Lauren & Dan - Lovely Lemon Yellow

 The wedding of Lauren and Dan was my first at Tendenza, which is a very modern venue in Northern Liberties.  Lauren chose a color palette of yellow and white against black and gray accents which I thought looked amazing.  The couple had their ceremony in the ballroom which was later turned over to the reception.  However, I forgot to get a photo of the flowers I provided for the reception.  I can assure you that they were pretty and sitting in tall silver trumpet vases!  lol

Lauren carried a hand-tied bouquet of white mini calla lilies mixed with yellow alstromeria. Dan wore a white mini calla lily as his boutonniere.

  Complementary bouquets of just yellow alstromeria looked striking against the bridesmaids' black dresses.  Groomsmen wore matching boutonnieres.

Lauren's yellow and white color scheme really "popped" so nicely against the dark glass tables surrounded the dance floor. She choose to use a combination of three types of yellow and white centerpieces and votive candles in a mix of round and square glass containers. I used a mix of gorgeous yellow and white Asian lilies in large glass bowls in the first group of guest table arrangements.

The second set of centerpieces entailed small glass squares of mixed yellow and white flowers surrounded by small bowls. I set white daisies in yellow bubbles in the bowls. These also looked terrific against the gray linens enhanced with white square plates and yellow napkins. 

The last type of centerpiece in this trio was made up of white hydrangea and yellow cushion mums. I wrapped a yellow polka-dotted ribbon around the a large glass square. Thank you to Ron Dlutz for taking wonderful preview photos for me.

I love the special chairs at the sweetheart table. They look so regal. I used smaller versions of the guest table centerpieces to decorate the table where the bride and groom sit. Congratulations to Lauren & Dan.  May you have many wonderful years together.

When Lindsay, her mom, and her adorable son were here for their first appointment, we were looking through my albums when Lindsay noticed a picture of one of my brides that she knew. It was my daughter-in-law! They went to high school together and were both on the swim team. Small world!

Lindsay had a lot of ideas for her own wedding and she and her mom were ready to go to work! They worked hard on so many of the details that they added. Lindsay wanted a rustic touch to her ceremony and reception and since James was in the "tree" business, we incorporated trees into the decor in many ways.

 Lindsay wanted her color palette to be the colors of the flag of Ireland - orange, white, and green. Of course that entailed Bells of Ireland wherever we could fit them in. What fun to work with this family on this wonderful wedding.

 I used Circus roses, mango calla lilies, fiddleheads, bits of Bells of Ireland, peach hypericum berries, ivory lisianthus, orange ranunculus, and scattered orange mokara orchids to make up Lindsay's pretty bouquet. James' boutonniere was made up of a mango calla lily, Bells of Ireland, and a fiddlehead.

Bridesmaids carried bouquets of ivory roses, green hypericum berries, white stock, orange tulips, and orange mokara orchids. Groomsmen wore ivory rose boutonnieres.  I added fiddleheads to the MoH bouquet.

Lindsay collected orange and green bottles which I filled with white flowers for her cocktail tables. She also decorated jelly jars for candles.

James cut the log and burned initials into the wood for me to use on the placecard table. I filled the top with flowers. Lindsay made really cute pinwheel placecards for her guests.
When you walk in the door of Manor House there is a fireplace to the right and a winding staircase to the left. Lindsay and her Mom decorated the banister with tulle. I added a bouquet of orange, green, and white flowers at the end of the rail.

We decorated the mantle of the fireplace with birch branches, flowers, and candles.

Lindsay wanted a mix of three types of centerpieces. On the "tall" tables, I filled tall cylinders with willow branches and long white, green, and orange flowers.

James also cut log slices for the tables that we tablescaped. Lindsay collected various small vases which I organized on the log. I used white flowers in one vase, green in another, and orange in the third.

On the final third of the tables I filled my rental logs with painted hydrangea and other assorted orange flowers.

Congratulations to Lindsay and James and their beautiful son. May you have many, many wonderful years together.

Stefanie & John - Vintage Pearls

Stefanie and John wanted a vintage inspired look for their wedding at Merion Tribute House. Colors were soft pink and white. We decided to use mostly large soft flowers like Esperance roses, hydrangea, and pretty lisianthus to promote a vintage feel. We included a touch of white pearls to centerpieces and a large entry piece as well as tablescaping with white milk glass. I think that Stefanie totally accomplished the look she was aiming for.

Stefanie wanted to use white peonies for her bouquet. However, it was very early for peonies during her wedding and I found them to be small nuggets which were not going to open up like the typical fluffy peonies we love. So we substituted with white football mums - which I think has the same look - and scattered pink ranunculus throughout them. I wrapped the stems with white satin ribbon and added an overlay of lace to give the bouquet a vintage nod. John wore a boutonniere made of stephanotis.

Bridesmaids carried petite bouquets of pink lisianthus wrapped in matching pink ribbon. Groomsmen wore matching boutonnieres.

Stefanie rented my antique typewriter to showcase a "letter" welcoming her guests. It was a perfect vintage detail for this wedding.

I added white hydrangea to white milk glass vases for the cocktail tables.

For Stefanie's entry table, I made an arrangement of hydrangea and roses on a very large Mercury glass candle holder. I draped it with ropes of pearls to add a vintage look to the arrangement in keeping with our "pearl theme".

Stefanie loves milk glass.  I cruised thrift shops and flea markets so that I could incorporate it into half of her centerpieces. But we added a little special something to the tablescapes. Each group of small vases was placed on a cake plate. I then added a layer of strands of pearls. And if you look closely, the cake plates were made by attaching a flat cake plate to a glass candleholder. I have directions about how to make these.

The centerpieces for the other half of the tables were made up of large glass bowls. I put strands of pearls in the bottom of each bowl and then filled them with white hydrangea and beautiful, large Esperance roses.

Thank you to Stefanie & John for having me help you with your vintage wedding.  I enjoyed working with you and collecting for you.  Many years of happiness!

Amy & Joe - New Year's Eve Nuptials

Amy and Joe were having a New Year's Eve wedding and I was so excited to be working with them. Amy wanted to use a color palette of white and silver with subtle but elegant flowers. And adding bling and feathers and winter branches was just fine with her. I used white flowers from start to finish beginning with Amy's bouquet. I mixed white roses with white ranunculus and scattered crystals throughout the flowers. Bridesmaids bouquets, not pictured here, were made up of white roses, snowflake mums, and white feathers which looked fabulous against their black gowns!

How cute are these young ladies and gentleman? I had the flower girl buckets hand painted with their names on them and filled them with silk hydrangea so they could play "wedding" after the party was over!


 Because of the time of year, naturally Amy and Joe held their ceremony inside their venue. Any just wanted a simple set-up. I set up pedestals with silver trumpet vases on them which I filled with hydrangea and other white flowers, silver ting ting, and white winter branches. Silver mint julep cups of white hydrangea and sprigs of silver sat on cocktail tables. I added silver acrylics to my glass and silver container for the placecard table. I filled the vase with silver branches and layers of white flowers. In keeping with a silvery, wintery theme, we used low bowls in my wintery rental crystal wreaths. I added more silver decorations to the wreath to make them even more glittery, and added a simple, but elegant gardenia to float in each bowl. We used silver candles, white feathers, large white football mums, and lots of hanging beading to bring some height, bling, and fun to the tables. 

A very Happy New Year and Congratulations to Amy and Joe!   I wish you many more wonderful years together with your beautiful family.

Retro Weddings - Remember the 50's, 60's, & 70's?

Retro decor encompasses anything from 20 to 50 years ago. Remember Flower Power, Peace Signs, and Love Beads from the 60's?  Elvis, Rock n Roll, and I Love Lucy from the 50's? There are so many fun things to do with a retro themed wedding. What about using old metal lunchboxes to hold flowers for the centerpieces? Include "retro" candy in your candy bar: wax sodas; candy buttons; and Mary Janes.  Bright, bright colors work perfectly for a 60's style wedding: lime green, orange orange, hot pink, bright purple, and lemon yellow. I've used elements on my retro table at Bridal Blossoms such as sisal, colored bubbles, ting ting, groupings of bottles, gerber daisies, and party balls to add more flash to the dazzling colored flowers.  Brightly patterned linens complete the look. Sitting on the tables is a black dial telephone from the 60's.  How cute would it be to use various area codes for your table numbers?  A "phonebook" could display your guest table assignments. I do have a few telephones to rent out to my Whimsical Welcomes brides who would like to use them for their wedding.  Just contact me for a consultation and we'll design a themed wedding together.
 

Rustic Weddings

I have more and more brides coming to me to design a rustic wedding for their celebration in a barn, outside venue, or historic building.  I've done several weddings in mason jars and wanted to come up with some variations on the theme.  So I began to collect buckets and baskets and tins and rusty containers.  When I began to look, I found containers with sunflowers and chickens on them; buckets with unusual finishes, produce baskets, berry baskets, wheelbarrows, and glass shaped like old milk tins.  Even clay pots work for a rustic theme. I've cut down tree branches and turned them into flower containers and used tall branches in a variety of ways.   I've collected small railroad lanterns and horseshoes and ceramic chickens.  I've wrapped bottles in burlap and twine and grouped beer bottles with interesting labels. There are so many looks to choose from.  But what I found are containers that replicate items found on a farm, at a produce stand, or have some type of farm animal on it, are the ones that reflect a country feel.  Nothing should look brand new - hence the use of rusty containers, old tins, and textured finishes.  What you choose to put into your vessels will also emphasize a rustic theme.   I filled some of the containers for my rustic Bridal Blossoms table with fruits, vegetables, and even blooming plants.  Other were filled with more rustic looking flowers including sunflowers, daisies, and mums. I love the combination of roses and sunflowers - bright and bold.  You want to be able to "light up"  a barn with color.  Choosing appropriate linens and other textured elements for the table will  set the tone for your bucolic wedding.

The items used in these photos are available for sale or for rent for your rustic wedding.  Please contact Leslie at WhimsicalWelcomes@yahoo.com with questions.

A big "Thank You" to Ron DLutz for sharing his rustic themed bridal portrait. Ron has wonderful ideas as to how to portray a rustic feel for your wedding photos. Dlutzphoto.com 

Romantic Style Weddings

When a bride wants a "romantic" look for her wedding, I suggest lots of candles and large, lush flowers. Hydrangea, roses, lisinthus, and peonies come to mind. Not the least expensive flowers - but boy are they gorgeous! Frangrant flowers such as stock, freesia, and gardenias add an "air" of romance as well. For my Romantic table at Bridal Blossoms we added some bling, crystals, silver, and lots of clear glass. All of these items are available for rent or purchase from Whimsical Welcomes Floral Design to my brides.  Many are one of a kind that I buy especially for my ladies. The matching vases and candleholders also come in a beautiful pink and are so reasonably priced. Email me at whimsicalwelcomes@yahoo to discuss your wedding flowers.



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