Morrocan Dream - A Tablescape

This color palette I just can't get enough of. As usual my incredible crew at Mike Larson Inc. caught my intentions beautifully in their images.

Have I said recently how critical good photography is to your wedding - I am DOA without it in my business. I owe much of our success to great photography and Mike and his associates are some of the very best. Notice the lighting here too - Kramer Entertainment washed the walls of the studio in fabulous shades of magenta and amber - it completed the atmosphere and set the tone for a really great evening.

Chocolate = Shoes: Friday Resource Guide

Oooooh la la - be still my heart!!!

I'm afraid of have succumbed to tweeting on twitter. I have found so many wonderfully creative sites, blogs and exceptional wedding items and incredible professionals loving what they do.

Today - I found Bliss Bridal Shoes - stunning, couture wedding shoe designs (think - beyond Cinderella's glass shoe). If you have a "thang" for shoes like I do - you have got to take a look! I don't like chocolate (don't ask), but from what I understand from all of you chocoholics out there and living in my house, shoes are my "chocolate". There is a physical reaction when I see something wonderful, I crave them when I have a hankering form a little "som'in, som'in" and would rather buy shoes than anything else.

These are really profoundly awesome. Thank you to my new Twitter Pal Tamara - shoe designer extraordinaire (can you think of a better job?? - OK - mine!), for sending over these pictures of chocolate -- I mean shoes.

And for those of you not twittering yet - come join us!

panacea event floral design: BloomDiva

BlissBridalShoes

Chartreuse, Aubergine & White Blooms @ Robert Hall Winery

Easter weekend we had a fabulous wedding at Robert Hall Winery along with some of my favorite professionals - the foundation to any great event. First, Robert Hall is really a beautiful venue with so many options for weddings and they have gone out of their way to provide excellent value to their bridal packages. My gal pal Jennie over at Trumpet Vine Catering provided artfully presented food with her usual epicurean flare. Kramer Entertainment provided grooving tunes AND lighting for the caverns (did I happen to say they are now doing lighting??!!). Amber Karson Event Planning handled all of the planning from Washington DC - she rocked it! And the incredibly talented Allyson Magda of Allyson Magda Photography captured these images and shared them with us. Every time I get photos from Allyson - it is like Christmas - images are everything, incredible images - priceless! Thank you to all for being the excellent team players you are and coming together to bring Chris and Buffy a fabulous wedding day.

Ode to Peonies

I'm in love again! Of course, every other week I fall - I'm easy - what can I say? I fall hard and am usually totally enraptured - the smell, the feel, the look - oh my! Blooms of course... this week the focus of my complete affection: PEONIES!

Probably the most asked for bloom from my brides - even in August - everyone loves their full, feminine and voluptuous form. There, frankly, is nothing quite like them - and sadly, such a limited bloom time. They're special - they need the cold of a good winter freeze to bring forth their glory in the spring.

This is definitely one of the most memorable flowers from my childhood. My mother grew them along the cool side of our home as too much sun can weaken their delicate stems. I remember trying to hurry their bloom along, peeling back the outer skin of that tight round head - to coax out that big fluffy burst of petals - and the intoxicating fragrance.

My bride this week has taken the peony and run with it - though we are only designing her personal flowers for her - she has stayed true to her love of peonies - and has kept the high visual impact that they provide - simple, clean and bold using shades of pink blooms for the bridal party, against black cocktail dresses - amazing. Though a huge pink peony on the groom's lapel is probably not appealing to the groom and his men (I'm not sure that even George in all his masculinity could pull that off) - we have selected some fabulous ranunculus in hot pink to cluster for some dynamic boutonnieres (don't get me wrong, that still requires a secure dude!).


Peonies have been around for about 4000 years and probably originated in China with the Chinese name "Sho Yo" meaning most beautiful. In Japan they have been a long held symbol of prosperity. Some incredible myths come from the Greeks - all surrounding this incredible plant and it's blooms. During the middle ages in Europe, the peony's healing powers were considered a "panacea" for almost every ailment. Ok - sorry I am a complete history dork - but if you want to find more information on this lush bloom's history, check out these sites:
La Pivoinerie, Munkin Nursery, Tulips Talk