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Cool Idea: Hanging Wedding Flowers

CasaSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:45:03 -0700

Miss Cherry Pie recently posted photos of her hanging wedding flowers. She's still perfecting the idea, but I think they look great already. She writes that she "spent some time this weekend with my shepherd’s hooks and cache of jars working out how to attach one to the other. First, I picked out 20 jars of a similar smallish size, and set them aside. Then, I went a-crafting. I took a trip down to Michael’s to pick up some wraphia (aka raffia), a natural-looking, grassy ribbon that’s strong enough to use as a hanger."

Then, she tied the wraphia around the mouth of each jar, fashioning a handle out of it, and hung them from the shepherd's hook. This is such a lovely, simple idea for displaying large flowers. It's a beautiful, easy arrangement for any couple planning a DIY wedding.

Source

How To: Decorate With Paper Flowers

CasaSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:00:56 -0700

I recently ran across these gorgeous paper flowers from stylist Zoe Bradley. Zoe's paper creations have been seen everywhere, from the McQueen runway to the windows of Louis Vuitton and Donna Karan. While many of us will always prefer fresh flowers to paper ones, carefully crafted and displayed paper blooms, such as Zoe's, can make a huge visual impact. Imagine displaying them at a birthday party, baby shower, or even an outdoor wedding. I can see them hanging from trees, clustered in modern vases, or even tucked in party goers' chignons. Want to make some for your next soiree? See some of my favorite paper flowers.
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10 Wedding Themed Toys to Gift the Flower Girl

LilSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:00:16 -0700

Lil girls spend hours practicing for their role in a wedding, but when the big day arrives, nerves often get the best of them. Whether you are the bride or the flower girl's anxious mother, prepare the wee member of the bridal party with some toys that will help her replicate the wedding day. Here are 10 of my favorite wedding-related toys that will also occupy the lil darling during the reception as well. Source

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Inedible Flower Cake Is Sugar Free and Delicious to the Eye

partysugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:15:19 -0700

My girlfriend Melissa's sister is diabetic and has to really watch her consumption of sweets. That's why Melissa decided it would be best not to serve cake at the 30th birthday brunch she was throwing her sister. However, no birthday is complete without some sort of candle and singing ceremony. This is where Melissa got creative: she created a cake entirely out of flowers! It's inedible, but beautiful to look at and incredibly thoughtful. Here's how she did it:

Start by purchasing a round cake-shaped floral foam at your nearest floral or craftshop. Soak with water.
Get a bouquet of colorful blossoming flowers. Cut them down to have a stem that is 2-3 inches long.
Insert the blooms into the foam. Get as artistic with the design as you like.
Insert birthday candles. Use longer candles to ensure that the flowers don't burn or get waxy.

Without the candles, the flower-shaped cake would make a great simple centerpiece to a wedding or shower. What do you think of this innovative idea?

Fabulous Floramor

partysugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 08:57:37 -0700

I recently had a chance to sit down and talk to one of San Francisco's top floral designers, Laura Little of Floramor Studios, about flowers, weddings, and upcoming trends. Laura has a rich passion for the beauty of nature and a grand respect for fine arts that is reflected in all of her arrangements. Established in 1984, Laura and her team have been working with brides non-stop for the past 22 years and have orchestrated the design concept for over 3000 events. Her designs have been featured in countless books about wedding style, magazines from Town & Country to Elegant Bride, and she has a working relationship with all of the major hotels in San Francisco.

On the day I walked into her beautiful studio with brightly colored lime green walls and a checker-print black and white floor at 9 am, Laura had already been up since 2 am. According to Little, the life of a floral designer is far from glamorous with gigantic arrangements having to be ready before dawn to give the illusion that the flowers came out of nowhere. She took me through the steps that she would normally take a bride through explaining that at the first meeting it's customary to spend about an hour going through photos of past weddings until she has an idea of what the bride generally wants. All of her brides get to see a sample version of their centerpieces months before the wedding to ensure that they get to see their own vision brought to life before the big day. For more on floral wedding trends and to read my interview, read more

PartySugar: What colors are popular this year?
Laura Little: Lots of color. Very colorful strong palettes are in. Not multi colors but two strong bold contrasting colors.

PS: Do the colors generally change with the season?
LL: San Francisco gets everything and there are virtually no limitations. However in spring, lilacs and peonies in purples and pinks are beautiful.

PS: What trends are emerging in arrangements and centerpieces?
LL: Although it depends, arrangements are more clean and modern - traditional with a twist. Paired down and contemporary with no fluff or frill. Before 9/11 people were going over the top with flowing flowers and wanted centerpieces, aisle arrangements, chair ends, room decor, wall draping, lamp coverings, any and everything visual. Then after 9/11 everyone went minimal focusing the wedding more on the celebration and the family element rather than lavish decor. Now that six years have almost passed, people are starting to spend more money on flowers and incorporate the extras into their weddings.

PS: What flowers are in?
LL: Calla lilies are excellent because they have been hybridized to come in every color, they last forever, and have long stems. Roses are always in.

PS: What's in season now?
LL: Everything: tulips, iris, ranunculus, narcissus, hyacinth.

PS: Do you know what trends are emerging on the east coast?
LL: Style is driven by San Francisco because LA keeps a steady glamorous Hollywood look and the older cities like Chicago and New York are more inclined to be traditional and not do anything new and exciting artistically with a twist.

PS: Is there a huge difference between the east coast bride and the west coast
bride?
LL: The east coast bride generally has a sense of urgency, a faster pace, more precise, know what they want and make quick decisions. The west coast bride generally takes their time and approaches the wedding planning with a more laid back demeanor.

PS: Do the majority of brides know what they want or are they looking for
someone to guide them?
LL: It really depends on the bride. I've been working for so long that I can guide and direct them if they don't know what they want and help them to find what they do want.

Laura suggested that the bride get in contact with her florist at least 8-9 months in advance and suggested that she check out bridal shows and floral expos to learn more about trends and her personal preferences as a bride.

Cool Idea: A Bouquet of Water Flowers

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:00:01 -0700

I'm so impressed with this beautiful bouquet of water flowers. While I would never advocate picking flowers out of a freshwater lake (especially if it's a rare plant), if you have a backyard pond or fountain, it would be wise to cultivate some water flowers to use for an unusual bouquet or arrangement. Can you imagine how stunning a bouquet of water flowers would look at a lakeside wedding?

Have you ever made an arrangement with water lilies and water hyacinth? Do you have a backyard pond where you grow these flowers?

Source: Flickr User molajen

Flowers 101: Ranunculus

partysugar — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:58:31 -0700

The other day one of my sister's friends stopped by with a bouquet of pretty pink flowers from her garden. They were ranunculus (pronounced ran-UN-kew-lus) a small camellialike bloom that ranges in color from red to yellow to pink and white and grows here in the Western United States during springtime. Wildly popular, there are over 400 different species.

When planting ranunculus, monitor the soil's moisture and handpick away slugs and snails. These bulbs grow in full sun to partial shade, spread naturally, and do best with cool night temperatures and slightly warmer days. When cut, a ranunculus can last over a week, making them an ideal choice for a bride's bouquet, a wedding centerpiece, or a mailed gift. They combine well with pansies, sweet alyssum, and other early spring blooming flowers.

The Gifted Child: Flower Girls and Ring Bearers

babysugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0700

At the wedding I attended last weekend, the flower girls were rewarded for their hard work and petal spreading duties.

While adults sat around and sipped champagne, the lil girls delighted in the new found goodies that the bride had placed at their table.

To see what the wedded couple gifted them, read more.

Perfect for wee members of the wedding party, the bride and groom gifted monogrammed totes of goodies. The parents entertained the kids most of the night, but the coloring books, crayons, paddle balls, flip flops and disposable cameras put smiles on their lil faces during the dinner hours. Even the youngest gal ran around snapping pictures of the festivities.

To see all of our wedding season coverage, check out IDoSugar.

Crayola Markers ($3)	Paddle Ball Game ($3)
Scribbles by Taro Gomi ($14)	L.L.Bean Maine Flip Flop ($17)

Flower Girl Tutus

LilSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:00:58 -0700

Add a bit of whimsy to your wedding procession by dressing the flower girl in an age appropriate outfit. A tutu paired with a delicate tank or simple leotard and some ballet flats is a way to keep lil ladies comfortable and looking darling for the big day and beyond. The tulle tutu is also a wonderful wedding party gift. Click through these fabulous child friendly frocks. For more wedding planning fun, check out IDoSugar.

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Flower Girl Dresses

babysugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Wedding bells are about to ring so make sure the lil ladies are covered. Check out these adorable flower girl dresses and see which one you like best! For more wedding planning fun, check out IDoSugar.

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