Nicole Miller Trunk Show

Come see my arrangement and purchase some beautiful apparel at the Nicole Miller Bridal Trunk Show in Manayunk this weekend! #nmphilly #nmbridal 

Smoochie Paper Open House

Happy 3rd Anniversary Smoochie Paper!

Went to their Open House in their stylish studio and enjoyed noshing on delicious hors d'oeuvres by Neuman's Kitchen and treats by Whipped Bakeshop while sipping a refreshing cocktail. It was a pleasure to meet Patty Tawadros, the woman behind the beautiful invitations, and other lovely event industry people.

Attractive Autumn

When someone remarks how dreary Autumn is I ask myself, what are they talking about? Yes, the weather gets cooler and the days shorter as we move towards winter. But what a glorious show nature gives us in that transition! We are treated to an array of beautiful golds, oranges, reds and browns as the leaves turn. All of these vibrant colors can be brought inside to brighten your fall events. Also, along with gorgeous flowers, seasonal elements like gourds, pods and branches can be incorporated for interest. If more subdued decoration is wanted, another approach would be to soften the designs with the addition of warm whites, creams and apricot tones. With either palette, enjoy the bounty!

The Knot Industry Event

Went to The Knot Industry Event at the Bok Building this evening and the only standout vendor was Nutmeg Cake Design's artfully pretty and tasty desserts. www.nutmegcakedesign.com Also great was the discovery of Bok Bar atop the building. Great views, beer and banh mi - perhaps a fun event venue. www.bok-bar.com

White Garden Roses!

A Sweet Pea White and Cream Centerpiece

I love Roses in general, but add beautiful, lush Garden Roses and an arrangement becomes that much lovelier! The name of the ones used in this centerpiece with other Roses and additional flowers is called "Vitality" and has the most amazing scent.

Spring Flowers!

For some the arrival of Spring means using pastel flowers or flowers that are traditionally thought of as Spring flowers, like Tulips, Hydrangea or Lilac. Oftentimes a soft palette is used for weddings in general. Brides are even more inclined to stick with this idea if their wedding is occurring during the Spring months. Of course arrangements using "Spring" flowers in a pastel palette can be lovely, but doing so is certainly not mandatory. You can incorporate "Spring" flowers or not, or even add a few deeper tones for a more vibrant look. Your Spring decorating is all up to you!

Sometimes we even hear from the Mother of the Bride!

"The flowers were absolutely perfect and you were such a pleasure to work with!  I appreciate the time you devoted to working with us so that we could stay within our budget. The alternatives you offered met our budget without sacrificing quality.  I have attached a few pictures I thought you might like to have.  Know that I will certainly recommend you to my friends and family!"

I received this lovely note and the accompanying pictures from the mother of the bride for a wedding we decorated recently. It was very thoughtful of her and I am delighted that she was happy with our work - the Bride and Groom were also pleased with our work! I enjoyed working with this family and also being able to incorporate interesting elements like Succulents and Proteas into the designs!

Sweet Pea Featured on Borrowed&Blue

A wedding we decorated at The Franklin Institute was recently featured on Borrowed&Blue. See the spread - Kerry & Tyler's - at http://www.borrowedandblue.com/philadelphia/weddings#results

EATS 2014

Had fun with the "Mad Science" theme for this year's EATS Benefit flowers!
 

Springtime!

Happy First Day of Spring!
 

We Won the WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014! Thanks to our past clients! The winners of the WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 are determined by recent reviews from newlyweds, recognizing the top 5% of Wedding Pros in the WeddingWire Network.

2014 Philadelphia Flower Show

Went to the Philadelphia Flower Show, which is still inspiring. I wish more people would be open to decorating their events with interesting and different elements, like this stunning vertical garden.

Notable Kitchen Tour

Enjoyed decorating a lovely home for the tour yesterday! Nice to work together with a wonderful group of people to support the Philadelphia Orchestra. It was a great day of food, decor and flowers, of course!

Sponsor Party at 333 Belrose Bar & Grill

 We enjoyed the Sponsor Party at 333 Belrose Bar & Grill last evening. It was for the various people working on the upcoming Notable Kitchen Tour & Chef Showcase, which benefits The Philadelphia Orchestra. Come on the tour on November 7th and see the home we will be decorating!

For information and to purchase tickets go to notablekitchens.com

Welcome to Autumn!

I love the rich fall tones of flowers available now and incorporating interesting seasonal elements - like Persimmons, Apples, Seckle Pears, leaves, branches and gourds - to decorations this time of year!

Two more great reviews today!

Check them out!


http://www.weddingwire.com/vendor/VendorViewStoreFront?utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Vendor%20System%20Email&mode=edit&tab=reviews&subtab=review&rid=db1567baa4a6573c

New Sweet Pea Sign!

We finally got our new signs up at the Sweet Pea building! Welcome Little Theater!

Welcome to Summer!

Summer is here and it's fun to decorate with bright, warm colors - just like the sun!

Here's what the bride had to say about her flowers pictured above.

"Shelby was the first person I met with about flowers for my June wedding. I met with her only a few weeks before the actual event. She was so easy to communicate with throughout those few weeks. I was able to text her when I had a question and ship things directly to her house for my centerpieces. All of the ways she made herself available, made my life so much easier.

The flowers were better than I even pictured. Shelby just totally got my vision and what I wanted. I was able to trust her 100 percent to make it all come together. If you want a personal touch and want to pass off the responsibility of making your reception look amazing, hire Shelby. She knows what she is doing, and that's exactly what you want in a florist."

DESTINATION UNKNOWN

Destination weddings have become more popular in recent times. Now the party abroad has trickled down from the usual jet-setting crowd chronicled in magazines to the average person. The idea of flying off to a distant, exotic locale to celebrate your wedding with family and friends sounds like a fantasy come true. But is it just that – a fantasy?

Would a destination wedding work for you? Firstly, think about the people you would be inviting – do they have the funds to pick up their bags and go? Do they have kids to bring along? Are they too elderly to travel? With your particular group, is traveling to a tropical island the reason that Honeymoons exist?

It is a similar situation to the “Holiday” wedding. This is when you choose to have your nuptials on a holiday, like New Year's Eve, which can be tricky. People oftentimes have longtime traditions associated with certain holidays, in which they either can't or simply aren't inclined to break. It's the same with vacations. If someone has their plans arranged for one trip and now you are suggesting another, it can be a conflict.

Sometimes a destination wedding is motivated to accommodate family and friends. We decorated the stateside wedding for a couple where the bride was abroad. In this case, they decided to have two celebrations, one in each of the two homelands. I think this is a gracious way to handle guests who might not be able to attend your celebration otherwise. But technically it's not a “destination” wedding, just one that happens to be in a distant location depending on which of the two events you attend. Unless, of course, you are lucky enough to attend both!

But if you have your heart set on some far flung locale and don't mind perhaps a smaller group at your wedding, then ring up that travel agent! There are businesses or wedding planners that can assist with your long distance planning too. Of course, be sure to research their credentials before you leave all the planning of your special day to them. Also, be prepared to add this extra expense into your budget.

Utilizing a reputable professional is good, but still have your own check list as well. You wouldn't want your special day spoiled because of forgetting any necessary things - like a current passport! Perhaps set up a website or a blog for you and your guests to keep everyone updated with details and suggestions, like various hotel room blocks or flights available. Beyond travel information and your wedding itself, consider arranging other group activities or excursions for your travel mates. Maybe outings that reflect the culture of your location. Your guests have traveled a long way to celebrate with you, spending more time with them can only enhance all the great memories. Bon Voyage!

The Knot Industry Party at Top of the Tower

Went to The Knot's industry party at one of the best venues for views of the city - The Top of the Tower on the 50th Floor at 1717 Arch Street. Each of the two rooms, as well as the joining hallway, allow you to see stunning sweeps of Philadelphia. That along with the decor of neutral tones with sleek metal finishes make for a stylish party site.