sneak peek

So... I had to show off this amazing bouquet brought to you by PETAL... what do you think?

The Royal Wedding

Now that the royal wedding is over, wedding professionals everywhere are paying close attention to the designs and style used at the Royal Wedding as they will undoubtedly set a trend for what's to come in flower fashion this Summer and Fall. Let's play dress up for a minute and step into Kate Middleton's shoes a few months ago when she met with her florist to select wedding flowers. Kate knew her style and the statement she wanted to make (which is important for every bride to think about before they meet with a florist). She went for simple, classy, and each flower chosen had a deep meaning behind it. This is what they came up with together:

From Sweet William, which was picked because of her groom's name, to Myrtle, which was used in royal wedding bouquets for centuries before Kate, each flower was selected with much thought. The final selection consisted of Lily of the Valley (which is impossible to find and $$$$), Sweet William, Hyacinth, Ivy, and Myrtle.

Of course these flowers were chosen with a royal budget, and let's face it, not everyone is fortunate enough to have the Queen foot the bill for our special event. And I know exactly what you are thinking... What are some great alternative flowers that give you a similar royal look without the royal price tag and a Petal twist of modern design?

Below are a few inspirational flowers that Petal would use for a royal wedding inspired event right here, in Central Virginia.

The first bloom I would choose is a Gooseneck a.k.a Lysimachia. It has an effortless, whimsical appeal.

http://thefullbouquetblog.com/

Next, would be Freesia. It smells wonderful and would be used to make the bouquet look organic and modern.

I couldn't put together such a feminine bouquet without using Sweet Pea. It also smells great and it's dainty.

The last flower I would use in my royal wedding inspired bouquet would be a White Dendrobium Orchid. It brings a unique touch to the bouquet without over-powering any of the other flowers.
Other White flowers I would use to compliment these in the reception decor would be Roses, Stock, Hydrangea, and Queen's Anne Lace.

Spring Flower Watch

If you have been to Target lately... it's almost too much to take in. So much suspense. All the things I love are quickly approaching. Tanning (preferably NOT from the bed but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right?), windows down on warm day, over sized sunglasses, pedicures for sandal season, removing that extra layer of tights under every skirt, and my favorite... (drum roll, please) ...SPRING FLOWERS!!!!!

Every time the seasons change I get excited about the new batch of "in season" flowers I get to use, but no season compares to Spring. I'd like to think that's why May was completely booked 6 months ago but either way, it doesn't matter as long as I get to use some of my favorites!

Spring "in season" flowers are the inspiration for this blog post. If you're getting or wanting to get married in the Spring, there is no better time than the present to start thinking about what Spring flowers best suit your style. Here are some varieties that may not be as well known but definitely should be!

Anemones are a happy, playful flower but can also be elegant. You can choose to get them with or without the black center that they are known for but are eye catching in photo's with the black "eye". They come in an array of colors such as blue, pink, white, red, and purples for those of you with bold color schemes.

Here are a few pictures to win you over.

http://www.succulentlovedesigns.com/

http://www.floralpalette.com/

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Ranunculus is one of my all time favorite flowers. It is soft, delicate, romantic, and reminds me of a mix between a Peonie and a Rose. They come in quite the variety of colors such as pink, purple, red, white orange, and yellow.

http://theardentsparrow.blogspot.com/http://swatchbookweddings.com/

http://fromportlandtopeonies.blogspot.com/

My next favorite pick is found outside of the Spring season but typically isn't used in the Fall or Winter so it's making it's annual come back around the Spring. It's cheerful, bright, unique in shape, and texturally interesting. It's called a Billy Ball or Billy Button. It only comes in Yellow so that limits who can use it but it is quite the firecracker.

http://themanysplendoredthing.blogspot.com/


http://oncewed.com/http://apartmenttherapy.com/

http://www.elizabethannedesigns.com/blog

And the last "flower" I will swoon over for this wonderful season is Naked Seeded Eucalyptus. Now, don't get any ideas. It's not what you think...it's neither naked nor Eucalyptus that you should be scared about having in your wedding flowers. It's not a flower, but rather a green that has stolen my heart. It's in season all year long so don't fret, I just have a renewed loved for it because it's the essence of romance when it comes to foilage. It's more olive in color and again, has such visual impact with it's tiny seeds that weigh down each branch. It screams love and and has an effortless appeal that I find beautiful.http://www.brownpaperdesign.com/

http://www.ruffledblog.com/page/12/

http://www.purplepuddle.com/

I could keep writing about my favorite flowers all day and browse for pictures that showcase their beauty but I should get back to working on quotes for some awesome Bride's to be instead.

Interested in being an Intern?

I have officially broken down and decided that I need some help. Good help. The kind that can only be found in an intern.

So if you are in school and your heart desires nothing more than to be a small, yet intricate part of weddings all across the greater Lynchburg area, then you're in luck!

Flowers seem glamorous...to me at least. But note, that albeit glamorous, it comes at a price. Paid in full with pricked fingers, hot glue burns, tired feet, and an outrageous number of trips to Michael's. But at the end of the day, the bright eyes and smiling face of a bride when she sees her bouquet for the first time rings in at priceless.

So if this is you...then I need YOU!

If you feel that you're up for the challenge you can email me at petalflowercompany@yahoo.com I will be looking for a couple of interns to help me throughout the summer starting the first of May all the way up through October.

feathers.

One of my favorite additions to any bouquet, boutonniere, or centerpiece is a feather. It's whimsical, and adds an unexpected detail that is completely unique and all the rage right now in wedding flowers.
Here is a little feather inspiration to wet your palette.

Enjoy and happy planning!

By a Simple Photograph

by Easter Yu

by Erica O'Brien

the knot.com

When life gives you lemons...

Bright lemon yellow is the focus of this warm, summer wedding. Yellow has been increasingly popular in wedding color palette's this summer and fall. As a flower designer, I LOVE using yellow flowers! There are lots of great textures, shapes, and shades of yellow flowers that can make for gorgeous bouquets.

This wedding was shot at Riverview Manor on July 31st. Crystal George, as always, did a remarkable job photographing some of the flower pieces.
Enjoy this bright and sunny wedding and let me know what you think!

pretty in pink

Sangria. Watermelon. Ginger. Raisin. Pale Blush. Warm Olive.

I love a color palette that has rich, bold, colors like this beautiful wedding. The versatility can take you from Spring to Fall and can be very elegant from night weddings to a casual garden wedding... like this one. Crystal George provided these beautiful photo's so many thanks to her for making our work look great!