FALLING FOR FALL

I love the Fall! I love the slight chill in the air, pulling on the first pullover of the season and the homey scents of fireplaces, apples and fallen leaves. I also love decorating events using rich autumnal colors - fiery Reds, Deep Burgundies and Purples, vibrant Oranges and Yellows and even Naturals and Browns. Yes, you can still decorate your wedding in light pink if you wish. But if you're inclined, embracing some of the colors of the season is also very pleasing.

Classic flowers we utilize throughout the year - Roses, Calla Lilies, Hydrangeas - in autumnal tones can lend themselves to a more more refined or lush look, especially in combination with beautiful Damask linens and sumptuous candlelight. Or you can have a more homespun feel by incorporating flowers such as Dahlias, Sunflowers and Mums, perhaps in vintage pitchers or mossy Terra Cotta pots.

Also, not to get too kitschy, but it's sometimes fun to tastefully incorporate pumpkins or gourds into the decoration. Maybe not necessarily with each centerpiece – although we have done arrangements in actual pumpkins! But utilized as groupings with column candles on window sills, with votive candles on cocktail tables or around the base of a Place Card Table arrangement can work well.

For more interesting textures a nice touch is to include some pretty, little Seckle pears, Persimmons or Berries into arrangements or as accents. Naturally colored Oak leaves, various pods and Rose hips can also be unexpected and attractive additions to the mix. Although, I might not use all these elements at once. One or two in a few key places gives a nod to the season without being overwhelming. And I would definitely take pause with corn husks, bunches of Indian corn and bales of straw - unless your party's theme actually is a hoedown. Then by all means, dosey doe!

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Another Recent Bride's Review Posted on The Knot

Great Florist   posted 6/11/2012 (updated 6/13/2012)

Shelby went above and beyond to make sure my wedding flowers were exactly the way I had envisioned them. She was always available by email or phone to chat and was extremely responsive to my ideas and concerns. I choose to change my decor style only a few months before the wedding and she was more than happy to sit down with me again and tease out what I now wanted. She also helped me pick out linens that matched her floral arrangements perfectly. The final total for the day did exceed what I had originally planned on spending, however, after walking into the ballroom and seeing the lush centerpieces and rich linens, I thought the price was fairly reasonable for quality. I would definitely recommend this florist to other Philadelphia area brides.

Recent Bride Review posted on The Knot

Gorgeous arrangements!!   posted 5/15/2012 

Shelby is fabulous!! She was easy to work with. She was open to my ideas while still adding her artistic eye to the flower choices, colors, and arrangement set ups. She made the entire event perfect. The floral arrangements tied together our "night in the city" theme together perfectly!! I would strongly recommend her to others!

 

VIP Industry Event at Dave and Buster's

Went to an industry event this evening, which was enjoyable. Highlights were the fun photo booth from Shutterbooth - www.shutterbooth.com and yummy cupcakes from Cupcakes Gourmet - www.cupcakesgourmet.com. Also, the band, Lost in Paris - book at www.midnightsun.com - was pretty good too!

Wedding Wire Bride's Choice Award 2012

This means we are in the top 5% of Wedding Pros nationwide! The WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards™ recognizes the top local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the organization, the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ are determined solely by the reviews from over 1.2 million newlyweds.

OFTEN FOR THE BRIDE, NOT THE BRIDESMAID

How many times have you been subjected to donning a questionable ensemble and made to parade in public? Unless you're a K-Mart model, you know I'm talking about bridesmaid dress hell. I personally have a couple gems in my closet as proof of past fashion missteps I've endured. Ah, the things we do for (people in) love. So, I say to you...

Don't traumatize your bridesmaids with horrendous outfits and bizarre styling requests.

Do find outfits that flatter various skin tones, shapes, sizes and styles.

Like a photo of a lovely waterfall taken just as a garbage truck rolls by - no subject of a picture looks good if the background is unattractive. Yes, it's your day to shine. But you want your wedding to be one big, pretty picture where everything works together as beautifully as possible.

If your favorite color combination happens to be something like hot pink and orange – which can be a very fun combination in certain situations - give a moment's thought as to how these colors will look on each of your besties. Not every skin tone or hair color looks great with every color outfit. If your girls can't carry such bright hues, perhaps black dresses could be an alternative choice. And using those bright colors in the bouquets will pop very nicely in front of black dresses! If black doesn't work for you, maybe neutrals. Or my favorite pseudo-neutral - a nice sage green, which goes with most any flower colors you could put in the bouquets. Also, beyond how the color palette you like works for the dresses, always consider how it will blend with the venue you have chosen as well.

Once you've decided on your color(s) think about the different body types your bridesmaids have in relation to the types of dresses they would be most comfortable wearing. Sometimes within a group of bridesmaids there can be very different heights and shapes - where one dress DOESN'T fit all. In this situation maybe allowing each to choose a different dress style, all in the same fabric and color, would be a more flattering approach.

And, don't overlook the accessories. Everyone has their own unique style, which makes the world an interesting place. But this is the one day when you nicely ask your bridesmaids to help you bring yours to life. Unmatched shoes can sometimes work for an informal garden wedding. But otherwise try to coordinate the group. The same goes for the jewelry – and earings or necklaces that compliment the outfits can be a lovely gift from you. Another thoughtful gesture would be to pay for their hair and make-up as well. Being a participant in a wedding can be expensive. And you want to express your gratitude to these important people contributing to your special day. So, keep that in mind when you are eying that fuchsia taffeta dress. Because love can be blind, but your bridesmaids aren't.

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG WEDDING!

Amongst all the possible elements decorating your event – beautiful florals, attractive linens, opulent table settings – lighting is often an afterthought. Or even worse, overlooked all together. This is a huge mistake, as proper lighting can really set the mood and elevate the entire look of a room. Let's put it this way. How do you feel on a veranda on a sunny afternoon? How do you feel at a special candlelit dinner? How do you feel in an office with fluorescent lighting? More than likely your venue will not have fluorescent lighting. But if it does – change venues immediately!

Perhaps your event will be held during daylight hours outside or in a room that lets in good light. Then you don't have to do anything - but pray for sunlight! But it's always important to at least consider what light you have at your site, natural or otherwise. Viewing your site at the same time of day as when your event is to be held and at the same time of year is best. You can then determine whether you will need to add any candles or special lighting. See if there is any already available, like uplighting on columns around the room or existing pinspotting.

What is pinspotting you ask? Pinspotting is when lights (either permanently mounted on the ceiling or that have to be brought in and mounted on stands) are directed right on your centerpieces. Generally there should be two lights on tall centerpieces and one on low ones. And candlelight should still be incorporated on your tables. Other key areas, like your place card table and cake table, are also usually pinspotted, as well as having a gentle light wash over your dance floor. You could even have a custom gobo made (like perhaps your monogram) to be projected on the dance floor.

If you have your heart set on just a candlelit event make sure of your venue's open flame policy. Some venues will allow real flame, but enclosed within a holder. Other venues, like museums and galleries, will not permit any flame whatsoever. So, if your venue does not allow any real flame an alternative could be using LED votive candles - some even flicker a little. Static LED lights, which come in a variety of colors, can also be attractive.

I recently incorporated LED lights into arrangement designs at a low light site with no flames permitted and no pinspotting to be utilized either. Because the theme color was red I nestled several red lights amongst glass beads that filled tall glass cylinders. It gave a soft, glowy look that didn't look gimmicky or detract from the florals placed on top of the cylinders. For the cocktail tables I put individual lights in small cylinders also filled with glass pebbles, each with a single flower tucked in. I think it was a fun way to add a needed bit of warm light to the room. But no matter what tack you take, specialty lighting, hanging lanterns or an array of candles, just be sure to consider your lighting options. And as they say, let there be light!