The Dahlia

The Dahlia....oh the dahlia....One of the most gorgeous seasonal flowers we have.  It comes in as many colors as you can think of and in several shapes.  Here on the East Coast, we can usually get them from late summer through the fall.  They're one of my favorites and I am blessed enough to be able to purchase my dahlias from a local grower, Don's Dahlias.  You can visit my post about my heavenly trip to his farm here Chapel Designers.  That was an amazing trip for so many reasons!  So the collection today is all about the dahlia.  Notice how the different textures can be used in so many ways.

Flora Organica

In the middle of this bouquet, you can see what I call The Queen of the dahlias, the Cafe Au Lait dahlia.  It can be anything between a ivory creamy color, all the way to a dusty pink.  Different colors of flowers can bring out different shades of this beauty. Here the ribbon and other flowers bring out almost a peachy tone!

Jose Villa Photography and Holly Flora

 Paired with neutral toned flowers, this Cafe Au Lait looks pretty pink.  So much pretty just from one flower.  What a show stopper!

Kimberly Salem Photography + Denise Fasanello Flowers

 Here a buttery white dahlia pairs beautifully with the greens and whites in this arrangement.

Levi Tijerina Photography + Brigitte from Floral Design of Europe

I love this gorgeous pink dahlia.  You really don't need a lot of them to make an impact!

Nancy Liu Chin Design and Bokeh Photography

 This is a favorite of mine.  A non-traditional black and white bouquet, into which The Queen fits perfectly!  I love the dark greenery as well!

Passionflower

 Nothing better than an asymetrical shape for a table arrangement.  I love the movement of the clematis, lilac, and those gorgeous parrot tulips, but to me the dahlia is still front and center!

Sebasta Design LLC and Tyler Boye Photography

 All these pretty dusty colored flowers only accent the Cafe Au Lait's dusty pink color.  Who wouldn't want to carry this bouquet down the aisle towards the love of their life?  Such a romantic bouquet!

The Blue Carrot

I cannot say enough about the work of The Blue Carrot.  This gorgeous bouquet uses the color from the ribbon and the accompanying flowers to create a light and airy bouquet that looks like it was plucked straight from the gardens.

Sweet Blossoms

Sweet Blossoms + Liz Hough Photography

Sweet Blossoms + Liz Hough Photography

  

The Cafe Au Laits in these bouquets came from Don's gardens.  When I got them, I was stunned.  They were way bigger than any I'd ever seen and I was thrilled to have been so lucky!  The bride even put one in her hair-how elegant!

Sweet Blossoms + Rebecca Keeling Photography

These beautiful white ball dahlias also came from Don's gardens.  They were perfect for this rustic barn wedding.  I loved the look of the clean dahlias in contrast with the thistles and dusty miller.

I hope you've enjoyed this trip through the land of dahlias.  What's your favorite color of dahlia?

Sage's Wedding at Stone Manor Country Club

In June, I had the privilege of designing a wedding for Sage at Stone Manor Country Club.  Sage wanted a wedding with lots of large blossoms and greenery.  Thank you so much to Katie at Merkle Photography for the beautiful photographs.  Below are some of my favorites from the evening.

 

Sage's bouquet was made of white peonies, white spray roses, white ranunculus, and white astilbe, accented with Italian ruscus and jasmine vine.

 

 

Just look at the joy on Sage's face as she walked down the aisle towards her future husband, what a beautiful family! 

 

 

In addition to her cake, Sage had an assortment of pies for her guests to enjoy.  Her cake was topped with white peonies, pink lisianthus and fresh jasmine vine.

 

 Sage had two table arrangements, one with assorted mercury glass bud vases, and the other with a mercury glass compote bowl.  The vases were filled with white peonies, peach and blush spray roses, white astilbe, white ranunculus, pink roses, and (my favorite) Quicksand roses.  The tables were also accented with mercury glass votive candle holders.

 

Sage also had arrangements set stop white pillars to flank the doors of the reception tent.  These were mercury glass vases filled with white hydrangea, pink roses, Quicksand roses, beautiful peach French tulips, Italian ruscus, jasmine vine, larkspur and blush and peach spray roses.  I love the smiles on the happy couple's faces as they join their guests for their reception!

 

Such a beautiful setting out in the rolling hills of Frederick, MD.

  

 

 

I could not have asked for a more beautiful bride, a more beautiful setting, or a more beautiful venue!  I am always happy to be designing at Stone Manor.  What is your favorite accent from this wedding?

The Aisle

When people think of weddings, it seems to me that the bouquets are always the number one focus and the centerpieces come just behind that.  But what about the aisle??  The altar??  This is the place where the bride will see her groom for the first time.  This is the place that the groom will first see his future wife!  There is such potential there to be an important part of the decor for a wedding! And so many options.....candles, arches, petals down the aisle, pew/chair arrangements...You are limited only by your imagination!  Here are a few that might get the ideas flowing!

Azalea Floral Design + Eric Foley Photography

Don't have an altar?  Make one!  The photo above makes use of an old fireplace covered in bud vases and a small gathering of the day's flowers.

Jose Villa Photography + Holly Flora

Sometimes candles are all the decoration you need at the end of your aisle.  So romantic....

Katelyn James Photography + Amanda Veronee of Anthomanic

Here we have a set of doors with monograms and an arch of flowers creating a beautiful colorful background.

Lily Greenthumb's Wedding and Event Design

Oh, the petals!  I cannot get enough of swirly petals down the aisle, and what a great, new use for pomander (kissing) balls!  Who wouldn't want to walk down that aisle??

Lily Greenthumb's Wedding and Event Design

Ok so this isn't technically the end of an aisle, but it could be!  Consider combining some elegant flow-y fabric with gatherings of the days's flowers!

Michael George

Another beautiful, soft, and romantic use of candles and petals together.  Look carefully at the end of the aisle...Those calla lilies are easily 2 feet tall!  Such elegance!

Rachel A Clingen Wedding and Event Design

I love the use of these branches to create a faux archway!

Stephen Ludwig Photography + Marie Blooms

This adorable little structure was made the way a chuppah might be made, but it's covering a table at the end of the aisle.  It doubles as an archway, too!  I love the whimsical branches and the playful use of flowers!

Liz Hough Photography + Sweet Blossoms

You can't tell from this photo but there is another, larger trellis on the other side of this aisle that was a part of the venue's ceremony space.  The bride and groom didn't want to use it because the groom's father created this special arch himself for the couple.  While they were honeymooning, he installed it into their yard and hung a swing from it that they could enjoy for years to come.  My point is that if there is a way to bring something personal to any part of your wedding decor, do it!  This was my favorite aisle decoration to make because I knew the love that went into its creation!  It made this arch that much more special!

As you can see, there are SO many ways to decorate your aisle!  It's easy to ignore it, but it is a perfect place to add a little piece of your personality into your wedding!  Don't forget it!  If budget is a concern, consider reusing some of the flowers later on in your reception.  I hope these have been inspiring to you.

What is YOUR favorite way to decorate an aisle?