The Power of Candlelight

I won't blog in full about the beautiful, vintage wedding of Knottie 99 Vintage Glam, as it has splashed through the blog world!
But I WILL say that her budget wedding (under $15,000) according to Snippet&Ink, has further convinced me of something I've already known...candles go a LONG way and, in my opinion, give more bang for your buck than flowers ever can. Unless, that is, you are using someone crazy like Preston Bailey or working with an outrageous budget.
But for any bride really seeking an intimate and dually dramatic look, candles are the way to go.
This is great news especially for budget brides!

Tonight I am basking in the candlelight of some of the pillar candles I have purchased for our wedding...and certainly planning on buying many more:)

my hodge podge of after-work candles!

convincing me more and more

to cut my floral bill!!

More "Drowning" Orchids...

Orchid Trial #2
*Sigh* OK. I promise this is THEE last submerged orchid trial I am going to do. Even I am getting sick of this. But I created this with my dying dendros fiance got me for Valentines day and thought I'd share because I think its pretty for those looking for a super cheap centerpiece. This took like 5 minutes to throw together.
I apologize for the kitchen appliances and liquor in the background in advance!




What it Took:
5 glass cubes from DollarTree- $5
1 glass cylinder from Michaels-$3
2 stems of dendrobium orchids-$4 (approximately)
Large floating candle: $2
1 pack of small floating candles from DollarTree-$1
Water
------------------------------------------
Grand Total=$17.00

DIY: Blingy Branches!

Branches are a dramatic and effective decorating tool and are now coming colored,sparkled, glittered and iced to add an extra element to decor.
But these 'designer' branches often don't come cheap and cost much more than a bundle of unembellished branches.
For example, Nettletown Hollow is selling a bundle of 25 4 foot birch branches for $16.50--while for just FOUR of the same ICED birch branches you pay $16.99. Same with the sparkle birch.
But I have the answer!


Save-On-Crafts, a wonderful wedding planning resource has a great idea for cutting costs and making your own iced branches using tacky glue and Colorfill Diamond Vase Filler.

Materials
Tree branches
Aleenes Tacky Glue
Colorfill Diamond Vase Filler by Garden Splendor

Step 1.

Place a sheet of newspaper down for a work area. Pour a pile of Colorfill Diamonds in the center.

Step 2.

Place tacky glue on the branches and roll in the Diamonds. Let set 1 hour and you have ice covered branches. Easy as that!

Variations: Add some artificial moss or red berries to some of the branches.

And Voila!

Some Inspiration to Carry You Into the New Year!

Here are a few things to whet your floral/event/wedding related appetite as we head into 2008...
Plus, some of my own style and design tips for the new year.

1. Black is the New Black
Chocolate brown will come and go...but black is forever classic.


2. Less is More
Instead of traditional flower arrangements that include in many types of flowers and colors think about simple, monochromatic arrangements. Using the same flower type in the same color for arrangements or using several flower types in the same color often has great impact! This is also great for the DIY bride or novice because they are simple to arrange and look lovely packed tightly--or sparsely into cubes.




3. Embellish, embellish, embellish!

In 2008, I'd love to see embellishment taken to higher heights. I'd love to see bouquets wrapped in ruffles, velvet, 'blingy' trim or anything that personalizes and makes them more feminine and interesting.

4. Let There Be Light!
Candlelight, that is! For an evening wedding reception, dinner or party, you can never have too many candles. Candles are quite possibly the cheapest way to make great impact on your tables and in a space. Think about it. When has candlelight ever looked tacky? It hasn't! And candles grouped together--whether pillars or votives--create a romantic and dramatic effect. And they also produce beautiful light! If you can't afford to hire a professional lighting designer--going crazy with candles can create an equally great ambiance. But the key is to go crazy. Plan on ordering hundreds of candles for your event.


5. Go Crazy with Something...

For maximum impact in an event space, consider a theme and really run with it. Whether it be hundreds of branches, candles, roses, orchids, flower petals--guests will notice an element that runs through your entire event. Branches are a bold, striking and cost-effective way to do this as they're much cheaper than many flowers.

Happy 2008!

Free Orchids!!

So, I was having a flower attack today--an uncontrollable feeling I get now and then when I have to get my hands on some fresh flowers. So I broke down and went to the flower stand to buy some more orchids. The guy wanted $15 for 10 stems...and while I know that's not bad for orchids generally, I have bought them for $10 from another local stand, SO I talked him down to $12. That's when the FLOWER ANGEL-- some random city worker-- strolls up and asks who the flowers were for. When I replied they were for me he whispered something to the flower man and told me to put my money "back in my pocket."
He freakin' bought me the flowers and then disappeared. I swear. Now you KNOW free orchids made my day!
Here are some photos of one stem I submerged. (I'm considering some sort of sunken orchid centerpiece...)

Flower Arranging Trial III: Stargazin'

Flower Trial I:Orchids
Flower Trial II: Mums

I hate stargazer lilies. Really.
I know they smell good--kind of bubblegum-ish--but I just think they are so common and boring. Thursday my fiance took me to lunch and bought me none other than a big ole bouquet of stargazer lilies from the flower stand near my job. Coincidently I had seen the lilies and a few very bright stems of gerberas when I'd got off the train that same day and was thinking to myself, "Hmmmm, how I'd like to have a few stems of those!" But I got my lilies and was happy because of the thought.

So--love em or not--of COURSE I had to try to arrange them in a cool way. Here is what I came up with.

Branches! Gotta Love 'Em!

It probably won't surprise you--being the non-conformist I am--that I really like the use of branches...especially fresh blooming branches...in floral design.
But I also really like branches used as decoration (they have so much impact!), especially the below cool ones I found on ApartmentTherapy ( a web site meant to share interior decorating ideas for small spaces but that just has awesome decor ideas in general!).


Basically, they're just lighted branches that can be used to spruce up the home...or, of course... as decoration. I think they would be lovely used in a ceremony.
I haven't found who sells those exact branches pictured (I know some web sites in the UK do) but Phillips has something similar called Aurelle Lawn Stakes.
I also found some cool beaded artificial branches on a web site, White Aisle.
Though silk flowers are not definetly not my thing, I do really like the decorative dried branches/sticks/grasses/curly willow that have become so popular in event design.

These things can be found at any craft store and are great for adding a modern flair to design.


Manzanita branches and trees are also great alone or to hang small votives from.
And though I suppose these arent't really "branches" my favorite floral add of all are these cool fern shoots (or fern curls) (see below).





A Cleveland florist, Fleurs de France, uses fern curls in many of her designs. One place you can order fern curls from online is HawaiiBlooms. Basically, you just stick the fern curls in your flower arrangements for a whimsical look.
That's all for now. Hope I inspire someone!
Oh, and if you do love branches like me, here is a great and affordable web site that is sure to get the creative juices flowing. This website, DriedFlowersRUs, is also good.

Bouquets: The Good, Bad and yes, (flowers can be) Ugly

Sometimes knowing what you don't want is the best starting place of all.
Which brings me to the matter of the flowers that I and my lovely maids will carry during the ceremony.
Hmmm..let me first say that when thinking of places to spend $$ this is one area always in the back of my mind.
I dunno. It just seems pointless to spend $100 plus for my bouquet and $70 each for bridesmaids' flowers (yes, that is the going rate.
A second consideration about bridal bouquets, is the fact that, in my opinion and taste, I do not like the way a bunch of different flowers in different colors look grouped together. I tend to feel like flowers are much more striking when beautifully displayed alone or few. Same thing with bouquets.
I've found that I much prefer smaller, hand-tied bouquets and posies to those humongous things I've seen a lot of brides carry!
Here are things I definitely don't like:

Ummm....NO

Uhhhh...NO!!


But HERE are some I love:

Notice how the above bouquet looks feminine (even
though there are a lot of flowers) and is personalized with the crystal accent and the pretty monogrammed wrap.
***

Above is the pretty carnation bouquet I posted about before. I like its simple, yet elegant look and especially how it's tied together with that black pleated fabric and detail!

Now, the one above may be my absolute favorite! It is composed of white anemones with black-button centers. I hope anemones are in season in August because I would love to use them somewhere.

And these bridesmaid's bouquets I like because they look petite and dainty--more like posies.
And lastly, see the below gorgeous nosegay-shaped bouquets of white spray roses,Vendela roses and anemones:


Or what about bridesmaids carrying a single Vendela rose down the aisle with a pretty fabric wrapped tied around the stem? I've seen large Calla Lillies done this way, but...I don't like Calla lilies at all (don't shoot me).

Also, what do you think about the flower girls carrying pomanders--small versions of the below? A pomander is just a foam ball (available at any craft store) into which you can stick silk flowers or fresh flowers, thereby covering the ball completely with flowers. You can then attach whatever kind of decorative handle you'd like. I'll make one and post it later.

I have a folder on my computer where I keep photos like these of all the things I really like AND dislike so that I can take them with me to vendors. Even though we're still inclined to DIY table flowers, I'm not adventurous enough--nor do I think there will be enough time--to try to make bouts, corsages and bouquets. These are the only thing we plan on using a florist for.

Don't Call It A Comeback...

Let's take a minute to think about one flower that may perhaps be one of the most forsaken, underappreciated, overlooked and denigrated bud on earth--the carnation.
The carnation has always been that flower, at least in my experience, that everyone knew was really cheap and noone ever bragged about receiving.
In high school, it was the flower that you could anonymously send for $1 to the homeroom of your crush...
Or it was the trite flower handed out en masse at high school football or basketball appreciation games...
Or it was the flower that you used for your school science experiment where you tried to see if the stem would soak up food coloring and then turn that color...
Or it was the flower a guy gave you when he was too cheap to buy roses...
To put it simply, the carnation has never been looked at as particularly special, rare or esteemed.
Until now!
Wise flower-lovers and the florally inclined have increasingly been recognizing this neglected flower's natural beauty.
They key to making carnations beautiful in arrangements is to use a whole lot of them all in the same monochromatic color. I mean a LOT. Bunched in cubes of 40 or more, carnations can be quite striking. And the best thing is that they're really, really cheap! I guess I said all of that to say that I think carnations, if you use like a thousand can be really hot. They're not on the wedding agenda right now, but who knows, they may just make a guest appearance!
See below:



Or imagine the below centerpiece using all orange carnations:

But don't call it a comeback.
Really. They've been around for years.

Flower Arranging Trial #1: Orchids!!

Today, fiance came into the city to have lunch with me (he works in Virginia, I in DC) and on our way back to work we stopped and bought some very lovely Dendrobium Orchids from a flower stand.
The bunch has 10 tall stems in it and cost just $13 (which is weird because online florists want $3-$5 a stem...). Anyway, the blooms are this pretty/exotic purple/green/turquoise color (maybe have been dyed?) and looked to be in pretty good shape when I bought them.

I bought the orchids only to see how well they hold up--specifically in the case that we end up doing DIY centerpieces.
So, I'm going to put some of them in a vase with water and the others I am going to submerge in a vase under water. I'll track the progress of both the normal and submerged orchids.

But so far, I am very happy with how "sturdy" they seem to be... and with how they just look lovely all alone--with very little effort or "arranging" by me.



And here are the flowers on "floral frogs," bases with pins for simple arranging. The "frogs" make the flowers sink and stay under water for the submerged look (you can use rocks/marbles to cover the frog.
I didn't like how the frog looked in the vase, however. So I'm still trying to figure out how to keep the orchids submerged without weighting it down.
CARE - CUT ORCHIDS
To retain the dendrobium¹s radiance for up to two weeks, follow these healthful hints.
Unpack the flowers immediately.
Trim up to 1/2 inch off the stems.
Place the flowers in clean cool water for 5-10 minutes. If you have received dendrobiums and they are wilted upon unpacking, simply submerge whole sprays for 10 to 15 minutes in cool tap water.
Trim stems and change water 2 times a week.
Keep flowers away from heat and temperatures below 45 degrees F.
Dendrobium orchids are slightly sensitive to ethylene. To avoid ethylene buildup, you¹ll want to ensure adequate ventilation and sanitary conditions. What are the ideal storage conditions for dendrobium orchids? These tropical treasures will stay their loveliest when held in water and at 50 to 55 degrees F. Holding dendrobiums for more than a week at temperatures below 45 degrees can cause blooms to discolor or drop.