Julia & Jackson’s Bright & Fun Tropical Disco Wedding

December 22nd, 2021

Originally scheduled for 2020, and then rescheduled, and then rescheduled again (thanks Covid), we were so thrilled to finally get Julia & Jackson to the altar.

And what an altar it was!

We created this suspended tropical installation with #nofloralfoam, as per usual, and incorporated disco balls, dahlias, and a few veeeery special anthuriums from our friends at Haus of Stems.

How cute is this flatlay? The paper goods- designed by Julia Walck herself, were incredible, and they were styled to perfection by Mary Costa Photography.

So, let’s talk about Julia’s super eclectic bouquet. It features a hot pink phalaenopsis orchid, local dahlias, rudbeckia, and sunflowers, AND those ridiculously amazing anthuriums from Haus of Stems, AND tropical accents like ginger, monstera, and birds of paradise.

Color, texture, personality- this bouquet has it all, and then some!
It’s my maximal tropical garden dream bouquet. For real.

We kept the personals bright & fun, in sunset sherbet shades of yellow, pink, orange, & red. Those tiny air plants in the bouts? Chef’s kiss for the cuteness!

Fun fact: when you incorporate air plants or tiny succulents into your personals, you can keep them post wedding or event.

I think the chamomile on this wrist cuff corsage also understood the cuteness assignment.

In the before times, we actually didn’t have any ceremony decor on our order! Site-specific installations are my jam though, so I was thrilled when Julia & Jackson added this hanging floral installation a few months before their wedding.

Even more so, because they let me do my thing when I politely inquired if they would mind if I hung a bunch of disco balls in it. I know, I know…who can say no to a bunch of disco balls?

I probably say it in every blog post, but this shot is always one of my favorites! That post-ceremony, superexcitedwehavetostopandkiss moment when the couple is recessing up (down?!) the aisle.

Aren’t they just perfection- the dress, the crown, the makeup, the suit, the tie, the love. Every last detail!

Kinda like it just grew there, huh?

THE FRINGE. I bow down to you Rachel Burke.

And now would be a good time to talk about hiring a wedding planner who really gets you.

Holly of Anything But Gray Events always understands the assignment. AND how cute is it that she surprised Julia & Jackson with these perfectly colorful & coordinated fringe balloons on their wedding day?

Get yourself a Holly.

Julia’s boots are everything. And as a boot bride myself…all the heart eyed emojis.

The color continues…all the way to the ceiling in this fabulous balloon installation by the one-and-only Marla, of Balloonzilla.

More fabulous paper goods. More colorful blooms. And the custom drink stirrers?
Best day ever indeed!

We mixed these cute and colorful tropical mini arrangements with bud vases of bright blooms, and of course, more disco balls!

More pressed-flower cake perfection from my pal Nicole of Nicole Bakes Cakes.

And one more gratuitous bouquet shot.
Because Mary Costa really is the best.

It was so much fun to bring the flower magic to this colorful wedding day.
Julia & Jackson- we’re wishing you a lifetime of dancing with joy (and disco balls)!

Published!

Check out more of Julia & Jackson’s Tropical, Disco Ball, Colour Pop Wedding over on Rock n Roll Bride!

Magic Makers:

Venue: Valentine / Planning: Anything But Gray Events / Photography: Mary Costa Photography / Videography: Elevate Films / Floral Design: Winston & Main / Catering/Bar: Border Grill / Cake: Nicole Bakes Cakes / DJ: RedShoe / Balloons: Balloonzilla / Paper Goods: Julia Walck / Rentals: La Pinata Party Rentals / Photobooth: Classic Photo Booths / Valet: White Label Valet / Shuttle: Riz Transportation / Dress: Willow by Watters / Alterations: Deborah Lindquist / Jacket: Rachel Burke / Crown: Carbickova Crowns / Boutique: Lovely Bride / Wedding Party Beauty: Face It Sugar / Family beauty: Betsy diFrancesca / Suit: Friar Tux / Officiant: Great Officiants /

You Deserve Joy Too!

November 14th, 2021

Hey event pros! And especially my solopreneur friends…

You deserve joy too.
You know, the kind you’re SO good at bringing to your clients.

So as 2021 speeds by in a sleepless blur of beautiful events-
Take a moment.
Close your eyes and picture something that brings you joy or makes you reeeeeeally happy.

Then ask yourself:

How am I making space for joy in my life AND my schedule?

Wedding boom or not…
What do you want 2022 to look like?

You have the power, and you get to paint that picture for yourself.
But you gotta do it now.
You gotta get joy on the calendar.

Maybe you want to jump on this wedding boom full force and book 80 events next year.
If that’s what you really want- awesome, do it.

And start setting up all the systems you need to support your own joy in making that happen NOW.

BUT

If that’s not in your heart, if that thought doesn’t thrill you, if you’re exhausted now and quickly headed for burnout…
Please don’t do it.

In the event industry, we’re in the business of amazing customer service.

Not good enough service.
Not lukewarm service.
Not so-so service.
Not “I guess they were okay” service.

We’re in this is the best day of your life, everything has to be perfect, we are going to blow your minds and then some service.

So it’s hard to say no.
But please start saying no.

No to unrealistic budgets.
No to meetings you don’t have the time to follow up on.
No to booking multiple events per weekend and then feeling sick over how to do it all.
No to working every weekend, if that’s not what you want.

You do an amazing job– you bring + amplify joy in this world and that is not a little thing.
So please take the time to serve yourself in the same way.

You deserve joy too.

Do this now:
1. Identify 3 things that bring you joy. Keep them small. Write them down.
2. Put one of them on your calendar for this week now.

I’d love to hear what you just put on your calendar.

5 Tips for a More Earth Friendly Flower Business

July 26th, 2021

The BOOM is here. Weddings, events, activations are all booking up and booking out- in fact our calendar is full for 2021 and our weddings are about 30% booked for 2022.

WILD.

One thing I know is that when we’re busy, it’s easy to rush, to throw money at problems, or just to get it done by any means necessary (caffeine, caffeine, caffeine).

Being busy makes it a lot harder to make intentional decisions.

SO….

If you’ve been meaning to make your floral biz a little more earth friendly, but don’t know where to start, here are 5 tips to get you started. Don’t be overwhelmed, just get going!

1. Eliminate Floral Foam in your arrangements.

Flowers LOVE fresh water so much better- they’ll last longer and look WAY happier at your events. Use chicken wire, flower frogs, and/or curly willow (or other branchy goodness) to create the armature for your designs.
Pro Tip: There will be some splashing during transport- pack your arrangement in reusable bins/totes and bring a small watering can to top up on arrival.

2. Shop Local

You’ll find amazing variety, and the freshest blooms from your local flower farmers. Do a little research and discover which farmers (big and small alike) grow near you and then figure out how to get your grubby florist paws on those fresh blooms! 🙂 Less travel means a lower carbon footprint AND A longer life for your blooms. We sourced these beautiful Zinnia’s from local micro-farm, Elley’s Flower Farm.

3. Repurpose/Donate your blooms After an Event

We love to send our blooms to hospice patients via the lovely Anita of Guided by Flowers. Find yourself an Anita OR call around and see if there are hospitals, convalescent homes, or community organizations who would like to enjoy your blooms.

4. Compost Green Waste

When biodegradable items (like flowers/plants/food) are tossed in the regular trash and end up at the landfill…they don’t break down the way they can/are supposed to. Make sure you are sending your compostable items to green waste (if your city offers it) and/or use a composting service to ensure that all those plants are turned into compost…instead of garbage. ps. I snapped this photo of what happens to flowers after too many events- they’re tossed straight in the garbage. BUT these are not our blooms/our event! 🙂

5. Sustainable Business Practices

Speaking to all of my floral friends, but especially my solopreneurs here: you are not a flower making machine. You’re just not. Hire help to make your days shorter, and spread the wealth around. Schedule breaks. Meal prep or have meals delivered on event weeks so that you actually eat (I do this and it’s the best!) Drink water. Take days off (and don’t respond to client emails on your days off). Schedule exercise.

It’s all too easy to hit the market before the sun rises and grind away in your studio until after dark. Step into the light my flower friends- sustainability starts with you ensuring that your business practices support you for the long haul.

If you’d like to hear more tips on sustainability from me you can grab your FREE ticket for the Wedding Series Summit: Design Edition right here!

Over 40+ speakers, panelists, and experts will be diving deep into ways to hone your design skills, and sharing actionable tips that you can implement right away.

See you there!
xo, TAB