I am so excited to hear back from them and will be posting their stories soon!

Stay Tuned…

Since Michelle and Adam have a love of old cars and retro things, we did Route 66-themed table numbers and escort cards. Since Michelle also has a girly vintage side, we did lace accents around everything and lace roses in the bouquet.

For the personal flowers, Michelle’s bouquet was one of my favorites EVER! It featured ivory garden roses, ivory Vendela roses, light pink roses, light pink and ivory spray roses, lisianthus, some silver sage foliage, pink pearl accents and 6 hand-made lace roses. It was so fabulous! The bridesmaids carried all-pink bouquets of roses with handles wrapped in pewter to compliment their dresses and the bouts and corsages were made to compliment.

The ceremony flowers included petals scattered down the edges of the aisles and 10 pink carnation pomanders hung from shepherd’s hooks going down the aisle. It looked perfect!

For the reception decor, we recycled the pomanders on top of 10 submerged cylinder centerpieces on the guest and escort card tables. All of the submerged cylinders were also wrapped in lace, and the ones on the escort card table were also wrapped in pewter satin. The other centerpieces were short, wide cylinder vases filled with petals, orchid heads and floating candles and wrapped in lace. They were simple but total chic. The head table got 2 of this type of centerpiece plus vases for the bouquets, petals and votives. The cake table also got petals and votives and the cake itself was decorated with pink and white roses, spray roses, lisianthus and silvery foliage. Michelle and Adam also used my signature rectangle card holder with retro-monogram to hold their cards.

Everything was just awesome and Tara and I LOVED working at this venue! They were so organized and very, very nice! And bonus–I also got to see my talented friend and make up artist, Cynthia Sally as she was the MUA for the day…it really was a GREAT wedding!!!

Look at these photos Tara took of the GORGEOUS Bride in waiting…

I know Michelle and Adam loved everything we did for their big day and it was a total pleasure working with them!

I wish the new Mr. and Mrs. Klenotich a lifetime of happiness! Congratulations!

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I did 7 centerpieces for the event that were just lush and textural: square vases wrapped in ivory lace and filled with roses, spray roses, foliage, hydrangea, lilies, orchids, stock and Leptospermum. I also scattered orchid heads and petals around them and in other areas and hung orchid garlands from the happy couple’s chairs.

It looked so elegant with the linens and purple napkins…! The bride and groom and their families loved it all too!

Looking forward to their wedding later this Fall!

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For the personal flowers, Cara wanted a bold, fluffy bouquet of peonies and other flowers. Peonies were not in season, so we substituted them with magenta peony garden roses and sunset orange-salmon garden roses and aded in some Fuchsia vanda orchids, Jaguar hot pink spotted mokara orchids and a base of blue hydrangea. The handle was wrapped in ivory satin and with Peter’s grandmother’s hanky with pretty embroidery wrapped around it. The maid of honor carried a bouquet of all blue hydrangea with a blue handle. The bouts and corsages were all made of mostly orchids and some spray roses. I also provided petals for the flower girl’s basket as well as 2 satin bags filled with petals for the moms to toss at the couple during the ceremony.

For the ceremony, I just put down the aisle runner and roped off the inner aisle. We also had a huge basket of petals for after the ceremony for the guests to toss at the couple as they departed the church. I also made 6 reserved signs for the first 3 family pews on each side of the church.

For the reception, we made a bunch of arrangements in a variety of vases in different shapes and sizes provided by the couple. Some were squares, some rectangles, some cylinders. We added in some of my pedestal glasses for some of the centerpieces as well and used a couple of my taller cylinders for the foyer arrangement.

I decorated the arch in the front of the house with hydrangea, roses and orchids to set the stage for the flowers inside the house. Then you walked in and saw the entry way arrangement, a trio of tall vases–2 submerged orchids cylinders and 1 rectangle cluster arrangement of hydrangea and roses all surrounded by charcoal river rocks, votives and orchid heads. We also had our signature rectangle card holder vase with monogram on the table as well. Across from it, we put votives and votive holders with orchid heads and a sign for the photo guest book. We put more votives with candles and orchids all over the house and hallway including on the mantels and trim. Smaller vases of submerged orchid heads and floating candles were put on highboys and cabaret tables and river rocks, votives and orchids lined the back of the escort card table.

For the guest tables, we technically did 22 different combos! Most of them were a variation of 3 styles/combos of cluster and submerged arrangements in blue, magenta/fuchsia and salmon orange tones. The sweetheart table got river rocks, orchid heads and vases for the bouquets. And let’s not forget the fabulous cake with blue hydrangea on it. One of my favorite cakes ever!

I think what made everything look more special was the periwinkle linens Cara and Peter chose…they really made the space POP and set off all of the fun cluster and submerged centerpiece combos.

I loved working with Cara and Peter throughout the planning process. They had a lot of great, unique ideas which came together perfectly on their big day. Her bouquet was one of my favorite ones ever–and I really just loved their unique color palette.

I wish Mr. and Mrs. Mooses all the best! Congratulations!

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The Personal Flowers included a huge, gorgeous bouquet of hydrangea, nerine lilies, spray roses, lisianthus and roses in shades of ivory and accents of light pink. The maid of honor carried an all-pink bouquet with roses, hydrangea, spray roses, lisianthus, and nerine lilies. The bouts and corsages were made with pink and ivory roses and spray roses to match the bouquets.

The ceremony decor included a large arrangement in the middle of the venue’s arch with some white sheers hanging to each side. It contained all of the bouquet flowers plus some foliage. It was beautiful! We also did the programs which matched the table numbers and escort cards inside the venue.

For the Reception, we placed the escort cards and table number we designed on their appropriate tables and put out our signature floral-rimmed gift card holder. The centerpieces were fabulous terrarium-like Euro-inspired arrangements. They were large, 8×10" thick glass vases the mother of the bride purchased at Pottery Barn filled with a mixed arrangement surrounded by lily grass. This style is something they do in Europe already and I’ve talked a couple of brides into doing it here! I think its awesome!

I enjoyed working with Carole and her mother, Marilyn, to plan her wedding. Everything looked so perfect!

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Gatsch!

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Jessica wanted to carry an all-ivory textural bouquet of garden roses, Vendela roses, spray roses, hydrangea and lisianthus. It was stunning! The bridemaids carried white bouquets with silver brunia and foliage accents with pewter-wrapped handles. The bouts and corsages consisted of roses and spray roses with silver foliage accents and the flower girl carried an ivory hydrangea pomander.

For the ceremony, we put 2 white and silver altarpieces on white ornate columns on the dark-wood altar. We also added silk peonies to the dark-wood pews. They really made the space POP!

We later reused all of the items at the reception. The silk peonies were put into vases of fresh silver foliage in the cocktail and gift table areas. The altarpieces on columns were displayed behind the head table. The head table was also decorated with petals, votives and vases for the bouquets. The gift table got a duo of birdcages to hold Wishes and Advice and Cards. The cake table was decorated with petals and the cake was adorned with orchids, roses, spray roses and silver sage foliage. It was a beautiful cake! The centerpieces were also beautiful. We did 2 styles–one was a tall pilsner vase with submersible white LED light inside and curly willow branches, hydrangea and white dendrobium orchids shooting out of the top of it. The other style was inspired by our "Inspired Creations" contest entry. They were trios and duos of eclectic mismatched vases filled with assorted white flowers and silver foliage. The parents’ tables also got frames around their trios for added detail. The over all look of the room was just perfect!

I am so glad Jessica got pewter overlays from my friends at The Chair Couture to make the white flowers POP off of the tables. Linens make a HUGE difference in a space!

I loved working with Jessica and really loved the direction we went in for her big day. It was a beautiful success!

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Orrico!

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Here are my favorite photos from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Conservatory:

Spoonbridge and Cherry (I had no idea this shoots water out of the top of the cherry. I had only seen it in winter photos when the water feature was turned off. Its really fun!)

Lin against the brick wall sculpture…

Lin on the garden path

Columns illusion…

Moss Monkey with coconut head!

Anthurium aka “Nasty Boys”

Lindsy striking a pose. I loved how they used skinny vertical wire to train the plants to grow up instead of lattice work or something bulky.

And here are my favorite photos from the Como Zoo Conservatory:

This photo is really cool…Nice Clouds!

I LOVED how they had infinity pools all around the outside filled with lily pads, lotus, and other fun aquatic plants!

A growing Vanda orchid!

Spiny tree

Sunken Garden room smelled ike lilies!

They also have a Japanese Garden outside…

These were like 3 ft wide!!!

Me and Hubs enjoying some fresh, mild temperature air.

The other arrangement was more of a challenge for us, even though it looks much simpler. It was to go in the tall rectangle vase and sit on the dresser in the Master Bedroom. The problem being, the final colors of the Master Bedroom have yet to be determined. We know Lin and Joe like clean lines for that space, so we went with something more chic, simple and sophisticated. I told Lindsy to buy the stuff that looks like gel water to add to this later as we did not have time, but I think the simple ivory peonies in gray stones were the perfect neutral addition to an ever-changing space. No updating needed when wall colors or linens change!

So, I noticed that even when I am “on vacation” I do floral design. I also visit conservatories and go to places that sell art and flowers. I would not call it work, because I love what I do, so much so that I seek it out when on ‘down time’ as well. I think that is to be expected…right?!

Lindsy and I took one of their house tours which went for 1.5 hours and included access to 4 levels of the home including the Drawing Room, Art Gallery, Grand Hallway, kitchen, Dining Rooms, Master Suites, and some of the Children’s Bedrooms. We also saw a 10 minute video on James J. Hill, who made his fortune in during the Railroad boom and extended railroads from St. Paul all the way to Seattle. His home was built for nearly $1 million dollars in 1891, which would be at least $35 million by today’s standards! The home was stunning and Lindsy and I really enjoyed the tour.

I was really surprised that they actually let you take photos inside the house (as long as you turn off your flash). There was not a lot of furniture or art in the home, so perhaps this is why. I know at RRMM were I am a docent we do not allow photography or videography, gum chewing, food, beverages, or touching of anything. The James J. Hill House rules were similar except for photography actually being permissible.

Something I would love to do if they offer this the next time I am there would be taking their Tuesday Night “Nooks and Crannies Tour” which takes you into parts of the home not shown on the normal tour. That sounds really cool!

Here are some of the photos from inside the home:

After the tour, Lindsy and I enjoyed strolling down Summit Avenue and looking at the other fabulous historic homes on this famous street.

I took a bunch of photos of our favorites…

And this gorgeous Cathedral is at the end of the road…!

I took some photos of the fun ambiance and decor…

Vintage Finds…

Succulents Galore!

A Real Fairy Garden…

Beautiful Home Decor…

Stuff from the Sea…

Art Books and dried flowers…

& More Plants!

What’s not to love?!

I would say Petunia’s is a must visit to anyone who loves vintage, plants, flowers, home decor and fun inspiration!

Petunia’s (on Third)
421 Third Street
Excelsior, MN
952-474-0461