Although we human types may still be in the throes of Winter, with sub-zero "I'm-so-cold-my-words-are-frozen-before-they-even-leave-my-mouth" temperatures across t
he country -- not to mention a series of wil
d and wonderful thunder and lighting storms pummeling the West Coast -- the San Francisco Flower Mart has apparently decided to jump right into Spring with its typical gusto! A recent visit revealed an abundance of flowers and branches -- perfect for quick and easy DIY arrangements...
Tulips were everywhere in a variety of colors, along with some gorgeous lavender/purple-and-green Flowering Kale (also sometimes called "Cabbage Rosettes") (
left). In typical Tulip fashion, they continue to grow after being cut -- just to let you know who is truly in control; bossy yet beautiful, like all Spring girls!
Plenty of feminine Ranu
nculus (
right) -- mostly in pretty pinks and whites -- in excellent quality and outstanding pricing at $3 to $4 wholesale for a ten-stem bunch. When buying these for yourself, select bunches still in bud form, not fully opened. Although they don't look like much in the beginning, they will unfurl over days into hundreds of tissue-thin petals with chic little black centers.
One big surprise find? Tons of soft green Hydrangea, with huge fluffy heads, for about $9 t
o $12 wholesale for a five-stem bunch -- this is the exact color so many brides are looking for throughout the year. We start seeing green Hydrangea locally in late Spring/early Summer, but the crops usually start off in much darker greens, with immature, smallish heads. How I wish we could have the type pictured at left all year long! Crisp white Freesia (yummy fragrance!) and Lysmachia -- also used in this arrangement -- have been readily available in recent weeks.
Of course, nothing heralds the upcoming Spring like flowering branches
-- and they are everywhere right now! Quince, Cherry, Apricot, in shades of pinks, whites, and peaches, and for a bright display of color, choose Forsythia, covered in little yellow blooms. Pussy Willow branches, with their fuzzy little buds, are also readily available right now, and will continue to be for the next few months. Pricing ranges from $6 to $8 wholesale for a generous bunch; an armful looks dramatic all on its own in a heavy glass cylinder or tall chunky square vase.
Flowering branches are a smart buy in terms of a long vase life. Giving the stems a fresh cut every few days and changing the water at the same time will help in this regard. I have often enjoyed a bundle of branches for up to a month, just by freshening them up periodically. (Remember that clean vases are a must for flower longevity, so if possible, wash the vase when changing the water and recutting the stems. Flower food or a drop of bleach in the water keeps the stinkies away and the water sparkling.) You can even force the baby buds on the tiny little side branches -- just cut them and place into little bud vases for a sweet mini display of Spring.
And who can ignore the allure of
lush, fat, ruffled Peonies?? (Absolutely buy these in bud form or just cracked, never opened.) One of the most-requested flowers for weddings, but with a very short season, we see local Peonies in May through June. The Peonies available at market currently are imported -- these were from Peru, of all places -- and are breathtakingly expensive right now at $5
per stem -- wholesale -- ouch! But as any true Fashionista knows, style trumps cost every time -- and these beauties were no exception!
For a luxe accent, I added some chocolately-pink Cymbidium Orchid blooms. Available year-round in a multitude of colors and patterns, Cymbidium Orchids are more of a cold weather Orchid, unlike most other tropically-inclined Orchids. Therefore, the crop is particularly strong during the Winter and Spring months. At $22.50 per stem wholesale, they are certainly costly, but well worth it: I used only one stem, snipping the blooms off and tucking them into the Peonies.
(When necessary, Cymbidium Orchids can go for days without water, so you can simply cut and tuck, or alternatively, give them new stems with wire and tape for use in an arrangement or bouquet.)
Looking for a bolder shade to brighten up the winter blahs? This Delphinium
was in the
most gorgeous shade of blue, with lots available at market for about $6 to $7 wholesale per bunch. With its tall stems and eye-catching color, pop the vibrancy of blue Delphinium against fluffy green Hydrangea, and finish with some dramatic Monstera leaves at the base of the flowers.
For those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area, if you haven't visited the SF Flower Mart, you've been missing out on one of the greatest experiences ever! While primarily a wholesale market for floral designers and shops, some of the vendors sell to the public as well. One of only a handful of grower-owned markets in the U.S., ours is the
best -- okay, so what if I'm a bit biased! Plan a trip and judge for yourself. (For more information about the SF Flower Mart, including Public Mart Hours, visit their website:
http://www.sfflowermart.com/) Happy hunting!
So excited to announce that The Blue Orchid is now on Etsy!! Thanks to some allergy-suffering clients in the 2010 season, I began creating personal flowers for them using fabrics, ribbons, needle felting techniques, and such. One thing led to another, and then an Etsy shop was born; on Esty, we're known as "Blue Orchid Floral" (vendor name "blueorchidfloral"). Currently offering sashes, corsages, boutonnieres, hair flowers and brooches, as well as bouquets, I will be soon expanding into pomanders, flower girl baskets, head wreaths, ring pillows, and decor items, so please check back often. (It takes a bit to get exposure on Etsy, so please share this link with your friends -- most appreciated!) http://www.etsy.com/shop/blueorchidfloral
, concentrated around the outside perimeter of the bouquet. Even just a little helps (image left). Beyond the obvious use of greenery, this can also be accomplished by way of a colored flower or a texture -- for example, Hypericum Berry, pods, or even delicate woody branches. A chic cuff can be created using looped ribbons or fabric, or feathers even, in a contrasting shade. Likewise, incorporating colored crystals or jewelry/brooches wired amongst the flowers themselves can also help. Regardless of the way you choose to do it, think very carefully before putting an all-white bouquet against a white dress. (And no, it's probably not safe to assume that your off-white or ivory dress will be enough of a contrast in the photographs -- sorry!)
3. Same thing with your bridesmaid dresses: If you have them carry burgundy flowers against a burgundy dress, consider it a lost cause! And do think beyond the colors: The texture of the flowers themselves can also greatly impact the resulting contrast in photographs. For instance, a flurry of delicate Sweet Peas will probably not have the same impact as larger, more graphic flowers that demand more attention visually. In the image at right, although we used red blooms against a similarly-colored dress, we achieved strong contrast through the use of the Popcorn Dahlias as a high-impact flower, and then further with the greenery collar. A bouquet of a mass of tiny flowers just wouldn't achieve the same impression in print.
determines what will be suitable in terms of contrast. And if you prefer a softer or less-stark contrast than usually achieved in a collar-type contrast, then perhaps a subtle accent in a brighter or bolder shade of your primary color might be better suited for your personal style. In the image, left, we gently popped up a little contrast by infusing soft, feminine bouquets with the fuchsia Sweet Pea accents (as well as some light touches of green off of the other flowers).
k tones can be equally challenging for even the best of photographers -- for opposite reasons. Whites reflect lots of light, and can be visually "blown out" as a result. On the other end of the spectrum, super dark tones can suck up all the light in an image. And when you mix them up -- like we did in this bouquet (right) -- it's going to take some seriously mad photography skills to properly balance the two. During this particular shoot, this bouquet probably took my dear friend and photographer extraordinaire, Janine Mapurunga, longer to capture perfectly than most of the other bouquets put together! The dark purple Calla Lilies -- though gorgeous! -- absorbed every bit of light we could find, and to make it even more challenging, I put them right next to the pure white of the center Callas. Could I have made it any harder??! Of course, talent that she is, Janine was able to pull it off beautifully, but not without a supreme effort on her part. (www.mapurunga.com)
For the second year in a row, The Blue Orchid is the recipient of a Bride's Choice Award from WeddingWire (http://www.weddingwire.com/)! For those of you who have yet to discover this great site, WeddingWire is a resource website devoted to the needs of girls just like you: The Bliss-Seeking Bride! Find great vendors, read reviews posted by past clients, and access their extensive photo library -- just a few of the many things you will find on this site. (WeddingWire is also partnered with Martha Stewart Weddings (http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/), giving you access to all of Old Martha's wisdom and "Good Things".)
d and wonderful thunder and lighting storms pummeling the West Coast -- the San Francisco Flower Mart has apparently decided to jump right into Spring with its typical gusto! A recent visit revealed an abundance of flowers and branches -- perfect for quick and easy DIY arrangements...
nculus (right) -- mostly in pretty pinks and whites -- in excellent quality and outstanding pricing at $3 to $4 wholesale for a ten-stem bunch. When buying these for yourself, select bunches still in bud form, not fully opened. Although they don't look like much in the beginning, they will unfurl over days into hundreds of tissue-thin petals with chic little black centers.
o $12 wholesale for a five-stem bunch -- this is the exact color so many brides are looking for throughout the year. We start seeing green Hydrangea locally in late Spring/early Summer, but the crops usually start off in much darker greens, with immature, smallish heads. How I wish we could have the type pictured at left all year long! Crisp white Freesia (yummy fragrance!) and Lysmachia -- also used in this arrangement -- have been readily available in recent weeks.
-- and they are everywhere right now! Quince, Cherry, Apricot, in shades of pinks, whites, and peaches, and for a bright display of color, choose Forsythia, covered in little yellow blooms. Pussy Willow branches, with their fuzzy little buds, are also readily available right now, and will continue to be for the next few months. Pricing ranges from $6 to $8 wholesale for a generous bunch; an armful looks dramatic all on its own in a heavy glass cylinder or tall chunky square vase.
lush, fat, ruffled Peonies?? (Absolutely buy these in bud form or just cracked, never opened.) One of the most-requested flowers for weddings, but with a very short season, we see local Peonies in May through June. The Peonies available at market currently are imported -- these were from Peru, of all places -- and are breathtakingly expensive right now at $5 per stem -- wholesale -- ouch! But as any true Fashionista knows, style trumps cost every time -- and these beauties were no exception!
was in the most gorgeous shade of blue, with lots available at market for about $6 to $7 wholesale per bunch. With its tall stems and eye-catching color, pop the vibrancy of blue Delphinium against fluffy green Hydrangea, and finish with some dramatic Monstera leaves at the base of the flowers.
Another standout wedding from the 2009 season was Erika and Jeff's celebration at Grace Ranch, located in the outerskirts of Sebastopol. I absolutely loved, loved, loved the charm and slight quirkiness of this wedding! From requesting a petite yet sweet bridal bouquet -- no big bouquets here, thank you! -- to their "gaggle" of Flower Girls (five!!) -- to the floral collar for their beloved doggy, Charlie -- this wedding perfectly reflected Jeff and Erika's personalities and aesthetic.
oses and brown curls, and a large wreath of green Hydrangea and Spray Roses hung on an old barn wall to serve as the ceremony marker.
"Think cabernet, pumpkin and wasabi!" Hmmm...Thanksgiving sushi dinner in Wine Country, perhaps?? Hardly! Rather, this was the theme given to me by bride Sara Huschke to describe the color palette for her October 2009 wedding to Ric Emery -- in other words, rich reds, warm oranges, and sage greens.
Tucked away at the end of Old Winery Road, just minutes from the charming Sonoma Square, this California Historical Landmark property features magnificent old stone buildings (with updated amenities), and is nestled into a beautiful park-like setting of tree groves.
62), and featuring the spectacular fountain adorned with flowers and candles. Given the cool evening temperatures, the reception was wisely held in the Tasting Room, with guest seating upstairs and dancing in the main room. With candles inside and out, and twinkling lights throughout the property's trees, it was a most romantic event!
Now that the wedding season has concluded, I am finally able to address that ongoing list we all have (and usually ignore!), entitled "Need-to-do-but-not-today" or something similar. Number 1 on my list? Get back to blogging and spotlight all of the fabulous weddings we did this year, of course! So many to choose from...
And talk about a gorgeous bride...
