Propsal with Helzberg Diamonds

As far as wedding proposals go it is usually the girl who eagerly anticipates "the question". However, in an extraordinary turn of events it was Kyle who received a proposal... from Helzberg Diamonds. Kyle would get the ring of his choice but there was a catch, he had to propose to his girlfriend Madison in the next 48 hours. Luckily for him he had one of Kansas City's premier event planners, Nellie, with Events by Nellie to help him pull this off. She hooked him up with all the vendors he needed to make this a spectacular moment. One of his destinations our flower shop. Thanks to Pinterest we discovered that Madison really likes purple flowers. With only this little bit of information I worked with Kyle to create a bouquet that he thought Madison would love.

Kyle and I came to the conclusion that an arm bouquet would be the perfect first impression for when Madison would  meet him on stage of the Kauffman Center. However, the main event would be when Kyle drops to one knee and opens Helzberg's little red box.

The planning didn't stop there... the Bentley waiting outside for them was adorned with a fresh floral garland. It beautifully framed their picture perfect kiss.  

For the whole story, click here!

Location
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Event Planner
Events by Nellie

The Ring
Helzberg Diamonds

 

 

 

 

Laina and Mike's November 7th Wedding

Early November can be risky when thinking about weather, however Laina and Mike were lucky and got the best of what fall can offer. Nature played it's part perfectly by offering the awesome colors of changing foliage that seemed to glow with the sun making for stunning outdoor photos! We used plenty of flowers and colors that stay true to the season: mums, bronze orchids, jester leucadendron, deep red cockscomb, sunflowers and a range of ivory and creams. This combo made for a truly bight and cheerful pallet.

Madison and Kirk's September 5th Wedding

Madison and Kirk had a beautiful outdoor wedding at the end of summer while everything was still lush and green. Madison's bridesmaids wore varying shades of long blush toned dresses with soft bouquets of babies breath and dainty floral crowns. The babies breath continued in arrangements going down the aisle for a simple and lovely ceremony. Against all the white and light pinks, Madison's bouquet of bight colors and fun textures really stood out.

Ceremony & Reception
Private Residence

Photography
Taylor Kelley Photography

Drew and Brian's September 26th Wedding

Drew had wonderful vision for her and Brian's wedding day that we were so happy to be a part of! Her bouquet of Free Spirit, Vendela Roses, stock and hydrangea had a warm glow against her white dress. Focusing around the Free Spirit rose, her bridesmaid's had a bright and colorful range of blooms that really popped with their dark blue dresses. That shade of blue and bright flowers continued into the reception at the Hilton President which has a cheerful shade of yellow accenting the room. The whole look flowed seamlessly!

Michelle and Andrew's August 1st Wedding

Michelle and Andrew had a perfect Kansas City wedding starting with a traditional ceremony at the church and moved to the cool industrial space at the Boulevard Brewery. Michelle loved the color purple! One color can sometimes become overwhelming but when used in multiple shades and tints it becomes a really beautiful and classic look. We also blended a variety of creams and blush flowers into the bouquets and arrangements which added some more depth. The end result is timeless!

Enchanted Forest Inspiration Photo Shoot

The Kelly Gallery has been doing an "Enchanted Forest Series" this summer and we were lucky enough to take part in one of their photo shoots. The Kelly Gallery is a truly special venue that offers an absolutely stunning  setting with immaculate gardens, a quaint willow tree, a pond with ducks and stone bridge and many other photo worthy surroundings.

Location
The Kelly Gallery

Photographer
Kelly Daniels

Dresses
Natalie M.

Sarah and Matt's September 27th Wedding

Navy has become a very popular bridesmaid dress color, despite all the grey and blush tones we have been seeing in the current inspiration shoots. The bolder colors of hot pink, tangerine and lime green really popped in this intimate sophisticated wedding.

The flower girl has one of our popular "magic wands". Instead of throwing petals from a basket this eliminated a messy clean up for a space that had to be turned over very quickly! 

Ceremony & Reception
The Carriage Club

Photographer
RPM Photography

Wedding Coordinator
Simple Elegance

Miles and Wylee's April 16th Wedding

Wylee had a vision of soft pinks and whites for her destination wedding in Marco Island, Florida. So we kept everything relatively neutral which worked really well with the beach setting. The day before the wedding Wylee and I drove to one of the local flower shops to browse their selection of arches and found a bamboo one that Wylee liked (this worked much better than our original DIY Home Depot idea). All the flowers were shipped from a local wholesaler in Kansas City to the concierge at the resort. Once they arrived I used the hotel wastebaskets to prep and store the flowers. I have done this before, it works really well for offsite events.

One of the great things about being at the resort was all the "locally sourced" hotel foliage. Just a little bit of jasmine added a wonderful scent to Wylee's bouquet and a few tropical leaves were also a nice touch considering the location.

The day really was a beautiful one. I think the photos are proof of that.

Ceremony & Reception
Marco Beach Ocean Resort

PHOTOGRAPHER
HIppie Love Photography

Some of my personal photos from the night:

Jessica and Brian's May 30th Wedding

Jessica liked the play of all the different shades of lavenders and purples in a display of bold summer flowers. We went from pale Ocean Song roses to Moonbeam hybrid purple carnation clusters. A pop of ivory hypericum berries gave the bouquets some dimension. Adding white Majolica spray roses to Jessica's bouquet allowed us to create a slightly larger bouquet for her without adding any extra weight. The ceremony and reception flowers all followed through with the same color scheme. By using lighter and brighter purples, not deeper shades, the flowers did not disappear in the later hours. The lighter silver accents enhanced the richer tones of the flowers. Silver has always been the traditional "go-to" metallic for purple and blue.

Ceremony & Reception
Grand Street Cafe

PHOTOGRAPHER
Beau Vaughn Photography

Tips for Your Summer Wedding

As we have said before, using flowers in season is best. And in the summer you really want a bloom that can hold up in the heat that summer can present. Here is a list of some of our favorite summer flowers:

Sunflowers. Everyone knows what a sunflower looks like. But sunflowers can come in a lot of different varieties. They can have green centers or no centers. And while some are yellow, some grow with a reddish color. A quick google search will show all of the sunflower possibilities.

Dianthus is another flower that does well in the heat. It can come in pretty shades of pink, purple and reds.  

Dahlias, zinnias and marigolds love hot weather and all come in many different colors and shapes. 

Solidago, also known as golden rod, is great for pops of yellow. Often times people tell me they are allergic to it. However, it is actually hypoallergenic and rag weed is the real culprit, they just happen to grow right next to each other.

Baby's breath has a dainty look but is really hardy and holds up well in the heat. Also, if dipped in Clorox, opens quickly. 

Sea oats, yarrow and locally grown liatris are also good summer options.

To help keep flowers from wilting in the heat we spray them with a liquid wax. It is also important to keep your arrangements and bouquets in cooler conditions as long as possible. We once had a wedding with 105 heat index that day. We left everything in the house until the very last minute and everything was fine!  Also, some flowers like hydrangeas will do good in heat but are best kept in water - they wont last being walked around in a bouquet all day.

Anytime your wedding is outdoors you have to think about a lot of different things the indoor bride doesn't... not to mention a backup plan! Here are a few tips for outdoor summer weddings we think are helpful for keeping your guests happy and comfortable.

Summer usually means it is hot... while large fans can be loud and ugly, small handheld paper fans are nice to have so guests can create their own breeze if needed. Or if it's really a scorcher, maybe some larger high-quality fans in certain areas wouldn't be too bad.

Another thing that comes to mind when thinking about summer are bug bites, especially if your site is near water. It is really hard to enjoy yourself if you're swatting at mosquitos or scratching at yourself all night long. While we don't suggest bug spray, mosquito repellant wrist bands or clip-ons could be sitting in a bowl next to the guest book for easy accesses to those who are prone to bites.

Water is must! Take advantage of all the fun recipes for flavored water on Pinterest along with custom labels for a nice touch. And don't forget ice! 

Make sure to have some shade. If your location doesn't have trees or any other natural shade, consider a tent. It really makes a big difference and your guests will thank you.

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Photographer
Paul Versluis

Jennifer and Nicolas' May 2nd Wedding

Red was definitely the main color at Jennifer and Nicolas' wedding, and for this early spring day it really popped! Lots of greenery and little clusters of waxflower were added for contrast.

And how great do those colors from the Museum at Prairiefire look in the background? What fun photos for an even more fun couple!

Unconventional Bouquet

You see floral garlands all over the wedding scene: tables, entry ways, arches and chuppahs... But how often do you see a bride wear her flowers as opposed to the traditional bouquet? We can say we have done this once years ago. It was the bride's second wedding and she didn't feel like the common bridal bouquet was the right fit for her. So we came up with a floral garland that she would drape over her shoulders similar the photo below.

We don't think you have to be a second time bride to do an unconventional bouquet. This look would be lovely for any bride who wanted to be a little more alternative. Obviously it makes for stunning photos but it would also be something that your guests would remember for years to come as something that was unique to you.  

Copper Details

Copper has definitely made a comeback in the home and we love the idea of incorporating into an event. It is a fresh alternative to gold and silver yet not as trendy as rose gold. The blush floral tones that are so popular now work really well with its rosy hue. Use it in subtle details or go big with it and use it as a main color. One of the great things about copper is its versatility depending on its finish. It works in rustic barn settings, looks lovely used in a garden soiree, and copper could really warm up an urban loft area. There really isn't a situation we wouldn't mind using a little bit of copper. What are your thoughts on this metal trend?

Alleyway Turned Colorful Dinner Party

We love this pin and apparently so do a couple hundred others. What makes this setting so appealing to us is the simple, fun and easy setup. They turned what would normally be an overlooked alleyway into a playful fiesta themed party.

To replicate this look start by gathering a fun collection of chairs; you may already have some hanging around your place. If you don't, check out Ikea or local flea markets. Next, notice all the playful fabrics. If you don't have the ability to drape fabrics like they did here, bright streamers could give a similar affect. Also, depending on the time of day, consider stringing some globe or bistro lights. And don't forget a mix of pillows in different sizes and patterns. Pillows bring a sense of comfort to outdoor spaces. A couple throw blankets could be fun too as another added textile. When setting the table plan to mismatch everything. The use of different colored table runners and placemats adds to the casual vibe. However, keep any plants or flower arrangements simple as not to compete with everything else going on.

An added extra; rent a food truck. Your hosting job will that much easier and your guests will appreciate the experience. Now I think we are ready to enjoy a margarita and take a swing at the piñata.  What do you think?