Wedding Flowers with Divine Design by Mandy

Finding gorgeous flower inspiration is pure joy but actually getting down to business and choosing, designing and coordinating your blooms is a whole other hurdle to jump. How are you supposed to know the difference between a peony Or foxglove? How to maximize your blooms depending on the season—and on a tight budget? That’s where your florist comes in and saves the day and your budget. Not to mention countless hours of second guessing your decisions. Trust your florist, and their expertise.

Many brides will bring photos from magazines and Pinterest to the consultation which is fantastic. However, it’s nearly impossible to re-create an image exactly, so my advice is focus less on replicating a photo and instead be open and comfortable with the fact that all your inspiration is meant to be used as a springboard for a new interpretation and design.

One of the biggest flower mistakes couples make is not being open-minded to color palettes and flower choices. Many times they have a set color palette [and florals] in mind, but don’t know about other cool, rare blooms that happen to be in season at the time of their wedding. The best couple is one who can be loose and flexible with their floral choices, then your florist can find the most beautiful blooms possible to create the perfect bouquet for their wedding day. Your planner will know just the right details to share with your vendors to ensure the overall design concept is complete.

We have asked one of our local florist, Mandy Miller, of Divine Designs by Mandy for some insight. Mandy has been a florist in Oklahoma for over 17 years and brings lots of experience in all things wedding décor to the table.

What ideas can the florist offer to make your wedding flowers unique? “As a floral designer, who specializes in weddings, every piece I design is custom and created for each client’s unique needs. I encourage my clients to think of their wedding flowers as accessories to complement the overall style of the wedding. I try to encourage that my clients make the most of their budget by allowing me to determine the flowers included in the floral collection, based on their color scheme, individual style, and season.”

What is your signature wedding bouquet style? “My design aesthetic is Romantic. I prefer wedding bouquets to be full of gorgeous blooms in shades that either complement the wedding gown or offer a wow factor by using high impact color.”
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Mandy 2

Thank you Mandy for that wonderful advice, and for sharing a few photos of our gorgeous bouquests. Want to schedule an appointment to discuss your wedding day flowers? You can check out her website at Divine Design by Mandy.

 

Too Blessed to Be Stressed!

It’s a universal truth – wedding planning is stressful. With an endless list of decisions to be made, from the décor to the dress to the catering and everything in between, the stress can pile on at lightning-fast speeds. One minute, you’re trying to choose between roses and ranunculus, and before you know it, you’ve fallen down the Pinterest hole, scrolling between 19 slightly different shades of pink petals while stress eating wedding cake samples.

With that being said, there are more than a few items on your wedding checklist that guests pay far less attention to than you think. Instead of driving yourself crazy over the teeniest details, save yourself the headache (and probably a few bucks, too) by knowing what really matters to your guests, and more importantly, what doesn’t.

LET’S START WITH THE DRESS – It’s not what you wear but how you wear it, so as long as you’re comfortable and feel like your best, most beautiful self, well, that’s sounds just PERFECT. When the  bride is rocking a beautifully tailored gown that makes her look and feel like the goddess she is its gonna be a great night. (same goes for the wedding party as well)

Bridesmaids -

Bridesmaids –

NERVOUS ABOUT YOUR FIRST DANCE- Tackle a few moves that you feel 100% comfortable performing, no matter how simple, and watch the pressure just melt away. Great for you, great for your guests and great for your wedding photos… Everyone wins!

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So what do guests care most about?

1) The Ceremony:

It goes without saying that guests will be overjoyed to watch the happy couple proclaim their love and be joined in wedded bliss – I mean, it’s kind of the whole point – but the crowd may start to get restless during a long, drawn-out ceremony. One of the most common guest complaints is having to sit through a too-long production, so keep it short and sweet (roughly 30 minutes or less) for a happy clan.8

2) The Food:

Enjoying a decadent meal with loved ones is a treat for guests, so make sure your food choices are crowd pleasers. A fantastic meal will keep those good vibes going, but a bad one could really bring down the mood. In addition, be sure to offer options for vegetarians or those with common allergies, like gluten and nuts.BridalifeStyle_Sping-Summer-2015-39

3) The Drinks:

Weddings and booze go together like peanut butter and jelly. Bottom line: Keep the drinks flowing, because there’s nothing that wedding guests hate more than the liquor well running dry. Forgoing the fully stocked bar is fine; an edited menu of Champagne, wine, beer and one or two specialty cocktails will keep guests in high spirits all night long.wine rack ice sculpture

4) The Music:

The tunes will be going strong from the first arrivals through the last dance, so make sure your music list is on point, especially once guests start hitting the dance floor. Skip the chicken dance and opt for fun, contemporary tunes that everyone is sure to know and love to unite the crowd and get people moving.amytimblog-63

5) The Venue:

Common sense is the key here. Skip the outdoor venue during the hottest, most humid days of summer, and likewise, choose an indoor spot during the fall and winter months when temps may be chilly. Outside of the climate, a unique venue is something they’ll also care about, particularly if the journey to your wedding is a trek for some of your far-flung guests. A seriously cool spot is much more of a draw than, say, Hotel Ballroom #3, don’t you think?

Hopefully this guide to what guests truly care about can seriously help refocus your energy during the planning process. When in doubt, take a breath, heed our advice, and above all else, remain calm!

 

Keeley + Chris Viva la Ranch “The Barn”

Amazing day captured by Brittany Ashton Photography! These photos speak volumes on their own but we want to give you the behind the scenes scoop of how the day unfolded. Keeley & Chris feel in love with the rustic charm of Vive la Ranch aka “the barn” on the very first site tour.
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The weather was absolutely perfect for an outdoor wedding by the water.  Just as the couple pictured their fairytale day.

Surrounded by there closest family and friends the vow, promises and rings were exchanged. And the celebration began!
Lots of fun for everyone at the outdoor photobooth.