Give Em' the BOUTonniere

Some brides & grooms are opting for NO boutonnieres....

Just remember this fellas, James Bond always sports one with his suits & tuxedos. It is not the suit & flower that make the man, it is the man that makes the suit! Boutonnieres take the tux/suit to a more formal level. They are personal and coordinate with the brides & bridesmaids bouquets to make it all flow together. Don't let your special day go without one of these bad boys.

Cabbage Roses vs. Peonies

Attention brides who LOVE peonies!!

Peonies are not available year round. There are two seasons for Peonies, domestic or Peruvian. The Domestic Peonies are available from the end of May (usually the last week or two of May) through mid June. The Peruvian Peonies are available from the end of November through the second week of January. So only 4 months out of the year, you will be able to get fresh Peonies. Now there is always alternate growers off of the mass market who can sometimes get some big enough for cutting, but this is very rare and definitely not guaranteed. What I have been suggesting to my brides who have to have PEONIES, is a wonderful alternative that look very similar and are available pretty much year round. Are you ready for this super floral secret?...... Cabbage Roses! Yes, there is a variety of rose that has an extremely large petal count and open very similar to Peonies or a cabbage (hence the name Cabbage Rose). Can you tell which photo has Peonies and which are the Cabbage Roses? I'll give you a hint the one on the left is NOT peonies. So brides to be, please know that there is alternative flowers out there for you and a professional floral designer can help you obtain the look or style that you are trying for, without using the obvious.

Leftovers?

Turkey Cobb Sandwich
Put your Thanksgiving leftovers to good use with this delicious recipe for a turkey Cobb sandwich from the November 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Ingredients:
Makes 1.
3 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for roll or bun
1 brioche roll or hamburger bun, split
1/4 ripe avocado
1 teaspoon crumbled blue cheese, such as Roquefort
2 thin slices tomato
1 medium egg
4 thin slices cooked turkey

Directions:
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and wipe skillet clean.
Butter cut sides of roll or bun. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Place roll or bun, buttered side down, in skillet, and cook until golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
Mash avocado and blue cheese in a small bowl. Spread mixture on bottom half of roll or bun. Top with tomato and bacon.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add egg, and cook, until white is set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Gently flip egg, and cook until yolk is runny in center but slightly set around edge, about 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Add turkey to pan, and heat through.
Place turkey and egg on top of tomato. Top with remaining half of roll or bun, and serve immediately. Yum!

Truly Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! Today I will not be in charge of the turkey, the green bean casserole, or the pies. Today I am in charge of the table centerpiece. I am inspired by the above photo of a swag style piece. It includes green orchids, orange gerbera daisies, a variety of berries and an even wider variety of greens. The candleholders are cored out apples with a tea light placed in the center, as well as some mixed nuts sprinkled around like petals. What a glorious centerpiece that will be beautiful on the table or your buffet line. Today I am thankful for the beauty that will be on our table and sitting around it too.

Super CALA fragile LILY expialidocious

I LOVE this bouquet. Simple, elegant, timeless, happy, romantic, affordable, lovely, gorgeous, classic, white and my favorite flowers to work with. I love to make this size for the bridesmaids, a slightly larger one for the bride, and of course make the boutonnieres all calla lilies with a single loop of lily grass to accent and match the bouquets. If you like this too, call me and I'll make one for ya!

Downtown Wedding

Thinking of a place to have your wedding that is urban, upscale, and modern? Try going downtown. Here are some ideas for your downtown affair.

This beautiful ceremony was held at the Japanese Friendship Gardens, located at 1125 N. 3rd Ave. in downtown Phoenix, AZ. The aisles were tied off by copper organza sheers, and we added bunches of curly willow with a single Casablanca lily bloom every other row. The ceremony was surrounded by sereen and tranquil gardens, Koi ponds, and Japanese statues. The beauty in the park was more than we could have added ourselves, so we kept things very simple here. http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/jfg.html

The reception was held at Stoudemires Restaurant, located in downtown Phoenix, at 3 South 2nd St. http://www.stoudemiresdowntown.com/ The tops of these gorgeous centerpieces contain all white hydrangeas, roses, stocks, and alstomerias. Copper ribbon accent was adorned to lip of vases to add a touch of color. The base of the 24" tall cylinder vases, encased horsetail stems, curly lucky bamboo rods, and crystal clear glass cubes nestled at the bottom. We transformed this local sportsbar into a wedding venue with modern upscale class, making it feel more like a swanky New York loft.

Garden of Preston

Leave it to Preston Bailey to make such a wonderful centerpiece in the center of a table, a "tabletop garden". How cool would this be as your guest book table centerpiece? We could modify it to any flowers and colors, maybe incorporate some moss and river rock even. Very organic, earthy, yet classy and very beautiful. I would love to do this for you... Call me and we'll talk.

Photos from PrestonBailey.blogspot.com