Know Your Flowers!

As awesome as Pinterest is, we're noticed something kind of funny happening over there: a tendency to call certain beautiful blooms by the wrong name. Because we want your floral photos to be as re-pinnable as possible, the La Fleur Vintage team is here to set the record straight. Listen ladies (I'm a lady, she's a lady, you're a lady, we're the ladies!):  peonies are not garden roses are not ranunculus are not poppies are not anemones. 

We love you guys, but please don't make this mistake ever again.

Bridal Portraits

How stunning does Savanna look in her bridal portraits? 

Read on for info about the bouquet and location!

April Showers bring May Day Cones and Flowers

Ok, folks. We may have let May Day slip our minds in all the excitement over the Nature Lady and Lollipop, but these adorable cones are just as precious in the afternoon sunlight as they are in the morning (should you be tempted to recreate one and, in true May Day tradition, leave it anonymously on the doorknob of someone you're crushin' on).

Blue as Your Blood

What with pastels dominating the runways and the onset of spring, some of us here at LFV have cultivated a growing obsession with the palest of blues. This is a great color palette because its versatility can take you from delicate springtime affairs to frothy beach fetes to icy winter weddings. Scroll onward for our inspiration board! 

Clockwise from top left: 1. The most whimsical of dresses, by Claire Pettibone. 2. We couldn't resist these formal cream and ice blue invites. 3. No need for a powder blue tuxedo, gents - seersucker neckwear is a great way to tie-in (har har) your look with the rest of the event. 4. Some say blue foods are unappetizing, we say they're wrong - how lovely is this dessert bar? 5. A DIY ribbon backdrop makes a pretty focal point for the ceremony or reception. 6. Clouds of blue hydrangeas make for dreamy arrangements. 7. Tiers of ruffles and the gentlest hint of ombre - we will never get over this cake. 

Real Weddings: Monica and Carlos

Monica and Carlos were married in October 2011 at Queen of Angels Chapel, with a reception at Spicewood Vineyard, both in Spicewood, Texas. We love vineyard weddings, and this one had some really beautiful personal touches that we're excited to share with you guys! All of these beautiful images are by Finnrose Photography, a friend of the bride. 

Monica's bridal bouquet was composed of garden roses, dahlias, stock, ranunculus and anemones, all in a very soft palate of white with touches of blush and pale pink. 

We love the trend of attaching a charm or jewel to the bouquet with personal meaning to the bride.

There were three bridesmaids and two maids of honor - the maids of honor carried bouquets in the same palate as the bridal bouquet, with the bridesmaids carrying flowers in shades of pale pink. 

 

 

The reception tables had small nosegay arrangements alongside white and brown branches that coordinated with the wedding's black and ivory color story. 

Guests threw white rose petals as the couple departed for their honeymoon. How fun is this picture? Monica and Carlos look so beautiful and happy! 

Jessica and Brian at the Barr Mansion!

She-N-He have a new post on their wonderful photography blog featuring one of our couples! This wedding at the Barr Mansion involved clouds and clouds of baby's breath - a flower that sometimes gets a bad rap, but we love the look of it in great abundance. White Patience garden roses, peonies, ranunculus, stock, passion vine, rosemary, and bay laurel make up the bride's bouquet. 

Check out She-N-He's full post right here!

Elizabeth's Expert Advice: Mother Nature's Throne

With spring just around the corner, Elizabeth was inspired to make this gorgeous floral chair. We think this would make a beautiful addition to spring wedding decor, but it could be customized for any season and theme. Scroll on to learn how we did it! 

1. Remove the seat from a vintage chair - Elizabeth found this one at a market for $10! 

2. Measure the dimensions of the seat or place it on a large piece of foam to trace the exact shape. Cut out using scissors or an Exacto blade. 

3. Reinforce the foam around the edges and at regular intervals in the middle. - we used these wooden dowels but anything sturdy and glue-able will do. 

4. Using plastic garden fencing or chicken wire, measure enough to wrap around the entire seat once. Set aside.

5. Place several pieces of floral foam onto the reinforced seat, leaving a small border around the edges. Wrap in the measured piece of garden fencing or chicken wire and check that the entire piece fits well onto your vintage chair.

6. Take several pieces of moss and attach them to the foam edges, using floral glue or the moss's own sticking power. 

7. Begin inserting your flowers! We used muscari, poppies, wax flower, delphinium, ranunculus, bouvardia in bright, vibrant colors to celebrate the upcoming warm seasons. Don't worry tooo much about placement - the loose, organic look is what we're going for! 

8. For the top arrangement we used another piece of Oasis in a plastic cage and attached it to the chair with a green plastic zip-tie. We added a Garden Rose in addition to more of the previously used flowers, and finished the sides with bay laurel, eucalyptus and myrtle greens. Keep the greens in place with green wire .

9. Step back and admire!

Happy creating! 

New Arrangements

The La Fleur website is getting a snazzy new makeover! We'll be featuring updated photos of our arrangements - here's a sneak peek of some of the flowers we've been working on lately:

This bright, seasonal arrangement includes ilex berries and clematis.

These hydrangeas, scabiosa and delphinium will be available all year round.

This is a winter arrangement that includes kale and poinsettia.

This winter arrangement features purple kale alongside a purple and white flower theme.

This is for the man who wants to order for his wife our version of a dozen roses.

This sweet spring arrangement features amazing roses - not always available, but stunning when they are!

Because we specialize in stocking the freshest, most beautiful flowers available from our suppliers each week, these arrangements are only examples of the styles we can create - each order is unique and individually designed according to what's in season and what your preferences are. Take comfort in knowing that anything you order from La Fleur will be special and specifically suited for your event.

Surrounded by Perfection

It never ceases to amaze me that despite being surrounded by flowers everyday I can still find just joy in a particular flower. Whether it be the color, the smell, the delicate shape of the petals, I continue to marvel at the perfection of nature. While going to buy some much needed eucalyptus I found myself distracted by selection at one of our wholesalers. I was so distracted that I forgot what I was there to buy. Below are pictures of a few of my extra purchases.

This was the only ranunculus of the bunch to open with this delicate center visible. I couldn't resist capturing it.

I'm not normally so taken with a red flower but with the pointed petals and this cherry red color I felt as if these tulips were trying to kiss me.

One glance at this bunch of clematis and I just grabbed them. I love the leaves, the buds, the flowers, everything about them.



Weekend Preview

We have had another amazing week here at La Fleur Vintage.  We have met with too many new brides to count and booked several new weddings.  Our walk in customers are ordering flowers, and we have two weddings to complete tomorrow.  We will look forward to sharing with you the professional photographs in a couple of weeks.  Until then, here are several photos to show some real beauty.  Have a wonderful weekend. 

Garden Roses, Hydrangea, Stock, Orchids, Dahlias, Ranunculus, and Anemones.

Another soft, but more rustic bouquet of Dahlias, Roses, Scabiosa, Solidago, Misty Blue Statice, Ranunculus, Rosemary, Burplurum, Privet Berries, Eucalyptus and Astrantia. I love the soft colors!

Flowers for a New Baby Girl

Romantic Peony Bridal Bouquet

Here's a sneak peak of one of our recent weddings at the lovely Villa Antonia...

Garden Roses, Peonies, Astilbe, Ranunculus, Waxflower, Dusty Miller, English Ivy wrapped with a Bird Cage Veil

*Photo by Eric Hegwer

Inspiration!

While cleaning up my desktop this morning I got caught up sorting through mountains of saved photos and found so many pretty pics saved while planning my wedding.  Hope you enjoy!

Since these pics are from my pre-blogging days, I'm not sure of their sources.  Help me if you know where they came from!