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Villa Marco Polo Inn - Italian Inspiration Shoot

One of the most beautiful locations in Victoria for a small wedding with European flair has got to be the Villa Marco Polo Inn. The boxwood lined gardens are elegant and private and depending what month it is, filled with roses, clematis or rhododendrons. It would even be great for rehearsal dinners or small family functions.

The following are photos from an Italian inspired wedding shoot featured on FAB YOU BLISS a wedding and lifestyle blog. Every photo shoot you learn something new and it's always such a pleasure working with other local talented vendors.

Enjoy!

(Bouquet - peonies, parrot tulips, camellia, red current, anemones,ranunculus)

 

Kim Kalyn Photography - photography

Villa Marco Polo Inn - location

Tuktu Paper Co. - invitations and stationary

Erin Bradley & Conscious Hair - make up and hair

The White Peony - Anna Campbell dress

Outlooks Menswear - suit

Toque Catering - food

Summer Wedding Flowers

With such beautiful weather and very little chance of rain, summer is the most popular time of year to get married.  If you are considering getting married in the months of June, July or August the following are some of my favorite local flowers available. All these flowers can be grown here in Victoria in your garden if you have a green thumb. But for us florists when larger quantities are needed for weddings many of these flowers can be ordered from the main land where there are some fabulous greenhouse growers.

JUNE -  delphiniums, peonies and lady's mantle

JULY - sweet peas, peony, dusty miller

AUGUST - dahlias and roses

Alstroemeria - available 12 months of the year in a variety of colors


How important is "supporting local growers" in your wedding planning?

 

Fresh From the Field Wedding Flowers - blog give away

So it's no secret that I have been a long time fan of Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farm. Last summer I even had the chance to attend her first floral workshop co-hosted with Amy Merrick and see her farm first hand. That was an incredible experience in itself and you can read more about it here. So when the opportunity arose to do a give away of her new book "Fresh From the Field Wedding Flowers" I jumped on it! The book was co-authored with Lynn Byczynski a longtime flower farmer, and founding editor and publisher of Growing for Market.

This book is jammed packed with great information. The benefits of using local flowers, floral design basics, growing and handling advice for more than 100 plants, and so much more!! Not only is there lots of eye candy in this 112 page book but it also comes with a disc with four video tutorials totaling more than 75 minutes. I totally recommend this book to any flower lover. Have you ever wanted to learn how to make a hand tied bridal bouquet or boutonnieres? Or are you just curious about the local flower movement and learning to grow?

Well now is the chance to have your questions answered. All you have to do to WIN your FREE copy of "Fresh From the Field Wedding Flowers" is share something with me in the comments below.

 I would love to know why you would like this book (eg. you want to grow your own wedding flowers, or learn some basic floral design)

OR 

if you grow some flowers already please share with us one of the easiest flowers to grow (so that we can all try them too!) My recommendation is Zinnias!

I will announce the the winner on my Facebook page May 30th!!

https://www.facebook.com/TaraMcHughFlora

Empress Hotel Photo Shoot

I recently received some gorgeous photos from the girls over at Two Tiny Elephants. They had asked me to do up a bridal bouquet for a photo shoot they were doing at the Empress Hotel. It's always very exciting to see my flowers in a beautiful shoot! I just can't get over the blue chair, red lips, and that dress, I love it all!! What do you think?

The bouquet was filled with local speckled hellebores, tulips, viburnum, freesia and fern.

To view this whole shoot please visit the Two Tiny Elephants blog.

Photography - Two Tiny Elephants

Invitation and stationary - Two Tiny Elephants

Dress and accessories - Blush Bridal

Hair and make-up -  Rika Kirihara

Flowers - Tara McHugh Flora

Location - Fairmont Empress Hotel

Still loving flower crowns?

Still loving flower crowns? I hope so, because I still am! I  love them big and full for the bride who wants a statement piece. Or, small and delicate for a more understated natural look. 

Here are a few pics from a recent spring photo shoot. It was a fun collaboration with the girls over at

 TWO TINY ELEPHANTS.

 (wax flower, seeded eucalyptus, rhododendron)

 

 (hellebore and pieris japonica hair piece)

Flowers: Tara McHugh Flora

Location: Ma-Luxe Studio 

Dress: White Peony 

Photography:  Two Tiny Elephants

Hair: Colin Bear

Make-Up: Ma-Luxe Studio

To see more beautiful pictures by Two Tiny Elephants head on over to their blog at http://www.twotinyelephants.com/blog/

 

Sea Cider Wedding - Victoria, BC

I'm happy to share some beautiful photos taken by Kim Kalyn Photography from a wedding last September. This beautiful couple was married at the Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse.

It was recently featured on Weddingbells and you can read and view more on the wedding here.

What I loved about this wedding was that 90% of the flowers were local and organic. The only flowers we special ordered were the white hydrangeas and the blush "Juliet" garden roses. I particularly loved the chartreuse green zinnias in the bridesmaids bouquets!