Tag Archives: Flowers

October 15, 2010 · 8:00 am

It’s Wedding Day With Guest Post from Niche White!

As you are reading this, I am likely in a hotel room with a bunch of ladies getting all Bride-ed up. Hopefully I have a glass of champagne in hand and I have given up on worrying about all the little details! After months and months of planning, not to mention at least 10 years or so of thinking about how my wedding day would turn out and who I would marry, it has arrived. Today I marry my best friend, who I met for the first time just about 7 years ago! Here is to the next 7 years, 7 after that, and onward til we are old and grey!

Because it is my wedding day I didn’t expect to have time to blog, sorry to tell you. So I enlisted the help of one of my favorite Twitter buddies and wedding blog pals, Nicole of Niche White. The relationships I have created on Twitter have been incredible and surely made this wedding process much more fun. I have been getting emails and tweets checking on my well being and telling me how excited they are for me. People I have never met! Nicole is incredibly talented with an eye for all things fabulous, very funny, and just as sweet as can be! I am so honored she agreed to guest post today and I LOVE what she prepared for you today. How did she know I have a lace obsession?! I have no idea… take it away Nicole!

Hi everyone! This is Nicole from Niche White Bridal Loft and I am thrilled to fill in for Alicia today.  She had something important to do but I can’t remember…wait…..it might’ve been…oh yeah, SHE’S GETTING MARRIED!!!  I guess that’s a good enough excuse to need a guest-poster. ;)

I thought I would bring my traditional “Friday Pretties” over to the Charity Wedding today but then I got distracted – it happens WAY more than I’d like to admit!  I kept coming across gorgeous lace details in weddings and, while I know it’s one of the popular 2010 trends, was amazed at just how beautifully it worked – whether with the flowers, on the cake, as a candle accent, or simply used as a table runner. Take a look!

Lace wrapped bouquet | Invitations | Table Runners | Cake (L) | Cake (R) |Suitcase | Luminaries |Luminaries II

If you thought this lace looked a little “feminine”, don’t give up on me! How about some black lace details?

Lace-wrapped votives | Cake details and Table Runner

And in true Alicia-style, I’m including a lace-WTF-detail:

A lace wrapped tree.
Just so we’re clear – do not do this.

Nicole sent me this picture after she had already sent me the full post and told me it was up to me whether I added it to the post! Obviously, it had to be added.

Lace Eyebrows… WTF?

Is anyone out there incorporating lace into their wedding?  I’m pretty sure Alicia is not, but I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of her fall-themed, under-the-stars wedding ASAP! *hint hint, nudge nudge*

I’ve had a blast with you Charity Wedding readers and I hope you will join me in the comments section to wish Alicia and Kyle all the best as they begin their marriage!

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May 4, 2010 · 10:02 pm

A Sweet Dream Come True

Sweet because cake is involved and dream because well cake is involved. I have a firm belief that regardless of how much you eat, there is always room for dessert. I often plan my meals around whether or not I will eat dessert afterward and more than  once I have pushed myself to the limit by adding a tempting treat post meal. The queen of all desserts has to be the wedding cake and it just so happens that the Queen of Wedding Cake baking and design lives right here in Sedona. Donna Joy of Sedona Sweet Arts contacted me recently and today Kyle and I had the pleasure of meeting her. She was outstanding but the real pleasure was tasting her cakes. When I think wedding cake I think beautiful but dry and coated with a think layer of fondant i.e. some odd form of chemical tasting rubber that all but ruins even a good cake. This was not our experience today. Chocolate wasn’t even in our top list of flavor choices but her decadent chocolate cake with a chocolate mousse frosting nearly made me nix food all together in order to just serve that to my guests. Like I said, I love desserts and I have eaten A LOT of cake in my day and without a doubt this was the best. We also tried a strawberry champagne cake that puts Cristal to shame and a white cake with a butter cream frosting. Our flavor choices are red velvet and carrot cake but we felt no need to try them as the sample cakes gave us full trust in her cake making abilities. She said and I quote, “I don’t freeze wedding cakes, I don’t believe in it.” A lady with cake beliefs is right up my alley and I couldn’t agree more. To know our wedding cake will not only be beautiful but will arrive fresh and tasting amazing makes me extra excited. In all seriousness, we are extremely grateful and humbled by her willingness to be involved in this wedding as we know she is extremely busy and without question the best in town. She diligently creates all of her sugar flowers by hand often totaling 40+ hours for one cake. After they are sculpted, they are hand painted to get just the right look. The bonus to all this painstaking labor is the flowers will last forever which will be a nice memento of our big day. She posts most of her recent work on Facebook so be sure to check it out. You will be amazed. Thank you Donna for fulfilling and exceeding what will no doubt be our dream cake!

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April 27, 2010 · 8:26 pm

Welcome Dana from Glamorous Occasions!

Today we got to have our first meeting in the brand new and ultra classy Celebrations Studio in downtown Flagstaff which is co-owned by Melissa Dunstan Photography, Glamorous Occasions and Downtown Browne Productions. As we walked through the doors we were greeted by the pleasant smell of fresh flowers. Star gazer lilies to be exact, that were arranged beautifully. We were there to meet with floral designer, Dana Micklos of Glamorous Occasions. Dana Micklos is to floral design what flowers are to weddings: essential. In all reality the situation could not have worked out more perfectly for us. Hands down, Dana’s talent is astounding and the fact that she works with our photographer and event designer is just icing on the cake. The harmony created by the blend of these three talented ladies is sure to result in a wedding beyond my (our, sorry Kyle) wildest dreams. A lot of time is devoted to floral design pre-wedding and with many florists it ends there. They drop the flowers off at your venue and move on to their next project. Dana has a slightly different approach. She dedicates her entire day to the floral details from beginning to end as she believes (and we agree)  flowers should look just as nice come the reception as they did when they were arranged. Flowers wilt, break, get crushed, who knows, they are delicate and a multitude of things can happen. Dana stays to insure that regardless of the weather or the clumsiness of the bride, the flowers look beautiful throughout the event. To have someone that cares that much about her work and the details of our special day means a lot  and we couldn’t be more grateful to have her join the team. She even gave us some great advice on how to make the most of the day in all the stress and chaos. Thank you Dana for your support and your willingness to help make this wedding a reality.

*We also want to Thank Amy Mills of Bliss Floral in Sedona who offered her talents. We had already been working with Dana when she expressed interest. We are extremely grateful for your willingness to be involved and wish you all the best!

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April 16, 2010 · 1:55 pm

Celebrations Studio Grand Opening!

The chicest event planning studio in Arizona is celebrating its grand opening tonight in Flagstaff. Celebrations Studio combines the talents of Glamorous Occasions (floral design), Melissa Dunstan Photography and Downtown Browne Productions (music) for one amazing synergy of event talent. They have joined forces to provide brides and grooms with a mix of quality services and undeniable talent all in one location. Really the concept is ingenious and will make life much easier for planning couples. You stop in to their gorgeous studio and you will have access to venues, vendors, pictures, and an event coordinator. You select the vendors you are interested in and the coordinator will set up appointments for you at the studio! Are you getting a sense of the efficiency here? No more google searching, multiple phone calls or trips all over town. With multiple years of wedding experience between the group, you are guaranteed to have access to the best vendors and resources available. It is what wedding planning should be: fun, glamorous and stress free. To check it out for yourself, you can stop by the grand opening tonight at 5pm. Join them on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest wedding news and studio events.

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April 15, 2010 · 6:14 pm

Real Weddings

We are incredibly lucky to have some amazing people involved in our wedding. We can not wait until the big day so that we will see the amazing-ness that they will produce. Our photographer, Melissa Dunstan, and event designer, Kim Duncan, are quite possibly two of the most talented ladies in the Arizona Wedding industry and on top of that really great people as well. Perhaps I am biased but I thought I’d show you a little of what I already know: That these ladies are incredible! Here are some real wedding pictures to inspire you and awe you.

What I love is Melissa’s ability to capture details. You know all the things you don’t really get a chance to appreciate on the big day while you are wrapped up in a whirlwind of all the wedding festivities. The little details are what truly make weddings unique so it’s nice to have such beautiful pictures of them when the day is over.

As a planning bride I know all the work and time that goes into selecting each and every little thing. From the dress to the flowers on the cake. All that should be documented and she does just that.

I love the rings on the champagne corks! So cute!

The following are weddings designed by KD Event Designs. Kim has a background in interior design and she has a knack for pulling everything together. Her designs are unique to the couples she works with and truly impressive.

Speaking of details, Kim nails them. From the tables, to the ceremony, to the decor around the reception she thinks of it all. It’s truly amazing what she can do and I continue to be impressed each time I visit her blog.To other planning brides, I recommend getting to know your vendors on more than just a professional level. It is crucial on the day of your wedding to know you have people you will get along with and you can trust. I feel completely confident to put my big day in their hands and I am honored that they have decided to take on the responsibility!

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April 7, 2010 · 7:59 pm

Sustainable Decor

When most people think of weddings, flowers immediately come to mind. Beautiful, colorful flowers are the epitome of weddings as they are involved in everything from the bouquets to decor on the cake. However they can be pricey and taxing to the environment. I have considered potted plants for decor since day one but was having trouble visualizing how that would really look. It’s all well and good to think about making an effort to make choices that benefit the environment but when it comes down to it, would I really do it? It’s not something you see everyday and weddings are often planned according to the typical mold. Despite my very unconventional approach to this wedding I sometimes find myself getting stuck in the wedding mindset. Meaning I make choices based on other weddings or what is traditional when in all reality that is the opposite of what I want from my wedding. Of course we want our wedding to reflect our beliefs and besides charity, the environment is important to us too. So back to potted plants… The bonus about potted plants is of course you can take them home after the event and enjoy them for years to come. In addition you can give some to your guests and know a piece of you and your wedding is growing out there somewhere and appreciated daily. As opposed to your flowers which were likely starting to wilt before the champagne toast! Of course you can mix and match to get the look you desire. So to ease my mind on the potted plants idea, as I know it isn’t revolutionary, surely there would be some amazing pictures to be found that would give me a better vision. There were amazing pictures, big time. Here are a few of my favorites:

This picture is from Duvall Catering. They used little pots of labeled herbs which I think is adorable. Herbs are easy to come by, easy to maintain and grow like weeds, insuring full pots by wedding day. Not to mention they are incredibly practical as you or your guests can take them home and start using them to cook with! Not everyone will go home and plant a tree from your wedding or even be able to maintain a potted plant, but herbs don’t require much of a green thumb. A little sun and a little water and they are sure to thrive.

To me this picture has a rustic classiness that is sure to please. A company called Give Tree Gifts sells an assortment of little tree products to be used as decor or favors. According to their website the average tree absorbs 26lbs of carbon dioxide a year and provides enough oxygen for a family of four. They also help block and reflect solar radiation. You sure can’t say that about candy coated almonds. I also can’t think of anything cooler than planting a tree from your wedding and watching its progress each year as you celebrate your anniversary. They offer tree favors for under $2.00 and some larger tree options for under $20. So you could give them to everyone or just have a few for decoration. They would be lovely for a winter wedding!

Of course, pots don’t have to include just greenery. You can plant flowers in them too! They are still more sustainable than cut flowers because you will likely have to find them locally. The bottom right picture is of course cut flowers, but what I liked is the little containers they were in. They are all different and very colorful which is a nice way to bring some color and detail in without flowers. I also really like the grouping of rosemary in all white pots in the center of a round table. The picture is from the Sitting in a Tree Blog and they have other potted centerpieces you can check out as well.

In addition to potted plants, this picture includes baskets of fruit. I LOVE it.

This one comes to you from My DIY Wedding Day which is a great blog in general to check out. This is from a real wedding where the couple placed name cards in the little pots to be used as favors.

Last but not least, I think even grass or what looks like grass to me, looks amazing. It looks like these people used the pots to hold the menu for the event. As I was searching for pictures, I found it wasn’t a matter of finding ones I liked and that gave me that wedding feeling but rather deciding which ones to post with all the great options out there. So I am now convinced that potted plants can be just as beautiful if not more so than cut flowers. And like your marriage they will continue to grow!

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April 2, 2010 · 4:29 pm

A DIY Dream

I was doing some internet hunting for handmade favor ideas and on I landed on a great craft website. Save on Crafts is your one stop shop for DIY wedding projects. I’ve been to the site before but I had never spent much time which changed today as I have been browsing for the last hour or so! I got distracted with other things so I didn’t find much on favors, however I found some great decorating ideas. Best part about this site is everything is a great price so you can DIY and come in under budget. Here are a few of my faves.

I loved both of these for simple yet dramatic centerpiece ideas. The ones on the left would look amazing if you had several of them in a row. The opportunities are endless as there are a ton of different shaped glass jars, beads and marbles, and of course many flower options.

I love this and it would be so easy to do. You can purchase those garden hooks at any garden center and then reuse them in your yard! Of course you can use a ribbon color and flowers that match your wedding colors. This is one project I think anyone could create.

One really fun thing about this website is they have preserved flowers that you can use for decoration. The flowers won’t die so you can arrange your decor well in advance. They have a ton of preserved orchids which are incredibly expensive to buy fresh. So this is a good option for those that want orchids but don’t want  to pay the steep price. You can purchase a box of 30 for $10.99.

Check it out even if you aren’t thinking about DIY projects as there is a ton of great inspiration there as well. They even have step by step instructions for several of the projects on the site. They have things like eco friendly confetti and freeze dried rose petals you could use to line the aisle. So even if you aren’t crafty, I think this is a great site for any bride!

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March 28, 2010 · 8:14 pm

When Flowers Won’t Do

Maybe you are allergic, maybe your budget doesn’t allow for flowers or maybe you just want something a little different for your bouquet. Either way I have found some amazing bouquets that don’t have live flowers in them at all! The best part, it will last forever. You can pass it down, display it, or let your friends use it. These are fun, fresh, and are sure to make your wedding bouquet stand out from the crowd. It can also be good for the environment if you can make one out of recycled material, can reuse the pieces, and of course it doesn’t require flowers being shipped from all over the world. Here are a few of my favs.

Words can not describe the love I feel for this! Isn’t it amazing?!? I’ve seen it on several wedding blogs but this picture is from The Wedding Chicks. This piece is professionally designed but it’s quite possible you could recreate it yourself. How much fun would it be to ask your guests to send you an old flower brooch? I used to have a thing for brooches in college, and I would go hunting for them at vintage and thrift shops. You can easily find them for a few bucks. When all is said and done, you could either return the brooches to the guests if they want them back or keep the bouquet intact for decor. You could also put it out at the reception to be used as favors for the ladies, suggesting that they pick one they like. I don’t know how all that is put together so that might be difficult but just an idea.

This one isn’t quite my style but I think very perfect for the ultra contemporary bride. I definitely think you could create something like this yourself and maybe even form more flower like shapes if you want it to be slightly more traditional. You could add colorful beads or some colored ribbon to match your wedding colors. My only suggestion would be not to toss this one well and the last one either for that matter.

If you are crafty or just want something super fun, this one is for you! This comes to you from Miss Jennifer Rae on Etsy. She makes them in various colors, sizes, and styles and even has some coordinating boutonnieres. I think this is adorable as an option for the flower girl even if you don’t want to carry it as a bride.

These last two are from the I Do Take U Shop on Etsy. I thing they are both adorable. The nice thing about Etsy is that the artists will generally be able to tweak the design to your liking so if bright green isn’t your style, I am sure they could create something that is.

So there you have it, you don’t have to have flowers. Actually I think some of these are better than flowers. And I think you could create many of them yourself. If you aren’t crafty head to Etsy and search Bridal Bouquets and you will find a TON of options from various artists. Let me know which one you like the best!

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March 17, 2010 · 4:30 pm

Wedding Season Begins!

Spring is here and with the budding daffodils and buzzing bees, so comes wedding season. I originally planned to have my wedding in the spring time but after some persistent advice from my mom, I decided on Fall. I am really glad I did as I can’t imagine what it would be like if the day was almost here as I have had too many other things to do lately than focus on just wedding planning. Kyle and I are in the process of opening a chiropractic clinic and between meetings, property viewings, and major business planning, a wedding would be tricky right now. In addition, had I started planning months ago, this would not be a Charity Wedding as that was an idea I had just recently. Don’t you love how everything happens for a reason? However as I drive around town and look around my own yard, I can’t help but think wedding when I see all the budding flowers. After living in Iowa for 3 years I gained a new appreciation for Spring and four distinct seasons in general. In Arizona after enduring what almost no one would call a winter, Spring has never seemed too exciting to me. However after months of snowy grounds, gray skies, and muddy yards, the sight of fresh growth, colorful tulips, and flower filled trees was breath taking. Now that I am back in Arizona, I feel like I am more sensitive to the Spring growth. I look around at the flowery trees that I didn’t think existed here. Turns out I just wasn’t paying attention. Garden centers are packed and yards are bursting with color, which is a perfect set up for the DIY bride who wants some truly fresh, local flowers. All you need is some nice pots or vases, walk your neighbor hood and take your pick of the beauty of spring. (Ask your neighbors first of course!) I took some pictures today of the flowers I came across.

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