Spring Wedding Flowers- Pink Ranunculus!

I cannot believe that we are just about finished with March! And weatherwise- what an unusual March it has been!
This year I grew ranunculus... oodles of them. Trouble is Ranunculus DO NOT LIKE HEAT!!!
So as March comes to an end so do my beautiful beds of ranunculus. But while they were here, I sure enjoyed designing with them.
Today's post features some of the pink ranunculus. I grew a variety called Amandine that I purchased from Fred C. Gloeckner. Big beautiful plants with strong stems and brilliant pink blooms.
The centerpiece design features both pink and white ranunculus, hellebore, leucojum, viburnum and pieris. These are all spring bloomers. The variegated leaves are from Green Spice Heuchera.
Pink ranunculus are just stunning massed in a simple rounded bouquet. These flowers just shout SPRING... They are at the top of my list for March and April weddings!
Next post will feature some more designs with ranunculus and other spring bloomers.

Daffodil Love!

This has been quite the year for daffodils. The first blooms started in mid February (see February 27th post- They're Back).
And while the season is winding down because of the above normal temperatures this spring- there's still about a week to ten days left... maybe.
Some new additions to the daffodil collection included some old favorites: King Alfred (actually a look alike of the renown heirloom) that produced gigantic blooms this year, Barrett Browning- a lovely narcissus with white petals and a dainty orange cup, and a large double narcissus called White Lion, (more about that one later).
So here are some two very different daffodil bouquets for weddings in March or early April.
I just love this all yellow bouquet above!!! These King Alfred blooms were HUGE this year and looked stunning with the black and white striped ribbon.
The next bouquet featured King Alfred daffodils, Paperwhites, Bridal Crown narcissi and Barret Browning- the fragrance was heavenly.
Vase life for flowers in the narcissi family is about five days... the cooler the temperatures the longer these flowers will last in a vase and in the garden.

Weddings- Kirsten and Daniel, The Real Pictures

Meet Kirsten and Daniel... hard to believe their wedding was almost nine months ago.It's always great to share the real wedding pictures of my couples, (and these are by the talented Katherine Fallis of Furnished Photography ).
But today I get to share a little more- I get to share some of their story....

The how "how we met" parts and "what was really important in preparing for our wedding" parts.
A mutual friend introduced Kirsten and Daniel when they were freshmen at NC State. The very next weekend they attended at State football game together.  And that shared love for NC State football led to four years of getting together for sporting events, then going together to church, and helping each other get through college. Daniel created a slideshow that captured all those special "together" moments, and as the slide show ended, he dropped to one knee and proposed!
Kirsten and Daniel wanted to focus on the important things, and one of those was where to get married...
Because of his mentor, friend and youth pastor, (whom Daniel first met at University United Methodist Church), this "Wolfpack" couple chose to get married in the very same church in Chapel Hill.
And how wonderful to have this friend, Justin, perform their wedding ceremony. What a beautiful setting, and it now has special meaning to both Daniel and Kirsten.
Bridesmaids and Maid of Honor were easy choices for Kirsten, her best friends who also happen to be her sisters, Cori and Camden, and her new sister (in-law), Carolina, who over the years has become another dear friend.
Daniel's best man was his Dad, and his groomsmen were his cousins, TJ and Sawyer.You see, the most important aspect for this couple for their wedding day was the opportunity to be together with their family and loved ones. There just wasn't a lot of stress about little details.
The joy was in joining their lives together as husband and wife with mothers and grandmothers and
fathers and grandfathers and aunts and uncles and cousins and friends there with them-
The people that matter most in your life coming together from all over the place to celebrate with you on your wedding day!

It's a family reunion...  only better.

Here are some words of advice from Kirsten- "Don't stress about it. The day is about spending time with your friends and families. No one is going to judge you on what table settings you had, or where you had the reception... Also you will look beautiful no matter put on- the most important thing to wear on your wedding day is happiness!"

Yellow Tulips and White Ranunculus for Spring Weddings

Last week I was so anticipating these beauties!!!They are early blooming tulips called Monte Carlo. I used some of these tulips last year for CeCe and Lee's late March wedding. But with the temps sailing past the 70's and into the 80's this week, these flowers exploded open very early!!!

I have picked them and used them in a few arrangements... Here are some pictures that show the fruit of my labor.
The design above features Monte Carlo tulips, muscari, hellebore and euphorbia from the garden along with Majolica spray roses. All of these garden flowers are ideal for early springtime wedding designs.
This spring bouquet is also a garden design of Monte Carlo tulips and white ranunculus with white snap dragons.
And here is another shot of the first design. Monte Carlo tulips are a lovely clear yellow. The flowers are double petaled (more petals than a regular tulip). The other yellow flowers peaking out from this design are pansies. Pansies have a short vase life (only about three days), and short stems, so I provide a hidden water source that allows me to place them where I want them in the design and take them out when they look faded.
Monte Carlo tulips or any other tulip are suitable for spring time weddings with moderate temperatures. If using them when the weather is warmer than normal be sure to keep them in a cool place!

11 Questions Go to Central America!!!

Just want introduce a sweet friend who has a heart for the LORD, and a heart for kids in Honduras.
Shannon took me up on the Questions game and I just wanted to post one of her answers that really spoke to me:

7) How long have you been blogging and what made you start? I started my blog about 3 years ago when I started raising support to move overseas as a missionary. I first named it Many the Miles because it seemed like it would be a long process before I ever got Honduras. Now I’m here, but realizing that the name is still fitting as the Lord is taking me continual journey of learning and growing in wisdom, culture, compassion, and grace. I have a ways to go as I learn about ministry here, but He is taking me every step.

Check out the rest of her answers (March 7th Post), and read about some exciting things that are happening in this part of the world at: Many the Miles

11 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me

Judy and Ellie

Last week I was tagged by Amy at Botanical Brouhaha to play this game of questions:

So Here Are the Rules:
1) You must post the rules
2) Answer eleven questions
3) Tag eleven other bloggers
4) Ask them eleven new questions

1) Who would you say has had the most influence on your life?
The person who has had the most influence on my life is Jesus Christ.

2) Why do you blog?
I blog to share about floral design and growing flowers and how the two sometimes intersect. I hope to encourage that love of flowers in others and maybe encourage them to try their hand at growing them as well. And I love sharing about the wonderful couples who have allowed me the privilege of designing their wedding flowers!

3) Which do you prefer- beach or mountains:
I prefer the mountains, BUT the rest of the family prefers the beach.

4) Name a flower you dislike.
I can't think of any flower I dislike, some I'm not crazy about, but I wouldn't say that I dislike any.

5) Name your favorite movie.
Favorite movie is The Lord of the Rings.

6) If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
Hind sight is 20/20, but if I could change anything I would love to go back to when my kids were little, knowing then, what I know now.

7) What is your favorite fashion trend from you lifetime so far?
I really enjoyed Indian cotton gauze shirts with lots of detail and intricate stitching etc. when I was younger- it's fun seeing updated versions coming around again. Nowadays I dress pretty casually- jeans and tee shirts. I also love scarves- don't wear them as much as I would like to though.

8) Do you dance?
Yes, when I have the opportunity.

9) Who's your favorite band?
Jars of Clay


10) Name one thing you hope to accomplish in your life.
Love well... My Lord, my family and those whose lives I touch and who touch my life.

11) What inspires you?
So many things- I am a visual person so I love to look at things and read things. It has been wonderful checking out the blogs of different floral designers and getting on Pinterest to check out everything else. And I love the beauty I see in nature- sunsets and sunrises, the changing of the seasons and so much more!!!

And here are my eleven questions:
1) What is your favorite season?
2) Are you a morning person or do you prefer staying up late?
3) What gives you joy?
4) What is you family like?
5) What would you prefer to grow if you had a garden- vegetables or flowers, and why?
6) What is a favorite memory from your childhood?
7) How long have you been blogging and what made you start?
8) What usually draws your attention at a wedding or special event?
9) Are you an introvert or extrovert?
10) Who is your favorite artist or musician?
11) How do you cope with disappointments?

Robyn @ Robyn Van Dyke Photography
Heba @ Heba Salama Photography
Cole @Blest Photography
Nicole @ http://nicoleshields.blogspot.com
Erin @ Floret Flower Farm
Tweeny Kau @ The Flower Lab
Belinda @ Wild Acre
Morgan @ Valley Flower Company
Lara @ Lara Without a U
Shannon @ Many The Miles


PS: This took me longer than I thought... maybe I thought about it too much. I hope all of you tagged can play along too, as Amy said in her post- I understand if you are too busy!

Happy 1ST Anniversary Emma & Bobby!!!

Can't believe it's been a year since this sweet couple walked down the aisle. And today they are celebrating their FIRST Wedding Anniversary!!!

Wishing you all the best as you start Year Two!

The picture above is by Amanda Olson Photography 

And Emma is getting behind the camera too! Check out her work @ Emma Emery Photography

Weddings- Megan and Kyle

Yesterday was such a special day for a very special couple- a day to get married. And that's just what Megan and Kyle did just a few hours ago!
This day has been a long time in coming... The first time I met Megan and Kyle was last April at the Southern Bridal Show & Expo in Raleigh. They stopped by my booth and then they both came for the floral consultation a few weeks later.
Megan's primary color was purple, and though the flower choices changed a little, I think that she was quite happy with the final outcome. It was great showing her this bouquet for her wedding day.
Jewel tone purple lisianthus and stock, plum colored hellebore and tulips, and lavender freesia and were nestled among apple green viburnum and lisianthus buds with stems of fragrant rosemary. It was a sweet nod to the coming of spring.

The Maid of Honor bouquet featured white Akito roses, ivory Majolica spray roses, waxflowers, hydrangea and button mums.

And the Toss Bouquet was a lovely mixture of jewel colors, ivories and whites.
And because I had a little extra time, I wanted to make sure that I got Kyle's boutonniere just right!
So here are the three that Megan chose from:

1) A plum colored hellebore from the garden with a single lisianthus bud

2) A stem of lavender freesia with a ruffle of stock, and

3) A rich purple lisianthus flower with a stem of fresh Rosemary

And that one is the one that Megan chose.

I am so happy for you two... it's been almost twelve hours since you said "I do!"
Praying God's blessing for you as you begin your lives together!