Its a New Year!

Its 2010!

I'm not really sure where the last decade went. It seems like just yesterday we were furiously backing up our files in case there was some truth to the Y2K mumbo-jumbo. But here we are -- a new day, a new year, and a new decade. The floral industry grew by leaps and bounds in artistry and accessibility over the past ten years. It will be interesting to see where this decade takes us and what new styles we will embrace as the wedding seasons march on through this economy.

We're gearing up for the upcoming season. The website should be refreshed and ready for new viewing (crossing my fingers!) by the end of the week. Its been two years since anyone has laid a finger on our website. How embarrassing...but at least it speaks to how busy we have been.

Our new marketing material is getting ready to go to publishing as well. If you are a vendor or venue and would like our material to provide to your clients, contact me and I'll make sure you get put on the list this year.

For brides, mothers-of-brides, or friends-of-brides who have volunteered to do the all-important vendor search, we also have a new sample portfolio for 2010 that we are happy to email by request. Anyone who has had the task of pulling together potential vendors in a given category knows how hard it is to get mom/bride/groom/MIL/etc to take the time to surf through five websites in order to make an informed opinion. Our sample portfolio comes in pdf form and allows decision-makers to get a general feel for our style and capabilities without spending an hour on our website and blog. A quick email requesting the portfolio is all it takes -- no other information about your event is necessary.

Here's to a fantastic year -- we hope you'll be sharing it with us!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday...!

Sympathy Flowers

We've been doing quite a bit of sympathy flowers as of late. There's something very touching about having the opportunity to design for people who are being honored and those that are grieving their passing. I realize the majority of our readers are brides, but for those that may be anticipating the need for sympathy flowers in the near future, may I suggest seeking out a florist who is willing to go the extra mile and incorporate meaning and/or symbolism into these special arrangements. For those that may be in the position to make requests based on the deceased individual's life or family circumstances, don't be afraid to do so. I've found that a sympathy arrangement means so much more and is infinitely more appreciated when designed to pay specific tribute to the deceased.

A few examples:


This tribute wreath was ordered by a group of grandchildren for their late grandmother. The floral medallion contained nine yellow roses to signify the nine grandsons, eight pink sweetheart roses to signify eight granddaughters, and fifteen white spray roses to signify fifteen great-grandchildren. As you can imagine, their grandfather was very touched.


This grand arrangement was an interesting one because it was sent to the funeral services being held for a local florist. In this kind of instance, a traditional piece simply will not do! She was a regal, stately woman who also had quite the colorful streak. I think she would have enjoyed this piece immensely.


The vessel for this tribute arrangement was provided by the daughter-in-law of the woman being honored. Apparently it was used (and saved) at the mother-of-the-deceased's funeral many, many years prior. I decided not to touch-up the vessel at all, but rather to leave it in its original condition so that it could be recognized by the woman's siblings during her service. Because she enjoyed gardening, I designed this piece to look like a lush flower bed.


It's very hard to get a good shot of a casket spray, but this particular spray was designed for a baby girl. Her mother wanted something very pink with touches of green to signify her birth month. She also did not want something excessively juvenile (infant caskets often are covered in white daisies, etc.), but rather elegant, much like the flowers she would have had at her daughter's wedding. In fact, the pink roses found in the spray were the same variety found in the mother's bridal bouquet years before.


I'll be posting sympathy work from time to time on the blog simply because I'm learning to find a lot of beauty in these pieces. They don't carry the same bravado as event work, but I feel they shine all the same.

Utah Bride Blog Post

Head on over to Utah Bride Blog to read my post titled "Anatomy of a {petite} Floral Budget." In today's "Flower Tip Friday" I provide a breakdown of the adjustments we were able to make to conform to one client's petite budget while still maintaining the quantities and quality she desired. Happy Reading!

"Leap Year" advance screening passes

Hello readers!

A Fedex envelope showed up on my doorstep this afternoon containing a stack of passes for a special advance screening of Universal Pictures' new film "Leap Year," starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode. The screening will be held Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 PM at Jordan Commons in Sandy. I looked up the trailer -- it looks darling! If you're interested in attending this screening for FREE (and a month before the film even opens!), send me an email ASAP with your name, mailing address, and the number passes you'd like, and I'll send them off to you.

Write up of the film:
"When their four-year anniversary passes without a marriage proposal, Anna (Amy Adams) decides to take matters into her own hands. Investing in an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on February 29th, Anna decides to follow her boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott) to Dublin and get down on one knee herself. But airplanes, weather and fate leave Anna stranded on the other side of Ireland, and she must enlist the help of handsome and surly Declan (Matthew Goode) to get her across the country. As Anna and Declan bicker across the Emerald Isle, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places."

For more film info, visit the official website.

Maybe I'll see you there?

A time of thanks!

Happy day-after Thanksgiving! I know I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again -- I am so grateful for both my clients and the vendors we work with regularly. You make us great by challenging our creativity and allowing us to challenge yours. Thank you for making us a part of your lives and your events!

Little Lovelies...

I received the most wonderful package in the mail a week or so back! These little lovelies were sent over by one of my favorite photographers -- OpieFoto. (Thank you!!!) They were individual mini albums of two weddings we collaborated on this past summer. What a treat!

I've always thought of Opie as being the album queen. She's on top of every stylish option out there. Nothing like this was available back when I got married, but what a value-add! I married before the dawn of digital photography, so all my wedding photos ended up in a shoebox. These days, I wonder how many wedding photos even make it off the disc you purchase from your photographer? I say, don't let those photos go to waste! What better way to display your most memorable day than in a professionally designed and printed album? These mini albums in particular would make fantastic gifts too (for your mother-in-law, perhaps?) and are of incredible quality. Interested? Give Opie a call.