Are Cascade Bouquets Making a Comeback?

Heck yes, cascade bouquets are making a comeback! And I love it! Melissa's bridal bouquet below was one of the very few cascades I made for the 2016 wedding season, but I already have several booked for 2017. Some just made of greenery! Hello #pantonecoloroftheyear. I love that brides are asking for something that makes a bigger statement than the usual rounded bouquet. 

You know what else is great about a cascade bouquet? It's more flattering for your figure! Think about it. An elongated bouquet helps draw the eye up and down,  creating that long and lean illusion. And who doesn't want that on their wedding day! 

Melissa's cascade bouquet, shot by Melissa Mata Photography, was a stunner. She stuck with the marsala color scheme that was so popular in 2016 and continues to be for 2017. 

To bring in those Marsala/Burgundy colors, we chose garden roses, astible, cymbidium orchids, dahlias, hanging amaranthus, chocolate cosmos, and scabiosa all in those gorgeous shades. Then we added in ivory spray roses to accent her dress and plenty of eucalyptus foliage to add to the cascade effect. 

For Melissa's bridesmaids, we chose a more neutral bouquet with pops of marsala to accent the deep colored dresses.

So brides, don't be afraid to go with a different shape for your bridal bouquet! As a designer, I love the challenge! 

All photo by Melissa Mata Photography!

Why Does My Bridal Bouquet Cost So Much?!

It's a common look I see on a bride's face when we go over their wedding proposals. That look of eye widening, nose flaring shock when they see the cost of their dream Pinterest worthy bouquet on paper. It can definitely be a shock to some, especially when one is unfamiliar with what flowers cost! Not to mention the sometimes unattainable expectations that a Pinterest worthy bouquet can bring. But I promise, there is a reason for that price.  

Why in particular does your bouquet cost more than any other flower arrangement you've ever bought? Once Wed shared a post this week from a florist that I thought explained it rather nicely, so I'm sharing that below! Don't forget that your bouquet will be in a TON of photos, so if you're going to put your floral budget anywhere, do it here!

Photo by Rachael Osborn Photography

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From Once Wed: Ever wondered why a bridal bouquet costs so much more than any other flowers you’ve ever bought? It’s not because you’re being taken advantage of, we promise! Firstly, a bridal bouquet will typically have at least 2-3 times more flowers in it than you might find in a bunch you order a friend for her birthday. Your florist will have spent several hours meeting with you, answering your emails and specifically sourcing and ordering the correct specialty blooms to fulfill your vision (as opposed to using whatever is available that week). It then takes up to two hours to make the bouquet (compared to the 15 minutes it might take a florist to make a daily bouquet order). And then there's the experience of your floral designer who has spent years honing their craft and perfecting their methods. The same goes for your caterer, stationery designer, photographer, dress designer, cake maker, stylist, planner and any number of other professionals you will hire to support you on your wedding day.

When you next receive a quote from a vendor, you're going to want to jump straight to the bottom line to look at the total price (because budget!). But we encourage you to stop for just a minute and think about the value and experience they are bringing to your wedding day. Their creative talent is their livelihood and they're fiercely passionate about helping you create the wedding you dream of!

Check out the full post here.

Blush and Marsala Fall Wedding- Bloomington, IL Florist and Baker

Today I am pleased to introduce you to the third and final Becker sister to get married! Luckily for me, they still have a younger brother to get married, because this family is so sweet and I absolutely love working with them! Being able to play a small part in these special family moments is one of the many reasons I absolutely love my job. 

Cassie and Cory's October wedding was a beautiful day full of special details and plenty of greenery to go around. Rachael Schirano Photography got some gorgeous shots that I couldn't wait to share! 

Cassie's bouquet was full of gorgeous shades of white and ivory garden roses, hydrangeas, spray roses, scabiosa, and stock with pops of silver from silver brunia and several types of eucalyptus foliages. The burgundy dahlias, which were grown in our garden, added depth to the bouquet while bringing in the marsala accent color. 

And I love the different shades that the bridesmaid's chose for their dresses that go with the neutral bridesmaid's dresses so nicely! 

Cassie loved the look of simple greenery at her reception space so we accented most of the tables with simple greenery garlands and a ton of candlelight. Such a romantic setting! 

Can't go wrong with a naked cake! 

And S'mores cupcakes, perfect for a fall wedding!

Stay tuned for a flashback blog post featuring all three of the lovely Becker sisters and the special piece of jewelry that the all donned on their big day! 

Colorful Summer Wedding at Eastland Suites- Bloomington, IL Florist

When Mary told me her bright wedding color scheme during our consultation, I couldn't have been happier! You see, 2016 was unofficially the year of the blush for many of our brides. Now blush is absolutely beautiful and romantic and lovely, but I was dying for some color! Hence the gorgeousness that ensued for Mary and Brian's August wedding at Eastland Suites here in Bloomington.

To top it all off Stephanie Bartman captured it beautifully! Go check her out!

Mary's bouquet was made up of brightly colored stock, pincushion protea, roses, dahlias, ranunculus, amaranth, hypericum, and succulents! All excellent summer bouquet options.

The boutonnieres were made of mini succulents and yellow billy balls with eucalyptus foliage and wrapped in twine. 

The oh so wonderful Becker sisters. Stay tuned for Cassie's wedding on the blog soon and a special post featuring all three of their weddings! 

Mary's centerpieces were simple blue mason jars filled with more colorful florals. 

Here's to more colorful weddings in 2017!

January Winter Wedding- Bloomington, IL Wedding Florist

This recent summer heat wave has got me dreaming of cooler weather! So, nothing better than a winter wedding to make you feel the cool! My sweet bride, Jane, just shared some of these gorgeous images shot by Fred Fox Photography from her January wedding this year.

Jane and I went to college together at the University of Illinois, both studying Horticulture. So of course, we both share a love of flowers!  It is always so much fun working with a bride who appreciates the importance of flowers in the wedding and has a knowledge of them as well! I have done so many of my college horticulture friend's weddings and it means so much that they trust me to do the flowers for their most important day!

Jane wanted an obvious winter feel to the flowers, so we incorporated mini pine cones, evergreens, red winterberry, and a curly willow armature to give that look. Combine that with the sandy cream Quicksand roses, ivory spray roses,  seeded eucalyptus foliage, silvery dusty miller foliage and you have n quintessential winter bouquet!

Blush Summer Allerton Park Wedding- Central Illinois Wedding Florist

Wedding planning doesn't have to be a stressful process! Every once in awhile, I complete a wedding without ever meeting with the bride and groom in person. We plan the entire wedding florals over the phone and email and always end with a great result! This recent June wedding was one of those weddings! 

Melissa was absolutely great to work with. She requested a color scheme of dark green, ivory, blush and gold for her summer wedding at Allerton Park and what she chose came together greatly!

Her blush bouquet was made up of garden roses, hydrangeas, spray roses, spirea, succulents, and plenty of foliages. 

When I finally met Melissa on her wedding day, I realized what a beautiful and sweet bride she was and the photos that Micah McCoy Studio shared are just gorgeous! 

Check out the entire wedding on Micah McCoy Studio's blog!