I love Pink and so did this bride

Last Saturday I did an all pink wedding out at Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg Virginia, although the end product doesn't look like much it proved to be a large time consuming job (partly my fault). In the end though it turned out fantastic and all my heartache and hard work was well worth it.

Table Design A
3 square glass vasses filled with beargrass
5"-Titanic roses
4"- Pink Asiatic Lilies
3"- Pink Peony

Table Design B

24" Square glass vase filled with pink cymbidum orchids strung on silver floral wire topped with a floating candle.
3- 3" square vases filled will Titanic roses and Cymbidum orchids

Brides Bouquet
Akito and Anna Roses, White Cymbidium orchids, white Calla Liles, White Freesia

Bridesmaids Bouquets
Titanic and Ballet Roses Garnishish wtih Green Pitt

The Cake
Titanic Roses and Romantica Folies Blush Pink Spray Roses

(RSVP Catering went out of their way to pull the cake out of their cooler box and bring it down to the mansion kitchen so I could decorate it, it was so hot outside that if they kept it outside it would have melted)

My first mistake was ordering 250 Ballet roses to be used in Design A, they came with small heads and tight buds. Throughout the entire process I kept telling myself, it's going to be ok, they will open up, they will look good with the rest of the pink, but at midnight on Friday on our way home, Chris turned to me and said, "who picked those hot pink roses" my heart was racing and I knew what was coming next...Chris said "honey, they look awful next to the lighter pink" I knew it from the beginning, but I just didn't want to admit it, THE DAY of the wedding at 6 in the morning I drove to my wholesaler and replaced them with light pink Titanic roses. Thank you Potomac Floral for saving the day and having enough.


My second mistake was thinking that having 70+ vases was going to be easy, WRONG. We had to remove the made in china sticker from every vase and hand clean them. I also got the idea from another florist to put a sticker on the bottom with my name on it so when the guest took them home they would see who did the flowers. The stickers didn't all stay on when they got wet. Third mistake, BEARGRASS. Thinking the beargrass would give a cool modern look I put it in the design. A few things to note about beargrass; 1. it has to be cleaned, it comes very muddy 2. It cuts like a paper cut, I have many to prove it 3. It was almost impossible to get it to stay inside the vase without popping out. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK to my brother Rob who spent hours cleaning thousands of blades bear grass.

Forth mistake: buying and using Boutonniere Buddy This product DOES NOT work. I had to re-do multiple boutonniers after Chris pointed out that I had not put them on exaclty how they should be pined against the jacket. Not to mention once the groomsmen started putting them on, they couldn't figure it out and they would spin upside down, I ended up using an old fashion pearl pin.

Ok, I guess that is enough complaining... I should move on.

We arrived to Oatlands with sunny blue skies only to check our iphones to see that a storm was fast approaching. The bride got extremely lucky as the storm passed and the sun came out about 45 minutes before she walked down the aisle in the outdoor gardens, we on the other hand got soaked, but that's just part of the job.

Here is my "staff" my Dad, my husband Chris, my sister Elise, Me and my brother Rob. The photo on the steps is us waiting for the caterer to set up the tables, better to be early than late.

We had to fill 10 tall vases with water and then wait for the water to aclimate to the air temp so it would stop condensating. Here is Rob inserting the pink cymbidium orchids that I strung on silver floral wire, with a floating candle on top.

Pink Lillies chilling in the car, waiting to be put out on the tables. (these little buggers were scaring me and taking FOREVER to open up, thank goodness for a heat lamp:)


Thank you to my Helpers

My LOVING AND PATIENT husband Chris, who helped with EVERYTHING!
Seen here helping with the Bouts.

My brother Rob, a new graduatate of Virginia Tech heading off to law school in the fall.

My father, who I think has more fun doing this than his real job, practicing law.

My sister Elise, who came to help set up even though she spends her weekdays jetsetting around the country working for Deliotte. (got to love photoshop)

My NYC friend Ranchel and her roomate Laney. These girls came straight from the Bolt bus to help out on Friday night. They were a huge help filling the small vases with beargrass. Got to love the blue gloves, a new addition to my work, I get worried about all the chemicals they use on these flowers.

So that's all for now, until I get the professional pics. I hope you enjoyed.