Part I
Featured below are photographs my daughter, Mary captured during a “family affair” bridal bouquet assembly. On August 16, my niece Maura Rockcastle was married in Minneapolis. Below her Grandmother, Ellie (Rockcastle) Blum and founder of Rockcastle Florist designs her bouquet as Maura looks on.
As a landscape architect, Maura chose unique items for her floral décor: an assortment of grasses and botanicals including fragrant cedar, oregano, rosemary, pods, berries & branches with open white garden roses. The fresh herbal fragrance was lovely and a perfect fit for Maura.
Here I am; providing an extra pair of hands, as this “hand tied” bouquet is prepared by my Mother- in-Law and Mentor!
Just a glimpse of Maura & Matt’s wedding party, a moment of their day, their way, captured in time. The wedding site was Mill City Museum on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
Part II
As a business, we have been providing wedding services for over 55 years.
Professionally, I have been involved in weddings for over 16 years. With the history and reputation of this business to draw from, I have continued to develop my skills as well as the team of designers who create weddings in both of our locations.
A contemporary cascade of blush calla lilies created for a “Summer Bride” this July, provides a formal bouquet style.
Weddings, large or small, are guaranteed to be beautiful and emotionally moving affairs when couples illuminate each other through the love that they share. We hear so much these days about “Bridezillas” and wedding mishaps; however, with proper planning, perspective and the experience of wedding professionals your day will be an affair to remember with lasting and timeless memories!
There is so much information to share with you on this subject that I have decided to write this wedding blog in a series. Let’s start at the beginning….shall we!
Before you choose a Florist, try to visualize the overall theme of your wedding. As a couple, ask yourselves the following questions:
- How will your personality and lifestyle be reflected in the wedding?
- How many, if any, of the “wedding traditions” will you want to incorporate into your ceremony and reception?
- What time of year do you want to be married?
- How much of “your story” do you want woven throughout the wedding?
- Will you prefer a large wedding or an intimate affair?
- Will this be a formal affair or will it be more relaxed and casual?
- What colors will you choose?
- Have you chosen the style of the wedding attire?
- What flowers, colors and styles do you like?
- What is your floral budget?
The last two questions will most likely be the hardest for you to answer without further research. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
Surf the web………
The best way to research flowers, colors and styles is to spend as much time as possible to peruse bridal magazines and web sites. I have found theknot.com and Bride & Bloom magazine to be very comprehensive resources for floral trends and ideas. Florist websites are also a good place to start. However I speak for us all when I say it is very difficult to keep the wedding pages up to date due to the volume of business in that category. We offer a catalog of our current work as well as offerings from floral reference guides.
As you are surfing these sites and publications look for shapes, sizes, colors and flowers that appeal to you and fit with the style of your wedding. A variety of different ideas can be combined to achieve your look. The more visual information you can share will allow the designer more creativity in capturing your vision. The next step is for the designer to outline a signature look for your wedding décor.
Recently, I met with a couple who downloaded a few pages of graphics that they found on line to a CD and we were able to view it together during their consultation. They labeled each photo; what they liked or didn’t like about it and it. It was a wonderful tool and provided us with a united vision for the signature look for their “wedding story”.
A garden inspired clutch bouquet designed with calla lilies, hydrangea, peonies and veronica for another Rockcastle
Summer Bride.
Think about what you are comfortable spending on flowers$$$$$$
Consider your budget please……..most couples come to us without a budget in mind. The more direct you can be about what you are interested in spending, allows the designer more latitude in the options he/she can offer you. You should feel comfortable enough with the Florist to share that information.
It won’t be difficult to find someone who will offer wedding flowers at a lower rate than a professional florist. If you decide to go that route you will be giving up some of the quality, craftsmanship and creativity that an experienced professional will provide. A reputable floral designer will also be prepared to handle any situation that may come up along the way.
Some of the most beautiful weddings have been designed on a shoestring budget! There are alternatives to large, showy floral pieces and a trained professional will do their best to keep you on track.
In closing for this first edition of the Wedding Blog, I’d like to emphasize the following points:
*Spend time considering your style, size and budget for the wedding.
*Find a Professional Florist you can trust and feel comfortable working with.
*Keep everything involved with this planning process in the proper perspective. Let your love shine through and take time to enjoy each other through this pre-wedding process!
Look for Part III of the Wedding Blog where I will cover wedding trends, styles and colors, as well as wedding floral etiquette.
Summer Blog June 2008
Summer is upon us with the rising temperatures and of late fuel costs!! Area gardens are in full bloom and many of you may be thinking about how to harvest some of those magnificent flowers to enjoy them indoors!
Cut & Care Tips
Always cut stems with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Regular scissors or dull cutting tools will close off the stem and impede hydration.
Remove all or most foliage from stems. Foliage below the water line will cause bacteria build up in the water and also limit the amount of hydration to the flower blooms.
Place in clean water at room temperature.
The shorter you can keep the stems; the flowers will last longer, it provides a shorter distance for hydration and sturdier bouquet if the stems are delicate.
Enjoy!
Read on for the Chelsea Flower Market Blog……..
Recently while on a Spring trip to NYC with my family, we decided to visit the Chelsea Flower Market. I have always wanted to visit this area of the city and was thrilled to finally see the New York Flower Market.
The time of year was perfect; in April, where the wholesalers had their fresh plants and flowers spilling out to the sidewalk. It was a beautiful sight to behold! I can only imagine the not too distant past (before our marketplace became global) when the flower lined streets would be filled with local florists in the early morning scurrying to find the most beautiful product to fill their orders!
Some outlets sell to the public now as a way to address the lagging wholesale business as Florists are purchasing through a variety of outlets now.
The selection was upscale, unique and amazing. If you ever find yourself strolling past the fashion district on 7th avenue, take a left and visit The Chelsea Flower District, you won’t be disappointed!
For you fellow dog lovers, the funniest part of the day was when a dog walker paused to admire the hydrangeas and her bull dog plunged his head into the flower bucket for a morning drink!!
Below are pictures from this trip!
Don’t Miss Our School Spirit Week
March 31 – April 5. Place your Prom Flower Orders and save 10% off your purchase. In store special.
Countdown to Prom!
It’s that time of year when our local teenagers are busy making plans for their prom or formal celebrations. This right of passage provides an exciting time for both parents and teens as the coordination and planning allow for new bonding and social opportunities!
On the Prom Runway
From short to long dresses, colors from white to black, trims from sequins to polka dots, there are many diverse styles to choose from.
Prom Dress Colors
Ivory
Metallic Gold
Black & White
Turquoise
Purple
Citrus Shades of: Lime Green, Orange, Hot Pink, Yellow
Featured below is a bright mixed flower in one of this year’s hottest color combinations. Hot pink sweetheart roses and orange alstromeria lilies with filler flower.
Prom Flower Fashions
The wrist corsage is the most popular prom item for girls. Wrist corsages can be customized by designing them on a crystal or sequined wristlet. Metallic design wires, rhinestones and gems are very popular and a great way to add that “wow” factor with a little prom bling.
Featured below is wrist corsage designed with yellow alstromeria lilies with a boutonniere to match.
Boutonnieres can be designed to match any corsage or floral nosegays. Coordinating flowers and trims to match her flowers and express his personality are a must for prom.
Pocket squares and metallic boutonniere holders are the newest in fashion.
Alternative looks for girls are updated floral bouquet clutches and nosegays designed with metallic trims and prom bling.
Floral jewelry in the form of necklaces, bracelets and anklets are also growing in popularity.
Ordering Tips
Flowers should be considered an accent to your ensemble, and not an afterthought. Our ordering tips include:
Schedule a time with your date to order prom flowers together in order to achieve a coordinated look for both of you.
Bring a photograph of or your dress to help define the accent look for your flowers. There are so many shades of each color, it’s safer to match ribbon and flower accents to the actual dress.
We can always accommodate last minute orders, however if you have a custom look in mind for your flowers it is best to order at least one week in advance.
Consider flower colors that compliment, don’t try match the color of your dress. Complimentary colors will contrast in the color of your dress and stand out in your photographs and among your friends.
Examples of complimentary colors:
Lime green and orange
Hot pink and bright blue
Pink and green
Purple and peach or apricot
If you’re just not comfortable with contrast in your color pallet then consider the following options for different shades within the same color family.
Light pink and hot pink
Lavender and purple
Yellow and green
Peach and orange
Please visit either one of our locations to plan your prom flower look!!
See you soon!
Wendy
Spring is in the air! Well maybe not in Rochester-yet-but it will be soon!!
“It’s a Garden Life” is the theme for this year’s Gardenscape at the Monroe County Fair & Expo Center from March 13-16. Gardenscape is the annual flower & garden show for the Gardenscape Professionals Association. The landscape and garden displays are always breathtaking and inspiring; as well as the perfect RX to get our winter weary souls through the next few weeks. Rockcastle Florist along with some of our fellow Floral Association members will be providing accents and displays to help reinforce the spring theme at the former Dome Arena.
Easter is early this year
Sunday, March 23!!
This is a great time of year to celebrate the change of seasons, especially with the promise of Spring just around the corner. Along with a great assortment of bright, fresh spring floral bouquets, baskets and centerpieces for the Easter Holiday we have an abundance of bulb and flowering plants.
Bulb plants are a wonderful pick me up and a gift that continues to give long after the flowers are gone. Bulb plants and gardens are generally designed while in the green state of development. After they are received you can enjoy the development of the blooms as they mature. You may also cut the blooms off of the bulb plants and keep them in a vase of clear water for even more prolonged enjoyment. Cut the bulbs from the plant, remove them from the soil and they can be planted in your garden in the fall. Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths, Crocus and Iris are in great supply from now until Easter.
Other great plant varieties available this season are indoor and hardy azaleas, hydrangeas, mums, reiger begonias and calla lily plants.
Trendy Spring Bulbs
A wonderful trend with flowering bulb plants is to remove the stem and bulb from the soil, while keeping it in tact.
Carefully remove all soil from the stem and bulb area, gently rinse under water to remove all soil; try to keep roots in tact.
Find a clear, shallow vase in a square or round shape (approximately 5”x5” is a nice size). Add a nice layer of natural color river rock to the bottom of vase.
Place clean stems with bulbs in the vase, be generous with the amount that you use as the arrangement should look dense and the flowers should add support to the arrangement.
Hyacinths are a great choice for this. They are short and will only peek out a little over the top of the vase.
Cut flower & Fresh Arrangement Care
When receiving a bouquet of fresh cut flowers, follow these preparation guidelines for longer lasting flowers while placing them in your vase:
Gently, remove any foliage from the stems that will fall below the water line in your vase. Greens and foliage that remain below the water line can contribute to bacteria build up in your water.
Always (even if they arrive in water tubes) give the bottoms of stems a fresh cut on a diagonal with a sharp kitchen knife, then immediately place in fresh water with flower food. Scissors will compress the stem and actually do more harm than good. The fresh cut with a sharp knife allows that stem to take fresh water again, re-hydrating the stem and head of the flower.
Check water daily, if it appears to be cloudy, change it as needed, add more flower food if available. Flower food helps to cut down on the bacteria build up in the water and aids in the hydration for most cut flower varieties.
Display arrangement in your home out of direct sunlight or heart source if possible. Concentration of extreme sun and heat will take away from the longevity of your bouquet. Never place fresh bouquets on any appliances, such as the TV or Stereo.
When you receive a bouquet in a glass vase, follow the instructions above for “check water daily” and change water as needed.
Bouquets received that have been designed in fresh floral foam, require water daily. Just add water between the oasis (green foam) and the liner it sits in. Try not to over water, as it will seep out of container it sits in if water overflows the container. You may want to add water at the sink to avoid water on your table.
I hope you find this information useful as you continue to enjoy fresh flowers and plants.
Please join me next month when I will be discussing this year’s Prom Trends and Fashion flowers!!
Wendy Rockcastle