Before you give us a call, you’ll want to gather some information, and then the corsage or boutonniere designs itself!

Wrist or Pin-on Corsage?

Most people prefer wrist corsages, but you’ll sometimes find your grandmother prefers a pin-on corsage because that is what she is used to. Wrist corsages are nice because they go with any kind of dress or material. If the dress is strapless or has spaghetti straps, a wrist corsage is perfect because you don’t have to worry about where to pin the corsage. If the dress is made out of a fabric that isn’t sturdy enough to support the weight of a pin-on corsage, then a wrist corsage is perfect.

We have several different wristlet options to accommodate different sized wrists. Just let us know if your wrist is particular petite. You can even come in to try on the wristlets.

Color Palate

Are you trying to match a dress or a suit? Is this for a wedding so you want to coordinate with the wedding flowers? Are there school colors you want to include? For the most part, each element of the corsage or boutonniere can be the color of your choosing from the flowers, to the smaller supporting flowers, to the greenery, and finally the ribbon.

What kind of flower?

Roses are the most popular. For a corsage, we use several spray roses instead of the larger full-size rose in order to accommodate a woman’s smaller wrist size. Roses come in a variety of colors including the standard white, red, and light pink. But they also come in yellow, peach, lavender, burgundy, and orange. If you’re interested in one of the specialty colors, just call us about a week in advance so we are able to order the flowers for you.

If you want something a little more unusual, there are many other flowers that make beautiful corsages and boutonnieres. Orchids lend an exotic look and come in unusual colors such as the larger cymbidium orchid…

…or the smaller dendrobium orchid. Ranunculus offers a delicate look with gradations of color that are unpredictable and whimsical.

Calla lilies bring a classic sophisticated look and come in white, yellow, mango, pink/light purple, and a dark eggplant purple.

Additions

A traditional corsage and boutonniere is comprised of roses, baby’s breath, bakers fern, and a ribbon. We love requests for original designs. Some fun small flower additions are wax flower, solidago, astilbe, and statice.

Greenery comes in lots of different tones and textures including eucalyptus, myrtle, ruscus, variegated pittosporum, or even hypericum berries.

Ribbon

Most people include ribbon, but you don’t have to. Ribbon has so many characteristics including width, sheer or solid, matte or sparkly, or you can even choose two different ribbons.

You can certainly place your order over the phone. But if you’d like something more unique, you might consider visiting the shop. We have a huge selection of ribbon if you want to match fabric or just see the different colors and textures that are available. You’d be surprised at how many shades of blue there are! We can also pull various elements together like flowers, greenery, and ribbon so you get a feel for what the finished product will look like.

Whatever your needs are for corsages and boutonnieres, we’re here to help!

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Budget

The first question we’ll ask is what your budget is. Once we know your budget, we can guide you to the appropriate flowers that will create the look and feel you would like. Additionally, you might choose to prioritize the elements that are most important to you. Are having peonies in your bouquet more important than having flowers decorating the church pews? While nothing is set in stone until we’re within a month of your big day, knowing what budget you’d like to target will help us offer appropriate suggestions and guidance.

Inspiration

Oftentimes, people will ask us to send them photos of bride’s bouquets. The reality is that we can create any kind of bouquet that you would like. We have endless examples! It really helps us narrow down examples if you send us photos or a Pinterest board that shows the style(s) you like. In addition, these photos will help us determine the price of the bouquet!

Shape

When it comes to bride’s bouquets, there are three major shapes that we work with. The first is round and compact, often looking like a dome. Its opposite is a teardrop or cascading bouquet, a looser shape with trailing flowers and/or greenery. Finally, in the middle of those two is an open and natural bouquet with a more amorphous shape. Below are examples of each shape.

A round bouquet, a cascading bouquet, and an open bouquet.

Color Palette

Something else that’s important to consider is the colors of your bouquet. Whether you’re looking for a monochromatic bouquet or one that includes all the colors of the rainbow, we want to match the colors you’re looking for as closely as possible. Flowers come in all different colors and shades, so the more specific you can be, the better. And if you have a photo of the specific shade you want us to match, that helps us even more!

Flowers

The fun part of the bouquet is the flowers! Do you want just one kind of flower, a mixture of textures and layers, or a combination of flowers that all have the same look and feel? Many flowers such as roses and sunflowers are available year-round at fairly consistent prices. Other flowers such as peonies and dahlias are seasonal. While we might be able to procure them out-of-season, they are often prohibitively expensive. In this case, we are happy to suggest budget-friendly alternatives that offers a similar look without the strain on your wallet!

Greenery and Natural Elements

The last consideration is greenery and natural elements. While neither are a necessity for a bouquet, it can add a natural look as well as contrast to the flowers. Seeded eucalyptus is a popular greenery right now. Other kinds of greenery include (but not limited to!) ruscus, myrtle, green pennycress, bupleurum, and bear grass. Some brides love to add other natural elements for fun texture and variety. Thistle, berries, lotus seed pods, pine cones, safari sunset, are just some of the natural elements we have incorporated into beautiful bride’s bouquets.

Once you’ve considered all these points, you’re ready to order! Just give us a call or visit us in-store, and we’ll create the perfect bride’s bouquet just for you.

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Hitting Home

A long-time childhood friend of my sons is supposed to get married in September. I received a message from his bride letting us know that they are trying to figure out whether, how, or when to move forward with their wedding. I could hear the crushing disappointment as well as the angst of trying to make the perfect decision in her voice.

While I have watched customers wrestle with these hard decisions, hearing this young lady’s voice put a lump in my throat. Not only are we providing the flowers for her wedding, we’re also attending the wedding, and my sons are in the wedding party. This one really hits home because the decisions she’s facing are ones she’s trying to make on behalf of families that she loves, including my own.

So this letter is to her and to all the 2020 Brides out there.

Dear 2020 Bride,

Breathe… you are loved and cherished and appreciated.

Whatever you decide will be just perfect! This is your day, and the start of your new life together as a married couple. It’s the beginning of your family. What is right for some families might not be right for your family, and vice versa, and that’s OK!

While this pandemic affects everyone, the way it affects everyone is different. Some need to be totally isolated, others are comfortable venturing out with masks and social distancing. You won’t be able to accommodate everyone’s needs, but everyone will understand. Take that pressure off and just focus on what brings both of you the most peace and joy. Whatever brings you peace and joy will also bless everyone else that you love.

Love is what brought you to this moment. Love is what will get you through this moment–love for each other, love for family and friends, love from family and friends. As you look back on this day from some vantage point in the future, memories of being a 2020 Bride will be truly special ones.

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It’s been a bit since I’ve written. I guess I haven’t had an ideas tugging at my sleeve lately. Today a gentleman walked in. Even with his mask on, I could see he was smiling broadly! “I need birthday flowers!” he announced animatedly. People like this just make my day. On top of that, it’s Friday! TGIF!

We have a lot to be thankful for, besides the fact that it’s Friday!

Since the lockdown, our doors have remained opened. Adjustments needed to be made, but the shop has never closed.

Customers are starting to walk back in. After having so many weeks of just Trevor and I in the shop, walk-ins are a breath of fresh air! We don’t carry what we call cooler arrangements right now–arrangements that are pre-made and sit in the cooler for people to choose from. There were no walk-ins to buy cooler arrangements. Customers understand and are willing to wait or come back. It’s a win/win situation! Customers get exactly what they want in the price range they prefer, and we don’t have to throw away arrangements.

Weddings are coming back. One of our favorite things is working with happy couples as they plan one of the most special days of their lives. We’ve missed that! About two months ago we got our first of many orders for just a bouquet and boutonniere for the bride and groom getting married in their living room. Then the orders were for a bouquet, boutonniere, and small arrangements for tables as home weddings grew in size. Next weekend we’ll be providing the full array of flowers for our first off-site wedding since the pandemic started. Definitely something to be thankful for!

Our long-time customers continue to support us. I love catching up on birthdays and anniversaries! During the last several months, we’ve met so many new customers that have became regular customers. The lockdown brought them to us because they couldn’t celebrate Mother’s Day of Grandma’s birthday in person, but now that they’ve found us, they plan on coming back. Our Fantasy Floral family continues to grow, and that is definitely something to be thankful for!

So TGIF, and we hope you and your family have lots to be thankful for as well!

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Peony

Brides especially love to have peonies in their bridal bouquets. If you have your heart set on peonies in your bouquet, you’ll want to get married in late spring or early summer. That’s when this gorgeous flower is in season. During the rest of the year, peonies are prohibitively expensive. During Mother’s Day, we always get a lot of requests for peonies. Fortunately Mother’s Day falls right at the beginning of peony season so we are able to honor most requests without blowing the budget.

Dahlia

If Mother Nature used a spirograph to create a flower, she would come up with the dahlia. Their concentric circles of petals fascinate me. There is a dahlia for every color palate imaginable. There are delicate looking white or light pink dahlias. For something more bright and bold you can choose from yellows and oranges. If you need a darker palate there are deep burgundies and dark purples. I found these fun dahlias to plant in my yard this year. Each bloom has the same two-toned combination of yellow and pinky/purple, but the mix of the two colors is different in each bloom. I love them!

Zinnia

When I first started working at the shop, I had a hard time telling the difference between a dahlia and a zinnia. Both are from the sunflower family so the construction of each of these flowers is similar. There are not as many varieties of zinnias as there are dahlias, but zinnias also come in a  fun array of colors. Easily grown from seed, zinnias are a great flower to plant in your garden. You’ll have loads of colorful flowers to cut throughout the summer for your own arrangements.

Gladiola

I love gladiolas in arrangements because they add wonderful height and texture. I planted gladiola tubers for the first time in my yard this year, and they are just starting to emerge. I am hoping they’ll come back next summer. Stay tuned! In addition to arrangements, gladiolas also make great corsages and boutonnieres. We had a customer that wanted a corsage made out of an unusual flower, not the typical rose or carnation. We had just gotten some gladiolas in so our designer used them. The corsage was beautiful and elegant!

Iris

There is a house that I walk by in my neighborhood that has the most beautiful bearded irises planted around their mailbox. They display their stunning purple for a couple of weeks. This morning when I walked by, the blooms were finally spent. With such a unique shape, irises are a favorite flower right now in arrangements. Their vibrant purple color is unmistakable. It pairs beautifully with hot pink roses or happy yellow tulips. Our “Colleen” arrangement is very popular, but because of the seasonality of irises, it’s only available during the spring and summer.

While these are our favorite flowers right now, in a couple of months we’ll be stocking our coolers with fall colors. As the days get shorter, and the nights get cooler, Mother Nature provides us with another batch of flowers and foliage that will be inspiring us. Check back with us then!

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Color trends show up on all of the products around us, including flower colors. Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year is Living Coral. Because it’s such an unusual color, I found myself asking, “What other colors would go well with coral in an arrangement?” More importantly, how do you choose these colors? I did a web search for the color coral. Of course, I found lots of images of coral reefs and fish!

If we look around us, we’ll see that Mother Nature provides an abundance of examples of stunning color combinations. Interestingly enough, the color combinations that I found in those images of reefs and fish correspond to the science of color harmonies.

Complementary Flower Colors

On a color wheel, the complementary color is found directly across the color wheel from the original color. When complementary paint colors are mixed together, they cancel each other out–creating an almost white color. Alternatively, complementary colors placed next to each other provide the highest contrast.

The complementary color for coral is lime green. As you can see from the goby fish and the colorful collection of coral colonies, nature is full of examples of this vibrant combination.

If you’re looking for an eye-catching arrangement, complementary flower colors will give you the wow-factor you’re looking for. Our own “Bravia” (pictured above) is a vibrant example. Bright green pom button flowers combined with warm coral flower colors, create an arrangement that speaks both to bright spring as well as the warmer tones of autumn. Are you including coral in your wedding theme? The pops of lime green colored flowers are so festive next to the coral of the bridesmaids’ dresses.

Triadic Flower Colors

Triadic colors are three colors spaced evenly apart on the color wheel. This color scheme offers vibrant contrast while maintaining balance. For flower arrangements, this color scheme is perfect for celebrating special days while fitting in with most decor.

Royal blue and bright yellow are coral’s triadic colors. Once again, our oceans provide vivid examples of this color combination. The mandarinfish (top) and filefish (bottom) are absolutely stunning!

Not many flowers come naturally blue, but the ones that do are gorgeous. They also have great texture! The top arrangement has tall blue delphinium that contrasts nicely with the coral roses and green trichilium. While it doesn’t have the vibrant royal blue that we see in a coral reef, this bride’s bouquet still stays true to coral’s triadic colors. I just love the combination of flower colors and textures. The blue thistle and berries hint at fall and winter, while the coral roses and blue hyacinth add the brightness of spring. This bouquet is perfect in any season!

Analogous Flower Colors

Analogous colors are found on either side of the original color on the color wheel. The analogous colors for coral are the warmer tone of orange and the cooler tone of hot pink. If you are looking for a flower arrangement that does not command the spotlight, this is the color scheme for you.

These colors are showcased beautifully in the anthias fish shown above with its gradient of color going from orange to coral to hot pink. A reef colored in shades of orange and coral and hot pink provides a perfect hiding place.

I love the combination of coral ranunculus, as well as the lighter peach colored roses, paired with the hot pink dahlias in the centerpiece above. Adding the green hydrangeas for a pop of color is brilliant!

The flower colors used in these bouquets allow the brides and bridesmaids to be the star of the photo. I also like how the bride’s bouquet is just slightly different. It has a bit more bright greens and whites to make it stand out. Brides should stand out!

Today, coral reefs were my inspiration. Just look around you! Nature is full of inspiration to help you choose flower colors.

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Most of my friends and I were getting married in the late 80’s and early 90’s. We were still pretty focused on traditional weddings, not a unique wedding. Dad gave away the bride, most of us had adorable kids as flower girls and ring bearers, and we all made sure our bridesmaids wore hideous dresses. In fact, Trevor was the ring bearer in one of my best friend’s wedding, along with the daughter of another good friend. All these years later, it seems almost prophetic that he owns a flower shop that specializes in helping to create special and unique weddings for happy couples!

As I was watching the Royal Wedding last month, the image of Meghan Markle walking down the aisle–poised, smiling, graceful, at ease with herself…and solo–was surprising and incredibly inspiring. In that moment, she defined herself, her marriage, and her future role. She showed so many little girls that you can have the fairy tale wedding, be the princess, without giving up any of your own strength and identity. Wow! Who knew weddings could say so much? I realized that is exactly why weddings are so very special now.

Dogs in Weddings

I wondered what unique wedding ideas couples are coming up with to express themselves and their life.  One of my friends got married recently at the beach, which is not so unique anymore. They included their rescue dog, Addy, which sounded like a very unique wedding idea to me! After a quick Google search, I realized that more and more couples include their dogs. Dogs serve as ring bearers and flower girls, or just sit quietly next to the bride and groom during the ceremony. Even if the dog isn’t part of the ceremony, a lot of couples include their dog in their wedding day photos–another valued family member! Do you need a flower collar or leash for your dog? We can certainly help you!

Cats in Weddings

For every dog lover out there, there is also a cat lover. Yes, cats are part of weddings and wedding photos as well! I once had a cat trained to a harness and leash. She walked on a leash like my dogs. I guess it’s not such a far-fetched idea!

Walking the Bride Down the Aisle

I remember seeing a story a couple of years ago about the father of the bride stopping mid-walk to grab the bride’s stepfather so that both men could walk their daughter down the aisle. Just as families evolve so are the rules for who walks the bride down the aisle. Like Meghan Markle, some brides walk down the aisle by themselves. According to Loverly, for those brides whose fathers have passed away or who just don’t like the idea of being “given away,” there are lots of unique wedding alternatives! Mothers, brothers, and best friends are all walking brides down the aisle. Ceremonies are clearly becoming a representation of the people that are important in a couple’s life.

Mixed-Gender Wedding Parties

Years ago, one of my best friends from college got married married, and he wanted me in his wedding. At the time, a woman serving as a groomsman wasn’t a thing so his Bride asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. That was such a special gesture on her part! Today, the traditional gender roles are being thrown out so women are on the groom’s side and men are on the bride’s side. The concept of sitting on the bride’s side or the groom’s side is also being thrown out. Guests sit wherever they would like–supporting the couple.

Alternative Ceremonies

We just recently met with a couple who are having a handfasting at a beautiful wooden pergola in Algonkian Park. A handfasting “is an old Pagan custom, dating back to the time of the ancient Celts. Today, Wiccans and Pagans have embraced handfasting as a part of their wedding ceremony. The hands of the couple are clasped and fastened together with a cord or cords. The wrapping of the cord forms an infinity symbol. The handfasting knot that is tied is a symbolic representation of oneness between the couple. In a show of unity, they become bound to each other.” The beautiful rustic pergola is a perfect backdrop for this ceremony.

Realizing the Vision

We’re doing a wedding this fall for a couple who are taking rustic to a whole new level. The groom likes to hunt so the whole wedding revolves around a hunting theme. They are including pine cone boutonnieres, bouquets made with all sorts of fun textures and muted natural colors, centerpieces that sit on split logs, and the mother of the bride is even hanging fake pelts in the restrooms! We are excited to help them make their vision a reality!

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Courtesy of The Manor Restuarant

I was talking to a friend last night, and she said, “You must be pretty busy right now! This is your busy season, right?” I realized, she was talking about June weddings. While we do quite a few spring weddings, more and more our busy wedding season is the fall, which got me to pondering, “Why?”

For so many great reasons!

Beautiful Weather

It’s not too hot, and it’s not too cold if you have a fall wedding. As we’ve seen this year, spring often brings a healthy dose of rain as Mother Nature prepares the earth for the growing season. This can put a kink in your dream of an outdoor wedding or beautiful outdoor photos. Summer, at least in our area, often involves 90 degree weather with high humidity. No bride wants to worry about perspiration on her special day, not to mention most cut flowers don’t like the heat either! Fall brings balmy temperatures and not as much rain. There is also a peaceful, reflective, quality about Fall after the frenzy and activity of spring and summer. Who wouldn’t want to spend a beautiful fall day enjoying a local winery? Even the beach in the fall is one of my favorite places to be!

Courtesy of The Knot

Interesting Flower Choices

While spring and summer weddings bring to mind soft pastels or bright colors, a fall wedding has gorgeous jewel tones and end-of-season flowers such as thistle and celosia that add interesting textures. The warmer tones of fall also allow some fun pairings with natural materials for accents such as wood or vines and warm metallics. Hues can take on misty or iced looks for an added element of whimsy. Rich wine colors are perfect as we transition from glasses summer rosé to Côte du Rhône. The warmth of candlelight always seems to be the perfect partner to these rich fall jewel tones!

Better Time to Honeymoon

Let’s face it, after paying for the wedding, there is often not a lot of money left over for the honeymoon. Spring and summer are some of the most expensive times to travel with higher air fare and hotel prices. It’s also the busiest time to travel with popular destinations being flooded with tourists. Fall is considered the shoulder season–the period between the high and low seasons of a given destination. According to Insider, fall is a great time to travel: “Both flights and hotels are often discounted during the fall because fewer people are traveling during that time (kids are back in school, and many take their vacation days during the summer or holidays). So in addition to saving money, if you honeymoon after a fall wedding, you’re also likely going to avoid crowds and long lines in typically tourist-filled cities if you travel in the fall.”

Courtesy of Jenny Losee Wedding Photography

Textured Textiles

Early fall brings a crispness to the air, and late fall can be downright chilly, but this is perfect weather for adding fun elements to your wedding ensemble! Wedding dresses can include long, lacy or faux fur sleeves. Soft cashmere can add beauty and elegance to your wedding dress. According to The Knot, two-piece separates and layers are trending, and the cooler temperatures of a fall wedding make these trends more comfortable and natural. The Groom and groomsmen, in their tux or suit coats, will definitely appreciate the cooler temperatures, and I’ve seen some beautiful photos of the Bride with her bridesmaids all wrapped in luxurious faux fur stoles for their photos–unique and eye-catching!

Any day you get married is the perfect day, but as more couples are breaking with tradition and thinking outside of the box, a fall wedding is definitely worth considering!

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