Inspiration Tables from The Gates on Roblin Open House
I had a great time at the Gates on Roblin’s open house two weeks ago! All of the creative/decor vendors were tasked with designing 3 inspiration tables: one each of the categories of modern, romantic, and vintage. I’m not personally one that’s big on “themes” so my goal with these table designs was really to just create something that I liked and would appeal to engaged couples who like my style. Truth be told, I also didn’t want to spend a ton of money. Because guys, flowers ARE expensive, even on the wholesale level. But that’s beside the point!
I had a great time at the Gates on Roblin’s open house two weeks ago! All of the creative/decor vendors were tasked with designing 3 inspiration tables: one each of the categories of modern, romantic, and vintage. I’m not personally one that’s big on “themes” so my goal with these table designs was really to just create something that I liked and would appeal to engaged couples who like my style. Truth be told, I also didn’t want to spend a ton of money 😂Because guys, flowers ARE expensive, even on the wholesale level. But that’s beside the point!
The Gates on Roblin ~ Mandy Wright Photography ~ Soiree Event Planning ~ Planned Perfectly ~ C&T Rentals
Modern Wedding Design
I had one initial idea for this modern wedding design style: this incredible variety of rose called Toffee. They’re an absolutely incredible colour, they open up beautifully, and they’re a gorgeous selection for a warm neutral (which is the next big colour trend). I paired it with black accents (vase, candle holders, chairs) for some depth and drama, and chose Planned Perfectly’s new taupe linen. It’s got a beautiful texture and is a beautiful neutral base. The black metal candle holders are new to my inventory and I love them! They give off such a great glow. The perfect finishing touch was those black and gold cutlery from C&T! I’ve been hoping for black flatware to be brought into Winnipeg and here they are!
Vintage Wedding Design
I love olive foliage. The stems are a hardy branching shape, the colour of the leaves is a silvery sage green (similar to the colour of eucalyptus but MUCH more interesting…FYI I’m tired of using eucalyptus all the time), and it’s really pretty en masse like this. I also knew that I wanted to use these cross-back chairs from Planned Perfectly, and thought they’d look great with the walnut chargers from C&T Rentals. We added the copper flatware and I popped some dried hydrangea into my copper votives to add some interest to the base of the tall vase. The terracotta menus were actually samples I had on-hand from Minted, and didn’t they work PERFECTLY? (and PS, I have a discount code for any of your from Minted - let me know if you want it!)
Romantic Wedding Design
This centrepiece design was my anti-dote to personally being tired of the typical cylinder vase trio with pillar candles and greenery. I still included three pillar vases, but mixed them in with coloured taper candles and bronze votives, and then created some free-form mini gardens at the base, using moss, fern, and a few floral bits and pieces. I selected the mauve velvet linen as the base and Andrea from Soiree Event Planning completed the table design by selecting the place settings - I was originally thinking all white plates but I love that she stacked the grey charger with the scalloped white dinner plate and salad plate!
My Set Up
And last up, I designed this for my own little set up. I wanted to do something with a little more colour (because as we all know, I LOVE colour) and I started with the dark blue delphinium because I needed the height. Then I knew that I wanted to bring in some coral and peach, and thought I should add in a touch of yellow for a little more vibrance and fun. The light blue velvet linen from Planned Perfectly was SO gorgeous and if you’re looking for an incredible linen to take your tables from basic to amazing, this might be it! They also have a new green velvet that is STUNNING.
I would DIE to create this style of arrangement curved around or in front of a sweetheart table, or as a “nest” for a really intimate ceremony setting. Wouldn’t it be incredible to say your vows knee-deep in flowers?!
The bridal bouquet ingredients included the most perfect peach amaryllis (wowza, am I right?!), roses, agapanthus, alstroemeria, and a couple of cute billy balls. I finished it with a TON of silk Tono & Co ribbon.
Hire a Talented Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg
I’ll be announcing my 2021 appointment dates in the next few weeks! My waitlist has already been started so if you want to be one of the first I meet with for a 2021 wedding, make sure you get on the list early. Couples interested in full event and floral design will be contacted first about their dates. I offer a limited number of dates for event design each year, in order to allow me to work closely with each couple. Combining event and floral design is the perfect option for couples who live out of town, or couples who feel they need a little extra help in creating the visual plan for their wedding day. Click this link to learn more!
What's the Actual Cost of a Bridal Bouquet? Late Summer Boho Bouquet Breakdown
I’m often asked by brides-to-be on Instagram about the cost of a particular wedding flower arrangement that I’ve posted. I won’t lie - I often don’t hear back from those inquiries.
I can’t always give specific pricing because it’s not necessarily relevant to the inquiring bride’s date, or flower requests, or it might not be appropriate to share what an actual couple has invested in their flowers, so I generally give price ranges that someone might expect. For reference, my bridal bouquets start at $225 and often come in between $225 - $250. Couples who are attracted to my work generally fall within a similar design style (garden-inspired, romantic, floral-heavy), and that means incorporating certain types of flowers that start at a higher price point - garden roses, peonies, ranunculus are all examples. I wrote an entire blog series on wedding flower costs in Manitoba and if you want to know more, you can read that here!
I’m often asked by brides-to-be on Instagram about the cost of a particular wedding flower arrangement that I’ve posted. I won’t lie - I often don’t hear back from those inquiries.
I can’t always give specific pricing because it’s not necessarily relevant to the inquiring bride’s date, or flower requests, or it might not be appropriate to share what an actual couple has invested in their flowers, so I generally give price ranges that someone might expect. For reference, my bridal bouquets start at $225 and often come in between $225 - $250. Couples who are attracted to my work generally fall within a similar design style (garden-inspired, romantic, floral-heavy), and that means incorporating certain types of flowers that start at a higher price point - garden roses, peonies, ranunculus are all examples. I wrote an entire blog series on wedding flower costs in Manitoba and if you want to know more, you can read that here!
So, with all that said, I wanted to break down this actual bridal bouquet that I designed for a photo shoot at Manitoba Club in late August. I’ll be sharing the full shoot soon, so consider this a sneak peek!
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients
Zinnias*
Lisianthus*
Garden Roses
Cosmos*
Amaranthus*
Gardenia Foliage
Acacia Foliage
Lunaria
*Denotes locally grown here in Manitoba - yay!
Bridal Bouquet Cost: $285
You‘ll probably ask, what makes this bouquet $285? Like I said, most of my bridal bouquets come in between $225 - $250, and this one incorporates a lot of the typical types of blooms that I’m drawn to: garden roses as a focal flower, lisianthus and zinnias are the perfect secondary flowers (truly some of the best locally grown flowers available - they’re just totally delish!), and a few varieties of greenery.
You’ll be surprised to find out that one of the most expensive part of this bouquet is actually the lunaria - the unique, silvery white flat seed pods popping out here and there. I only included 3 stems - for a total of $45! I’m sure all of you would agree that they’re totally stunning, but even so, I doubt most of my clients would feel really strongly about including a few stems into their bouquets when they find out the cost.
On the other hand, the garden roses are also pricey but they play a more important role: garden roses are a more impressive and immediately noticed focal flower, and they really create the foundation of this colour palette. These garden roses come in at $18/stem, and with 7 stems in the bouquet, make for a total of $126 - just shy of half of the cost of the bouquet.
I also designed a couple of corresponding boutonnieres, a ceremony space, a completed reception tablescape, and some other accents (like a cute lounge and bar set up!), but you’ll have to wait to see the rest!
Vendors:
Planning and Venue: Manitoba Club Weddings ~ Photography: Black and Gold ~ Florals and Design: Stone House Creative ~ Linens and Chairs: Planned Perfectly ~ Stationery: Little Dove Calligraphy ~ Rentals: Trend Decor ~ Cake: Cake Studio ~ Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique ~ Suit: EPH Apparel ~ Makeup and Hair: Fifth | Makeup: What’s Her Face Beauty | Hair: Hair by Abs
Hire a Talented Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg
2021 wedding dates will be opened in the new year, and in the meantime, you can get on my waitlist! Couples interested in full event and floral design will be contacted first about their dates. I offer a limited number of dates for event design each year, in order to allow me to work closely with each couple. Combining event and floral design is the perfect option for couples who live out of town, or couples who feel they need a little extra help in creating the visual plan for their wedding day. Click this link to learn more!
Bold Coral and Peach Garden Wedding at Ashgrove Acres
Vanessa and Valerio’s wedding was such a fun one! A bold coral and peach palette and garden-inspired design out at Ashgrove Acres was the perfect start to my spring wedding season this year. I actually met Vanessa 2 years ago, when she answered a model call for a photo shoot I planned. It was such an honour that she kept my biz in mind for the eventual day that she’d get married - and actually, she booked with me before she was even officially engaged! Vanessa is a talented photographer herself, and I got to work with her on a few weddings and a shoot this year, and it was really cool to be able to get to know her in a different setting.
Vanessa and Valerio’s wedding was such a fun one! A bold coral and peach palette and garden-inspired design out at Ashgrove Acres was the perfect start to my spring wedding season this year. I actually met Vanessa 2 years ago, when she answered a model call for a photo shoot I planned. It was such an honour that she kept my biz in mind for the eventual day that she’d get married - and actually, she booked with me before she was even officially engaged! Vanessa is a talented photographer herself, and I got to work with her on a few weddings and a shoot this year, and it was really cool to be able to get to know her in a different setting.
Kassandra Donaldson Photography ~ Inspired Elegance Events ~ Ashgrove Acres ~ Stephanie Anne Cakes
Vanessa had a pretty good idea of what she wanted: bold colour, peonies and carnations, and a garden-inspired design style. That was a-okay with me! We used a lot of good stuff to make this happen.
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: coral peonies, ranunculus, tulips, carnations, garden roses, hypericum berries, eucalyptus and ruscus foliages.
Sadly, this was a pretty rainy day - but the half hour that the ceremony was scheduled for was the one clear part of the day! We really went for it with the florals here. The Ashgrove arch is really enormous, and Vanessa wanted to incorporate a few different ideas - the grey drapery, some larger floral pieces (featuring a few lilies to represent her grandmother), hanging strands of flowers, petals down the aisle, and a couple of floral and eucalyptus chair garlands to start the aisle.
Vanessa asked to keep the centrepieces on the simpler side, so we chose trios of cut glass stem vases with bright orange, coral, and peach flowers. They looked great added to the grey chiffon runners and mercury glass candleholders Vanessa had chosen. The ceremony flowers were re-purposed at the head table, with the strands of flowers hanging behind the head table and the larger pieces placed in front of the newlyweds. Sheila from Inspired Elegance Events, the month-of coordinator, took care of moving those pieces over for them, which is one of the many benefits there is to working with a coordinator!
Ah the cake! It was so cute. I always love when I get to add flowers to the wedding cake. This was no different! Fun flowers, great colours, sweet little touches. And obviously the cake smelled so good that I just wanted to dig my finger into it 😂 It’s a good thing for them that I have a gluten allergy!
Hire a Talented Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg
2020 wedding dates are going quickly, and my 2021 waitlist has already been started! Couples interested in full event and floral design will be contacted first about their dates. I offer a limited number of dates for event design each year, in order to allow me to work closely with each couple. Combining event and floral design is the perfect option for couples who live out of town, or couples who feel they need a little extra help in creating the visual plan for their wedding day. Click this link to learn more!
Intimate Fall Wedding at Deer + Almond
I can’t believe it’s been about a year since Jen and Aaron’s intimate fall wedding at Deer + Almond! It was such a beautiful, peaceful day and one that I was thrilled to be a part of. Jen is a really stylish person, and was pretty open to my suggestions as to flowers so with the combination of her fantastic taste and my creativity, I really loved what came together for them. And for goodness sake…her dress!!
I can’t believe it’s been about a year since Jen and Aaron’s intimate fall wedding at Deer + Almond! It was such a beautiful, peaceful day and one that I was thrilled to be a part of. Jen is a really stylish person, and was pretty open to my suggestions as to flowers so with the combination of her fantastic taste and my creativity, I really loved what came together for them. And for goodness sake…her dress!!
Jaclyn Leskiw Photography ~ Canadian Museum for Human Rights ~ Deer + Almond
Oh, how I loved this bouquet! A seasonal colour palette that was at once warm and romantic, built around peaches and rust with touches of coral and mauve tucked in. I used some incredible textures in here that are only available in the fall and that’s what made it so special! And doesn’t it look so great against the navy the bridesmaids wore, and with Jen’s incredible necklace?
Flower Ingredients: Ranunculus, roses, spray roses, mums, astrantia, ilex berry (oooo baby!), ninebark foliage, copper beech foliage, and ruscus.
The ceremony was held at The Canada Museum for Human Rights, on one of the upper terraces. For an intimate guest list, this space is PERFECT. The tyndall stone half wall, all of the natural light and the soaring ceilings all add up to a beautiful setting. We kept the decor simple here, with my copper arch simply strung with lightweight garlands of Italian ruscus.
I know I’ve said it before: I LOVE RESTAURANT WEDDINGS. This was my first time working at Deer + Almond and it was great! It’s a small space so the guest count was limited, and the room has some really interesting paintings and graffiti style art on the walls so you want to work with that. We kept the decor plan simple: fresh greenery with peach and orange blooms, and lots of candlelight. I know some people do not like floating candles because they are very '“typical,” but I don’t mind them at all! They’re more budget-friendly than pillar candles and most venues in Winnipeg don’t allow taper candles, so floating candles are a good way to bring height to the table.
Looking for a Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg?
My 2021 waitlist has already been started, and couples interested in full event and floral design will be contacted first about their dates. I offer a limited number of dates for event design each year, in order to allow me to work closely with each couple. Combining event and floral design is the perfect option for couples who live out of town, or couples who feel they need a little extra help in creating the visual plan for their wedding day. Click this link to learn more!
My New Method
Hi all! It’s been a minute since I’ve had time to check into the blog and let you all know what’s going on. This summer has been AMAZING and full of some of the most enjoyable weddings I’ve been a part of (speaking of which, you can always find sneak peeks of what I’m working on over on Instagram!). I’ve got a lot of awesome posts planned for the coming months on the blog - I just need a little time to actually spend here :)
Hi all! It’s been a minute since I’ve had time to check into the blog and let you all know what’s going on. This summer has been AMAZING and full of some of the most enjoyable weddings I’ve been a part of (speaking of which, you can always find sneak peeks of what I’m working on over on Instagram!). I’ve got a lot of awesome posts planned for the coming months on the blog - I just need a little time to actually spend here :)
I wanted to let you all in a little something I’ve been working on - a new consultation method! I have had no problems at all with my previous method BUT I was listening to a podcast the other day and the guest mentioned that she liked to have a little more creative control over her designs. That got me to chatting to with my flower friend/associate designer, Deanna, and that brought about this idea for a new method.
One of the aspects of my job that can be challenging is balancing the inspiration photos I receive from clients with my own creative thoughts and ideas. Sometimes, it’s just really hard to know what the line is between simply copying the inspiration picture and knowing when I can interject with my ideas! I often feel like I can do my very BEST work — coming up with my favourite flower combinations, planning interesting installations, and generally creating something more unique than the inspiration pics that float around on 1 million pinterest boards — when I know that I have creative freedom from the client. So, my new method is designed to incorporate the client’s inspiration while also giving me the opportunity to offer up my creativity better.
For the most part, if you sit down in a consultation with me in the future, you’ll already have shared with me your inspiration and thoughts about colour and style. I’m going to ask for this in advance so that I have time to digest your ideas, and then see where my mind takes me. Then, when we sit down in person, I’ll be able to present you with my ideas for how I would do your wedding. You’ll get a fuller picture of what I’d like to do for you, and rather than simply going down the checklist of the items you need, we’ll be able to talk more about the overall design, and how you want the wedding to FEEL.
I’m really excited about this new method, and I hope that it works as well for you as it does for me!
2020 wedding dates are booking very quickly with few Saturdays left July-October. May and June are fully booked, and I have a few Fridays still available for July-October!
I’m also about to start booking 2021 weddings early this winter so if you’d like to be placed on my waiting list in the meantime, fill out the contact form HERE and I’ll get you on the list!