If you've been following along for the past couple years, you know that I can't get enough of the southwest vibes. The unique history, the culture, the scenery, the *food* (sopapillas anyone?) It's safe to say that I've fallen in love with everything New Mexico has to offer and that's why I've been so excited to share this shoot since it was just emerging as an idea. I have to give a huge shout out to Rose & Co Studios. When Rose first reached out to me about doing a styled shoot with her, I asked her what she had in mind and she basically said it was up to me! Ha, that had never truly happened before, since usually photographers come to me with a vision already in mind. While I love being able to bring someone's vision to life, I had a lot of fun doing my own thing :) My mind immediately went to a southwest-boho theme. With cactus, skulls, macrame, and lots of flowers. I found an amazing macrame artist, Chelsea, from Albuquerque and asked if she would be interested in being part of this project. I was ecstatic when she agreed and showed her excitement to be involved. I mean...look at the amazing detail on this piece she whipped up!! Seriously perfect. Next up, I had been following a skull painter, Chelsy, out of Las Cruces on instagram. Her work is amazing and completely embodies those southwest vibes. Her skulls just had to be part of our shoot and I was so happy when she came onboard! Her attention to detail and her love and passion for what she does is so fun to witness. I mean, she's pretty amazing at what she does!It all fell into place as Rose & Co Studios found some models, a hair and makeup artist, and a venue and the rest is history! What do you think?? Participating Vendors --
Venue - Magnolia House Event Venue IG @magnoliahousevenue Photographer - Rose & Co IG @rosecostudio HMUA - Katy Crooks IG @katydidhair Models - Laura Rae IG @_laura.rae_ - Jorge Gonzalez IG @jorge_fsu Macrame artist - Nyxon Creations IG @nyxoncreations Skull Painter - Spiced Ink IG @spiced_ink
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Happy New Year! Holy cow, 2017 went by way to fast! But how excited are you for 2018?? I'll tell you, this is such a fun time of year with all the newly engaged couples ready to plan the wedding of their dreams! I'm positive that a rustic wedding will never go out of style. Being in the Southwest, the outdoorsy, rural, simple, even a little bit country is less of a "trend" than it is a way of life. So here we are, with a post dedicated to planning the perfect Rustic Wedding! King Ranch provides the perfect place to start with this checklist! As we all know, the magic is in the details so I'm adding some inspiration for your own rustic touches. First up, venue! Your venue can add so much to the ambience of your rustic wedding! One of my favorite rustic weddings I did was at this amazing barn! This barn was actually converted from housing livestock to an event venue, so I'm not sure you could find a more perfect place ;) But if you don't have access to a barn, there are some fun local venues that will definitely do your wedding justice, the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum being one such venue that comes to mind! The next item on the checklist that will add a lot to your theme, is obviously, flowers and decor!! Burlap, lace, mason jars, and babies breath always seem to come to mind when the word "rustic" is brought up. But there is a way to add to the rustic theme and still be unique! This wedding was one of my favorites with all the antlers that we incorporated! The bride's dad had quite the collection and it was really cool to be able to include such a meaningful element. This wedding was a fun one because it was centered around succulents and pinecones...not a very traditional pair and it turned out so awesome! And this wedding had some seriously sweet rustic touches, including incorporating their own brand! What kind of rustic wedding would it be without some cowboy boots?? I loved this post on knotsvilla and all their Bridal Boot shots. King Ranch has some amazing options for rustic wedding footwear for you and your man!
Haha, okay so that title might sound a little dramatic, but it was my reality! This story has a happy ending, but it's a good example of events that can go on behind the scenes and sometimes it's just out of your florist's control! So this story begins in July, when the sweetest bride sent me an inquiry on doing florals for her October wedding. The first question she asked was whether I could get burgundy dahlias and if they were in season. I told her yes! Of course they're in season and I can get them and it was going to be so pretty! I remember her saying another florist had said they would be out of season and thinking how weird because they are definitely in season and it would be no problem. Fast forward to the week of the wedding and the day my flowers were being shipped out, my rep called me to say that all the burgundy dahlias that had come in were moldy and mushy and I was getting 0/the 60 dahlias I had ordered! No panicking yet though, because there's actually a farm about an hour and a half from me that had some gorgeous burgundy dahlias. So I get off the phone and call them and was told they were using all their burgundy that weekend but another farm up north might have some. So I waited to hear back from the second farm and was told they just sold out of all their burgundy dahlias! So then I began to panick haha. I immediately started reaching out to my floral contacts across the country. I called farms and wholesalers in CA, AZ, UT, NM, CO, TX, OH, FL, NY...all in the hopes of finding someone who could overnight me some burgundy dahlias! You guys, before I even asked if they had them, I started getting the response, 'Let me guess, you're looking for burgundy dahlias?' Haha, are you kidding me?? The world was out! Haha or at least the country. The demand was WAY above supply for the week and I had the short end of the stick. Finally, I decided I would go down to the nearby farm and see what they had. Amazingly, they had a few stems of burgundy dahlias but I ended up being able to get some white and purple dahlias. What I planned to do next, I do not recommend!! But as a last resort, and in a pinch, there is some fresh floral spray paint that can be used to make flowers the color you want them. So, on my way home, I went to a few stores looking for this paint. Well, surprise! It can't be found! I even had stores looking up other stores in New Mexico and it was out of stock everywhere! I had to get home to take care of the flowers that WERE coming in but as soon as I got home, I found a store online, about 1 1/2 hours away, that carried this paint. I was able to get some the next day and spent the day painting flowers :) So here's the end result: Let me just say, I'm grateful to have had an understanding bride who trusted me for her big day! And to be honest, I thought it was so cool, that if any body HAD dahlias to send me overnight, they could've! It's such an amazing thing to be able to do. That being said, I'm almost nervous to share this story, because this was not a typical situation. Normally, I -or any other florist- would get a nice substitute. But when my bride had only been specific about that one thing, I had to try everything I could think of to make it happen! But, seriously, from a florist to a bride, don't be afraid of plan B's or even plan C's! Hopefully you have a florist you can trust that has your vision and best interests in mind and everything will turn out amazing :D Happy planning, brides!! Photos courtesy of Lisa's Design Studio
The fact that I'm currently sitting in my home with the AC turned off, the doors and windows open, feeling the calmest breeze means Fall *might* have finally arrived in Southern New Mexico! I mean, we've been pretending for the last few weeks by plugging in the fall scentsy, but 90 degree weather was a little hard to ignore, haha! The forecast says it may be coming back but I'm allowed to live in denial wearing leggings, boots, and a cardigan for a day or two, right??
Haha maybe the weather won't let me fully embrace this beautiful time of year, but with the Fall wedding season in full swing, I'm still able to get my fix! There's just something about the deep, romantic tones of Fall that make me so giddy and translate so well into a gorgeous wedding color scheme! And with the color trends this year, you can't go wrong! I have got you covered when it comes to bringing your dream Fall wedding to life with the most perfect fall color schemes through flowers and wedding fashion! First up, orange and beige. I don't know what screams Fall more than the color orange! And beige is the perfect neutral compliment by subtly bringing out those rich tones. And it's super easy to incorporate these colors in a classy way! First of all, a man just looks good in a beige suit, amiright?? What I love about this color scheme is that you still get the greens and oranges of fall without looking like a freshly picked pumpkin ;) Although, using pumpkins in wedding decor is a super cute way to add to your fall theme!
If you're wondering how to incorporate that beautiful orange color without looking like Halloween, these are some gorgeous blooms that will add the perfect touch. From left to right, we have scabiosa pods (some of my favorite to use for that awesome texture!), Quicksand roses - the perfect beige color, Cappuccino roses (aren't they beautiful??), airplants - very cool for texture and to get that sage green color, orange dahlias, and pincushion protea, a very cool tropical flower.
Next up, plum and grey. I love this color scheme trend because using grey as a compliment to the deep plum color just makes it pop like nothing else can! There are so many way to incorporate the color grey and the thing about a grey suit is that it looks good on every guy! Grey ribbon for your bouquet is another great way to just tie it all in! (See what I did there ;)
Here are a few examples of some beautiful blooms to go along with this color scheme. From left to right, we have some pretty pink astilbe, gorgeous "fuchsia" carnations, burgundy anemones, some lacey or broadleaf dusty miller - which adds amazing textures and a pretty greyish color, some fun Silver Brunia, and the most amazing white protea!
Last, but certainly not least, we bring you navy and marsala. This may be my favorite color trend this year! Navy is becoming huge in wedding color trends and I am obsessed! Fun fact: at my wedding, using navy as a color was a little unheard of. We requested navy table runners and they had to be special ordered because none of the local linen companies carried such a thing! The venue has since told us that they show pictures of our wedding as an example of why all linen companies *should* carry navy :)
Watch for an upcoming blog post on just how big marsala and burgundy is right now. I'll give you a hint: it's about me literally searching the country for a specific color of flower and not being able to find ANY because every place was all sold out!! It has a happy ending, but it seems that growers and vendors alike severely underestimated the understandable popularity of this gorgeousness!
An obvious way to bring out the navy is with some navy suits. (Insert all the heart eyed emojis). I don't know what it is, but something about that dark navy just makes me swoon. The dark navy is such a good neutral because it's not as harsh as black but it still brings that bold look. Paired with some gorgeous deeps reds and marsala...it brings the perfect transition from summer to fall and even from fall to winter! Here are some examples of some gorgeous flowers that will pack that punch. From left to right we have a gorgeous garden rose, some red amaranthus - with amazing texture, of course the burgundy dahlia that is so hot right now, some incredible cymbidum blooms, viburnum berries - to get that blue in there, and some eucalyptus pods
Oh how I love a wedding in fall! Don't be afraid to mix and match but these are some hot color trends that can get you started. Shoutout to Red Mountain for being my favorite and for taking amazing pictures of their product for me to borrow :) One of the many things I enjoy is introducing brides to flowers they may not know are available or even know they even exist! The examples listed are just a tiny percentage of what's out there, so if you are looking for more ideas, don't be afraid to ask your florist!
Thanks for reading and, as always, happy wedding planning!
I can't even believe that I've been married for 6 years this month! It sees like such a short time, but so much has happened since that day! As much of a whirlwind as that day was, I remember it like it was yesterday and what a great day it was! Having planned and coordinated everything by myself, I remember it fondly and am pretty proud with how it turned out! I was the ultimate DIY bride and I love to share what I did to save money and have a beautiful wedding without skimping ;) So here it is! 3 ways I saved money on my own DIY wedding:
#1: I had so many ideas on what I wanted for a cake. After talking with the caterer and my cake decorator, I thought it would be fun to have a cake bar instead of a tiered wedding cake. That way, I could have multiple flavors, designs, and basically 5 "tiers" of cake for a fraction of the cost of a tiered wedding cake!
#1a: I also made my own cake stands. (Chargers+candle sticks in different heights from Hobby Lobby) + a little E6000 = a pretty cute cake spread if I do say so myself.
#2: In lieu of a rehearsal dinner, we opted for a luncheon after the ceremony with our closest family and friends. It was held at the same venue as our evening reception so we didn't have to rent a different room, and we could use all the same centerpieces for the reception in the evening. It worked out well as we took pictures with family and around the venue during the turn around time between the two events.
#2a: These simple centerpieces were so easy to do! While I did buy some vintage bottles from antique shops and ebay, most were actually wine and other alcohol bottles collected for free at a recylery and a restaurant that my sister worked at at the time. Shoutout to my sister for grabbing those for me :* The mason jar centerpieces were easy as well. The jars were borrowed from family and neighbors who do their own canning :)
#3: If you have family or friends that want to help out, take advantage!! Since we had a big luncheon and fed our family and friends, we had a variety of "appetizers" served for the reception - which should probably be considered tip #3a ;) My aunts and my grandmas asked me how they could help with the big day. They were assigned to make a couple batches of their favorite cookies which were displayed on the buffet table in these awesome hurricane vases! It worked out so perfectly for those wanting something sweet without having to wait until the wedding cake was served ;)
#3a (or b? ;) : These hurricanes were owned by the venue and we were able to use them at no extra cost. If you have a decor idea but don't want to buy vases or other supplies, it's worth checking out what the venue already has available!
These are just some other details that were super cheap! These jam jars were super cost effective in bulk and I made the tags myself! The frames for our picture table were so fun to gather by shopping at thrift stores and have made a fun addition to our home decor as we switch out the photos as our family grows :)
You can see the blog post on my wedding here. Do you have your own tips or questions about anything else we did? Let me know in the comments! Happy planning!
I remember when I first heard about Pinterest. I was in the middle of planning my own wedding and had no clue what it was and why I could only join if someone invited me! Somehow I pulled off planning my whole wedding without the ease of typing key words into that Pinterest search bar. But not long after, a bride asked me to look at her Pinterest board to see what she had in mind for flowers and I couldn't stop! You guys, Pinterest is amazing, and I'm totally obsessed! Seriously, for me, the perfect Sunday activity is scrolling through finding new recipes, crafts, funny or inspirational sayings...From educational ideas to keep my toddler busy to planning my next vacation, Pinterest is my new Google! And yes, while I've already planned and executed my own wedding, you can bet that I have a "wedding" Pinterest board, along with a board specific to wedding flowers ;) There's no doubt that Pinterest is an amazing tool when planning your wedding! So many ideas from all over the place that you can pin to your virtual inspiration board and easily access it whenever you want! But believe it or not, it has some major downfalls for the modern bride. I'm here to tell you what they are and how to avoid them! #1. Trying to Replicate Inspiration One of the first questions I ask all my brides is if they have inspiration pictures to show me so I can understand more fully what they are looking for. Obviously, finding inspiration on Pinterest is not a bad thing! I do it all the time, but what a bride should know is that it's nearly impossible to re-create an image exactly. Especially when working with flowers! This is because no two flowers are the same, just as no two floral designers design exactly the same way! Some good advice is to focus less on replicating a photo exactly and instead be open - and comfortable - with the fact that inspiration photos are meant to be used as a starting point for a new interpretation. Remember that your floral design is an artist that wants to create something unique and special just for you! #2. Mistaking Inspiration for Reality While we're talking about inspiration, it's common for a bride to fall in love with a "pin" of a bouquet before finding out the seasonality or cost of the florals pictured. This can often lead to disappointment. As a florist who has been featured in a few blogs and editorials, I can tell you that these blooms are typically high-end blooms. We tend to "show-off" our skills and the flowers we can get in these "editorial-worthy" shoots that are getting "pinned" around Pinterest by thousands of people. In other words, what can look like an average, everyday wedding that you'll find over and over on Pinterest is usually a little more over-the-top. Which brings me to.... #3. Underestimating the Cost
Brides searching for inspiration on Pinterest aren't all in the same financial bracket, but with it being so readily available to everyone, it's as if we are shopping in the same store but not seeing any price tags! We all want the same standard without thinking about what it costs. Your floral designer should be able to guide to you the right blooms that are available and within your budget for your big day, yet still stick to the over all feel of your Pinterest board ;) #4. Being Inflexible I often get brides who want to incorporate a specific type of flower in their wedding florals, especially after seeing it pop up in bouquet after bouquet on Pinterest. But there are times when a florist can do everything in his or her power and still not be able to get the flower of choice (or as many as needed or within budget). Being open to a few options and trusting your florist will bring a lot less frustration than refusing to compromise. So, Pinterest may be stretching the truth a bit, but you can still use it to your advantage! Cortney Dryden, from cortinsession.com has some great advice. She says to create two separate wedding boards: one that you can pin every imaginable source of inspiration and one with actual ideas you will use. The second can function as your virtual bulletin/vision board for real life decor, dresses, flowers, etc. that you have cost-checked. The less detail-oriented board can be presented to vendors to effectively communicate your wedding's color scheme and overall feel. Cortney says, "The main thing you must always keep in mind is your wedding is not in competition with anyone else’s, especially the ones on Pinterest. There are beautiful weddings at every price point and yours will be no different." Can't put it better than that!! For more tips you can look at these articles on theknot.com and bridalguide.com I believe everyone should be able to describe their wedding style in 3-5 words. Why so few? Being able to describe your wedding briefly and effectively will help keep your vendors on track during the planning process. That being said, as trends come and go, sometimes the words used to describe them also change with the times. So, I decided to create my own version of a wedding style dictionary to help brides better communicate the style of their wedding.
What do you think?? Did you pretty much know all the definitions or did you learn something new?? This definitely isn't the "end all be all" of wedding styles, so if you have one you'd like to add, let me know! Happy wedding planning!!
Raise of hands, how many of you have hired a florist to help design an event? It's not uncommon for this to be a first time experience for a bride! If you're anything like me, it's normal to leave a meeting and think of questions you wish you had asked! So this post is to help you know how to be prepared to meet with your florist and feel confident in your choice! Let's get to it! Question #1: Have you done many weddings? Why does this matter? What you're really asking here is: Do you know what you're doing? Experience is usually a good indicator of expertise, and that's important because you want to make sure they can guide you through the process easily Question #2: Can I see examples of your work? Why does this matter? Pictures of past bouquets and designs will let you know exactly what the florist is capable of and how it compares with your vision. Something to consider when seeing their work, though, is having them tell you if the photo was something they consider their style or if it was the couple's vision. Neither answer is bad--if you love the look, you know they're capable of recreating it; if you hate it, ask to see something they think is reflective of their own style. Question #3: What happens to the flowers after the wedding? Why does this matter? When you hire a florist, typically you're quoted a price that includes the vases or other containers you'll be renting for the event. This means, that while the blooms are your to keep, the containers will be going home with the florist. If you're interested in re-using the flowers for a day-after brunch or something of the sort, you'll want to discuss this with your florist. They can often work in the additional cost for the vases. Question #4: How far in advance do I need to secure your services? Why does this matter? Due to the nature of ordering and receiving flowers, this answer will be different for different florists. If the florist has a shop and receives orders weekly or even bi-weekly, they may be more flexible in the amount of time they need to secure your specific order. If they only place custom orders, they may need a specific amount of lead time to be able to order, receive, and process the flowers you want. This will also vary depending on the amount of events your florist takes on and how far in advanced they are booked. Question #5: What is the deposit required to secure my date? When is payment due? Why does this matter? This seems obvious, but it's very important to be on the same page as far as how much and when payments are due! You don't want to be blindsided by receiving a bill that you didn't expect. This will also help you with your wedding prep timeline. Question #6: What is your refund policy, if for some reason I need to cancel my order? Why does this matter? This is always a question to ask before signing a contract. Should any plans change, you definitely want to make sure you know what to expect ahead of time. Asking this questions will alleviate any miscommunication on the subject. Question #7: How do you charge? Flat fee or per item?
Why does this matter? Knowing how they charge will help you know where your budget will go. If they charge a flat fee, you want to make sure it's all in your budget. If they charge per item, it may be easier to do a custom order and work within your budget to get what you want. Question #8: Can you work within my budget? Why does this matter? If you're not upfront about your budget now, you won't be able to pay the floral bill later. Florists want to work with you, not against you. We don't expect you to know what flowers cost, but open communication is best for everyone! P.S. see this blog post to get an idea of how to budget for flowers :) Question #9: Are the flowers I want in season? If not, can you recommend substitutes? Why does this matter? Choosing flowers that don't grow during the same season as your wedding can cost you a pretty penny, so ask about the availability of the flowers you want. If off-season flowers will break your budget, ask for recommendations for in-season florals that have a similar appearance. Question #10: Can I change my mind? Why does this matter? It’s probably not a good idea to have a complete change of heart about your flowers a week before your wedding! However if you are booking your florist very far in advance then agree a cut-off date for final decisions.
I hope this helps you feel prepared and confident in meeting with your floral designer! There are so many things and people that have to work together when planning and designing and event. Having confidence in your vendors will give you peace of mind and will help make planning your wedding more fun and less stressful :) Happy planning! Guys... Deming, New Mexico may not seem like much, but I fell even more in love with New Mexico when we pulled up to Keeler Farms the day of this shoot! I mean, look at it!! Now I want to have a second wedding and I want to have it here! Also, my husband, who likes to tag along on my styled shoots, has decided he wants to buy a farm :D Anyways, ugh, I'm so excited about this shoot! A few months ago, I had the idea to highlight a few wedding venues in southern New Mexico in a blog post, because they are hard to find!! I wanted to show brides that beautiful weddings are achievable in our little corner of the southwest :) I approached a few photographers about real weddings they had shot down here, and little did I know, Erin, from Sunshine Picture Project, was working on a similar project! Erin told me she was working with Kursty from Keeler Farms on putting together a styled shoot to show off their Keeler Farms as a new premier wedding and event venue. I told her I would love to feature it on my blog when they were done, but I also snuck into the convo that if they were looking for a florist, I was available! Haha, I was super excited when they asked if I would help with their project! Even if that meant I was 38 weeks pregnant and literally praying I wouldn't go into labor until after the shoot! Haha! Love these behind-the-scenes shots that Erin got :) Okay, so now onto the real pretties!! Kursty did an amazing job styling everything! It was so fun to use such bright colors, and Erin did an incredible job at capturing it all! It was so fun to have some of my friends be our models for the shoot! Mandy and Russell did an amazing job! You can see why I can't wait to work with any of these girls again! They are amazing and I'm so glad to have met them and made some new friends with this project that all speaks to our passion!
Vendors: Venue - Keeler Family Farms keelerfarms.com/keeler-family-events instagram: @keelerfarms Styling - Kursty Keeler Pickup instagram: @kkeelerpickup Photography - Sunshine Picture Project http://www.sunshinepictureproject.com/blog instagram: @sunshinepictureproject Cake - Melanie's Sweets and Treats www.facebook.com/MelaniesSweetsnTreats instagram: @melanies_sweetsandtreats Okay, so remember the last styled shoot I posted about was taken about 20 minutes from my house, at White Sands National Monument? Well, Lincoln National Forest is like, 30 minutes the opposite direction. Yeah, I live in the coolest place! :D But this styled shoot was a little different than previous ones because it was specifically for the March Volume II issue of Sheeba Magazine! So I'm super excited to share these photos!! Jess Jones is a talented photographer in El Paso, TX and I was so flattered when she asked me to help her out with this shoot! Meri Palko was our model, also living in El Paso. It was fun to get to know them while passing off the flower crown :) I'm seriously having so much fun working with these photographers in New Mexico! I've got some more awesome projects in the works, so stayed tuned!! Photographer: Jess Jones
website: www.jessjonesphotos.com Facebook: @jessjonesphotos Instagram: @jessjonesphotos Model: Meri Palko Instagram: @meripalko |
Hello!I'm a wedding + event floral designer here to help with your basic wedding planning needs :) Thanks for reading! If you like what you see, feel free to contact me for a consult. Archives
April 2020
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