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October 28, 2018October 28, 2018

Tropicals are Trending for Weddings

For 2019 Weddings, one big trend we see is the use of tropical flowers and foliages. Since they come in almost any color, tropical flowers can be included with any color scheme. Weddings using tropical flowers do not necessarily have an island feel or rainforest vibe; tropicals can be used in tandem with many kinds of flowers and incorporated into many wedding styles. For an elegant look, tropicals are your go to. There’s nothing more elegant than a bouquet of white Phalaenopsis orchids or a tall centerpiece with stems of cascading Dendrobium orchids. In addition to orchids Anthuriums, Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise), and Ginger are striking tropical flowers.

The Protea family includes a wides variety of species that were originally found in South Africa but are now grown in many countries having a sub-tropical climate. Protea range from the delicate Blushing Bride Protea to the huge, King Protea. Pincushion Protea are another form and come in shades of orange, yellow, and red. Closely related to Protea are the Leucadendron. Grown mostly for their foliage, they come in yellows, greens, and burgundy. Safari Sunset is a popular Leucadendron that is often used in wedding flower arrangements for its range of color from green to burgundy on the same stem.

One of the most popular ways to go tropical for your wedding flowers is to use tropical foliages, with the Monstera leaf leading the way. These leaves have been the inspiration for artists like Henri Matisse and were a common motif in decorating during the golden age of Hollywood. There is a resurgence of popularity for use of the Monstera leaf and images in decor.

One of the most traditional wedding flowers, the gardenia, is actually a tropical bloom. And their scent is heavenly.

Tropical flowers and foliages are perfect for summer weddings, not only because their bright colors and lush shapes evoke an island paradise, but because they love the warm, humid weather typical in summer.

For those brides looking for cheap wedding flowers, you’ll have to get creative if you want to use tropicals. Because of their delicacy and the distances they must be shipped, most tropical flowers are on the higher end of the price scale. There are ways to incorporate tropicals without breaking the bank, however. You can often pick up potted orchids very reasonably at Walmart or other big boxes stores. A potted orchid plant can make a nice centerpiece if surrounded by candles and perhaps a few small vases of inexpensive flowers like Peruvian lilies (Alstroemeria). You can also keep the cost down by using just a few large high-impact tropical leaves like Monstera leaves surrounded by less expensive foliage such as ferns, which are also trending for wedding flowers.

Find out how Garden by the Gate Floral Design can design stunning wedding flowers for you, whether you prefer tropical, locally grown, or a mix. Fill out the Wedding Inquiry form to tell us more about your wedding ideas!

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Florals pictured by MV Floral, image by Dulcet Creative, Design by Beijos Events

March 29, 2018April 5, 2018

Do you want cheap wedding flowers?

We all want a good deal. That’s why we search for cheap airline tickets and end up on the Cheapo Airlines site (I’m not making that up!). But all the tickets put you on the same flight, so what’s the difference? On my last flight, I paid extra to get a seat in the middle of the plane, on the aisle. I got bumped to a different flight and guess what? Last row. Against the window. Right in front of the bathroom. Yep, not the same at all. But I still got to Chicago on time.

Same thing with wedding flowers. One of the top-ranking searches is “Cheap Wedding Flowers.” You don’t want flowers that LOOK cheap, but you want to know you got a good deal. And why are wedding flowers so expensive anyway? Is there a difference between cheap wedding flowers and expensive wedding flowers? Whatever you choose, you will still be married at the end of the evening (provided you didn’t choose the Cheapo Sort-of-Official Officiant).

I’ll try to give you some answers and explain some of the differences in the flower and florist choices.

Why are flowers so expensive?

Flowers: the Garden by the Gate, Photo: Loren Jackson Photography, Venue: Rivercrest Farm

Even if your flowers are grown locally like ours in the Garden by the Gate, it is a long and arduous road from seed or bulb to perfect bloom for your bouquet. It must be the right color, it must peak the week of your wedding (weather permitting), it must not have even the tiniest little insect nibble or water spot. That requires a lot of hard work, money spent on soil amendments and fertilizers, and plenty of luck. We grow some of our own flowers and when we buy them from local growers, they want to be rewarded for all their labor and investment.
When we purchase flowers from a wholesale broker, the grower in South America, or Canada, or the Netherlands, has gone through all the same work as we do to grow flowers but then the cost of refrigerated transportation has to be added. After the flowers make the long journey, some of them don’t make it. These are a loss to the wholesaler or to us at the Garden by the Gate.
When we get your flowers into the studio, we care for them like our own babies! We have to either gently encourage them to leave the nest and open up or we need to tell them not to be in a hurry to grow up so fast. We want them to be just right for your wedding. Then we custom arrange them with care to your specifications and use techniques and mechanics to preserve them through the end of your wedding day.

So the flowers aren’t cheap.

What is the difference between “cheap” wedding flowers and “expensive” wedding flowers?

This is a huge topic that really could fill several blog posts! I’ll try to cover a few of the main points; send me your comments and questions and I’ll address them in a future post.

The number one factor in the cost of wedding flowers is type and quantity of flowers. When you show us a Pinterest picture and say “That’s what I want,” our first price estimate will be for those flowers and that design. Generally, if you saw it on Pinterest, it’s going to be expensive! If you want that look but need to trim the budget, just tell us! We can make some good substitutions or just change the formula a little to help meet your budget. These substitutions won’t make your flowers look cheap, you probably won’t even miss those other materials.

Something that WILL make your flowers look bad, is outdated design. It might not even be cheaper, but if your florist isn’t following the trends and keeping up with what today’s brides are looking for in wedding flowers, your flowers may be a little boring and just look dated.

At the Garden by the Gate, our design aesthetic is what we call “Garden Glam”. The designs are relaxed and flowing; so that they look like they were just picked from a field of flowers, yet they can be as elegant as you like. Bouquets are getting larger, looser, and have more greenery. Texture is king, so all kinds of berries, pods, or twigs can be used. Unusual flowers such as protea or airplants draw the eye and make your wedding flowers much more interesting.

If you would like wedding flowers that are beautiful, chic, and just what you’ve always dreamed of, please fill out our Wedding Inquiry Form and tell us all your ideas.

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March 23, 2018March 23, 2018

Bridal Show at Glenmoor Country Club Weddings

Wedding Flowers at Glenmoor Country Club by the Garden by the Gate Floral Design. Photo: Sabrina Hall Photography

The Unveiled show at Glenmoor Country Club was the best event of this type that I have ever seen. Glenmoor Weddings coordinator Abbey Sampson is a dream to work with and she nailed every detail of this event. The Garden by the Gate floral design was thrilled to present our wedding flowers in the gothic architecture of the Great Hall. Brides attending each received an awesome swag bag and there were fabulous passed hor’s de oeuvres, a magnificent cheese and fruit display, and the bar was open!

In planning our wedding flower display, we tried to come up with something that would draw the eye and showcase some of the newest trends in wedding floral design. We based our table with a champagne-sequined table runner then we ran crystal candle holders with pink tapers down the center. A large centerpiece in a gold compote dominated the center of the table. The compote vase is extremely popular for weddings right now. It has some advantages of a tall arrangement but doesn’t tower over the guests or interrupt sightlines. Flowers used were the White O’Hara garden rose, which has a touch of blush, Pink O’Hara garden roses, white Blizzard roses, white hydrangeas, pink and burgundy ranunculus, blush anemone, and silver dollar eucalyptus.

We showed two bridal bouquets, a large bouquet in blush and pink, using the flowers above and a bouquet that included all the flowers above and hot pink Topaz roses. We also brought a bridesmaid’s bouquet of white Blizzard roses and purple Berry Scoop Scabiosa.

Visitors to our booth each received a flower-shaped lollipop to remind them of us. We had a great time meeting all the brides, moms, aunts, fiances, and friends and learning all about their upcoming weddings. We also enjoyed some valuable networking with the other vendors and picking up a few tips as well. When wedding vendors work together and support each other we all benefit, and so do our clients through better service. Amazing photos of our booth were sent over from Sabrina Hall Photography, thank you so much!

WEdding flowers by the Garden by the Gate wedding florist. PHoto: Sabrina Hall Photography — Sabrina Hall Photography

Let us show you how we can transform your wedding day vision into reality with flowers and event design customized for you. Just fill out our Wedding Inquiry Form to get started or email us at [email protected]

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January 15, 2018February 1, 2018

3 Tips for Choosing your Wedding Color Scheme

Urn filled with Eremurus, Protea, celosia, snapdragons, hydrangeas, roses, dahlias, eucalyptus, by the Garden by the Gate florists

How to choose the right colors for your wedding

One of the first questions that we often ask in a consultation is “what are your wedding colors?” We’re sorry. We can’t help it. We just want to start dreaming up gorgeous florals for your wedding.

You may have had ideas about your dream wedding since you were a little girl, or you may have found the perfect wedding color scheme on Pinterest. But there are some important things to consider before you order those bridesmaid’s dresses.

Tip Number One

Consider the season

One of the most important things that should help determine your color scheme is the season of the year, probably the biggest factor. Colors make people feel a certain way, they can bring out emotions, or even change the perceived temperature of your venue! That’s why you should consider the season of the year when you choose your wedding day color scheme. Say you’re getting married in the winter, you might want to make your guests feel warm and cozy, in a way that reminds them of snuggling up in front of a roaring fire in a cozy cabin in the woods. For that feeling, you may choose warm colors like Burgundy or Cranberry, and some soft greens that remind you of the forest. But you can also take the opposite track, you may want to emphasize everything you love about winter, the fresh clean snow, the frosty air, the bright clear night sky twinkling with stars. Then your color scheme may be ivory, ice blue, and navy.

Dahlias, roses, and wildflowers for a summer barn wedding at Rivercrest Farm. Flowers by the Garden by the Gate — Loren Jackson Photography

You can apply the same ideas to whichever season of the year you have planned your wedding. A summer wedding color scheme might mimic an old-fashioned garden filled with fuschia peonies, pink roses, and tangerine zinnias. Or you might choose colors that remind you of a summer day at the beach: sea-blue, palm-tree green, and driftwood gray.

Just think about how you would like to feel on that day, and what the weather and surrounding scenery will look like and you’ll make the right choice.

That being said, don’t let the season rule out a color you had your heart set on. Take Blush for example-a very popular color in 2017 that industry experts see continuing into 2018. Blush and white is perfect for a Spring wedding. How about a Summer wedding? Brighten up your blush by adding raspberry or watermelon pinks and lots of bright greenery. Blush can be lovely in autumn as well. Try a color scheme of blush and burgundy or blush, apricot, and gold. Add some branches foraged from fall trees or bushes. For a wintry vibe, adding dried material like Pampas grass works great or you could add sparkle and glitz with rose gold or silvery touches.

Tip Number Two

Consider your venue

Especially consider your reception venue when choosing your color scheme. A bland plain-vanilla ballroom calls for color, lots of it, while the dim interior of a dark wood-walled barn will sparkle with lots of white flowers and linens. Keep in mind the walls, carpet, lighting, and other big areas of your venue when considering colors. The important thing to remember when choosing all of your decor is the general impression people get when they first enter. That is when your flowers, linens, and other decor will really communicate the mood and theme of your celebration. That’s where we as florists and event designers can really help you make decisions that will have the most impact for your money.
We’ll be able to tell you that perhaps a lovely jewel-like detail seen in a close-up photo may have almost no impact on the overall effect. It may even become lost as the tables become cluttered with handbags, drink glasses, food items, etc. We’ll help you design decor that will really pop, and make a big impression on your guests.

Fall wedding bouquet of burgundy dahlias, white roses, and sunflowers for a wedding at Firestone County Club — Too Much Awesomeness photography

When it comes to the ceremony, the color of the carpeting where the ceremony will be held is often a sticking point. Red and other bright colors seem to be common and that doesn’t always work with your color scheme. You can try to work with it, but often you have to just choose to ignore it. And remember, only those in the first couple of rows will actually see the bridesmaids’ dresses right against the carpeting. Everyone else will only see the bridesmaids’ upper body and faces and only see the brides’ gown against the carpet. It’s something most people won’t even notice or think about so don’t stress out about it.

Tip Number Three

Consider the flowers

It may surprise you to hear that Mother Nature did not have the advantage of a Pantone color deck when choosing how to paint each blossom in the garden! There are certain colors that just do not occur naturally in flowers. We at the Garden by the Gate love using our own flowers from the garden and other locally grown flowers for your wedding day. They naturally come in hundreds of gorgeous colors and we’re just not into artificially painting or dyeing them an unnatural color. But you can still have that special shade in your wedding if you use it in creative ways. Maybe order the bridesmaid dresses that color, and then the flowers can pop in white or a contrasting color. Gorgeous silk ribbons trailing from bouquets is a trendy way to bring in a color that isn’t flower friendly.

When you have your consultation with us at the Garden by the Gate, we’ll ask you what kinds of flowers you like, what you’d like the general mood or feel of your wedding to be, and what’s more, we’ll also ask you what kinds of things you don’t like! That way we can be sure to give you the very best guidance as we work together to make your wedding day everything you always dreamed it would be!

Get started now by filling out the Wedding Inquiry Form or just email us directly at [email protected]. We’re looking forward to working with you!