Tish Long Flowers

Playing with Color: Purple and Orange

2012-02-19T17:03:00.000-05:00

The end of 2011 was very busy for me and I'm just getting to write about my work - thank you for your patience!

Here's a look at a wedding where I was really able to play with color. We all remember the color wheel from art class and the lesson in complementary colors - the concept that the colors opposite from each other on the wheel, when placed together, make each color appear brighter and more vibrant.

For this wedding, I didn't follow the color wheel exactly, but sort of riffed on it - the deep purples were countered with the burnished oranges, the cool lavenders answered the warm yellowish greens, and all the flowers were designed either atop clear, cool, controlled glass or around warm, gnarled, wild branches. Candlelight completed the looks with either tall pillar candles or hanging votives.

The bridesmaid's bouquets were especially fun to work on as my bride wanted a look very popular in the U.K.: single grasses looped in and out of the bouquet to create a sort of 'caged' look. It's very effective and I think rather playful. I like how they complement the unique shapes of the orchids and the calla lilies, giving movement to flowers that can look very rigid.

Always take a chance and play with color - you won't be disappointed!

Flowers pictured include: cymbidium orchids, mango calla lilies, schwartzwalder calla lilies, cool water roses, stephanotis, vendela roses, gardenias, blackout lilies, orange unique roses, purple stock, antique hydrangea, curly willow, israeli ruscus and seeded eucalyptus.

Be Mine

2012-02-14T20:30:00.000-05:00

Just eeking it in under the wire...

A few shots of some blooming quince and David Austin roses on a February evening.

Happy Valentine's Day!

A Holiday Wish from Tish

2011-12-23T19:26:00.000-05:00

Happy creating!

Workshop: Holiday Decorating

2011-12-20T19:53:00.000-05:00

Happy December!

A few weeks ago, I was asked to conduct a holiday workshop at St. David's Golf Club. For a few hours on a crisp winter night, I demonstrated a variety of holiday floral ideas, including the three options the participants could select to create themselves: a mixed green wreath with gilded pine cone rosettes, wheat, and green apples; a jewel-like arrangement of roses, boxwood, and berries in an oversized julep cup; and an oblong arrangement in a mossed log of greens, white roses, casablanca lilies, orchids, and gilded elements.

There were so many of us, we took up an entire ballroom! What a great evening!

A special thank you to my friend and colleague, Laurie Velitskovich, who was so wonderful to come and shoot the event - her photos are below. Visit her blog and her website to see some more of her work.

Bringing the Outside In

2011-11-21T18:57:00.000-05:00

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

2011-11-09T21:34:00.000-05:00

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.

Decorous Decoys

2011-10-31T10:16:00.005-04:00

Rehearsal Dinners have all of the anticipation of getting ready for the big day and yet seem to have none of the stress – the stress seems to dissolve and everyone turns their attention to fun, seeing friends and family, and sharing in the excitement of the weekend.

The rehearsal dinner I did a few weeks ago captured this element of fun with a wink and a nod to the groom’s family’s pastime – hunting. The groom and his family love to duck hunt and to suggest the wild grasses and fall season, we created two looks: for one, we arranged sheaves of wheat on each table, each encircled with tiny vases of blue delphinium and orange ranunculus and for the other, we designed natural arrangements of grasses, millet, blue delphinium, and orange ranunculus with long cat tails shooting up from the center. Each table was a study of controlled and wild.

To finish the look, the mother of the groom named each table for a different species of duck and we used a number of decoys to decorate the placecard table. What fun!

Flowers pictured include: wheat, dark blue delphinium, orange ranunculus, orange dahlias, monkey grass, salal, bear grass, cat tails, millet, bupleurum, red top grass.

Starry Night

2011-10-26T19:09:00.000-04:00

On one of the warmer Saturdays in October, I had an at-home wedding. I always find at-home weddings charming and old-fashioned – I think we forget that most weddings were at home for years before the rise in popularity of country club or other venue settings.

The palette was all white with a hint of aubergine against a mix of grays, pewters, and silvers all within the most beautiful setting of all – the outdoors. A clear tent can be so effective, and most of all when one is able to look up and see the trees and stars above. My photos, taken at the end of the afternoon, don’t convey the incredible impact, but I hope you can get an idea of how breathtaking it was after the sun set.

Two different looks were created for the centerpieces: flowers encircling a cluster of manzanita branches, off of which we hung candles in glass votives and flowers atop silver pedestals, surrounded by pillar candles. The bridal table was stunning – a traditional banquet-style table anchored with five urns of hundreds of roses encircled with vine angel hair, smaller arrangements of hydrangea, and multiple candles and greens to finish it.

After dinner, guests were invited into the barn to dance and continue the celebration – how marvelous!

Flowers pictured include: white hydrangea, aubergine dahlias, Tibet roses, white stock, white hypericum berry, vine angel hair, green moss, white snapdragon, salal, cymbidium orchids, Picasso calla lilies, white calla lilies, Schwarzwalder calla lilies, Italian ruscus, grass, green and purple seeded eucalyptus, gilded leaves.

Indian Summer

2011-10-26T09:04:00.000-04:00

It’s technically not been an Indian Summer yet, as we haven’t had a killing frost, but the warmer temperatures have felt as though summer has lengthened – and I welcome it!

Without going completely into the traditional autumnal colors, my bride of a few weeks ago selected colors that seemed to hint at the coming changes: burnt orange mixed with pinks. The flower choice was inspired by the dress chosen for the bridesmaids – an allover print of these pinks, burnt oranges, and pale fawns. Very different and pretty.

One of my more favorite things to do for bridesmaids bouquets is to do them in groupings – this is especially striking when there are many bridesmaids. We had 12 bridesmaids for this wedding, so we had three groupings of four: hydrangea, ranunculus, roses. Against the field of the print dresses, it was spectacular.

We did a mix of high and low arrangements (always very effective in larger areas to break up the space), and the high arrangements were placed in my antique crystal pedestals while the low arrangements were designed in burnished gold urns. On a warm early fall night, when we are not quite ready to say goodbye to summer, these colors just really worked and made the room come alive.

Flowers pictured include: white hydrangea, pink snapdragon, orange dahlias, pink astilbe, Donna roses, Orange Unique roses, Vendela roses, pink and orange ranunculus, salal, pittosporum, gilded leaves.

Flower Focus: Orchids

2011-09-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

I always tell my brides that a simple way to make a big statement is to do just that - keep it simple - and I mean by either going with a single color or a single flower. I have designed flowers for weddings in just about every color in the spectrum as well as quite a few single flower-focused weddings - roses, daisies, lilies - you get the idea. Working with color or flowers en masse creates a rather spectacular visual impact your guests will remember for years to come.

It was such a treat to get to design a wedding comprised entirely of orchids a few weeks ago. My bride wanted to use all white orchids at the reception and at the church and purple and lavender orchids in the bridesmaids' bouquets. We did use a few other purple flowers in the maids' bouquets to set off the orchids, but the stock and celosia merely provided a backdrop for the amazing mokara orchids.

A single orchid provides great visual delight for the eye close up; masses of orchids do what a pointillist painter does - creates a magnificent vision from far away and endless detail up close. Lovely!

(Also: take a look at the bride's choice for a wedding cake - a wedding rhubarb and strawberry pie! Each guest was treated to a homemade tart baked by the mother of the bride. We decorated the cake table with the mother's wedding veil, orchids, and masses of mint.)

Materials pictured include: dendrobium orchids, mokara orchids, cymbidium orchids, phalaenopsis orchids, stock, celosia, pittosporum, and salal.

Here we superimposed orchids to existing wreaths of dried magnolia leaves at the church

Semper Fidelis

2011-09-12T11:31:00.002-04:00

Every year, for many years, I have been honored to do the flowers for the Annual Marine Corps Scholarship Ball in Philadelphia - this year hosted at the Bellevue. It's a huge event and each spring I look forward to working on it and participating in this worthy event that raises scholarship money for the men and women of the Marine Corps.

Representative of the Marine Corps uniform, I use mainly red and gold flowers but do include some purple, orange, and yellow for interest and to help the red flowers pop in the arrangements I design in gold urns.

What a fantastic, inspiring event. I am inspired by the team that plans the evening - those who are utterly devoted to their work for the Marine Corps - as well as by those who benefit from the evening - the men and women who make incredible sacrifices in their devotion and service to our country.

I am always honored to be a part of this cause. Thank you.

Flowers pictured include: Freedom roses, lilies, hydrangea, snapdragons, solidaster, stock, kermit chrysanthemums, carnations, pittosporum, and salal.

Vibrant Colors

2011-09-11T14:03:00.003-04:00

Working with really bright, strong, vibrant colors is something I love to do. When I get the chance to work with a client who prefers contrasting jewel tones, I so enjoy using flowers that are more out of the ordinary and discovering new varieties or colors.

This summer, my client asked me to design some arrangements as well as a wishing tree of curly willow for a bridal shower using materials to match the invitation: chartreuse and shocking pink (a la Schiaparelli). I thought the colors perfectly suited both the season as well as the occasion, and using such strong tones rendered arrangements the antithesis of what one thinks of when one hears "pink and green"- sophisticated rather than cute.

What a fun party!

Here are some shots of the arrangements boxed up and ready for delivery (hence the green tissue). Materials pictured include: white hydrangea, curly willow, bupleurum, shocking versilia roses, celosia, and godetia.

Summertime Elegance

2011-08-28T13:10:00.004-04:00

Summer is nearing to an end, and I'm just getting to post much of my work from the past eight weeks. I cannot believe that September is in a few days!

One of my brides from earlier in the summer wanted a rather old-world, old-fashioned look for the reception and selected a palette of creams, whites, and greens in antiqued vessels - half of which were my vintage metal containers that have a ring of dangling crystals, and the other half were gilded stone urns. We designed similar arrangements for the church - enormous creations of dozens of lilies and peonies - the scent of which is truly the essence of summer.

In contrast to this, the bride wanted a clean, plain, and very colorful bridesmaids bouquets to set off the navy blue of the bridesmaids' dresses - so I created classic nosegays of blushing akito and donna roses - orange and pink. For her own bouquet, we went with a tiny teardrop of all phalaenopsis orchids to set off her beautiful, detailed gown.

The contrasts worked: the bright colors with the cool navy, the lush designs of various white and cream flowers against the plain cream cloths, the simple orchids with the richly detailed gown.

Variety, when executed properly, delights the eye and I think that's what your guests remember most about your wedding day - the way it looked and the way they felt as a result. I am sure these guests felt almost magically transported to another time. A time of long summer days and old-fashioned blooms and soft light. Magic!

Flowers pictured include: Casablanca lilies, snapdragon, larkspur, peonies, Tibet roses, hydrangea, dendrobium orchid sprays, lemon leaf, pittosporum, and Israeli ruscus.

Appleford Estate Open House

2011-06-24T18:58:00.000-04:00

These past few months have simply slipped by and I still have so many things I wish to share from last month - from two months ago, even - so without any further delay, let me get cracking!

First up is the Appleford Open House. I love to work at Appleford and I was happy to participate with Jeffrey Miller Catering at one of the open house tastings for prospective brides. I created a few small arrangements - each with a different color palette, selection of materials, and container - as well as a small bouquet and an enormous vase of concador lilies, viburnum, quince, hybrid delphinium, and roses.

The Appleford Estate is such a special place to have a wedding or a party. The historical house has lovely appointments, the tent (utilized as the reception space) is perfectly proportioned, and their gardens are without rival - they are simply stunning. (To see more of my work at Appleford, please check out the galleries on my website - Lisa, Karen, and Melissa.)

Flowers at the Fair

2011-06-24T18:54:00.000-04:00

At the end of April, I was asked to participate in the Bryn Mawr Skin and Cancer Institute's first annual Skin Care Fair. Despite my busy schedule, I was more than happy to participate in this worthy cause. I set up a booth and had some of the prettiest flowers on display and for sale - the anemone poppies were truly spectacular! The variety of moss purses, perfect for the upcoming Mother's Day, simply disappeared and we had to keep restocking our table - there was a color and design for everyone.

It was fun to be there and to see so many former clients - thanks for stopping by!

Pomp and Circumstance

2011-06-09T17:31:00.000-04:00

It's early June which means it's graduation time - and I have felt so bad for all those who have had to sit in the sweltering heat the past few days to cheer their graduate. Hot or not, it's a memorable milestone for many families and such a wonderful way to begin the summer vacation - not to mention the next chapter of someone's life!

Last week I had a graduation party for 150 in honor of a young man graduating from Malvern Prep. His parents wanted the theme to be the school's colors - navy blue and silver - and the key was to strike a balance with the flowers to ensure that they looked celebratory and fun but not wedding-esque.

His mother also wanted me to create a floral mosaic of the school's logo to anchor the room and the dance floor and so we created a large MP (arranged just like the logo) and gathered silver balloons at the base. The logo was a hit and every guest posed in front of them for photos! What's great as well is that the fresh flowers dry beautifully on these forms and clients save them as keepsakes.

To all those who have attended, will attend, or will be a member of a graduation - enjoy this special time! Congratulations!

Flowers pictured include trick dianthus, hydrangea, delphinium, ladies mantle, carnations, moss, salal, and pittosporum.

Last of the Blooms

2011-06-07T11:19:00.000-04:00

At one of my more recent Greystone weddings, my bride wanted heaps of cherry blossom to frame the ceremony - and I mean heaps! I am so lucky to work with wonderful growers who were able to get the necessary multiple bundles to create this floral abundance at the end of April.

It's now the beginning of June and all of the blossoms are gone - the trees are completely green with leaves - and it's hard to believe how quickly spring comes and goes!

Spring Blossoms

2011-06-04T12:17:00.000-04:00

What gorgeous weather! My garden is in its first bloom and I am really enjoying these late spring days. Everything seems to have grown overnight - my ladies mantle and foxglove are in full bloom, and the roses are popping out all over. Earlier this spring my alliums burst forth all over and I am sorry they are gone, but I eagerly await the wash of colors expected later this month.

Spring is on my mind, and how fitting that my wedding of last weekend was a celebration of so many spring flowers: peonies, delphinium, ladies mantle, and roses. I had the prettiest cerise, pink, and creamy white peonies which smelled as good as they looked. The bride selected a multicolor theme of blue, pink, and lemon-lime greens, all set off by the palest of acid green silk tablecloths - perfect for a springtime wedding.

Enjoy these photos - I only wish you could smell how lovely they were!

Materials included: hot lady roses, amsterdam roses, pink spray rose, purple stock, ladies mantle, veronica, larkspur, hybrid delphinium, peonies, bells of Ireland, blue hydrangea, thistle, and quince branches. Bridal bouquet was an exquisite mix of gardenias, peonies, vendela roses, ranunculus.

One of the bridesmaid's bouquets

Bridal bouquet

Entryway centerpiece for the placecard table

Cocktail tables

Crackled glass julep cups for the cocktail area

Unexpected: Green

2011-05-15T16:56:00.000-04:00

I love working with all flowers, but I especially love it when the unexpected comes along.

My bride of early April, Liz, wanted something a little bit different. Her favorite flower is trick dianthus - unusual as its bloom is completely green and fuzzy - and she wanted her flowers not to be flowers, but greens. Lots and lots of greens with touches of the most beautiful yellow freesia. For the bouquets, I added orange ranunculus to the bridesmaids and white spray roses and vendela roses to the bridal, the latter featuring the trick dianthus.

The visual impact was quite striking and very fresh looking - what a lovely idea for spring!

Workshop: Ode to Spring

2011-05-08T20:09:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day! I hope everyone who celebrates this day in some form or another has had a wonderful day. I celebrated doing what I love most - working in my garden. Such gorgeous weather!

Anyway, it's been a very busy month for me - April simply flew by and I intend to post all that I have been up to for the past four weeks - so please be patient!

First up is actually my most recent endeavor - last Wednesday evening I was so happy to be asked to lead a workshop at St. David's Golf Club. Over the course of two hours, I demonstrated a host of ideas for springtime arranging, using a vast array of materials - all types of flowers, greens, and even fruits and vegetables - as well as some more unusual, unexpected materials such as scented geraniums, french lavender, veronica, buplurum, thistle, dusty miller, thyme, and rosemary.

Each participant then created her own lush masterpiece, using the prettiest of spring flowers - peonies, concador lilies, pink spray roses, marlise roses, larkspur, stock, delphinium, snapdragon, viburnum, hydrangea, and ranunculus.

Thank you for such a fun evening. Have a look at all that we did in two hours - so much creativity in one room! (Thank you as well to some of the members for contributing their photos.)

Individual buckets of flowers for each participant

Getting ready

Some of the materials I used

Dusty miller, hydrangea, and ranunculus

Peony perfection

Parrot tulips and trick dianthus

Talking about using warm and cool colors in an arrangement

Before

and after - succulents, orchids, moss, and river rock for your terrace

Acid green athos and sweet william pop against the vintage blue glass

A fun look for a party - see the strawberries? Strew them down your table.

Before

and after. Unexpected springtime kissing balls - one herb, one moss and daisies

Star of Bethlehem and ranunculus

Asparagus containers - add the Star of Bethlehem from above to complete the look

Moss purse - pink and green

Moss purse with veronica, herbs, and purple tulips

Designing an arrangement in an urn

The work of the participants

Each designing their own masterpiece

Lots of fun!

Harbingers of Spring

2011-04-03T18:25:00.001-04:00

Last weekend - the last weekend of March - my bride chose colors which truly personify the month of March: silver and brown. The landscape is one of silver raindrops on leaden stones and sidewalks and spindly outlines of ashen trees set against the richness of damp, coffee-colored earth. And then, one day, when you least expect it, the branches burst forth with flower. Such are the juxtapositions of a springtime garden - a seemingly barren terrain suddenly erupts with life.

My wonderful bride had a very distinct look she wanted for her evening wedding and she chose chocolate brown cloths with a lovely somewhat liquid sheen and silver charger plates. To complete the look, I created sky-scraping all-white arrangements - half were hydrangea, stock, and Tibet roses in glass pilsners and the other half were the most gorgeous bundles of cherry blossom and hybrid white delphinium grounded in white stones within enormous ginger jars.

Guests were greeted in the foyer by a spring white arrangement bursting with cherry blossom, casablanca lilies, stock, larkspur, snapdragon, and Tibet roses circled with amaranth and set in a granite-colored urn atop a table strewn with rose petals. In the bridal bouquet and the bridesmaids bouquets, I used hydrangea, Tibet roses, white freesia, and many stems of the most perfect white ranunculus.

My photos don't do the room justice - at night, awash in candlelight, the room simply shimmered - the outside was brought in and the guests celebrated under the flowering cherries. Magic!

New Galleries

2011-04-01T19:10:00.000-04:00

Happy April! Doesn't it feel wonderful to say that?

Four new galleries are up on my website - each are named for the brides - Kara, Marta, Maureen, and Noelle. You'll find them at the top of the page, adjacent to the Main Gallery thumbnail.

Galleries

Also, stay tuned for another post about my spectacular wedding of last weekend - I can't wait to show it to you!

Some glimpses of the new galleries:

Spring is in the Air: Greystone Hall Open House

2011-03-22T20:27:00.003-04:00

Despite the fact that the weather forecast includes snow and wintery temperatures for the next few days, I am still in the springtime spirit! Spring is (officially) here and I am eagerly awaiting budding branches, flowering bulbs, and the greening of the grass. Until real spring temperatures arrive, I am content to work with the lovely flowers in season at this time of year.

This past Sunday, I was asked to participate in the Greystone Hall Open House. It was a beautiful sunny day and I really enjoyed meeting many prospective brides and their families. Greystone Hall is such a magical place for a wedding and it is a favorite venue of mine.

To celebrate the season, I created three key looks featuring three different color palettes and a magnificent variety of flowers. Many are available year-round, but a few precious ones, such as the anemones and muscari, are only available for a few weeks, and it was fun to incorporate them into my designs.

I hope you enjoy these images and keep remembering that spring is almost here - almost!

Flowers pictured include: camellia, cherry-o roses, white cherry blossom, heather, fringed tulips, viburnum, bells of Ireland, light blue and dark blue delphinium, stock, casablanca lilies, orange ranunculus, orange chincherinchee, thistle, blue hyacinth, ilsa sweetheart roses, green and white hydrangea, calla lilies, majorca sweetheart roses, trick dianthus, amaranth, cymbidium orchids, vendela roses, anemone, and muscari.

My Funny Valentine

2011-02-15T19:45:00.000-05:00

Oh, Valentine's Day - I think as the calendar nears the 14th of February, most of us treat it with an attitude of approach/avoidance. I think this is a direct result of the over-commercialization and somewhat trite, tired nature of the day itself: one exchanges the usual gifts accompanied by the usual card. Ho-hum.

But why be ho-hum - love certainly isn't - and given what I do for a living, you probably aren't surprised to learn that I am a true romantic. That is why I have so loved to hear all of the 'how we met' stories of my brides for so many years - love springs anew at every turn!

So with an eye toward what is fresh, new, and bright (like love), I had so much fun creating these little jewels of centerpieces for a Valentine's Day dinner as well as a heart-shaped wreath of all flowers. Roses (hot lady, malibu, sweet unique, charlotte, majolika), gerbera daisies, bells of Ireland, pink snapdragon, white hydrangea, ginestra, and flowering branches of quince. As a favor for the ladies, I had cookies made with Robert Indiana's LOVE statue iced on top, which I tied off with bright white grosgrain ribbon.

Don't let love down on this day of all days by rushing to the finish line with the same old gifts and sentiments - be bold, be fresh, be inspired - and never, ever, give into the ho-hum!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Turning up the Heat

2011-01-23T07:28:00.000-05:00

As we settle into deep midwinter and the temperature continues to drop, we crave warmth - withering heat in the midst of numbing cold. This juxtaposition of temperature is what inspired my work yesterday. My client hosted a dinner for twenty-four guests and wanted the look to be all reds: rich, abundant, and sultry. The challenge was how to do this without making it look like Valentine's Day or gaudy. And, given the time of year, I had to select available materials that looked wintery but not holiday.

I love the way these turned out - I used multiple shades and varieties of red flowers ranging from deep blackish burgundy to bright, almost orangey, red. All were arranged in silvery stone urns and julep cups I placed among the sterling silver candelabras which ran the length of the silk dupioni skirted table. As a finishing touch, I added the texture and shape of kangaroo paw, phontinia, miniature seeded eucalyptus, and lots of the herb, sage. Using the herb was both an aesthetic decision (I wanted to use silvery greens to offset the darkness of the flowers) as well as a nod to the dinner - a winter feast of hearty seasonal courses and wine pairings.

So on one of the coldest nights of the year, the guests enjoyed a night of repose from the frigid world in a lovely setting of glowing warmth. What a wonderful way to celebrate the midwinter!

Other material includes - roses: Gospel, Black Bacarra, Black Magic, Red Charlotte. Burgundy Aranal calla lilies, pussy willow, gerbera daisies, phontinia, kangaroo paw, sage, miniature seeded eucalyptus, burgundy snapdragons.

Dining Room -

Front Hall - for this, I added dried pods (I painted pewter) at the base and pussy willow shooting out of the top -

Great Room -

Powder Room -

Hello, New Year

2011-01-18T20:29:00.002-05:00

It may be eighteen days into the New Year, but to me, it still feels new! With the fresh year comes the promise of spring - the sun shines longer in the sky, the stores are filled with citrus fruit, and tulips are in season (in overseas flower markets, clearly not on the east coast). Hello, New Year, with your endless possibilities.

To usher in the new year, we must say goodbye to the old year with a bang. This December 31, I had a New Year's wedding and a large party. I've done a lot of New Year's weddings over the years, and it is a wonderful way to begin anew. I only have some shots of the bridesmaids' bouquets - simple nosegays of vendela cream roses and juniper western berry. I really love the look of juniper.

For the party, I was asked to use blue and silver - fairly traditional New Year's colors - and I added a pop of coral orange for interest and warmth. I used a random assortment of silver and blue vases, enormous silver flutes, and icy blue hydrangea, electric blue delphinium, eskimo white roses, vivienne white spray roses, donna coral roses, marlisse coral roses, and lots of seeded eucalyptus, slivery glittery branches, and silver-dipped Italian ruscus. We used a host of different silver cloths - jacquards, sheers, and even sequins! It was a lot of fun to create.

I look back on 2010 and thank all of my wonderful brides who asked me to do their flowers - I loved working with you!

2011 brides, I can't wait for the adventures ahead!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Bridesmaid's bouquet -

Inspiration in Chaos

2011-01-17T22:14:00.004-05:00

People who are in the floral, catering, or really any service-based industry will tell you that the holidays are the hardest. We work to feed, decorate, and take care of our clients so much for the first 23 days of December so that when it comes time for us to tend to our own homes, we are drained and can barely eek out the inspiration or the cheer so essential to this time of year.

Nevertheless, no matter how busy I am, I do look forward to the holidays and the chance to use my own much-loved things as well as new treasures I have discovered to decorate my home. In the days leading up to Christmas, I am able to take some quiet time and really play with color, light, and texture and design things I would have a hard time replicating on a large scale. These designs are meant to be looked upon, savored, and enjoyed over the course of many days of merriment.

For me, it's the few moments of stillness amidst the chaos that I relish most of all - snow falling, candlelight flickering, flowers opening. I hope you all had a marvelous holiday season!

Table set for Christmas morning - narcissus and clementines -

Old-fashioned tree with much-loved ornaments -

Christmas Day - dinner at night -

Snow on the day after Christmas -

From the outside -

And from the inside - I love my window!

Holiday Fever

2010-12-23T17:57:00.000-05:00

Hello! It's been a very busy month - a Christmas Boutique, two holiday parties for three hundred (each!), homes to decorate, and countless other holiday events. I cannot begin to estimate how many crates of boxwood, white pine, and winterberry I have used - but it's all been wonderful. I love what I do and I love the opportunity to reimagine Christmas every year yet work within the traditional perimeters of red, green, white, and gold.

Next up: my own Christmas. But let me leave you with some images of the past three weeks.

Look at this fabulous winterberry- and the tulips! (A hint that spring is on its way!)

On a Winter's Night

2010-12-05T18:57:00.002-05:00

What a weekend!

Last night's wedding was, in a word, spectacular. After a year of planning, all of the ideas were realized in a simply ephemeral, luminous, and magical evening. As you can tell, I can't find enough adjectives to describe the effect! On a very very cold winter's night, how wonderful to be a wedding guest and be transported to another world - all under a big white tent in the middle of a dark golf course at Merion Golf Club.

Cory, my wonderful bride, had a very distinct idea of what she wanted - the purest of white flowers against dark green foliage - a very clean, simple design but lush and abundant. The greens were to be magnolia and salal - no Christmas greens in sight! This was not to be a Christmas wedding, rather a Winter wedding, resplendent with candlelight, mountains of white hydrangea, and pure white Irish linen - all housed in a heated, vast tent populated with palms and planter boxes of magnolia.

And the candles and the glassware! We lined the entire perimeters of both tents (cocktail and ballroom) with hundreds of pillar candles standing in a random assortment of glass hurricanes. Candles were everywhere - at the end of the road, at the entrance, on every table, on every wall imaginable. Between the candle hurricanes and the arrangements, I had over 600 pieces of glass on-site. I had stopped counting at one point!

For the centerpieces, I used thousands of stems of white hydrangea, white Tibet roses, white Eskimo roses, white ranunculus, and salal greens. All arrangements were placed in either glass trifle bowls or 3-ft tall glass flutes. For the bridesmaids' bouquets, I created tiny all-white nosegays of roses and ranunculus to set off their navy taffeta dresses and Cory's bouquet was a larger version with roses, ranunculus, gardenias and greens. Heavenly!

I so loved working with Cory and her family. From beginning to end, working with them was fun, creative, and a true collaboration. Thank you for asking me do the flowers for your wedding - I was honored to be your florist!

Here are some photos with my point and shoot camera - apologies for the blurs. I also don't have any photos of the bouquets, but I will get them up on my website as soon as possible!

Daytime:

Earlier in the day, putting the final touches on the tall centerpieces -

Upper Terrace (cocktail area) - you'll see how different it looks at night -

Heading down the stairs to the Main (Ballroom) Tent. We framed it out with Magnolia -

Looking back up the stairs to the Cocktail area -

We begin to light the candles as the sun sets -

The bandstand - 10 ft toparies flanked enormous window boxes and white pots of fresh magnolia - we also tented out the bandstand ceiling to create a warm effect. Everyone loved it!

The cake, covered in fresh gardenias -

Getting ready!

Nighttime:

When guests pulled up, they saw candles that seemed to go on forever on the many walls facing the drive -

The guests entered the interior ballroom and were met by roaring fires in the two fireplaces and this arrangement of all hydrangea. It was lovely -

Guests walked through to the cocktail terrace - candles flickering on the walls, luminous lanterns overhead, urns of hydrangea at the four corners, jazz trio playing in the corner -

Eight cocktail tables scattered throughout with navy silk ribbon tied around the glass vases -

At 7 o'clock, guests were invited down into the tent - the 'fence' was removed, and the band struck up a lively tune -

A view back up the staircase - magnolia roping, candles, and huge urns of hydrangea at the top and the bottom of the stairs -

A tall centerpiece -

A low centerpiece -

Masses of candles -

The right side of the ballroom -

Center -

Left -

New Galleries

2010-11-30T19:38:00.003-05:00

Hi! Just a quick note - I have four new galleries up on my Website. I have a LOT more photos I am hoping to get from other weddings very soon, but in the meantime, please have a look at the newest portfolios!

Tish Long Flowers - Galleries

You'll see thumbnail photographs on the left side; the four new albums are at the bottom of the page - Anna, Diana, Danielle, and Melissa.

Enjoy! And many thanks to these brides - I loved doing your wedding flowers!

Tish

Designing for a Crowd

2010-11-29T20:40:00.000-05:00

Whether you have four or four hundred to your table for a celebration, I think there is nothing as beautiful - or necessary - as flowers for your centerpieces. Of course, you may say I am biased, but believe me when I say that flowers make the visual design of your table come alive more than any other element, whether your space is large or small.

So last week, when I created the flower arrangements at Waynesborough Country Club, I had this concept in mind - how could I make the greatest impact in this huge space? There was a 40-foot table set up for the main buffet, three other huge buffets scattered around the rooms, and 35 tiny vases. In addition, they asked me to use a cornucopia for the main centerpiece.

Designing on a large scale can be fun, and I wanted to create a variety of harvest-themed arrangements for the members to enjoy as they celebrated Thanksgiving. When one designs big, the challenge is to create a visual impact both from far away and up close - it sounds simple, but it's not. Too much material or color can look junky and messy from far away, and too little has no interest up close. I also had to design 'in the round' - the main piece would been seen from all sides.

So I chose a few colors - reds, purples, greens, and hints of oranges and yellows for a good, far-away impact - and used gilded fruits, branches, berries, vegetables, pods, moss, and gilded wheat to create the detail and delight up-close.

For flowers, I used purple stocks, bells of Ireland, solidaster, Freedom roses, Milva roses, yellow lilies, orange lilies, white, orange, and yellow snapdragon, trick dianthus, and green cymbidium orchids. It was a fun event to work on, and I loved the chance to create a variety of looks within a single theme. Enjoy!

Main buffet -

To give you a sense of the space in which I was working -

A collar of gilded wheat for the cornucopia -

A side view of the buffet -

A rear view -

The other side view -

One of the three additional buffet pieces - lots of pods and branches -

Green apples always look so fresh -

A shot of one of the vases for the tables -

A Last Look at Fall

2010-11-29T19:53:00.003-05:00

As we ease into the winter months, I wanted to be sure I posted some photos of the Thanksgiving work I did last week. I know many are already decking the halls and putting out Christmas lights, but I believe in granting each season and holiday its due - why rush? Half of the fun is the anticipation!

So, with that, here's a look at the flowers I did last week for a Thanksgiving dinner in a private home. The 32-foot long table was set for thirty with an adjoining children's table. I simply love the grace of this dining room - it's perfectly designed for entertaining and the table linens, chairs, and flowers complemented the wall color and rug beautifully. What a wonderful home in which to celebrate Thanksgiving!

I used white and green Fresca hydrangea, three varieties of hypericum berry, Milva roses, Terracotta roses, brown cymbidium orchids, cockscomb, gilded wheat, and pheasant feathers - all cushioned in loads of seeded eucalyptus - to create a lush, berried, autumnal look. My client wanted it to be elegant, and I think the effect was amazing!

I also created two other large pieces - one for the kitchen and one for the front hall - where I added thistle, lilies, curly willow, Bells of Ireland, orange snapdragon, and a pop of solidaster - both in silver containers.

Last, but not least, I arranged two small pieces for the powder room of roses and freesia - I always think that flowers in the powder room are a wonderful touch. One's guests do appreciate them!

Enjoy the lushness of fall!

Front hall - a bit blurred!

Kitchen -

Powder room -

Christening Party

2010-11-22T18:57:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I received a phone call from one of my brides of last year, Alexis. She was calling to ask me to do the flowers for her new baby daughter's christening, and I was thrilled to do it!

Alexis wanted the flowers to be feminine (in honor of her daughter) but not bridal - so I selected white hydrangea, pale pink ranunculus, birch branches, and green moss all arranged delicately in tall mercury glass vases. We also used a number of mercury glass votives as well as some vintage mercury glass and etageres of Alexis'.

On a crisp, bright November morning, the effect was soft and inviting. Guests gathered around a roaring fire at George's in Wayne for some cocktails before they moved onto a cosy lunch in front of the sunny windows. What a wonderful way to celebrate the baby girl on her big day!

Putting the Garden to Bed

2010-11-20T10:51:00.000-05:00

Although I love each of the four seasons, I am always a little sad when summer is over and my garden gradually fades away until the first hard frost. I don't cut back my garden aggressively like I used to - rather, I let each flower and plant live on and reseed until each has finished its work for the year. Last winter, my Queen Elizabeth rose bloomed on December 1!

As of today, my Russian Sage is still going strong (it loves the cooler weather) and my angel wing begonias are tall and rangy but hanging on. My flowering maple behaves as if it's still June, and many of my other perennials have reseeded and are beginning to brown and crumple.

I'm wintering over vast amounts of scented geraniums - at least 8 varieties - as well as some of my specimen begonias. Live plants and flowers are essential to any home, but especially to a home in winter.

Here are a few shots of my garden in mid-August. (I'll be back again soon as I have a lot of work to show you!) Enjoy this last look at summer -

A type of anenome - it doesn't bloom until August and it has a tendency to take over the garden if I'm not especially careful. I like to call it the "Jurassic Park" plant because it gets so huge!

Tweedia-

A variety of native Lobelia -

My beloved windowboxes - filled with coleus, scented geraniums, and angel wing begonias -

More begonias -

I love old-fashioned flowers and vines, such as the morning glory. I have this all over the various garden walls -

The moonvine plant - I love it! It has these enormous, Georgia O'Keefe-like blossoms and it blooms at dusk. It's now pretty brown and dried out, but I am glad I have these photos -

All Hallow's Eve

2010-10-31T14:22:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween, everybody!

This year, I was inspired to do something different for Halloween. I've never been one to overly decorate for this holiday - nothing more than a few pumpkins, really - but this year, I wanted to do something different. It's a very commercial holiday now, and I'm not a huge fan of all the plastic decorations.

My desire was to see if I could have natural elements evoke the fun spirit of the night. Instead of the traditional orange, why not purple and green, a la "Wicked"? So a few purple lights, some green trick dianthus, and here we are!

Perhaps I will see you at my door tonight! Happy trick or treating.

p.s. It's really hard to take good photos at night with my point and shoot camera - apologies!

Surprise Birthday Party

2010-10-22T05:00:00.002-04:00

I am always so impressed by people who are able to pull off surprises - of any sort - successfully. Most of all, a surprise birthday party for one's wife! John asked me to do the flowers for his wife's surprise birthday party on Sunday and it went off without a hitch.

John was so flexible and pretty much left me to my own devices, as he only had two requests: could I please use his wife's favorite flower, Bird of Paradise, and could I please use a lot of balloons - and he meant a TON of balloons!

To ensure that the Birds of Paradise were the focus and that they didn't get lost among other flowers or colors, I picked a palette of orange, green, and yellow - Bird of Paradise, Voodoo and Orange Unique Roses, solidago, button green Athos, and green cymbidium orchids - with a touch of white with hydrangea and snapdragon.

I also provided balloons galore in the same colors: orange, gold, silver, and green.

Personally, as you can imagine, I always think that flowers make the happiest of birthdays!

Mad For Plaid

2010-10-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

In the middle of all these weddings, I've been working on other projects as well. It certainly makes for a busy week.

Last week, I was asked by Jeffrey Miller Catering to create the flowers for a NACE (National Association of Catering Executives) dinner at the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. Instead of going with the traditional fall colors, we chose a buffalo plaid of purples, green, pinks, and orange. Little did I know that the cloth and flowers would coordinate perfectly with the current mobile installation!

It's always fun to play with color and it was great to work in this space - it's very open and tranquil and has fantastic lighting.

White Wedding

2010-10-20T11:01:00.011-04:00

I love working with white - it always looks clean, fresh, and elegant - no matter what time of year. Using various flowers in a single color creates a richness and pleases the eye as one is drawn to the textures and the subtle layers of color within the arrangement. I love it!

This wedding was primarily white, with a few pink highlights in a few elements - the bridesmaids' bouquets, the boutonnieres, the church pieces, and the cocktail tables. I used greens as a framework to highlight all of the white as well as this gorgeous, thick, silk greenish and buttery white ribbon in all of the arrangements.

On a crisp October evening, Overbrook Golf Club seemed to be glowing with all the white and soft candlelight.

I used lots of white Tibet roses, white Eskimo roses, snapdragon, white hydrangea, Fresca hydrangea, greens, various exotic leaves, and curly willow. For the pink elements, I used Blushing Akito roses - I had to match a photo from ten years ago and it was a challenge to find the exact match because rose varieties come and go! We did it though, and it all looked gorgeous.

Altar pieces, St. Colman's Church, Ardmore:

Pew flowers and ribbons (hard to take a photo - flash kept going off!)

Some bridesmaids and flower girl bouquets - see the lovely Blushing Akito roses!

Bridal bouquet of white Tibet roses:

Boutonnieres, wrapped in black ribbon:

Breathtaking centerpiece in front hall. Please note the custom cloth as well:

Placecards in acres of grass, wrapped neatly with the silk ribbon:

Cocktail tables of the Blushing Akito roses and leaves:

Centerpieces in glass trifle bowls:

Cake with silver stand and leaf-and-ribbon covered base:

Realizing a Vision

2010-10-20T10:11:00.001-04:00

The past three weeks have been absolutely jam-packed - that's why I've been gone so long! Anyway, I have some time now and will be posting some photos of my most recent work. Enjoy!

First up: Greystone Hall was the site of my wedding three weeks ago and after a summer of crazy weather, my bride and groom had perhaps the most picture-perfect day of all.

I love working with all of my brides, and it was wonderful to work with one who had such a definitive vision of how she wanted her day to look from start to finish. Marta and I worked really hard to ensure that all of the elements came together into a beautiful, cohesive visual statement. I so loved working with her!

(As I said in an earlier post, the photos I took do not do this wedding justice. I hope to have the photographer's pictures up soon.)

Colors were all white with pink - pink sophia and pink osiana roses - lots of little details comprised the floral pieces - see below!

Placecard Table...

Birdcage for Gift Envelopes...

One of the two urn arrangements that flanked the entrance to the tent from the house...

M is for Marta and W is for William - floral initials hung on either side of the entrance into the house...

Bridesmaids...

Ranunculus for the bridal...

Nosegays for the Mothers - one white, one pink...

Bridal...

Underside of the Bridal - I really like to focus on the details and to ensure that all of my bouquets are perfect. Each are finished with leaves and hand-tied with silk ribbons.

Centerpieces - half high, half low - here are the spectacular high arrangements. Marta wanted these branches very much and found some she liked as well as the feathery flower strands.

Bridal table...

Cake...

Ceremony site - the lower terrace

Ivy topiaries with fresh gardenias and silk ribbons...

Greystone Hall Wedding

2010-10-11T20:34:00.000-04:00

The photos I took do NOT do this wedding justice, so I am posting a link to the photographer's site - Kate Callahan took gorgeous photos of my bride of two weeks ago. It was the most perfect day for many reasons - the weather, the setting, the food - but most of all because the bride, Marta, had such a clear vision for her day and it was such a pleasure to work with someone as creative and fun as she is.

I will post my own photos shortly, but please have a look at these first!

Greystone Hall Wedding

Purply - and Pink

2010-09-26T12:05:00.004-04:00

Blues and purples are the rarest, and therefore often deemed the most precious, colors found in nature. Purple has always been associated with royalty but what you may not know is that purple is also associated with creativity - as in, highly creative people are attracted to purple. Interesting, don't you think?

My wedding this weekend used both lavender and purple throughout the various elements of the wedding - half of the bridesmaids wore a lighter shade, while the other half wore a deeper shade, the programs were printed in plum ink, and of course the flowers incorporated both colors. I used two shades of spicy smelling stock, acid green hydrangea, and an added shot of pink with sweet unique roses.

Bridesmaids' bouquets:

Pomander ball for the flower girl:

For the Buddhist/Lutheran ceremony, the Bride wanted something simple to mark the ceremony space. Ferns, candles, and river rock as well as candles and rose petals down the aisle:

Our centerpieces, waiting to be placed:

After the ceremony, the staff turned the room so it was ready for the reception while the guests were out on the terrace, enjoying cocktails:

It was a long day, but always worth it!

Fall is in the Air

2010-09-26T11:37:00.002-04:00

It's been a busy two weeks and it will only get busier, but I just wanted to take a moment to post a few photos from a few of my recent weddings. Before it got so unseasonably warm this week, I had a wedding whose colors heralded the changing seasons - creams with a range of deep reds, crimsons, blacks and browns. The effect was lovely.

We used hundreds upon hundreds of roses, dahlias, and astilbe. Here are some shots of the bridesmaids' bouquets, which also had some chocolate cosmos. Chocolate cosmos are not only beautiful to look at, but they also smell like chocolate! Yes, they really do.

Here is a shot of one of the mother's nosegays:

Altar arrangements and pew pails at Our Mother of Good Counsel in Bryn Mawr:

I forgot my camera so wasn't able to take photos at the reception site - Waynesborough Country Club - but I did get a shot of one of the table arrangements. I did half of the arrangements in high silver containers and the other half in low silvery urns. We added wheat to them to complete the look.

Fall, Reimagined

2010-09-14T07:55:00.002-04:00

Sunday, October 17

1:00-4:00 pm

$175

Are you looking to move beyond the usual oranges, reds, and browns of Fall? Then come explore the other side of the harvest as we work with non-traditional colors to create lovely, natural centerpieces that celebrate the end of Summer and the beginning of the shorter days and longer nights.

Some of the flowers we will use include astilbe, black baccara roses, David Austin roses, cockscomb, celosia, thistle, dahlias, herbs, and succulents - all yours to create a masterpiece in a textured stone container.

Workshop is $175 plus tax.

Fee includes all materials and flowers.

Payments accepted via PayPal or personal check.

Workshops are limited to 8 participants and are open to all levels of ability.

Clippers and aprons will be provided and are my gift to you.

Celebratory drink, food, and merriment included!

To sign up or to ask questions, please e-mail tishlongclasses@gmail.com

Where is the studio?

The workshop studio is in the heart of Wayne at 135 Pennsylvania Avenue. Located directly off of South Wayne Avenue, the studio is a short walk from the Regional Rail train station. Ample parking is available as well both at the front of the studio and along the street.

Also, please note that the photographs here are just some examples of color and texture - not strict examples of what participants will create in the workshop.

Branches, Fruits, and Mosses – Exploring the Textures of Fall

2010-09-14T07:55:00.000-04:00

Sunday, October 24

1:00-4:00 pm

$175

Stretch your imagination and learn to incorporate other natural materials into your Fall flower arrangements. Berries, branches, feathers, mosses, and fruits have always been favorite elements of my designs over the years – see how much fun you can have working with them as you create magnificent pieces. I love working with these unusual elements, and I think you will as well.

Participants will use a variety of flowers including antique hydrangea, hypernicum, rothschild lilies, amber cymbidium orchids, ranunculus, craspedia, kale, limonium, and a host of mosses, fruits, leaves, pods, and branches to create free and natural arrangements in an antiqued urn.

Workshop is $175 plus tax.

Fee includes all materials and flowers.

Payments accepted via PayPal or personal check.

Workshops are limited to 8 participants and are open to all levels of ability.

Clippers and aprons will be provided and are my gift to you.

Celebratory drink, food, and merriment included!

To sign up or to ask questions, please e-mail tishlongclasses@gmail.com

Where is the studio?

Also, please note that the photographs here are just some examples of color and texture - not strict examples of what participants will create in the workshop.

Jewel Tones and Metallics – Working with Rich Hues

2010-09-14T07:54:00.006-04:00

Sunday, November 7

1:00-4:00 pm

$175

Try your hand at metallurgy and jewelling, flower-wise, as we explore how to infuse metallics – copper, gold, mercury, silver – with rich, deeply colored flowers to create magnificent, velvety jewel-like arrangements for your home.

We’ll be working with a wide variety of flowers and gilded elements, including lilies, stocks, mokara orchids, black magic roses, amethyst calla lilies, dianthus, heather, gilded branches and fruits. All will be arranged in a mercury-colored fluted vase.

Workshop is $175 plus tax.

Fee includes all materials and flowers.

Payments accepted via PayPal or personal check.

Workshops are limited to 8 participants and are open to all levels of ability.

Clippers and aprons will be provided and are my gift to you.

Celebratory drink, food, and merriment included!

To sign up or to ask questions, please e-mail tishlongclasses@gmail.com

Where is the studio?

Also, please note that the photographs here are just some examples of color and texture - not strict examples of what participants will create in the workshop.

Fabulous Festooning – Holiday Decorating

2010-09-14T07:54:00.005-04:00

Sunday, November 14

1:00-4:00 pm

$200

Turn the ordinary and make it extraordinary as you learn how to take a basic green wreath and create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. I’ll demonstrate a number of holiday decorating ideas and you will design your own custom wreath from a host of winter greens and natural materials. In addition, you’ll create a stunning centerpiece that will last throughout the holiday season. Let the party begin!

Some of the flowers and greens we will use include amaryllis, David Austin roses, snowberry, chincherinchee, pepperberry, holly, boxwood, magnolia, pinecones, pomegranates, gilded branches and wheat, feathers, and silk ribbons to fashion your wreath and festoon your table.

Workshop is $200 plus tax.

Fee includes all materials and flowers.

Payments accepted via PayPal or personal check.

Workshops are limited to 8 participants and are open to all levels of ability.

Clippers and aprons will be provided and are my gift to you.

Celebratory drink, food, and merriment included!

To sign up or to ask questions, please e-mail tishlongclasses@gmail.com

Where is the studio?

Also, please note that the photographs here are just some examples of color and texture - not strict examples of what participants will create in the workshop.

Rediscovering a Color: Peach

2010-08-29T10:10:00.001-04:00

Just like in fashion, colors and shapes have a way of being 'in' or 'out' in floral design. In the '80s, I did hundreds of multi-colored arrangements, cascading bouquets, and floral headwreaths. The color peach was also huge, and I did many all-peach or peach and white weddings well into the mid-'90s. Then, gradually, peach fell out of favor and I found myself working with it less and less if at all.

Peach is back and I'm thrilled because it's so fun to rediscover a neglected color - it makes flowers look fresh again and I find it so inspiring. The possibilities are endless because Peach goes so well with so many other colors.

For Amy and Marco's wedding at Overbrook Golf Club, I created peach arrangements in washed stone pedestal containers. I used three shades of peach roses, stock, a hint of white hydrangea, apples and of course, peaches. I set these on green damask cloths and the effect was breathtaking - so summery and light - perfect for an August wedding!

I am looking forward to working with this color again soon - what fun!

Simple vases of roses for the cocktail tables on the terrace...

Placecard table in center hall...

Perfectly Pink

2010-08-29T09:50:00.001-04:00

So many flowers come in so many shades of pink - from the palest of blushes to the deepest of fuchsias - it really is fun to explore and see how many you can find.

For Danielle and Mike's wedding at Overbrook Golf Club in July, I created all-pink arrangements of pink and white hydrangea, snapdragon, larkspur, three shades of pink roses, and veronica in glass compotes. Danielle also wanted me to create huge floral initials of D and M, which we hung on either side of the ballroom doors. The effect was lovely and the room looked summery and fresh.

We set the placecards on the piano in the living room -

Simple cocktail table centerpieces of candles and pink hydrangea -

Sweetheart table -

D is for Danielle - the flower initials stood on either side of the main door into the ballroom. Very pretty and very effective!

And M is for Mike -

The bridesmaids carried bouquets of three shades of pink roses and pink ranunculus - stunning!

Danielle's bouquet had white peonies, gardenias, freesia, and white roses. We attached her rosary beads to the handle to complete the look.

Working in Large Spaces

2010-08-29T09:22:00.003-04:00

One of the challenges in choosing flowers for a wedding is determining what looks best in a given space - and not just the size and decor of the room, but the table size (6-foot or 5-foot), the number of guests, the dance floor, how the room flows, the lighting, and the time of day of the wedding. All of these elements must be taken into consideration - plus, of course, the colors and types of flowers the Bride likes.

For Meg and Curt's wedding, we needed to decorate over 20 tables at RiverCrest. RiverCrest has a wonderful large ballroom and I knew we'd need very large arrangements in order to make a visual impact.

I used white hydrangea, white stock, an assortment of white roses, green apples, and ribbon for half of the centerpieces and for the other half, the bride purchased lanterns and I created three vases of apples and flowers to circle the lanterns. Extra-wide silk French ribbon - coordinated with the citrus green tablecloths and playing off of the chairs - completed the look and candles were everywhere. Everything turned out gorgeous!

Here are a few shots of the placecard table - we used a lantern and created a terrarium-like arrangement in the middle.

The two kinds of centerpieces:

The bridesmaids carried lavender flowers - stock and freesia - with green hydrangea.

The mothers carried tiny nosegays similar to the bridesmaids, but with deep purple hydrangea as well.

The two flower girls carried wands - individual stalks of allium, tied off with ribbon - it was very sweet.