[Bride Meet & Greet Week] Intro

One of my favorite parts of being a designer is when I get to personally deliver my brides' flowers and get to experience the moment when they see the finished product for the first time. I can say with confidence, that it is always such a delightful experience to unveil those custom-designed beauties and just watch my client's face light up. Recently, I had two opportunities to hand-deliver wedding flowers and come face to face with the brides I had been working with for months. Over the next week, I'm going to share a little bit about how those meet-ups went and show you some snapshots of their arrangements.

I have to say that it's always a little conflicting for me to send the flowers off whether by mail or in person. Not because I want to keep them for myself...no no, trust me, I have enough flowers to keep me cheery. But it's because I spend a lot of time communicating with some of the happiest people on earth. They are getting married and are excited about this new adventure in their life and I get to share in it with them! Working with each bride becomes one extended conversation that often leaks over into the personal and in that way I feel like I make a new friend each time. So I'm sad because it's like the conversation has come to an end. But then the best part is, a few weeks or months later, I get that unexpected e-mail with to-die-for pictures of beautiful brides with the biggest smiles on their faces and an exciting story to share. And because of that, it's with joy and happiness that I drive those flowers to the post office or to meet you at a coffee shop and send off my creations with happy wishes and marital blessings to those awesome ladies I've come to know and appreciate.

For those of you I never get the pleasure of meeting, check out my testimonial page to see some of the responses to working with me long-distance. So near, far, wherever you are (thank you Celine) your perfect flowers are just an e-mail, phone call, or Jpeg away.

An Elegant Twist on the Classic Red

When people think of the perfect classic wedding flowers, roses frequently comes to mind. Because it's numero uno, I love it when brides go out of their way to make such a classic style more unique.

 Such was the case with bride Megan. She wanted the rich look of solid red roses in a handtied bouquet, but wanted her design to stand out from the norm. We accomplished that by not trimming the stems as much and giving it the look of a long-stem bouquet. While a lot of the styles right now dictate short and mostly exposed stems, Megan wanted the elegance that length communicated to her. So with that in mind, together, we designed a beautiful modernization of a classic wedding bouquet.

The Bridal Bouquet:


The Bridesmaid Bouquets:


The set:


Ivory satin ribbon finished off the look that was created using open garden roses mixed with smaller buds. Thanks Megan for bringing a new twist to a timeless look!

Tropical Heat

Bride Cristina came to me with a pretty bold vision for her tropical themed wedding flowers. She wanted them bright, "non-poofy" shaped (in her words), and with a definite from-the-garden vibe. There were several flowers she requested, including: plumeria, tiger lilies, orchids, and calla lilies. The color pallette was oranges, yellows, greens, pinks, and a hint of blue -- perfect for a festive outdoor ceremony. So, without further ado, here are her gorgeous custom bouquets that she absolutely loves.

Bridal Bouquet: orange and gold Callas, orange Tiger Lilies, blue Cornflowers, cream/yellow Plumeria, cream/yellow/pink Plumeria, magenta Phalenopsis Orchids, magenta/cream Phalenopsis Orchids, and green Dendrobium Orchids.

Maid Of Honor Bouquet: orange and gold Callas, blue Cornflowers, cream/yellow Plumeria, cream/yellow/pink Plumeria, magenta Phalenopsis Orchids, magenta/cream Phalenopsis Orchids, and green Dendrobium Orchids.




Cristina was a dream to work with! She had a clear basic vision, but left some of the design work up to my inspiration. It gave me some room to play around with shape and color and I had a blast putting these two beauties together. Her July 4th wedding is just around the corner and I know that her fun spirit and go-with-the-flow attitude is going to make for a memorable and picture-perfect event. Congratulations Cristina!

Hawaiian Theme Wedding

Just a quick shout-out to my newest bride Cristina! Her July 4th wedding is a tropical Hawaiian themed event complete with a traditional island flower circle. The bridal and maid-of-honor bouquets are going to be a bright mix of callas, tiger and stargazer lilies, orchids, and plumeria. She really wanted to stay away from the "round, poof-ball" style so we are going for a more wild, just-from-the-garden look for the bouquets. Her flower circle is going to incorporate silk Plumeria, Bird of Paradise, and Pin-cushion Protea while the garland of greens will be coming straight from the big island! It's going to be a bright, fun, and festive event for all of their family and friends. I look forward to sharing some pictures as her bouquets come together.

Vow Renewal: Wedding Bouquet Replica

For some of us who have been married for a few years, it might be tempting to look through the vast world of wedding blogs and consider what it would be like to get married all over again. Would we choose a different style of dress, hold the ceremony outdoors instead of indoors, add more to the photographer budget and cut back on the DJ?

This past weekend, I had the honor of standing up in the vow renewal ceremony that my brother planned as a surprise for his wife of 5 years. And, oh yeah, I did the flowers too. ;) Their wedding in 2003 was a beautiful event that made me cry like a baby sister should, but also look forward to my own big day just three weeks later. (Yes, you read that right, three weeks...almost gave our parents coronaries.) This renewal ceremony didn't focus on the dress, the stationery, the menu, or the flowers. It was about honoring their marriage commitment and focusing on what lasts.

In the midst of planning your wedding, try to keep in mind the big picture. Five years from now, you may have a different opinion of what kind of bustle you should have done or which kind of cocktail would have been the perfect signature drink. But the point is that your marriage vows aren't ever going to go out of style, despite what your children will say about your choice in bridesmaid attire. So make sure to include plenty of thought and preparation in all your details, including those all-important words spoken to your beloved.

And of course, I just have to share some pics of the flowers...a toned down version of their original fresh wedding flowers.

My sister-in-law's bouquet.

The "bridesmaid" bouquets.

My brother's boutonniere.

Their 3-month-old son's boutonniere.

Know someone considering a vow renewal? Why not suggest that they have their wedding flowers recreated using silks. From your wedding photos, your flowers can be replicated almost exactly. And your new bouquets will be a great keepsake to remember such a special event.

Orange You Glad I'm Back?

When I haven't been indoors creating Spring bouquets, I've been taking full advantage of this warming Minnesota weather. And if I wasn't worried about stems and leaves blowing away in our lately windy conditions, I might combine the two.  I'm back with a blog post because I've got some projects coming up that I'm really excited about!

Welcome to bride Becky who hails from St. Paul; we're practically neighbors! Early on, Becky sent me some pictures of arrangements that inspired her and that she really wanted to work towards. So I went hunting and found some similar flowers and also some new possibilities. Here are the original photos she sent me:


Here's what I found to work within her theme and still look great as a finished arrangement:


Burnt orange Fresh touch Tulips


Peachy-yellow Fresh touch "Coutoure" Roses
Orange Gold Fresh touch Callas (Mixed in to the left)
Adobe/Terra Cotta Fresh touch Callas (Upper right)


The original plan was to mix all the flowers and add in some cranberry accents with Hypericum berries, but when she saw the mix in it's "rough draft" form, the berries didn't do anything for her. So we nixed the berries and went with the roses, tulips, two kinds of callas, and added in some bear grass for the bouts and corsages.

I'm loving this color palette for her early fall wedding and always jump at the opportunity to work in a monochromatic scheme. I love that brides are choosing to branch out from all white bouquets and are going for bold and striking colors when designing their flowers. I'm looking forward to sharing this process with you as the arrangements come together. But for now, get outside and find some inspiration in the beautiful outdoors that's just beginning to come to life for those of us in the beautiful Midwest.

Reason 6 - Green is Good | Environmentally responsible wedding ideas

So the big thing these days is going green and while that's hard to do with a ceremony that tends to be about extravagance, silks are an easy and conscientious choice. Just consider their longevity and the possibilities for future decorating. Instead of trashing your bouquets at the end of the night or paying a fortune to "preserve" them, you'll reap the benefits of beautiful flowers not just for one night, but for a lifetime. Here's just a few ideas on how to make those flowers last even longer.

• Consider giving centerpieces to special people who helped make your big day go smoothly: aunts, sisters, cousins, family friends, your personal attendant, etc.
• Present personal flowers in a unique way. If the flowers come with a note about what that person means to you or in a cute box, your loved one will treat their flowers as a gift. You know your grandma is going to treasure her corsage forever -- mine still has hers proudly displayed on her entertainment center.
• Use your bridal and bridesmaid bouquets for double decorating duty by putting them in vases at the head table or around your reception venue. Then give the vases as a gift to your girls.
• You could even donate arrangements to a senior center or church.
• Love your bouquet but need a different way to display it after the wedding? Think about having it re-arranged or enhanced to match the decor of your new love-nest.

Sure, it still takes energy and resources to create silk flowers, but you can't argue with the fact that your bouquet will still be just as beautiful at your 50th anniversary party.

So whatever you can do to help our environment, all the better. Whether that includes silks in your future or not, remember that the environment is our friend.

Have a green week!

Reason 5: "Designer" Doesn't Mean "Over Budget"

While I'm all for exploring your crafty side, but creating your own wedding flowers can turn into a disaster pretty quickly. Believe me, I have enough cuts, hot glue-gun burns, and scratches to verify my willingness to take one for the team to get you the perfect flowers.  At such competitive prices, you can afford to have a professional create beautiful silk arrangements and have confidence they aren't going to fall apart on the way down the aisle. 

With Love is Blooming your flowers will be custom, designer masterpieces based on your ideas, your pictures, and your dreams. They are called 'Designer' for a reason. Save yourself the time, money, and heartache of trying to learn as you go and trust someone with the experience and the passion to get it right the first time.

Don't press your luck too much this St. Patty's Day;) Drop Love Is Blooming a line and tell me about your dream "Designer" flowers.

Reason 4 to hire a florist: I'm Not Your Aunt

Here's one big hang-up people tend to have with silk flowers - your limited experience may have left a bad taste in your mouth.

We've all seen the dusty, outdated silk arrangements in the dentist waiting room or in the corner of the women's restroom. But just like you wouldn't forgo cake because you don't like the crusty ones from the supermarket, don't write off silks because of a bad encounter. We're talking quality here people.

As far as the Aunt comment, we probably all have a family member, friend, or a family member's friend who has whipped up all sorts of DIY gifts that generally go unappreciated. Luckily for me, I happen to have a highly skilled aunt who took the time to teach me about design and flower arranging and got me interested in the biz in the first place. But you know what separates me from her? I have an exclusive supplier at my beck and call willing to search to the ends of the earth to find the perfect light pink with a green center, "fresh touch" ranunculus that has at least a 3" flower, or whatever I challenge them to find for me! And not only that, but they are at the front of the pack researching the newest designs, styles, and products to bring you the absolutely most beautiful silk flowers around. So please don't let anyone walk the aisles of Walmart's craft section on your behalf for a sampling of silks; it gives me the heebie jeebies!

Instead, imagine me walking the aisles of

"the nation’s premier wholesale distributor of quality fresh cut flowers, floral supplies, and plants for over 50 years!

"Your flowers start by being hand chosen then individually designed and created by a professional... ahem, that's me! So maybe use your crafty Aunt's suggestions as a starting point to figure out what you like and don't like, then consider how the best silk flowers in the business can capture that unique look you've always wanted for your big day.

A Pretty Little Thing

As a quick aside to my series...Sometimes I get these moments where I retreat from my blogging, my e-mailing, my ordering and I need to just get creative. So that's what I did the other day--I found some little leftover flowers and foliage and whipped up this pretty little thing.


Orchids and poppies, what a pair! Give it a little rustic flare with some twigs, top it off with some seeded Eucalytpus and voila! It felt good to stretch my creative muscles, make something a little different, and feel the enjoyment from my job.

Reason 3: Save Big Money

Unless you live in an igloo, you've probably sweated a little over today's economy.

It is becoming less common that the brides' parents foot 100% of the wedding bill as has been traditional. Today, more and more couples are the ones receiving those wedding-day bills. If you are one of those couples, it's probably become pretty important to prioritize your budget and to realize what aspects of your aisle-walk really mean the most to you (and your wallet).

Here are a few interesting statistics I just received today via The Wedding Report:

Areas of spending decline from 2007 to 2008:

• Wedding dress fell by 31%
• Rehearsal dinner fell by 34%
• Spending for a DJ fell by 6%
• Bridesmaid bouquets fell by 36%
• Gifts for attendants fell by 38%
• Wedding invitations fell by 34%
• Engagement ring fell by 30%
• Photographer fell by 26%
• Videographer fell by 24%
• Wedding cake fell by 33%
• Wedding favors fell by 9%
• Reception food service fell by 53%
• Limo rental fell by 24%

Overall spending on weddings is down 24%.

I think it's safe to say that the times are a-changin. So what do all of these statistics have to do with Love Is Blooming? It's pretty basic: if you want fresh flowers, be prepared to make that a BIG priority in your budget. It's not uncommon for a florist to charge a minimum of $150 or more for a bridal bouquet. That doesn't even take into account the season: out of season = big bucks.

So here's a wedding stimulus plan that's going to be a great deal. For an UNlimited time only I am offering custom designs, perpetually seasonal blossoms, and the perfect wedding flowers for a price that any American can afford!

REASONS Part 2: Trends aren't limited to fresh flowers.

L-O-V Bouquet (photography by Sang An....Martha Stewart Weddings)

Happy Friday! Here's a little food for thought.

Silk flower bouquets and arrangements can be just as inspiring, just as creative, and just as trendy as their fresh counterparts. Despite what pictures you've seen various places on the internet or those craft-store DIY guides, silk flowers don't have to look old fashioned formulaic: ivy+baby's breath+roses=bouquet. Just browse around my website and you'll see some very different looking arrangements. Trends aren't limited to what can be found in your local florist shop either. In fact if you are going to end up paying more for some of the trendier fresh flowers, foliage, and accents just because it's hot. Not so with artificial.

Like the look of dusty miller, thistle, seeded eucalyptus? Not only are they available in silk, but they look as beautiful as the real thing. So don't be afraid to think outside of the box and ask about availability.


I send and receive lots of pictures as I dialogue back and forth with brides about their bouquets. I've seen bouquets with feathers, with twigs, with pearls and rhinestones, and even some with fruit--nothing is off limits.  So if you're curious about your out-there (or not-so-out-there) ideas, send 'em my way and let's talk.

REASONS Part 1: Helping You Shop

Photo courtesy of Megelaine Images.

Today I was thinking a little bit about why some brides may never even consider choosing silk flowers. Sometimes those reasons tend to overshadow some of the great qualities silks have to offer. I've been thinking and writing about some of the not-so-obvious reasons that silks could be a great fit for your wedding, your budget, and your style and I'm planning to share my thoughts with you over the next few weeks. So for those of you still weighing the pros and cons of silks, consider this a friendly shopping guide.

Stay tuned for my series on a few convincing reasons why designer silk wedding flowers might be a perfect fit for your perfect wedding.

Making a Destination Wedding Work

I know I've blogged before about creating flowers for destination weddings, but I am so excited to be doing my first Disney Wedding! Dawn, my newest bride is planning her March nuptials on the boardwalk of a Disney resort! Dawn actually liked the fresh flower bridal bouquet choices that Disney Fairy Tale Weddings offered, but wanted a more affordable choice for her bridesmaid bouquets, bouts, and corsages. She sent me the picture of the rose bouquet she liked and the list of the other available arrangements.

I was shocked to see that the small bridesmaid bouquets were $125 each and corsages were $20-30 each depending if you wanted 1 or 2 flowers! Let's just say Dawn is getting her flowers from LIB at a fraction of the cost. Not only that, but she gets to see the flowers in each stage of the design process and give her own input--she's not at the mercy of an order sheet!

Dawn's stylish and classic blush-pink and red roses are only going to add to the beauty of the moment as they begin their life together. I'm happy to be able to create CUSTOM flowers for a budget-friendly price and be a part of this awesome fairy tale wedding. Thanks Dawn!

Don't Blow the Budget

Yesterday while eating lunch, I happened to catch the Forbes top 20 most expensive celebrity weddings. Topping off the list was Liza Minelli's 2002 nuptials to David Gest. While Liza is known to be a little over the top, I was shocked to learned how far she went to make her Manhattan aisle-walk happen...$3.5 Million!!!! I almost choked on my salad at the sheer extravagance of such an event. And to make it even more of a jaw-dropping story, they spent $700,000 alone on the flowers. $700,000! Florist to the stars Preston Bailey was their hired vendor of blossoms and even he couldn't believe the lengths they went to decorating.

I'd bet it's safe to say that very few people could afford to shell out $3.5 million for a few hours of celebrating. And I'm sure that if you are reading this blog you probably don't have a $700,000 budget for flowers. But here's the good news, you don't have to a huge budget to get the flowers you want. While you might spend $400 on your dream bouquet at your local florist, keep in mind those flowers are only meant to last a few hours. Why not choose to have the flowers of your dreams for a significantly lower cost and still have them around to celebrate your golden anniversary?

However if you do have a $700,000 budget for flowers, can I come to your wedding? I'd love to see that much money in action!

Real Wedding: Derick + Laura

I had the pleasure of working with local couple Laura & Derick on their October aisle-walk. We met together several times to talk about their design ideas and work through each phase together.

Laura originally sent me this picture to work from, and together we tweaked the design until it was perfect for them. The combination of gold callas, red roses, and purple irises makes for a vibrant and beautiful arrangement. Laura and Derick decided that they wanted the gold callas to only be in her bouquet and his boutonniere -- a special flower just for them. And since it was more of an accent color, we limited how much went into the bouquet.The rest of the arrangements were a variation on the bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere.

Their wedding and reception took place at The Chart House in Lakeville, Minnesota which is located on Lake Kingsley. The beautiful waterfront location made for some great photo moments.




The ladies look gorgeous and those girls are too cute!

Thanks again Laura and Derick for bringing me into your special day. You two were so great to work with and I wish you many exciting adventures in your new marriage!

2009 Bookings

Welcome to day 7 of the New Year! Are you ready to get crack-a-lackin on the wedding plans? I still have openings for this year, so be sure and fill out the Bridal Checklist to get a custom, free and quick quote.

Congratulations to my newest brides of 2009- Audrey and Aimee. I'm really looking forward to sharing with you their design ideas and show you how everything comes together for each of their weddings.

This tends to be the craziest part of the year for me because once the new year hits, lots of brides have an "oh crap" moment where they realize exactly how much they have to do to plan their wedding. But everyone take a deep breath *inhale* with me for one second *exhale.* Good! Even if you have procrastinated in choosing flowers, I can still get you beautiful, custom, and designer wedding flowers weeks ahead of your big day. Doesn't having one less thing on your mind sound simply relaxing? So start out your new year with a plan: enjoy this season of your life, get perfectly punctual flowers, have your dream wedding, live happily ever after.

The End!

Happy New Year!

For all of you brides ready for a year of exciting and busy wedding-planning, this is your big day. A day to think about everything to come, perhaps to make resolutions, to be inspired by a clean slate, and to look forward to a year of love and blessings, here's to 2009! Cheers!

Merry Christmas!

Much like planning a wedding, Christmas is often easily lost in the hustle and bustle of the details. Making the lists, rushing in and out of stores, buying the pile of gifts, wrapping said pile of gifts, attending parties, scheduling visits with loved ones, and on and on. But despite all the festivities we are most affected by the memories of time spent sharing our lives together. So as you celebrate Christmas today, and as you prepare for your wedding day, have fun with the details, but don't let them swallow up the bigger picture. Cherish the little moments along with the big ones. Be sure to accept all those hugs with appreciation and grace. Forget about the little mishaps and enjoy what goes right. And whether it's Christmas or your upcoming wedding, remember to celebrate the Story that has lead you to this place.

Discover Wedding Helps in Community Resources

Sometimes finding wedding resources is as simple as opening the yellow pages. But sometimes wedding resources pop up in unexpected places. The other day, I received our seasonal community education catalog and was surprised and delighted to find some great wedding resources available to my community! Check your local resources to see if you have anything interesting classes like the ones I found:

Wedding Dance Workshop: What a great way to dust off those dance moves and get some helpful pointers for your big day.

Earring Extravangza: Still searching for the perfect jewelry either for you or your bridesmaids? Take this class and equip yourself with the tools and knowledge for creating beautiful custom earrings for your wedding day.

Wedding Invitations: This class gives you the opportunity to gather ideas from an expert while creating samples that range from simple and elegant to detailed and ornate. Test it out and see if you've got an eye for paper products:)

Wedding Planning on a Budget: We probably could have all used this class at one point! You'll learn tips and ideas about staying organized, choosing vendors and locations, and avoiding the budget traps.

There may also be a wealth of related classes that could be adapted to help you prepare for your wedding. For instance, consider looking into fitness and recreational sports classes to help you get into great shape for your beautiful gown. Also, earring making isn't the only crafty class that might come in handy -- consider a possible soap making class to learn how to make useful and unique favors. Take a photography class to help you understand what kind of shots are must-haves and be prepared when meeting with your photographer. Take knitting classes to make socks for your groomsmen or scarves for your bridesmaids.

The big lesson in all of this to keep on the lookout for wedding inspiration in even the most unlikely places and you might be surprised. Look into what your community has to offer and be prepared to jump right in and just have a great time while educating yourself.