers