Marie and I have collaborated on numerous wedding projects for more than a decade, some modest in size, and some requiring a whole army of florists for installation. No matter the scope, Marie is always prepared, having everything planned out meticulously ahead of time. But aside from that, she is also flexible and able to change plans in the moment – a vital skill in the events business!
What is your specific strength as a florist?
I am good at thinking on my feet. There are so many unforeseen circumstances that come up on wedding days, and I have always been able to accommodate my couples’ “wedding day emergencies” with some quick “flower thinking.”
Photo credit: Sandra Fazzino
Photo credit: Sandra Fazzino
Photo credit: Sandra Fazzino
– What is your style? Your approach to your work?
My signature style is “garden with a touch of wild whimsy.” My approach is to stay very organized on the back end. I plan exactly how many stems of each variety will be going into each design months before the wedding. This allows for efficient, elegant, and confident designing.
– What does it take to deliver stunning wedding flowers?
Understanding each variety and its unique needs is key. Some roses need just one day outside of the cooler to open to perfection. Others need four. Some varieties shouldn’t be in the cooler at all. Knowing how to time the care and handling of each flower makes for stunning wedding flowers.
Photo credit: Kreate Photography
What is the difference between low-quality and high-quality floral decor?
Low quality florals aren’t given “love.” They aren’t trimmed, misted with water, or kept at the correct temperature and therefore may not hold up on a wedding day. They’re also poorly designed by someone who was most likely rushing or simply didn’t have the knowledge of basic design principles that would enable them to impart the “wow factor.”
Photo credit: Danny Dong
Photo credit: Danny Dong
Why are wedding flowers so expensive?
Flowers in general are considered a luxury. But most couples want more than just “everyday” flowers. They want special varieties such as garden roses, Icelandic poppies, and butterfly ranunculus. These more “special” varieties usually cost more than flowers you would find in a typical grocery store.
Most couples are also looking for well-designed flowers. This means that they’re hiring a florist for his/her time and expertise beyond just the physical blooms. And if the wedding day includes numerous large flower installations, the florist needs to bring a team to help him/her set it up. That labor gets expensive, especially if your florist (hopefully) is paying a fair wage to his/her employees.
Photo credit: Danny Dong
Photo credit: Danny Dong
Photo credit: Danny Dong
What else would you like to add?
If couples are wanting to get the most “bang” for their buck, I recommend focusing on putting larger and more impressive floral designs where guests will be looking and spending time the most. Think: altar design, bar flowers, sweetheart table, etc. Put the bulk of your budget in these places, and then you can cut back in other areas if needed.
Attention to detail and the importance of understanding my clients’ vision.
“What is your style? Your approach to your work?”
My style varies depending on the client and venue. But personally I prefer a romantic, unique “garden-y” look…but I also love working with contemporary designs.
“What does it take to deliver stunning wedding flowers?”
Determination and attention to detail
“What is the difference between low-quality and high-quality floral decor?”
Basically the types of flowers you choose, attention to detail, containers, specialized unique decorative items – and the desire to be the best!
“Why are wedding flowers so expensive?”
A lot of labor goes into creating an event, and the cost of the flowers themselves, the containers, mechanics etc.
“What else do you want to add?”
There’s nothing better than hearing from your client that you exceeded all their expectations and that their guests raved. That is what makes what we do worthwhile. And working with great vendors like you Jutta….thank you xx
Rachel and Jim had met and lived together for more than two decades, literally “growing old together,” and then they decided to make their union official – and for that occasion they were envisioning an elegant, warm celebration with their children, grandchildren and circle of the friends acquired over a lifetime. What better setting for such a one-of-a-kind wedding than the storied Fairmont San Francisco? So Rachel and Jim secured it for their venue. And then… they realized that a lot more needed to be planned. A whole lot more. I am honored that they chose my company, A Day Like No Other, to make their vision a reality. We jumped right in… and over a yearlong collaboration on vendor bookings, logistics, design and decor, we truly became good friends!
The couple began their wedding day at their “homebase,” their room at the Fairmont….
… with this unbeatable view of the City and the Bay.
While Rachel had her hair done by her longtime hair stylist Eric Webb and her makeup applied by Tiffany Chiang of Design Her Image, photographer extraordinaire Kevin Chin captured the beautiful details.
Then bride and groom helped each other getting ready …
And even if they had seen each other during the morning preparations, Rachel wanted to have a traditional “First Look.” She was soooo excited!
Here they are, on the glorious main staircase in the Fairmont lobby.
It was so moving to see… and then it was time for many, many photos.
Meanwhile, frantic preparations were underway to get everything ready in time for guest arrival, the ceremony and Cocktail Hour and, of course, for the reception with dinner and dancing. The Fairmont team, led by Corrine Mitten, had set everything up for us already (thank you!); florist Karen Baba of Plan Decor was busy decorating the chuppah on the Fairmont Rooftop Garden; DJ Tyler Huffman and the Rhonda Sauce Jazz Trio (both from Ivy Hill Entertainment) were getting situated for sound and music, and my assistant Deanna and I were coordinating the myriad details behind the scenes.
We set up the WELCOME sign – which I had custom-designed based on the couple’s choice of invitation card, with a custom color scheme based on – you won’t believe it – the carpet pattern in the ballroom! Its elegant eggplant and antique gold arabesques were the inspiration for the whole color scheme, resulting in a very cohesive overall look and feel. These colors were ultimately chosen because they also fit so well with the bride’s dress choice of teal silk – the bridal bouquet and floral arrangements (from PlanDecor) were kept in rich jewel tones (the bride’s favorite colorway), again based on eggplant and gold.
Next came the Guest Book table – with the signage again showing the motifs and colors of the invitations; the guest book cover picking up the eggplant hue, and the big floral arrangement playing along.
Next up: Ketubah signing before the wedding ceremony.
And with that, the two are actually MARRIED.
The chuppah was waiting, resplendent in, you guessed it, eggplant, yellow and jeweltones …
All guests had meanwhile arrived, and the great moment had come! To the tunes of Rascal Flatt’s God Bless the Broken Road (played by DJ Tyler Huffman of Ivy Hill Entertainment), Rachel and Jim walked down the aisle.
The two “broke the traditional glass” TOGETHER…
… and then the whole congregation broke out chanting “Mazel Tov” to the newlyweds.
While the new couple enjoyed a little quiet retreat – and then had many more photos to take – their guests were treated to a Cocktail reception in the Pavilion Room ….
… with live entertainment by the Rhonda Sauce jazz trio.
Meanwhile, we all put the finishing touches on the elaborate dinner setup in the Crown Room…
… where subtly shimmering eggplant-colored linens and napkins (from Napa Valley Linens) coordinated perfectly with the room’s interior and intimate lounge seating (from Hensley Event Resources) in the recesses of the ballroom invited guests to quiet conversations and little breaks from the festivities.
The tall centerpieces, literally hovering above the dining tables, formed a lively color accent – without interfering with conversation across the table (something the groom had been adamant about!).
To round out the lush, rich look and warm feel of the elegant ballroom, we added a large number of tall living plants – stunning palm tree varietals and huge Bird-of-Paradise plants (from Indoor Greenery) from the entrance steps to the whole perimeter and at strategic spots in the room.
Guests found their table assignments through eggplant-colored escort cards in the exact same design as all other signage – just in an “inverted” colorway!
Ready for dinner! The newlyweds kicked off the dinner-and-dancing portion of their celebration with their Grand Entrance and First Dance to the song How Sweet It Is by Marvin Gaye (professionally choreographed by and practiced with Cynthia Glinka of Dance with Glinka).
With that, dinner service began, live music accompanied the feast, and many family members and guests proposed toasts and well-wishes. Once dinner was finished, Rachel and Jim had one more important task to accomplish: cutting their cake – traditionally the first shared task of a newlywed couple.
Per our wishes, the talented Kelly Zubal of Inticing Creations had decorated the elegant white cake with the exact floral motif that formed the common thread from invitation to signage to wedding decor.
Once that was done, everyone flocked to the dance floor to kick off the dance party with an exuberant Hora Dance during which, traditionally, the newlyweds are hoisted high up above the dancing crowd – and that’s exactly what we did!
From that point on, there was no holding back on the dance floor, and DJ…. kept everyone exactly there! It was a wonderful, unforgettable celebration – and bride and groom were SO HAPPY!!
Wishing you this happiness together for every single day, Rachel and Jim!
One of my favorite design aspects for any wedding I create is the floral decor for the wedding dinner. The style is, of course, a reflection of the overall aesthetic of that given wedding celebration – so here are the absolute frontrunners in my wedding design practice.
Rustic green garland with flowers and fruits
For an elevated rustic style, the all-time favorite is a green garland with flowers and fruits on bare wooden “harvest” tables:
Isn’t that pretty? Combine with beautiful crossback chairs, ceramic plates, maybe colored glassware and even gold-toned cutlery – guests will LOVE it.
Classic elegance in white
For a classic-elegant look, you can never go wrong with white-on-white high/low centerpieces; either double-height like in this image, or half the tables with a tall arrangement and the other half, alternating, with low arrangements. Roses, lilies and orchids are the “gold standard” for this look.
Add shimmering white linens, gold-rimmed china and either upholstered dining chairs or gold-toned “Chiavari” chairs – and voila! Timeless elegance.
A dream in pink
Lastly – the ever-popular romantic pastel palette AND floral chandeliers! That’s how to create “WOW” at your wedding…
Matching draping of the perimeter, chair covers with a bow and an abundance of candlelight complete this dreamy look. Just be aware that not all venues allow to hang something from the ceiling (and floral chandeliers are surprisingly heavy!) – so ask first before you order.
