A Glittering Tribute

Author: Laurie Snyder

As the mother of the groom, I was as excited as the mother of my future daughter-in-law when wedding plans were announced.  I also wanted to do something really special for the bride. I came up with the idea of a surprise rehearsal bouquet.  Not any ordinary floral bouquet, this one! The bouquet would pay homage to great family romances through the ages. The goal was to combine glitter, glamour, sentiment and style.  Everyone agreed it exceeded my expectations!

I started by soliciting brilliant brooches, elegant earrings, handsome hatpins and other vintage chic pieces of family jewelry.  The response was overwhelming!  As I received these heirloom pieces from grandparents, aunts, cousins, sisters and friends, I photographed each piece and had the donor pen a few lines documenting the history of the piece. How wonderful to know that the lustrous rhinestone starburst pin originated as a birthday gift to her grandmother from her beloved husband!  Most of the contributors also included a bit of advice for the bride-to-be. What fun! The advice ranged from wise and solemn to humorous and somewhat racy – definitely reflecting the personality of the giver! … Continue Reading

The Centerpiece

Author – Marisilda Garcia

Are you wondering how to add your own personal touch to rehearsal dinner? Centerpieces are a great and fun way to change things up a bit while adding to your evening!

Our journey: Your rehearsal dinner is an opportunity to get together with those closest to you before your big day. Many of your friends and relatives may come in from out of town to celebrate your journey together. By placing photos of you and your soon to be hubby on each of the tables, you allow your guests to relive the journey of your relationship together.

Green Goddess: Those of you interested in the outdoors may want to bring in fresh flowers, pine-cones or local fruits for decoration. Use a bowl instead of a vase to float flower blooms in water or to fill with colorful fruits and vegetables. Apples, oranges, squash and pears make great centerpieces.

Leave a Message: If your rehearsal is a more casual affair, you can include notebooks, journals and or even butcher paper, to encourage your guests to write down words of wisdom, funny quotes or their well wishes. This is a great way to keep a memory of your evening.

Whether you decide to go casual or upscale, the choice is up to you. There are no limits when it comes to planning your day. One thing is for sure: it will be a day to remember!

Images provided by: Marcia L. Johnson Floral Artistry and My Floral Bliss

Choosing Your Wedding Theme & Incorporating Flowers

Author – Holly Cellini

There are so many exciting themes and décor to choose from, how do you pick the one that expresses you? A theme may be a set of colors that remain constant throughout the event, but you do not have to limit yourself to just a color scheme.  Some couples choose to reflect their favorite hobby or passion. To help you decide, think about what style and colors you really like.  What are you passionate about?   Is there an era in time that you just adore?  Is there something special about you and you groom that is significant?

One couple met at their local community theater; since theater is their passion they chose elements of the stage and classic Hollywood glamour for their theme.  The décor was unique they wrapped candles with sheet music from their favorite musicals for each reception table. They also opted for a WEDBILL, a program designed similar to one that you would receive at a play that detailed their story and highlighted the wedding party. To incorporate flowers into their theme small pieces of sheet music were used in the corsages, boutonnieres, bouquets, and centerpieces.  Tall white calla lilies, white roses and white hydrangea accented with white outrage feathers were used to capture their vision of classic Hollywood glamour.

Here is another example of a great choice for flowers when incorporating with a theme. Great flowers for a shabby chic theme would be pastel colored ranunculas, garden roses, dahlias, and peonies.  You can find unique containers, and décor accents at swap meets and antique stores.

Use technology to your advantage visit the internet.  You will find tools to help you with your wedding theme, decor, and flowers that will help make your dream day come true.

Images provided by Bel Canto Photography and  My Floral Bliss

Read more about Featured Floral Designers on WeddingCompass.com