Creating That Perfect Combination
Published August 12, 2011 | 
Your wedding colors and flowers create a perfect personalized image of your wedding day is. But, creating the right combination of colors can be daunting. There are four basic color scheme definitions and knowing a little about each will definitely help you as you think out what colors will make your special day perfect. Of course, the first thing you should select are the types of flowers that you want which will dictate to some degree the colors that you chose. A color wheel is a great tool to have as you sit and plan out your wedding.
Related or monochromatic colors -This is one of the easiest schemes to create because it takes one color and uses various hues of that same color, such as pale pink, pink, red, dark red. You can prevent this scheme from looking bland by mixing up the types of flowers that you are using within the arrangement. This will help create diversity and great eye appeal as well as keeping with the related theme.
Complimentary Colors – These are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. Examples are yellow and violet or red and green. If you think about it, a lot of what we think of as traditional holiday colors are just complimentary colors on the color wheel. You can even take this a step further and use some eliments of the Monochromaic scheme and give a wide variety of visual appeal by using various hues of your complimentary colors.
Triadic Colors - This scheme is a little more difficult and consists of using three colors on the color wheel that appear in equal distance to each other. Or form the shape of a triangle as shown in the image. They don’t compliment each other and may be more difficult to work with. An example of triadic colors would be blue, yellow and red, or purple, orange and green.
Discordant Colors – This color scheme is one of the most difficult to put together and is best left to the professionals. It is made up of two sets of complementary colors. It takes great skill to put these together without ending up with a clash of color.
Spining that Color Wheel
Published August 9, 2011 | One of the biggest decisions any bride has to make is what colors she wants at her wedding. From the bridesmaids dresses to the tuxedos to the floral arrangements, color sets the entire mood of the wedding
.
Colors fall into two distinctive categories, warm and cool. Warm colors include red, yellow, orange and all the variations in between. A warm color adds a sense of warmth, light and brilliance into a flower arrangement. These colors are also classified as happy and cheerful. . Warm colors however can also seem overpowering to some people and can actually make a space feel a bit cramped.
Cool colors are blues, violets, purples, greens and other colors in between. Cool colors bring to mind, water, grass and can create a sense of peace and serenity. Cool colors can make a small space feel larger because they tend to fade when seen from a distance.
Even some of the neutral colors, such as brown or black can take on a warm hue depending on how they are mixed. A black with a redish tinge would be considered warm, one with a blue touch to it would be cool. Colors in the violet range can also cross back and forth between the cool and warm colors. So can various shades of grey.
Warm colors are most associated with the warmer months of the year, but especially with fall. Cooler colors are generally found to be more popular during the winter months and into early spring. 
Finding the perfect mix for your wedding does not mean that you need to stick to either warm or cool. But you need to be careful on how you mix them. The right balance of warm and cool colors can create a spectacular effect.
Putting the Chic into Your Rustic Chic Reception
Published August 5, 2011 | Last time I talked about what a Rustic Chic theme is. Now I would like to show you some great ideas for creating centerpieces for your Rustic Chic themed Reception.
Picture trios of centerpieces on your tables in great unique holders. Mason jars; the bases of old oil lamps, antique ceramic pitchers, branch baskets just to name a few make fantastic holders for your table centerpieces. Whether you use family treasures or priceless finds from your local Mercado or thrift store, each table’s centerpiece will turn out to be a matchless work of art. Consider using watering cans or clay pots for larger displays. Adding clusters of berries, cinnamon sticks, wheat branches or sprigs of lavender to the centerpieces are great touches for a rustic chic theme.
Pick flowers that have large blossoms and petals to be the focal point of your centerpieces. Sunflowers, Black-eyed Susans, and daises lend themselves very well to a rustic chic theme, but even that most traditional of all flowers, the Rose will lend itself well to a rustic centerpiece when partnered up with other flowers. Baby’s Breath or Queen Anne’s lace makes for a perfect filler and final touch.
Couple this with some great table cloths, anything from the fun and brightly colored picnic style gingham to retro luncheon cloths from the 50′s and 60′s that your mother or grandmother might have and you’ve got a fantastically chic Rustic Reception theme that is relaxed and inviting .
Reception Theme–Rustic Chic
Published August 2, 2011 | 
One of the biggest trends this year in wedding is something called Rustic Chic. Generally more relaxed than the traditional or formal style of wedding receptions, a Rustic themed reception is can also be very budget friendly for all you Recessonista Brides. A Rustic themed reception works either indoors or out, which is makes it the perfect choice if you are planning for an outdoor reception but need a fall back in case of rain that will seamlessly translate from one location to another at a moment’s notice.
Now I know what you all must be thinking, rustic does not immediately bring to mind elegance, but believe me, nothing could be further from the truth. Rustic is not just about 
gingham and sunflowers, it’s about great textures like linen, damasks and other tone on tone fabrics mixing with wonderful rich wood tones. Don’t be afraid to mix and match with a rustic theme, that’s all part of its charm. Think about using a variety of different candlestick styles on your bridal party table or over by your guest book area. Textured ribbons with floral springs tucked in them make for perfect napkin rings.
Next time, I’ll share with ideas on how to create the perfect arrangements for a Rustic Chic Reception!
Beat the Heat
Published July 29, 2011 | 
As we hit the midpoint of summer, it’s time to talk about what flowers simply will not hold up if used for corsages and boutonnieres. Because the last thing you want on your special day is to have the flowers created for that day to wilt or worse, simply fall apart in the middle of the ceremony.
Corsages and boutonnieres do not have water sources, although an experienced florist will insert a wet cotton wrap to help ward off the wilt factor. Tropical flowers are always the best choice for summer heat. Orchids, ginger, helliconia and proteas are wonderful choices as they hold up very well in the summer heat. Roses, lilies, gladiolas, freesia and callas are also excellent choices for corsages and boutonnieres.
What flowers should you avoid when the thermometer reaches for 90? Tulips, gerberas, dahlias, asters, delphinium, cosmos, daffodils, iris and hydrangea just cannot stand the heat. Even if your ceremony and reception are in air conditioned spaces, these flowers along with ranunculus, poppies, sweet peas and hyacinthus should not be used in corsages and boutonnieres.
Stick To It
Published July 26, 2011 | So far so good, you’ve gotten all the bouquets done, the corsages and boutonnieres are finished and now it’s time to start working on those table arrangements for your reception. But in spite of your best efforts the flowers are refusing to cooperate. You’ve followed your designs to the letter, purchased the freshest flowers available, gotten your containers primed, 
yet the flowers just continue to have a mind of their own. They list to one side, they flop over and no matter how many times you take them out and restart it’s the same results. Before you toss in the towel and rush out to find somebody that can create your reception arrangements, at the last minute without breaking the budget, let me share with you this great tip.
Transparent Tape. That’s right, regular old transparent tape. By using 1/2″ tape, you can create a grid pattern along the top of your containers that you can then use to help support your flowers. It will adhere to almost any container, with the possible exception of woven or wooden containers and is a very inexpensive fix. You need to make sure that you use transparent tape, not invisible or magic tape. Those tapes do not stick as well and will not hold up, especially if your arrangement is a large one.
After filling the container with water to within about 2″ of the top, you will need to apply the 1/2″ transparent tape in a horizontal pattern across the top of the opening leaving 1/2″ between each strip. Once that is complete, turn the container around and apply another series of tape rows until you have created a grid pattern with 1/2″ squares. For additional support, turn the container back around and apply one more layer of tape across the original horizontal pieces. Once that is completed, you can add your flowers and the grid will support them.
A Tisket, A Tasket, Support Your Floral Basket
Published July 22, 2011 | 
Last time I talked about how chicken wire is great for creating supports for your soft stemmed flowers. It is also great for helping to support floral arrangements created in baskets.
You’ll need to use a long narrow strip of small gauge chicken wire for each basket arrangement. Fold this into thirds so that the wire overlaps, creating a lot of small openings. Then wrap this around the basket. Take the container that you are going to use for water and pierce two holes through the top. Place it into the basket and run a piece of wire through the holes and attach it to the sides of the basket for support.
Arrange your flowers in the basket. Then using the chicken wire frame, insert your foliage into the wire. You will need to remember to mist the foliage often as it will not have any other water source.
This is also a great tool for heavy or bulky stemmed flowers and foliage, it works as an anchor along with floral foam to support your arrangement so that the weight of the stems do not stress the foam and cause your arrangement to sag.
Quick Revival Tips
Published July 15, 2011 | In keeping with our last entry’s theme, here are some more great tips to keep in mind in case you find yourself with flowers that have lost some of their luster just before your wedding, party or event, as well as how to help prevent wilting from even starting.
Drooping or lackluster foilage can be immersed for up to 2 hours to help bring them back to their former glory. This allows the leaves and stems to absorb as much moisture as possible to ward off wilting or drooping. This method, however is not effective for grey or silver foilage and can actually make a bad situation worse.
Roses that have started to loose some of their beauty should be placed in a bath tub in about 3 inches or so of water, allowing them to float gently on the surface. Total immersion will cause them to loose their texture and ruin them completely.
For long stemmed flowers, fill up a tall thin vase or long necked bottle with room temperature water and flower preservative. Re-cut the stems so that moisture can once again get into the stems easily. This is a great technique to use if your flowers are soft stemmed, like Gerbera Daisies are.
Spray bottles are wonderful for helping prevent wilting, fading and shriveling of petals. This is an excellent technique for Irises, Hydrangeas, and Violets. This helps increase their water 
intake.
Avoiding The Dreaded Droop
Published July 12, 2011 | 
Your big day is finally here, you and your trusty group of helpers have created gorgeous arrangements and bouquets for your wedding and the last thing you want to discover is the dreaded droop!
Even if you have followed every step, chosen your flowers carefully, followed every precaution, there is always the potential for your flowers to droop. One of the biggest causes of this could be something known as a stem air lock. When this happens, flowers are prevented from getting enough moisture and that causes them to start to wilt. But there are ways to help restore your flowers and help ease wilting or drooping.
Make sure to take them to a cool room with as little direct sunlight or bright lights as possible, since heat and bright light will add to the situation. And some flowers are more susceptible than others, Tulips for example are very temperamental and can droop and loose arrangement shape.
Wrapping your bouquets in tightly wrapped newspaper, covering the stems and blooms, then placing them in a container full of cool water, deep enough just about cover them for 2 hours will help ease the wilting or drooping.
If the petals have started to open too soon, carefully placing a pipe cleaner around each bloom during this time period will help to hold it to the shape and size you need it to be.
For drooping stems, you might want to carefully prick them with a pin just below the flower head. This helps to release any air that might have been trapped inside, which created the 
airlock that prevented them from taking in enough moisture. And if your stems do not respond to this, you can always use floral wire up through the center of each stem to help straighten it out over it’s entire length.
Featured Centerpiece–Vintage Victorian
Published July 8, 2011 | 
One of this year’s biggest wedding trends is to have a vintage or even Victorian style wedding and reception. I wanted to share with you a fabulous centerpiece that I created sometime back for a bed and breakfast with a Victorian flair.
I needed to come up with something Victorian looking. Victorian, Vintage and Country all run together for me; although, if someone asked me for something Country, that would not necessarily include Vintage or Victorian veins. So, I was working on a budget and decided to borrow some ideas from Martha Stewart. I went to my local craft store and found darling little tins that were decorated with red, green and white Christmas motifs. I spray painted the tins ivory. Then I used pearl garland and hot glued the pearls over the handle and around the base of the tin. I cut out pink parchment paper hearts and glued those to the tins as well. I bought scented geranium, pink/white wax flower and peachy/pink spray roses.
You can learn all about creating your own centerpieces either by ordering my DVDs found on the products page or by visiting our sister site, Flower Arranging 101.tv. And if DIY is not for you, please visit Heavenly Events.net and let me create something beautiful for your special day!
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