Cafe Au Lait Dahlias and Amnesia Roses for Mary and Brad's Wedding

They're coming home tonight from their honeymoon- home to a new way of life- my daughter, Mary, and her husband, Brad, are now newlyweds!

So many folks were involved in helping pull things together for their wedding- friends, brothers, aunts and uncles...
 Brad's Mom, Terry, put together a WONDERFUL dessert table with 500 individual, homemade, very yummy little cheesecakes- they were incredible!!!
Wilson was the behind the scenes man, setting up the arbor for the ceremony and making OODLES of wooden boxes for centerpiece designs.
 I even had boutonniere help from Mary's sister, Natalie, and of course my friend, Sandy, came over to help with the flowers as well.
The flowers.. Mary would send me a link or put images on Pinterest to give me ideas of what she and Brad liked. Soft muted colors, her favorite flower- Amnesia roses, and to humor me- something from my gardens. I joked with her last April... "I'm planting these Cafe Au Lait Dahlias just for your bouquet..."
I was so excited the Lord gave me some beautiful blooms to pick from !

 Brad and Mary wanted to use succulents for the boutonnieres. Here are a couple of images of Natalie's creations.

We used Wilson's wooden boxes for many of the centerpiece designs.

And filled them with Amnesia roses, eucalyptus, Majolica spray roses, hydrangeas and wax flowers.
A great "do ahead" were some of the small wooden boxes filled with succulents.

Hopefully some of these babies will keep on growing in their new potted homes.
All in all it was a crazy, wonderful time.

 And now the new chapter is about to begin... Brad and Mary, I am praying God's blessing for you as you begin your wedded life... Love, Mom

Weddings- Looking Back and Looking Ahead

I have been so blessed to have the privilege to work with so many wonderful couples in designing wedding flowers for their special day in 2011. It is a privilege that I do not take for granted.
I love getting to know each bride and sometimes other family members and yes, sometimes even the groom. From that first meeting until their wedding day, I am reviewing in my mind the color palette, the flowers and special ways to express each couple's style. Sometimes it is with timeless, traditional flowers such as roses and callas.Sometimes it means adding that just right piece of foliage material to set off the rest of the flowers.

Some of my couples want designs that pull together elements from the garden and nature.
I will often step into my own flower beds or go for walks in wooded areas to look for special finds that will be the perfect compliment for her bouquet or maybe his boutonniere...

That will add a bit of spicy fragrance or

or a touch or whimsy

Whenever possible I look for those flowers or vines or pods that will be growing or blooming at the same time each year as their wedding day.
BECAUSE someday these may become the treasures that SHE would want to learn to grow in her own GARDEN and if so... I would LOVE to show her how....
And for 2012... Can't wait to meet and work with all those new couples who are getting married!

Weddings- Nicole and Rob, the Real Pictures

Nicole and Rob are celebrating their 1st Month anniversary today, so I thought I would use this special day to share these great images that were captured by their very gifted photographer, Robyn, of Robyn Van Dyke Photography.
This newly wedded couple could not have picked a better day in January for their wedding at the Chapel at St. David's School in Raleigh. While most of January was bleak and cold, the 16th brought a bit of warmth and blue skies.
Nicole's bouquet was designed with Amnesia roses, which have such a lovely vintage quality.
And what better to pair them with then some absolutely gorgeous purple shoes. I love the shoes!!!


The decor was a stylish combination of eclectic pieces that worked beautifully together: an antique typewriter welcoming guests, brass candlesticks, lanterns, dried bundles of lavender and flowers in purple, blue and lavender shades.
Flowers for the tables were nestled in white creamers and pitchers and set out with thoughtful touches such as photos of past family wedding days.


Nicole's bridesmaids carried baby's breath posies wrapped in satin ribbon.
What a beautiful Bride!!!
I am very grateful to Robyn Van Dyke (check out her website at: www.robynvandykephotography.com) for sending me these beautiful images that she captured from Nicole and Rob's wedding, and to Nicole and Rob for allowing me to share them with others.
Nicole and Rob, I wish you all the best as you begin the second month of the rest of your lives together!!!

Weddings- Rob & Nicole

Yesterday was the wedding day for Nicole and Rob. Nicole is a dear friend of my daughter, Mary, and Nicole's Mom, Helen, is a dear friend of mine. It was a joy to design her wedding flowers. Nicole loved the antique look of Amnesia roses, so this was the flower she chose for her bridal bouquet.
The look was definitely vintage. Milk glass, white pitchers and dainty white creamers held an assortment of purple and lavender tones, mixed with creams, whites and blues. I must admit there was not a lot to gather from the garden beds. My rosemary and lavender bushes are some of the faithful plants I have in the middle of winter- so I cut some stems from them, as well as some scented geranium, ivy and holly fern. Nicole was responsible for a charming eclectic look for the reception tables as well as whimsical touches that greeted the guest as they entered the hall. I hope to have some of those images soon from talented Robyn and her husband, Jordan, of Robyn Van Dyke Photography. I recommend that you check out her website at: http://www.robynvandykephotography.com
I designed this letter "S" to hang above the dessert table. It was created with dried larkspur and lavender and tiny black seeds with little white hearts from "Love In A Puff". This is one of my favorite plants to grow in the summer and fall garden. I will be posting a DIY on dried flowers soon that features this design. In the meantime, I want to wish this dear couple great joy as they begin their married life- Rob and Nicole, I am so happy for you!!!