For Better For Less - we use our Own Photos of our Weddings on our Web Site and Blog

We are a full service wedding Florist and stay with our Brides through their ceremony - wait for the wedding Photos to be taken and  move the ceremony flowers to the Reception. We take photos from start to finish and feature them on our web site and blog.
We are amazed that many florist who claim to offer the same full service always seem to use photos from a professional photographer,  it makes one wonder whether they stay with you through your ceremony, or for that matter are even present, relying on a delivery person to drop off the flowers and run. Professional flower photos are wonderful, but many times its hard to determine just what flowers you are looking at, they are so photo enhanced.  In the last couple of weeks there have been a number of really bad weddings - in one the Florist delivered to the wrong venue and then refused to take them to the ceremony site and in the other all the flowers died as their cooler broke. While this could happen to anyone the mark of a professional is how the problem is handled. This weekend alone we saw two weddings where the groom's boutonniere  was  horizontal -  making for great photographs - why the photographer did not fix the problem  is a question - but they are photographers - where was the florist one should ask - problems do occur - how one reacts is the true test.

Rusty Pelican Bridal Open House - June 19th 2010

We had a great time today at the Rusty Pelican's Summer Open house. It was a really successful event - there we lots and lots of Brides and great vendors - as always the Rusty Pelican did a great job in planning and organizing eveything.  Several Brides asked for photos of our table centerpieces so I thought I would put them on our blog so anyone could check them out.
Our Flowers were in the Grand Ballroom and Don had chosen a combination of teal and purple. We are seeing many Brides choose Purple - Plum shades for the fall - many of our spring Brides chose shades of blue - fall Brides seem to be favoring shades of Purple, Plum, Aubergine. Our linen was supplied by Connie Duglin Linen  - the linens while beautiful are not an easy color combination to coordinate with.

Here are our three table set ups - the first and by far the most admired was our signature three cylinder vases with submerged orchids and floating candles - in this case we submerged blue dendrobium orchids - I mistakenly told several Brides that the current price of this arrangement was $40 - my wife corrected me it really is $45 - I am so sorry - It's still a great deal.  In the background you can see our sweetheart table arrangement.

The arrangement on this sweeheart table was specially made for the show, normally we would use one of our gazebo florals on your table - about the same size and shape as the one in the photo, without the peacock feathers a little narrower without the drooping greenery but very similar - we believe our Brides should be abel to use their Gazebo decorations for their Reception

Our final centerpiece was again made for the show and was quite expensive at around $150 - using blue dendobium orchids, white anthuriums, purple lisianthus, green and white spider mums, white stock, green bells of ireland and some great greenery - the arrangement sat ou our 8 inch diameter cylinder vase which had snake grass, crystal beads and blue dendobium orchids - with the Peacock feathers this arrangement stands over 5 feet tall so is very impressive if a little expensive. The Rusty Pelican Ballroom really needs some height on the tables, evening weddings also need candles - a mix of tall and short works well and is easier on the budget. We can scale this arrangement to price in the $90's range if the quantity is there.

A lot of the vendors were people who we see and work with frequently - Frank Lebano and Hardy &Co both excellent DJ's. 

Several of our favorite photographers were at the showStephen Rudd ,Neil Shannon Photography , Photography by Emanuele , Photography by GMC   Photo Announce It . Each one of the photographers has a different style and personality - we recommend Brides to meet with a photographer and choose the one whose style and personality she likes best. 

Two of our favortite wedding cake suppliers were also at the open house - A piece of Cake and Chantilly Cakes ,

as were two great Invitation companies - Tampa Calligraphy and Paper Players . Chose any of the above with confidence.