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Wedding Theme Series: Flowers & Ice Cream

Jun15


Ice cream has been a refreshing summertime dessert for centuries. It reminds us of our childhood and brings happiness to those who indulge. A wedding reception is a fine place to have ice cream and incorporating these colors into your floral décor will be such a delightful combination!

Since flowers come in so many wonderful colors and textures, they lend themselves wonderfully to an ice cream inspired wedding. Care in choosing the right types of flowers and color combinations will remind your guests of the popular ice cream flavors they have grown to love. Our flower shop can assist with this design concept, and here are a few examples of particular flowers that can reflect those ice cream flavors:

– Peonies make for a great vanilla ice cream cone (as shown above)
– Yellow roses for soft & dreamy lemon sherbet
– Ranunculus or tulips for orange sherbet
– Spunky pink dahlias for strawberry
– Green orchids for mint chocolate chip
– Hydrangeas or Himalayan blue poppy
for blue moon ice cream & last but not least
– Statice for blueberry ice cream!

Additional fun elements like diagonal stripes or polka dots can help achieve the look. Baskets can mimic waffle cones also. For another idea, here is a very nice Neapolitan inspired bridal shower: http://www.heavenlybloomsblog.com/2011/09/neapolitan-ice-cream-bridal-shower.html

Flowers by the Falls . Kings Mountain, NC  (704) 739-7331

Bridal Bouquets in White & Ivory

Feb24

In the 1840s, Queen Victoria wore a white wedding gown, and getting married in an extravagant white gown in those days was much more a symbol of wealth rather than purity or innocence. It showed that she could afford to buy a dress which could never been worn again. Many women saw this as a statement of class and style, and soon enough also began to get married in white.

The tradition of a white gown continues, but now the fashion of all white bridal bouquets are being used. This adds a layer of softness and luxury. We see that Kate Middleton carried a white bouquet in her royal wedding, Kiera Knightly in The Duchess and Pirates of the Caribbean movies and also who could forget the gorgeous ivory bouquet that Sarah Jessica Parker carried in the Sex in the City movie.

They are great for a winter wedding, giving the feeling of snow, and yet they also fit  wonderfully with a summer wedding, having a clean light sunny feel. You can go so many different directions with the idea of using white or ivory bouquets! Elements like pearls & lace, rhinestones & crystals, satin or grosgrain ribbon, and any type of elements of nature can all be used to suit your style. These all blend in well with a white color palette.

Ideas for flowers include roses, peonies, lisianthus, ranunculus, lilacs, sweet peas, calla lillies and of course as always, lilies of the valley have one of the most wonderful aromas ever! White flowers also look particularly nice on top of a wedding cake. This website shows some nice white wedding floral arrangements http://www.weddingchicks.com/wedding-color/white/  Let us know if you would like us to do your wedding or event flowers. We are happy to work with you on any ideas you may have and customize them for your big day. No matter the budget, large or small, this is just what we love to do!

Flowers by the Falls . Kings Mountain, NC  (704) 739-7331

Winter Wedding Flowers

Jan6

Now that the holiday season has come to an end, what will we do with ourselves? No more holiday parties or endless amounts of food to eat. It’s time to take down all of the beautiful Christmas decorations and bundle up for the winter. What better time for a wedding!

As a reminder of snow and the cool winter air, white wedding flowers set the stage wonderfully. The color white projects purity and wholeness, having a delightful romantic presence at celebration of a new marriage! Decorating with white floral arrangements of amaryllis, daisies, calla lilies and orchids are gorgeous options from our flower shop. Rhinestones mixed in with white flowers are practically irresistible! They have such an enchanting winter feel of ice and snowflakes. Have your family members help by offering their costume jewelry too, making the variety great, and the sentimental value priceless.

Looking for something a little on the fun side? Scarves are a a creative way to add in texture and patterns to the nice clean white color palette. Lay the scarves in and around all of the floral table arrangements to create a fun look, and use baby’s breath for snow.  Using soft muted colors of blue, turquoise and silver is lovely, or go with bright bold colors! Scarves can even be wrapped around the inside of large vases.

More to come in this series: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall Wedding Flowers
Now is the time to book a florist for your upcoming spring wedding!

Flowers by the Falls . Kings Mountain, NC  (704) 739-7331

Christmas Cactus

Dec22

The unique tropical Christmas cactus has been kept as a beloved holiday houseplant since the 1800’s. It is quite a bit different from cacti that grow in the dessert, because it actually keeps its blooms longer in cooler temperatures, and even wilts if it does not get enough water! They are great in hanging baskets from the florist.

Schlumbergera truncata is the botanical name of the Christmas cactus. The name is derived from Frédéric Schlumberger, a well known Frenchman who collected cacti and grew them at his home. Flower shops have many colors to embrace such as red, fuscia, pink, purple, orange and crème, the flowers of the Christmas cactus are pleasant indeed.

As for the “Christmas Tree”… Pine and fir trees are evergreens found in cold climates, and these generally are used as Christmas trees. They bring people comfort from the cold harsh winter. However, since some countries like Africa and Australia have hot dry conditions, nature does not provide pine and fir trees. So the custom of decorating the Christmas cactus as Christmas tree came into being. They decorate the Christmas cactus just as we would, having the best of both worlds with ornaments and flowers!

Here is a neat article from HGTV on these delightful plants: http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/getting-the-best-out-of-your-holiday-plants/index.html

Flowers by the Falls . Kings Mountain, NC  (704) 739-7331

Flower Ornaments & Wreaths for Christmas

Dec13

Who doesn’t love decorating for the holidays! Strolling through town in the cool air, with lights everywhere just gets you right in the spirit. At home, most like to decorate the Christmas tree with all of their favorite ornaments. To switch it up a bit, they may even go a little crazy by using colored lights instead of the white lights from year before. How about something new though?

Consider a creative spin from the bridal bouquet balls that hang from ribbon, by decorating with fresh flowers! Adult pomanders or kissing balls is what they are often called, and a miniature version of these truly makes a fashion statement and a fantastic ornament! Have the flower shop design with red roses for instance, chrysanthemums, carnations or even holly, depending on your style. For fun, to add even more personality, these of course can hang from any type of ribbon or beads you desire! String them across your favorite window, hang them from the mantle, add them into the tree, or even mix them into your centerpiece table arrangement on Christmas day. These will have your friends & family smitten.

Flower wreaths need not be forgotten, as they are just as visually stunning as any other Christmas decoration. Who says these can only be used at weddings, to hang on trees &  reception doors. Would you not rather spend the money with your florist to enjoy them for the holiday season as opposed to just one day wedding day? Red roses & poinsettias are undoubtedly the favorites, but there are many flower combinations that lend themselves to this idea. Here is a blog that has several beautiful flower wreaths: http://thefrenchsampler.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-flowers.html Fresh flower wreaths are great to hang on your front door or dining room area, and are especially great over the headboard of your bed.

Flowers by the Falls . Kings Mountain, NC  (704) 739-7331

The Meaning of the White Rose: Purity & Innocence

Aug29

As one of the most enduring symbols for love and appreciation, it is no surprise that roses are among the most admired of all flowers. Their unique beauty and subtle fragrance are guarantees delight for anyone who receives them.

White has always been a picture of purity and virtue, so accordingly white roses carry the very same meaning, always standing alone in their abundant beauty. They are often referred to as the bridal rose, and are traditionally associated with marriages & weddings, young love and new beginnings.  White roses glorify a love that is unaware of the temptations of the flesh, as opposed to the red rose which speaks more along the lines of passionate promises. Because of these reasons, all white bridal bouquets are becoming more and more popular, as seen on this website http://www.wedding-etc.com/2011/07/01/the-new-trend-in-celebrity-weddings-all-white-bridal-bouquets/. So, when affection is straight from the heart and as pure as the whitest snow, white roses are great to consider!

In true love, faithfulness and loyalty are constant despite distance or time, so flower shops often send white roses to loved ones who are far away. Additionally, throughout history the white rose sends a strong message, by symbolizing sound resistance and the will to stand firm in ones beliefs. Showing honor and reverence, your florist can make white rose arrangements, which are often used as an expression of remembrance.

Meanings of the White Rose Include: Purity, Innocence, Truth, Reverence, Silence, Humility, Loyalty, Faith, Heavenly, Youthfulness, Happy Love, and Charm.

Flowers by the Falls . Kings Mountain, NC  (704) 739-7331

Fall Wedding Season: Flower Trends

Aug12

Summer is almost over, and autumn will be here before you know it! With 2011 fall wedding flowers, often the colors are just as important as the flowers themselves. Love is in the air this season, with warm rich hues of reds, oranges and golden yellows.

Roses continue to be a favorite foundation for a wedding bouquet, and they are available in a variety of hues.  Ranunculus are another popular spicy autumn flower. Layering in your own personality with the primary flowers is the key. Brides wanting a more natural look for their big event and may want to add elements such as bunny tails, feathers, and berries. The glamorous brides can go in a different direction adding in fun beads, crystal rhinestones, and brooches. Of course, the absolute best is the perfect combination of the two. Martha Stewart’s website has some excellent ideas: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/fall-bridal-bouquets.

Bouquets this season lean more towards the casual side with a fresh picked look and simple hand tied vintage ribbon, as opposed to previous seasons of tightly-bound flowers. Mothers continue to carry their own small posies instead of corsages for a new fresh look.

Flower bars are a delicious new spin-off from the previous candy bar. At the reception, let your guests choose from a stunning assortment of flowers, placed in a various sized glass containers with coordinating ribbon accents. Incorporating a flower bar into your design ensures great wedding favors for the women and an experience they will never forget!

Flowers by the Falls . Kings Mountain, NC  (704) 739-7331