Bringing the Outside In

Fall is in full swing and the changing landscape is spectacular – new shades, textures, and shapes are revealed during this time of transition, made all the more beautiful in this wash of glimmering, almost golden light.  The traditional time of food harvest is also a time of floral harvest. For many many years I have harvested the parks, roads, and woods for materials: osage oranges, thistle, teasel, grasses, pods, sweet gum balls, as well as cut various items from my garden to dry.  Nature offers boundless inspiration, constantly.

My wedding of a few weeks ago did just this – brought the outside in – as they selected a blaze of fall colors for their centerpieces.  We created two looks in glass for the tables - high arrangements in pilsners and low arrangements in cubes. The colors are what made it spectacular - bright oranges and velvety reds cushioned in antique hydrangea and deep greens. The texture, shape, and color of the kangaroo paw made this look pop and the embroidered gold organza overlays were the perfect complement. 

The cake was pretty marvelous – I haven’t decorated a cake with so many flowers in such a long time and I always love how this looks. I may be biased, but I think nothing tops fresh flowers on a cake, and the cascading design is so lovely.

Flowers pictured include:  kangaroo paw, antique hydrangea, blackout and brunello lilies, freedon roses, orange unique roses, italian ruscus, snapdragon, hypericum berries, vendela roses, salal, and green hydrangea.

Edwardian Elegance

When planning a wedding, one often struggles to strike a balance between what is old and expected and what is new and desired – an heirloom gown or a new gown, a traditional invitation or a modern design – and I believe the best weddings are those that embody both the old and the new in a way that is meaningful to the bride and groom.

However, ‘old’ or ‘traditional’ are not bad words in my book – I love old-fashioned looks and a recent wedding had their reception at the Frank Furness-designed Merion Cricket Club. The perfectly proportioned ballroom, crystal chandeliers, and adjoining sun porch transport one back to a more elegant time of the last century, a la Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs.

To complement the design of the room, I created all-pink arrangements in both silver pedestals and silver urns. The pink, against the cream and mocha brown of the walls, looked fresh and clean, and the shimmery cloths and ballroom chairs completed the look.  Marvelous!

Flowers pictured include: white hydrangea, pink hydrangea, antique hydrangea, sweet akito roses, priceless roses, majolica roses, porcelana roses, vendela roses, pink snapdragon, white snapdragon, stock, ranunculus, gardenia, salal, Israeli ruscus, and pittosporum.