Flower Friday: Preston Bailey and Marcy Blum

I had the chance recently to be part of an Inside the Designers Studio with none other than Preston Bailey and Marcy Blum. Instead of doing their standard conference presentation, Rebecca Grinnals had set up a more intimate discussion with Bailey and his oft times partner Marcy Blum.

What a treat. Together they shared with the elite group of wedding professionals gathered their take on weddings today and a bit of the philosophy that has led them to be trendsetters.

The one thing that really sets them apart is that each event they do is an individual. So many décor designers today seem to rehash the same successful event over and over. Not these two. When asked if he ever reused design elements, Bailey said there may be a tiny bit of a recurring theme over the course of a season, but only because it is a trend. At the end of each season he guts his storage and starts over anew.

What you should take away from this is a way to think as you begin to choose your wedding planning and décor professionals. If you go through their portfolio and there are only 2 or 3 designs that keep getting repeated over and over in various colors, they aren’t really designers, just technicians. Your wedding should be unique to you, your location and the level of formality. If you are interviewing someone and they just keep showing you pictures of past work and never pull out a sketch book, move on.

Be sure to pick up Preston’s new book, Inspirations. It is jam packed with yummy event photos and, hallelujah, no two look alike.

While you’re at it, be sure to check out Marcy Blum’s entertaining column on The Huffington Post. By entertaining I mean both that it is about entertaining and that in itself is wildly entertaining. Ms. Blum is a character of the first order and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute she spoke. To hear her and Preston Bailey bounce thoughts and ideas back and forth off each other tells me that anything they design and plan together is going to be amazing.

Flower Friday: The Carnation

Some times the simplest things can have the biggest impact. Take for instance the humble carnation. We have all seen the old fashion, boring flower arrangement with a few carnations and a bunch of green filler or even worse the single green carnation in the bud vase tied with paper ribbon. I think we can all agree on Yuck! That is where these easy to use, sturdy and inexpensive flowers got their bad rep.

Look at what happens when you use them in mass! Think pave in a single color on an interesting shaped floral foam base. That humble little flower becomes transformed into something very modern and sculptural.

Lightly scented and wildly ruffled; they add a fresh alternative to the over used rose. So when your floral designer mentions the word carnation, do not run for the hills, hear them out. You might just be surprised.

Living Centerpieces for Flower Friday

If you are looking for a more interesting idea for your centerpieces than the standard cut flower arrangement why not go live. I ran across a press release for The Wedding Greenhouse’s new website. The Wedding Greenhouse specializes in live potted saplings to be used as both favors and decorations.

Their offerings range from miniature palms to coffee plants. I wasn’t really keen on the way they try to dress up the pots with cheesy ribbon. I know my DIY readers could improve on that 100%. What I was really taken with was the idea of using a cluster of these to surround a tall candelabrum at center table.

What’s more it got my little brain going on other options along the same lines.

I love African violets and I have one of the largest growers in the world right under my nose. Holtkamp Greenhouses grows the internationally acclaimed line of Optimara Violets. Their miniature line would look fab clustered as a centerpiece for a more casual wedding. They are available in a wide range of colors, including blue. Tiny potted violets would be so sweet and romantic for not only your centerpiece but also as a favor for your guests.

Unlike the plants from The Wedding Greenhouse you would have to order these through your florist to get specific colors in any quantity since they don’t sell directly to the public. One thing I do know about Holtkamp’s is that they only ship plants currently in bloom. No worries about having them not ready to go for the big day.

You can view the Optimara collection in their catalog. It may inspire some ideas of your own.

If you have used violet in your wedding decor, please drop me an image with some images, send to christine(at)thinklikeabride.com.

Oooooo! Flower School

I want to go back to school. Well at least this school.

While traipsing around looking for something interesting to bring you for Flower Friday I ran across La Belle Ecole. Located in Paris, the school offers a variety of disciplines from cooking to painting but it was the floral design that caught my eye.

Offerings are set up as either 5 day intensive workshops or individual 2-3 hour classes. The workshops, called the Floral Art Week of The French include a field trip to the famed Rungis, the largest open air market in the world.. ~sigh~

I especially covet this one The Parisian Florist: Florist and Decorator, on June 30th. It covers Bouquets, window design and wedding flowers.

Enjoy the pretty slide show on both links. If you suddenly start dreaming in French, don’t blame me.

Vicki, if you are reading this, I can pack really quickly and my passport is in order.