Will you choose a Florist or an Event Designer?

Flowers and decor can be the next highest ticket item for a wedding following the venue and food & beverage.  Aside from floral centerpieces, if one wants to truly create a stunning wedding, there are selections such as linens, lighting, chairs, lounge furniture, bellowing fabric, illumination boxes and etc.....  If the budget allows you to "Pimp Up" your big day, the most common question is should I choose a Florist or an Event Designer.

Florist

These can be neighbor hood shops that have been part of the community for years.  They cater to "foot traffic" and create arrangements that are geared more towards the personal flowers.  Some florists have taken on the additional business of weddings.  However, they can be limited in their resources and inventory.  They may tend to be less "hands-on".  They will not be a one stop shop if you want to add linen, lighting, etc... to your event.  You will work individually with different vendors and connect the dots so to speak.

Price:  Value to Middle

 

Event Designers

 

An Event Designer will create an overall design concept and ensure that the visual details are cohesive with the color story and floral palette.  A Creative Director will select products from many resources and are not limited to inventory, color or design.  They will spend time with each client in creating a unique wedding day story.  It will reflect the couple's personal style and brand the event with layering of visual astonishment.  A Design Studio can offer a complete look for your event including linens, furnishings, fabrics, up-lighting, covered dance floor, custom products etc....

An Event Designer will have more flexibility on time.  Service and products will be the highest priority.  They will have a trained crew to produce the event as it has been envisioned.  Even if the company had partnered up to provide certain elements of the event, it is the Creative Director that will connect all the dots for a stunning wedding. 

Price:  Middle to High

As I always tell my newly engaged brides, inform yourself on the limitations of your wedding team.  This will allow you to create a cohesive picture of your big day.  The more you are vested with your vendors and they are vested with you, there won't be any surprises as you walk down the aisle.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now)

Olivia

Oliveaire Design Studio Showcase: Chandrasekaran & Lamoreaux Wedding: Intercontinental O'Hare

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now), 
Olivia

Choosing a Centerpiece

Your flowers will be a sizeable investment on your wedding day. Your guests will admire your flowers at the ceremony, but most of all at the reception. Your reception centerpiece can capture your guests’ attention, with interesting details and beautifully placed flowers. Here are some thoughts on designing trendy and creative centerpiece that will captivate your guests:

Collection of Vases

A popular design, as well as budget friendly. Using a collection of cylinder or square vases of varying heights will give the table dimension. A monochromatic color palette will give you a sleek contemporary look.

Wrapped Vases

If colored vases are not offered by your florist, choose to wrap them in eye-catching fabrics. A thick border ribbon, crystal ropes or layering with shimmer paper stock will highlight texture in an otherwise flat vase.

Sparkle

Nothing sets the mood like candles. Setting pillar candles in a mosaic candle holder, or floating candles in crystal dishes, can accessorize your table. If possible, use colored votive holders that will match your event color palette.

Potted Plants and Herbs

Beautiful and earth friendly. This aromatic display of greens can easily be incorporated into any design. The best part is that the guests can take them home to enjoy and reminisce about your wedding day.

Illumination

As it is at any event, the lights in the room will be dimmed. This is most certainly going to give you romantic ambiance. But it is a deterrent to your centerpiece. Add an illumination box that can uplight your centerpiece, from the bottom up. If your budget allows, definitely pin spot, at a minimum, your high centerpieces. After all, it is the crown jewel of the evening.


Your personal touch will brand your centerpiece. Exquisite details will certainly keep your guests raving about your flowers. We hope you will take more chances with your centerpieces, we are always inspired by out of the box design ideas.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Design watch 2011

Today we have Katie Gutierrez, Event Architect, chatting with you about the color scheme of your wedding. She has some great insights, enjoy!

“Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.” Oscar Wilde

This is a great quote. You start off with a blank canvas. You are the artist who brings to life your celebration. You create the mood; you create the personality. You are designing the moment of a lifetime.


Color trends for weddings are like fashion trends. The change in trends signifies the new season. They are always changing, constantly evolving, and being more and more about personal expression vs. tradition.

FALL/WINTER 2010/2011: BOLD/VINTAGE!!

The colors are saturated, daring, and very BOLD. Rich Purples, Reds, Chocolate Browns, Coral, Turquoise, Sage. Try taking your choice of these colors and splashing them with accents of orange, gray, fuchsias, yellows and metallics. This adds that creative glamour. I have been seeing “out of the box” color combinations, which evokes personality!


And of course, there’s the ever-timeless Black. Black is always in season. It provides that simplicity, that striking-ness and the elegance.

TRY Monochromatic! By taking one color and using several shades of the same spectrum you will create a textured, dramatic, yet graceful look.


With any color trend you are able have a MODERN & BOLD wedding or a CLASSIC & TRADITIONAL wedding. It’s all about how you pair your colors, and the details.

Embrace color and just be inspired. Some of you, I’m sure, have known what your color scheme would be before you were even engaged and have your heart set on that. That is wonderful! Paint on your canvas! Some of you have no clue where to begin, which may be daunting since the choice you make will have a part in every aspect of the wedding.

Just take a look at you and your groom. Think about your personality, your lifestyle and what you enjoy. If a color had to express that, what would it be? Or, if you want your guests to walk into a room to feel a certain way, what way would you want them to feel? What colors will help create that feeling?

Remember, whatever colors you choose, whether it’s a part of the season's trends or something you've chosen on your own, it speaks to the soul, touches your emotions and will create the most magical feel to your special day.

~Katie

Hope you are all feeling inspired to design your canvas!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

WE tv Showcase Highlights

Hello lovely brides,

If you follow us on Twitter or Facebook you know that on Saturday, July 24th we were lucky enough to co-host the WE tv Wedding Show at Oakbrook Center. Despite the strong storms the night before we had a great turnout.

Mark Ingram came to give Brides advice on selecting their gowns:



We organized tablescapes around three main themes, Bliss, Love and Romance:
















BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia