Laidback Elegance at Cielo's Garden
When I first started talking with Stephanie and Kurt about their wedding flowers, it was actually at an open house for Cielo's Garden! I was struck by the way they interacted with each other. Kurt was just SO sweet in the way that he deferred to Stephanie, allowing her to explain their vision and how they wanted their wedding day to look and feel.
That laidback attitude was going to be a large part of the wedding day - the couple really wanted to have a simple, comfortable wedding. The colour palette of deep plum, watery grey/blue, nude, blush and gold brought an elegant feel to the overall design, and was really fitting for the setting.
Kaboha Photography ~ Amanda Douglas Events ~ C&T Rentals ~ Cocoabeans Bakeshop ~ Cielo's Garden
Any time I have a chance to play with berry tones I am a happy lady! This was a very feminine take on a berry tone palette.
Bridal bouquet ingredients: roses, dahlias, ranunculus, cosmos, anemones, succulents, Queen Anne's Lace, silver dollar eucalyptus and agonis foliage.
And here we are, back at one of my favourite places for couples to get married at! The chapel at Cielo's Garden is an incredible building. With open sides and stone walls, complete with a bell to ring post-ceremony, it's basically perfect on its own but I think it's even better with something at the front to frame the altar. Planner Amanda Douglas shared this awesome sketch with me when we started planning, and I love that the design turned out just right:
First off, Amanda helped Stephanie and Kurt to choose this two-toned drapery to create a dreamy focal point at the front of the chapel. We then added in all of the floral-accented lanterns that were being used as the centrepieces. Some of them were placed down the aisle on crates, and some were hung from the open rafters at the front. And of course, that colour palette is gorgeous for an elegant, fall feel - sage greens, burgundy, berry pinks, light pinks, and cream. Dy-na-mite.
So, this was a different guest book table than I'm typically used to. Ha! When Stephanie first told me that she wanted to me to floralize a skull for the guest book table, I'll be honest: I had a really hard time envisioning how this could be nice. And while it felt super weird while I was doing the designing, I have to say that I love how it turned out. It's sort of like this deer gets to have a beautiful floral halo.
Looking for a wedding florist in Winnipeg?
Getting married in Manitoba? I might be biased, but flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Announcing the First Flower Therapy Class!
I totally get it. Winter is taking forever. And every winter, I reach a breaking point: I just need colour, lightness, and something to take me out of my every day dull.
So, I invite you to join my in my first Flower Therapy Class!
I want to share with you where this idea came from. Last winter, January and February were particularly stressful for me. There was something going on with my business that was out of my control (in fact, it was in the fairly pathetic control of Canada Post) and while it seemed like it should be a small thing, it was wreaking havoc on my business, and more importantly, my mental health. A very expensive parcel was lost in the mail, and the person to whom I was returning it was threatening to sue me for it. She is a small business owner as well, so I completely understood where her panic was coming from - she really needed that package. But aside from calling Canada Post every single day, sometimes several times a day, there was literally nothing I could do.
I needed a mental health day. In a month that was nothing but dreary outside and the constant stress of this person's threats on my mind, I needed to escape my life for a little while. And for me, that came in the shape of a day playing with flowers. I paid a visit to my wholesaler, where I picked up whatever I wanted. I chose a light, fresh, springy colour palette and flowers that I simply gravitated towards. My time that day was passed with slow movements, acknowledging the entrancing details of each stem, gently placing them into arrangements that I made for no one but myself.
I know that I'm not the only one out there for whom winter is intolerable. I know that I'm not the only one who needs a mental health day now and again. And I know I'm not the only one who craves colour in the midst of these dreary months. So I'm hosting this Flower Therapy Class and welcome anyone who fits into those categories above, or any other category that you fit into. Come and join me, play with flowers, and leave with a lovely arrangement that will inspire you and fill your home with cheer.
Registration is open now - I hope you'll join us! Seating is limited as our space is pretty small so if you're interested, make sure to head over to the registration page HERE as soon as you can!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at info@stonehouseweddings.com!
Top 5 Best Wedding Locations in Manitoba
If you live in or have ever lived in Manitoba, then you know that summers here are both a blessing and a curse: it's frequently GORGEOUS out, with long, sunny days and warm evenings. It's also frequently bug season: flies, mosquitoes, ticks. So when it comes to planning an outdoor wedding in Manitoba, we frequently choose a completely outdoor ceremony with an indoor or partially indoor reception. So, here's my list of the best wedding locations in Manitoba, which all combine the outdoors with the in!
Cielo's Garden
Photos by Keila Marie Photography
This one should come as no surprise to you. I work at Cielo's Garden all the time, and it's definitely one of my favourite places for a wedding. The little stone chapel in the woods is remarkably romantic, and the clear top tent itself is a blank canvas that you can do so much with.
Whitetail Meadow
Photos by Esther Funk Photography
Whitetail Meadow is a new venue just outside of Niverville that is going to top everyone's lists very quickly. I recently designed all the florals for their grand opening/open house and couldn't believe what a great job they did! The venue is a converted barn, which has been completely re-built on the interior. It features a gorgeous stone fireplace (which would be the perfect backdrop for a winter wedding ceremony and also is the dream place to put flowers!), a sweet loft space, and at least 3 different outdoor spaces where you could host a wedding ceremony, depending on what type of vibe you'd like: forest setting, the veranda with the stone fireplace in the background, or the grassy meadow with a creek in the background!
I can't wait to share more with you from this open house soon - the photos are gorgeous!
Hawthorn Estates
Renderings from Hawthorn Estates / Wedding Photos by Brittany Mahood
After a tragic fire in December 2016, Hawthorn Estates is re-building and is soon to be better than ever. I seriously CANNOT WAIT for the grand unveiling of the all-new barn venue just about 25 minutes north east of Winnipeg. This rendering of the new exterior shows you some of the focal points: a gorgeous green space (including a lovely area for wedding ceremonies), and tons of windows. Indoors, they're planning for rough-hewn timbers from BC and a large fireplace.
Stay up to date with their re-build progress on their Instagram! I drove past it just before Christmas and it was looking incredible. They're now booking for 2018 and 2019 weddings.
Clear Lake - Elkhorn and Danceland
Photos by Esther Funk Photography
I've only been up to Clear Lake once, and it was this past summer for a wedding that was awesome. The ceremony was outdoors, at Elkhorn Manor (just off the golf course) and then the reception was right in the downtown of the Clear Lake village at Dance Land. Truth be told, the directions to get the Elkhorn Manor were a little confusing, but the location was wonderful for a ceremony: it was peaceful, quiet, overlooking the water in the background with lush green grounds all around. Dance Land is just a couple of minutes away. It's a really neat wood building (unfortunately, pretty much no natural light) with a cool history.
See more from that summer wedding here!
Pineridge Hollow
Photos by Megan Steen
Pineridge Hollow has to be included on this list! It's highly recommended, features an incredible menu, and has plenty of charm wrapped up into this simple tent venue in the heart of Birds Hill Park. Pineridge Hollow offers several different outdoor ceremony locations (including this clearing in the woods, as seen below), and the seating in the tent can be configured in several different ways for your reception, with your choice of long rectangular tables or round tables. They also offer a great selection of decor rentals - cute candle holders, table numbers, backdrops or seating charts, and so on.
I've loved being able to personalize the decor at Pineridge Hollow - one of my favourites featured a greenery installation hanging above the guests from the tent ceiling.
Hire a talented wedding floral and event designer for your wedding in Winnipeg.
Along with designing florals, Stone House Creative also offers full event design to a limited number of wedding clients each year. If you want your wedding to really look and feel like you while creating a unique ambiance unlike what your friends have had at their weddings, then reach out to me today!
Chelsea and Jason's Romantic Outdoorsy Wedding
When Chelsea first came to me, she told me that she and Jason wanted to have an outdoorsy, laid-back wedding but still have some feminine, romantic touches to it. Pineridge Hollow was totally the perfect place to host their wedding, and the flowers and colour palette really brought everything to life.
Also, a strange side note: when I met with Chelsea, I knew I recognized her. I just couldn't quite put my finger on where I knew her from. She didn't recognize me, but that tends to happen to me. I remember every face and no one ever remembers me (truth). Then it suddenly hit me out of nowhere: we played basketball against each other in junior high. HA! I felt like such a champ for remembering. She still didn't remember me ;)
Megan Steen Photography ~ Pineridge Hollow ~ BHLDN ~ EPH Apparel
One of the best parts of Chelsea's bouquets was that almost everything was locally grown. Just a bit of the greenery and the roses came from outside of Manitoba!
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: lisianthus, foxglove, delphinium, phlox, nigella, roses, feverfew, and several varieties of greenery.
I LOVE the colours and the dresses chosen for the bridesmaids. This is mix-matched bridesmaids done right: a light floral pattern, lace, tulle, soft pink and seafoam green. Isn't it a gorgeous combination? They look incredible!
OH. And Chelsea's dress? INCREDIBLE! I couldn't find the exact one but here are a couple of similar gowns - this one in a glamorous ivory/silver combination and this one has a little more casual, feminine feel.
So, then we get to the outdoor ceremony! This clearing in the woods at Pineridge Hollow is a dreamy space for a ceremony with a natural feel. They have this great 4 post birch arbor, and Chelsea asked me to make some sort of floral piece for it. I really went for it! Using cream and blush roses, light blue delphinium, and soft, sage-toned greenery, this asymmetrical floral piece was installed onto the arch for the ceremony and then re-used on the head table afterwards.
We kept things pretty simple at the reception with greenery garlands and plenty of candlelight. The tent there is so white, so my favourite things to do there are either 1) keep it really simple - aka, lots of green and white and warm neutrals or 2) go for it with a lot of colour so that the white allows it all to pop!
I've rounded up some of my favourite weddings at Pineridge Hollow, so if you're getting married there, check these out for some more ideas!
Bold and colourful for Lauda and Jeremy
Gwen and Shane's elegant, simple wedding
Rich fall wedding with a deep colour palette
Looking for a wedding florist in Winnipeg?
Getting married in Manitoba? I might be biased, but flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
2018's Top Wedding Colours
Trying to narrow down your wedding colour palette? Maybe you've got an idea of one main tone you like or what colour you want your bridesmaids to wear, but can't decide on accent colours. Well, I'm here to help with my predictions for the top wedding colours of 2018.
Forget ultra-violet (to be honest, I don't usually like the "colour of the year" that Pantone chooses). The top wedding colours for 2018 will be all in the dusty tones. Dusty rose, mauve, cornflower blue, even a butter yellow. Here are some of my favourite go-to dusty toned flowers!
Dusty Rose
Dusty rose is probably the most commonly requested colour I'm seeing for 2018 weddings. It's a bit deeper than the blush palettes of the past few wedding seasons, but still very much in line with the romantic trends we've been working with. The good news? For those of you want dusty rose, there are PLENTY of really good floral options.
Above, we've got cafe latte roses (not easy to get here in Winnipeg, but the perfect unique rose gold tone when we can get them!), faith roses, and rice flower. Below, a combination of quicksand roses, rice flower, earl grey roses, and astrantia. And at the bottom, an antique toned hydrangea with a classic blush ranunculus.
Mauve
I am seeing a LOT of mauve being used an accent colour for 2018 weddings, and my favourite go-to is the amnesia rose. It's unique and has a really one-of-a-kind colour. I can't think of anything better for mauve!
You can also see the amnesia rose in action below on the left - it pairs gorgeously with those soft peach roses and fresh green buds on the white ranunculus. And on the right, we have fritillaria. It's a very unique shape and bloom, and to be honest, kind of smells like skunk, but they're pretty cool nonetheless!
Cornflower Blue
Cornflower blue (aka dusty light blue) is another great tone that is a beautiful accent. There aren't a lot of naturally blue flowers, so if you're wanting a lot of blues at your wedding, then I would suggest choosing a dusty blue linen to play centre stage at your reception while tucking in some of these flowers into your bouquets! On the left, we've got muscari, which is a personal favourite of mine. It's got a short stem and a small bloom so this is definitely an accent flowers, but seriously, can you get any cuter? And then in the middle, delphinium - one of my favourite natural blue flowers. You can see it working its magic in the bouquet on the right!
Still trying to figure out your wedding colour palette? Here are some more tips:
-I love the way that a few well-placed bold accent tones can enliven an otherwise neutral palette. Click that link to see some seriously gorgeous flowers!
-Looking for a way to modernize the traditional blush wedding palette? Pair it with peach and mauve for a modern, feminine take.
-Don't forget to take into account these 7 things you HAVE to think about when choosing your wedding colour palette.
-Finally, avoid making any of these mistakes that brides make when selecting their wedding palettes!
Work with a wedding event designer who loves creative colour palettes!
Along with floral design, Stone House Creative offers full Event Design Services to a limited number of wedding clients each year. This process allows me to go deeper with you, designing beyond the flowers, to help you create a celebration that truly looks and feels like you.