rachelflowers.com

Stephanie and Danny are such a photogenic couple!  Thanks to Trotter Photo (www.trotterphoto.com), they have their happy day captured in beautiful photos.  Stephanie carried a bouquet of white hydrangea, white Escimo roses and beautiful boutique Eufloria pink roses accented with stephanotis and pearl pins.  Stephanie’s mom carried stephanotis in her wedding bouquet, so this added an extra sentimental touch.  The bridesmaids wore a luscious shade of ‘watermelon’ and carried bouquets of green hydrangea, pink gerbera daisies and daisy eyes accented with a pop of green Yoko Ono pomps. 

Although I must admit to being in love with the color orange, when a bride is open to the idea of incorporating it into the color scheme AND happens to love lilies - this is what happens to the bouquets!  I think this is one of the most vibrant color combos and it photographs so well.  Stefanie had a gorgeous bridal party in lovely lavender/purple dresses - look for the photos in the gallery soon!

As we head into fall, this bouquet reminds me that some of the greatest color combinations are found next to one another on the color wheel.  It was fun to design this bouquet for Yvonne, who was renewing her vows after 15 years of marriage! The roses are Orange Unique, Miracle and Yellow Goldstrike with accents of lilygrass.

You can check out the gallery section for more great pics, but I wanted to highlight two couples who I had the great honor to design their wedding flowers. 

Cheers and best wishes to Kristina and Ryan (top photo) and Scott and Vanessa (bottom photo). 

Special thanks to Ryan and Kristina’s photographer, Zettl Photography, www.zettlphoto.com, 

and Scott and Vanessa’s photographer, Clary Pfeiffer Photography, www.claryphoto.com. 

A trip to the flower market yesterday had me happy to find one of my favorite flowers with an equally fabulous name……Dubium!  Dubium reminds me of the word DUBIOUS, which is one of my favorite sounding words.  Meaning “unsettled in opinion : doubtful“, this definition happens to be the complete oposite of Dubium the flower.  It has a similar look to asparagus at the top, but has the most cheerful and bright colored blooms that last and last.  Of Dubium’s longevity, I am surely NOT dubious:)!

Recently I designed a few pieces of floral art for CMAX Photography. They are a talented husband and wife duo making a big splash in the St. Louis photography scene.

The first photo is an amazing single head of purple cabbage dotted with purple anemones and a spray of lavender ginestra. Submerged in the vase is a strand of black gems and anemones. I love how this evolved into a finished design! The second photo is a combination of green and coral antheriums with fiddle head ferns and bear grass.

Check out more of Coby and Diane’s photography at www.cmaxphoto.com

I have been working on some new advertisement copy and have had a hard time trying to succinctly convey “what I’m all about” to potential clients. So much for my degree in advertising!

This process has made me examine my motivation and passion for floral design. Why do I do what I do? Why should clients choose me? Because I love stylish, colorful, and most importantly fresh things. I am a people pleaser (sometimes to a fault) and enjoy planning parties. As Oprah says, “love is in the details”. I think this is such a poignant statement and is very applicable when designing memorable flowers. So in order to sum up my approach to design, here is an equation (Cut me some slack, I wasn’t a math major!):

Fresh Flowers + Style + Creativity + Personality = Fabulous Floral Design

To say I was in desperate need of green is an understatement. Being a floral designer, you would think I feel like it is spring every day…..alas, no. So when I pulled into my driveway to see the small tips of my tulips and daffodils popping their green heads out of the muddy soil, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. Just seeing this reminder of a new season was like a breath of fresh air; not to mention envisioning my many trips to the garden center for mulch, compost, annuals, etc. Gardening, my second love, will have to wait for another blog!

Inspired by my tulips and the freshness of spring - I recently designed a showcase arrangement for A & A Bead’s and Things exhibit at a bridal show in Alton, IL. They have recently renovated the entire store and merchandise - a unique gift and bead shop with truly one-of-a-kind finds!
www.aabeads.com

Last Sunday was the St. Louis Bride Magazine Wedding Show at Windows off Washington (WOW). It was wonderful! I always enjoy meeting new people and hearing their ideas and stories, but most of all I enjoy being a part of the positive energy and excitement!

Windows is a smashing backdrop for a reception - I actually had my own wedding reception there over 6 years ago and still highly recommend their services to everyone.

www.wowbanquets.com

For those of you who were unable to attend the show, check out the photos on my gallery page.

In September I had the pleasure of working with Melissa McCormick and Brent Berry to design their wedding flowers. This lovely couple’s wedding is featured in the January edition of St. Louis Alive Magazine. Pick up a copy today to see the beautiful photos taken by Joanna Kleine and read about their St. Louis love story!

http://joannakleinephotography.blogspot.com/
http://www.alivemag.com/home.php

I am happy to announce that I will be returning as an exhibitor at the Wedding Connection Bridal Fair this year! This is a wonderful show hosted by Saint Louis Bride Magazine at Windows Off Washington in downtown St. Louis. The show features some of the area’s premiere wedding professionals and is a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

My theme is still under wraps, but I am excited about showcasing a contemporary design style with “wow” colors and flower varieties!

For more information, visit www.saintlouisbridemagazine.com

I always enjoy discovering new places in St. Louis. I have lived here for most of my life and still there are so many places that I have yet to discover. The Mad Art Gallery, located on 12th Street by the Brewery is an ecclectic and witty event venue that will keep your visitors entertained and give them a bit of “city culture” to go with their cocktails. Originally a St. Louis City Police Station, it has been converted into an art gallery and event venue with the authentic booking desk and jail cells still in working order. Not to mention all of the history that is surely contained within the walls!
Check it out at www.madart.com

Two weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to design flowers for a wedding and reception located at the 9th Street Abbey in the Historic Soulard area of St. Louis. It was originally a church built in the 1800’s, but now has been completely restored by Patty Long Catering for parties, weddings and events. From the tall ceilings and exquisite stained glass windows to the lovely outdoor courtyard, the 9th Street Abbey was the perfect location for a summer wedding in the city!