flower blog

Today's post is from expert florist Tim Farrell of Farrell’s Florist in Drexel Hill, PA, www.farrellsflorist.com.

With summer weddings in full swing, we just can't help wondering what's new with brides, grooms and flowers.

So we asked an expert to give us the scoop. Tim is one of our 20,000-strong network of floral specialists; your local florist can help make any event an affair to remember!



Summer weddings of 2009 are taking on a few new twists! Brides today are looking for something to make their special day different, especially if they are in a circle of friends who frequent each other's weddings, as if they were all members of the wedding-of-the-month club.

“Signature” looks seem to be what are selling best these days. Brides are becoming more open to letting go of all of the formality and stuffiness in lieu of a look that is fun or memorable and unique to “her special day”.

Some of the looks that are selling well for bouquets for brides and bridesmaid are collections of flowers that are unexpected. Orchids have become very important and many brides are pairing them with contrasting texture. Thistle or celosia make for a very interesting bouquet.

Green orchids are tres chic at weddings.

Greens continue to be a favorite. When paired with whites, they are perfect for a summer bridal bouquet. Green flowers like buplerum, green dendrobium orchids, and green ranunculus have been very popular.

Specific varieties like Super Green Roses have been strong….and “Alice Anderson” is a green cymbidium orchid that has a chartreuse green color accented with a burgundy marked throat . Combining “Alice Anderson” cymbidiums with gloriosa lilies is exceptionally dynamic.

One other stunning green orchid is a member of the Lady Slipper orchid family. It is called Paphiopedilum maudiae and is a green orchid hooded with a white canopy striped in green. It really is stunning. When nestled in a pillow like bouquet of white stock, you have a most interesting contrast of texture.

Receptions are also being influenced by these trends. Brides are now enjoying the option of varying the centerpieces at the reception venues. Sometimes we will have a variety of containers….maybe all different copper vessels….maybe antique glass…filled with similar combinations of flowers. Design styles even change from table to table, but the combination of flowers unify the whole event.

In any case, brides are looking for something that will make their wedding a unique celebration and the flower designs created by a professional designer can make all the difference in achieving that look!

Today's post is from the trend-setting designers known as the MiGi Girls, Michele Adams and Gia Russo. MiGi and Teleflora have teamed up to create a fabulous line of baby bouquets.




A baby shower is a memorable occasion – a time for friends and family to come together in celebration of the imminent arrival of a new life, and an opportunity to provide the expectant mom with the necessary items she’ll need to care for her baby.

When most women think about hosting a baby shower they get overwhelmed. Don’t fret, for the next two-blog postings, we’ll be providing tips and ideas on how to throw a stylish baby shower. This posting focuses on the invitations and décor.

The second posting will focus on the menu, party favors, and the gift giving. After these postings, you’ll have the tools and confidence to throw a stylish / affordable shower your friends and family will be talking about for years.

Through our many years of throwing parties, the first thing we consider to kick-start the planning process is to choose a theme. A theme gives direction to the celebration and helps determine the important elements – the décor, the color palette, the menu, and the favors. A theme can be as simple as a fruit, color, or an icon.

One of our favorites is a flower theme. Daisies, tulips, roses, and orchids are some examples of perfect flowers to incorporate into your baby’s shower theme.

1. The Invitation – the invitation is the first design element your guests will receive. The invitation will share all of the important information about the event and give a sneak peek of the shower’s theme. There are several ways to incorporate a floral theme to an invitation:

* Select a design online; there are endless great floral themed invitation designs (see below).   

* Create a design of your own on the computer by incorporating a floral border around the card, cluster flowers at the top of the invite or in the corners of the card or glue flower appliqués to the invite. Another idea is to tie a flower printed ribbon around the invitation.

 

MiGi with Petite Alma for Tiny Prints / Sweet Tulips Baby Shower Invite

2. The Décor – now the fun begins…go back to the floral theme and incorporate it in all of the focal points in the space. A buffet or set table is a great place to start. Cover the table or tables in linens in your party’s colors or a small pattern such as gingham. Create the main tables décor with flowers. For a buffet, place an odd number of flower vases down the center of the table. Mix in small bowls of floating flowers and votives.

We suggest mixing in small bowls of flowers and votives next to the main centerpiece for a set table too. When creating the arrangements, have fun exploring the container options. Some of our favorites are: footed glass bowls, metal cake pans, juice glasses, matte colored pots, and painted galvanized buckets. Our baby containers for Teleflora make the perfect centerpiece for a baby shower.

                          

To complement the floral arrangements, add simple touches to place cards and napkins. Fold the napkins and create a pocket. Tuck the flower stem into the pocket. This detail will welcome your guests to their seat and complete the table’s decor. For the place cards, glue a flower appliqué to the card.

The MiGi signature to a party space is hanging many paper lanterns in various sizes and colors above the main party space. Paper lanterns are inexpensive and can be used again and again. You can also tie ribbon streamers to the base of every lantern for another fun simple party detail.

Today's post is from expert florist Matthew McDonald of Bookshelf Florist and Gifts in Gaffney, SC, www.bookshelfflorist.com.  


For those who have lost a loved one, a funeral service is of extreme importance. Grief counselors will tell you that the family and friends need a chance to get together to grieve for the loss and to share memories of the deceased. This is very comforting during the first few days.

The most appropriate expression of sympathy is sending funeral flowers. Flowers provide a thoughtful and beautiful distraction from the grief of survivors.

Even if the family has expressed a desire for a financial contribution to their favorite charities, flowers should still be sent. Even though the notice may read “In Lieu of Flowers” or “Sympathy memorials may be made to the charity of your choice” flowers are always appropriate.

Floral tributes can be customized to reflect the personality, culture and traditions of the deceased. In South Carolina, standing sprays and funeral baskets are the most requested.

Flowers help people express feelings that are difficult to express. Flowers show respect for the dead, add warmth to the service and provide visual support. With flowers, the atmosphere becomes more pleasant and mourners more comfortable. The value and importance of flowers sent in sympathy can never be overstated.

Flowers and greens have always played an important role in burial traditions. Humans and flowers are both products of nature, testaments to the mystery of being. With their essential but fleeting beauty, flowers remind us of our own existence and the temporal quality of our human lives.

In ancient times, herbs were used to anoint the bodies of their loved ones, and they also held “wakes.” Ancient civilizations across Europe and the Middle East also burned, buried or entombed flowers with the dead.

Matthew McDonald
Bookshelf Florist and Gifts
www.BookshelFlorist.com

Whether his taste is classic or contemporary, the key to choosing flowers for a man to wear is to select blooms that reflect his personality. Here are some terrific tips from Marie Ackerman, who runs the Teleflora Education Center in Oklahoma City. Thanks, Marie!

The traditional boutonniere is a single flower pinned to a jacket lapel, often matching the lady the man is accompanying. One of the first flowers for this purpose was cornflowers; they were called “bachelor buttons.” Perfect flowers for a traditional boutonniere include the rose, carnation and stephanotis.


You can never go wrong with a single rose for a traditional boutonniere.

That said, the possibilities are endless so be creative. What about a feather with some beads, a small wreath of fresh herbs or a tiny British flag pin backed by a fresh English ivy leaf?

Always consider the guy who is wearing the flower when you select the flower. Some men won’t wear a pink flower – or something he considers too feminine.

Be sure to “size” the boutonniere to the guy – meaning you don’t select a full size flower for a 5-year-old ringbearer – it would look silly. Many flowers have miniature versions that can easily be used for this. The goal is to not have the boutonniere seen before the man.

Another way for a guy to wear flowers is a “pocket square” made of flowers. Flowers are glued onto a cardboard square and inserted in the outside pocket of a tux or suit (where a colorful handkerchief might be placed.)

For less formal events (like beach weddings), the groom or groomsmen might wear leis of flowers around the neck or even braided foliage or shells.

Use a pro. A Teleflora florist will prepare the flower/foliage, make sure it is hydrated and spray it with sealant to increase longevity. They will also reinforce the stem with wire and floral tape, which prevents the stem from staining the jacket lapel. Also, most florists will provide pins for wearing the boutonniere.