Real Wedding - Julie & Kyle

Julie & Kyle's wedding was an exciting one for Gardeenia,
it was our first melding of floral design and wedding planning and I must say -
the results were fantastic.
Julie & Kyle were planning an outdoor reception under a forest preserve pavilion. Trish Stoner, Gardeenia's new wedding planner, & I wanted to transform the space into a gorgeous reception.

We used vases of curly willow branches to 'hide' some parts of the pavilion that were a little too rough for an elegant(but fun) wedding reception.

Trish brought in beautiful plum and green linens for the tables and mantle and hung white paper lanterns. Centerpieces were simple bunches of green hydrangea and vases of sunken cymbidium orchids which were a 'fresh' display on the deep plum tables.

White balls of flowers on shepherds hooks lined the walk up to the pavilion.

These whimsical arrangements in plum and green served as altar flowers and then placed on the mantal at the reception. (We always like our brides to enjoy their flowers all day and we are happy to move ceremony flowers to the reception. Altar flowers, depending on their size, can be used at the entrance of your reception, on gift, place card or head tables or your bar or buffet. )

Keeping with their plum and green colors, these beautiful bouquets were green hydrangea, plum callas, green hypericum and cymbidium orchids.

We are excited to expand our services to offer wedding planning and coordinating from day of coordinating to full planning and packages in between.

If you are looking for gorgeous wedding flowers and/or wedding planning & coordinating call us soon. 2010 is booking fast!
708-921-1463
or email
laura@gardeenia.com

Real Wedding - Lisa & Charlie

Lisa & Charlie planned their beautiful fall wedding at Narnia Estate in Lemont. The day was beautiful!! We created a romantic outdoor setting with curly willow, white orchids and thick white petals to line the aisle.

Lisa's bouquet was full of luscious white blooms including calls, orchids, hydrangea and ranunculus. Her bridesmaids carried plum & green bouquets of roses, orchids, succulents and callas to compliment their plum dresses.
The reception incorporated plum and green throughout creating a striking image.

A trio of cube vases with sunken orchids and floating candles.

The other tables included dramatic trees with orchids on the branches and submerged in the vase. These filled the space beautifully!

This head table piece was a beautiful focal point in front of the bride & groom during the reception bringing in the plum and green with orchids and roses.

OCTOBER SPECIAL
Brides who book their 2010 wedding during the month of October will receive a complimentary toss bouquet.

Call us or e-mail today to schedule your consultation!
708-921-1463

Real Wedding - Jeff & Renee

A beautiful September! Beautiful weather, beautiful flowers and 7 beautiful brides. The studio has been filled with the most beautiful blooms from around the world and a couple of very busy designers creating the best bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces and more.

Jackie, who joined the staff at Gardeenia last May, has been a wonderful, artistic addition to our family. She brings experience from such downtown companies as Kehoe Designs and Heffernan & Morgan. We are a great fit in offering of downtown quality and artistry in the suburbs! (And we have a lot of fun.)Okay, Here is Jeff & Renee. What a great wedding! And a great couple! Jeff & Renee came to Gardeenia desiring something unique for their wedding but they weren't sure what. They were interested in having some sustainable elements as well as locally grown flowers. They wanted their wedding to be beautiful & elegant without a lot of waste. They came to the right place.
Renee loves purple. We chose purple gladiolas as our main flower because it was locally grown. Here we lined the aisle with tin planters of gladiolas and goldenrod from the 5 acres Gardeenia's studio sits on.
Talk about local!
To create a focal point for this patio ceremony we hung beautiful ivory woven panels with balls of purple gladiola florets. Potted grasses in earthy tin planters served as 'ceremony flowers' that Jeff & Renee took home and planted. Sustainable and Meaningful.


In keeping with the earthy but elegant feel of the event we designed unusual and unexpected tablescapes that were interesting and beautiful at the same time. Our focal flower was gladiolas but we also incorporated berries, moss, branches, millet, orchids, river rock and of course lots of candles! Candles hung from the branches and floated in vases creating a magical atmosphere.
At the end of the evening Gardeenia wrapped all the flowers for guests to take home and enjoy. We do this for all of our weddings! We also compost all of our waste, stems & leaves that are not used in designs are piled up on our property making rich compost. We also recycle boxes, packing material, water tubes, etc. These things were important to Jeff & Renee and we were so happy to bring it all together for a gorgeous wedding!

Thanks to Laura Meyer from www.laurameyerphotography.com
for these terrific photos!! My work can only look as good as the photographer that shoots it so thanks Laura!

The Smaller Details

Of course the bride's bouquet is THE most important design of the day and should outshine everything else, like this gorgeous bouquet that Nicole enjoyed for her summer wedding.

A luscious round bouquet of peonies, callas and orchids all in shades of pink.

But what about all the other details? There's flower girls, hairpieces, mothers and fathers, vocalists and godparents. Yes, it's a lot to keep track of, that's why you have us! You will enjoy the process as we design your wedding from the most important bridal bouquet to the smallest detail. Nothing will be missed and everything will be beautiful!

Here are some great ideas for the smaller details:

Not all moms want the traditional coursage.
Some are choosing posies like this elegant posy of ivory roses Colleen's mom carried.


And many mothers are loving a beautiful (and comfortable) floral bracelet like this pearl bracelet with an ivory calla and pink cymbidium orchids.



And Flower Girls aren't always tossing petals anymore,
Some are carrying a cute pomander like this melon colored ball of flowers with a sweet bow to hang from her arm.


And some are wearing their flowers instead of tossing them like this crown of pink spray roses.


What about the brides hair?
More and more brides are choosing fresh flowers for their hair and orchids not only look awesome but hold-up beautiful throughout the day.
O.K. girls, (and guys who can get into it), just one more detail to consider for today-
The Handle of Your Bouquets!
There are many beautiful choices we offer so that your bouquet is luxurious to the very stems!
Here are some ideas but we have hundreds of other ideas too.

How about polka dots - especially with the feathers - FUN!

This sunflower bouquet has a ti leaf wrapped around it's stems instead of ribbon.
Definitely different, definitely stunning.

An antique brooch is a beautiful accent.
And this last handle was very special to Colleen, it was her grandmother's rosary that she wanted added to her bouquet and it turned out not only beautiful but very special.

Come visit our studio to see more ideas and learn how we can put them all together for a stunning wedding. We would love to meet with you!

Right now Winter Brides (weddings Dec. - March) will receive 10% off their entire wedding order. Book your appointment today!
708-921-1463

Tears of Joy

I cry every time. You would think that seeing many weddings I would not, but I do. As I watch one of my brides take her father's arm and I give her dress one last fluff I get a lump in my throat and my eyes tear up.

I guess it's because of my own emotional investment in her wedding. Being instrumental in making her most important day beautiful is not just a job for me, it's my art and my heart is poured out into each wedding. Seeing it all come together, the joy in their faces and the beauty of a marriage begun never gets dull. It's invigorating every time.

Here are a couple of my own pics from this weekend, professional pics to come and will be added to our gallery.

Look at this beautiful head table. I love the shape. The bride & groom at the top with their attendants seated down either side. This design included two luxurious arrangement on top of glass cylinders with candles of various heights (you can't really see in the pic) and petals placed down the length of the table.


This low centerpiece to coordinate with the high added some variation and interest to the space. Again a luxurious arrangement with candles of various heights. Romantic! I placed these in the middle of the room with the talls around the outside.



We placed two of these gorgeous wreaths on the church doors, a wonderful greeting for wedding guests.

SUMMER PROMOTIONAL
Gardeenia is offering a summer promotional of a free boutonniere for every bouquet ordered.
This promotional is good for weddings booked by July 31st.

We have a few 2009 dates available and we are currently booking through Sept. 2010.

Let the Wedding Season Begin

It is finally here! As we push toward May many excited brides are counting down the days. We have finalized plans for Jennifer- 5/9, Sarah-5/23, Colleen-5/30 and Rebecca-5/31. What a full and beautiful month to celebrate new life together.

Flowers we are using for these weddings include some classic spring flowers such as peonies and tulips as well as unique varieties of roses and orchids. Pink is the favorite color this month and with so many beautiful flowers in a variety of pinks, creativity is blooming. The style of each bride is unique and each wedding will reflect that. I'm excited to begin the season!

This past month has been filled with Bridal Expo Chicago. We exhibited at The Double Tree in Oak Brook on April 19th and at Georgio's on April 26th.We brought our unique iron arch to showcase at the Georgio's show. This piece creates a stunning focal point for a ceremony and photographs. It's a wonderful piece to work with that can take on many different styles and look unique each time.

We've had a great response to our 'tree'. At one show we displayed it with tulips in the hanging vases and at the other we used floating candles in the vases. For brides who want to have something different this may be it. It works great at a focal piece on the place card table, it can add beauty to a ceremony setting or variations work dramatically as centerpieces.

Here are some of the bouquets we brought to the show. They were highlighted in the fashion show which gave brides a chance to see them in action.




This is one of our bouquets that created quite a stir. An unexpected mix of amnesia roses and black feathers creating a dramatic vintage look for the bride who loves the unusual.

We are busy meeting with brides and designing stylish weddings for our discerning clients looking for unmatched beauty. Dates are filling up going into May 2010. Plan on a consultation 8-12 months before your wedding and possibly earlier for those prime dates.
We would love to meet with you!

Bridal Expo Chicago

This weekend we will be exhibiting our luxurious designs at Bridal Expo Chicago at the Double Tree Hotel in Oak Brook. The expo will be held from 12-4pm on Sunday, April 19th. This is a great opportunity for bride's to view a sampling of our work, see first hand the beauty and quality that we offer brides and talk with us about our exclusive, personal attention for your wedding day.

We are excited to design the bouquets for the fashion show that takes place at 2pm. It's great to see our designs in action and to help bride's visualize the possibilities.

For more information about this show you can visit www.bridalshowexpo.com.

If you are unable to make the show but would like an opportunity to see some of our work up close you can visit our studio Saturday, April 18th from 1-6pm. You can see us in action and take a look at our new studio. We would love to meet you.

Fall Is In The Air

What?  How can fall be in the air when we are hoping for spring?  But fall seems to be a new favorite for weddings.  The rich colors and the beautiful weather are attracting many brides to consider September and October weddings.  There are many beautiful flower choices for a fall wedding such as hydrangea, dahlia and sunflowers.  If your dreaming of a fall wedding consider some of these combinations for your bouquet - 

Of course the classic sunflower is always a favorite in the fall.  This simple sunflower bouquet has a collar of greenery and is uniquely wrapped with a ti leaf instead of ribbon.  This bright bouquet looks great with deep, fall color bridesmaid dresses.   

This vibrant bouquet has a play on textures.  Orange celosia, tiramisu roses, orange callas each bring their own unique texture with seeded eucalyptus as a unique accent.  Peach callas are also incorporated to make the bold colors really stand out.

This gorgeous, round bouquet includes peach dahlias, orange roses, tiramisu roses, antique hydrangea and peach berries creating a soft autumn palate with a romantic feel.

Brides-to-be are excitedly looking to fall.  Of course there are many delights for spring, summer and winter too!  

*Gardeenia is offering a Spring Special.  Brides who book by April 15th will receive flowers for their parents complimentary.  This is a great way to honor your parents with beautiful flowers on your wedding day.  Special includes bride's and groom's parents up to a $200 value.  

Call or e-mail today to schedule your complimentary consultation.

708-921-1463

What's the dress got to do with it?

EVERYTHING!

When designing your bridal bouquet one of the most important questions your floral designer should ask is "What is your dress style?" or better yet, "Show me your dress."

A great bridal bouquet should be designed with the dress in mind. Of course the brides choice of colors and flowers are just as important but when considering the shape and size of the bouquet the dress is key.

The bridal bouquet should complement the dress and create a beautiful, harmonious picture. The bouquet should not overpower the dress or the bride but flow naturally from both.

When I see the dress the ideas start to flow, I look at the dress style, size and shape. I look at the detailing. I consider the size and shape of the bride also. With this picture in mind I can start designing.
This bouquet from the home page of our web site is a great example. This bride's dress was slim through the bodice with a full, flowing skirt. This full bouquet of peonies balanced this out beautifully without overwhelming the bride. The bouquet was kept simple in flower choices and color so the beading and detail work on the bodice would not be lost or the total picture be too confusing.
This bride benefited from a tear drop shaped bouquet. Her dress was an a line with a lot of detail. She had a fuller figure and not a lot of height. A short stocky bouquet would have only emphasized this so instead a teardrop bouquet elongated the overall picture. The bouquet was not too large keeping a visually proportionate picture. Again, the bouquet was designed with classic, simple flowers and colors so that the detail work of her dress could shine.

So the dress is so important when designing your bridal bouquet. This is also true for designing bridesmaids bouquets but we will get to that at another time.

Everything's New

This new year has brought a lot of 'new' with it, a new name, a new web site and very shortly a new studio (drywall goes up this week!). All of this NEW is very exciting!

On our 'new' blog we will be sharing 'new' ideas, 'new' brides and of course news.
This year started off with The Bridal Expo at The Rialto Square Theater, one of my favorite venues. We met so many excited brides dreaming of their big day. These adorable girls were part of the fashion show which included Gardeenia's floral designs. One carried a traditional, romantic basket of green and pink flowers, the middle darling is carrying a pink pomander or ball of flowers which looks so sweet with this pink dress. The third little one has a flower wand of spider gerbera daisies, so cute. Which do you think your flower girls would love?

New Website

Stay Tuned for Upcoming News and Events!

Meanwhile, check out our brand new website

at Gardeenia.com!