Definition of A Vessel

What is a vessel?  A vessel is a container or receptacle to hold and display your floral centerpiece.  It can be as simple as a box, crate, pot, vase, bowl, basin, or urn.  And, it can be made of any sort of material from ceramic to lucite, cement to wood, mercury glass to bark….any finish to suit your style.

So, What Can A Vessel Do for Me?

Depending on the theme and feel of your venue, as well as the atmosphere you would like to achieve, your vessel choice will help accomplish the overall ambience.  For example, an outdoor rustic setting may lend to a ceramic mossed urn, while  a modern indoor reception with simple and clean lines may opt for a white, sleek, boxed rectangular vessel to play off the clean and modern edge.

Mixing Up The Look

Mixing and matching of vessel types such as vintage blown glass with different shapes and sizes as well as colors can give off an eclectic feel.  A more modern tablescape with kings tables may have a variety of rectangular and square vases to mimic the look and feel of the long tables.  Whatever your decor already has going on can be accentuated with the look of your vessel choices.

In Use

As a designer, I too often see brides settle for a less than fitting vessel due to budget constraints.  What most brides don’t know is that Botanica Floral Designs as well as most floral design firms carriy a wide variety of different vessel “looks” to suit your taste and wedding day style.  If we don’t have it, we’ll source it out and find the perfect fit!

The other  truth of the matter is that it can be the simplest of items which can bring out the most in your reception decor.  I had one bride who acquired wooden wine crates we used as vessels for her winery themed wedding.  Each of the wooden boxes had a different winery logo and name wood-burned into the side.  They  made a huge impact, and guests loved them!  One of my newfound hobbies is glass collecting.  I am drawn to different bottle and glass styles of beautiful colors.  For an outdoor backyard wedding, these would be absolutely gorgeous…. and quite a conversation piece for guests.  And, they don’t all have to match!

Below is a collection of different styles and shapes of vessels that can be used for your centerpieces, sign in table arrangements and other floral feature pieces.

For a More Rustic Wedding Look…

How about a vintage wedding…

And lastly, a modern wedding…

Botanica Floral Designs would like to congratulate all of the newly engaged Sacramento couples!  This is one of the most exciting and memorable times of your life, and what better time to start planning than right now!

I would like to invite you to come see some of Sacramento’s finest wedding vendors at the upcoming Premier Wedding Show Sunday, January 3, 2010 at Arden Hills Resort.  From caterers to venues, florists to invitations, every aspect of your wedding will be represented by the best of the best in the wedding industry.

To see more information, please visit Premier Wedding Show’s website.

Make sure you stop by our booth, see our floral artistry and set-up your complimentary consultation!  We will be offering some un-passable show incentives, so make sure you stop by to say hello!  We look forward to meeting you and starting the planning process!

Botanica Floral Designs | Sacramento Wedding Florist

www.sacramentoweddingflorist.com

With the New Year just around the corner, we were in need of a make-over!  So, what do you think of our new logo?  We’re loving the girly look and new crown icon.  What do you think?  Graphic Artistry By: Denialle Chabot

While flowers such as gardenias, lilac, freesia and tuberose can be quite fragrant and wonderful in certain situations, they can be competing and overpowering in a centerpiece setting.  For your reception, you don’t want the florals to compete with cuisine, and you certainly don’t want a guest with scent sensitivity to not enjoy your reception because they have a migraine from the overpowering smell of your centerpiece.

Used in small amounts, these blossoms are alright, but creating a very fragrant centerpiece, especially if your venue is an indoor environment can be less than enjoyable.  Your guests will enjoy the atmosphere, the smell of the fine cuisine they are about to eat, and the beauty of your centerpieces without overpowering them with a floral fragrance.

Clockwise from top left: Lilac, tuberose, freesia, gardenia, jasmine vine, paperwhites, casablanca lilies.

Have you always dreamed of walking down the aisle carrying an all-white bouquet?  Or maybe you are considering carrying something with a little more drama?  Whatever your preference may be, there are a few words of wisdom when it comes to selecting the perfect hue for your aisle accessory.

While an all-white bouquet can be ultra chic in person, an all-white bouquet doesn’t show very well in photos against a white dress.  One suggestion is to add a few light hues of creme, or a beautiful rose such as the ‘Sahara’ to give contrast against your white gown.  Adding another hue gives contrast, depth and interest to the white palette you already have going.  Something as subtle as silver foliages or a naturally found green accent would also give the perfect contrast and compliment to your white florals.   You may also consider collaring off your bouquet with sleek leaves or scented geranium {one of my favorites!}  Some florals such as freesia, veronica and tulips show a bit of green naturally in their blooms, so you can also get contrast right from these blossoms.  Whatever option you choose to go with your white hued bouquet, make sure you take into consideration how your white blooms will show in photos.

For more drama you may be considering carrying a bouquet full of color.  Whether it be monochromatic {all one color} or a variety of colors, there are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to colorful bouquets.  A monochromatic bouquet to me says high drama!  The new popular trend of having matching colored shoes to your floral bouquet is quite stylish too!  You really can’t go wrong with a monochromatic bouquet, it is very classic.  When it comes to multi-colored bouquets, you want to make sure there isn’t too much going on.  No bride wants guests to be distracted by a bouquet that takes away from your natural beauty on your special day.  Keeping things simple with colors, and adding textural elements within your color palette will help avoid these wedding day don’ts.

No matter what you hue you choose to carry, you will be the center of focus, so make sure your florals compliment your look.  As a seasoned wedding florist, we are able to come up with the perfect florals, color palette and style to make you look your best!

Photo By: Botanica Floral Designs

This white toned bouquet also has some very light peach tones in addition to green accents found in the flowers themselves.  See how the bouquet shows against the white gown?

Photo By:  Element Studios

This bouquet features not only white florals, but a taupe colored roses as well.  The green calla lily stems add contrast as well as movement to this piece.  Large pearls tie in the color from the ‘Sahara’ roses to add a bit more elegance.

Photo By: Kristy Huston Photography

This monochromatic yellow bouquet is created with yellow ranunculus and is collared off with scented geranium.  The all yellow hue has contrast against the white gown, and shows in this Sacramento bride’s photos.

Clients Michelle and Thomas tied the knot mid-December, and chose to hold their Sacramento wedding at the beautiful Arden Hills Resort.  For a California destination wedding, Michelle and Thomas planned their wedding from nearly 2,500 miles away!  Michelle also works in the wedding and event industry, and contact me through an organization we both are a part of, NACE, the National Association of Catering Executives. Because we have worked with similar situations as this in the past, Michelle and I were able to communicate via email, phone, sketches and photos to achieve the exact wedding flowers she was looking for.

Michelle’s blue bridal bouquet was created with light blue hydrangeas, delphinium blossoms, white lisianthus, roses, silver brunia and a collar of dusty miller.  The subtle silver tones with the brunia and dusty miller were the perfect compliment to the cool blue tones.  The stems were finished off with an ivory ribbon laced up with a cornflower blue french twist treatment.

The gentlemen wore boutonnieres to compliment the wedding flowers the girls carried.  White spray roses accented with silver brunia and cornflower blue ribbon gave a polished look to these boutonnieres.

The impeccable cake was designed and created by Freeport Bakery, and they did an excellent job!

Lighting and emcee services were provided by Mike with Creative Memories.

Congratulations Michelle and Thomas!

Real Weddings Magazine is calling all local brides out for their annual cover model contest!  Three lucky girls chosen as finalists will get pampered for an all day photo-shoot, and get their photos in Real Weddings Magazine!

If you are interested, you can download an entry form, but make sure you complete it soon, as the deadline ends January 31, 2010!  Make sure to let your personality shine through with your answers!  Also, make sure you read the rules to ensure you are eligible to enter.

To read more about Real Weddings Magazine, log on to http://www.realweddingsmag.com.

Above: Winter 2010 cover featuring cover model winner Kimmi Armstrong.  Photo by Jodi Yorston Photography, dress from The Bridal Box, flowers by Botanica Floral Designs, hair and make-up by Image Provocateur/VIP-CAT Academy.

If you are a Sacramento bride looking for the perfect Sacramento wedding venue, take a little trek just past Auburn where you will find Winchester Country Club.  For a nature lover as myself, I instantly fell in love with this truly gorgeous property!  Surrounded by lush forests, and a legendary golf course there’s no shortage of beautiful scenery.

Winchester Country Club can accommodate an intimate gathering of guests as well as up to 400 people.  With various options for ceremony and reception set-up as well as fine cuisine and an “all-inclusive” package, who wouldn’t want to tie the knot at this luxurious site?

Here are a few photos from their website, but to get the whole effect, you must go see!  You will enjoy working with Darcie Carrier, the on-site wedding and event professional who will guide you throughout your planning at Winchester Country Club.  Darcie can be contacted via phone at 530.878.3015.

If you haven’t already picked up the “hot off the press” Real Weddings Magazine, you’re missing out!  Featuring real Sacramento weddings, this publication is loaded with awesome ideas for the Sacramento bride getting married.  You’ll also see some of our very own work, including the deep red bouquet we created which is featured on the cover of the Winter Issue!

You can also see more of our work featured on pages: 47, 50, 51, 52, 139.  One of our Real Weddings from last year, Nicole and Raymond, were also a featured Real Wedding in the publication, page 76 & 77.  Make sure to check out the style files where you can also see some of our trendy ideas to use for your wedding!

So, if you haven’t gone and picked this magazine up already, make sure you do so!  We think you are going to like it!

Cover Shot Taken By: Jodi Yorston Photography

This romantic, pink hand-tied style bouquet was created for a Sacramento wedding we did this past month.  The flowers used included pink hydrangeas, pink miniature calla lilies, ‘Sweet Unique’ pink roses, pink standard gerbera daisies, pink lisianthus, light pink waxflower and hot pink spray roses.  The stems were finished off  with a pink silk ribbon french twist treatment.

Photo By: Botanica Floral Designs