Wedding Dogs

For many people, their pets are their best friends and they wouldn't dream of not including them in their big day.

Look at some of these fun photos where couples have included their pets in their nuptials. Your pup maybe more predictable walking down the aisle than a toddler to bear your wedding rings!

Perhaps you have heard some of the controversy in the floral industry about ordering flowers from either a real local florist versus a national company that never touches a flower, only your money.
Yes, they sometimes offer incredible prices on arrangements, but by the time you add their service fees you are where you would have been if you had called a local florist directly. They employ sales and marketing tactics that promise the world to consumers and debilitate the floral industry while pocketing their percentage.
These national companies and "order gatherers" have to broker out the orders they take to a real florist as they do not fufill the orders themselves. They retain the service fees and then the florist they send the order to only receives 73% of the amount they have collected for the arrangement alone.
There are also large national companies that drop ship flowers directly from a farm. While this would be a spectacular gift for an aspiring floral designer, it is not a spectacular gift for a loved one  who has to design their own arrangement at the office. I assure you there will not be oohs and aahs from your girlfriend's co workers on Valentine's Day when the Fed Ex man shows up will a brown cardboard box. An arrangement artfully designed by your local florist will!

As a consumer myself, this doesn't sound like a good deal to me. Why would I make someone else wealthy that has nothing to do with the service or product I am purchasing? When you purchase flowers from us the total amount you spend on the arrangement goes to the arrangement. We charge a delivery fee and sales tax and that is it. There are no hidden charges.
This brings me to customer service. We stand behind our flowers. If you are not satisfied we will do anything in our power to make you a satisfied customer. Check out this link to see some of their ratings www.floristdetective.com .
So how do you tell if a florist online is legitimate? Look at the "About Us" section on the web page. Do they list a local address in the city you are sending flowers to? Call and ask for directions to the shop. Sometimes a fraudulent local address is listed. Ask for a photo of the actual arrangement being sent. We will happily e-mail or text you a photo of the arrangement being delivered. Look for online reviews.  Is there a local phone number or strictly a toll free number? Be nosy, it's your money.

Holiday Wreaths

Ancient Romans used wreaths as a sign of victory. Some believe that this is where the hanging of wreaths on doors began.
The origins of the advent wreath are rooted in the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples who, in the darkness and cold of  December in Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light.
Wreaths are a beautiful and festive way to adorn our homes and welcome friends and family  at the holiday season. Whatever your decor is, there a wreath that will suit your style.

Fabulous living succulent wreaths.

A simple wreath of rose hips add a stunning punch of color.

A traditional evergreen wreath adorned with hydrangea, red roses, and beautiful ribbon.

Reindeer moss and pine cones create a natural and modern look.

A fun and whimsical holiday look.

Rolled pages of a book.

Metallic and very glam.

Very chic and modern.

A gorgeous look that can be used year after year.

A lush and natural fresh wreath that dries beautifully.

You didn't see your perfect look? Visit us and let us create the ideal holiday look for you!

 Our thoughts are with everyone enduring the hardships from the storms on the east coast. Our hearts go out to those that have lost loved ones and have had their communities devastated.

Tropical Wedding Flowers

Yes, traditional wedding flowers such as peonies, roses, and hydrangeas are gorgeous, romantic, and timeless, but I really love it when a bride is prepared to do something different!
Don't get me wrong, I do not love traditional brides any less. Professionally and artistically it is fun to do something less traditional though.
Check out some of these bouquets that are beautiful and unique as well.

This a fabulous fall bridal bouquet that includes burgundy scabiosa, burgundy anthurium, deep red roses, and dusty miller. It has a tropical touch with the anthurium, and a little edge with the dark color palette.

Lime green a fun and versatile color. Are you thinking "Lime green is versatile?" ? It is great with pink, purple, lavender, white, black, red, burgundy.....It makes other colors pop and and wedding photographs are vibrant. These great green anthurium and green cymbidium orchids are tropical but still work well in all wedding styles.

Fern curls are a great way to add texture and interest to both centerpieces and bridal bouquets. The photo above features cobra lilies, white anthurium, and interesting foliage.

My next post will you show you some tropical weddings that are far less traditional!

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. This is the time of year I truly miss living in Chicago. I miss the cool crisp weather, sweaters, leaves changing colors, fires in the fireplace, and the abundance of the season.
Living in Las Vegas definitely affords a different autumn experience. It is still breaking the hundred degree mark regularly, so it makes it difficult to find fall inspiration yet.

Yesterday I purchased a couple of fantastic heirloom pumpkins complete with gnarly stems and an abundance of warts. Some interesting pumpkins and gourds are a great inexpensive anchor to build a beautiful autumn tablescape around.

You don't have to spend a small fortune on fall decor. Autumn lends itself to the bounty of the season. There are many beautiful natural fall elements you can incorporate into your decor very economically.

Look for pretty Bittersweet Berries, peacock or pheasant feather, autumn leaves, harvest corn, pinecones, seasonal fruit, etc. Add seasonal flowers such as sunflowers or dahlias for special celebrations.  The options are endless. 

This can also be carried out in your outdoor decor. Have fun with it and be creative!

Weddings are an expensive affair. There are so many components to factor into a wedding, it is easy to blow your budget. Below is a table to show you the average cost of a wedding today. 

We are very adaptable at A Beautiful Bouquet and can accommodate any budget. If you are in the process of planning your big day call us for a consultation. We would love to help you make your wedding day even more memorable!