Aaahhhh Anguilla. What an insane experience this was that ended beautifully. This was a unique job where I was hired to execute the design not worry about the logistics of getting flowers onto the island. It can be really difficult figuring out the right channels to get florals through customs. While I did make all of the flower selections, I was not in charge of sourcing the florals themselves, and was a lucky enough to work with a company based on Anguilla that went to that trouble for us.

I wish I could recount all of the things that pushed us into plan B’s, but the most jarring was the 75 boxes of southern smilax that were ordered too early and all rotted and died long before we had a chance to use it. Imagine 75 boxes of southern smilax! I Just kept picturing a jetliner carrying only smilax. For all the trouble of getting that much greenery to an island only to have it not live, was hard to swallow. Thankfully this was not my doing, but was still up to me to figure out a solution.

Anguilla is not a lush island by any stretch so our options for a replacement were slim. We had to cover an entire hanging installation that was 60’ X 4’ with a greenery that was lightweight enough that it wouldn’t need a water source. Not an easy feat. Leave it to me to find the most prickly, thorny, foliage I possibly could as a replacement. Even people on the island watching us wrangle this stuff were watching in awe, no one dares touch this stuff! While we definitely were scratched and bleeding mildly, we made it work. Visually I liked it so much better than the smilax despite how challenging it was to work with.

We also needed the smilax to cover a giant trellis for the ceremony that was once covered in stephanotis vine before the hurricane. Sadly the plants were torn to bits and we needed it lush again. Thankfully we found something that worked well enough to get the coverage we needed, and we made do. Truly a testament to me that everything ALWAYS works out, especially when you have wonderful teams of people helping support.

So many other things I could mention! Having to drive on the other side of the road, rotting smilax juice, one box of flowers getting stuck somewhere and a chartered plane going to get it! That lily of the valley was REALLY expensive after that trip.

Couldn’t have been such a great experience were it not for Stef and her team of incredible people that at every turn were there providing extra hands to help us facilitate plan B’s. Truly, NEELY if you ever read this, you are an absolute angel and one day let’s go back to Anguilla and eat Queso at Picante and laugh/cry about this. (Picante is this little Mexican restaurant on Anguilla and I swear to you it is the BEST Mexican food on the earth.)

I’ve never been so anxious while simultaneously having the best time on a job before. As I sit here I can recount so many funny/tragic scenarios, but really I just want to tell you all about the enchiladas at Picante. I won’t, but if you ever find yourself on Anguilla, take my word for it.

Special thanks to my team of amazing freelancers, emotional supporters, comedians, and the best sports there ever was! Jenn, Pameyln, Kaylee I’m looking at you!

This wedding was featured on Brides and you can read all about it here.

Planning/Design (the best team I’ve ever seen) Stefanie Cove and Co.

A few iPhone shots from a beautiful wedding this weekend for a dear friend of mine. I can truly say that creating flowers for someone you know and love has such a different feeling to it. I wish I had that with all of my clients because there is an ability somehow translate their uniqueness into the flowers themselves.

I’m going to try and be better about updating this blog with more behind the scenes imagery than the final photographer photos. While I always love the beauty of those, there is a rawness to the story your iPhone tells that needs a place to live outside of just Instagram. Can’t wait to share more from this one soon.

iPhone

iPhone

Iphone 

The first thing I'll say about this trip is that I learned it's not cool or acceptable to say "San Fran" in San Fransisco. I was advised of this not 10 minutes after landing by my friend Sammy who was just kindly trying to help me avoid looking like an idiot for three days, thanks again Sammy. 

Myself, Lambert Floral and Jenn Sanchez decided it would be fun to do a one day intensive course covering bouquets, centerpieces and installations with a small group of students. With the workshop taking place at the beginning of July we knew we wanted the color palette to be juicy, and juicy it was. We had a gorgeous assortment of farm grown florals from farms just outside of San Fransisco, garden roses from Rose Story Farm, and other beautiful bits hand selected from the SF Flower Mart. 

Sammy guided the students through building lyrical centerpieces, I taught bouquets, and Jenn lead a beautiful installation class that we installed right in our airbnb. It was casual and approachable in all the best ways, and we couldn't have asked for a better group of attendees. No shortage of carbs or laughs either, the good stuff! 

Thanks to Sandy Lee for the gorgeous photos, Loho Bride for the dress, and Silk and Willow for the silk ribbons. 

An installation created in collaboration with Soil and Stem for Ginny Au's Loom Curated series in Salt Lake City. We worked for around 6 hours building this garden with various plants and cut flowers working to mimic a natural garden in a studio setting. 

Beautiful Photography By Erich Mcvey

A muted palette with texture and tonal elements for If I Made Live. Photography by Jacquelyn Hayward. 

I've had the great pleasure of hosting this workshop for three consecutive years. Each time bringing a new group of eager florists ready to dive into their love of flowers. Every year has a different feeling thats made up of different personalities and people from different walks of life and I've loved them all for unique reasons. This year was special, and the group was diverse. 

I really love to encourage florists to explore their own creative expression. While I definitely teach my methods for design, I think the best thing you can learn is really something that can't be taught at all. Finding that inner artist inside of yourself and letting it speak through whatever it is you are creating. It's no easy task finding this voice, but it's glorious when you find it, and almost as wonderful witnessing someone else find theirs.  

We spend our days observing and creating, eating and conversing surrounded by the season's best flowers. All the good things. 

At the end of day two we keep things casual and bring in take out from a local restaurant in Park City. It's my favorite, because it's usually something heavy on the carbs like pizza. This behavior rings true to my normal end of an event feast. After days of avoiding food until it's absolutely necessary, I want my celebratory meal to be delicious and satisfying. This usually that comes in the form of something fried or covered with cheese.

I ended  up staying up until 1:30 in the morning chatting with a few attendees and it was one of my favorite memories of those few days. I like getting into thought provoking conversations and blowing past the superficial topics as quickly as possible with people if the opportunity presents itself. I just really enjoy the act of connection, and working to understand what makes people tick. I think the beauty of flowers and people who appreciate flowers really share a lot of commonalities and it's always so interesting to me to discover those. 

Lots of emotions come out of everyone by the end, myself included and it just feels unbelievably gratifying. I feel so thankful that life has taken me here and that I've been given these opportunities to  be surrounded by some of the loveliest people the world has to offer. Flower people, really are the best people. So thrilled to be offering a Fall version of Color Theory, dates and details to be announced soon! Sign up for email updates here. 

Creative Direction Tinge

Photography Tess Comrie

Stylist Ginny Au

Paper Kaela Rawson

Venue

Custom Dress Emily Riggs

Ceramics D Ceramics

Ribbon Frou Frou Chic

Sponsors: Crate and Barrel, HomArt 

For as much as I love to use color, I tend to work within fairly neutral palettes for weddings for the most part. When the bride told me she wanted bright vibrant pink for the main color, I was initially afraid of it! Rarely do I work with that particular hue, but these arrangements ended up being some of my favorites. There are some incredibly beautiful hot pink garden rose varieties that I never get to use in wedding work. They were the star of this wedding, and I loved the vibrancy paired with all of the late summer/early fall textures. 

Planning by Fuse Events and Photography by Jessica Kettle

A one on one session back in April with Everly Alaine Florals photographed by Heather Nan.