Back in July we shared with you some of the exciting designs we saw and experienced at the AIFD American Institute of Floral Designers National Symposium held in San Francisco.  While in attendance, I tested in the PFDE Professional Floral Design Evaluation to become an accredited designer within AIFD.  I am honored to share with you all that I have been invited to become an accredited designer in the organization.  This is such an honor and a goal I have had for a number of years, and I am so excited to be a part of an organization full of designers I look up to.  At the moment I hold a CFD status which is a Certified Floral Designer; however, next July, I will also get to place AIFD after my name.

AIFD is “the floral industry’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to establishing, maintaining and recognizing the highest standard of professional floral design. AIFD and its worldwide accredited members are in the forefront of the industry in presenting educational design programs and in designing flowers.”  Becoming part of this selective membership involves demonstrating advanced professional ability in the floral art through an educational pathway, an online test showing that the Elements and Principles of Design are understood as well as a “hands on” design test.  The floral design test involves creating five designs in four hours.  Categories are sympathy, flowers to wear, wedding, duplicate and arrangement.  A meeting prior to the start of the test lets you specifically know what the specifications are for each of the categories, ours being an urn sympathy arrangement, an over-the-shoulder corsage, a non-traditional bouquet and a birthday arrangement for a Mother.  Each candidate gets the same floral product and hard goods to create their designs, and the following day each design is scored by seven judges.  Scoring a 20 out of 25 with no one design scoring less than a 3.75 score is passing to become invited into the organization.  The designs are scored on creativity, scale, unity, balance, focal emphasis, line, depth, color, mechanics and category interpretation.  With a high standard of quality and integrity to meet, each design must be exceptional.  One of the most exciting parts of testing is walking through the room after the judging has taken place & seeing the designs and creative ideas that candidates create.  It is amazing how so many different people can create totally different designs and techniques with the same plant materials!  The testing process is & can be stressful and surely I put a lot of pressure on myself and my designs. Waiting over a month to receive the results even more-so. I am very thrilled and can’t wait for next July however, where I get to walk across the stage with the other 20 candidates who also received this honor.

If you didn’t watch the entire Royal wedding yesterday, I’m sure you got a peek to see some of the footage, and notice Kate Middleton’s sweet bouquet.  Royal weddings are really exciting because of two reasons I think, 1. We don’t see them very often and 2. They are extravagant.  I wanted to highlight Kate Middleton’s bouquet created by her floral designer, Shane Connolly for this joyous occasion.  There are a few interesting facts about Kate’s bouquet, and some ideas you too can incorporate into your own wedding.

One of the predominant design decisions was to create the bouquet of all British grown flowers with the “language of flowers” entwined into each bloom selected.  This is not only a “greener way of creating a bouquet,” but also very patriotic to their country.  Mostly created of lily of the valley, a traditionally used bloom in Royal weddings past, the lily of the valley symbolizes trust.  A sprig of myrtle, symbolizing love was also a traditional addition.  Upon Queen Victoria’s marriage, a myrtle tree was planted from the sprig in her bouquet, and has since been pruned and incorporated into Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales bouquets’.  Sweet William flower was also incorporated along with hyacinth, meaning unobtrusive loveliness.

One thing you do notice is that her bouquet was not a huge, dramatic display of florals that we saw with Diana, Princess of Wales’ bouquet.  With her delicate dress, I thought it was a nice compliment to her gown, not too overpowering to the dress or her small figure.

In tradition, Kate’s bouquet was placed at the tomb of the unknown warrior, a tradition dating back to the 1920′s.

So, how can you take inspiration from Kate’s bridal bouquet?

1.  Ask your floral designer to create a bouquet with locally grown or US grown blooms that are in season.

2.  Choose flowers within the “launguage of flowers.”  You can learn more at: LanguageofFlowers.com

3.  Take a cutting or a sprig of plant from your Mother’s or Grandmother’s yard to incorporate into your bouquet.

4.  Be sure your bouquet compliments your dress style and your body stature.

And that’s how you can take some inspiration from a trend-setting Royal couple!  What are your thoughts, did you love Kate’s bouquet?

I wanted to share these beautiful images we captured of the sweetheart table at our most recent wedding at the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento.  It got me thinking as I put these images up, that maybe not all brides understand the different options when it comes to head tables, so here you go!

Whether you are doing a head table for you and your bridal party, or a simple sweetheart table for just the bride and groom, you’ll want to put some thought into the decor and design you will use for this feature table.

Though it is nice to be able and re-use or re-purpose the bridal bouquet and bridesmaid bouquets, it’s also nice to add a little more finishing touches to this table to make it look beautiful!

Short arrangements always work best so that guests can see you and your bridal party.  Make sure your florals are complimenting to the rest of your decor and centerpieces.  If you plan on using a floral piece from your arch at the ceremony, be sure to have additional pieces if your table is large, and make sure your designer knows that this will be used for the head table following the ceremony.  You’ll want to be sure he-she designs something that will fit on the table, and will be easily removed and transported to the reception.  I always suggest incorporating plenty of candlelight to add some lighting as your evening progresses.

When it comes to table design styles, we’ve done various options of head tables:

Standard Head Table: where the bridal party typically faces guests

King’s Table : where the bridal party, sometimes including parent’s join around a large rectangular table.  This is also a great option if most of your bridal party has significant others that may feel left out if you are using a traditional head table

Sweetheart Table: for just the bride and groom

Upgraded linens and upgraded rentals are also a great way to have your table stand apart from guest tables.  A subtle variation in linens or a beautiful laced overlay as you see in the photos here are add a touch of elegance to your special table.

What will you be using for your head table at your wedding?  I’d love to hear!

So, today’s post is on trends, and I have definitely noticed a flower trend this year and last year.  What might it be?  Oh, the “yellow ball thingies!”  I get asked what are these flowers are all the time, and I guess we should all know what they are by now, so I’ll introduce you to Craspedia {crass-PEE-dee-a} a.k.a Billy Balls.  I think these little blooms have won the hearts of many tying the knot and looking for something a little different to incorporate into their decor.

These small, spherical flowers are native to New Zealand and Australia.  They are typically available Spring through Fall, and are perfect for a boutonniere or a “pop” of color to your centerpieces.

These are some recent boutonnieres we created for a wedding, don’t you just love!

And, a little different look for a spring wedding below:

Photo Courtesy: Carmen Salazar Photography

We used the Craspedia as escort cards, attaching guests names and table numbers to assigned seats.

And, in wedding centerpieces:

Photo Courtesy: Carmen Salazar Photography

What’s your take, do you like Craspedia?

A few insider tips from wedding flower expert, Audrey Gardemeyer! Today we are teaching brides {and bridesmaids} how to properly hold their bouquet{s} so you look awesome as you walk down the aisle. Check it out and let us know what you think! If you are a wedding vendor, check it out and share with your brides!

Photo By: Allison Stahl Photography

1.  What colors are really available?

There are some gorgeous color trends out there right now, but what you may not be thinking of is how these colors you commit to may not coordinate with your flowers.  You’ve got to see the big picture first.  How will the bridesmaid gowns tie in with your flowers?  Your linens?  And your ultimate vision that you are piecing together?  Instead of making a bunch of separate decisions, think of the grand scheme and how it is all going to come together.

I also see many brides come to me with inspiration photos of flowers which have been edited by a photographer with computer software.  The flowers are tinted with shades which aren’t true to their natural color, and sure, they look cool in photos, but they are totally unrealistic.  That’s fine if you like the look, just be open minded that you are seeing an edited photo.  You’ve got to talk with a professional designer who knows what they are doing and can help you coordinate your flowers with the other pieces of the puzzle you have already selected.  Show them swatches and other items you have chosen to find the best match.  And, keep in mind that saying your color is plum doesn’t cut it.  Bring in a swatch or color chip to show your designer the exact shade you are looking for.

2.  Is your budget realistic?

Unfortunately there is a lot of mis-information out on the market regarding how much you should budget for flowers.  Magazines and wedding shows are partly to blame, but my suggestion is to always talk with a professional who is going to meet your needs to get you accurate pricing for what it is that you are looking for.  Your style might be more expensive based on a number of items.  I always compare it to purchasing a home and getting the upgraded granite, crown moulding and finishes…..  What is it that you are looking for?  It will have a direct effect on how much your flowers are going to cost.  Along with this, you should express any concerns with your budget upfront so that your designer can offer realistic options.

3.  Is what you are asking for available?

Let’s face it, we are dealing with Mother Nature, plants and flowers are dependent on weather, worldwide trade and availability.  Are you looking for red roses the week or two after Valentine’s Day?  This is when supply is very limited.  Are you wanting peonies in September? Chances are, not going to happen. Unfortunately there are letdowns, and you need to be working with someone who is smart enough not to promise you something you can’t have.

4.  Can your designer do the job?

Don’t just meet with four florists to meet with them.  Narrow down your search by finding the right people to match your needs.  Do you like their work?  Will they deliver?  Does their work look good, clean and professional?  Most importantly, do you feel comfortable with them and can you trust that they will do what you are asking them to do?

5.  Do your flowers fit your personality and theme?

Ultimately, you want your decor to tie all together.  Whether you are having a Spring wedding tented-event or a Fall inspired candlelit reception, your personality, style and wedding day decor should be easily recognizeable and YOU!

Bridal Bouquet Created By:  Botanica Floral Designs

Photo By: The Memory Journalists

Mono-chromatic that is!  Monochromatic is a color term used to describe the use of all one color in varying shades.

Monochromatic wedding bouquets make such an impact and splash of color against any wedding gown.  They add drama and say FUN to any bridal ensemble.  The hot trend of having bright shoes to match your flowers ties right in with this look.

Worried about what your bridesmaid’s might carry then?  Another hot trend is to have them carry white flowers while you carry bright colors.  If your wedding color palette is only of a few colors, this is the way to go.  Your bridesmaid’s will still get contrast with carrying a white bouquet against their dresses, and your bouquet won’t get lost by being the same hue as your dress.

This monochromatic  Scarlet red bouquet is made of red gladiolus, ‘Black Magic’ roses, and red celosia.  Accents of red Guinea rooster feathers tie in the black embellishments on the handle.