Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Wrapping Up 2010


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What a year this has been! 2010 marks the "soft opening" so to speak, of Urban Poppy Wedding, but 2011 looks to be full of wedding bells for many beaming brides-to-be.

10.10.10 marked the date of my marriage to my amazing husband, Russell. We celebrated our first Christmas both in America and as husband and wife, here in Savannah and are thrilled to be back.

Our last and first Christmas together (get it?) was in Korea, dog/housesitting for some friends. This past year has been full of teaching and traveling in Korea with trips to Seoul and other far off cities such as Bali and Tokyo. We bought a mild fixer-upper, planned our beautiful, sunny October wedding and went to Texas (to meet his family).

Enjoy the last few days of 2010. I'm sure for many of you, as for us, it's been a very full year. I look forward to the joys and challenges of 2011, with the hopes of creating many beautiful wedding blooms.

{ photo courtesy of Chiq Weddings }

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Artificial Inspiration


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I'm really impressed with Noaki's jewel studded bouquet and continue to be surprised with this medium.

I love the vintage look of the piece with a combination of dried and artificial flowers that gives the arrangement a classic and understated sophistication.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Artificial Flowers: Overcoming Prejudices


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Truth be told, I've always been a snob when it comes to artificial flowers. In my mind, nothing could ever replace the natural beauty and fragility of a fresh cut flower. Branches, greenery and even weeds were no exception to the rule. I could not understand why a person (apart from allergies and unfortunate weather) would choose plastic and polyester over living silk and juicy green.

Growing up in New York City, many folks were surprised to know that yes, we had both a front and a backyard with real trees and grass. After long hard northern winters, my mother and I would make our annual spring rounds to inspect what was unfurling beneath a light layer of wet snow.

First, in keeping with the new season, there were the snow drops, little delicate white flowers that pushed their way through the dark wet earth. Next came the crocuses bursting with first color of squashy yellows and purples.

Once the discovery started, the walk around our small garden continued up until the end of the fall with each ensuing week bringing new life, texture, scent and of course color to our humble little backyard.

But for many people, what was once a black and white idea becomes grayed out, so to speak, with the passing of time and a little more understanding. So too has my opinion of artificial flowers.



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I have been pleasantly surprised with the variety and quality of "natural" flowers as of late. Pods, branches and wood can be shaped to resemble real flowers because they originate from organic material. Technology has developed in such a way that lends itself to truer textures and color.

As a wedding floral designer, I realize I am limited to the season, budget and locale of my bride. Many romantic brides want keepsakes of their day and oftentimes real flowers do not keep well when dried.

Then there is the question of season. I struggled to keep my arrangements fresh and perky for several sweltering July weddings here in Savannah. Although one can choose a hardy heat resistant bloom, brides still might want a tulip over stock and this can pose a problem in heavy heat.


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Creating only live arrangements means limiting my client base to Savannah and a relatively close radius of customers. Although mailing live bouquets is doable, it's quite pricey and they run the risk of not being handled well once they are out of my care. Natural artificials relieve both the bride and the designer of that stressor.

Price and availability also prove to be uncertainties. A flower that is a dollar a stem one month might climb to five. Knowing that, designers offer substitutions when a certain bloom becomes cost prohibitive to the bride.


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With the beautiful array of choices, I'm excited to have overcome my prejudice of artificial florals and look forward to creating some lovely unique arrangements. Please have a gander at my etsy shop to check my progress.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

December: A Breath of Fresh Air



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Yesterday Russ and I returned from our wonderful Thanksgiving visit to Johnson City, Texas. The weather has been up and down all over the country and we really weren't too sure what to expect when we deplaned in Savannah. The warm mugginess greeted us and belied the fact that the next day would be the first of December.

When we walked into our apartment, the windows were sweating and it was chilly and damp. Our orange tabby, Niko meowing his head off as if to say, "Where have you been! How could you leave me?" met us at the door.

Throwing open the windows to air out the apartment, the temperature outside began to drop and a chilly brisk wind began to blow. We awoke to a blustery cold morning and it felt a little more like winter was on its way.

This morning felt more like New Year's Day rather than the beginning of December. Perhaps it's because we have so many projects we hope to accomplish within a limited time span or the fact that we've been gone, but deep cleaning and resolutions seem to have me chomping at the bit.

After the chores are finished, I'm planning on collecting some greenery from outside and see what arrangements I can come up with.

This table arrangement suggests the clean starkness of winter with a hint of lingering autumn. Rather than using the harvest theme of pumpkins and turning leaves, these pheasant feathers are beautifully bunched in white vases of varying sizes and used individually as place holders on vintage china.

{ photo courtesy of Domino Magazine }
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