Red and White Flowers

Today I wanted to give you all a great example of utilizing your colors to design your silk wedding flower bouquets in a variety of styles, while keeping the look cohesive.

This bride's flower colors were red and white: a deep wine red. She loved red Roses and white Calla Lilies, but wanted the bridal bouquet to stand out from the rest. She also wanted her maid-of-honor to carry a red and white bouquet that was a little different as well.

Here's a shot of the bridal bouquet; Red Roses, White Roses, Wine Red Calla Lilies, and White Calla Lilies.

She chose to finish off the look with a matching satin ribbon in wine red and a rhinestone overlay for some sparkle and shine to match the white flowers.

The bridesmaid bouquet on the left features white Roses and red Calla Lilies, while the Maid-of-honor bouquet on the right showcases the beautiful wine red Roses and Callas we saw in the bridal bouquet. Each style is finished off with complementary ribbon and smaller bands of rhinestone wrapped on the ends of the ribbon.

We kept things very simple for the boutonnieres and for the corsages we used roses and a hint of hydrangea to add a little feminine flair.

If you're curious about how to incorporate varying colors or styles into your silk wedding flowers, or if you are looking for quality red and white flowers, contact me today, a Minneapolis based silk florist, for a free quote!

Monochromatic Flowers for Spring or Summer

Many brides like the classic white-on-white or cream-on-cream look. But many haven't considered how to take it a step further and incorporate another color in their wedding while keeping it monochromatic.

Here's an example of a classic monochromatic bridal bouquet that incorporated beautiful Peonies and Calla Lilies. The different textures make it interesting and this look will never go out of style. We wanted all of the arrangements to be cohesive but bring in a bright and sunny yellow to her wedding flowers.

We chose matching monochromatic flowers: Peonies and Calla Lillies in a beautiful yellow color and added an additional pop of texture with the cute Craspedia, or Billy Buttons as they are sometimes called. These bouquets looked amazing against the bridesmaids neutral palette dresses in a tone of gray. 

If you want some cross over in your color scheme and flower arrangements after doing monochromatic bouquets, keep it simple. Here we chose just the Calla Lilies in both colors for a cute and classy toss bouquet.

Like these styles but have questions? Send me your ideas and let's get started!

Shotgun Shell Boutonniere

To some brides, the Bridal Bouquet is the most important piece of the puzzle, and the rest falls in line behind.  But for others, it is just important for their to be personality in their boutonnieres and corsages as it is in their bouquets. These shotgun shell boutonnieres demonstrate a level of uniqueness that can be added to personal flowers that you might not have the flexibility with when working with whole bouquets. 

Bride Elizabeth was having a country-themed wedding that had some really fun details.  After talking through her ideas, I received a package in the mail with several custom painted shotgun shells.  Yes, you read that right, shotgun shells.  My job was to incorporate them into a few of the boutonnieres as a nod to her fiancee and his friends.  We used some summery white Daisies and Baby's Breath and a touch of some small coral accent flowers.  The shell still needed a little customization, so I wrapped some twine around a section in the center and it was the perfect added touch.  Take a look!

Elizabeth wanted a slightly more feminine look for the corsages so I designed the classic wrist corsage with white Daisies and Roses, Coral Roses and small accent flowers.  As with most of my mothers' corsages, I tossed in my signature rhinestone spray for some tasteful sparkle and tied it off with some delicate sheer ribbon.

Do you have an idea that seems out of the ordinary and aren't sure how to pull it off?  Get in touch with me today to discuss how we can turn your idea into a reality.

Coral and White Wedding Roses

Coral and seems to be one of those colors that is everywhere. And coral and white are just made for each other, which is they are showing up in more 2016 weddings. From the soft and feminine palette, to a more saturated and vibrant tone, it's a classic combination that won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

I particularly love Ranunculus, as do many brides, so when I found these perfect peach and coral Ranunculus for a bride it was a match made in heaven.  I tucked the Ranunculus in between white Roses in a random manner and it turned out looking whimsical and dainty and shabby chic all at the same time. This is one of my favorites!

When you've got such a great bouquet, you want to finish it off just as well.  I found this peach Muslin that was the perfect complement to the bouquet and added a rustic charm.  Taking it another step further, I added twine in the center and it all came together.  We mirrored the look in the Groom's boutonniere with two tones of Ranunuclus, Muslin wrap and a bit of the twine.  A perfect pair! 

Corsages and boutonnieres in matching styles and colors enhance the overall picture that your flowers give your guests.  While it may seem overwhelming to think about the designs for all those personal arrangements, you can leave it to me to come up with coordinating corsages and boutonnieres that will photograph well, hold up to all those hugs, and work with the design of your stunning bridal bouquet.  Get in touch with me to order your coral and white silk wedding bouquet and hear more about the designs that can make it all work together.

Realistic Roses for a Beautiful Custom Silk Bouquet

Many brides have hesitations when it comes to the idea of using anything but fresh flowers.

If it's not in your budget to spend a fortune on arrangements for your wedding, then realistic roses and custom silk wedding flowers might be the answer for you.

Bride Kristin had ordered flowers for her May destination wedding through me.  She mentioned to her cousin, Stephanie, that she had custom silk wedding flowers and it piqued Stephanie's interest.  I met with both brides and got to show Kristin the flowers I had already picked up for her arrangements.  

Stephanie and I talked through her ideas and played around with some stems I had on hand. She showed me pictures of bouquets and flowers she liked and we worked on some design ideas together.  Stephanie's must have's included realistic fresh touch flowers for her entire bouquet and LOTS of bling. Her classic color scheme of red and white suited the flowers she chose and the final products are stunning.

Bridal Bouquet of Fresh Touch Red Roses and Calla Lilies with rhinestone sprays, bouquet jewel and rhinestone wrap on the stems.

Bridal Bouquet and Bridesmaid Bouquet of white Calla Lilies with rhinestone wrap on the stems.

Toss Bouquet of white Calla Lilies and preserved Baby's Breath with rhinestone wrap on the stems.

These flowers are show stoppers, and the best part is that Stephanie got the flowers of her dreams with all the bling she could ask for and for a fraction of what fresh flowers would have cost her. 

Now when that spotlight hits Stephanie as she walks down the aisle (did I mention she was going to be lit by only a spotlight?) Stephanie and her bling-y bouquet will both be shining.

If you are interested in finding out how realistic silk wedding flowers compare to your fresh flower quote, fill out the free bridal checklist today.  Thanks again to Stephanie (and Kristin for the referral) for allowing me to create your beautiful flowers.

Ordering Custom Wedding Flowers on a Short Timeline

Bridal bouquet of purple Calla Lilies, pink Garden Roses, cream pink Hydrangea, Greenery and Pearl accents.

Bridal bouquet of purple Calla Lilies, pink Garden Roses, cream pink Hydrangea, Greenery and Pearl accents.

There are times when my deadlines are a bit shorter than is typical.  Bride Anisha contacted me on May 13 requesting custom silk wedding flowers for her May 28 American Wedding and May 30 Indian Ceremony. Needless to say, I jumped into action with her pink and purple color scheme to design beautiful bouquets (including a red bouquet to match her Sari bridal gown), boutonnieres and corsages, for the fast approaching big day(s)!

If you find yourself in this type of situation, there are a few things to remember:

  • Be open to new ideas.  I may need to present some new flower ideas in order to achieve the look you want. Meaning, you may not get that rare orchid you've been dreaming of since 6th grade if you wait until there's just a few weeks to go. But then again you might since silk flowers come in a wide variety of species and colors year round! 
  • Be up front about what you like. It's very helpful to all of your vendors to know what you're thinking. We may not be able to fulfill all your requests, but if we spend valuable time deciphering what you'd like, we'll be in a bigger pinch than we were before with your timeline.
  • It's never too early to get the conversation started. Not knowing what you want is not a problem, that's what I'm here for!  My goal is to help you discover your likes/dislikes and create custom wedding flowers to match your personality, style and theme. And I will say it again, it's never too early to talk with vendors about ideas, the more time we have the more room for creativity!

Keeping that in mind, let's go back to Anisha's flowers.  I was up front with Anisha about our time frame, I gave her ideas to choose from that I could work with and she made fast and clear decisions.  Her vision of garden bouquets with a variety of flowers came to life beautifully!

If you are feeling the time crunch and think custom silk wedding flowers might be the solution, contact me today to get the conversation started.

Using Broaches in a Bridal Bouquet

Before I talk about this beautiful broach bouquet, I need to reminisce about summer. See, it's a chilly -4 degrees this morning in Minneapolis and since the sun is shining, it made me think back to this past summer.  Remember summer, those glorious days of not having body parts freeze upon exposure?  Anyways, this summer was especially busy for me as we were in the process of moving out of our house and getting ready to move into our new one.  But weddings keep happening despite anyone's major life events.  That's the beauty of this job, I can work without effecting my family and you still get your flowers ahead of time.  Ok, back to this summer....

The finished bouquet.

Jill contacted me on behalf of her friend Jaime who was the bride-to-be.  Jill had a picture of a Calla Lilly cascading style bouquet with multiple broaches in it that the bride liked.  I asked a little more about bride Jaime and basically learned that she was suuuuuper laid back and didn't really care a whole lot about the flowers, hence Jill ordering on her behalf.  I also learned that some friends and family were providing broaches to be included in her bouquet--what a sweet idea.  So Jill dropped off the broaches and I got to work recreating the look that worked Jaime's budget. When I got the bouquet- I noticed a few were colored broaches.  I asked about it and Jaime apparently didn't care at all--cool as a cucumber!  So I incorporated those without Jaime batting an eye. I used Fresh Touch Silk Calla Lilies, my most popular seller.

Jaime only had one real request and that was that we used burlap to wrap the stems on her bouquet.  Pretty simple request to fulfill!

Burlap adds a nice touch to the handle of any bouquet.

Naturally, I suggested that a matching Groom's Boutonniere would be a good touch which was something Jaime hadn't even thought about.  She loved the idea of having something for her man, so I put together a simple, yet classy matching boutonniere.  Jaime didn't love the burlap alone on the groom's bout so I added a layer of shimmery, sheer white ribbon to give it a little shine.  With all that glam in Jaime's bouquet, we couldn't leave the groom's boutonniere looking too plain!

Did I mention that all of this took place in about a month's time?  Jill and I communicated almost entirely over e-mail, including pictures of the bouquet in progress, and we were able to collaborate on a beautiful wedding bouquet for her friend in a short time frame.  That's the beauty of silk flowers!  You (or your friend as was the case) get a voice in seeing your vision for your custom wedding flowers come to life whether you have a year or a month.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in hearing more about, take a minute to fill out the Free Bride's Checklist for a quick quote and to start the conversation.  Stay warm!

Rustic Bridal Bouquets for Spring or Fall

Bride Jess contacted me looking for a custom rustic wedding flower design that included white Ranunculus and complementary flowers in wine and peach. I knew right away that peach Peonies mixed with some wine colored Hypericum berries would be a great fit for her spring wedding. A little Dusty Miller finished off the bouquets and was a unique addition to the boutonnieres and corsages.  Her northwoods wedding was incorporating lots of rustic elements, so we decide that needed to be mirrored in her custom silk wedding flowers as well. The rustic details we choose, including jute twine and birch bark wrap, added interest to her arrangements.  Take a look!

When everything was finished up, the standard white backdrop photographers to send Jess just didn't seem to do these beautiful bouquets justice.  Since I finished them in November, I had a great setting in my backyard to capture the wonderful colors and textures of her flowers.

Groom, Groomsmen and Ring Bearer Boutonniere

Mother & Grandmother pin on corsages

Mother & Grandmother pin on corsages

Here's a closer look at the birch bark wrap.  It's artificial so you aren't literally holding onto tree bark, but it's realistic enough to make people think you are!

“...We love everything you put together for us! I love the flowers, colors and textures and everything is just the right size. I think it’s great that you labeled each thing so it will be as easy as possible on the big day! They are absolutely perfect.”
— Jess G.- Minnesota

Because my photographer never took a shot like this when I got married...

If you are interested in learning more about having wedding flowers custom designed just for you, fill out the Bride's Checklist to request a free quote.

Ombre Silk Bridal Bouquet

The Ombre trend has been around long enough to work it's way into many a bride's hearts.  There are many ways to use it in your wedding decor, not just in your hair as it's most commonly seen.  So I thought it would be fitting for my first Love Is Blooming Etsy Shop feature to showcase the arrangement you saw in my last blog post that announced my new shop.

This ombre bouquet features a top to bottom fade of warm reds, oranges, and yellows in a variety of designer silk flowers.  The very center consists of a deep red Hydrangea, circled by flame colored Tulips and Orchids, which blends into softer orange Roses, and lastly fading into delicious butter yellow Roses.

This bouquet and boutonniere set is the perfect accent for your spring, summer or fall wedding.  The rich colors, playful Ombre fade, and elegant finishing touches will look great for any style of wedding.  Available for purchase and fast shipping for your wedding, vow renewal, anniversary event, or destination wedding.  Interested in matching bridal party arrangements? Contact us to find out more about the custom design process.

Check back later for another featured item from Love Is Blooming Designer Silk Wedding Flowers Etsy Shop.

Finishing off this bouquet is a delicate sheer ribbon in pale yellow which complements the silk flowers as well as completes the Ombre fade with a perfect match.

Lastly is the matching Groom's boutonniere with a pale yellow Rose bud, vibrant flame-colored Orchid, and sheer red ribbon for the masculine version of the Ombre fade. Each arrangement has it's own look, but together they are a fiery fit.

Buy Silk Wedding Flowers Online at the Love Is Blooming Etsy Shop Now Open!

Ombre Silk Bridal Bouquet in yellow and orange Roses, orange orchids and Tulips, and red Hydrangea.

Buy Silk Wedding Flowers on Etsy

I'm pretty excited to be offering a completely new service for brides near and far, my very own Etsy shop! This is a great option for brides (or anyone) who is looking for that one-of-a-kind silk wedding flowers bouquet or accent for an upcoming event.

There are various sizes, styles, and designs available in the shop ready to ship. Whether it's for a destination wedding, vow renewal, or a smaller intimate ceremony, these high end silk bridal bouquets and matching groom's boutonnieres are unique, high quality, and beautiful!  I'll be doing some features on what I've got in the shop over the next few weeks.

Looking for something a little different, fill out the bride's checklist with your specifics and get a quote for your event.  Also, if you are interested in matching items for your designer bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere, contact me to find out what's available. 

Bling Accessories for Wedding Flowers

Add a beaded garland for a cascading accent.

Add a beaded garland for a cascading accent.

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Each season new trends show up on the wedding scene, but there is one trend that's hung around for a while now.  Bridal bouquet bling has the universal appeal of added elegance and can bring your wedding flowers to the next level. 

However, as have all the trends, even bling has taken on new looks:

There are the commonly thought of sparkly rhinestones, pearls, and gems you can add in any number of ways to the handle or flowers of your bouquets and corsages.  But new materials are making an appearance on wedding flowers in interesting new ways.  Pheasant and peacock feathers can add a bit of whimsy and dramatic colors to any bouquet, corsage or boutonniere.  The more recently popular rustic or shabby chic style has opened up even more options.

Burlap has climbed the charts of style as a way brides can customize their wedding flowers for a more organic appeal.  Wrapping the handle of your bouquets with burlap or lace covered burlap is a beautiful option since it is a material that looks great in most settings, especially barn, garden, outdoor, or casual weddings.

Concerned about burlap being too bulky on boutonnieres?  Opt for twine or a raffia wrap for a matching look that's suitable for the more masculine arrangements in your wedding. 

Including a framed picture of a loved one somewhere on your bouquet is a meaningful way to honor someone important in your life.  Available in a variety of styles and finishes, these small frames can fit in between blooms or can be tied on the handle with a matching ribbon.

Broaches are another item that bring some class and shine and can even add sentimental value.  Whether as a focal point of the bouquet or as a dazzling accent, you get high impact with minimal effort:

When designing your custom silk wedding flowers, embellishments can add that unexpected element to your bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages that complete any look.  Have an idea you didn't see here or have a Pinterest board full of ideas? Send us the link through the Free Bride's Checklist and we'll get in touch with you to start on your designs.

Get creative with what materials you include in your silk wedding flower bouquet: pheasant feathers, satin ribbon, and twine with metal keys.

Peacock Feathers in Corsages

Making the ladies feel special is job #1 when creating corsages.  We also needed them to match their male counterparts, but look feminine and pretty.

Grandmothers' Corsage: ivory Hydrangea cluster, Peacock feather, Royal Blue satin ribbon and bow

Mothers' Corsages: We wanted to kick things up a notch for the mamas. Meghan chose wrist corsages with a pretty and delicate clear beaded bracelet so they would have a keepsake from the wedding. I surrounded a single green Orchid with a bunch of ivory Hydrangea and tucked a Peacock feather and some rhinestones into the arrangement.  I love how they turned out.  Matchy matchy, but still beautiful!

This wrist corsage was for one of the hostesses and matched with the always elegant white roses and black satin ribbon.  You can't get much more classic than that!

Whether you are considering adding Peacock feathers or any unusually shaped embellishment into your wedding flowers, don't think "it won't look right."  Just give me a call or fill out my bridal checklist and I'll tell you exactly how it can be done!

Thanks again to Meghan for working with me on such beautiful flowers!

Peacock Feathers in Boutonnieres

The guys needed to get in on the peacock feather action, but we didn't want to hear any complaints of said guys having to wear a frou-frou feather.

Groom's Boutonniere: ivory Calla Lily, peacock feathers, black satin ribbon

Groomsmen Bouts: purple Calla Lily, Peacock feather, satin ribbon

Fathers' Bouts: green Orchid, Peacock feather, satin ribbon

Grandfathers' Bouts: ivory Hydrangea cluster, Peacock feather, satin ribbon

Meghan had a couple hosts/hostesses that she wanted to have a flower but not necessarily match the bridal party.  We went with classic white Roses and they fit in perfectly with everything else.

Last but not least, we've got corsages and making them work with feathers.  Check back for more!

Peacock Feathers in Wedding Bouquets

More and more I'm seeing unique elements making their appearance in wedding flowers.  Whether it's feathers, jewels, pearls, paper flowers, buttons, fabric, twigs, wire, fruit, jewelry, or whatever, it can make a bouquet visually interesting and one-of-a-kind.  One of the most popular embellishments making the rounds in the wedding world, are peacock feathers. The vibrant colors, whimsical shape, and soft edges make a great addition to any themed wedding.

 In Meghan's case, the feathers fit in perfectly with her color scheme: green, purple, and blue.  Not only that but a family member's close friend raised peacocks and gave Meghan a whole pile of feathers to use.  (Did you know you have to wash them first?  Something to consider if you were planning on hunting down a peacock farmer to beg feathers from.)

At our initial consultation I was able to show her some beautiful Hydrangeas in green and purple, Cornflowers in blue, and Orchids in green.  They were all perfect matches but we still had a few pieces missing from the puzzle.  She liked the look of the eggplant callas so I went to work tracking down the perfect stems and it was a great fit for the overall look and feel of the bouquets.  We wrapped the bridesmaids' bouquets in a beautiful blue satin ribbon and called it finished.  So pretty!

Meghan's bouquet was a little bit more elaborate--more feathers, more flowers, more glamor!  We added in some ivory callas to bring that bridal touch to the arrangement as well as a rhinestone wrap on the stem to make it really stand out.

The cutesy little toss bouquet was small enough that I decided to use some of the more linear shaped feathers so they didn't overwhelm it in all its adorableness.

Feathers aren't always easy to work with, but the final look is amazing!  Check back to see how we incorporated the peacock feathers in the boutonnieres in a manly, yet cohesive way.

Fall Silk Wedding Flowers | Jewel Tones

Spring Planning for Fall Flowers

Ok, so Spring has officially sprung. But, maybe you just got engaged and are looking into planning your wedding for fall.  If so, then this post is for you!

Ellie worked with me to design her fall silk wedding flowers just a week and half before their laid back, up North nuptials. She wasn't picky, liked a vintage vibe, and really hoped to incorporate her favorite flower, the Magnolia. Oh, and her other big request was that she really wanted twigs. Like really, really wanted twigs.

Take a look at what we came up with for her bouquet:

Bridal Bouquet: orange Dahlias, purple Roses, cream Magnolia, green Hydrangea, burgundy mini Zinnias, fall leaves, and twigs.

Bridesmaid Bouquet: orange Dahlias, purple Roses, green Hydrangea, burgundy mini Zinnias, fall leaves, and twigs.

These boutonnieres were some of my favorites.  We incorporated rustic looking Succulents with the mini Zinnias, and a fall leaf instead of the traditional greenery.  I also added a Magnolia bud into the groom's boutonniere.

The mothers' corsages had a purple Rose, a bit of green Hydrangea, a burgundy mini Zinnia, and fall leaves.  All the arrangements were finished off with twine on the stems, a detail that fit into the rustic and organic feel they were going for.  Thanks again to Justin and Ellie for letting me be a part of your big day!

Wedding Flowers in Fall Colors | Part II

As I promised in the first part of this series, I wanted to draw special attention to some of Jill's other fall colored arrangements. I just had to start off by showing you her beautiful altar arrangements. 

These stone lanterns spoke to me as I searched for the perfect container for her outdoor wedding.  And the best part is that I made the arrangements removable so that Jill can use the lanterns with a scented candle, fresh flower arrangement, or maybe even filled with fruit.  The possibilities are (somewhat) endless!  Can you tell I'm excited about these containers???

Ok, moving on.  So yesterday I mentioned that I included another keepsake in the mother of the bride's corsage.  Jill wanted to include a handkerchief into her mom's wrist corsage.  When you are working with Callas in a corsage, there isn't much "foof" so I had to get creative in how I could add, disguise, and appropriately embellish this wrist corsage.  I got down on my origami skills and... okay, I don't really have any origami skills, but I did have to fold, refold, and fold again until I found a way to make it pretty without being cumbersome.  Additionally, the hanky had some embroidery detail that I didn't want to completely lose.  I made sure to leave that visible and at the same time cover the stems - double duty!

We had it all on a pretty rhinestone bracelet and it looked stunning.  Thanks again to Jill for coming to me with such treasures!

Wedding Flowers in Fall Colors | Part I

I wanted to bring some color into today because I'm needing a break from the white outside.  We just got several more inches of snow dumped on us because it's still winter here in Minnesota and who knows when it will ever end!

Anyways, here are local bride Jill's beautiful fall bouquets using some more vibrant colors instead of the typical gold, burgundy, and sage.  Here we used Tiger Lilies, red Gerbera daisies, lime Button Mums, orange/yellow Calla Lilies, and Hypericum berries.

One unique touch for the bridal bouquet was that Jill wanted to include a family handkerchief that had special meaning to her and her family.  She didn't want to make it a focal point, so we tucked it in the back where she could feel it as she walked down the aisle.

Jill really liked the look of the Callas on their own, however when we put them together, they needed a little something.  We added a bit of greenery and voila, they looked complete!

The hanky in the bridal bouquet wasn't the only sentimental touch in this wedding, check back tomorrow to see how we included a hanky in a corsage.  A corsage!  (I promise it will be worth the read.)

Anniversary Bouquet Recreation | Testimonial

Bob was kind enough to write a little bit about his experience working with me on the Anniversary bouquet I recreated as a surprise for his wife:

From Bob:

Let me start by saying `Erin made me look great as a husband!'
When my wife and I were married, we decided that, going forward, we would exchange “traditional" anniversary gifts. This choice has proven to be fairly easy some years and VERY difficult on others. This past anniversary was a difficult one as it was our twelfth, in which the traditional gift is silk. I decided that I wanted to have my wife's wedding bouquet re-created in silk, if I could find someone to do such a thing. After finding Erin's silk wedding flower website and having a short phone conversation with her, I was confident that I was putting this task in the right hands.
Like I usually do, I had procrastinated in planning my gift but Erin had no problem getting it done for me in a short time frame, even though I knew that she had other jobs that she had to get done.  Erin texted me that the bouquet was done. I was thrilled at the result when I went to pick it up! I could not believe the attention to detail and how it looked exactly like the original, live wedding bouquet.
What's even more amazing is that she did all this with only a few wedding photos to refer to! In addition, I was very pleased and surprised at how reasonable her rates are. I had set aside quite a bit more money than it actually cost me.
If anyone has an upcoming occasion where silk flowers could be used, I would very highly recommend Erin. They will not be disappointed! She is very reasonable, timely, and most of all her quality and attention to detail is top notch!
Bob W. | Minnesota

Thanks again to Bob for giving me the opportunity to be a part of their inspiring story.  Because as much as I love weddings, I'm more about the marriage and that's what this whole thing was about.  Many more happy years to you Bob & Sue!

What Wedding flowers do you need?