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East Meets West
This Article written and provided by Lisa Fairchild owner of Blossoms by Lisa  Unforgetable Floral Design (209) 629-1825

 
Katie and Sidd Shenoy were married this summer in a grand affair that brought two cultures and families together.  The festivities began with a traditional Indian ceremony on Friday night.  As tradition would have it, the bride donned an embellished Indian saree and elaborate henna tattoos.  For Saturday’s ceremony the bride traded in her saree for a customary ivory wedding gown.  The American ceremony and reception took place at Woodbridge Golf and Country Club.  The golf course provided a stunning backdrop on what was a perfect summer evening.   The couple chose summery colors of orange, green and fuchsia to accent their big day.  Blossoms by Lisa created floral arrangements of brightly colored hydrangeas, orchids, roses, gerbers and mums…all with a slight modern flair to express the couple’s unique and colorful personalities.  The weekend’s special events were exquisitely captured by Briggs Photography.  Katie and Sidd’s wedding was a lovely tribute to Eastern and Western customs and a beautiful beginning to their new life together.

This Article written and provided by Lisa Fairchild owner of Blossoms by Lisa  Unforgetable Floral Design (209) 629-1825

BLOSSOMS’ TIMELESS TIPS:

Put your money where it counts –
Many brides find themselves on a very tight budget that despite their best efforts, keeps creeping up and up and up.  If this is you, I always recommend allocating the majority of your floral budget where you will get the most “bang for your buck.”  Many wedding ceremonies are only 20 minutes in length compared to a four hour reception so why not put more of your money towards the centerpieces than the ceremony décor.  Your reception flowers will have much more viewing time and can set the tone for the entire evening.

Double Duty -      
Another way to keep your budget in check is to get double-duty out of your ceremony flowers.  Many floral designs can be transferred to your reception site and re-used.  For example, your unity candle arrangement makes the perfect focal point on your head table.  Large alter arrangements work especially well at entrances to the reception.  Getting double duty out of these items works especially well if there is a separate location for the cocktail hour…that way your guests don’t see any set-up taking place.

Don’t fight what already exists -
Many brides make the mistake of choosing their wedding color palette before they have chosen their venue.  Make things easier on yourself and wait to see what colors the venue inspires.  If the reception site has burgundy carpet and chairs, you can imagine that teal and orange may not be the best colors for your big day.  Instead, pick colors that will compliment what already exist.  Or be prepared to pay extra for chair covers.  If you are planning an outdoor wedding consider what colors are already present in the natural surroundings.  Green is an obvious one, but many outdoor venues will also have gardens planted in coordinating colors.  Consider what these will be when selecting your colors so that your pictures will be stunning.   

Use what is in season -
In the same way that you don’t want to battle the colors of your venue, you also don’t want to battle the season your wedding is in.  Keep in mind what flowers and greenery are in season to keep the cost down but also to make things look cohesive.  When the season changes from spring to summer or summer to fall so should your floral décor.  Spring tulips don’t tolerate the heat of summer and bright summer blooms don’t give the same fall-time feel as autumn-hued dahlias and fall leaves and branches.  There are many creative ways, no matter what your color scheme, to make your flowers seasonally appropriate.    

Colored linens make all the difference –
In the same way that your favorite necklace looks amazing against a perfectly coordinated shirt, so do your floral centerpieces against matching table linens.  If your budget allows, invest a little bit of money in colored tablecloths and/or napkins.  This small expenditure makes a reception room come alive and gives your centerpieces a place to shine.  

Don’t skimp on your bouquet –
By the end of your wedding day your cheeks will hurt from all of the smiling you have done for pictures.  Your husband will be right by your side for these and so will your bridal bouquet.  So, make sure to get exactly what you want.  This is not the place to skimp.  Make your bouquet extra special with the addition of orchids, gardenias, stephanotis or garden roses.  These blooms may be a little pricey but you won’t regret the expenditure once you have a photo album full of pictures with you and your bouquet.    

Be creative and make it personal –
You have heard it said that “this is your day” and IT IS!  Make sure that your wedding reflects the personalities and tastes of you and your groom.  Everything from the location to the flowers should remind your guests of the two of you.  Personal touches and unique aspects make your wedding day memorable and fun.  We all go to many weddings each year so make yours stand out from the rest.  Don’t be afraid to be different…this is the day you have been dreaming of for a long time!

“Classic Sophistication”
Gaynelle Sales & Joel Cervantes
February 14th 2009

The Valentine’s Day wedding of Gaynelle and Joel was held in a traditional church setting, complete with all white flower urns framing the altar. These urns created an elegant backdrop to the bride’s stunning bouquet of all red roses and mini calla lilies, which was beautifully captured by Briggs Photography and               Media Fusion Studios.
The reception at Brookside Country Club was held in the beautiful ballroom complete with golf course views and ornate chandeliers. The emcee/DJ services, provided by Elite Entertainment, created an atmosphere of classic sophistication for a truly memorable evening.
The bridal party was seated at a royal head table while the guests sat at round tables with alternating high and low centerpieces of red roses and orchids provided by Sweet Peas Floral Design. The crisp white frosting of the cake was accentuated with clusters of red orchids making a spectacular focal point for the room.

Florist/Decor: Sweet Peas Floral Design
Photography: Briggs Photography
Videography: Media Fusion Studios
Entertainment: Elite Entertainment
Reception Location: Brookside Country Club

“Simply Charming”

Breanne Gallagher & Gary Giest
April 11th, 2009

The romantic wedding ceremony of Breanne and Gary took place inside of beautiful Morris Chapel at The University of the Pacific. In keeping with the theme of the wedding, Sweet Peas designed the flowers in a combination of purple, ivory and lime green tones. With a stunning backdrop of stained glass and a flower filled altar, the couple exchanged their vows. After the meaningful ceremony, Jeremy Gartin took pictures of the couple on the lush grounds of the Pacific campus, while their guests continued the celebration with the cocktail hour at Brookside Country Club. The executive chef and staff at the Country Club created and prepared the wedding dinner. Low black square vases with purple and lime green flowers served as the centerpieces and lent a modern flair to the space. Media Fusion Studios captured the charming personality of the exuberant couple as they dined, danced and enjoyed the company of their guests.

Ceremony Location: Morris Chapel
Reception Location: Brookside Country Club
Florist/Decor: Sweet Peas Floral Design
Photographer: Jeremy Gartin
Videographer: Media Fusion Studios

Follow this link to view Breanne & Gary's "Instant Replay"

Follow this link to view Breanne & Gary's Video Recap

"Fun and Vibrant"

Tamara Johnson & John Pronotis  July 18th, 2009

After a traditional ceremony at a beautiful church, Tamara and John celebrated their reception at Stockton Golf & Country Club. Vibrant tones of chartreuse green, hot pink and royal blue stood out from the soft neutral tones of the ballroom, creating a festive environment. Colorful lanterns were suspended from the ceiling, highlighting the dramatic height of the room. The guest tables were draped with neutral tan linens so the flowers could stand out in tall glass trumpet vases spaced throughout the room. The royal head table was placed in the middle of the ballroom as a focal point and featured all white and lime green flowers by Sweet Peas Floral Design.  The whimsical cake tied in the deep blue color of the theme and featured a whimsical paisley design. Giselle Vincent Photography captured all of these fun elements on camera.

Photographer: Giselle Vincent
Florist/Decor: Sweet Peas Floral Design
Reception Location: Stockton Golf and Country Club