Woodinville wedding florist specializing in beautiful, artistic, and romantic flowers for weddings and events in Woodinville and Seattle.

TABLETOP FLORALS VIRTUAL WORKSHOP

September 11, 2020

flowers and food in a salad bowl

Being alive in the year 2020 has been challenging to say the least. Sometimes, when there is so much negativity in the world, we forget that beautiful things still exist. And we can forget to look for those beautiful things and grab a hold of them. With spending more time in our homes these days, it’s more important, especially now, to bring beauty inside. And while I might be biased, I think everyone would agree that flowers are definitely beautiful. Flowers embody beauty, life, and joy – all things we could use a little more of right now.

I recently collaborated with Pacific Place on a virtual workshop all about stylish and creative ways to add flowers to your dining table. Each year Pacific Place hosts a Film Meets Fashion event celebrating Seattle’s fall fashion. While COVID-19 disrupted their plans for an in-person affair, Pacific Place still wanted to share the spirit of Film Meets Fashion. They created a lineup of uplifting and inspiring virtual workshops, by showcasing fashion inside the home.

Sharing these different tabletop flower ideas was so much fun! I hope this virtual workshop inspires you to create something beautiful for your dining table. Check out the full workshop in the video below. You can find more images of the four different floral styles I present further down on this blog post. Enjoy!

Flowers in Kitchenware Vessels

Vases come in all shapes and sizes, but at its core a vase is really just a water-tight container. So if you go into your kitchen and look around you’ll probably see a bunch of water-tight containers. And just like that you have an inventory of flower vases!

For this arrangement I chose to design in a cute little tea pot that had been a gift for my mom some time ago. I didn’t use any mechanics inside the teapot, as I didn’t want to scratch the inside finish. Isn’t this arrangement just the sweetest?!

floral arrangement in a tea pot zinnias in a tea pot

Flowers in Food Containers

Another source of water-tight containers are food containers! Anything from a spaghetti jar to a yogurt container could be used as a vase. Before you throw that tomato can into the recycling bin why not give it yet another life, even temporarily, by putting flowers in it??

In this demonstration I made savory Italian-inspired floral arrangements in two spaghetti jars and one tomato can. The local dahlias I included were the perfect richness for these arrangements. Delicious!

colorful dahlias in spaghetti jars flowers in food containers

Flower + Food Arrangements

Confession – I was most excited about creating a flower and food arrangement for the tabletop workshop. I had been dreaming about designing in a salad bowl for some time now, after gifting a beautiful salad bowl to a friend in honor of her marriage. And I’ve been on a fresh kale kick for several months and was admiring the shape and texture of the kale leaves, and thought how lovely they would be in a floral arrangement. So, creating a flower + food arrangement was perfect for this salad bowl!

flowers and leafy greens in a salad bowl colorful flowers in a salad bowl

Elevated Flowers

The final design idea I shared was elevating flowers off of the dining table. This is done all the time in the wedding and events world, but deciding on mechanics that would be relatively accessible and easy to replicate for the non professional Florist was something I had to really think through. I searched around and finally settled on some ceiling command hooks that I found on Amazon. They don’t take a lot of weight, but just enough to make a visual impact. Have fun with this one!

flowers hanging over a dining table flowers hanging from the ceiling

If you are inspired to try any of these arrangement styles I would love to see what you create. I will add your photo to this blog post and share on my Instagram account. You can contact me via email: holly@hollyyee.com or send me a DM to @hollyyeefloralarchitecture

I can’t wait to see what beautiful things YOU create!

MOSSY GATE FLOWER FARM

August 24, 2020

sunflower and woman

The other day I traveled up to Mount Vernon, which is about an hour north of Seattle, and spent the afternoon with Jesalyn of Mossy Gate Flower Farm. I was on the hunt for aster flowers and was told by another Flower Farmer to check with Jesalyn. The aster flower is one of September’s birth flowers. This year I have been spending a lot of time photographing flowers in order to practice my photography skills. I have learned over the years that as a small business owner it’s imperative that you photograph your own work. In an effort to push myself to produce better images I have been gifting some of my flower photos to friends and family members for their birthdays. With a handful of September birthdays marked on my calendar, finding beautiful aster flowers was on my to-do list.

Jesalyn started Mossy Gate Flower Farm in 2015. The name for her flower business came about one day while staring at the old farm fence at the rental home where Jesalyn’s flower journey started. The need for a unique name, paired with her love for moss and cottage gardens, was realized upon seeing that gate. Her mountain man boyfriend, as she refers to, then crafted (initially as inspiration) THE Mossy Gate Flower Farm gate – the image you now see depicted in the Mossy Gate logo and in all of Jesalyn’s branding.

Mossy Gate Flower Farm currently covers two acres of land, which is divided up among three different plots. In Jesalyn’s front yard, where she grows some of her flowers, is the Mossy Gate roadside flower stand where you can grab a bunch of home-grown fresh flowers. This flower stand was crafted out of an old vintage truck bed with a custom wood canopy, also built by her mountain man boyfriend.

When she first moved into her house, Jesalyn said her front yard was covered entirely in thick blackberry bushes. The pictures she showed me of the blackberry removal didn’t lie – those were some gnarly bushes. The land today, though, is a a gently sloping grass hill with her flower stand and growing blooms at the bottom. The feverfew that Jesalyn cut while we chatted were some of the tallest stems I have seen.

Back behind her house stand a structure where Jesalyn propagates flower plants from seeds. She watered her plants while I snapped some more photos.

Jesalyn’s yard used to have more of her flower crops planted there. Last year, however, she found another piece of land and decided to expand her flower farm, which included moving some of her flower varieties to this new space. A big sunflower still remained in her home-base plot, however, and I watched in amazement as Jesalyn made a smiley face by pulling out the seed heads. So of course I snapped more photos – how fun! Her two geese, Moxie and Pippin, also though so, too. Although, in retrospect, I think they were actually more suspicious of this new person with a camera.

After walking around her home-base property, Jesalyn rounded up her two adorable sons and I followed them to the most recently acquired Mossy Gate Flower Farm plot (plot number 3). This was a flat piece of land in the Mount Vernon valley. Super straight rows of flower crops were dotted by pops of colorful zinnias.

Our final stop for the afternoon was Jesalyn’s second plot where she grows a big majority of her flowers. The Bonita and Masumoto asters were in full bloom – pink, purple, and white ones. There were also big, beautiful dahlias. I loved buying dahlias locally back in Colorado, which made me happy to find such a wonderful farm here in Washington. Jesalyn also had a variety of flower that I have never actually used in any of my design work – dianthus or ‘Sweet William’. The color of these burgundy blooms was so rich and the fragrance was incredible! I will definitely use dianthus in the future. Move over peonies!

Jesalyn rounded up my requested aster flowers, but she also threw in a big bunch of other beautiful blooms for me to play around with. Can I just say how fun it is to design with a heaping full of locally grown super colorful flowers??

I visited Mossy Gate Flower Farm in search of aster flowers and not only did I find what I was looking for, but I left with a bucket full of beautiful flowers, some cute cards which Jesalyn sells on her website, and a heart full of gratitude. It was an afternoon spent with great company in beautiful surroundings. Jesalyn has grown her flower farm in the five years since she started. Her ideal size of land to farm on is five acres and she is well on her way to getting there. I can’t wait to see what she grows next!

Jesalyn sells her flowers at her roadside flower stand and at Northwest Wholesale (for Florists), but you can also pre-order buckets of flowers or opt in to a CSA floral subscription. To find out what Jesalyn is currently up to you can follow her on Instagram at mossygateflowerfarm.

VASES AND FLOWERS ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT

August 5, 2020

blue hydrangea in a blue vase

For a long time I held tight to a belief about floral arrangements – that the flowers were much more important than the vases they were designed in. Dreaming about the varieties of flowers I would use for wedding centerpieces could take up the better half of the day. Their colors and shapes would paint vivid pictures in my head as I used my imagination to create beautiful displays for the dinner tables. But the vases? Well, the vases were needed, for sure, but they always came secondary to the flowers. After-all, flowers were the true star of the show (after the couple, of course!).

Last year, however, I came to fully understand and appreciate the magnitude of the vase. I was making a floral arrangement to be given away as a door prize at a networking event. The design turned out lovely, but something felt…off. And at first I had a hard time putting my finger on it, until I finally realized it was the vase that was bothering me. So I swapped out the light brown compote I had used for a rich, dark wooden container. Ta-dah! It was a small change, but it made all the difference. With a simple change of vessel the floral arrangement went from good to great.

So I thought it would be fun and useful to take a look at different styles of vases to see how they impact the overall look and feel of the floral arrangement. In this analysis I used all blue/purple hydrangea from my back yard and simply swapped out the vase without taking out any stems or adding any additional flowers. There are four main characteristics of vases that seem to affect the aesthetic of an arrangement the most: color, shape, material, and prominence.

Color

While many vases used in floral design are neutral in color – clear, white, or brown – the color of a vase (even a neutral color) can change the aesthetic of the arrangement. In this example I started with a blue vase, which was essentially a continuation of the monochromatic color palette of the hydrangea. I then tried yellow vase for contrast.

When I look at the arrangement with the blue vase these words come to mind: rich, striking, bold. When I look at the arrangement with the yellow vase I get a different feeling: cheerful, lighthearted, sweet.

blue hydrangea in a blue vase and a yellow vase

Shape

Vases come in an abundance of shapes. From cylindrical to compote to urn to trumpet – the list goes on and on! The shape of a vase directly affects how the flowers will sit, which can play a big part in determining the overall shape of the arrangement. But even if you can create a similar arrangement shape with different shaped vases, the shape of the vase itself also infuses a feeling into the arrangement. In this example I decided to go with a round bowl vase and then I used a square cube vase.

When I look at the arrangement with the round vase these words come to mind: bulbous, lush, romantic. When I look at the arrangement in the square vase I get a different feeling: modern, different, contrast.

Material

Material is another vase characteristic that impacts the arrangements aesthetic. The material of a vase will determine not only the color sometimes, but also the texture. Texture can be felt directly with your hands, of course, but texture can be felt visually, as well. In this comparison I opted for a metal container and then a wooden container.

When I look at the arrangement with the metal vase these words come to mind: geometric, modern, contemporary. When I look at the arrangement in the wooden container I get a different feeling: rustic, rich, solid.

blue and purple hydrangea in vases

Prominence

The final quality of a vase that can influence the style of the floral arrangement is the size of the vase in regard to its prominence. Some vases are low and discrete, while others cannot help but demand attention. Here I used a shallow ceramic bowl and then countered that with a tall vase with a bold, contrasting design.

When I look at the arrangement with the shallow vase these words come to mind: fluffy, full, luxurious. When I look at the arrangement in the tall vase with the ornate design I get a different feeling: unusual, impressive, fascinating.

blue and purple hydrangea flower arrangements

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with me on these comparisons? Even if different words came to you when viewing these arrangements, hopefully you took away an understanding of just how much a vase can impact the overall look and feel of a flower arrangement. Crazy, right?!

As I continue to evolve and grow as a Wedding and Event Floral Architect, my appreciation for different vessels continues to grow. I plan to highlight more vessels in up-coming blog posts. Stay tuned!

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR WEDDING FLORAL CONSULTATION

July 23, 2020

wedding flowers questionnaire with pen

Every Seattle Wedding Florist you meet with will have a different of way of guiding you through the world of flowers in order to arrive at the best floral designs for your wedding. The beginning of the wedding floral journey is one of the parts that I actually like most. Imagination, artistry, and creativity are at the forefront in this stage and it always feels so exciting to dream about all the floral possibilities. I often find myself saying that the conceptual design is even more invigorating than when I get my hands on the actual flowers. And I really, really love the flowers themselves (just look at my camera – all the photos are of flowers)! But I could dream about gorgeous, unique floral designs all day. Yes, my head is in the clouds! And the clouds are filled with flowers!

Here at Holly Yee Floral Architecture my PROCESS always starts with an Introductory Floral Consultation. Most couples I talk with have never been through the wedding planning process before, let alone the process of deciding on the perfect floral decor for the biggest party they’ll probably ever host. Needless to say, the experience of talking with a Wedding Floral Designer is often uncharted territory, so coming into the meeting prepared will always produce a better outcome.

In preparation for your Introductory Floral Consultation I want to go through the topics we will cover to get you thinking (and feeling!) about the big picture of your wedding, as well as all the smaller elements. Understanding your vision, your goals, and your heart in depth will enable me to build a floral proposal that embodies an aesthetic that is unique to you as a couple. Collaboration is key, with all of your vendors really, and knowing what to expect during your wedding floral consultation will allow us to make the most of our time together. Let’s get started!

Overall Wedding Ambiance/Feel

One of the first things I want to know about is your desired wedding ambiance. Understanding the big picture of your wedding with regard to the atmosphere you want to create for you and your guests will help guide my floral recommendations and suggestions. Design styles can be romantic, artistic, elegant, whimsical, modern, or rustic. Flowers themselves also sometimes can have a “style” to them. Some are very soft and romantic, both visually and tactically. Some are sleek and elegant while others are fun and whimsical. Florals play a big part in setting the mood of a space, which I go into some detail on my INVESTMENT page. When I was a bride back in 2017 I was able to find the words to describe the goal of my wedding atmosphere by closing my eyes and imagining what it felt like to be there – inviting, beautiful, and warm. Give it a try!

Color Palette

One of the most important elements in any type of design is the use of color. Colors can evoke mood and feelings, and can be a way to curate a specific atmosphere. Flowers are often a large part of a wedding’s decor, so making sure the colors of the flowers work in harmony with the other colors of your wedding is very important. I wrote a blog post a couple months ago on How To Choose Your Wedding Floral Color Palette, which highlights the key elements that determine wedding colors: venue, attire, season, and theme.

Floral Preferences

Understanding what your floral preferences are both with regard to floral style and specific flowers is one of the most important pieces. Are you someone who likes very textural arrangements or do you prefer structured, clean arrangements? Are you draw to symmetry or asymmetry? Do you like a wispy, whimsical look or do you prefer pieces that are full and lush? Pinterest has been a very useful tool for looking at different floral styles, but you can also do a general internet search and see what images come up or you can get some wedding magazines to peruse through. And don’t just keep your eyes on the internet. The natural world has so much to say, too! When you are outside and out and about, do you find yourself taking a long look at your neighbor’s pink peonies, the deep blue hydrangea bush by the park, or are you drawn to the carefree daisies crowding around a fire hydrant?

pink peony

Personal Elements

Finding out more about you as a couple and what personal elements you might be incorporating into your wedding is one my favorite parts of our first conversation. These are the gold nuggets of information that often spark my most creative side. Perhaps you have Irish heritage that you want to include in the feel of your wedding, so we decide to use lots of ferns and moss in your arrangements. Maybe your partner loves to fly fish, so I incorporate fly fishing feathers in his boutonniere. Or maybe the two of you are avid bicyclists, so we create a floral installation built out of old bicycle wheels. One of the most unique bridal bouquets I ever made was for a bride who was going to school for Mycology, the study of fungi. To her field of study into the floral arrangements, I wired in to her bouquet two ceramic mushrooms and one carved wooden mushroom. How fun is that? Can you spot the ceramic mushrooms in the photo below? Don’t be afraid to play with the idea of incorporating elements of your individuality into the florals. The outcome can be incredibly original!
woodland style bridal bouquet with ferns

Quantities and Categories of Floral Arrangements

Getting a little more practical and detailed, another important topic we’ll discuss is quantities. This information is especially useful in determining the overall cost of your wedding flowers, but sometimes I do suggest certain flowers that may lend themselves better to specific arrangements. Smaller flowers work best for small, intricate pieces like boutonnieres, corsages, and crowns. Larger flowers like sunflowers, hydrangea, and large calla lilies or versatile, hardly flowers like roses and carnations can be perfect for installations or large arrangements.

A bridal party with sunflower bouquets on a runway

I hope this helps get you prepared and excited for your wedding floral consultation. You can also watch the video down below. Talking about flowers for your wedding should be fun and the goal in sharing this knowledge with you is to prepare you for the things we will discuss so our partnership can produce the most beautiful arrangements for one of the most beautiful events. Ready to chat about your wedding flowers? Join me in the clouds – there’s lots of fabulous floral arrangements up here!

CEREMONY FLOWERS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY

June 26, 2020

bride and groom at wedding ceremony

If you were to guess that I love weddings, you would be correct. I love weddings. I mean I LOVE them. Both on a professional level, because I get to assist couples in bringing life and beauty to one of the biggest and best parties they will ever host, but also on a personal level, because as a guest (and at my own wedding as the bride) I have always felt the magic in the air – that wedding magic is a certain energy that can’t be felt in the same way anywhere else. And it’s amazing.

Weddings are everything positive, wonderful, and beautiful wrapped up into one epic day of celebration. And while the reception is considered by many to be the most enjoyable part (who doesn’t look forward to indulging in eating fantastic food and partaking in an open bar??), the ceremony is the true heart of a wedding.

As a Floral Architect you might not be surprised that I consider flowers to be one of the most important parts of wedding decor, if not THE most important part. And while a lot of emphasis is generally placed on things like the bridal bouquet and the table centerpieces, the most significant part of your wedding day, your ceremony, deserves intentional thought and design…and flowers.

Let’s take a look at the reasons why your ceremony flowers should really be a priority when thinking about your wedding flowers.

Symbolizes the Importance of the Occasion

The reason for your wedding is to legally and formally marry the love of your life. The reason that all your family and friends are there with you is to witness you marry the love of your life and to celebrate your union. And that’s a big deal. Not giving proper attention to the look and the feel of your ceremony area doesn’t give due credit to how monumental a union between two people is. Guests will travel many thousands of miles, spend lots of money, and whittle away at their vacation time for weddings because of just how very special it is to witness two people get married. Creating arrangements just for that time, place, and space signifies its magnitude.

Defines and Personalizes the Physical Space

Sometimes couples initially won’t feel the need to add any floral decor to their ceremony area because the location already 1) has a beautiful view 2) has some sort of permanent or built-in decor element or 3) their ceremony will only last a short amount of time. Yes, there are a lot of beautiful places to get married with spectacular backdrops, beautiful landscaping, and built in arbors, and the ceremony usually lasts only a fraction of the time as the reception, but when you add your own floral decor to the ceremony area you make that space your own. You might be at a venue that has a wedding every weekend and adding your own unique floral decor transforms that space into your wedding. Having personalized floral arrangement for your ceremony, whether that’s a lush floral arbor, a spray arrangement on an arch, or two floral urns to frame the space you and your partner are joining together in, will set it apart and will put your stamp on it.

Provides Aesthetic Delight

Decorating your ceremony space with personalized floral arrangements can really enhance the mood of a ceremony. Flowers have been proven to enhance well-being and make people happy. When you add flower arrangements to your ceremony space you automatically enhance the mood and lift people’s spirits. And most of this happens unconsciously! Ornamental horticulture can be a calming and soothing influence. And that can do wonders for when it’s time to read your vows!

Elevates the Gorgeousness of Your Photos

During your wedding you will take tons of pictures. And I mean TONS. The ceremony is one of the most photographed moments of a wedding and it is one of the best things to look back on afterwards. Whenever I see pictures from my own wedding ceremony pictures all those feels and emotions come rushing back. And the beautify of the day and of our ceremony setting almost takes my breath away again just as it did the day I became a wife. Pictures of you and your loved ones against a one-of-a-kind floral backdrop are worthy of being framed and displayed.

So hopefully I have convinced you of the value of investing in beautiful flowers for your wedding ceremony. Even if you are getting married on top of a mountain, in front of a waterfall, or in a botanic gardens, there is still reason to add your own personalized floral arrangements to your ceremony space.

You can get more ceremony floral inspiration on my CEREMONY gallery page.

Lastly, I took the lovely ceremony photo from above, taken by the talented Molly Blair Photography, and colored a version of that ceremony without any flowers. While the wooden arbor was lush with summer greens which is definitely pretty is its own right, I hope you agree with me that personalized floral decor makes it transformational.

wedding ceremony no flowers

HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BRIDAL BOUQUET FROM YOUR BRIDESMAIDS

May 5, 2020

colorful bridal bouquet drawing

Bridal bouquets are one of my my absolute favorite things to conceptualize and create for weddings. Not only are they one of the most photographed floral arrangements at a wedding, but they are designed for and carried by some of the most important people – the bride(s)!

One of the questions my brides and I talk through when discussing their wedding flowers is whether they want their bridal bouquet to closely match their bridesmaids bouquets or to be significantly different. Some people prefer a very coordinated and matching bridal party look. Others folks are inspired by contrast and love the idea of their bridal bouquet being totally unique. Both schools of thought are correct and each bridal party floral style can look spectacular in its own way. Let’s explore the differences starting from the most cohesive to the ways we can create the most bouquet variation.

Bridal Bouquet vs. Bridesmaids’ Bouquets: SIZE

The most cohesive bridal party floral look is when all the bouquets have the same shape and the same color palette. Clients will ask me if their bridal bouquet should be different from their bridesmaids’ bouquets and I always tell them at a minimum it will be bigger, even if just slightly. The bride is the most important person in her bridal party and her bouquet should be representative of that, as well. Many times we will identify a variety of flower to use only in her bridal bouquet, but still within the palette of flower colors.

Picture courtesy of Stolen Glimpses Photography

bridal party with pink dresses and pink bouquets

bridal party with lush blush wedding bouquets

Bridal Bouquet vs. Bridesmaids’ Bouquets: SIZE + SHAPE

Another way to differentiate the bridal bouquet is in both size and shape. You can still maintain a strong floral cohesiveness by using the same color palette throughout the bridal party bouquets, especially the same proportions of colors, but changing the shape of the bridal bouquet can make it that much more dramatic. This works well for brides, especially, who love cascading bouquets. Cascading bouquets are naturally lush and require a high level of craftsmanship. The amount of detail that goes into cascading bouquets makes them an excellent choice for brides who want that wow factor.

(To find out about the different wedding bouquet styles you can check out my blog post THE FIVE MOST POPULAR BRIDAL BOUQUET SHAPES).

bridal party wearing dusty blue and dusty green dresses with blush flowers

Picture courtesy of Jessica Christie Photography

Photo courtesy of Libbie Holmes Photography

Bridal Bouquet vs. Bridesmaids’ Bouquets: SIZE + COLOR

One of the easiest ways to emphasize the uniqueness of the bridal bouquet is with size and especially with color. Our eyes are naturally drawn to color – the cones within our eyes being physically stimulated when we see colors. And when contrasting colors or analogous colors are used within a bridal party floral palette, we definitely take notice. In the past I have worked with brides who have loved the idea of a bouquet for themselves with an emphasis on white to signify it as the bridal bouquet. Other times my clients have loved the idea of a colorful bouquet that really popped against their wedding gown.

Color is such an important factor when thinking about your flowers. If you are interested in learning more about how to pick your wedding floral color palette you can hop back to my post from the prior week: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING COLOR FLORAL PALETTE

Photo courtesy of Talia Kite Photography

a bride and her bridesmaid holding red and white bouquets

Bridal Bouquet vs. Bridesmaids’ Bouquets: SIZE, SHAPE, + COLOR

If you want your bridal bouquet to command the most attention, then you might choose a design different from your bridesmaids’ bouquets in terms of size, shape, and colors. While I love when things are cohesive, I also love brides who aren’t afraid to make a statement. Your dress is different from your bridesmaids’ dresses, your role is different from your bridesmaids, so why be afraid to make your flowers drastically different? Dare to be different!

Picture courtesy of From the Hip Photo

bridesmaids in blue dresses with colorful bouquets

Picture courtesy of Libbie Holmes Photography

Whether you like a really cohesive bridal party floral style or if you aren’t afraid to have your bouquet stand alone, there are many options and even small, subtle tweaks for how we can make your bridal bouquet one-of-a-kind and truly a reflection of your taste. Want to explore the best floral style for your bridal bouquet and your bridal party? Let’s set up a CONSULTATION! I love making bridal bouquets and I would be honored to design yours!

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING FLORAL COLOR PALETTE

April 30, 2020

rainbow color palette

One of the very first questions I ask during my wedding floral consultation process is about color palette. I have couples to tell me about their overall wedding color palette and then use that to narrow in on the best combination for their floral color palette. Sometimes, however, my clients do not have a defined wedding color palette or their wedding colors are a little bit broader. And that’s totally okay! There are specific components of your wedding that you can look to for guidance when navigating the world of color and deciding on the best palette for your wedding flowers.

First, though, let’s take a look at the basic principles of color theory. These principles are the guidelines often applied when choosing color palettes that ultimately are balanced and aesthetically appealing. Understanding color theory is crucial for great design. The color wheel, which was invented in 1706 by Sir Issac Newton, can be used as a compass for choosing colors that work well together.

color wheel

Three of the most fundamental color combination categories are: monochromatic, analogous, and complimentary. Here’s what each of them refers to and why each category works well in design:

Monochromatic

Monochromatic colors are variations of one color (hue) with different tints, tones, and shades. A monochromatic color palette is simple, yet sophisticated. Monochrome creates harmony and is calming.

Analogous

Analogous colors live next to each other on the color wheel. Color combinations using hues with close proximity on the color wheel can create a sophisticated and pleasing harmony. Analogous colors are guaranteed to work great together.

analogous colors

Complimentary

Complimentary colors that are opposite from each other on the color wheel creating strong contrast. Complimentary colors are especially pleasing as play up each other’s intensity. Complimentary colors are often perceived as soothing as they stimulate different parts of the eye.

yellow and purple complimentary colors

With this basic understanding of color theory, here are things to consider when deciding on a great color palette for your wedding flowers. This list is especially helpful if you don’t have a set wedding color palette, but can be useful even if you do!

Picture courtesy of Pure Lee Photo

Color of Wedding Party Attire

Perhaps the biggest influence of your wedding floral color palette is the color of your wedding party attire, whether that includes just you and your significant other or if you have an abundance of bridesmaids and groomsmen. The wedding party is traditionally adorned with flowers, so making sure your personal floral pieces compliment your attire is key. Your wedding party is one of the main things that gets heavily photographed and we want those images to be beautiful, balanced, and colorfully cohesive!

I like to use a two-step process when helping couples choose colors that will work well with their wedding attire. When clients come to my Woodinville studio to review their floral proposals, I will pull out my stack of paint chips and will physically lay colors on top their wedding attire color(s). This allows them to get a feeling of all those colors together. I also ask my clients to send me pictures of their wedding attire so I can overlay a custom floral digital drawing. This has worked incredibly well in showing how a bouquet will look against a wedding gown or how a boutonniere will appear on a jacket. You can see some of my bouquet sketches for past clients on the ABOUT page.

floral garland along table with lavender napkins

Picture courtesy of Sara Lynn Photography

Linen, Table Runner, & Napkin Colors

Another factor I often take into consideration when advising my clients on their wedding floral color palette, is the color of their table linens, table runners, and dinner napkins. The reception is the second most important part of your wedding and creating a space that is harmonious can positively affect the dining experience. If you are going with a colored napkin or a colorful table runner, including that color or a complimentary color in your table centerpieces can create more dimension and visual interest. Color that is placed intentionally in design is a way to engineer a particular experience. Don’t be afraid to use colors that will delight your guests’ eye receptors!

Picture courtesy of Newell Jones & Jones

Venue Colors & Aesthetic

It can be easy to overlook your wedding venue when deciding on your floral color palette. Wedding venues that are neutral in color are more adaptable to a variety of wedding colors. Some wedding venues, especially hotel ballrooms, can have distinct accents of certain colors, either colors in the carpet or colors in the ceiling fixtures. It always perplexes me when couples choose a reception venue that has colors that clash with their chosen wedding colors. It’s really, really hard to not notice the blue and orange patterned carpet when you’re sitting down for dinner. And while your soft pink floral centerpieces may be quite lovely on the white linen tables, they will look out of place next to that carpet.

Picture courtesy of Teresa Woodhull Photography

Season

Sometimes Mother Nature can be a guiding hand in choosing a great color palette for your wedding flowers. If you are getting married in the fall, for example, it can be advantageous to use a fall color palette – reds, oranges, and yellows. The changing season can often lend itself to certain colors that become abundant in nature that time of year. You have an already established harmonious color palette that just makes sense!

Floral centerpiece next to Christmas tree

Picture courtesy of Chris Loring Photography

Theme

Some of my favorite weddings to be a part of are themed weddings. True themes go beyond the standard wedding style terms of chic, rustic, vintage, modern, boho, etc. Themes are overarching concepts that allow for aesthetic definition, structure, and specific meanings. Many of the annual Holidays can work well as a wedding theme.

Themed events are even more popular in the corporate world. Check out some fun themed arrangements on my CORPORATE page!

Picture courtesy of Talia Kite Photography

Personal Color or Flower Preferences

Sometimes I work with couples that just love a particular flower. While many flowers come in a multitude of colors, some flowers only grow naturally in one or two colors. You can use that flower color as a starting point for your wedding floral color palette. Other times I suggest that my couples use their favorite color to help define their wedding floral color palette. If you especially love pink and we create arrangements that are bursting with vibrant shades of pink, that will have a conscious (and subconscious) positive effect on you.

Floral arrangements are incredibly visual and because of that wedding flowers often can be a significant part of wedding decor. It’s no wonder that nailing your flower color palette is quite important and, rightfully so, commands a lot of thought, attention, and consideration. After-all an occasion that’s as special as a wedding should look and feel as significant as it is.

Do you need help solidifying a fantastic and cohesive floral color palette? Set up a CONSULTATION with me and let’s find your perfect palette!

PRIVATE WEDDING REGISTRY EVENT

April 16, 2020

a lady teaching two people to make flower crowns

Back in February (which seems like a lifetime ago now!) I was part of the Private Registry Event at Crate&Barrel in Seattle at University Village. This event was an invitation-only event for engaged couples to set up their wedding registry at Crate&Barrel. The perks to being invited to this event were being able to register while the store was not open to the public and celebrating with food, activities, and giveaways provided by a select team of local wedding vendors.

The lovely and dynamic Rebecca of New Creations Weddings spearheaded the overall aesthetic and registry experience. The Seattle wedding vendor team she put together for this event included myself and:

Photography: Alante Photography
Paper and Invitations: Sablewood Paper Company
Catering: Navi’s Kitchen Catering
Cake: Blue Box Bakery
Paper Flowers: Pink and Posey

As the fresh flowers Floral Designer, I was tasked with creating a centerpiece display for one of the Crate&Barrel dining tables. I have a wedding this summer with a gorgeous color palette of rich berry colors – pinks, reds, and some purple, so colors were on the brain! Rebecca creatively named it “Summer Sorbet”.

dining table with colorful floral arrangements lush and colorful floral arrangements on a dining table colorfully set dining tabel

I also put together an interactive flower activity station under one of the Crate&Barrel arbors. Couples could choose to learn how to make a partial flower crown or a boutonniere. This mini flower workshop was such a joy to do! I have discovered that teaching others how to work with flowers is (in some ways) even more rewarding than making arrangements myself. After we are on the other side of COVID-19 I hope to start holding private flower arranging workshops at my Woodinville studio.

colorful pergola colorful flower activity display people doing a diy flower crown activity a lady holding up a ribbon bin for another lady

This was the visual design concept that I sketched out for the arbor. I always love looking back at the sketches I do and comparing them to what I create in real life. Often, they are quite similar. It’s fun to see how a design can be almost fully conceptualized before actually putting the pieces together.

inside display of a Crate&Barrel store

A big thank you to the staff of Crate&Barrel. They were foundation for a great event and they were lovely to work with.

group of people standing in front of a colorful arbor

SEATTLE WEDDING PLANNER: IT’S YOUR DAY EVENTS

April 9, 2020

five women at a beautifully set dinner table with colorful florals

Earlier this year I was invited to be part of a promo styled shoot with the fabulous ladies from Seattle-based wedding planning company, It’s Your Day Events. When I saw the design inspiration board filled with deep blues + bright flowers and learned that the Photographer would be Char Beck, I knew I had to create the arrangements for this shoot. It’s not everyday that you get to collaborate with great people and work with a color palette that makes you literally exclaim out loud. I am so excited to feature It’s Your Day Events on my blog with a Q&A down below and to showcase the floral arrangements I created for their promo shoot: gorgeous and lush – just my style!

long dinner table with fancy place settings and colorful flowers dinner table with colorful flowers small table with colorful flowers

It’s Your Day Events is owned by dynamic duo, Ashley Speight and Christina Fesler. These two best friends and colleagues have been planning weddings in Seattle since 2009. I first met them last year through a professional organization, Wedding Network Seattle. Ashley and I serve on the planning committee for Wedding Network Seattle and we worked together on the April 2019 meeting at Trinity Tree Farm. Later last year, Ashley, Christina, and their team came to my studio and did a team-building floral arrangement workshop with me. These ladies really know how to get things done and have fun while doing it!

two ladies smiling for the camera two women moving a table with colorful flowers

The It’s Your Day team has grown over the years to include Sara Haverstraw – Lead Wedding Planner, Katie Rodriguez – Associate Wedding Coordinator, and Mercer Brown – Event Assistant.

Q&A with It’s Your Day Events

Describe your business. What services do you offer?

We provide wedding planning, design, and coordination services, and what we do is at times difficult to picture because the services we offer are intangible. When you are scrolling through beautiful photos, with stunning flowers, and amazing cohesive design; the magic behind that is the planning, design, and coordination.

How did you get your start in this line of work?

We were just two best friends who loved planning events and design, that took a leap of faith and started this business in 2009. We had no idea where it would go but we sure are happy that we hung on for the ride. Countless weddings and events later, here we are. We believe our attention to detail, organization, creativity, friendship and plain awesomeness have really driven us to where we are today. We were so happy to bring on Sara in 2012, Katie in 2016 to join our team, and Mercer in 2019 – we have a fantastic crew!

What is it like working with you? What can a client expect?

If you work with us, you can expect a calm caring group of wedding besties in your corner. We professionally organize, plan, and coordinate the details. We dot the i’s and cross the t’s. We triple check it all once more. Then, when the day comes, we watch the wonderment and happiness on your face as your wedding day unfolds, just as you dreamed it would.

What do you love about your line of work?

We are always honored to be a part of each and every one of our clients lives, especially on such a big day. It’s an amazing feeling to truly contribute to someone’s wedding and see their dreams come true.

What is your special sauce; your unique business magic?

We often hear from other vendors and our couples on their day that we have been a calming presence. We always have 2 or more coordinators on your day and are a team of good friends that have been in the business for many years, we know our stuff!

What are some of your favorite flowers? Styles of arrangements? Favorite floral colors?

We love lush flowers such as peonies and garden roses, but also really unique and fun flowers that add depth and texture. Christina likes more muted palettes with a crisp pop of color while Ashley just loves all the color!

If you are planning a Seattle wedding and need people in your corner who will guide you through all the planning steps, take care of the details, and triple check everything so you can focus on enjoying your event, these are your ladies! You can find them at:
Website: www.ItsYourDayEvents.com
Instagram: @its_your_day_events

Lastly, I want to give kudos to Char Beck. Even though I had not anticipated being photographed (I hadn’t fully brushed my hair that morning and was wearing my least favorite jeans!), Char offered to take a few head shots and a couple candid shots. On his website he grabs your attention right away with the statement, “You say you’re not photogenic. I’ll prove you wrong.” Thank you, Char – you just did.

a lady in a geen top puts a floral arrangement on a table

Other fantastic vendors who participated in this shoot:
Venue: The Trestle Loft
Tables and Chairs: Grand Event Rental
Rentals: Balancing Balloons

DAFFODILS ARE SYMBOLIC OF NEW BEGINNINGS

March 31, 2020

I’ve been taking pictures of daffodils recently. It’s Spring and daffodils are growing everywhere here in the Seattle area. That, combined with my intent on being more diligent in practicing my photography, has produced an entire digital folder of really cool daffodil images that now lives in Dropbox. Fun fact – daffodils are also March’s birthday flower.

I felt compelled to write a blog post about daffodils, not only because they have been in my line of sight, but because of their meaning: daffodils are symbolic of new beginnings. Today is the last day March. Tomorrow I turn another year older. On April 1st I will spend my first day as a 39 year old. I have been thinking about the age of 39 not with the quasi-humorous dread of 40 being right around the corner, but actually from a perspective of wonder. Wow, I am going to be 39 years old! While turning 30 was definitely exciting, I think 39 might be the coolest age in the 30’s decade. It’s the last segment before an even bigger new beginning. And it feels wise, rooted, and calm.

The symbolic meaning of daffodils seems even more fitting right now, despite my upcoming birthday, because we are in the midst of COVID-19. There is a saying that new beginnings are often disguised as painful endings. While endings often go hand in hand with resistance, loss, and pain, they open the door for new ways of thinking, new opportunities, and new ways of life. We are all grieving – grieving the loss of those dying from coronavirus, grieving the loss of our security, and grieving the loss of our lives as they once were. So while it may be hard to envision the possibilities that lie in the future, just know that they are there and they will come. This, too, shall pass. And we will begin. Different. New.

I picked up a bunch of daffodils from the grocery store yesterday during a trip to stock up on another round of food supplies while my husband and I are stuck at home. And I foraged a few spring flowers and some greenery from our yard to make this cheerful daffodil bouquet. Bouquets are one of my absolute favorite things to make, which is a good pairing with my love for weddings. I have not had a March wedding since 2016, since it’s off-season, but for any future couples thinking of getting married in March, you might consider incorporating the daffodil in your floral palette. What a beautiful way to symbolize the start of your life together as a married couple.

green, yellow, and white daffodil bouquet yellow daffodils in a bouquet

Lastly, while we are encouraged to social distance ourselves and self-quarantine, we can still responsibly enjoy a walk outside. This can be reprieve from being cooped up indoors. There are so many daffodils in bloom. Go look for them! They will brighten up your day. And just remember that in this season of change we will grow.