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I’ve been holding off on this post because I just love these so much, and I keep finding more and more images for inspiration.  Though not technically a “flower”, succulents are defined as any plant with fleshy, thick tissues adapted to water storage.  Examples of succulents include aloe vera, agave, and cactus {yes, cactus!}, to name a few.

Succulents can be found year-round and are an easy and affordable addition to your wedding-day florals and decor.  Additionally, they are a perfect, eco-friendly decoration as they can live off very little water and make a perfect take-home favor for guests.  For more information on this unique {and pretty} plant, click here for a handy PDF with more facts.

And now for the fun part - the gallery of these unique plants in action!

Stephanie Williams Photography

Doesn’t this bride look a tad bit like Mandy Moore?

Sarah K Chen Photography

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Stephanie Williams Photography

Mike Cunningham Photography

Kira Grinberg Photography

And in decor…

This Modern Romance Photography

This Modern Romance Photography

This Modern Romance Photography

Jenny Ebert Photography

Cunningham Photo Artists

Laura Christin Photography

Stephanie Williams Photography

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Succulent-shaped candles…

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How about this Mason Jar Succulent Place Card DIY from WeddingChicks {click here for the DIY post}?

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And boutonnieres…

{side note, Pat almost wore a similar burberry tie on our wedding day} Ryan Jensen Photography

Jasmine Star Photography

Heather P. Moore Photography

Linda Chaja Photography

For all Floral Spotlights, click the tab on the top of the blog or click here.

Happy Monday, everyone!

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Not to be mistaken with succulents (to be featured soon!), artichokes are playing a role in more than just your favorite appetizer - via wedding florals {but keep reading, because I’m including a really good recipe at the end of this post}.  These lovely plum/purple colored blooms pair perfectly with the moss green leaves, and they hold a special place in my heart as well, as they were a favorite of my grandmother.

Artichoke production occurs year-round, but nearly one-third the crop is harvested between March and May, making this a very cool, accessible, affordable (and different) floral variety to include in your wedding decor.

Let’s take a look at this lovely in action:

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And how adorable is this artichoke bow tie!!

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I’ve come to notice that the lovely little details are just that: they play a supporting role in the big day; the things that aren’t always noticed at first but are crucial in bringing your vision to life. Today’s Floral Spotlight focuses on one of my favorite unsung heroes in florals: the lovely Dusty Miller.

Dusty miller {otherwise known as Centaurea cineraria, the Velvet Centaurea} is the perfect accent to bring on a silvery-green color to your bouquet or centerpieces, and is readily available in Spring to fall in cold-winter regions and all year in warm-winter climates.  Long story short: your florist should have no problem finding it year-round {and for an affordable price}!

Here’s today’s roundup (rather photo-heavy because there are just so many inspirational pics to choose from!):

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This one is out. of. this. world!!  {succulents, ranunculus, billy buttons and dusty miller, oh my!}

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And I LOVE this one!!

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Peonies, baby roses and dusty miller?  Heaven.

Wow.

Love the yellow and gray combo

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And lets not forget my favorite detail: the boutonnières!

This one was on my inspiration board for our wedding!

Speaking of… here’s Pat’s bout:

See what I mean?  They play the role in such a tiny detail, but when included, really make the other colors “pop” around them!

Happy Monday!

This was just posted in my Examiner.com wedding column, but I wanted to share here as well!

Today we have the lovely Jennifer Hodgins of Branford Flower Shop in for her second visit to the blog {read her first post here} to provide us with some very helpful wedding flowers advice!  Jennifer will be addressing the following for us: What do you wish couples knew before they ordered their flowers? What is your best piece of advice to someone looking to find wedding flowers?“

Tip #1 - Meet with the florist in person. It’s so important to find a florist you can trust and feel comfortable with. With everything the bride needs to consider for her wedding, dealing with a florist who’s offensive is the last thing she should have to experience.

Tip #2 - It’s OK for the bride not to have a clear understanding of what flowers she wants for her wedding. A good florist will be able to ask the right questions to determine the best flowers, colors, style based on the bride’s answers. If the bride feels she is being “told” what flowers to purchase, then she’s dealing with the wrong florist. The florist and bride need to be cohesive partners.

Tip #3 - As a florist, I welcome all pictures of what the bride likes, including color swatches. “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Bring is whatever you think helps convey your ideas.

Tip #4 - The couple needs to know what their flower budget is. This is so helpful to the florist who can then guide the couple to flowers within their budget, thus eliminating several renditions of the flower estimate.

Tip #5 - The bride needs to understand not all flowers are easily available on her wedding day. Out of season flowers can be much more expensive and will ultimately cut into her overall budget.

Tip #6 - Go online or talk to friends about their experiences with florists. Florists can be found in abundance online. Check out their websites, read the testimonials. Visit those that have designed flowers similar to what you like.

Tip #7 - Select a florist near the venue. This can save you money. Many florists charge delivery and setup fees which can mount up if the florist is located far from the site. However, having a good rapport with your florist who’s located further away may be worth the extra dollars. Weigh the options.

Tip #8 - If at all possible, start looking for your florist at least 8 months prior to your wedding.

Tip #8 - Don’t get married on a holiday, especially Valentine’s Day. The florist is extremely busy then and flower prices are higher.

Thank you Jennifer for joining us today!

Football mums can be found almost year-round and are a perfect filler for bouquets and centerpieces.  They can be found in many colors and because of their large size, are perfect to increase the size of your arrangement in an inexpensive way!

Here’s some of my favorites!

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These football mums might not be the spotlight but they’re a perfect, soft filler.

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And last but not least, my own wedding flowers :(with pink ranunculus, dahlias, hypericum berries, seeded eucalyptus and silver brunia)

scobey photography

Happy Monday!

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Not to be mistaken with anenomes, anemones are a perennial herb of the buttercup family, and come in shades of red, blue, white, purple and pink, with jet black hearts.  Their blooming time is typically September - May, making these lovely flowers a perfect pick for winter weddings.

Anemones are a stunning flower that work perfectly as a single bloom or together in a bouquet. Here are some of my favorites:

Excuse the quality of this blackberry-cam picture I took a few weeks back, but I loved the Silver Brunia and Anemone combo!

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And how about some red anemones?

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Love these bright purple/blues!

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I mentioned these lovelies back in a post about peony alternates, but I have to bring them up again in today’s floral spotlight.  I am not a rose person per se, but I do love love love these juliet roses, otherwise known as english roses, because they are so light and fluffy with so much delicate texture, much like a peony!

Sweet Juliet Roses are true to their name and have a sweet scent, and flower in Fall and Summer.  With their apricot/pink color, they are a perfect focal point for any bouquet (and the larger blooms can go a long way, reducing the number of flowers needed to fill the arrangements!)

But enough chit-chat; let’s take a look at some of my favorite images of these sweet juliet roses hard at work:

Tec Petaja Photographer/Erin Hornstein of Plum Sage Flowers

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Tec Petaja Photographer/Erin Hornstein of Plum Sage Flowers

I’m very excited to have the amazingly talented Jennifer Hodgins of Branford Flower Shop in Branford, CT (you may remember me praising her in previous posts, as she was the florist for my wedding!) here for today’s afternoon segment of the Bride Guide.  I asked Jennifer a while back if she had any advice for brides when it comes to choosing flowers for the big day, and she provided me with the following:

1. To help save $$, choose flowers that are in season at the time of your wedding.
2. Select the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses before visiting your florist.  Their dress color influences the bouquet colors, which help determine which flowers to use.
3. Bring pictures and color swatches of individual flowers, bouquets, pew decorations, table arrangements, etc. so the florist can not only hear, but see, what you like.
4. The florist will suggest flowers that fit your personality and wedding style.  As an example, if you’re a free spirit bride having a ceremony in the park, a tight bouquet of all white roses is probably not for you.
5. Start visiting florists at least 6 months prior to your wedding.  Many florists offer a free consultation.
6. Be prepared to make a deposit and sign a contract when you book the florist.  Most florists deduct the deposit from the total due.
7. Tell the florist what your flower budget is.  This helps the florist create an estimate that’s realistic for you. Knowing how much you can spend is key to flower selection, table arrangements, etc.
8. Be open with your florist.  Be honest about your preferences, including colors and flower types, what you won’t accept, and anything else that would be helpful in designing your flowers.  Mention any flower allergies, too.
9. As your wedding day gets closer, you and your florist will review your schedule, e.g. where and when to deliver the bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, ceremony flowers, etc.
10. If, after meeting with a florist, you don’t feel comfortable with that person or shop, consider someone else.  It’s important you have a good working relationship with your florist.  There are so many things to stress about - your florist should not be one of them.

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One of my all-time favorite unsung floral heroes is the grape hyacinth.  These remind me of my first house as a kid, sitting under the willow tree in our backyard, where we had a little patch of grape hyacinths where I would play barbies with my cousin.  And as my name spelling is derived from the word Jacinta, meaning “hyacinth”, I think these just have a connection with me all around (although contrary to the name, they aren’t hyacinths at all, and are actually part of the lily family!)

I love the grape hyacinths, also known as muscari, because like the other flowers I’ve been featuring, they are not known as a statement flower but play more of a backup role in the lovely little details :).  Their flowering time is in late spring but if you look hard enough, you may be able to find them during other times of the year as well.

And now for some images of these lovely little blooms:

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I love how these give a burst of color in your floral accents and are a lesser-known flower, so they really add a unique detail to your wedding blooms.

Previous Floral Spotlights:
Billy Buttons, Silver Brunia, Ranunculus

Oh ranunculus, how I love you.  Seriously – if you use the search button on my blog and look for ranunculus, you will find post after post mentioning this delicate beauty.  Ranunculus is also known as persian buttercup, and flowers between June and August. (but there is still a way to get them up through end of September and into October, if you look hard enough (or book Jennifer Hodgins at Branford Flower Shop ).

These lovely blooms are intricate with their multiple petals surrounding the center, and almost resemble mini peonies.  But make sure you order enough for your event, because some of the heads can tend to be small.  These are perfect for the boutonnieres or in the bouquets (I used them in mine too!) and are not as expensive as one would imagine.

Let’s take a look at some of these lovelies in action:

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And we all know how much I love pulling details through all components of the wedding, like these ranunculus-themed invites!

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LOVE everything about this one.

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I could post about these beauties all day long, but did my best to scour for some of my favorite images in the meantime :)

Make sure to stop back this afternoon for the second dose of todays’ floral spotlight!

Previous Floral Spotlights:
Billy Buttons, Silver Brunia