Yellow wedding

This will be the last post on my sister's wedding! There were just lots of fun details I had to share. Like this sign below which I requested of my brother-in-law, and he made it with old wood just like I wanted! Thanks Rick!

 All the floral designs I made did double duty. They were first used for the backyard ceremony and then we hauled everything up to the golf course hall. These were used on the refreshment table.

I kept things simple because I didn't want to spend to much time "arranging" flowers. The easiest way to keep things simple is to buy lots of one type of flower and mass them together. Like I did with the gladiolas above.

I had ordered some green carnations (which do not look like this) but being in a different city and dealing with a different wholesaler I got the wrong flower. With flowers having so many different names it happens. Anyways, these carnations were too pale for my color palette, but by putting them in a patterned vase it helped spruce them up. I hate to waste any flower!

I have never used spider mums in a wedding before and I really enjoyed it. They were nice and hardy and managed in the heat very well. Not to mention they last well out of water so are great in bridal bouquets too!

Well I think that covers it! Oh wait, one more picture.........my mother did a candy buffet which was very colorful and not only did the kids love it but the adults did too! That's my daughter stealing a jelly bean!

Pinwheel Wedding

My sister's wedding a few weeks ago went off without a hitch thanks to the hard work of family. Especially my parents! My mother who is the super duper scrapbooker/crafter of the family took my idea of a pinwheel wedding and ran with it. Her and my dad made about 200 pinwheels of various sizes which we used to decorate my sister's backyard, where she had the ceremony. After the ceremony (with the help of cousins) we moved them up to the golf course hall where the reception party and dinner was held.

Something that was really "sweet" was to see the 100 tiny pinwheels that my mom made for the cupcakes........

thecupcakeladybc.com

For decor we also placed two pinwheels back to back in glass vases filled with sand for the tables...... (note: the table markers my mom also made, each one had a different picture of the bride and groom)

We just couldn't do pinwheels! So we also used paper bunting, that yes my mother made! I know, I know, she must have been cutting paper for weeks. My dad was her crafting side kick, and thanks to him the pinwheels spun beautifully. We ended up having some wind that day to test them too, and not one of them broke! The bunting on the other hand we did start to get worried about but it survived too!

For the ceremony we hung the bunting off a tree in the shape of a tent to sort of act as an alter. As a surprise to my family my sister had asked my uncle to do the ceremony for them!

For this casual, fun DIY backyard wedding I think we scored a 10! I can't think of one thing I would have changed (except for my wine consumption..haha!) and I hope my sister feels the same way.

Stay tuned for one more post on my sister's wedding, last one I promise! What can I say, too many great details and shots for one post.

Yellow Bridal Bouquets

This will be my first of probably a few posts on my sister's wedding this past weekend. I have too many great pictures to do just one post on this lovely event. So, I am starting with the wedding party flowers. My sister did not want to wear a traditional white dress so she opted for a beautiful cocktail length pewter grey dress which fit her perfectly! The main color throughout the wedding was yellow which has always been her favorite.

beautiful sister and beautiful niece

white freesia, white spider mums, yellow mokara orchids, 

billy balls, berzillia and yellow kermit mums

It's always nice to be able to add a special touch to a bride's bouquet. For my sister I added my grandfather's wedding ring so that he could be apart of her important day in spirit as he is no longer with us.

For her Maid of Honor I did a simple bouquet of spider mums and freesia tied with a bold striped ribbon.

And lastly, the final touch were these golden yellow mokara orchids in my sister's hair! Just gorgeous!! 

In My Garden - Phlox and Fuschia

I must admit my garden is not at it's best right now. I just don't seem to have much in bloom and with fall being just around the corner leaves are starting to drop. My 4 year old daughter quite enjoys flower arranging, so the other day we wondered around to see what we could find in the garden for her to use. We ended up finding some wonderfully scented white phlox, and some nice vibrant fuschia in bloom. This is her creation which I must say I absolutely love!!

Using mismatched vases

As you may have noticed there are two design principles which I love to use in my work. Repetition and symmetry. But once in awhile it's nice to spice things up! In the floral installation below I used five vases in different shapes and sizes, and all with different specimens inside. What I like about this, is that you get to enjoy each flower or green individually but they have more of an impact grouped together than if they were displayed alone.

Most people at home have a collection of mismatched vases from gifts etc. This is a good way to use them! Do a grouping in your entry or on your dining table. I find it most effective if you stick to one color. Experiment and have fun!

Okanagan Beauty

My recent holiday in the Okanagan was wonderful. I had many warm mornings spent at the beach with my kids, sand between their toes enjoying every ray of sunshine they could get. Family dinners with grandparents, and cousins in my sister's backyard. And lots of wedding planning for my sister's upcoming wedding in September. Speaking of weddings, I saw some spectacular wedding locations at various wineries! For my sister's stagette we did a wine tour....

Lake Okanagan

La Frenze Winery - what a view!

Lake Breeze Winery - great spot for a bite to eat!

Poplar Grove Winery - brand new building!

Ruby Blues - very passionate owners, great tasting!

Hope you are all having a great summer where ever you are enjoying the sunshine! Support British Columbia wine makers! Cheers.

Brentwood Bay Lodge Wedding

A beautiful sunny day at Victoria's Brentwood Bay Lodge was the location for this wedding. The ceremony was held on the dining room patio with a backdrop of blue skies, soaring trees and boats in the marina.

dahlias, mums, green hydrangea, hypericum berries,variegated pittosporum & curly willow

I loved the modern black chairs used on the patio for the ceremony! A nice change from the typical white which is often used. And that giant awning is a great touch, it really helps to keep your guests comfortable and dry!

Bridal Bouquet - dahlias, ornithogalums, dendrobium orchids

Bridesmaids - Solid purple in various shades using dahlias and mums

Centerpieces - white and green hydrangea with a touch of purple topped with curly willow

The reception dinner for the 40 guests was held in a private dining room with it's own deck over looking the hotel's pool and Brentwood Bay. I am sure everyone enjoyed themselves, how could you not at such a beautiful location!

         http://www.brentwoodbayresort.com/spa