on saturday, we ventured down to huntsville for the hi fi wedding fest!

i was really proud of our booth!

meredith designed our large music idea cards.

robot in bloom made our paper poppies!

we met lots of fun people and made some new vendor friends!

thanks to everyone who came out! it was a fun day. it was also informative since it was my first show ever!

what do you think? do you plan to attend any bridal shows this year? what will you be looking for if you do?

with love,

lindsey

say hello: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

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i am dreaming of a place that is bustling + sweltering in heat. one part rebellion against the cold here in nashville + one part inspired by the piano teacher, a work of fiction about an english woman in hong kong in the early 1940s.

middle top photo: la photographie

twinkling lights, low sumptious blooms + high glamour abound!

what do you think? what are you dreaming of today?

love to all,

lindsey

say hello: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

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ongoing entertainment during parties + receptions is becoming more commonplace, and for good reason- it’s lots more fun! strolling tables of nashville can add an exciting & surprising element to your event with their glamorous tables decked out with live models!

(c) la photographie nashville

instead of having a waiter amble around with a tray or push a cart, your hors d’oeuvres or desserts can waltz around the room designed in a theme of your choice.

(c) la photographie nashville

the tables can hold food and/or beverages and promenade throughout the venue.  they’re also useful for name badges, candy, programs, party favors + gift bags. they can even stroll effortlessly throughout the room collecting bids on silent auction items for a charity event. the tables are fully mobile-allowing them to move to your guests. i would love to see these at the end of the night with candles, bells or other items for the sendoff.

they offer other performances for your event including burlesque/cabaret dancers, aerialists and variety acts. they have models for hire as greeters or roaming entertainment. so cool!

be sure to check out their video to see these gals in action! they glide so effortlessly. it sounds hilarious, but it looks really cool! you can contact them at info [at] strollingtablesofnashville [dot] com.

what theme would you want to see? and what would you put on the table?

love to all,

lindsey

say hello: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

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Have you entered our contest yet? The deadline is looming, and we want to make your event undeniably, unbelievably you!

Springtime needs to hurry its sunny butt up and get here already, in my humble opinion. I miss seeing my flowers blooming and my mountains flourishing bright green!

I had some really great responses to the “pick-the-lionesses-brain” challenge about flowers in general!

Kal, who happens to be a fabulous friend, fellow musician, and all around awesome person, asked a very important question:

Hi!

Ok, so I think floral arrangements are beautiful (particularly yours!). However, I always have a guilty complex about cutting plants like flowers – I blame my Girl Scout years. So I would like to pick your brain about how one might go about using flowers and the like in some sort of recyclable way. Maybe get some ideas about how a good portion of the decor could be either re-purposed or perhaps even re-planted.

Thanks!

Kalistoga darling, that’s an awesome question. Being eco-conscious is something near and dear to my heart. Not only did I major in horticulture in college, but I’m a fellow Girl Scout alumnae (Camp Pisgah Forever, baby!) and lover of the outdoors. Sometimes it can seem like floral designs are beautiful for a time and then get tossed in the trash. Oh no, dear lions, I don’t let that happen on my watch!

Here are five easy tips for choosing your flowers wisely with the environment in mind!

1- Use potted plants for décor instead of cut arrangements.

This is one of the easiest ways to reduce your environmental impact, and one of the prettiest centerpiece ideas ever. Go to your local (and I do mean local…contact your local extension agent for ornamental plants!) nursery grower and select an array of beautiful, seasonal plants to use as your centerpieces and décor around the event.

These can range from pops of springy, retro color with gerbera daisies, to unusual Asian-inspired grasses like equisetum, to fun and funky bromeliads! Not only is this cost effective, but you can give the plants away as favors, replant them at your own home, or donate them to a local care facility for the patients!

2- Choose locally grown products.

Yet again, your local extension agent is going to come in handy for this one. There are countless nurseries out there that produce cut flowers as well as plants. If you choose locally grown products, you cut down on fuel costs for shipping and you also stimulate the local economy. Also, check local farmer’s markets and small-scale grocery stores. We have one (called Greenlife) that features locally grown flowers in their floral section.

3- Contact a local long-term care facility to ask about donating flowers.

Imagine the smile on someone’s face who doesn’t get to see family very often getting a beautiful little bouquet of flowers from your event. That, to me, is one of the best ways you can repurpose the flowers. There are organizations that can do this for you in some large cities, but all it involves is contacting the facility, asking if you can donate the flowers, and dropping them off to brighten someone’s day.

4- Flowers are compostable!

Yep, those little beauties can rejoin the life cycle as compost. Add the cut flowers (without ribbon and such) to your compost heap and turn as you normally do. After a few months, you’ll be able to use that compost to fertilize your own flower beds. That’s sustainable, ladies and gents.

5- Remember the 3 R’s?

As a child of the late 80’s/early 90’s, I remember reduce-reuse-recycle being beaten into my little permed-and-side-ponytailed head. (Captain Planet, anyone?) I challenge you to use the 3 R’s of eco-conscious flower choices:

Reduce the amount of shipped in product, un-biodegradable materials, and cut materials;

Reuse the flowers either as gifts or at another event;

Recycle the containers and compost the cut materials.

So, dear lions, here’s my challenge to you: think green in more than just your color scheme. You can make the world a better place even through your floral choices.

As always, pushing the envelope with you,

Amanda

floral + ambiance lioness

got more questions? e-mail me at amanda@dandylionevents.com

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In the vein of my fellow lioness Lindsey, I’d like to open up the floor for questions.

What’s that one floral + ambiance question that’s bugging you?

(My work, as modeled by the lovely, rocking Wade and Lily. Lily and I worked together for two years and I love her rocking attitude. We made her wedding very edgy, pink, and rocker-chic-glam.)

Here’s your chance to pick my brain about floral design, colors, textures, music…almost anything!

Pushing boundaries of love, as always:

Amanda

floral  + ambiance lioness

send some love my way: amanda@dandylionevents.com

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today we’re introducing a few alternative ideas of centerpieces for your reception. there are several creative ideas out there- be sure to check out etsy and offbeatbride for all sorts of ideas! these examples don’t involve real flowers because, while beautiful, you may have higher priorities than floral design. several couples are choosing to forgo what is disposable (or things that will wilt and die) for items that they already have and will last beyond their wedding day. a few favorites from around the web:

this moss could be home grown, purchased or derived from local nature, depending on the wildlife in your area. it can have a scent so be sure to consider this aspect before placing it on a table with food.

potpourri has a variety of textures and colors making it a delicious visual. depending on what you serve, you may choose to purchase unscented potpourri or with a scent that would compliment your food.

love these apothecary jars. you could fill them with shells from a beach trip, figurines from a beloved flea market, or other meaningful trinkets- they come in all shapes and sizes.

items placed in a low bowl makes a charming centerpiece and encourages conversation from across the table- something we advocate strongly!

another low centerpiece idea. if you are crafty, then you can fill the shells with wax yourself! if not, you can buy these or shell-shaped candles. for an original look, add different types of shells!

old mason jars filled with smooth river stones are a nice addition to a vintage or nature-themed wedding, indoors or out! flea markets are a great place to find jars of all shapes, sizes and colors. or, fill with candy for a colorful display that guests can take home!

combine buttons, brooches and pins to add dimension to vases and votive holders. it’s an easy way to bring in vintage or heirloom items. experiment with varying shapes, sizes, hues and sheen.

couresty of etsy + tangle and fold

there are so many origami, fabric and paper options- you can create them yourself or buy handmade!

what other sort of ideas do you have for centerpieces that don’t die?

love to all,

lindsey

say hey: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

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