Pantone’s Color of the Year: Turquoise!

Pantone revealed the 2010 color of the year today:  turquoise.  In case you don’t know about Pantone, they are the foremost authority for all things color.  You may be asking yourself why should I care?  Well, they determine what colors will be available in clothing, home, paint, well, just about everything. And that includes your bridesmaids dresses.  Pantone is the color language that designers in all areas and others talk in.  I have put a link to the Pantone website under the links area if you would like to know more about them or color in general.

Turquoise combines the best of blue and green to make a color that has so many positive associations.  It is happy, reminds us of the ocean, summer,  tropical paradises.

Try pairing turquoise with neutrals and browns to liven them up or pinks and reds for a twist on the traditional red and blue combo or use with greens, especially the trendy yellow-greens.

So how can you use turquoise in your wedding?  If you like the boldness of pure turquoise, choose it for your bridesmaids dresses.  Then go with flowers in the coral/orange shades.  Too bright for you?  Then choose black bridesmaids dresses and add accents of turquoise for a kick of color.  Your flowers could be creams with turquoise jewels added to the bouquet or in the ribbon.

While there are no flowers that naturally bloom in turquoise, there are so many beautiful blooms whose color is a perfect companion for turquoise.  Creams and yellows, corals, and pinks and reds all come to mind.

Go ahead and take a chance on turquoise.  Your wedding is a joyous occasion, why not choose a color that is as happy as turquoise is?

Take care,

Cathi

2010 Wedding Color Trends-Purple, Again!

My last blog post, just a few days ago was on the 2010 wedding color trend of purple.  I love purple and it goes with so many other colors.  I know, I know, I focus on weddings and wedding flowers, I just have to share my adventure yesterday at the Hudson (Wisconsin) annual Holiday Home Tour.  WOW!  What a visual feast for anyone who loves houses, design and Christmas.  We were  blessed with a sunny, warn-55 degree day.  I would love to tell you about every house that was on the tour, but maybe another time.

For those of you not familiar with Hudson Wisconsin, it is a lovely, small town just across the St. Croix river from St. Paul, Minnesota.  The downtown is vibrant and full of interesting shops and restaurants.  Unlike the ever popular Minnesota river town of  Stillwater, there are few traffic jams on it’s main street.  For those of you who have never been there, if you find yourselves in the St. Paul area, take and afternoon and pay Hudson a visit.

But what I really want to share is that purple, a 2010 wedding color, was out in full force at several of the homes.  I saw purple paired with metallics like bronze and cooper.  In another room/ home it was paired with green, bright limey green that is.  One home had a table with purple as the dominant color but accented with mango orange.  Yum!  One of the things about purple is that the color is so strong, keeping the overall design simple, not overdone seemed to be the way to use purple to it’s fullest.

Most of the homes that we toured used simple, nature inspired designs then added color to give extra interest and punch.  We noticed that branches and evergreens were very simply adorned, often with just white lights, maybe airy, wired ribbon and fabric to bring in color.  Bowls and other unusual containers were filled with ornaments.  Sometimes natural elements like large pine cones or evergreens were mixed in.  I love the juxtaposition of shiny glass bulbs with the natural look of pine cones.  So simple, so elegant and easy to do.  It just proves that design doesn’t need to be overworked to be appealing.  Another thing I like about this attitude of less is more is that anyone can do it.  Whether it is your wedding, your home or your holiday decorating, everyone can create beauty.

It was such an inspiring day.  I came home hoping I have a chance soon to design a purple wedding.

take care,

Cathi

2010 Wedding Color Trends-Passionate Purple

Kale with purple mums look great in a green vase

One of the wedding color trends for 2010, purple, has long been the color of royalty.  Deep purples have a rich, luxious feeling.  Can a color evoke passion ?   Well, if one can, it is purple.  Look for all variations of purple from deep eggplant to lighter lavender to be popping up all over next year.

So if purple is your color of choice for your upcoming wedding what can you pair it with?  Of course green, the limey ones, look great with purple.  But don’t stop there, try it with copper or bronze for an even richer, sophisticated look.  Balance it with deep gray or creamy ivory.  For a different twist, pair it with orange or paler versions of orange such as coral or apricot.  Fuschia with purple amps up the energy.  And for all the Vikings fans, we know that yellow and purple are the way to go.

Of course, you want to know what flowers to use for your purple wedding.  How about my favorite Moon series carnations?  They come in 4 shades of purple from light to deep, deep, deep purple.  Orchids, lisianthus, iris, hydrangeas and spider mums all come in various shades of purple.  Don’t forget about asters, delphiniums, trachellium, calla lilies and one of my favorite “off beat” flowers- ornamental kale.  It comes in green and purple or white and purple.  Kale is still relatively unusual so if you are looking for an unique addition to your bouquets, kale is it.

Don’t forget to use purple on your tables at your reception.  Try table runners or my way of adding depth and balance to your large reception tables:  the table square.  Simply a 22″x22″  piece of fabric in the middle of your table that anchors your arrangements and votive candles, it gives a much more important look to the table than mirrors ever can.  Check out the fabric stores for decorator fabric in rich, regal purples when looking for ideas for your table.

Check back in a few days for the next 2010 trend color,

Cathi

Looking Ahead- 2010 Color Trends

What are your wedding colors?  If you are a bride to be, you probably get asked this right after being asked about your wedding date.  Your color choices drive the bridesmaid dress selection, many of  your reception choices and of course, your flowers.  Often brides choose their favorite color for their wedding.  Many brides now add the groom’s favorite color as a secondary color.  Color trends affect your options because they determine what’s available in dresses, etc.

If you love bold, bright vibrant colors, you are in luck.  Looking forward  to 2010, some of the hottest colors include persimmon, saffron, tangerine, teal, lime, purple and the ever popular black.  These are such happy colors.  Maybe with the current state of the economy we need these colors to bolster our spirits.   While black may not be an uplifting color, it is sophisticated, a classic that looks  good with almost any other color.  Black can help ground and balance the brighter colors.

So what does this mean for your wedding flowers?  In the coming days I will be posting some color schemes and flower choices to go with each to the 2010 trend colors.

Take care, and check  back soon for some color schemes and flower suggestions,

Cathi

 

Trends, trends and more trends

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a workshop featuring Paul Miller, AIFD, PFCI at my local wholesaler, Koehler and Dramm in Minneapolis.  Wow!  He was so inspiring and creative.  I took away a few thoughts that I think are really important and applicable to the brides and their florists.

One of  the main trends Paul talked about, in my mind, is the cleaner, simpler look that is becoming more and more popular.  It is all about less.  Less fou-fou, less clutter (visual).  In the current economy it is easy to understand the appeal of this trend.  Less clutter, less stuff also leads to less stress.  And don’t we all want less stress in our lives?

If you look around at magazines or stores you will see that this look is already apparent.  Take a trip to my favorite home store, Target, and you will notice that the patterned sheets, dishes, etc are featuring silhouettes instead of intricately detailed florals. Things just look a bit more streamlined.  No more fringe on everything including the lampshade.  To me, this lets the design take center stage.  But what does this mean for your wedding flowers?

It means masses of the same flower in a vase, rather than arrangements featuring  5, 6, 7 or more different flowers.  It means grouping vases together with each vase having the same color flower, but a different flower in each vase.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love bouquets brimming with multiple types of flowers, but I also love this new clean lined look.

So, how do you translate this to your wedding?   For instance, if your wedding colors are the ever popular red, black and ivory, you might have 3 vases on your table with the same basic shape but in different sizes.  One vase would be only red spray roses, another overflowing with red gerberas and the third would have red lilies.  Your vases could be black or ivory.  If you want to use clear glass vases-often rental items- wrap them with large ribbon to bring in your other colors.  Wholesalers have so many colors, types and sizes of ribbon that your florist can get for you.  Don’t forget that colored linens will lend a dramtic touch to any table at a very low cost.

Another way to get this look  is to simply float a flower in a low vase or several low vases on your tables.  Think how stunning a black vase would be with 1 white carnation floating in the center.  Put a grouping in the center of your tables and vary the look by having one vase with a floating candle.

Now, less fou-fou doesn’t mean no decorative elements at all.  Paul showed a dramatic table with only white flowers in black vases.  WOW!  But he also added hanging crystals in the form of a garland that he cut into sections and draped over the edges of the vases.  The garland was really a christmas decoration that he saw a use for beyond the christmas tree.  To top things off the table had a black tablecloth.  It was so elegant.

If you are thinking that multiple vases or arrangements on a table might be expensive, think about using masses of less expensive flowers.  Carnations are one of my favorite flowers for many reasons, one of them being that they are among the least expensive flowers.  They lend themselves to massing together in a vase or bouquet.

One of the things that Paul often does is use just one or two flowers in a vase.  Using an unusual vase in this way creates a strong visual statement and showcases the flower.  In an earlier post I talked about one of my brides for whom I spray painted  glass vases to make them look like ceramic.  We then used 1 or 2 expensive flowers in each vase and grouped them together on a table.  It was a great way to get an exotic look while keeping to a budget.

Well enough for today.  I will share more from this great workshop another time.

Take Care,

Cathi

Getting a luxe look for your bouquet without expensive flowers.

Looking closer at this bouquet reveals an unexpected bonus: feathers tucked into the bouquet!

Sometimes we think that we need to use expensive flowers to get a unique and luxe look.  And, really, who doesn’t love the look of orchids, peonies or calla lilies?  They give arrangements that rich look.  They are, however among the more expensive flowers and often out of reach for the bride on a tighter budget.

The bicolor carnations in this bouquet look like an exotic flower and add a rich look to the bouquet for a modest cost.  Their full, ruffled petals add texture and depth.  This sweet bouquet also features red roses, pale green roses and hydrangea.

Did you notice the feathers?    They are unexpected and add a little surprise for those that look closely.  These are just sections of a feather garland cut into pieces and tuck into the bouquet so that they arch gracefully giving a sense of movement and depth.  They have a little shimmer that makes them seem even more luxurious.

There are other ways to add luxury to your bouquet for less.  Think about non-flower elements.  Do you have a necklace from a grandmother?  Have you florist add that to you bouquet.  A brooch with meaning to you can be pinned onto the front of your bouquet.  There are so many amazing ribbons that will add to your bouquet for a small price.  Using 2 ribbon colors/types adds interest for minimal cost.

Talk with your wedding florist about other options.  We are your best resource when it comes to your wedding flowers and getting the most for your budget.  Yes, it is our business and we would love to have every bride come in with a large flower budget, but we know the reality of the everyday bride and her budget.  We all love flowers and we want you to love your flowers.  Your florist will help you get the most for your money.

Take care,

Cathi

Talk about needing a Coffee Break-rose that is!

Time for a Coffee Break-rose that is

The change in seasons always brings a change in the colors we want to see around us and use ,in, well, everything.  Weddings are no exception.  Here in Minnesota, where fall comes early and is far too short,  our thoughts turn to apple orchards, sweaters, trees turning and soon, frost on the lawn.

My thoughts are turning to Coffee Break.  No, not a good cup of java, (my thoughts are on that year round) but the beautiful rose, Coffee Break.  It is a coopery, brownish rose with a full head that opens wide and looks beautiful in combination with many other colors.  I had a wedding this weekend where the star flower was the coffee break rose.  The bouquets included creamy roses, gerberas, chocolate cosmos and spray roses.  There were also sunflowers, rudbeckia and  seasonal grasses.

The surprise element was peacock feathers!  They picked up perfectly the dark teal blue ribbon that accented the main ribbon wrap of cream.  WOW!  The table centerpieces were a combination of the bouquet flowers, given greater importance on the table by the use of bronze satin table squares and runners on the tables.  I can’t wait to see the pictures.

Coffee Break is like your favorite black dress.  Looks good, you can wear/use it in many different situations and you can accessorize with lots of different accent colors.  Give it a try, I think you will find yourself using it over and over.  I know it is on my personal list of favorite roses.  If you have other favorite roses, let me know.  It would be fun to put together a list of the top favorites.  Of course you might be like me and have a hard time thinking of favorites because you love so many!

Waiting for delivery

All this talk about coffee break reminders, time for that cup of java,

Take care and take time to enjoy Coffee Break,

Cathi

Thinking Outside the Box: The Results

Earlier I wrote about creative ways some of my brides are saving money(which gives them more money to spend on flowers!).  I thought I’d share the results of a recent wedding I did for Naomi and Oscar.  They are a lovely couple and Naomi was such a delight to work with.  When Naomi first contacted me she had a strong idea of what she wanted based on several pictures of high end weddings, one of which was a celebrity wedding.  Usually that means big bucks, but by looking beyond what was in the pictures, focusing on the overall look, we were able to create a similar look on a relatively small budget.

Most of the inspiration vases and containers were ceramic and there were lots of them, a mix of low and tall.  Each usually had only one type of flower.  Some were tropicals like shampoo ginger and pincushion protera along with roses, carnations and callas.   Since ceramic containers were out of the budget, I decided to take a chance on spray painting glass vases.

Naomi scoured thrift stores for the vases, paying, on average just $1 each.  I set up a little spray station in my garage and spent the summer painting them.  Some were orange, some white and few were left clear.  Those of you who haven’t discovered spray paint need to get to the hardware store and grab a can.  It transforms anything!  And with all the new finishes you can give old items a new life.  The vases were beautiful and looked like expensive ceramic ones.

To finish the look, we used similar flowers as in the inspiration pics, but fewer of them.  The tropicals can be expensive, but if you use 1 or 2 stems you get the look at an affordable cost.  Using them sparingly also showcases their unique shapes and textures. I took a few pictures before they were delivered.  They will give you an idea of the look.  Too bad I didn’t take before pictures, you’d be surprised at the transformation.  It pays to look beyond what something is now and think about what it could be.

The "new" vases waiting to be packed for delivery

Fascinating Fascinators

I have to admit that I am, well, fascinated with fascinators.  Have you seen them yet?  Chances are that you have, but didn’t know what they were called.  Fascinators are beautiful adornments for your hair that often have feathers, flowers, jewels, ribbon and other treasures.  They can be small as in the size of a flower or large with netting that covers half your face.  They are attached to your head with a comb, clip or thin headband.  While primarily for weddings, some fashion forward may wear them for a night out on the town.  They have even made an appearance at proms.

For me, they evoke a 1040’s european feel.  They seem so glamorous and exotic.  Maybe it’s because you have to have a certain amount of daring to wear they.  They are guaranteed to turn heads.  My beautiful daughter in law, Jenny, wore one in her updo for her wedding last year.  It was gorgeous and accented her hair since she didn’t have a veil.

Not all fascinators are for the everyday bride.  One look at the one that Sarah Jessica Parker wore to the London opening of the Sex and the City movie and you will know what I mean.  To me, that one was verging on looking like something Carmen Miranda wore on her head.  But for ones that someone other than a movie star can wear check out these websites:

http://www.fascinatorsnyc.com/

http://www.breeziway.com/index.html

http://www.shellysheek.com/home.html

While you are looking around the net for fascinators check out the Thoughtful Day blog from Erica of Thoughtful Day Wedding Invitations .  It is full of beautiful pictures of many things wedding, but click here to see her post on fascinators:  http://thoughtfulday.blogspot.com/2009/01/feather-floral-fascinators.html

And don’t forget about that great source of all things handmade, Etsy,   http://www.etsy.com/

I hope you are intrigued and maybe you will be fascinated by fascinators.  If you are looking for a unique option to veils, fascinators might be the answer.

Cathi

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