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CLASSIC WEDDING AT THE MANOR HOUSE, BAINBRIDGE

bride and groom kissing

When Courtney and I met at my Woodinville floral studio to discuss garden-style florals for her wedding, I surprised her with a mock up design of her reception tables. I will never forget Courtney’s reaction when she opened the door to my studio and saw the consultation table set up with flowers, candles, and a beautifully detailed floral proposal. I had put together a couple of floral arrangements that morning. Then, after an afternoon craft session with a Wedding Planner and Stationer, who graciously helped me iron my tablecloth, we set the table to reflect the floral vision Courtney had communicated to me over the telephone the week before. Seeing Courtney’s joy and surprise made my heart sing. It was the first time I had been hired on the spot!

Courtney and her partner, Xander, got married at The Manor House on Bainbridge Island. It’s a beautiful Tudor-style estate, which was perfect for the classic wedding they envisioned. Since many guests would be flying in, they wanted their wedding to embrace the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

bride and groom at The Manor House on Bainbridge Island

I feel so grateful to have had such lovely clients as Courtney and Xander. They were kind, sweet, and they loved their wedding flowers. I couldn’t have asked for anything more! Courtney and Xander’s wedding was also the first time I worked with two amazing wedding professionals, Audrey of Audrey Grace Events, and Tanya of Tetiana Photography. Audrey is fun-loving and very organized. Tanya is a master at her craft and takes some of the most stunning images I have ever seen. Fast forward a year later I had the pleasure of working with these two amazing vendors at the same beautiful venue. Full circle!

 

A SOFT COLOR PALETTE AND ROMANTIC GARDEN FLOWERS

Courtney and Xander chose a soft color palette of whites, neutrals, sage green, and light pink. We targeted romantic blooms, including garden roses, ranunculus, and dahlias. Accents of herbs also added to the garden vibe. Ferns brought in that PNW feeling.

soft color palette of whites, blush, and green

clip art of soft wedding flowers

One of the floral pieces that Courtney and I spent a lot of time focusing on was her bridal bouquet. Courtney’s dress was elegant and very clean, with a stylish v-shaped neckline. I planned to use some cafe au lait dahlias, which have very pointy petals, to mirror the v shape. By a fate of luck, I was able to source the most beautiful white clematis stems grown right here in Washington. They were from the garden of a friend and fellow florist, Alicia of Fleurs Creative. The clematis was the absolute perfect addition to Courtney’s bridal bouquet. What a stunner!

bride wearing veilblush and white wedding bouquet with clematisbride holding white and blush wedding bouquetFor Xander’s boutonniere we chose a white ranunculus bloom with a ranunculus bud and a few sprigs of greenery. Wearing a black tux, this floral accent gave Xander the perfect finishing touch for a very sharp look.

white ranunculus boutonnieregroom in a black tux

A JOYFULLY ELEGANT CEREMONY

Courtney and Xander were married outside under the tent at The Manor House. We used a metal gate on the property for the ceremony arch. The arch was adorned with flowers at the top and off to one side, using roses, spray roses, stock, and baby’s breath. Around the base I placed clear vases of baby’s breath and candles in hurricane vases. At the entrance to the aisle were clusters of baby’s breath in clear vases, which were then repurposed in front of the sweetheart table.

While the setting was absolutely gorgeous, the most beautiful part was the joy that radiated from Courtney and Xander’s faces. I absolutely loved seeing them laugh during their ceremony and their expressions of pure, elated amazement as they walked back down the aisle as husband and wife.

white and green flower arrangementsketch of ceremony flowerswhite flowers on a wedding archbaby's breath at front of aislebride walking down the aislethe manor house ceremonybride and groom laughing at the ceremonybride and groom kissing during the ceremony

AN INTIMATELY BEAUTIFUL RECEPTION

After Courtney and Xander’s ceremony the room was flipped and rectangular dinner tables were set up in rows for the reception. Each table got an assortment of flower arrangements and pillar candles. This was the wedding where I fell in love with white and green florals, especially when designed in black vases. Super elegant!

white and green table centerpiecesrectangular table with green and white flowerswhite wedding cake and wedding invitationsbride and groom kissing at the sweetheart tablebride and groom kissing

Courtney and Xander, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your lovely wedding. As the Lynwood sign says, congratulations Courtney & Xander!!

 

Kudos to the amazing Vendor Team:

Venue: The Manor House at Pleasant Beach

Planner: Audrey Grace Events

Photographer: Tetiana Photography

Make-Up: Anne Timss Make-Up & Hair

DJ: Orion Entertainment

Day of Paper Goods: Jasmine Smith Designs

Cakes: Blackbird Bakery

Invitation Suite: Robinson Creative House

 

 

 

HAWAIIAN INSPIRED WEDDING AT SEWARD PARK SEATTLE

bride and groom walking at Seward Park Seattle

As a wedding florist, when your little sister gets married, it might be the most significant event of your floral career. That’s how I felt, and still feel to this day, when my little sister, Lucia, married the love of her life, Nick. It was an incredible honor to create their Hawaiian-inspired floral arrangements. Lucia was hands down the most beautiful bride that I had ever seen. And I’ve been a part of several weddings.

MEANINGFUL TIES TO HAWAII

Lucia and Nick met six years before they got married. They were both living on the island of Kauai and were co-workers at the Garden Island Newspaper. Lucia was an Account Executive and Nick was a Sports Reporter. For the first six months they worked together, Lucia and Nick did not converse. But after a company event one evening as he walked her to her car, Nick decided to get Lucia’s number. Overcome with nervousness, Lucia sped away before it was apparent that they could be more than co-workers. Fortunately, Nick tried again to get Lucia’s number and this time he was successful. They went out later that week.

Before they moved off the island in the summer of 2019, Lucia and Nick got engaged. Nick’s family was visiting and he wanted to include them in the proposal to make it extra special. A night out to Smith’s Family Garden Luau was where Lucia and Nick committed to a life together.

A CLEAN COLOR PALETTE WITH TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN WEDDING FLOWERS

white and green colorsimages of Hawaiian wedding flowers

With so many significant moments in their relationship being tied to the Hawaiian islands, Nick and Lucia decided to incorporate traditional Hawaiian wedding flowers. Lucia wore a pikake lei made from white jasmine flowers. Loving the layered lei look, I also created a white dendrobium orchid lei, a white freesia lei, and a green mail leaf lei for Lucia to wear. For Nick I made a twisted ti leaf lei and a green maile leaf lei that contrasted beautifully with his light suit. For Lucia’s bridal bouquet, we used astilbe, Covent Garden baby’s breath, white sweet peas, maidenhair fern, mint, and explosion grass. It was one of the most delicate bouquets that I have ever created, and it paired beautifully with Lucia’s lacy, off the shoulder wedding gown.

 

bride with a pikake and orchid lei holding a white a green bouqueta groom wearing a maile lei

A HAWAIIAN INSPIRED OUTDOOR CEREMONY

Lucia and Nick tied the knot on of the most beautiful days of summer at Seward Park in Seattle. Their intimate ceremony was right next to Lake Washington with a majestic view of Mount Rainier in the background. Char Beck Photography captured the ceremony perfectly. Lucia and Nick both radiated as bright as the sun that day. These images always fill me with so much joy and so much warmth.

wedding ceremony by lake at Seward Park Seattlebride and groom wearing flower leisbride and groom wearing Hawaiian leisgroom wearing a lei and a bride hugging her moma bride and groom wearing Hawaiian wedding flowersa bride and groom stand by the lake at Seward Park in Seattle

Ceremony Location: Seward Park

Officiant: Reverend Ray Van Winkle

Photographer: Char Beck Photography

Hair Stylist: Elle Marie Hair Studio

 

Learn about HAWAIIAN WEDDING TRADITIONS from Rebecca Grant, a Seattle Wedding Planner who got her start in the wedding industry on the island of Oahu.

COPPERY FALL WEDDING AT CANTERWOOD GOLF CLUB

a bridal party in fall tones

When one of the people I love most in the events industry, Eugene, of Gene Alexander Designs, approached me about a wedding for a friend and former co-worker of his, I knew it was going to be something spectacular. Eugene doesn’t create anything that’s less than great. He is one of the most brilliant designers I know and his imagination always moves me to re-think the bounds of creativity. I consider myself a very creative person. Eugene, however, is tremendously creative.

Karissa and Russell were married on Labor Day weekend at Canterwood Golf & Country Club in Gig Harbor. Their wedding was a grand, beautiful affair with copper and rust fall colors. To create a space that was visually full of flowers, Eugene worked his magic to come up with a setting that incorporated suspended florals, botanic backdrops, and an illuminated biophilic dance floor. All the details were thoughtfully considered, designed, and crafted to create one of the most impressive weddings I have been a part of.

Carley of Carley Jayne Photography captured Karissa and Russell’s wedding perfectly with her mood-evoking imagery.

copper and rust fall bridal bouquet with dahliasa bride and groom a black and white photo of a bride and groom holding a bouquet with dahlias and anemones

 

COPPER TONES AND LOCALLY SOURCED DAHLIAS FOR A FALL WEDDING COLOR PALETTE

September is a fabulous month in the Pacific Northwest. The days are still relatively long in terms of sunlight, but there is a crisp coolness in the morning air as fall approaches. It is one of the most beautiful times to get married. In line with the season, Karissa and Russell chose a rich fall color palette for their wedding of copper, rust, navy, and white.

copper and rust fall color palette

In the flower world, September is one of the best months for (my husband’s favorite flower) locally grown dahlias. Dahlias come in a wide variety of colors, so adding copper and rust tones was easily achievable. The three dahlia varieties that I targeted were the brown sugar dahlia, the cornel bronze dahlia, and the Crichton honey dahlia. The depth of the rich rusty red-orange color of the brown sugar dahlia is not something I have ever seen in any other flower. In the sunlight this dahlia almost seems to shimmer.

But the unassuming floral star of the wedding was the anemone, one of Karissa’s favorite flowers. The center of the panda anemone has a unique navy color, while the Japanese anemone has a lovely golden yellow.

clip art of fall colored flowers

A COPPERY DOUBLE HEXAGON ARCH FOR THE WEDDING CEREMONY

While I have flowered hexagon arches before, I had never seen a double hexagon arch. Eugene built this structure custom for Karissa and Russell. The main hexagon was painted white. Behind it at a slight angle another hexagon was positioned, painted in a light copper color. My team and I added a larger floral spray on the left-hand side and two smaller floral sprays on the right-hand side, one on top and one on the bottom.

double hexagon arch with fall flowerscopper hexagon arch with local flowersbride walking down the aislebride and groom getting married in front of a hexagon archa wedding at Canterwood Golf Club

 

COPPER AND RUST DETAILS AT THE RECEPTION

After the ceremony, Karissa and Russell’s reception was held in the adjacent tent. This structure was transformed into a warm, inviting, and beautiful space with flowers, lights, and copper and rust details.

wedding tent at Canterwood Golf Clubgreenery hanging above a dance floorflowers on tables at the Canterwood Golf Club

For the rectangular tables, Eugene elevated the centerpieces by suspending copper pipes from the ceiling of the tent. My team and I wrapped the copper pipes in smilax and added in some colorful fall blooms. The result was totally original and spectacular!

hanging flowers at a wedding receptionsuspended flowers over long reception tablesguests eating under suspended dahlias and roses

For the round tables, I designed arrangements in hand-blown glass vases made by Karissa’s father. Here we kept the color palette more neutral and added in the panda anemones.

anemone floral arrangementwhite dahlias and anemone floral arrangement

Karissa and Russell sat at a sweetheart table, which was placed in front of a honeycomb backdrop illuminated with candles and adorned with fall-colored flowers. In spectacular fashion, Mother Nature gave them a stunning sunset that perfectly matched the fall colors of their wedding.

dahlias on a hexagon backdropa bride and groom at a sweetheart tablebride and groom look at sunset

 

 

Venue and Catering: Canterwood Golf Club

Event Designer: Gene Alexander Designs

Photographer: Carley Jayne Photography

DJ: B Two Times

Desserts: Bella Bella Bakery

Make-Up Artist: Lauren Dahl

Officiant: Daniel Dillard

Lighting: Lightsmiths Seattle

 

To see another gorgeous wedding with fall colors using locally sourced dahlias, check out AN AUTUMN WEDDING AT NOVELTY HILL JANUIK

MODERN WEDDING AT BLOCK 41 SEATTLE

bride and groom standing outside by a tree

We all know the saying, “The more the merrier.” And for Megan and Matthew, that phrase rang true for their grand 300-person wedding at the end of summer at Block 41 in downtown Seattle. Sleek, elegant, and modern, their wedding aesthetic embraced the unique, architectural experience of Block 41. It focused on guest experience by being fun and approachable, and most importantly, meaningful.

From the beginning, Megan and Matthew’s vision was of an event where they could celebrate alongside their family and friends. Their wedding celebration was as much about the people in their lives, as it was about the act of getting married. Megan and Matthew wanted their guests to know and to feel this sentiment.

Having a big, fun party that ran smoothly was a top priority, so they enlisted the help and expertise of Sara at Perfectly Posh Events. Sara tied all the design elements together, coordinated the vendor team, and executed a seamless event. Emily of Emily Keeney Photography captured Megan and Matthew’s wedding beautifully with her eye for light-filled, organic photographs.

 

 

A NEUTRAL COLOR PALETTE AND TROPICAL FLOWERS FOR A MODERN WEDDING STYLE

Block 41 is an industrial chic venue in the heart of Belltown, a neighborhood known for its world-class art, vibrant night life, and legendary music scene. To compliment the neutral colors inside Block 41, Megan and Matthew chose a color palette of white, green, blue, and gold.

a color palette of white, ivory, gold, blue and green

In addition to sourcing locally grown in-season flowers, such as dahlias, scabiosa, lisianthus, cosmos, globe thistle, and explosion grass, we decided to incorporate a few tropical blooms and foliage, including phalaenopsis orchids, dendrobium orchids, anthuriums, monstera leaves, xanadu leaves, ti leaves, and palm leaves, to add in those clean architectural lines. Only a few traditional wedding flowers were used, mostly for the structural element of floral design, however, we specifically targeted the combo rose for that warm golden color. No other flower compares to the color of the combo rose!

clip art images of flowers and leaves

 

MEGAN’S MODERN WEDDING BOUQUET

One of my favorite photos of Megan and Matthew’s wedding is this image of Megan holding her bridal bouquet.

a bride in a modern wedding dress holds a green and white modern bridal bouquet

A guest at over 100 weddings, Megan really wanted to embrace different ways of doing things for her and Matthew’s celebration. She opted not to have a bridal party and did not include the tradition of cake-cutting. I love couples that dare to be different and go against the grain. I am a firm believer that your wedding day should be about what you and your significant other wants, not what society expects of you.

But when Megan mentioned she wasn’t sure if she wanted a bridal bouquet, I asked her to reconsider. A bridal bouquet gave me something to do with my hands during the ceremony (nerve-wracking!) and the lengthy process of post ceremony picture-taking when I was a bride. I was thankful to have something to hold onto all day.

Megan wore a stylish Vera Wang modern wedding dress and we ended up designing a bouquet that perfectly complimented it. Megan, it feels obvious to say, but you were absolutely stunning as a bride!

 

MEGAN AND MATTHEW’S MODERN WEDDING ARCH DESIGN AND CEREMONY

One of the things I love about Block 41 is that they have a circle arch that couples can use for their wedding ceremony. The style of the circle arch aligns with the industrial look and feel of the venue. Plus, since I have flowered that arch for other weddings, knowing the arch structure will be stable and sturdy is always a relief!

To bring in an architectural feel for the ceremony space, I leaned into asymmetry for the circle arch, and sketched out this design:

an asymmetric floral conceptual design on a circle arch

 

With a large number of guests in attendance, Megan and Matthew’s ceremony was held in the lower level, The Ewing Theater, at Block 41. To create an illuminated ambiance, my team and I lined the aisle with candles, while the DJ incorporated up lighting behind the arch. The flowers on the circle arched turned out just as the design we had envisioned. Megan and Matthew glowed with joy as they committed to sharing the rest of their lives together. look at those beautiful smiles!

couple getting married in front of circle arch with flowersa bride and groom in front of a circle archbride and groom walking down the aisle

 

Megan and Matthew, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your unique wedding. I hope you continue to do things differently and have fun celebrating life with all the amazing people you love!

wedding reception table with white and green floral centerpiecebride and groom dancing

 

Kudos to the amazing Vendor Team:

Photographer: Emily Keeney Photography

Planner: Perfectly Posh Events

Venue: Block 41 Seattle

Make-Up: KLS Makeup Artistry

Hair: Jasmine Ochoa Hair

Cake: Macrina Bakery

Caterer: Ravishing Radish

DJ: Injoy Entertainment

Valet: Butler Valet

Limo: British Motor Coach

Videographer: Fireland Filmworks

 

To see another wedding at Block 41 check out SENTIMENTAL FLORALS AT BLOCK 41 SEATTLE

LUXE BIOPHILIC DESIGN AT SKIN SYNTHESIS SEATTLE

biophilic faux greenery ceiling installation

As a Woodinville Wedding Florist and Floral Architect, I understand how flowers and plants can impact a space. Plants look beautiful, yes, but what can be even more powerful (and beneficial!) is how they make us feel. Years later your wedding guests might not remember that your table centerpieces were bursting with colorful blooms or that your arch was adorned with deep green southern smilax vines, but they will remember the energy of the space – that it felt beautiful, that it felt joyful, that it felt natural.

 

A LUXE BIOPHILIC DESIGN FOR THE CEILING AT SKIN SYNTHESIS SEATTLE IS CONCEPTUALIZED

Building architects and interior designers have also been using nature-inspired elements into their design plans for decades. Biophilic design is a concept used to connect occupants to the natural environment. This type of design promotes emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. So when Skin Synthesis, a luxury boutique medspa in Seattle whose mission is to synthesize radiant skin that leaves you refreshed and rejuvenated, made plans for their new clinic location, they leaned into biophilia – curves, natural colors, and free flowing designs. Jenny Hartley, the founder and medical director, took her love of plants, her eye for precision, and her innate artistic talent and, with the help of Alona at Pernula Designs, conceptualized a tranquil space that promoted wellness from the outside in.

biophilic design interior

 

A LUXE BIOPHILIC DESIGN GREENERY INSTALLATION FOR SKIN SYNTHESIS SEATTLE

At Jenny’s new clinic it was the ceiling in the reception area that was to be the star of the space. Interior Wood Products manufactured a beautiful 6 foot by 9.25 foot wood laminate honeycomb structure, which was hung in conjunction with multiple bulb light pendants that dropped down through the honeycomb. Jenny envisioned ceiling greenery framing the honeycomb structure to create an eye-catching biophilia statement.

With the upkeep and watering required of real plants, Jenny and I decided on luxe artificial plants from Afloral and Silks Are Forever. We chose a combination of pothos, philodendron, tradescantias, and button ferns. For the mechanics I decided to use wood 1X2s and created six greenery sections, which I called “greenery sandwiches”. The ends of faux plants were “sandwiched” in between two pieces of wood and screwed together.

faux greenery hanging installation and concept design

INSTALLING THE LUXE BIOPHILIC DESIGN CEILING GREENERY AT SKIN SYNTHESIS SEATTLE

It was one of the dreariest Seattle days I have experienced, but installing the ceiling greenery could not have been any more pleasant. It was smooth and efficient, a result of how much time I spent planning, measuring, and calculating. As they say, “Success is 1% inspiration and 99 percent preparation.”

To install the greenery on the ceiling I secured the “greenery sandwiches” to the honeycomb, which was nailed into the ceiling drywall, using c-clamps. I then added extra reinforcement by mounting an eye hook to each of the “greenery sandwiches” and running a cable through to another eye hook that was mounted to the ceiling.

honeycomb ceiling designbiophilic ceiling design

 

THE FINISHED LUXE BIOPHILIC DESIGN AT SKIN SYNTHESIS SEATTLE ADDS BEAUTY AND TRANQUILITY

The best part about being a designer is being able to create an aesthetic impact and having happy clients as a result. After she started seeing patients in her new clinic location, Jenny wrote to me, “Your feature really transformed it into what I wanted it to be and represent. I am absolutely in love with the installation!!

Jenny, I am absolutely thrilled that you love your biophilic installation. Congratulations on your new location and I hope your beautiful clinic continues to refresh and rejuvenate the mind, body, and of course, skin.

the owner at skin synthesis seattlebiophilic hanging greenery interior designgreenery ceiling installation at cosmetic dermatologist clinicskin care products on a shelf skin synthesis seattleplants on a gold geometric wall plant shelf

To see another large biophilic installation I created, check out LIVING WREATH INSTALLATION AT PACIFIC PLACE.

To see more of the underlying mechanics of some lovely florals, check out COLORFUL SUMMER WEDDING AT RAY’S BOATHOUSE.

COLORFUL SUMMER WEDDING AT RAY’S BOATHOUSE SEATTLE

a bride and groom smile as they walk down the aisle at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle

I chose the above photo of Audrey and Chris’ wedding for the main image of their blog post, because I absolutely love how genuinely happy they look. This is one of the most joyful photos that I have ever received in my career as a wedding florist. Cameron Zegers did a lovely job of capturing the feeling of this moment. Chris’ expression automatically makes me smile alongside him and I can feel the tingle of Audrey’s excitement. I wasn’t at their wedding for this part of the day, but the emotion in this image transports me to the dock at Ray’s Boathouse, experiencing the elation of their first steps together as wife and husband.

Rebecca of New Creations Weddings helped Audrey and Chris create a clean and elegant look with vibrant pops of jewel-toned colors, including cyan blue, pink, peach, and purple. For their wedding flowers we targeted some of their favorite varieties, including stargazer lilies, hydrangeas, and roses. While I always give special attention to the bridal bouquet and the ceremony decor, which both turned out beautifully (I mean look at that fabulous bouquet Audrey is holding!), the star floral arrangement was inside the northwest room above the fireplace – the mantle floral installation. What makes this piece even more phenomenal is that there is no physical mantle above the fireplace at Ray’s Boathouse. So I had to build one. As a Floral Architect, though, challenge accepted!

Colorful Mantle Florals at Ray’s Boathouse and the Mechanics Behind the Mantle

The fireplace at Ray’s Boathouse has beautiful stone face with an indented niche on either side. Above the fireplace the wall is essentially vertically flat, meaning there is nothing to attach any flowers to. To create a floral statement piece over the fireplace, I had to build structural platform. Using a jigsaw, I cut two pieces of particle board 16 inches wide and 14 inches deep. I nailed these to either end of an 8 foot 2×4 piece of wood. Using a drill, I then made a series of holes along the 2×4. Chicken wire pillows were fastened to the 2×4 using zip ties. I like to double layer my chicken wire pillows (a pillow inside a pillow), so that the stems of the flowers have more than one contact point to hold in place. Chicken wire in floristry has been around for decades. With collective movement towards sustainability, many more florists are using checking wire in their mechanics, rather than floral foam.

floral mechanics of a 2x4 and chicken wire for a floral mantlepiece installationchicken wire and 2x4 plank on a mantle fireplace

My mantle piece was placed above the fireplace, with the plywood ends resting on the light indentations. With front facing floral arrangements, you have to always consider the force of gravity, which wants to pull down your designs. To counter the earth’s gravitational force, I placed a stack of bricks on top of either plywood end. This mantle structure was rock solid. Even with the incredible amount of flowers that were added the mantle stayed securely in place. Success!

lush and colorful floral mantles at rays boathouse

Getting Ready at Hotel Ballard for a Colorful Summer Wedding at Ray’s Boathouse

Hotel Ballard was the venue chosen for getting ready, as well as the location for the first look, and the Ballard area of Seattle for many of  the pre-ceremony photos. This boutique vintage hotel was a lovely location for the start of the day. And the charm of Ballard was the perfect urban backdrop for a photoshoot.

a groom's jacket and bride getting her make-up donea bride and groom separately reading their love letters to each othera bride holding her colorful summer bouquet with dahlias and liliesa bride waiting in another room to see her bridesmaidsbride showing herself in her wedding dress to her bridesmaids and flower girlsbride and groom first look in hallway at Hotel Ballard Seattlebride and groom at Hotel Ballard Seattlebride and groom walking in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle holding a colorful bridal bouquetartsy photos of a bride and groom walking in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattlecolorful summer bridal bouquet with turquoise ribbonwedding party with plum bridesmaids dressesbridesmaids wearing plum dresses holding rich jewel-tones bouquets

Colorful Summer Wedding at Ray’s Boathouse Ceremony

Audrey and Chris tied the knot with a heart-felt ceremony on the boardwalk south of Ray’s Boathouse, overlooking the Puget Sound. They chose a simple backdrop of a rectangular wooden arch with flowers along the top. To add the pop of cyan blue, I wove a satin ribbon through the flowers. Candles in cylindrical vases lines the aisle. It was one of those majestic sunny Seattle day’s – not a cloud in sight, with the sunlight glittering on the water’s surface.

wedding ceremony set up at Ray's Boathouse in Seattlea drawing of colorful flowers on a wedding archwedding arch with pink and red flowers and turquoise ribbonbride and father walking down aisle to groomwedding ceremony at Ray's Boathouse in Seattlebride and groom standing at the altar at Ray's Boathousebride and groom walking down the aisle at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle

Colorful Summer Wedding at Ray’s Boathouse Reception

In addition to the mantle statement piece in the reception room at Ray’s Boathouse which was the star of the show (after Audrey and Chris, of course), pops of color could be seen in the lush footed compote centerpieces on the dinner tables. Guest drank water from blue crystal glasses. The wedding cake was also adorned with colorful summer florals.

pink, plum, and purple floral centerpiecesbride and groom enter the reception room at Ray's Boathouse with colorful mantle floralsa bride walking into the reception room colorful floral arrangements for a wedding at Ray's Boathousea bride and groom and their guests listen to a wedding toasta father give a speech at a wedding in front of the bride and grooma bride and groom kiss outside of Ray's Boathouse

The colorful mantle floral installation was the perfect backdrop for Audrey and Chris’ spicy dance they performed for their guests!

a woman in a red dress dances with a man in front of colorful mantle floralsa man dips a woman in a red dress in front of a mantle floral installationa man lifts and twirls a woman in a red dress during a weddinga woman and man finish a dance in front of a colorful floral installation on the fireplace mantle

 

Vendors:

Planning: New Creations Weddings

Wedding Venue: Ray’s Boathouse

Photographer: Cameron Zegers Photography

Cake: Seatown Sweets

DJ/Emcee: Bugsie Productions

Rentals: CORT Party Rental

Hair and Make-up: Salon Maison

Getting Ready Venue: Ballard Hotel

 

If you want to see beautiful florals from another colorful summer wedding planned by New Creations Weddings, check out Heather and David’s wedding:

AN ENCHANTED WEDDING AT CHATEAU LILL

 

AN ENCHANTED FOREST BACKYARD WEDDING IN CARNATION, WA

bride kissing groom in vintage truck

To say I LOVE backyard weddings is an understatement. I attribute this to the fact that for the longest time, whenever I envisioned my own wedding, it was a backyard wedding. Early in high school I threw summer parties at the house I grew up in. The nostalgia of those celebrations combined with magical feeling of summer fueled the vision for my someday wedding. In my head, it was an even grander, more vibrant version of those end of school year parties – including a live band, bistro AND globe lights, and dancing into the wee, wee hours of the morning. When I finally did get married 20 years post high school, while my husband and I didn’t have a backyard wedding at our house, we did, however, tie the knot in the yard of a house we rented on VRBO. While technically it was a “front yard” wedding, our venue had warm and hospitable vibes that can only come from the intimacy of a backyard setting. It was absolutely amazing.

So when Amanda and Anthony reached out about flowers for the backyard wedding they were planning on Joy Lake in Carnation, WA, I knew it was going to be magical. And it was. The day of their wedding was slightly overcast and the wind was incredibly still, so the lake reflected the sky like a mirror. A circle arch stood on a wooden platform next to the lake, which my team and I adorned with a lush, asymmetric covering of muted pink flowers, white flowers, and PNW greens. After the ceremony, guests were transported by shuttle to a secondary private residence just a few blocks down the road for the reception. The enchanted forest feeling was created with beautiful cloche centerpieces filled with moss, ferns, flowers and fairy lights and glass globe terrariums with fairy lights hanging from the trees. It truly was the perfect setting for a Pacific Northwest backyard wedding. I told my husband that if we were to ever have a second wedding, it would be the wedding that Amanda and Anthony had. Pure magic.

Amanda and Anthony, you are the kind of clients that remind me why I love being a wedding florist. Thank you for being wonderful to work with. I wish you both the very best! And thank you to my two flower friends who helped me set up, Cathy of Lamb & Twig and Sandy of Verbena Floral. And thank you to Gaby, the on-site wedding coordinator, who made me feel seen and heard, and provided immeasurable support while we problem-solved the stability of the arch. Your kindness was felt and will always be remembered.

large cabin house in Carnation, WAa circle wedding arch next to a lake with pink and white flowersa circle arch with pink and white flowersa backyard where people are gathering for a weddingflower girls walking down an aislebride and groom in front of a circle arch with flowersbridesmaids in dusty pink dresses holding pink and green bouquetsbride and groom in front of lush floral circle archbridal party with men in grey suits and ladies in dusty pink dressesbride and bridesmaids with lush pink bouquetsa husband and wife signing a marriage licensecloche floral centerpiecespizza oven and a heart shaped pizzaa groom and bride enter the reception in a back yardpeople toasting champagne at a wedding receptiona bride and groom dancing bride and groom under a floral arbora bride kisses a groom next to lush dusty pink and green floralshanging fairy lights

Venue: Private Residence in Carnation, WA

Coordinator: Gaby, a family friend

Photographer: Sound Originals

Caterer: Gusto Pizza Truck

 

 

 

AN AUTUMN GARDEN WEDDING AT PARSONS GARDEN AND CANLIS

bride and groom holding fall bridal bouquet

Caroline and Peter were married at Parsons Garden in the Queen Anne neighborhood in Seattle, followed by an intimate dinner reception in the penthouse at one of Seattle’s oldest fine-dining restaurants, Canlis. It was one of those pre-rain autumn days in Washington. The leaves had started to turn yellow and the sky was slightly overcast with the threat of rain, but the Seattle drizzle had not yet descended for the winter and sun was trying to make herself known, creating a gorgeous day for Caroline and Peter to get married.

Focusing on a color palette of white, peach, burgundy, and green, we incorporated dahlias, ranunculus, garden roses, and ferns into Caroline and Peter’s floral arrangements. And I got the opportunity to incorporate one of my favorite dahlia varieties, the Hollyhill Black Beauty. Its large, spiky petals lend a unique texture and the color of this variety is a deep red, burgundy; it’s so rich that it almost looks like velvet.

Victoria, their fabulous wedding planner of Soon to Be Events, created jazz-inspired table numbers for Caroline and Peter, bringing in their obsession for that genre of music. David Cho Photography captured the warmth and beauty of their day and all the love shown by Caroline, Peter, and their friends and family in attendance.

a red boutonniere on a groomgroomsmen and a groomslady walking across the streeta burgundy, white, and peach fall bridal bouquetbridesmaids wearing dusty blue dressesdahlia aisle arrangementswedding arch with fall flowrersgroom watching bride walk down the aisleparsons garden Seattle wedding ceremonybride and groom say their vowsIndian wedding shawl hindubride and groom just married at Parsons Garden Seattlewedding party at parsons garden seattleCanlis restaurant Seattlea wedding dinner reception at Canliswedding cake at Canlisbride and groom in traditional Indian wedding attireHindu wedding at Canlis restaurant in Seattle

Planner: Soon to Be Events

Venues: Parsons Garden & Canlis

Photographer: David Cho Photography

Cake: The Sweetside

Hair: ZO and CO

Make-Up: I.M Artistry

A CLASSIC WEDDING AT THE OLYMPIA COUNTRY CLUB

bride and groom holding a bouquet

I am going to start this blog about Rakayla and Evan’s wedding with the end first. As a general business practice, I do floral debriefs after a wedding is over to get my couples’ thoughts on their flowers and the overall floral experience. This enables me to improve my business moving forward,  but it also allows me to connect with my couples one last time and to express a proper thank you and congratulations. During the floral debrief with Rakayla and Evan I told them that working with them on their wedding was not just a business transaction for me – and I truly meant it. While I was technically their florist and they were technically my client, the warmth I felt towards Rakayla and Evan, how much I appreciated them as people, and how important it was to me to make their wedding beautiful, felt not like I was collaborating with clients, but with friends.

Rakayla and Evan were married on a beautiful summer day at the Olympia Country Club. They chose a classic and sophisticated color palette of white, green, and black. For their flowers we focused on lilies, hydrangeas, and roses, with a few fragrantly sweet gardenias tucked in. Around the perimeter oof the tent where the ceremony was held, we hung glass crystals and orchids, reminding me of a gentle summer rain.

I am so grateful for Valen Lee Photography for beautifully capturing Rakayla and Evan’s timeless wedding at the Olympia Country Club. And a big thank you to my assistant for the day, Lilly of Colibri Blooms, for helping me get everything set up. You are truly my flower sister.

It was an absolute honor and such a personally and professionally rewarding experience working with you, Rakayla and Evan. I hope married life brings you many gifts of joy, happiness, and lots and lot of fun!

tux and bridal dresschampagne bridesmaids dressesgroomsmen in black suitsa groom watching his bride walk down the aislea bride and groom at the altara bride reads her vowsa bride and groom exchanging vows in front of a floral backdropa groom places a ring on the bride's fingera wedding party cheersa bride and groom walk towards the Olympia Country Club

 

 

A WEDDING WITH POPS OF COLOR AT JM CELLARS

bride and groom kissing holding a red bouquet

The best thing about being a wedding florist in Seattle is all the wonderful people I get to work with. I make this statement meaning both the folks in the wedding industry and, especially, the couples I design for. Both architects and designers, I connected with Aireen and Greg on a shared understanding and appreciation of the process of design and how to communicate design. There is so much thought that goes into wedding flowers. As a designer you have to consider the colors, the textures, and the shapes of the flowers and foliage, and then decide which varieties of flowers will take precedent in a floral arrangement and which ones sit a step behind. You have to think about the shape of each piece, the movement, the positive and negative space, and non-floral accents, like ribbons, vessels, and pins. Finally, you have to think about how the floral arrangement will fit in with all the other decor. And then you have to translate all of that to the client. It’s a big job!

I also loved working with Aireen and Greg because they are just two incredibly down-to-earth, kind and engaging people, who enjoy riding bicycles (Greg did a US cross country bicycle trip in 2015), riding their motor cycles on the weekends, and hiking in the mountains. I don’t think two people can be any cooler.

Aireen and Greg decided to have their wedding at the beautiful Woodinville winery, JM Cellars. They fell in love with JM Cellars for the architecture and because of the canopy of trees with a hundred type of species. For their flowers Aireen and Greg wanted to include local greens with pops of rusty red, peachy pink, and coral colors using peonies, ranunculus, ferns, and pine cones. As a tribute to their late Uncle Gene, a family heirloom vintage cherry red Camaro automobile was featured at JM and it was the car that Aireen and Greg left the reception in formally as husband and wife.

groom waiting for bridebride and groom posing with colorful bouquetbride with bridesmaids and groom with groomsmena wedding party holding colorful bouquetsa father walks his daughter down the aislea bride walks down the aislebridesmaids and groomsmen stand at altargroom reading vows to bridebride and groom in cherry red Camarowedding reception at jm cellarsbubble wedding send offbride and groom in a red convertible

 

Planner: Pink Blossom Events

Photographer: Emilia Shevchenko Photography

Caterer: Kaspar’s Catering and Events

Venue: JM Cellars

Holly Yee

 

Hello and welcome! Thanks so much for taking time to stop by my part of the internet. I have been working with flowers for a long time and I just love helping people make their celebrations absolutely stunning. It is an honor and a priviledge to be a part of weddings and other special events.

In addition to floral design my other loves are yoga, coffee, the outdoors, and my husband and all the amazing people in my life.

 

 

Feel like talking flowers?

 

STUDIO OPEN BY APPOINTMENT

17708 134th Avenue NE

Woodinville, WA 98072

 

 

CONTACT

Email: holly@hollyyee.com

Phone: 425.877.9287