Archive for May, 2009

Farmer’s Market Inspiration

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

I am in full spring gardening mode and love checking out all the local greenhouses and the farmer’s market for unique flowers and inspiration. A few weeks ago I found gorgeous opal basil at a farm that will be perfect for next weeks wedding flowers. The flower color range is dark to light purples and the basil will add a gorgeous, velvety ,deep purple accent.

Opal Basil

Opal Basil

This morning I struck out to the local farmer’s market to look for purple kale and other unique flowers and edibles for this same wedding. I didn’t find the kale I wanted but did sit and share a scone with my son Wyatt and listed to a great bluegrass band called Rock Spring The first song they played was Pachelbel’s Canon in D, one of the traditional processional songs for wedding ceremonies. You wouldn’t expect to hear this from a bluegrass band but it sounded so cool and fun and different…the key word being different! I do love the traditional strings for ceremonies but having a bluegrass band put a spin on those traditional songs is what makes a wedding stand out from all the rest.

So don’t be afraid to hire that steel drum player you heard at a local club, book the blue grass band for your ceremony or to ask your florist to create a design using unexpected elements…seek out inspiration in unexpected places, create your own traditions and infuse your celebration with pieces that make you smile. All your guests will smile along with you!

Favorite Flowers

Monday, May 11th, 2009

I love creating beautiful and unique flower arrangements for my clients…the variety of blooms, grasses, vines and berries continue to amaze and inspire me. I thought I’d share some of my favorite creations with you. A few funky, some cool and contemporary, lush and romantic and one or two right out of the garden. Enjoy!

Very funky and sculptural tent pole flowers. Most of flowers were picked from the events site's private gardens! Photo by Tonee Harbert

Very funky and sculptural tent pole flowers. Most of the flowers were picked from the events site's private gardens! Photo by Tonee Harbert

Simple, cool and contemporary cocktail table flowers using horsetail and roses.

Simple, cool and contemporary cocktail table flowers using horsetail and roses.

Gorgeous dahlias grown especially for this September wedding from Endless Summer Flower Farm in Camden.

Gorgeous dahlias grown especially for this September wedding from Endless Summer Flower Farm in Camden.

White perfection with orchids, calla lilies and peonies.

White perfection with orchids, calla lilies and peonies.

Lush pink peonies perfect for a June bride. Photo by Brian Wedge.

Lush pink peonies perfect for a June bride. Photo by Brian Wedge.

Groupings of pink, green and white flowers highlighted by tall arrangements of peonies and orchids. Love the lime accents!

Groupings of pink, green and white flowers highlighted by tall arrangements of peonies and orchids. Love the lime accents! Photo by David Murray.

Gorgeous dahlias and funky coleus grown specifically for the cocktail tables.

Gorgeous dahlias and funky coleus grown specifically for the cocktail tables. Photo by Tonee Harbert.

Love the orange and blue combination!

Love the orange and blue combination! Photo by Geneve Hoffman.

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The curly fiddlehead accents are fantastic! Photo by Geneve Hoffman.
Lush, romantic centerpieces. Photo by Emilie Sommer.

Lush, romantic centerpieces. Photo by Emilie Sommer.

Stefanie & Tom, Laudholm Farm

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

Stefanie and Tom are an absolutely lovely couple who live five minutes away from me. This was unique as so many of my clients are from out of town and I rarely get to spend as much face time with my clients as I did with Stef and Tom. We worked very closely for over a year planning and designing a gorgeous affair.

Stefanie wanted a magical midsummers night dream feel which we created with lush flowers, a canopy of birch trees lit with golden twinkle lights and lots of candles. It helped that the celebration site was at Laudholm Farm in Wells, Maine which is one of the best venues in the southern Maine seacoast. The ceremony was in the wonderful barn with Stefanie arriving in style in an antique Bently. Cocktails followed on the lawn off the main house with Jeff Clayton of PanNeubean Steel creating a fun island vibe on the steel drum. At dusk guests walked to the tented reception in the field overlooking the gorgeous view of meadows and the far away ocean. A fantastic three course dinner was served by Kitchen Chicks Catering, which included a sorbet course whimsically served in half a lemon peel. The early evening was gorgeous and Stef and Tom snuck away for a few minutes for some stunning photos in the fields. The whole day was captured beautifully by the wonderful and incredibly talented Emilie Sommer and her husband J.

Stef and Tom embraced every moment of their celebration and smiled all night long ….from the teary ceremony, to dancing under the dreamy birch canopy and sharing cheers and alot of love with all their family and friends and finally finishing off the night with a festive sparkler farewell.

Photos courtesy of Emilie Sommer. You can see more of Emilie’s photos of Stef and Tom’s party highlighted on The Knot’s Real Weddings.

Stefanie arriving for the ceremony - fantastic shot with the reflection of her maids in the window!

Stefanie arriving for the ceremony - fantastic shot with the reflection of her maids in the window!

The barn ready for the ceremony.

The barn ready for the ceremony.

Stefanie's dramatic entrance.

Stefanie's dramatic entrance.

A perfect setting.

A perfect setting.

How sweet are they!?

So sweet!

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The reception tent with birch trees and golden twinkle lights.

Glass ornament favors displayed on grapevine trellises.

Glass ornament favors displayed on grapevine trellises.

pomanders and candles in mason jars hang off a beautiful old oak tree.

Sherbert rose pomanders and candles in mason jars hang off a beautiful old oak tree.

Lush, romantic centerpieces.

Lush, romantic centerpieces.

Decadent and elegant cake from Beach Pea Bakery in Kittery.

Decadent and elegant cake from Beach Pea Bakery in Kittery.

Enjoying a wonderful toast by Stef's dad.

Enjoying a wonderful toast by Stef's dad.

First dance..Stef's dress and veil were stunning!

First dance..Stef's dress and veil were stunning!

A festive end to a dreamy day!

A festive end to a dreamy day!

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