A Festive Presidio Wedding

Today I had a wedding at the Presidio in San Diego just above Old Town(http://www.sandiegohistory.org/serra_museum.html).

It is an awesome, quintessential San Diego venue overlooking Old Town towards Mission Bay, La Jolla, and beyond. I can literally see the Presidio from my home and wonder on days like today why Adam, Avery, and I don't walk over there with a picnic lunch more often to enjoy the beautiful view, park, and sights.

Today's bride combined the beautiful venue with gorgeous "sunset colors" and navy blue bridesmaid's dresses (a personal favorite).

In her bouquet we used orange, flame colored calla lilies, red and orange variegated "Fiction" roses, red "Classy" roses, and ivory sweetheart roses with light red hypericum berries. The look was perfect for the setting.

If you like these colors and want other flowers to consider try rannuculas, dahlias, or cymbidium orchid blooms which come in the beautiful red, orange, and rust tones that fit a "Mission" style wedding perfectly!

Attractive "Budget-Friendly" Centerpiece Ideas

For those brides looking to for an attractive centerpiece without breaking the bank, here are some great ideas. Depending on how adventurous you are these can also be DIY options and I'll tell you how!

The cluster of three cylinder vases (11, 9, & 7 inches) can be used for multiple centerpiece ideas. Seen here with submerged red vanda orchids, you can also submerge any color orchid spray or mini calla lily and use any number of rock or marble accents to bring in a color (in this case black) that is not found in flowers.

Another option is to float a candle on top of a cluster of floating hydrangea to add extra candle light and color to your reception tables. (Flowers by Erin charges $45 for either options.)

Eiffel Tower vases are tall, thin vases that come in solid black or white, frosted white, or clear. I love adding multiple sprays of dendrobium orchids (which come in green, white, purple, lavender, light pink, or bright pink.)

Alternatively, we can arrange roses or gerber daises with bear grass to create a tall, simple centerpiece that catches the eye of everyone that walks in the room. (Flowers by Erin charges between $35-50 for these centerpiece arrangements.)

This Bride purchased the hurricane vase and candle and I provided the rose petals to be placed inside the vase. (Flowers by Erin charges $12.50 per box of rose petals.)

Placing succulents or cymbidium orchid blooms on a bed of rocks is another perfect option for a simple arrangement.

Floating dahlias or gerber daises in a five inch square glass vase is a clean, simple centerpiece or cocktail table arrangement. (Flowers by Erin charges between $15-25 for these looks.)

Passion for Plumeria

Love Plumerias? Looking for something to do this weekend? The Plumeria society is having their annual cutting sale and one of the featured growers is none other than my mom, Chris Blair!

http://www.socalplumeriasociety.com/calendar/index.html

My mom, and her garden, were featured in the San Diego Home and Garden Magazine last Spring in the article "Passion for Plumeria"

You can read the article on their website under the "garden" tab at: http://www.sdhg.net/

Meanwhile, feel free to email any questions to me and I'll pass them on. Or stop by and visit us this weekend in Balboa Park!

Fresh and Lovely Green Flower Ideas

Inspired by two recent client meetings I wanted to show off some fresh and beautiful green flowers. Yes you can do a wedding with all green flowers, and yes, it will look beautiful!

The green cymbidium orchid bloom is one of the most popular and elegant green flower. They come with both a "clear" yellowish center, and a more commonly seen burgundy or pink center.

Bells of Ireland is not a commonly known green flower and looks great accenting green bouquets and centerpieces and is a "stock-like" cut flower.

Succulent are all the rage right now! Especially in Southern California where they are indigenous to the region and becoming more popular with eco-friendly brides and gardeners. I love them!

Poppy pods are tons of fun and make great funky boutonnieres as well as accents in other arrangements.

Hypericum berries, or coffee bean, come in peach, white, red, and green and are awesome filler flowers and help create tons of texture in your arrangements.

Spider mums are a fun flower on their own, or in bouquets. They also look great placed upon your guest napkin fold or menu card at your reception.

Button mums can also make cute boutonnieres and are popular green flower. They are also cost efficient for the budget conscious bride (and really, who isn't?).

Hydrangea are one of my absolute favorite wedding flowers! They come in some amazingly beautiful colors and can stand alone, or be placed in arrangements "peeking out" between other flower to create texture and fullness.

Beautiful Burgundy Bouquets

Beautiful Burgundy Bouquets...

I love this color and in fact one of my absolutely favorite flowers is the Burgundy dahlia (I happen to love, love dahlias in general). Here you see an all dahlia bridal bouquet that was simple and elegant. Dahlias are available year round, but July thru October is when you have the most prolific color choices--- and they come in AMAZING colors. But enough about dahlias for now...

Here is the beautiful all Burgundy mini calla lily bouquet modeled by one of my best friend's Nicole. This bouquet is timeless...

This bouquet combines two beautiful, favorite flowers: the Burgundy mini calla lily and the white cymbidium orchid bloom with a Burgundy center. The bridesmaid's carried all orchid blooms and the look with classically stunning.

Lastly, this bouquet had an amazing monochromatic look that really showcased some other Burgundy flower options: rannaculas, "Black Bacarra" roses, mini gerber daisies, as well as mini calla lilies.

SD Museum of Art -- Art Alive Selction

This morning Avery and I selected our painting for the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Art Alive at the San Diego Museum of Art.

Art Alive is "A San Diego favorite and longtime tradition" where "floral designers interpret famous paintings, drawings, and sculptures through floral design."

Madonna of the Roses

Pseudo Pier Francesco Fiorentino

15th century Italy Tempera Painting

Shockingly, once we picked out our artwork Avery had a blast running around the museum and making new friends with everyone there!

Art Alive is April 29th-May 1st.

Orchids from Mom's Garden

I'm a pretty lucky florist to have access to some amazingly beautiful flowers locally grown in my Mother's garden. She spends a great deal of time and love making it such a special place and this won't be the last time I share some of her beautiful flowers...

Other than her amazing plumerias (for which she has been written up in San Diego Home and Garden Magazine), cymbidium orchids are her showcase flower. Here are some amazing colors that she has blooming now...

For those of you who have tried to grow cymbidiums (like myself) you may find that they don't spike often or prolifically, or that you get snails which eat holes in your blooms.

I sometimes buy the whole plant when arranging a wedding and have long given up on taking care of it after I cut the spikes. Instead I give them to my mom to tend and care for and sometimes I come back to the plant the following year for another springtime wedding!

Coming soon... My Blog to be linked to my website at http://www.flowersbyerin.com/

(thanks Julie!!)

Mini Calla Lily Bouquets

Here is a favorite for many brides... the Mini Calla Lily Bouquet. They come in some amazing colors and two favorites are the dark, eggplant purple and the "orange" rust or mango (seen here) which can be a lighter yellow orange, or a darker redish orange.

Year round you can always get all white mini calla lilies.

Mini calla lilies are always going to be expensive. Growers say it's all about supply and demand. Brides love these flowers and growers can't grow enough of them.

Other colors they come in are a bright yellow, pinks and peaches, purples and lavendars.

A lot of times you may see that they come in red, but be cautious about a red mini calla lily. they are not the "classy" red of a rose, but more of a purple red.

One last thing I wanted to point out was the ivy and looped bear grass. Both of these are fun and different ways to add green to your bouquet and give it a little texture with out being overwhelming. this look is great in all rose, gerber daisy, or tulip bouquets as well.