Creating a Colour Story for Your Event

So let me let you in on a little secret… florists don’t just think about flowers… we also think a lot about colours! For us colour is never a secondary consideration to our compositions and how we use them definitely sets the tone for the florals and overall event. With our larger planned weddings we always start our clients out with a colour story to help anchor the overall feel of the event and to guide us in making decisions about other elements of décor.

For us a colour story is never just about one colour but a range of complimentary and contrasting shades, as you’ll see from the collection of purple and pink storyboards! The boards below were presented to our bride from The Botanical Affair—can you guess which she opted for based on the final event?

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See how the The Botanical Affair turned out Here!

A Few Tips From the Pros - Part 2

When we reached out to our brides asking them to share some tips for enjoying your big day they really came through! Since we got quite a bit of feedback we've spilt the post up into three sections. If you missed it, Part 1 is here.

As in the previous post, the comments have been minimally edited and left anonymous. 

Navigating a Guest List and RSVPs

“Putting a guest list together could potentially turn into a nightmare. There are so many factors to consider—Are kids allowed? Who gets a plus one and who doesn't? How many invites do you give your parents? It can easily become a very sensitive and stressful issue, and from experience, I learnt that pleasing everyone is impossible. We insisted on having an intimate wedding, and only invited close family and friends. When people asked if they could bring friends along, we said no. When people we weren't close with asked if they could come, we said no. We were put in so many awkward situations! But remember, at the end of the day, your wedding is about celebrating you as a couple, and not anyone else. So surround yourself with the people who you want to share this day with. Trust me, it will be worth it once you feel surrounded by so much genuine love and happiness on your wedding day.”

“RSVP's! They're VERY difficult to get, but make a big difference, especially when booking a venue that charges by head, or printing beautiful (but expensive) wedding invitations!”

It’s Not Just About Décor

"Hire a planner. You need help with all the details and someone to stay on top of everything. As a planner-bride, I began to realise how much more went into being a bride. No one tells you about all the wedding paperwork you have to do, oh and are you trying to furnish a house while planning a wedding? We managed the large chunk of our wedding design, but we still needed help on the ground to execute and pull things together. Seriously, hire a planner."

Eat, Nap, Hydrate! 

"Pre-empt all your quirks and craziness and make sure you create an environment that helps you stay chilled, relaxed, and excited! In my case, that meant scheduling a nap (best decision ever!!), making sure that there was a light buffet for the bridal party while they were getting ready so no one would go hangry (!) and of course, finding a cappuccino. It was also really important for me to have my girls close by, but at the same time have my own space (don't underestimate the power of space!) so we got adjoining rooms to get ready in."

"Make sure you eat and hydrate well on the wedding day. I made the mistake of ignoring food and paid the price for it. I became ill at part of my wedding (I actually threw up when I tried to eat later because our outdoor venue was quite chilly). So while you are getting ready (and throughout the day, actually) make sure you have a good hearty meal that will hold you up through the adrenaline."

A Few Tips from the Pros – Part 1

Oh, we don’t mean us. We mean our brides—the ladies who have walked through fire and lived to tell the tale! We jest.

After Rose officially became a bride, it dawned on us that putting together a wedding was a really, really stressful endeavor. Between negotiating official paperwork, ballooning budgets, and compromising on décor and first dance songs… it’s kind of shocking that brides still manage to keep their wits about them.

So, to help you cope with any impending nuptials, and just so you know you aren’t losing your mind, we’ve asked our brides to share some of their tips for keeping your marbles together. We’ve left comments as we received them and kept them anonymous so our lovely ladies could give you the skinny without being put on the spot. 

Getting, and Managing, Everyone Involved

“There are always so many people involved in planning a wedding; this is both good and bad. The good part is everyone wants to help make it a happy and stress-free day for you, so let them: delegate when you can, ask for help and don't sweat the small stuff. The tricky part is managing all the opinions thrown in your direction—this can get very overwhelming fast, but don't let it be. It's okay to consider some opinions and dismiss others, at the end of the day, do what you believe is best for you.”  

"What really made our wedding special to us, and to our guests too, was how much it felt like us! We wanted a warm, personal day filled with the things we love, and elements of our family and culture. Your personal touches are what make the wedding, so don't let anyone dictate how it should go, or do something just because that's the way it's usually done."

“You can't do everything alone. Learn to delegate, because even with a planner (and I had 2!) there was STILL a boat load to do. Task folks with the little things that you know are their forte. For example, one of my bridesmaids helped me out with my music selection, another was my therapist, and another was in charge of all things related to dress and shoes. Did I mention I had 8 bridesmaids? It truly takes a village!” 

“Trust the people you chose to work with and communicate with them during the creative process. Listen to everyone but know what you really want and can't do without. Collaborations are everything! Have a clear vision, do your research and have your own visual mood board, you might go in a different direction but it's great to have a good starting point for everyone to know what resonates most with you.” 

The Art of Compromise

“Try to make sure everyone goes into it happy! Be it family members, friends, planners, or vendors. It's a day that celebrates love and that goes for everyone!” 

“Different elements of the wedding will be more important to you and your groom so try to understand why something's important to each of you, meet in the middle and come to an agreement. Don't fight it out over something that will not be important in the long run. You just need to let some things go! You don't really NEED those napkins anyway…”

In Case You Didn't Know...

...Every bride has a certain "thing" they obsess over. In my case, it was my wedding stationary suite. This meant that ANYTHING in that category got obsessed over. Like the welcome boxes we made for each guest…

What should the box tag look like? What insert notes should be include in the box? OH! I need a pasta guide! But wait…what pasta do I REALLY want on my pasta guide? What item will I stamp with our seal? The tag? The box? The ribbon? All of the above? What box do I use? Hang on, what box can I afford?!

I kid you not, these were all questions I agonized over! I told you things could get obsessive!

Ok let’s dial back a bit. I had my wedding in scenic Tuscany (over here for parts one and two!), and something that was super important to Dimitris and I was greeting our guests with something to set the tone for their trip. I personally love welcome packets—they are a great way to spoil your guests with a few treats and convey information that they may have been missed on the invite or website. But also, who doesn’t have a soft spot for brown paper packages (hand raise emoji!).

For our welcome box, we opted for some freshly picked apples from a nearby farm (yum!!), chocolates (because it’s chocolate), salty treats, water, a ‘Just In Case’ baggie, and packet with a welcome note and additional information to tie it all together.

Usually when it comes to the more tedious assembly tasks, I’ve got my sis on hand, but she was still en route to Italy. So with Mom, Raul, and Dimitris we settled in and—in true Asian fashion—set up an assembly line: Dimitris made the boxes, Raul packed the boxes, Mom tied them up and I stamped all the name cards with our seal (and snapped 101 pics of course!).

Needless to say it was my FAVE office to date—just look at the amazing scene I had whilst stamping away the little seals.

Even though it took a full afternoon to pack everything and deliver them to our friends and family, it was the best feeling greeting our guests with a little something to ease them into thier Italian adventure.  

Stationary: The Idea Emporium

Calligraphy: Post Calligraphy

Treats: All over!

Our Top 16

2016. The year we found our stride. This year has definitely been one for the books—all because we had some amazing couples trusting us to do some of our best work. And, to top it off, we had our very own Italian wedding with our nearest and dearest (hard to beat that for a high!).

Looking back truly gives us conviction to move forward and grow. Hey, if we can finally make ferns the star of a wedding and pull off a three-day gig in the heart of Tuscany—the sky is the limit!! 

In Your Shoes

Ok ladies… seriously… I got engaged this year and all I can say is Holy Moly Wedding Planning!!

We’ve been planning weddings for a couple of years in-store and it sure has been an eye opener walking in a Bride’s shoes during the process this time around. When my clients drop off the face of the earth, I now know where they go! Planning a celebration is tough work, and I’ve found that the only way it’s actually possible is with a super awesome support system. We all need someone to vent to, and oh boy am I thankful for my family, and my gals—some people have 1 or 2, but I can say I have 8 awesome ladies behind me (Thank God!).

In the midst of all the crazy wedding prep, my nearest and dearest took the time to throw me the sweetest Bridal Shower, and it was just what I needed. You’re probably wondering… “Well how hard can wedding planning be? Don’t you do this for a living?” Well let’s just say I did this to myself when I decided to get married within the year—we got engaged in March 2016 and set the wedding date for October 2016…. for a wedding in Italy. I do not recommend this at home.

But like I said, thank God for my girls to keep me sane! They put together my sweet Italian brunch with the help of the sis Julia, my mama Dalliah, and my unofficial twin, the lil’ bro Raul. I’m one grateful gal! The countdown officially begins: Italia, here we come!

The Beautiful Table Set Up. Food and FLowers, My Fave!

These Beautiful Ladies and Mini Me, Thank You!

Life Wouldn't Be Complete Without Cake Tasting and a Donut Tower

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…In Bahrain

Perfect weather! Finally. It’s not too cold and not scorching, just yet. And yes, anything under 18 °C is considered cold in these parts—don’t judge.

Warmer weather for us means a slew of outdoor gigs that need to be set up, but when I’m not elbows deep in flowers or perched on a ladder I love having a bunch of friends over in our roof-top garden for a barbecue. I like to keep my food and décor simple: a couple of salads, a refreshing beverage, some candles, maybe a printed tablecloth… nothing to fussy (Mainly because I’m a bit lazier on my day off… like I said, don’t judge!).

Time Out Bahrain got in touch  with us a few months back for more tips on outdoor entertaining and for more in-depth planning tips you can check out the article here. 

Fruits as Decor

Simple Flowers and Candles

Always have Nibbles!

For me one of the most important lessons I’ve learnt over the years is to make sure you have something ready for your guests to nibble on and drink when they first arrive. It’s a no brainer, I know, but something that is easily overlooked when you’re dashing around hiding laundry and putting away piles of paper.

One of the first things I do ahead is prep a drink station and usually it’s as simple as lemon-infused water. But when I do get the time, I like to fancy things up with a fresh-pressed juice. You can juice the below at home although there’s really nothing wrong with cheating and getting fresh juice from your neighbourhood juice man!

Pomegranate Agua Fresca

4 Pomegranates – Juiced and strained through fine mesh strainer to remove any pips

3 Oranges, juiced

2 Limes, juices

¼ cup Simple Syrup*

1 cup Ice

A Large Pitcher

Add juices, simple syrup, and 2 cups water to your pitcher and mix. Top off juice mixture with 1 cup of ice and taste, your juice should taste refreshing and only slightly sweet, adjust with more lime juice or simple syrup as needed.

Remember, the ice will continue to water down the juice so don’t add too much to start! Do keep a an ice bucket and tongs handy for guest to top off their drink with more ice.

*To make simple syrup heat 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Cool completely before using or storing. Makes about 1 cup of syrup.