OK, Now What Bride

Flirty and Floral for your Valentine: Gifts for You and Him

My husband and I have been together for almost 8 years. And he's never brought me flowers on Valentine's. Ever. But I love it. It's the days that are totally random, unexpected, that he'll walk in with an armful of orchids or a box will be waiting with lilies. I think that flowers are a beautiful and thoughtful way to show them how much they care. 

If you're thinking about arrangements for the wedding or simply a sweet bunch for your best friend or boyfriend, here are a few charming options that you may not have thought about before. And a few accessories to go with. I looove the milk bud vases - too adorable! 

1. A wedding favorite, dreamy blooms of lush peonies from Fifty Flowers, Blush Peonies, $179.99-$599.99 depending on month 

2. Too sweet for words! A swoon-worthy gift any time of year. Sweetheart's Note from Floral Art, $90

3. A little floral, a little flirty - gift a print to the sweetie that loves art. Rococo Dream 03 Blush Print, $30

4. A lot of charm for a steal. Place a grouping of floral or use for wedding place settings. Set of 5 Milky Bud Vases, $23.95

5. Simply unique and adorable, requires little watering. Surprise them with a handmade gift. Shell Button Duo, Pink Urchin and Airplant, $8.95

 

 

Trend or Not? : Paperless Wedding Invitations

I love paper. (Especially the Minted Stationery I was just going goo-goo over in the last post)!! Any and every kind of color, texture, fibrous or not. When I stumbled across Julie Benz's article, Why I Chose Paperless Post in the Huffington Post, I was a bit taken aback at first. I couldn't imagine a wedding world without lined envelopes and all the pretty parts of the invitation and the maps and cute lil' RSVP cards. When else do you get to color coordinate postage stamps?? Or do a custom logo with your initials and monograms?

But then I explored Paperless Post and I started coming around to all the adorable designs, the convenience and the thought of saving trees. I could see why people were inching that way. Maybe there's something to all of this. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Eucalyptus Save the Date

Hand painted peacock

Spec on Capri

Photo Spread Ivory

Turtle doves, butterflies and other pretty things to send Bride and Groom off

I've been to a number of weddings where rice was tossed at the bride and groom to celebrate the ceremony and send them off at the end of the evening. Problem is, sometimes the bride gets pummeled in the eye (it happened) or the sparklers get just tinge too hot for fingers. In movies people launch doves or open up a box where butterflies take flight. Do those really work? I want to hear from people that have done this. 

I was just visiting the Facebook page for our friends at Rice Butterflies and found this amazing photo. How cool is this?

I wish I had known about them for my wedding. They're made of just rice and rice glue so they dissolve in the rain. How fun! And apparently they "fly" up to eight seconds, which is fantastic for photos. 

For kids, I think it's fun to have something that they can do afterwards. That's why I had poppers sewn up in little paper bags. These are pre-packaged poppers that are filled with bio-degradeable confetti and ready to use. Cute!

Bubbles would be fun too. Here's a steal for under $10 - for 24 a pack. (Or with doves for $14.95, 24 pack). I love that they're plain so you can customize them how you want with your colors and theme. 

What did you use for your wedding day? Send me your ideas! xo

Behind-the-Scenes: Jennifer McGarigle for Floral Art

Today's post is all about the lovely Jennifer McGarigle, owner and founder of Floral Art. She established the company in 1993 and has become known for her fresh, innovative aesthetic.  Inspired by fashion, art and architecture, Jennifer combines lush flowers with chic Floral Art signature vases, making her creations captivating and sought-after treasures.

In 2009, Jennifer expanded into designing and manufacturing furniture, bringing Floral Art’s compelling sensibility to modern home furnishings and accessories.

OKNW: You have such a great aesthetic. What made you decide to get into floral design? JM: When I was eighteen and in design school, I took a part time job at a flower shop. I hadn’t intended on it being a profession, but after years of school, working for other people, and a brief career in the fashion industry, I started Floral Art when I was 23.

OKNW: What inspires you daily? JM: The flowers and how they connect into overall design – whether that’s in an environment, part of my furniture line (Floral Art Home), an installation where the flowers become a temporary form of art, or how they relate to architecture.

OKNW:  What trends do you see in events for 2012? JM: Collections of vases for centerpieces, even if ultra simple (versus one arrangement on a table). It's more interesting. Transparent décor. It's clean, light, and modern. It can be minimal or abundant. This includes clear tabletops, chairs, and vases. Reflective mirrored accents also work within this look –everything looks bigger and better with them! Grey with color or as neutral. We're working a lot with subtle tones of  grey paired with soft hues of blush, coral, pink, yellow, OR purple. Darker charcoal grey tones with plum, and, or white. 

OKNW: What are some of the most memorable jobs you've had? JM: Some of the most memorable events we’ve worked on have been destination weddings. It’s always a fun challenge to orchestrate these – especially when they take place out of the country. One of my favorite weddings took place in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.  Another, in Puerto Rico.   Sunny exotic places inspire me!

OKNW: How are you different than other florists? JM: Aside from our distinctive aesthetic, our process is to bring our client’s vision, location, and budget together while always keeping the integrity of good design. I think we do this exceptionally well.

OKNW: Best wedding cake flavor? JM: Chocolate!

Thanks a million, Jennifer! I'm totally in love with the his and hers succulent heads. It is SO obvious that Jennifer stands above the rest with her unique vision and impeccable execution of all her arrangements.  Make sure to see all the other options Floral Art offers here. Now what theme are you going to use for your special day? I wanna hear! xo

LINK LOVE
Bride Ideas wants to give YOU the limited edition (and delicious smelling) Delice des Fruits holiday collection from L'Occitane. Click here to enter the contest. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday, December 5th. Good luck!

Holy awkwardness: BRIDEfinds found a video of the worst wedding kiss EVER.

Do you have trouble saying NO to others? Let The Broke-Ass Bride teach you how to say it with tact, and ensure that you get the wedding that YOU want.

Happy November: Lace Pumpkins How-To

I woke up early to walk the dog and it's pitch dark out. It's brisk, refreshing and the smell of the leaves makes me happy with the thought of the holiday season.

Yes, you might think I'm a bit delusional but I really love this time of year. I'm working on a huge Bride Board that might just make you feel the same. In the meanwhile, here's an amazing tutorial on an intricate and what looks like a labor-intensive lace pumpkin project. I can imagine how amazing they'd look as a centerpiece at a wedding table. Hint, hint ;)

Happy November!

PHOTO: MARTHA STEWART

Love Bouquets from UK: Handmade Crystal and Pearl Bouquets

**This post has been updated with a 10% discount for OKNW readers. Thank you, Love Bouquet!** (mention OKNW when you order).

A while ago I heard from one of my readers, Natalie, that she had made her bouqets and other accessories by hand using beads and crystals. Along with her mother, Sheila, they founded Love Bouquets specializing in creating utterly beautiful bouquets. My curiosity was piqued immediately. When she sent over the photos, I was absolutely floored. From the rich navy blue of her dress to her gorgeous auburn hair, the details of her day looked so luxurious. And to top it off, her bouquet looked like an amazing keepsake, worthy of being handed down for generations to come.

                                                                   

Here Natalie explains how she made the magical pieces. "I made mine from mother of pearl brooches all from Bethlahem, mother of pearl beading, fresh water pearls, Swarovski crystals so the whole bouquet was pearl and had a lovely soft shimmer to it. I made my husband a matching pearl buttonhole with a few seashells in it since we had a beach wedding.

This is our new heart-shaped bouquet, named Heart of Gold. It can be made in many colours but is our hardest design yet."

      

This is an innovative take on anything I've seen before. I can totally see this being handed down for generations to come. Kudos to you, Natalie, for creating such exquisite and priceless keepsakes. And thanks again for sharing! xo 

PHOTOS: McAvoy Photography