Autumn Splendor

Leslie and Andrew are just the sweetest, most thoughtful couple!  It was a pleasure working with them to capture their style and personalities through their wedding florals- distinctively elegant but comfortable,  rustic but modern, simple but with little ornate touches.

My B.F.F. Angel Swanson of Events of Love and Splendor referred me to this sweet couple- she knew I would LOVE them and fit their style perfectly.  Thanks, Angel!

Photographer Jennifer Rau captured the day so perfectly!

Leslie is delicate and beautiful.

A luscious bouquet of autumnal treasures- deep red “hearts” roses, vivid purple anenomes, orange ranuncula, circus roses, and rose hips, and tangerine dahlias, arranged in a tight, modern fashion.

So many whimsical picture spots at Saddlerock Ranch!  It must be a photographer’s dream venue.

These look really really appealing to me right now!

We decked out the pre-existing arch structure with lush clusters of flowers and tangled vines and branches.  Don’t you love how the chinese lantern flowers just pop? 

Andrew and Leslie gave Angel free reign on the escort table, and she did such an amazing job setting up this little vignette.  I added arrangements in mossy pots to the table.

Here’s a little peak at the centerpieces.  Leslie and Andrew love texture and color, and wanted to bring a rustic quality to the tables without going too wild or loose with the florals.  They prefer a clean, modern look.  I love how perfectly the badam pods mimic the dark stained wooden boxes.

More yummmm!

A dream wedding…

Thank you Leslie and Andrew for choosing me to florify your gorgeous wedding!  I hope your wedding day was nothing short of spectacular, and that you’re enjoying every moment of married life.  Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity.

• event design, planning + coordination: events of love and splendor
• ceremony & reception venue: saddlerock ranch – malibu, ca
• photography: jennifer rau
• catering: the kitchen for exploring foods – pasadena, ca
• florals: the treasured petal
• cake: sweet and saucy shop
• rentals: classic party rentals – culver city, ca
• band: the cowling band ~ west coast music
• ceremony music: classical guitarist ~ west coast music
• escort card vignette rentals: {found} vintage rentals
• hair and makeup: the lovely sherry mcanelly from on location beauty

Quick Bump Shot

I’m finally at the point where strangers are comfortable asking about my pregnancy without fear of being slapped (aka, I don’t just look bloated anymore!)

Trista Lerit will be taking maternity pics of me in a few weeks, so I’m busy planning my wardrobe.  Something cozy and flattering that shows off the bump nicely… any ideas?  Any cute maternity clothes sources that I might not know of?

A Quiet Seaside Ceremony

It’s been a little while since I blogged, and I thought I’d ease back into it by posting just a few pics of a recent ceremony.  It took place in Pines Park overlooking the ocean.  The beautiful bride and groom, Dawn and Joe, had gone through so many trials during their engagement.   I got to know the character of their love as I watched them surpass each trial with grace and joy.

Our first consultation was almost 2 years ago (!) and I’ll never forget how Dawn described her style.  “I’m a T-shirt, jeans and flip flops with diamond earrings kind of gal”.  It’s totally true!  Both having grown up as beach bums, their style is casual and beachy, but with a touch of refined elegance.

Their ceremony was peaceful, organic and soothing. Contentment was in the breeze!  Best way I can describe it.

Thank you to JAC photography for these insanely beautiful pictures.  Dawn, a photographer herself, chose very, very well.

Dawn’s bouquet was a lush blend of dahlias, succulents and orchids, including my favorites, Cattleyas.

The groom, Joe, created that beautiful cross from driftwood he found at the beach.

Precious enough for a J. Crew catalog!  Such beautiful wispy haired girls.

I really love the aisle treatment for this ceremony.  Beautiful chunks of driftwood, coral and ocean rocks lined the aisle.  Bamboo bowls filled with orchids sat atop huge monstera leaves, waiting to be tossed at the bride and groom as they made their way back down the aisle.

Another look at Dawn’s bouquet…

We hung simple orchid leis accented with starfish from the trees.

Magical!

Congratulations, Dawn and Joe!  May the same peace and contentment of your beautiful ceremony live on every day in your marriage.  It was an honor working with you 🙂

A “Cute as a Button” Wedding!

I’m overjoyed to finally be able to share this incredibly cheery, stylish wedding with you!  There is just too much to love about it.

Let me start with Kristin, a bride after my own heart!  Her smile is contagious, she is a graphic artist with such amazing style, and she’s even more obsessed with her dog Baxter than I am with my Pesto and Basil 🙂  She came to me with a vision:  to enhance Rancho Las Lomas’ rustic Spanish charm with hip and happy yellow, white and black flowers,  Spanish tiles acquired from Mexico, and plenty of sewing-related DIY touches.

Then there’s the vendor team:  My best gal pal and “heart twin” Angel Swanson of Events of Love and Splendor, the super sweet and talented Michael Norwood, the unbeatable Melody of Sweet and Saucy Shoppe, and Kristin-the-bride who created all her own paper goods herself.  Honestly, I have never seen such gorgeous invites, programs, and table numbers.  You’ll see!

I’m so delighted that Style Me Pretty just featured this wedding!  As I saw it all come together on the day of, I just thought, “This wedding is soooo SMP worthy!”  Check out the beautiful post here.  Be sure to peruse the gallery of over 100 detail shots for a massive dose of cute.

And now, for some of my favorite details, with a little commentary of course 🙂

Kristin and Mike, amongst the orange groves of Rancho Las Lomas.

Let’s see that bouquet again, shall we?A little closer… Kristin gave me different knick knacks and buttons to use on her bouquet wrap, including a gorgeous stone heart that her sweet mommy carried on her own wedding day.  I had fun with this wrap!

Kristin’s little baby, Baxter!  Such a cute little scruff McGruff 🙂

Guests passed this giant flower-adorned birdcage on their way to the ceremony.  Props to my assistant Shana for her floral skillz!

I also got to get crafty on the bridesmaids’ bouquet wraps!

A twiggy, flower-drenched arch was the perfect focal point for the ceremony, with lush flower and berry bouquets lining the aisle.

This arch used to intimidate the heck out of me, as it”s really high and a bit tricky to decorate. But over the years I’ve become an expert 🙂

The button mums fit our “button” theme quite well.

A Kristin-the-bride creation!  Gorgeous linen programs with yellow stitching.  Why are my brides so awesome??

One of the cutest escort card displays I’ve ever seen, with yellow stitched cards and piles of assorted buttons.

The guest tables featured 3 different types of arrangements, giving the room plenty of character.

A trio of arrangements in recycled Spanish glass vases.

A collection of bud vases with unique, stand-alone flowers.

A footed glass bowl bursting with flowers.

A dessert display worthy of the small screen and *almost* too precious to eat.  If this cake looks familiar, it’s because Melody’s creations were featured on TLC’s Fabulous Cakes show.

Cheers to Mike and Kristin!  Many thanks to Michael Norwood for capturing every single detail so perfectly.

Bridal Bazaar!

Here’s my chance to make my garage a bit more earthquake safe.  I’m getting rid of the heaps of glass vases, pottery, manzanita branches, metal urns, candles, and more stacked up precariously on my shelves.  Please come take it off my hands!

It’s a flea market of sorts that will take place at In the Now’s gorgeous studio.

The Designers On-Board So Far:
1. In The Now
2. Events of Love and Splendor
3. Joyful Weddings and Events
4. Jesi Haack Weddings
5. Simply Modern Weddings
6. The Treasured Petal 🙂
7. JL Designs

Not only will I be selling off neat-o wedding containers and trinkets for great prices, I will be displaying some  of my handcrafted etsy accessories to see, try on, and take home!

Here are a few recent creations that may make their appearance…

A froufy white cocktail hat with bunched up veiling and a fluffy feather flower. So chic!

And here is a headband inspired by a stem of rich purple phalaenopsis orchids.  I wanted it to look like the stem is wrapped over the head.  Each petal is handcut, stiffened, and singed around the edges to give it a bit of natural curve.

Thanks so much to Ashleigh Taylor Photography for sending over these images from  two super stylish photoshoots!

See you at the Bazaar!!!

A Manly Table!

So, how’s a girl like me ( high school cheerleader,  favorite color is fuchsia, takes ballet, prefers dresses over jeans any day) supposed to come up with a kick butt manly table? With the help of  the adorable superwomen Lucia and Henny of D’Lish designs, anything is possible!

Talented photographer and all around great guy, Jeffrey Neal asked D’Lish and I to collaborate on a detail-rich tablescape for his photography workshop.  He only asked that the table NOT be too pretty, froufrou, ruffly and that it use the color orange (his favorite color.)  Oh yeah, and if we could work in beer and cigars?  Even better!

To set the vibe, Lucia showed me pictures of this amazing Laguna Beach hotel, La Casa del Camino. 10  companies teamed up with 10 interior designers to create 10 completely unique surfer-styled suites.  The Roxy and Quicksilver rooms are my favorites. I dig the retro wood veneer contrasted with industrial metal, the bright pops of color, the touches of animal fur and other eco elements like branches and succulents.

So that’s the look we were trying to capture- California coast meets California semi-desert, with a laid back surfer dude attitude.

I was so excited to see that our table was featured in the newly released “Man Issue” of Utterly Engaged E-Zine!  Read the article– it’s hilarious!

And now, I present to you a table that would keep any group of guys occupied for hours.  That’s even without the grub!

Our color combo was all shades of brown, metallic gray, persimmon orange, olive green and touches of grayish blue.

Gotta love the sand colored linen topped with a cow hyde.  Perfect for any surfer cowboy. One of D’Lish’s crazy ideas that totally worked!

I chose flowers that I thought guys would appreciate-tropicals like birds of paradise and proteas, icy blue thistle,  spiky pincushions, and pods. You know, flowers that can also be used as weapons.  haha

Decorative kale, too!

***Ok, any guys out there- at a flower shop I used to work at, the hilarious delivery guy  Dennis told me he imagines that each arrangement is a little jungle, and there is a little mini Dennis climbing up the flowers and swinging from leaf to leaf.  Like Tarzan.  Is this a normal guy thing?

My favorite detail of all:  cacti planted in buddha nuts! Totally replantable, too.

Lucia and Henny picked out the most perfect veneer plates that matched my veneer vases!

I also used some square steel vases.

Not that my hubby doesn’t enjoy my flowers, but I have a feeling he’d be more stoked about the exotic beer and cigars.

And there you have it, proof that even a girly girl can come up with a pretty “man-ical” table!

A Dream Wedding at Nellie Gale Ranch

Just when I told you we’d have a blog break from girly-girl weddings with Audrey and Ali’s wedding, here I am sharing possibly the girliest wedding I’ve EVER done.  Kelsey, a girly-girl herself, wanted pearls, floral chandaliers, lace, and a divine assortment of romantic blush florals for her summertime backyard wedding.

I’m so delighted and honored that Style Me Pretty recently featured Kelsey and Carl’s wedding!  Check out the gorgeous post here.  Many thanks to SMP for selecting this wedding, and for including me in their prestigious Little Black Book. Thank you Chantale for working with me on this submission!

Lest I forget to mention, her family home in Nellie Gale Ranch is OFF THE HOOK! Backyard weddings are intimate and meaningful, and there are no limits to how we can use the space.   But I’m always amazed at the insane amount of work it takes to throw a wedding at a private residence.    You need to hire a valet, bring in all the tables, chairs, linens, keep neighbors happy, etc.   That’s why a fabulous planner is essential.  My gal pal Courtney Toney from Joyful Weddings and Events fit that bill.

Michael Norwood was there to capture all the girly goodness.  I can’t say enough about Michael’s talent and sweet spirit.  When we were breaking down the arch during the cocktail hour and it managed to fall right ON MY FACE (!!!), Michael was there to pry it off of me and make sure I was ok.  I WAS ok, just really really embarrassed.  I am just too cool.

I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking!

Kelsey has that lovely sunkissed California beauty!

Her florals were pure whites and creams, wrapped with pink satin and ivory lace. 

The bridesmaid bouquets were sweet and fluffy.  I used peach stock, hydrangea, and lots of local mini garden roses.

Such a gorgeous group of girls!

Kelsey and Carl chose not to see one another until the ceremony.

Since childhood, Kelsey dreamed of a sparkly flower decked arch and pink petal aisle.  I’m so glad we were able to bring her vision to life!

The ultimate arch (you know, the one that fell on my face!) covered in curly willow and adorned with swags of pearls, crystals, and clusters of garden florals.

Floral chandeliers hanging from trees provided a sweet backdrop.

I repeat, her backyard is insane.

To place these pool floats, Joe ended up diving to the bottom of the pool for about an hour.  This was a project that was so much easier to dream up than to execute.  But I do love how sweet they look against the aqua blue water.

I loved this- Courtney found vintage silver platters and filled them will pearls to display the escort cards.

God bless you, Kelsey and Carl!

Planner: Joyful Weddings and Events / Florist: The Treasured Petal /Photography: Michael Norwood / Videography: LuvBug Films /Catering: Iva Lees / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Linens: Fusion Linens /Band: American All Stars / Bride’s dress: Kenneth Pool / Bridesmaids dresses: Melissa Sweet / Makeup: Amanda Peck Makeup / Stationary: Josie Jean Design

Around the House

Lately, I’ve made it a point to keep flowers around the house. They needn’t be fancy, just something colorful to make me smile.  And yes, after many years of working with flowers, they still make me smile!

Sometimes when I walk the pups,  I gather random daisies, jasmine, and acacia branches and put a few buds in my test tube rack.  Over the weekend, I showed off some cheery yellow daffodils from Trader Joes (less than 2.00 a bunch). They died pretty quickly, as is expected of daffodils.  I replaced them with a quirky collection of blooms plucked from a few different projects I’m working on.

From left to right, arabicum ornithogalum, viburnum berries, leucodendrons and craspedia, anenomes, and yellow ranuncula.

My yoga frog looks pretty content amongst all the lovely flowers.

Gorgeous leucodendrons grace the fireplace mantle.

And here’s what else is going on around the house…

(Don’t ask me why I’m standing in the hallway wearing snowflake socks and a wool skirt.)

 

Beaded Shimmer Snakes

I recently discovered that I love making beaded appliques.  Bead by bead, from scratch.  I had no idea I possessed this kind of patience!

Here is my latest hand-beaded project:

It’s a sparkly silver snake wearing a big white bow!  I’m making a few of them to adorn a sash for a photo shoot coming up.

Not that I’m super into reptiles, or anything! One night, my friend Julie was wearing these gorgeous  sandals with swirly silver beading.  I gushed over them, and she preceded to take them off, hand them to me, and went home barefoot.   (Thanks Jules!)

Everytime I wear them, I can’t help but stare down.  It looks like gorgeous shimmery snakes winding around  my feet.

Hence, the urge to create  hand-beaded snake appliques.  The big white bow?  I’m a girly girl, what can I say!

Good Idea: Wearable Bud Vases

For the anti-corsage moms out there, how about a wearable bud vase with a single precious bloom inside?

papavera portafiori pin

portafiori rosa pin

These Mignon Faget pins are genius.   I especially love the sturdy little portafiori rosa pin.  As graceful and delicate as roses are, they are tough little creatures endowed with weapons to protect themselves (look at any florist’s hands and you’ll see the evidence!) Here, the harsh thorny stem becomes a piece of art in sterling silver.

This is a sweet gift that can be worn again and again.  Best of all,  add a little water to the pin so the blossom can stay hydrated all night long!

A cheapie alternative?  A small glass test tube with a brooch pin attached!