2019 floral trends - how to add a touch of the current trend into your event

There are so many new trends in the floral industry that sometimes it can be hard to keep up with it all.  And we sure don't expect you, the consumer, to even try.  But let me mention one concept that I have been seeing more of lately and can totally see you trying it.

DRIED FLOWERS/GREENS

I am clearly intrenched in the floral community, so some of you might be thinking I am crazy.  But let me tell you.. dried/preserved flowers and greens are making a come back.  As some of you might know these were so big in the 80's and to be quite frank, they were big way before recorded history.  I doubt there was ever a young child who wasn't gifted a flower that didn't try to preserve it in some way or other... right? 

Who didn't dry that first rose their first crush gave them?  And hung that sweet flower somewhere to cherish for as long as possible.  I still have the first rose my fiance gave me. (And if I am real, that might have been the last rose, so this girl had to hold on to it as long as possible.) 

Here is a shot of a recent editorial we worked on to show case how to use dried product in your bouquet.  This one you will see that only has one variety, because I couldn't help myself.  This dried fern was just too amazing to not give it it's own moment.

HOW TO ADD DRIED FLORALS

1) Your bouquet, as shown bellow.  You can create such a fun bouquet with tons of impact with just one variety of dried product.

2) Hints of it through out your centerpieces.  We still love our very timeless garden roses, ranunculus but adding that pop of trendy dried product adds so much interest.

All photography above by Simon Ly Photography

forgive and move on - how simple mistakes can build stronger teams

So it finally happened.... let me start by saying that we have a raised roof Transit Ford Van.  It's essentially a sprinter van but much taller. As we really wanted our team to be able to stand up when walking into the van.  I have had too many sore back moments trying to load in a regular roofed van that this was a huge requirement for us when making the new purchase.  

I am confident you can guess what happened. We finally hit the roof of the van into a ceiling of a parking garage. Total bummer and of course I would have rather it not happen, but this is what I learned.

Forgive and Move On

If I am completely real, it could have happened to me and eventually it would have.  The grace I would have given myself, I have to give even more to my employees.  Balancing frustration with love of my employees is one of the more challenging elements to this business life.  

But at the end of the day, I love watching them learn.  Today they know more than they knew yesterday and I am confident they learned so much from that experience.  And fingers crossed it won't happen again.  

The adventures of business ownership is not easy, but having the right team in place to make you learn and laugh is the key to success.  And besides, they gave me the best reason to go and grab a margarita at the end of the day! 

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For the arrangement above we were inspired by fall colors.  We also wanted to mix tones with colors and textures that are not expected and typically seen.  These rich colors are perfect for the upcoming fall events.  We paired it up with a black urn which always kicks up the drama.  I think this might have been one of the studio's favorites this week.

the right fit - how finding the perfect vendor makes the difference

After taking a quick vacation, I finally feel caught up enough to be able to share a little bit about what we have learned in the last couple weeks.

We were approached by an event planner who mentioned their client was looking to make a switch to a new floral designer.  One month before their wedding.  No big deal, we have put together weddings/events in less than a week.  We felt comfortable we could make it happen and now off to meet with the client.  But wait, they just fired their last flower designer! Eek!!! 

The meeting went great, we were booked.  Awesome news, happy dance and all the good stuff. 

What we learned was that everyone has the perfect fit, for them. 

We are not the perfect fit for some, and in turn other designers turn out to not be the perfect fit for our clients.  

What I learned is that we have to speak up.  The moment that our gut tells us it is not a fit... walk away.  Communicate to said vendor and move on.  As a business owner it stings to hear that we are not the person that will make your vision come to reality, but even worse is that we never had a chance to allow the client to move forward with another vendor.

We had a recent potential client send an email the day after our consultation to tell us to not create a proposal... she knew we were not the right fit.  This was hands down the most extreme version and not going to lie, maybe the one that hurt the most.  After licking my wounds I felt proud of said bride, that she knew she fell in love with another vendor and that she didn't waste my time.  I felt honored and appreciated and only wish other would be so respectful.

Her ability to communicate so directly opened the door to another client that was the perfect fit for us.  I am more grateful to her now that I would have ever been at the beginning of this business as I now value other opinions and time so much more.  

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Ever want a white wedding but need a little splash of fall tones?  We worked on this piece with Jennifer (Keely Thorne Events) for one of our fall clients.  Bride was wanting an all white wedding with touches of fall, and I think we nailed it! Thanks Jennifer for bringing us an amazing client and always working with us to make it exactly what they want.  

Curious about what blooms we used?

• Ranunculus
• Garden Roses
• Standard Roses
• Spray Roses
• Garden Spray Roses
• Anemones
• Bush Ivy
• Jasmine Vine
• Lisianthus
• Eucalyptus
• Berries (two different varieties)

how to stay inspired: create for an audience of one

I have found that inspiration come from everything.  Music, art, food, movies, traveling, podcasts and so much more. As an artist we demand creativity from ourselves on a regular bases, pouring all we got to create something out of nothing.  To be able to do this on a consistent basis I have found that pouring back into that cup of creativity is one the best things I can do to continue to give as much as I can.

Creating for an audience of one is important.  I create pieces for me, no one else.   There wasn't an order, a wedding, or event that booked me for this one.  I got inspired and needed to develop a shape, and an idea with flowers.  I have found by doing this I can not only get an idea out and see if it works well, but also keep flexing that creative muscle. 

This inspires me and keeps me going.  This fills my cup.

This is how we continue to learn and develop the skills that we are so known for.  I did not design like this 10 years ago.  Trust me I am so glad Instagram was not a thing back then.  But with time and patience I created more and better. 

I used garden roses, peonies, lilac, roses, garden spray roses, anemones, ranunculus and lisianthus to name a few. We found this gorgeous urn at the local garden center and knew it needed to be filled with gorgeous blooms.

how giving trust can give you more

Trust is a tricky thing, we give it away every single day to a bunch of people we don't know.  From when we drive on the roads, to when someone makes our lunch.  We trust people to do some of the most mundane every day things that we forget how easy it is to trust. 

Trusting people to do the tasks that we are very capable of doing comes easy to us. But releasing some of our fear and trusting people to do things for us when we are unfamiliar with the rules is even more difficult.  Particularly when it's a big purchase.  I get it! I am right there with you.  

Well then how can we trust people when we are making those big purchases?  I have found some useful ways in making this happen that have worked for us.  From a recent home, car and engagement ring (my fiance purchased :-) ) purchase, we have some tried and true ways that make this process easier and more productive.

 

TRUST: How to build trust with your vendors? 

ONE

Do your research! It is WAY to easy now to Google it.  Do some key word searches and get to reading. Particularly with creative vendors.  Read some reviews, go to their website, facebook and instagram and see what they have going on.  Evaluate what is important to you.  Do you like their style, their consistency, their voice on social media platforms?  

TWO

Ask your currently booked vendors.  Yes your friend might have referred you, but continue to ask about them before booking. See what we have to say about them.  Your friend's wedding was one day... we as fellow vendors see them every single weekend.  ASK US.  Ask specific questions of things YOU specifically need.  For example: It is important for me that people are kind, so I ask about people's character and consistency.  I believe that with those two things I can get the best from people.  

THREE

10,000 hours.  Make sure that the vendor you are choosing has their 10,000 hours in the task you are asking them to perform.  It is said that it takes 10,000 hours for someone to master a skill.  It's an estimated 5 years (spending 40hrs a week).  I don't think that's much to ask from a professional.  But I specifically mention this one as it requires the vendor to know weddings and events not just flowers (for us flower designers specifically).  It's a whole other monkey to understand the specifics about weddings and events.  

Why does Trust Matter?

I read this quote today from one of my favorite entrepreneur friends and I thought I would share as I have never been able to eloquently say this:

"When we nickel and dime people providing a service, trying to get the most while paying the least, we will almost always lose out. While some people may consciously give less, I believe that even those who want to give their all will lose enthusiasm for the project. For this reason, I prefer to pay people what they're worth and give them a reasonable amount of time to complete the job. They're happy and I'm happy!"

Help those providing a service for you not loose enthusiasm.  We are professions in a human body.  We can not deny that the way people treat us impact our work.  Give those people you hire all your trust and then watch them provide you the best service they are capable of.  I can honestly say that I was one of those people that could not fully trust people when making a big purchase.  After owning a business and seeing how it affects moral I have changed my ways. We can all do our part in growing and changing our mindset of how we treat those people who we chose to trust.  

top 3 ways to make your home wedding amazing

We are seeing an uptick on home weddings are we are loving it! I have yet to enjoy a wedding more that the first time I attended an at-home wedding.  There is an intimacy that can not be replicated anywhere else.  As a guest, I felt so privileged and loved being able to attend such a special moment in their space.

After creating some home weddings we wanted to give a few tips to help those needing inspiration.  There are endless ideas, but we found these to be the most memorable and impactful. Enjoy!

1) Find Special Places

Find those places in your home that you love.  It doesn't have to be a big space, but it has to be special. This particular wedding had a side room off their kitchen that was a lounge, seating area.  We moved the furniture out of the way, and created a altar type area where the couple got married. This is hands down still one of my favorite ceremony spaces we have ever decorated.  The intimacy of the space is unparalleled to any other I have ever seen.

2) Incorporate Special Items

You're at home, take advantage of it.  This Bride's father owns a car dealership and is fascinated by cars.  Therefor you can imagine that it would mean so much to him to incorporate some of the items he loves into his daughter's wedding. His passion added such a special touch to their day.

3) Splurge on the Details

Yes flowers in your pool is not an every day thing and neither is getting married.  Splurge! You are saving on your location spend a little on those dreamy moments that are only possible at home. And my gosh you can later frame these images as even the image of just the roses in the water is so dreamy.

Have you ever thought of getting married at home?  If you have give us a call, we would love to walk your space with you and give you even more tips on how to make impact statements and adorn the space with flowers that are unforgettable.

Contributing Vendors: Pink Promise Photography , Pomp & Circumstance

top 3 things to learn about a failed buisness

Learning from other business owners is one of the most important things I do. I am naturally an inquisitive person, so asking questions about everything under the sky is in my blood (Go to Botanical Brouhaha to learn more about my podcast and all the questions I ask) .  But trying to not get wrapped up in the natural desire to know all the gossip and focus on what matters can be a little difficult at times.  We all want to know the gossip, but what stays with me is the pieces of information that help me grow.  And there never has been a piece of gossip that has made me grow.

Reading books like from Good to Great and listening to podcast like How I built This has taught me so many nuggets about business.  Here are a several that have been solidified this summer after some experiences, listening, readings and asking questions.  Writing these down will help me digest them, and remember them in the future.

1) Surround Yourself With the RIGHT People

Having the right amount of business owners, entrepreneurs, creatives and leaders in my life has taken years to acquire and to be honest I am always looking for more. You can never have enough of those kind of people who motivate you, inspire you and correct you when you are wrong.  See the mistakes you are making and help correct them. 

2) Hire Slowly Fire Quickly

This one is tough as being a woman we are natural people pleasers. After eight years of running this business on my own, integrating people to come help me build this has been one the most difficult elements.   As many previous employees have witnessed I wasn't always the best manager.  People are the most difficult element of the business but have also found out, the most rewarding. 

3) Train Well and Give Trust

Once we train our employees through many years of trail and error, we hand over the torch.  I am forgiving of mistakes and make sure everyone is aware that I make them too.  We can all learn from each other and see where we can all grow. But giving them all the opportunity to take ownership of their work has been the most rewarding part of this all.

Above images are of an arrangement made by our Jr. Designer, Maxine Hu.  She's been an instrumental part in making this year a successful one! 

hydrangea and roses - we've given an old classic a little facelift

Are you a hydrangea and roses type of gal? We are here for you, to love you and support you through your supper traditional sometimes overlooked flower love.  Why overlooked? Well, us flower designers love working with product that is more exotic than something that can be found at the grocery.  But I am here to tell you that I LOVE hydrangea and roses.  

It might be thought of traditional and needing to be in a pave (compact) style.  Where you will see the ever so popular lollipop shape tall arrangement or the shorter compact tight arrangement.  I am here to show the world that we are no longer tied to these shapes.  

We must move forward and show the that are not limited to what has been done before while keeping to our Southern ways.  In the Deep South we love our hydrangea and roses, am I right ladies? But we can always venture to give this super traditional look a little face lift.

Here is one I created to day to show you that hydrangea and roses are not only gorgeous, but worthy of a modern touch.  We allow our roses to bloom largely and arrange them in such a way that they have more movement and interest. Styling them so they all have their individual space in the arrangement and ultimately giving them each a moment of their own to enjoy. 

Secrets to making this happen:

1) Allow your roses to bloom fully.  This might take longer that you think. Average rose vase life is roughly 10 days.

2) Think about the shape before you make it.  Have an idea in your mind where you are going.  Even take a moment to draw a quick sketch.

3) Take images of your own work, and edit while photographing. Then study those images.  See what small tweaks you made that made the biggest change in design.

be around the light bringers

I read this some where and shamefully say that I have no clue where it came from.  I knew I needed to save it and meditate on it.  This quote leads my life.  

Be around the light bringers,

the magic makers, the world shifters,

the game shakers. 

They challenge you, break you open,

uplift you and expand you.

  They don't let you play small with your life. 

These heartbeats are your people. 

These people are your tribe.

I absolutely adore my creative community.  They energize me, motivate me and drive me to do more than I ever thought was possible.  My competitors keep me on my toes while my vendor friends keeping pushing me to do more.  I need this like I need air to breath.

Their drive is contagious, their vision demands attention. I am severely passionate about my work and love those that feel the same about theirs. 

These images bellow are from Simon Ly Photography. He reached out and asked for a last minute bouquet.  When he calls you answer.  He's a up and coming fine art photographer who is grinding away and creating is own path to success.  He exemplifies the quote above and found it so relevant to share the images he sent over. 

Vendors that were involved:

1) Hair and Makeup: Adorne Artistry

2)Shoes:  Bella Belle Shoes

3) Model: Ava Galindo 

summer colorful flowers - bringing bright colors to your event

These hot Summer days inspire us to bring out the bold, colorful mixes.  In our last post we mentioned how to use colors in your events. In this post we wanted to give another example of how we use these analogous color tones to create a sophisticated color palate.  Adding too many colors can sometimes cheapen the aesthetic, while keeping the colors in the same family can elevate.  

While we stay inside the same color tones we add interest in the textures we use.  This also allows the eyes to see all the textures and keeps the arrangement from looking messy.   

Here's a bouquet and it's sister arrangement we made to help demonstrate this concept.

top 4 ways to add color to your event

Adding color can be tricky.  Particularly with flower colors and availability.  There are so many variables with flowers that adding specific tones is super tricky.  This is the main reason you will see our portfolio covered with white and green flowers. You are guaranteed an abundance of variation and quality being that ordering white flower... you will always get white.

We suggest adding color through a variety of different ways that are guaranteed to be stylish and easy.

1) Fabric: add colorful linens or napkins.  This is where your design can get moody, bright, cheerful and fun. It can go in so many different directions giving you such control of making a unique event

2) Paper: menu, thank you notes, welcome sign etc. Not only can the paper color choices set the tone, but the font of the text can set the atmosphere as well.  Take all these elements into consideration for your day.

3) Candles: taper candles, and pillar candles.  Have to admit I am loving the color tones that we can add with candles.  We are no longer limited by ivory and white candles. Add those tones that are hard to find in flowers through candles.

4) Flowers: stay in a monochromatic color tones. Don't venture to mixing too many tones... Why? Flower colors don't always translate the way we wish... I order hot pink, I might get coral... I have ordered fuchsia and someone translated that to purple. We deal with these type of issues all the time.  Give us a general idea of where you want to be.... Bright tones with orange and hot pink... Muted tones with purples and mauves.  And we will select analogous tones that marry the colors together.

5 common flower mistakes brides make and how to avoid them

Over the past 8 years we have seen some consistent mistakes that we believe are totally avoidable and once explained will completely make sense.  We will outline what the mistakes are but also give easy, practical ways to avoid them and correct them.  So here we go, let's dive in:

Mistake # 1: I can DIY the flowers 

Ok this is an easy one, don't do it. There are so many other times in life you can have fun with flowers. Baby showers, bridal showers, brunch, mother's day... but your wedding day?  I would say is a big fat NO. How to correct this mistake, allow your friends and family to help with other tasks if you need to redirect them.  Create your wedding shower flowers, this will give you an idea of how messy, how much hard work, and how expensive flowers really are. 

Mistake # 2: Not budgeting enough money

How much do you budget?  We suggest that a floral centric event should budget anywhere from $35-$75 a person.  Please note that this is a person that puts flowers as one of their top priorities in their wedding. You are a flower fan and want flowers to be a focus of the event. If you have a budget less than suggested, take a look at Mistake # 4 for solutions to stretch your budget.

Mistake # 3: Expecting a certain flower

We see brides coming in so hopeful that a particular flower will be available for their event.  Peonies are not available all year around, I am sorry.  And even in the middle of their season, all the following issues can arise: delayed shipment, held at customs, flower quality not to par with our standards, flower farmer thought you said red not pink, flower cooler froze over night due to the electrical outage in the building. You guys I could go on and on.  We deal with a perishable item that has many of hundreds of miles to cross and more variables than I can possibly mention in one blog post.  Solution: be flexible, tell your designer what aesthetic you like, find a designer you trust and allow them to find the best blooms the season/farmers have to offer.

Mistake # 4: Putting flowers everywhere

If your budget can't afford it, don't do it.  We guide our clients to make sure we use their budget to the best of our ability.  Let's make some statement pieces, let's have the bridesmaids carry a simple bouquet, remove those ceremony flowers and let's focus on where the party will be for most of the night.  Make simple adjustments that will allow your budget to be focused and purposeful.  We are a purpose driven design company that will make sure your whole budget will be seen and felt through out your event. 

Mistake # 5: Not allowing your designer to take the wheel

This is what we do for a living. We have our 10,000hrs in flowers. We live for this and have found our passion in flowers.  Find that designer that your trust and give them the wheel.  Just like anything in our lives, if we feel micromanaged, we are more likely to feel less valued and honored in any process.  We give up our weekends, birthdays, graduations, and so many special holidays for our clients.  We wouldn't do this if we didn't take severe pride in what we do and promise that we will do our very best to make this the most special moment.  We feel so inspired by our client's trust.

the journey of photographing flowers

I am so endlessly grateful that I love photography.  It has elevated my business and made marketing our work so much easier. But it has been a long bumpy road with many mistakes along the way. 

We have absolutely love our photographers and how many amazing images they get for us on the event days.  But can we have a moment of truth and remember that we are not their client, at least not on someone else's event day. We have to honor the client-vendor relationship they built and not have any expectations for images of our work.

That being said, we need images of our work. We not only showcase this work to our future clients but also take time to look back on our work and make improvements. Photography is the keystone to what makes our business so successful.  It's an element of this business that I had no clue would need so much attention and curating as it needs.  And to be honest I have fallen madly in love with it.

I am not going to lie, I thought it was going to be much easier that it has been.  My gosh, picking out my next camera took me over two years to decide on.  And still wonder if I made the right decision. Finally when needing to choose some lenses I ended up making a rash decision and choosing two super expensive lenses... that I do not regret purchasing. But OUCH! I will be recovering from that one for a while.

Here are some images from a recent arrangement.  These images were taken on a day where I had time to slow down and appreciate the time it takes to learn and make it happen.  

the team

Today I sit in awe of our hard working team.  It's taken me years to create a wedding and event team that enjoyed the hustle.  Through these almost 9 years I have seem many young women and men come through our doors trying out the flower scene.  Many have worked out, and moved on... many have been never scheduled again and others asked politely to leave. It hasn't been easy but man it's been worth it.

The team we currently have might be the hardest working bunch in Houston.  With their hard work and sense of team, we could concur any task ahead. Maxine, with her kind, generous ways is leading the pack.  She designs thoughtfully, and always willing to learn.  Daniel, has been with us the longest and has seen the most.  He never turns down a good days work.  And sweet Dahlgren who has come in wide eyed and has truly hung in there when all others have gracefully bowed out.  She is our youngest and most adventurous. 

Let's not forget our amazing volunteers who get paid in hugs, my mother also my accountant, my father also my financial advisor, and my fiance also my everything. 

And as we all know, no blog post would be complete without some gorgeous images.  Today once again we have more of the artist Hannah Mayson. She just keeps filling our inbox with goodies and we couldn't be more excited.  When she asked us, during set up for the wedding, for styling items we knew we were in for a treat.  

Side note; did you know that not all photographers style images.  What does it mean to style images you might ask? Well let me tell you that it makes the difference.  It is artistically using items such as flowers, ribbons, invitations, plates and other items to place in a manner that tells the story of your event/wedding. These details are the details that you spent days, weeks and sometimes years thinking about, making decisions on and want them to be captured. 

Amongst so many other decisions to make, your photographer is the most important.  Choosing someone that not only photographs well, but also caries your vision through by taking the time to style items can be so important.  And let's be real, it doesn't have to be a whole style sesh, but at least those items that matter to you. 

Did you write a hand written note to your mother? Or bring pieces of china from your grandmothers set.  Potentially a handkerchief that is a family heirloom or your nieces first walk down the aisle.  These are all memorable moments that take time to setup for the image, style and thoughtfully captured.  Discuss these things with your photographer and see their take on what matters to you.

when the trees bloom

We felt trusted and honored by this sweet family.  The Hinds & Nguyen families were some of the most gracious, fun loving clients we have had.  They trusted our process and let us run with their vision.  We designed and styled their wedding to be a true reflection of who they are.  Fun, romantic, kind, and ethereal.

We helped welcome the guest in with a gorgeous calligraphy sign with a light floral garland.  Meredith loved eucalyptus and one of our favorite garlands to make are made out of eucalyptus.  The movement we get from those garlands create a look like no other.  Once the guests turned the corner they continued to see gorgeous flowers styled through out.  

We used our collection of handmade ivory ceramic compotes to create garden style arrangement that complimented the aesthetics of the space and the client.  These two things (the client and the space) are some of the most important factors that we take into consideration for our design. And we truly believe when our clients have these things at the forefront of their vision, we all create some of the more spectacular events.

Gorgeous details of this arch taken by the super talented Hannah Mason Photography.  You guys, she is brilliant! Smilax vine was at it's prime season and we wanted to make sure we showcased that gorgeous vine at the altar.  Even though the ceremony was short, we try our best to make this a place that is sweet, and well thought out.  

Taking advantage of the gorgeous venue, Chandelier Grove's, natural beauty we went with fabric to help decorate the arch.  Styling this gorgeous wood arch with a combination of flowers, greens and fabric truly pulled together everything that was then going to be showcased at the reception.  We know this space so well and truly love decorating outdoor spaces.  The movement that we get from the wind is just so beautiful.

Can we pause here for a moment.  Hannah captures these types of moments perfectly.  The moments of those glances that we all want to last a lifetime. WOW!

This urn is one of my favorite pieces we cary. I have been searching for more that resemble this one for a while now with out any luck.  It can truly be styled with such a huge variety of colors and flowers and has always been a client favorite... and we totally know why.  Readers, if you know where I can find another... shot me an email.

We were asked for the first time to create a flower girl wand.  Because every young girl should live out her flower girl fantasies. How stinking adorable is this! 

Special thanks to Jennifer Lowrance of Jlow Events.  You guys she is such a gem. And Stacey at Chandelier Grove, someone so passionate and loving to open a space as gorgeous as hers.

a little something on the brighter side

Brides tend to shy away from color, and we completely understand why they lean towards that direction.  Quite frankly, we love muted tones.  But!!! We love color too. And a couple weeks ago we got to pair up with the talented team from Little Coterie to create a colorful, fun filled fiesta.

This cheerful wedding was what our portfolio needed to get the Summer months started.  Lots of peonies, ranunculus, and garden roses were in their high end sophisticated mix.  And let's not forget those gorgeous details that the owner of Little Coterie, Courtney, does not shy away from.  Turquoise printed escort cards to gorgeous bride and groom signs to make everything feel thought of and well put together.

These gorgeous images taken by our friend Paige at Awake Photography.

maxit studio styles

I have always had a passion for photography but finding a place for it to grow has always been a bit tricky.  Maxit has always took the forefront of our time and development.  Now that our team has grown and many responsibilities that were mine have been delegated I have turned my attention to photography.  

The tricky thing about photography is that you need a subject but the best thing about this problem is that I have the easiest solution.  Flowers.  Having our passions meet has been one of the most fruitful moments. Taking control of how our original art form is seen by the world through photography has been so rewarding.

We have been at the mercy of how others see our work.  And let's be honest we don't all see art the same.  Something that might be amazing to you, is a complete turn off to many others.  Our flowers are not always photographed at events and when they do get photographed the ever so sneaky salt and pepper shaker want in on the image. There is no possible way to get the photographer of every event and explain to them the best angle.  Because, yes, every arrangement has a best angle.

All that being said, we found a need to photograph our own work. To take the reigns and show off our work through our eyes.  Here's a sampling of what we came up with:

Our goal is to continue elevating our work and showcasing what we do best as artist.  I hope that I continue to grow and am able to show different elements of our work through photography.  Wish me luck

styling your home

We might possibly be surrounded by some of the most creative, talented, ambitious women in the world. They are hustlers, go getters, ones that never stop creating and being motivated.  This week we got a chance to collaborate with some of the best. Marie Flanigan from Marie Flanigan Interiors, Caroline Harper of House of Harper and Mostess Box.  

We are got together to create some promotional material, as there was a looming storm that didn't allow us to shoot outside. We made lemonade people.  The reality is that the storm didn't even come till the next day, because that is what happens in reality.  You plan, plan, plan and it never quite goes the way you think.  Fast forward to today and boom.  The most gorgeous day you have ever seen and the party once again is on and moving forward.

We can't to see how it all comes together, but in the meanwhile we will show you the goodies from last week.  As any chance we get to show off our work through a professional lens is a good day.

Here's to many more collaborations with Houston's creatives and gorgeous days like today that will allow our flowers to shine.

As I develop my home garden I had the chance to use some of the goodies I have been growing.  Because I am not 100% what works with the soil and amount of sunshine we get at the new house, I have been limiting the items to mostly greens.  The highly textural items that make the difference and leave the flower growing to the professional.  At least for now.  Can you spot the home grown blooms? 

We added our caladiums to this mix for a highly textured accent.  And my gosh, what about those amazing ranunculus, flown in from Japan! Yes, Japan.  They were just as amazing, if not more, in person.

Signing off with a too be continued.  As there will be many more of these collaborations as you can never have enough!

gearing up for summer

As the winter days wrapped up a couple days ago our mind starts venturing on to the sweet summer days ahead.  Where all the outside gatherings begin and the wine just seems to taste that much better.

The queen of backyard soirees is non other than Courtney Paddock of Little Coterie.  We meet her last year as she requested florals for one of her summer shindigs and we immediately feel in love. She has an eye of attention and keen sense to what makes a party fun, interactive and memorable.

Houston weather gets hot then it becomes fire.  No joke.  And Courtney focuses on how to keep gets refreshed and cooled down during those firey nights. Keeping snacks light while focusing on a variety of different drinks hoping to make everyone happy.   Thank you Courtney, you are a fav that's for sure.

talent is talent

When I get word that Hannah Mason is coming to photograph our flowers, my flowers even get excited. This kind, generous, sweet photographer blows me away with her talent.  There are many photographers out there that do a great job and that I love dearly. But Hannah, tells a story.  

You can literally see her thinking and brainstorming about the details, pulling all elements of the wedding to photograph.  She understands the concept behind styling the wedding in a manner that catches ALL the details.  Because if you don't already know... those details are all well thought out.  Someone had to chose those details, think through them and put them all together.

The wedding collaboratively is made from all of those tiny decisions that made one evening so memorable.  To think that a photographer wouldn't give every one of those elements their own time, is a shame.  It's not validating that each step meant something to our clients. Each item was chosen with thought, and it was part of the process they took into hosting an event for their loved ones.

I get so passionate about this subject as I am in meeting after meeting with my clients and see how much this all means to them.  I see how much they enjoy it and how they speak of specific people and times in their life that make them ponder these decisions.  It might seem like just a candle, an invitation, boutonniere, the beading on a the dress, that flowing hanging ribbon, or a simple centerpiece.  But to them it was a well thought out detail that they took the time to think through and choose the perfect one for them and their loved ones.