Good morning, lovely lions!

I’m busy as a little bee, trying to get my mom’s house (because her table seats a whole lot more than my little bistro table) prepared for a large influx of friends, relatives, and one horse-of-a-puppy named Oliver for Thanksgiving. I love tablescaping, especially for a holiday. I’m decorating for the event, so I thought I would share some of my favorite ideas for creating a fun, funky, and fabulous setting for your dinner with your loved ones.

1) Tablecloths are your friends. I like to layer different colors, textures, and sizes to create depth to my base. For example, start with an aubergine colored heavy linen tablecloth and put an antiqued gold sheer runner over the top, with maroon and aubergine fabric napkins at everyone’s place setting. In fact…this leads me to my second idea concept…

2) Look away from your typical color palette. Most people use the same old reds, oranges, and yellows for Thanksgiving. I lovelovelove deep purple on my table to compliment the reds and golden yellows of autumn. Try accents of bright green, too.

3) Height=AWESOME. When you’re putting your tablecloths down, use things like books, cake stands, and platters underneath to create height so when you put out your beautiful spread, you don’t have a flat spread.

4) Flowers aren’t everything. Yes, you just saw the floral + ambience lioness go against her stripes. Thanksgiving is a season of bounty, and that screams edible arrangement to me. One of my favorites is the very kitsch cranberry tree; take a foam cone form (found at your local craft store), and stud with cranberries on toothpicks. Bowls of oranges, pears, bunches of wheat…think of what goes into a cornicopia and mass them together.

5) Check out your china cabinet! I’m pulling my whole color scheme this year from one of the most amazing presents ever. You see, my husband and I chose not to register for china when we got married because…well, when would we ever use it! My wonderful Mimi gave me her “china” pattern from 1953 for my birthday last year. My dandyLion grandmother went against the grain in 1953 and registered for pottery instead of frou frou china. I’m very excited to use my Redwing Capistrano set and my linens will reflect it: a black heavy under linen with a light green leaf-patterned runner with stoneware bowls of fruit instead of flowers.

Give thanks this year for your creativity, dear lions. If you look outside of your box again and take your cues from vintage touches, your Thanksgiving will be amazing.

Until next time, with much love and sweet potatoes,

Amanda
floral + ambiance lioness

say bonjour: eustoma.grandiflora@gmail.com

Elsa + Ray were married on November 7th, on a farm near Raymond, MS. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect setting for a set of unique yet classic photos! Below are a few of my favorites.
- meredith

Hi lions, we want to mention that dandyLion did not plan this wedding. meredith did the photography and we wanted to show you the beauty she captured and her style!
- lindsey

Hello lovely lions! I am here to offer one of my favorite floral accents for your viewing pleasure: decorative wire!

I am a deco wire fiend. Ever since I got my first taste of the stuff in my basic floral design elective in 2004 (before I changed majors to floral management from meteorology), I was in love. For years, drab green wire has only been used as a mechanic, always meant to be covered up. You would layer colored floral tape, glue moss, or tack floral materials over the top to prevent anyone from seeing the wire. Now, you can have visually appealing mechanics, decorative accents, or (my dream) an entire arrangement made out of nothing but decorative wire and painted foliages. Said dream will be materializing over a five part blog series starting in December…stay tuned!

Anyway, let me introduce you to three different types of deco wire; 28 gauge bullion, 24 gauge Metallic, and 12 gauge Metallic. Each has their own usage in designs, but push your creative envelope! The design pictures used in this blog are of my work; please don’t steal designs! Use them for inspiration.

28 Gauge Bullion Wire

This is a florist’s best friend when it comes to accenting designs. 28 refers to the gauge of the wire; the smaller the number, the thicker the wire. 28 is a very slender wire and is mostly used for wrapping stems, wrapped around bouquets for a little sparkle, stringing blooms together to provide movement, and (one of my favorites) for strengthening an armature.

This little guy is an armature/decorative accent for a corsage, but it could easily stand alone as a flower. The fine silver wire is the bullion, wrapped over a 18 gauge black wire frame. Imagine using these floating in a low dish with candles instead of orchid blooms!

24 Gauge Metallic

Moving on up the thickness spectrum, there’s 24 gauge metallic wire. This easily replaces traditional green wire for use as anchoring, wrapping stems, and adding just a little sparkle to a design. A popular trend in centerpieces is using leaves swirled in a vase to provide some interest down below the arrangement. The deco wire could be used instead!

My mom is just as much of a deco wire nut as I am! Her birthday was a few weeks ago, and we threw her a black and pink themed party. If you’ll look, there’s bright pink 28 gauge wire floating in the vase along with our next deco entry, the 12 gauge black wire. It’s not only a mechanic for the stems, but some really great visual interest below.

12 Gauge Metallic

Up until a couple of years ago, this was the thickest wire you could possibly get in metallic colors. I’m eagerly awaiting my “mega wire” shipment from Smithers Oasis to play with it. You can use this wire for so many different things! You’ve seen above how it can be used as a vase anchor, but below is my favorite use of the product.

Gorgeous, no? This bad boy was part of my senior seminar runway show on floral fashion. Jena Oh, one of my counterparts from MSU created the armature for a competition and allowed me to use the concept for my work. Instead of the composite bouquet she put down in it, I created a duchess rose from a dozen sunset-colored roses by gluing the petals in a radial form. Imagine carrying this down the aisle instead of a dozen hand-tied roses. Talk about impact and beauty!

So, my lovely lions, I leave you with a challenge: imagine wire as a decorative tool, not just a mechanic. Push the envelope between organic and inorganic materials!

Until next time, with love;

Amanda

floral + ambiance lioness

we are excited to have amanda join our team!

say hi: eustoma.grandiflora@gmail.com

hello lions,

lighting is everything. i got the opportunity to discuss this often- overlooked aspect of event planning with blake chaffin, owner and lead designer of nashville event lighting. here is what he had to pass along:

–lighting creates an emotional experience, in the same way that different types of music can effect you. it sets the tone for the room.

–it also determines the energy of the room. moving the lighting and dimming or brightening an area with different moments such as changes in music, cake cutting, or speeches- eliminating the need for a cheesy mc!

–you can highlight assets and play down less attractive areas that may be necessary for your event, such as catering curtains.

– the right lighting can also create depth in a room and enhance the quality of your photographs. some of your other purchases benefit from the right lighting, too: flowers, drapes, food presentation, even the guests. ambient lighting is more flattering which comforts your guests and gives them more confidence, encouraging mingling.

nashville event lighting thrives on being in control of the smallest details. they can create some beautiful effects! one story blake shared was that for one bride, they projected the nashville skyline and moved a simulated moon over the buildings in a four-hour progression. that took creativity and diligence! they can also provide functional lighting, such as brightening a field for parking at a residential event or arranging for the catering staff to see while preparing food in a tent at night.

blake said one challenge they look forward to is making their clients’ ideas into reality.  even though they’ve been to every venue in nashville, every client request is different. they firmly believe though, that whatever you do, is worth doing right. they employ good karma and build relationships with clients and other vendors. they also help with a large scope of charity work in the nashville area- most recently, the lighting and sound at the minnie pearl foundation benefit. they also do the lighting and sound at events throughout the year for progress, inc.- a company that helps mentally handicapped adults learn life and work skills.

to learn more about nashville event lighting and to see some examples of their wok, check out their website at www.nashvilleeventlighting.com

a special thanks to blake for taking the time to remind us how important the right lighting can be!

love,

lindsey

idea + planning lioness

say hello: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

hello lions,
lighting is everything.

consider this when looking at venues. i would say it is one of the highest priorities, up there with size accomodation and handicap access. things like a kitchen, dance floor or stage can be created, purchased, modified or rented. it can be costly- estimated 5-10% of budget- to add lighting to a venue, but it will make a huge impact at first sight, remaining a part of the overall impression and memory of the event and how it is implanted in your guest’s brains. among the many reasons why it’s a good idea to recruit professional help, lighting knowledge- who to work with and what the room needs- is an important aspect of room design.

types of common lighting options:

–candlelight: i have become a huge advocate of amber glass. even if it doesn’t coordinate with your color scheme, it will make the tiny flame look like an orb of warmth. amazing effect. if your venue doesn’t allow fire, then electric candles- in the right holder- can also create a cozy glow.

–string lights: could be large, small, led, multi-colored, or rope-style.

–up-lighting: we recently sent amber light up the pillars at the parthenon. it changes the dynamics of a room!

–spotlights and backdrops: there are several ways to accent or disguise areas using light.

when designing your event space, large or small, be sure to use numerous sizes of objects- it creates depth, interest and glow. with lighting, this could mean different length strands hung from the ceiling, varied levels of votives and candelabra for a centerpiece, or using different colored lights, gels or glass. what other ideas do you have to add visual interest using lighting?

with love,

lindsey

idea + planning lioness

say hi: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

Good morning lovely lions!

We had our first real cold snap over the weekend here in the mountains of Western North Carolina and honestly, I had to refrain from breaking out the multitudinous holiday decorations I have in my arsenal. I am a sucker for the holiday season, no matter what you celebrate (or don’t). Winter weddings have been stuck in a rut for a while, so I’m presenting three variations on a theme for a fabulous fete. I have a vintage Christmas playlist cued up on Pandora, so let’s tackle some color and décor ideas using texture to enhance your event!

Let’s start off with a classic Christmas color combination with a funky vintage flair:

I can already hear the chestnuts roasting on that open fire when I see this combination. It has that traditional red and green combination, but the color palette includes some rich woody brown and some tasty buttercream yellow for contrast. Imagine having your bridesmaids wearing chocolate brown matte satin gowns and carrying traditional kissing balls (aka pomanders) of boxwood, holly berries, and fragrant evergreens like fraser fir, Leland cypress, or juniper, hanging from a buttercream satin ribbon. Instead of Christmas trees or a large altar arrangement, consider having large evergreen topiaries studded with sugared berries and holly boughs.

Are you a non-traditional, funky spouse-to-be who loves autumn colors, but wants to get married in the crisp winter time? Let me introduce you to the idea of combining a little winter cool with the warm of fall’s oranges:

Except for the hit of sky blue, your palette is straight autumn Tuscan sunset. I’ve seen a lot of chocolate browns and coppers being used in décor for this holiday season, which is a throwback to the mid 1970’s. I’d challenge you to use the warm clay color (far right) as your base color for dresses/linens and experiment with flowers in tones of golden yellow, rich orange, with hits of light blue. Confused as what to use? Imagine a over-the-arm arrangement of bella donna delphinium, terra cotta roses, red kangaroo paw, skeleton leaves, wheat, and some loops of sheer gold ribbon at the base for a textural contrast. Concentrate on the usage of dried materials in amongst fresh flowers to give a embodiment to the transition between autumn and winter.

Looking for something a little more 1950’s Audrey Hepburn glam? Cue Rosemary and Bing crooning to each other on “Count Your Blessings” and check out this Tiffany’s tribute:

You could have SO much fun with this combination, and it is very appropriate for a holiday fete. It reminds me of a Vermont winter…can you tell I’m a sucker for the move White Christmas?

Imagine that signature baby blue being used in the wired-posey bouquets of a troupe of black cocktail-dressed ladies (perhaps with blue sashes) in with hints of rich purple and luscious ice white flowers. You could even use white amaryllis for your focal flowers, along with little fluffs of purple allium, delphinium blooms strung on silver wire, and sprays of crystals to give your wedding a marvelous glam feel without being glittery and over the top. Instead of white mini Christmas lights, look outside of that and try the big C9 faceted bulbs strung on large evergreens in LED white or blue. You could use heavy purple linens topped with a blue-and-white runners with black china…such a beautiful contrast of colors.

Well lions, I hope I’ve given you some new ideas about holiday décor ideas, looking outside of the usual Christmas trees, dark red, and white mini lights strung up everywhere. Give your holiday wedding a makeover and think of the impression you’ll make. Until next time, dearest lions!

many thanks to amanda for this wonderful post! you can reach her at eustoma.grandiflora@gmail.com

love, lindsey

say hi: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

When you see a bridal bouquet or a table center, what do you see first? Do you see the perfect ivory Eskimo roses nestled in gently, or do you see the filamentous asparagus fern? Do you see the delicate ruffles of carnations or the bright pops of billy balls? A good floral designer will give you texture and color together in an arrangement no matter how big or small.

Texture, as a design student will define it, is the visual and physical surface quality of materials and objects used within in an arrangement. I love playing with different textures in an arrangement because it invites someone to interact with your designs. It gives you depth and contrast without detracting from the balance and proportion of the work as a whole.

So, dearest lions and lionesses, let me introduce my favorite textural elements in a design. The fabulous design lioness herself gave me three color swatches to have my fun with.

This combination is one of my FAVORITES! I’m a purple girl at heart, but paired with the light spring green and contrasted with the rich Kelly green it pops out.

This is a bouquet very similar to one I produced in green and orange recently. (Much love to Waterlilly Floral Design for their work!). Look at how the deep purple ruffles of the hyacinth pop against the foxtail fern and poppy pods…your eye can’t stay still in this design! Also, check out the grapevine curling up over the side. Grapevine, kiwi wine, or even kudzu (trust me…used it many times before!) can give you a really nice contrast from the woodsy nature of the vines to the delicate flowers beneath.

This color palette reminds me of an Indian summer; the leaves have started changing a little bit, but there are still some holdouts. Smoky and sexy are two words that come to mind since none of the colors really pop.

This beautiful tablescape is actually a design I helped produce at Studio Flora Diva in Asheville, NC. Martha (our smoky topaz bride) wanted something opulent and rich for her feasting table. Those are a series of low arrangements placed side-by-side using orange Mokara orchids (something fun for a change other than dendrobiums), safari sunset leucodendron, chocolate cymbidium orchid blooms, dark red roses, and green hydrangea. The hydrangea give this amazing ruffled texture that contrasts against the velvety red roses.

Ooh…a challenge! I know a lot of brides are anti-greenery. This particular color palette opens a whole new world to designers: monochromatic. Finding tints, tones, and shades within one singular color can really test a designer’s mettle.

This bounty of beauty was created by the head Diva over at Studio Flora Diva for Martha’s sexy, smoky fall soirée. I use this image talking about texture a lot because this is a monochromatic white design, yet it seems so deep because of all the textures happening. Compare this design to the bridesmaids bouquets to see the whole gold/orange palette used.

Brave brides and gutsy party hostesses everywhere are venturing away from the mono-floral, sedate color palettes of the past few years. Try some different textures and new color palettes on for size; it doesn’t have to be matchy-matchy to be beautiful!

By Amanda Glenn-Bradley, guest lioness- email her at eustoma.grandiflora@gmail.com

thank you amanda for sharing your floral knowledge with us all!

say hi: lindsey@dandylionevents.com