I had the utter pleasure and divine good luck to work my floral + ambiance magic on my dearest friend Miranda’s wedding back in May.

I can safely say that this was one of the dandy-est weddings I’ve ever been to or been involved in.

Dandy touches I loved:

• The bride + groom got married at the camp they both worked at in a breathtakingly beautiful outdoor chapel overlooking a lake outside of Boomer, North Carolina. Outdoor venues are my personal favorites, lions, especially summer camps. Those of you who have worked at one know why; it’s truly your summer home no matter what!

• The reception was at Wilderness Lodge right up the road, which wasn’t your traditional reception venue. Great food, great music, lots of love…it rocked.

• The favors! Miranda + Keith game away little .75 ounce jars filled with locally produced North Carolina honey.

• THE FLOWERS! I ADORED THESE FLOWERS! Miranda gave me the instructions of garden with some oomph in her colors of hot pink and clover green. The results?

Gorgeous if I do say so myself.

I wish I had gotten a really good picture of the wrap we did on the bridesmaids’ bouquets; they were braided natural rope wrapped about 2 inches down the handle.

More pictures can be found on my picasaWeb site, and I’ll be adding to it as more pictures come my way.

Keep pushing the envelope of love, lions!

Love to you,

Amanda

got a floral design question? pick my brain at amanda@dandylionevents.com

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what’s all this crap we’ve been hearing recently, saying that neutrals are in? we don’t care what the “trends” are- we want your wedding to express who you are. that includes light + lightheartedness! not this dark, neutral, somber mess. going along with that, we love color! don’t be afraid of it- embrace it. here are some lively pieces from emmaline bride to get you inspired!

this fresh + funky board has vivid colors and unusual pastels. i like to mix and match, otherwise it can be too prissy and boring. unusual color combinations- like the clutch and fascinator- are wild and fun!

(clockwise from top left)

navy + lime clutch- from emmagordonlondon

awesome multi-colored fascinator- from rachel larraine

Mr T cufflinks- from mosochic

colorful crinoline for under your or your partner’s gown! can be created in a variety of hues- from loca loves pirate

okay, so this one got a little carried away in the springy feel but the vivid colors are far from childish. it could be for a carnival wedding (cotton candy, anyone?) or a video game inspired event (like animal crossing or katamari).

(clockwise from left)

handmade fabric bouquets- customizable in any color! -from jilliann’s

50 strand button bouquet- looks good enough to eat! – also from jilliann’s

yellow orchid fascinator- sexy!- from loca loves pirate

monogrammed paper mobile- from my lady dye

what do you think, lions? what sort of colors are you excited to try, or shying away from?

love to all,

lindsey

give us a roar: lindsey@dandylionevents.com

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the magdalene house is a place where women can recover from lives of prostitution, substance abuse, violence and imprisonment. the products of thistle farms- made by members of the magdalene house- help support their 2-year rehabilitation program.

we encourage you to be involved in their wednesday morning meditation and also to volunteer. there are other ways to help their program, too! you can purchase thistle farms products at several local stores, including the green wagon, the frothy monkey and on their website!

we believe in women’s rights- including a right to wholeness and happiness- so this is a cause we feel very strongly about. as such, we are proud to sponsor thistle farms product parties! you can arrange for a member of the magdalene house to speak at your bridal shower or bachelorette party, enjoy their products and have an at-home spa party! another bachelorette party idea: go as a group and volunteer to work in the thistle farms shop. it is the perfect way to do good and creates a wonderful bonding opportunity for you + your maids. you can also purchase gifts for your attendants – a luxurious product with a true message. it will be an indulgence your maids will love, with all proceeds going back into the program. they also offer small sachets of lovely lavender, which you could give to your guests to toss after the ceremony, scattered by a flower girl or tucked into your gown in a blue bag- a very meaningful ‘something blue’! my favorite idea is to forgo favors- which i know many of you are doing already- and instead make a donation to the magdalene house project.

we love thistle farms and know you will, too! what creative ideas do you have for incorporating their products into your wedding?

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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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

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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

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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

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