An Upper East Side Wedding with Ethnic Flair

Tags

Filipino Weddings, Green Wedding Flowers, Hydrangea, Peach Wedding Flowers, Shells

Annette & Peter’s Wedding

Ceremony Location: The Church of Saint Vincent Ferrer
Cocktail Reception Location: A private residence on the upper east side of Manhattan
Color Palette: Peach, Bright Green and White
Flowers: Mojito Green Hydrangea, Peach Juliet Garden Roses, Peach Ilse Spray Roses, White Mini Calla Lilies, White Stock, Seeded Eucalyptus

Image Courtesy of CMOStr Photography

Annette and Peter first came across our work at their friends Sissi & Denny’s wedding. Annette was complimenting our flowers to a mutual friend of ours and found out that we were the floral designers. She immediately wanted us to do her own wedding flowers! In fact they booked us even before having any idea of decor or colors they wanted. All planning for this event took place over the phone and email. This is becoming quite common with today’s couple’s busy schedules. Sadly, we didn’t even get to see the lovely bride when we delivered and set up.

This design concept sprang from the couple’s wedding colors along with some beachy accent accessories like shell photo frames and capiz dishes that Annette’s Mother purchased for them from her native Philippines.

The Bride’s and Matron of Honor Bouquets. The Bride’s bouquet contained Green Hydrangea, Peach Garden Roses, Peach Spray Roses, White Mini Calla Lilies, White Stock and Seeded Eucalyptus with crystal ribbon detailing. The Matron of Honor’s bouquet contained Green Hydrangea, Peach Spray Roses, White Mini Callas and Seeded Eucalyptus wrapped in Bright Green satin ribbon.

Image courtesy of CMOStr Photography

Image courtesy of CMOStr Photography

We decided on adding the crystal detailing at last minute. We thought the bouquet needed a little extra something and this was the perfect touch to really set the Bride’s bouquet apart.

Image courtesy of CMOStr Photography

Image courtesy of CMOStr Photography

Image courtesy of CMOStr Photography

The Groom wore a single White Mini Calla Lily with Seeded Eucalyptus. We wanted something light and airy as he would be wearing a traditional Filipino formal dress shirt called a Barong which is worn untucked and without a jacket. Mothers of the couple and Ninang (Godmothers in Tagalog) wore corsages of Peach Spray Roses and Seeded Eucalyptus. The Groomsman, Fathers to the couple and Ninong (Godfathers in Tagalog) wore boutonnieres of Peach Spray Roses and Seeded Eucalyptus.

We took this picture of the centerpiece outdoors to show the true beauty of the colors in the arrangement as indoor photos don’t come out as good for us. The centerpieces included Green Hydrangea, Peach Garden Roses, Peach Spray Roses, White Stock and Seeded Eucalyptus. We added shells and glass pieces to the inside of the vase to coordinate with the accessories that had been brought over from the Philippines. The centerpiece was formal yet relaxed which suited the cocktail reception.

The little glass pieces were also a last minute add on. Not sure if anyone else noticed but we fell in love with the way the glass amplified the colors of the shells. The little things excite us :-)

And here you see the need for the outdoor photo. Although this still looks pretty, the colors are distorted and the Seeded Eucalyptus looks a bit harsh. But we wanted to show these nonetheless because of how perfect they sat on those little cocktail tables with the fabulous votives Annette scored at CB2

Congratulations to the happy couple! Thank you for choosing us for your wedding. We hope all enjoy these photos and as always we invite comments below. Plus, see how this wedding all came together on Pinterest.

Fleur-Di-Re across the globe!

Tags

Dahlias, Evet Ich Will, Rustic Elegance, Style Art Life, Style Me Pretty

How cool is the internet? This bouquet of ours was featured on a wedding blog from Germany! Click here to see the full post. It was also featured on Style Me Pretty. Photo courtesy of Style Art Life.

What’s in it? Blush Dahlias and buds, Pink Ranunculus, White O’Hara Alexandra Farms Garden Roses and Peach Juliet David Austin Garden Roses hand-tied in burlap accented with ribbon from the bride, Dana’s Mother’s gown and a super cool and unique charm from Kristin Victoria Designs. Some fun facts about this bouquet:

• It took both myself and my mother to wrap it.
• Hidden inside the handle was a mess of floral tape and water tubes to keep the Dahlias fresh. Such beautiful and fussy flowers they are!
• The Peach Garden Roses were a last minute surprise addition. Those roses were earmarked to be broken apart and tossed on the aisle for the ceremony. They were considered “work roses” which is an industry term for roses that can be discounted because they have been at the wholesaler too long. But they were in excellent condition and we knew Dana would love the color so we added them in last minute. It was the perfect pop of color and ended up matching Dana’s shoes perfectly. They were meant to be!
• Dana had this vision for a piece of her Mother’s dress to be wrapped around the bouquet handle. Well when we received the dress, it was not preserved and was yellowing! I had no idea how we would make it work. I even asked if we could have veto power not to use it. She wasn’t going for it. LOL So we cut the dress into ribbons to find a usable piece and then frayed the edges. Voila! Presto Change O! Magically Dana’s vision came to life. It was a miracle and it looked fantastic. The perfect little extra something to give this bouquet a much sought after rustic elegance.

Weddings… They are always an adventure, even for the flowers. Have you had a “make it work” moment? Tell us about in our comments section. Thanks for reading. Come again soon. :-)

A Magical Snowed In Wedding With Lot’s of Warmth

Tags

Antique Chic Weddings, BHLDN, Chuppah, Hydrangea, Jenny Yoo, Marisa, Rustic Elegance, Style Me Pretty, The Round Hill House, Ulysses Photography

Jill & Brandon’s Wedding
As Seen On: Style Me Pretty
Venue: The Round Hill House
Photographer: Ulysses Photography
Hair: Stephanie of Sydney Madison Salon
Makeup: Shara Strand of Makeup by Shara
Bridal Gown: Marisa
Bride’s Jewelry: Judith Ripka
Bouquet Charm: BHLDN
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo
Flower Girl Dresses: Us Angels
Wedding Cake: The Pastry Garden
Color Palette: White/Ivory, Lavender, Peach and Orange
Flowers: Ivory and Peach Garden Roses, White Hydrangea, Ivory Ranunculus, Lavender Lisianthus, Seeded Eucalyptus, Baby’s Breath and Manzanita Branches

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Jill & Brandon’s wedding, a gorgeous antique chic styled event is one of our favorites. It did take many a twist and turn in the design process (colors, flowers, containers and bridal party members just to name a few!) to get it there. In addition, taking place during a blizzard of historic proportion in October! Jill would joke that the wedding was becoming a circus.  But we pride ourselves on being flexible in all phases of the design process, including when it comes to making changes. In Jill’s own words taken from the Style Me Pretty feature:

“Rachel and Merry of Fleur-Di-Re Custom Floral and Event Design, really helped to bring my vision to life. They used varying antique gold vases and table numbers with garden roses, seeded eucalyptus, ranunculus and hydrangea and wrapped the bouquets and boutonnieres in bark twine. I wanted a vintage romantic feel with a fall twist, and I couldn’t have dreamed of a more fitting floral design. When my Grandma passed away less than three months before the wedding, I changed my entire floral concept to incorporate her favorite flower, the rose. When I saw how beautiful everything turned out, I immediately thought of her, and felt like she was there.”

When we arrived we thought we may find Jill in tears over the storm but we were welcomed with hugs and kind words. Jill was a vision of grace. Despite the weather outside, the wedding was warm, swoon over romantic and the snow made it even more magical. And I can tell you there were certainly no circus side shows! ;-)

We didn’t stay, braving the snow to make it home to our families but we were secretly wishing our cars would get stuck  in the snow so we could join in on the festivities.

Enjoy these photos and stay tuned for a DIY post on how we created the unique table numbers used in this wedding. :-)  Also make sure to check out the full gallery in the SMP feature. You won’t be disappointed!  A big thank you to Ulysses and Jenni of Ulysses Photography for sharing these ah-mazing images with us. And of course thank you to Jill & Brandon for allowing us to take part in their special day. Congratulations guys!

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Brandon and his groomsman all wore White Ranunculus boutonnieres with Seeded Eucalyptus wrapped in a rustic bark twine. Boutonnieres are usually one of the easiest items to make in a wedding but the bark twine on these was sooo difficult to work with. It kept unraveling and had to be glued at the ends repeatedly. The look was totally worth it but if other floral designers are reading this, beware and practice wrapping with the material in advance!

Rustic charm with soft elegance.

Jill’s bridal bouquet was made with White Hydrangea and Ranunculus, the most amazing Lavender Lisianthus (the colors looked painted) and our favorite Garden Rose from David Austin Roses, the Peach Juliet all hand-tied in bark twine. It was breathtaking.

Though Hydrangea are a more expensive flower, you get a lot of bang for your buck because of their size making them budget friendly when used smartly. Jill’s Bridesmaid Bouquets literally contained two stems of Hydrangea and two stems of Seeded Eucalyptus, making them very cost effective.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

I love that there was nothing matchy matchy about this wedding yet everything coordinated beautifully. Kudos to Jill for choosing stunning Jenny Yoo Bridesmaid Dresses in a super flattering shade of eggplant. When I first saw the bridal party, I couldn’t get Jill’s circus comments out of my head and just thought, well that’s one classy circus ;-) They all looked amazing! The flower girls are wearing matching hair wreaths of Baby’s Breath with ribbon streamers at the back. They were precious.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

A great way to way to cut down on spending for your wedding decor is to repurpose your bridesmaid bouquets in simple vases. Especially if you have a large bridal party. You can place the bouquets on the cake table, window sills, mantles, bars, bathrooms and anywhere else they look pretty.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

These little paper cones filled with preserved rose petals were made by Jill. They are a simple, inexpensive DIY project that really adds to the ceremony bringing in a little fun factor for your guests and they sure are pretty.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

The Manzanita Branch arrangements at the sides of the Hoopah were also repurposed after the ceremony as table centerpieces. As long as they are easy to move and you have someone to do the moving, there is no harm or shame in repurposing items from your ceremony later on in the wedding. All these little money saving tricks will add up to quality versus quantity.  Personally I’d rather have fewer really special pieces than a bunch of run of the mill ones.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

We got a little obsessive and even painted the silver wires on these hanging votives gold to coordinate with the wedding. No one but us probably noticed but that’s just how we do things. We pay big attention to even the tiniest of details to bring an event together. Each piece is created how we would want for our own wedding. We don’t skimp on anything.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

These boxes are from my very own wedding. They were originally silver and green and we painted them gold just for Jill & Brandon. We still have them and they are available for renting or purchasing. Renting is another great money saver. As part of your florist’s fees you will pay a mark up on any hard goods they purchase for you. If they have items you can rent, you may be able to get the same containers you love at or below cost. If you’re concerned your guests won’t be able to take home the centerpieces (which most people love to do), your florist may have tricks that will allow the flower portion to be removed. These boxes have liners in them that are easily removed.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Mixing up your centerpiece containers and their heights will add interest to your room. Even the most amazing centerpieces may lose their impact when there is no variation throughout the room.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

These unique table numbers are actually the tops to the decorative boxes that some of the centerpieces were made in. We’ll post a DIY how to on these soon so stay tuned.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

The cake was decorated with fresh Orange Ranunculus and Peach Garden Roses.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

This image gets my vote for one of the cutest cake cutting photos!

Well that’s all for now folks. Thanks and come again soon! xoxo

Jill & Brandon’s Wedding Featured on Style Me Pretty!

Tags

Antique Chic Weddings, Hydrangea, Round Hill House, Style Me Pretty, Ulysses Photography

Yesterday we received the exciting news that we were again featured on the ultimate wedding blog, Style Me Pretty!  This is our third feature with them, this time for Jill & Brandon’s October “winter wonderland” wedding at the beautiful Round Hill House, photographed by the very talented Ulysses Photography.  This is a wedding we won’t ever forget for many a reason but first and foremost because it took place during Halloween weekend of 2011 which brought in a historic blizzard here in NY.  What could have been disastrous, tuned out to be a magical evening as you will see in the photos. Though I will soon post them on this site, you can check out the full SMP feature now here.

Image Courtesy of Ulysses Photography

Let’s show Carnations some Love

Tags

Carnations, Dusty Miller, Pink Wedding Flowers

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard the phrase “Anything but Carnations” from my brides.  And before I got into this business, I was just like them, thinking Carnations looked cheap and common and had pretty much zero appreciation for them.  But since I started designing with flowers I have seen so many amazing  Carnations… gorgeous colors and such a variety.  Not only that but they are super hardy, standing up to rough handling and lack of water.  Now let’s not insult them anymore.  They deserve our love.  When used in the right way, Carnations can look… well, expensive.  Check out this gorgeous bouquet I made with some Carnations I received on my birthday to play with.  Yes, giving me work is a gift ;-) Enjoy!

This bouquet contains Pink Carnations with a touch of Yellow with Dusty Miller, hand-tied in Burlap with Pearl Pin detailing.

A Nontraditional Approach to the Bridesmaid Dress

Tags

Art Vision Studio, Bridesmaid Dresses, Forever 21, Inexpensive Bridesmaid Dresses, Wedding Tips

Photo courtesy of Art Vision Studio.  See more from this wedding in our Portfolio – Deb & Adam

Doesn’t this bridal party look amazing? Sophisticated and sleek. You’d think those Bridesmaids must have paid a fortune for those designer dresses right? Think again. Think Forever 21. Think $28!… You can pick up your jaws now ;-) Deb, their beautiful and (thrifty) Bride wanted her girls to wear a dress they loved. Something that was flattering to all and that they were sure to wear again. Most importantly a dress that wouldn’t break the bank! We love that she thought out of the box when choosing her Bridesmaid dresses. Who says you have to buy your Bridesmaid dresses from a bridal salon? Deb says that several of her girls have worn their dresses again. I wish I had thought of that years ago when I got married.  Sorry ladies!  See below for more great little dresses from Forever 21 that could be Bridesmaid dress candidates for your wedding.

All of these Forever 21 picks are under $30!

Dana & Carl’s Wedding Featured on JLM Couture – Real Brides!

Tags

Blush Pink Wedding Flowers, Dhalias, Jim Hjelm, JLM Couture - Real Brides, Rustic Elegance, Style Art Life, Style Me Pretty

Dana & Carl’s Wedding, a little wedding we did this past Summer, has not only been featured on Style Me Pretty but now also on JLM Couture – Real Brides! This wedding is one of our favorites in our portfolio and we are so tickled with all the love it’s been getting. A big thank you to JLM Couture – Real Brides for the feature, to Style Art Life for your AH-MAZING photography and to Dana & Carl of course for your impeccable taste and for being so darn pretty!

Sissi & Denny’s Wedding Featured on Style Me Pretty!

Tags

Dahlias, Pink Wedding Flowers, Sissi Chan, Style Me Pretty, Wayne Yuan Photography, Woodbury Country Club

Sissi & Denny’s Wedding is featured on Style Me Pretty New York today! This is our second feature now on this super popular wedding blog. We are thrilled! Thank you to Wayne & Angela at Wayne Yuan Photography for submitting this wedding and for your beautiful photography. See the full feature here.

Bringing Country Cottage Charm to an L.I. Country Club

Tags

Chinese American Weddings, Cottage Chic Wedding, Dahlias, DIY Wedding Crafts, Pink Wedding Flowers, San Patrick, Sissi Chan, Wayne Yuan Photography, Woodbury Country Club, Wtoo

Sissi & Denny’s Wedding
Venue: Woodbury Country Club
Photographer: Wayne Yuan Photography
Hair & Makeup: Sissi Chan
Bridal Gown: San Patrick
Bridesmaid Gowns: Wtoo by Watters
Color Palette: All shades of Pink with Grey
Flowers: Blush Pink Dahlias, Pale Pink Beauty Asters, Hot Pink Matsumoto Asters, Medium Pink Hydrangea, Pink Sweet Unique Roses, Pale Pink Ranunculus, Bupluerum and Queen Anne’s Lace

I first met Sissi, years ago at a mutual friend’s party.  We were both just starting our businesses in the wedding industry and agreed we should network. Sissi is a fabulous hair and makeup artist.  Check out her work here. Though we only worked one wedding together, Sissi thought of us immediately when she began planning her own wedding and we were a great match for the quirky and casual country cottage look she was going for.

Sissi had a very clear vision for her wedding decor.  Not only did she supply her own centerpiece containers (Galvanized Steel Pails with wooden handles and Ball Mason Jars, but she also created many wonderful and crafty DIY projects that would make any Etsy fan swoon.  Look out for details like dreamy hanging paper pom poms, custom table numbers with floral fabric backing and mason jar votives wrapped in lace like paper.

Though she had a “vision”, Sissi was not rigid about it.  Brides please take note from Sissi…. When weather and availability became an issue with some of the flowers (Zinnias, Dahlias, Ranunculus) which sometimes happens, Sissi was the perfect example for a Bride.  She trusted our judgement and just went with it. When issues with flowers arise, there is a behind the scene flurry to quickly replace the problem items at our supplier.  There is for sure some sweat and anxiety on our part but we are professionals and always make it work! (Channeling Project Runway’s Tim Gunn)  In the end, even if a couple flowers were not what was originally planned no one knew the difference, the flowers were gorgeous and everyone was happy. Congratulations Sissi & Denny! Thank you for allowing us to take part in your special day.

Thank you to Wayne & Angela of Wayne Yuan Photography, for sharing these beautiful images with us.  View the rest of the images for this wedding below. Enjoy!

The ladies of Fleur-Di-Re delivering the bouquets to the beautiful bride. We always hand deliver our flowers ourselves. Not only do we love seeing our brides on their special day but we want to ensure that our clients are happy and that our work is not damaged in transit.

The aisle all dressed up with rose petals in just about every shade of pink with a handmade fabric aisle block and votives inside frosted Ball Mason Jars with lace-like paper wrapped around them, both delightful DIY projects by Sissi. In case you're wondering, that aisle is about 100 ft. long and those are petals from about 650 roses! Yowza!

These dreamy tissue paper pom poms were yet another fabulous DIY project by Sissi. We were happy to puff and hang them for her.

We've seen guests blow bubbles, toss rice and flower petals, but this is the first time we've seen this adorable and fun idea of tossing craft pom poms. Love it!

Family and special guests were given simple red boutonnieres and pin corsages, a Chinese tradition.

The bouquets and boutonnieres were all wrapped in Burlap. The bride's bouquet had an extra detailing of Raffia.

The Bridesmaids wore Grey, a hot trend right now.

Who says men have to be basic and boring for formal wear? We just adore these quirky bow ties worn by the Groom and his Groomsmen.

These table numbers are made of simple frames with floral fabric backing and utilitarian metal house numbers you can easily find at any hardware store. A little glue and you've got yourself beautiful and unique DIY table numbers.

The wedding cake was topped with Blush Dahlias and surrounded by the Bride and Bridesmaid's bouquets. This is always a great way to decorate the cake table in an inexpensive way.

Sissi wore three ensembles for her wedding day. A white wedding gown, a traditional red Chinese dress, and this hot little party dress. We love that this couple really let their personalities shine through for their big day.

Happy 5th Anniversary to my husband Ralph!

Tags

Antique Chic Weddings, J. Ferrara Photography, Lazaro, The View On The Hudson, White and Green Wedding Flowers

5 years ago, on this day, I married the love of my life.  Here, are some photos and details from our special day.  Enjoy!

Venue: The View On The Hudson
Photographer: J. Ferrara Photography
Floral Designer: Flowers On The Porch
Bridal Gown: Lazaro
Bride’s Shoes: Cole Haan (I thought my shoes were fabulous and comfy! Alas, I didn’t see any formal shoes on their site now)
Bride’s Jewelry: Nadri found at Nordstrom
Bridesmaid Gowns: Vera Wang (Couldn’t find these on her site.  Could it be she isn’t making bridesmaid gowns anymore? Oh my!)
Bridesmaid Jewelry: Crislu found at Bloomingdale’s (I gave one necklace to each bridesmaid as a thank you and asked that they wear it for the wedding)
Flowers: White Hydrangea, White Roses, White Ranunculus, White Lisianthus, White Dendrobium Orchids, Green Hydrangea, Green Roses and Green Carnations

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