Mossy Votive Jar

Here's a lovely idea if you are doing an eco-chic or organic wedding.  Think simple, clean, streamlined, with classical earth elements:  moss, water, glass, fire.  Contact me if you'd like a price on these for your tables.  These are great as part of a breakaway centerpiece.  I have moss branches and bark available, as well.  Low cost but what an impact...

Lake Tahoe Wedding Flowers

Here's another sneak pic of Danielle's wedding from photographer Scott Andrew.

Lake Tahoe Wedding! A Little More...

Just a quick note before I go get some sleep....I caught a 2-hour catnap last night after putting together Danielle & Kris' wedding flowers for today's Lake Tahoe ceremony.  Danielle was gorgeous, looking very vintage-glam in her ivory dress and birdcage veil.  Her bridesmaids were all in black dresses and shoes of their choice.  Kris and his guys were so dapper, all in black, with felt fedoras and black/gray Vans deck shoes.  They got married on a pier on Lake Tahoe, and the weather was wonderful up there today, which was fortunate considering there was a snow storm last week (Tahoe couples - be prepared for any kind of weather, even in the summer - there are often thunderstorms!).

For the ceremony, she had friends hang up pinecones on the aisle chairs, the pinecones of which she had gathered during snowboarding trips to Big Bear in Southern California, which she tied together with a silver ribbon.

For her reception, she had a beach-meets-the-forest eco kind of decor, which I loved.  Her centerpieces were break-away centerpieces, made of several elements. Tall dried grasses and straight willow in heavy and thick glass cylinders, with polished pebbles, made me feel like I was at the beach, surrounded by Mason jars with moss and a candle inside (forest), and a succulent on the table (like iceplant at the beach!).  When I got to the reception, her friends had put interesting wood doo-dads on the tables...you'll see photos soon (yes, I'm old school and have a 35mm film camera!  The pics above are shots with my lil do-nothing digi).

Danielle's bouquet was so unique!  I was thrilled to have a chance to design something so fashion-forward, yet vintage and glam, too. I love love love the wood flowers and skeleton leaves in her bouquet. The stachys (lamb's ear) gives a softness to it, the pearl-like baubles give some vintage bling, and the dried lavender looks like preserved flowers from a romantic, remembered occasion.

The bridesmaids' bouquets were designer's choice.  That means that Danielle gave me her vision, I made some suggestions as to what might be in it, but ultimately I had to go with the flowers that were available.  Stellata pods were not available; nor were the great black and green kangaroo paws from a couple of weeks ago.  My wholesale flower rep subbed some "weedy brambly things" (lol Laura, is that an official latin species name??) for the pods that worked out great in these eco-chic bouquets.  Seriously, I can't tell you what they are....her buyer bought them from a non-English speaking farmer at a farmer's market!  But they were a great base for the bridesmaids' bouquets, acting just like a hydrangea base, giving me a base to place the other interesting flowers and foliage into.  I love the dog-eyed euphorbia!  It looks similar to the edible plant we have in the Sierra foothills commonly called Miner's Lettuce.  And the brake fern gives it that Art Nouveau feel that I love.

Both bouquets had handles wrapped in burlap, fastened with clear diamonte pins, and luxe satin ribbon bows (love that yin/yang feel - burlap, and satin).

The moral of the story, my dear wedding couples, is not to put such a stranglehold on your florist that you want to know that there will be exactly 24 Cherry Brandy roses in your bouquet, for example.  Sometimes because of weather (or volcanoes!  The recent eruption disrupted floral shipping around the world!) we can't get exactly what you want.  But we, and our vendors, will do our best to get something very similar that will give the same look and feel. Give your floral designer your vision, tell him/her your colors, and let them choose seasonal flowers.  Sometimes my vendors find great things, or might have a special that week on some premium flowers.  Let us and our vendors use our design talents and instincts to make you something that will wow you!

I'm looking forward to seeing the pro photos by Scott Andrew from the wedding.  I just looked at the photographer's blog and he just tweeted, 

• Twitter Update... This photo may cause envy. Today's wedding is straight up amazingtron! http://twitpic.com/1khkeg 
  
   Click on the twitpic link to see the pier that Danielle & Kris got married on!  This photographer does amazing work...and Danielle has such style....I can't wait to see the photos!
  

Sneak Peak...Tomorrow's Lake Tahoe Wedding!

Yes, I covered the vase because my binding mechanics were showing!  It's not done, but a first sneak peak at Danielle's incredible beach-meets-the-forest wedding.  I'll be up late, late, late tonight finishing up!  This is the bridesmaids' bouquet....