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

Massed Greenery

This is a great example of how JUST greenery can be used to make a statement. Take a peek in your garden and see if you have any interesting foliage that you can bring in, and give this a try at home.  Don't forget to always pull of any leaves that will be under the water line as it promotes the growth of bacteria. In the photo below I used Mexican Orange greenery, which I find quite beautiful because of it's glossy leaves.

Green Spider Mums

I must say I am a big fan of mums, especially spider mums! These green ones have to be my favorite. In this design, I wanted the intensity of the flowers to be consistent, so I've paired the mums with some bright pink carnations and purple limonium. All these flowers are extremely long lasting, so there is always good value when using them!