Paisley Oregon Hot Springs Wedding

When I got the call from Erika at The Greatest Adventure asking me to do the flowers for an intimate wedding out in Paisley, Oregon, I immediately said YES! Truthfully, I had never even heard of Paisley and quickly looked it up on the map. It was almost 2 hours away from Bend in the high Desert. There is not much out there other than the rugged Hot Spring area where Madison & Guy would say their vows.

I loved the process with Erika, she was super laid back and gave me a general idea of what the couple was looking for, but mostly let me take the reigns on the floral design. After doing research on the area, I knew I couldn’t deliver the typical wedding flowers to this location. They had to be earthy in color, maybe using lots of dried elements and have certain natural grit to the design. Madison let me know that her fiancé, Guy wanted to send me some hand thrown bud vases he made to use on the farm tables. I was blown away when they arrived! These quickly became my inspiration for the floral designs. Check out Guy’s website www.gtoceramics.com. I will for sure be ordering some of his custom designs for future weddings!

The day of the wedding, we loaded up the car and headed out to Paisley. When you are approaching the “town” it feels like you have stumbled upon some forgotten tumbleweed town in the wild wild west. The landscape was stunning though, with huge salt flats in the distance that went on for miles. The wind was picking up and the dust danced and billowed up into a cloud that hovered over the salt flats like a tornado. I knew the photos from The Foxes Photography would come out amazingly, which they did (see portfolio & pics below).

We adorned a simple triangle arbor in eucalyptus, foraged grasses. Lunaria, Pampas grass and different mauve colored roses. You didn’t need much for the outdoor ceremony site, just enough to frame the salt flats and beautiful surroundings.

The centerpieces complimented the farm tables perfectly and were placed down the middle each with their unique vase and design. This was for sure a wedding I wish I got to stay for. Madison & Guy were so sweet and down to earth. You can tell from the photos that they had so much fun on their wedding night, dancing and singing the night away with family and friends, after all, that’s what it’s all about right?!

Cheers to Madison & Guy!!!!

Erika & Brett's Desert Boho Brasada Wedding

I first met Erika & Brett out at Brasada Ranch for our initial consultation. I could tell right away we would get along. Erika has this laid back but direct personality which I can appreciate, especially when it came to floral designs. Erika knew what she wanted but also gave me the creative freedom to put my touch on everything. The vibe was desert Boho with a soft peach, mauve and sage green color palate. I used lots of sage and juniper to compliment Brasada's beautiful surroundings. The romantic mauve garden roses softened the look of the harsh desert accents. 

For the fireplace mantel, I used bunches of smoke bush in the perfect shade of mauve/pink which acted as the perfect pillow for the voluptuous white and mauve roses to rest in.

The ceremony took place down at the pond on the lower terrace at Brasada. We lined the aisle with juniper, sage and eucalyptus filled wooden boxes. Erika’s family is greek orthodox, so I made two crowns connected with a white ribbon for Brett & Erika to wear together during the ceremony. The wedding crowns, or Stefana, symbolize the glory and honor that is being bestowed on them during the ceremony. The Stefana are joined by a ribbon which symbolizes the unity of the couple and joins them together.

Judging by the photos, I think this wedding ended in one EPIC dance party! Cheers to Erika & Brett!


 

Jessica & Kyle

When I received the photo gallery from Tony Gambino Photography of Jess & Kyle's wedding, I literally got teary eyed. The love oozing from these two love birds was palpable.

I got to know Jess & Kyle pretty well throughout the planning process and could tell immediately, that they had  a deep love and respect for one another. Kyle just wanted Jess to be happy with all things flowers and i loved that he had some really great input in the florals and details. Kyle is a professional mountain biker and he dropped off an old bike tire and spokes for me to adorn with flowers and sage. We hung the tire on the wall in the reception and used the spokes for all 13 of the boutonnieres. We used Jess' grandfather's old wooden boxes for her centerpieces and her mom created sweet macrame details on the sides of them. These complemented the dusty rose and sage color palette perfectly. 

I also got the chance to work with my friend, Christine from Swoon Events and Design. Christine pulled this wedding off flawlessly with her design and planning skills. She transformed the conference center at FivePine Lodge into a boho wonderland. I love that I get to work with new vendors all the time, some I meet and some I never see, but we all pull it off together. Every detail adds to the whole look and feel of the wedding. The tiny desserts made by Crumb Cakery were adorable and looked delicious. I love seeing a good dessert bar come together and Tara knocked it out of the park! 

Everything about this wedding and couple reminds me of why I love what I do. Seeing the look on  Jess' face as Kyle revealed the bouquet to her was priceless. The emotions shine through in their photos and I just can't get over how happy they look. I tried to narrow it down to my favorites, but in all honesty, they are all my favs! Go check them out under my Portfolio. 

Cheers to Jessica & Kyle Jameson!  

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Ali & Craig

Ali & Craig's winter wedding at Tetherow was beautiful captured by Luke and Mallory.

I first met Ali & Craig in the fall here in Bend, when they came out for a visit from Portland to meet with all their vendors. I could tell immediately that they had such a sweet disposition and respect for one another. Ali had a clear vision for her florals. She wanted them simple, elegant and classic just like her. 

Tetherow has a very simple, modern lodge feel with beautiful views. The day of the wedding ended up being gorgeous with no snow or rain, I think they probably wanted some snow for their winter wedding but nevertheless it all turned out beautifully. 

My favorite part of the wedding besides working with the wonderful Britt & Bixby was the arbor piece.  Ali had this metal piece welded together by her friend and I adorned it with a variety of white flowers and greenery. It was just so simple and elegant and made a great backdrop for photos. 

Enjoy these photos from this sweet Bend wedding, Congratulation to Ali & Craig! 

Coordination: Britt + Bixby Venue: Tetherow  Hair and Makeup: Kate Tuma DJ: Bend Event Sound   Rentals: West Coast Event Production  Cake:  Flowers: Petals. Flowers by Katie

A little about me & Owning a business

As I enter into my 4th year owning Petals. Flowers by Katie I find myself reflecting on how much I have learned during this journey and how grateful I am to be working as a florist in Beautiful Bend, Oregon! 

It started really, as a child, in my mother's garden. Some would say that as a kid, I was a little hard to handle...lot's of energy. My mom was an avid gardner, so decided one day to put my energy to good use and set me free in her garden. My job was to pull out all of the weeds. Several hours later, my mom came out to find me digging up her large "weed" which was actually not a weed at all, but a dormant rose bush! As distraught as she was at this, she took the time to teach me about plants and flowers. I was hooked. I fell in love with the care and attention it took to grow something beautiful. Even in their seemingly lifeless state, it takes patience and hard work to bring a plant to their full potential. 

Fast forward to my college years in San Diego when I took a summer job at a floral shop. I spent the summer working under the owner learning all the names of the flowers, pricing and floral design. I still remember the smell of the shop as the early morning sun rose and beckoned for all the roses to open up. This was by far my favorite job to date, but I graduated and had to get a "real job", never would I have imagined that more than a decade later, I would find my way back to flowers and make it a career.

After working for 10 years in jobs that I didn't love, my husband and I embarked on a life changing adventure hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Needless to say, we both had lot's of time to think and reflect on what we wanted to do when we got home. I realized that I wanted to get back to what really made me happy. The one thing that was crystal clear to me was my passion for flowers and creating. So, without much thought of where it would lead me, I enrolled in a 3 month long intensive floral design course at the San Francisco Flower Mart. Each 3 hour long class was spent mastering a specific aspect of floral design as well as learning about pricing and running a business. When I graduated, I decided to take a huge risk and quit my job to start Petals. 

The first year was spent working out all the business logistics and flowering my sister's wedding along with some friend's weddings and by the end of the summer, I landed my first organic client! Luckily, my business took off from there and has continued to grow even since moving to Bend, OR. It hasn't always been easy. I remember several times towards the end of a very busy second season wanting to quit it all. My husband has been very supportive and gave up his weekends in the beginning to help me with weddings. But mostly, I was alone, learning it all as I went. 

It's not all roses and rainbows. Being a florist is hard work. only about 20% of the work is actual floral designing and 80% is the daily grind and pressure of running a business. Lots of sleepless nights spent worrying about if my flower order will arrive, will the flowers be of the quality I demand, will the bride like my designs, will my cooler break on me, did I forget anything for tomorrow's wedding... I am sure we all experience this and it's just all part of owning your own business. As hard as it is at times, I can't imagine doing anything else. I love my job and the couples I get to work with. Not to mention this amazingly supportive wedding community I get to collaborate with!  

Time has flown by, and I pinch myself thinking that I am already booking brides for 2019 in my 5th year as a floral designer! If I have any advice for someone starting their own business, it would this; the first couple years are the hardest, be patient and stick with it, trust me it gets easier. Stay organized, ask questions, network, find a mentor. Be open to evolving and growing as a business owner, and remember it's all worth it!

 

A Mid-Summer's Night Dream

Last summer, I had the privilege of providing wedding flowers for my dear friend, Brittainy. Brittainy and I got to know each other over the years of living in the small town of Sonoma, CA and bonded over wine and our equal obsession of flowers.

Brittainy helps run Repris Wines in Sonoma and her now husband, Sean Haraszthy's ancestor founded the oldest winery in Sonoma, Buena Vista Winery. Quite literally, they have wine in their blood.

Brittainy has impeccable tastes and studied Art History in school, so I knew that collaborating with her was going to be so much fun! As she was touring venue sites, she came across The Garden Pavilion  which is full of old world charm and hanging on the wall was a MarieAntoinette Print that actually used to belong to  Brittainy (that's a whole other story), but this coincidence was too much to ignore, and she booked the site on the spot. 

The MarieAntoinette painting became the theme of her wedding and I took the inspiration into the flowers as "A mid-summer's night dream". With jasmine hanging over the centerpieces and the backs of the bride and groom chairs, I was able to create a garden party feel. Blush and white Peonies and garden roses set in rose gold pedestal vases completed the look. 

The day of the wedding was a little over 100 degrees, but the setting was so gorgeous that it almost made us forget about the heat.  The grounds are perfectly manicured but still have a very lush secret garden feel.  The bride looked stunning, just like a french queen should :) and the maids were dressed in different shades of blush. It was a true fairytale wedding that I will never forget. 

Below is one of my favorite photos snapped by Cathy Stencil Photography of Brittainy walking away amongst the Hydrangeas bushes. 

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White Aspen Styled Shoot

This past December I had the opportunity to collaborate with Christine from Swoon Event and Design on one EPIC styled shoot. This elaborate, shoot uncluded 20 plus super talented Central Oregon wedding vendors (see complete list below) who helped bring Christine's vision to life. It was a magical night held at White Aspen Creative that truly felt like a wedding. Looking around, I thought, if I did it all over again, THIS is how I would want my wedding to look and feel. 

Being a winter shoot, we really wanted it to have a moody, cozy vibe. The florals were heavy on the greenery, local juniper, silver Acacia and blue thistle lent to the holiday vibe without looking too "christmasy". The bridal bouquet was dotted with deep red charm peonies and tons of fun textural elements. To match the velvet blue couch and blue undertones, I wrapped the bouquet in a storm blue ribbon from Tono&Co, which hung beautifully from the bouquet. 

            Photo by my girl BrittRene Photo

            Photo by my girl BrittRene Photo

 The chemistry and love between this real life couple was palpaple and the "ceremony" was so sweet. After the I do's, we feasted on delicious passed Hors d'oeuvres by Bowtie Catering and sipped on some handccrafted cocktails while dancing the night away! 

The amount of support that came out of this shoot was truly heartwarming. The Bend wedding community is the BEST! I am looking forward to creating some real wedding moments half as grand as this in 2018!! See more photos in my Portfolio section. 

 List Of Vendors:

Planning and Design: Swoon Event & Design, Photography: BrittRene Photography, Catering: Bowtie Catering, Cake: Too Sweet Cakes, Venue: White Aspen Creative, Hair & Makeup: Edge Hair & Makeup, Dress: Katie May  Lighting:  Illuminate Your Night, Signs: Benson Paper CO., D.J.: Muchmore Productions, Rentals: Heirlooms and Co., Leather Work: Hidealchemy, Furniture: Haven Home Style, Furnishings: Abode, Alcohol: Bend South Liquor, Silk Ribbon: Tono & Co., Custom Lighting Installation: Ondine, Get Ready Suit:  The Oxford Hotel, Knits: Platypus Perspective, Lingerie: Black Bird Underpinnings

 

 

 

What a Year it has Been!

Wow, What a year it has been! Since my last blog post, we participated in several styled shoots, weddings here in Bend and back home in Sonoma, rehearsal dinners, several elopements and engagement shoots, explored the PNW,, and have met some incredible friends and fellow wedding industry vendors along the way. Whew! 

It has been a glorious ride and moving our lives and businesses to Bend has been one of the best  decisions we have made. I honestly didn't know what to expect when moving here, I just knew that we needed a life change and wanted to be closer to the outdoors. I was immediately met with such a warm welcome from the wedding community.  Fellow Bend florists have been so kind and I have formed very close working and personal relationships with some of my "Competitors". Bend has a very unique artistic and entrepreneurial spirit. These two things combined have helped me and my business flourish. 

I can't say enough about the talented wedding community here, so I will just show you! Here are just a few of my favorite weddings this past year. . Head on over to the Portfolio Tab to view more!

When Life Gives you Lemons, Make Lavender Lemonade!

This past spring, I had the great honor of witnessing and contributing to the marriage between two of my closest friends, who we met day 1 on the Pacific Crest Trail. Ashleigh and Mark had been dating for several years before they committed to hiking the PCT together. After hiking for quite some time with them and watching them be tested as a couple and individually, I had no doubt in my mind that they would not only make it the whole way to Canada, but their love would also last a lifetime. Little did we know, Mark had carried Ashleigh's engagement ring in his pocket the entire way from Mexico to Canada. He proposed at the end of the trail after walking 2,650 miles together. Like Mark and Ashleigh, my now husband and I also got engaged on the trail. Our shared memories and experiences on and off of the trail have bonded the 4 of us together forever. So needless to say, their wedding day was emotional and beautiful. Ashleigh's favorite color is purple and Mark is a chef, so I decided to create an all Lavender bouquet for her and a bundle of Herb de Provence boutonnière for him. Here is a photo of the newly weds downtown San Francisco. 

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 I had some left over lavender from Ashleigh's bouquet, so I decided to not let it go to waste and make something delicious! I ended up making lavender lemonade and lavender honey butter.  If you want to add a little fun to your Lavender Lemonade, top it off with some Bubbles!

Local honey, Organic Lemons and Organically grown Lavender. 

Bouquets to Art

If you have never seen the exhibit "Bouquets to Art" at the De Young Museum, you must attend next year. This exhibit show cases some very talented designers from across the Bay Area. Each floral designer is to choose a permanent art piece in the De Young and use their interpretation of the piece through a floral design. I was inspired by all the pieces and the unique perspective that came through in the floral designs. 

Inspiration

It is important to me as a creator to feel inspired. With all this rain, I have been indoors a lot and felt the need to get out into nature. Yesterday, I went to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

 The rain had stopped, and the sun was peaking through the clouds. I wandered throughout the many trails and purposefully got lost. The ground was still damp, but it seemed like all the animals and flower had made their way out today to soak up some of the sun.

I came upon a huge field of wild white Calla Lilies. Some were in full bloom and the size of my head! Others were just beginning to bloom. I took it as a sign because just that morning I was speaking to one of my soon to be brides (and close friend) about her bouquet. I told her that I always pictured her in a simple bouquet of white Calla Lilies. She told me that they were her favorite flowers! So, I snapped some pictures for her and just took a moment to bask in their simple beauty.  

Although it is only January, it felt like Spring had Sprung in the park. There were such a variety of flowers. I was in my happy place. If you get the chance to walk around Golden Gate Park, now is a beautiful time of year. The trees and shrubs are so lush and spotted with the most magnificent colored flowers. I came away Feeling so inspired and ready to take on the wedding season! Here are some pictures I snapped during my adventure.

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Pumpkin Floral Arrangements

Halloween is here and I am hosting a Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Party! I wanted to create a fun yet sophisticated arrangement for decoration. I had tons of pumpkins for the pumpkin carving party and recently went to the Dahlia farm, so I decided to create an arrangement using the pumpkin as the vessel. This is a simple project and would be fun to do with the kids.

To get started, you will need one small pumpkin. I think these arrangements are best as a center piece on a dinner table. Try using a gourd for a thanksgiving centerpiece. You will also need floral foam. You can buy this from any craft store. One pumpkin carving knife. Moss to cover the floral foam, also found at any craft store. And most importantly, flowers! For a small pumpkin, you could use 3 large flowers and some small filler flowers. I used Dahlias and red sunflowers. 

First, you want soak one piece of floral foam in water so that it is completely submerged. Do not force the foam down, it will sink once it has absorbed all the water. This will take about 5 minutes. Next,  carve around the stem of your pumpkin. Be sure to cut a large enough circle to hold your floral foam and all your flowers. Clean out the inside of your pumpkin. Grab your foam from the water and place it inside of the hole in the top of the pumpkin. If it doesn't fit, just cut it down to size. You want only about an inch of foam sticking out of the top of your pumpkin. Next, you will need to soak and squeeze out the excess water from your moss. You will only need a fist full of moss to cover the foam. Place the moss over the foam and allow it to hang down the sides of the pumpkin. 

After all your foam is covered, decide where you want your flowers placed. Cut the stems of the flower at an angle leaving only about a 2 inch stem. Holding the stem at the end where it was cut, gently push the stem into the floral foam. Continue until all the moss is covered or until you have achieved your desired design. You can use any filler flower to fill in the gaps between the main flowers. In the end, it should look a little something like this...

Dahlia Farm

Being a florist in Sonoma County, I have access to some incredible flower farms. Last weekend, I did an event at Gloria Fererr Winery. If you have never been to Gloria Ferrer for bubbles, you must go! Beautiful views over looking the vineyards and some great Champagne.

So, for the arrangements, I needed some deep red and white Dahlias. I headed over to Petaluma to the Aztec Dahlia farm.  This place is beautiful and open to the public. I met with the grower there and she let me hand pick the Dahlias I wanted. It doesn't get much fresher than that! For fall arrangements, (although, it doesn't feel like fall out here in CA) consider mixing soft textures like Dahlias, with more rustic textured flowers like these purple sea hollies. 

Occidental, CA

One of the best parts of my job is having the opportunity to visit some incredible event spaces and exploring parts of the Bay Area I have never been to. This past wedding I designed flowers for was in the quaint town of Occidental, which runs down the Bohemian Highway.  Located just 13 miles inland from Bodega Bay, Occidental has a population of only about 1,200. However, for such a small town, we were surprised at all this area has to offer. The wedding reception was located at the historic, family run Union Hotel and Restaurant. It was a pleasure working with the staff here and we heard the food is great! Next time we are here, we will for sure grab a bite to eat. http://www.unionhoteloccidental.com

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                                                                            Union Hotel, Occidental CA. Reception site. 

After setting up the flowers, we set out to explore the town. We stumbled upon the Boho Bungalow, owned by Faith Parker. This little shop has everything you could want, from jewelry to household goods. I picked up a a vintage inspired VW bus painting for my home. Faith was so welcoming and friendly and has great taste. http://www.thebohobungalow.com. Also a must visit when you come to Occidental. 

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                                                                                                       Boho Bungalow, Occidental CA

If you are in the mood for some wine tasting, head over to Boheme Wines located right on Main street. https://bohemewines.com/visit  There are tons of wineries located within 30 minutes of Occidental. 

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                                                                            Vineyards in Occidental Valley. 

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Fall Wedding at the Union Hotel and Ballroom. Photography by Melissa Babasin Photography and Floral design by yours truly, Petals. Flowers by Katie 

Mexican Themed Rehearsal Dinner

The bride and groom decided to hire a taco truck to cater their rehearsal dinner at the bride's parent's house in Sonoma, CA before the big night of their wedding. I thought it would be cute to incorporate their Mexican themed party into the flower arrangements. I decided to line the vases with lime circles. Not only did this add a fresh lime fragrance to the flowers, but it gave it that beautiful bright green pop of color. 

The Marianne's Room at the Cavalier

It's always fun when I get to provide flowers for a smaller more intimate event. These flowers were for a man's 35th Birthday party in the city. The setting was at the secret Marianne's Room in the  Cavalier Restaurant. If you haven't been to this gem of a place in San Francisco, you have to check it out! This speakeasy inspired room is decorated with dark woods and deep reds. I wanted to create something that would not only match the decor but come off as masculine as well. My original idea was to build the flower arrangements in cigar boxes (too small) or old wooden whiskey boxes (too big) so I settled on these dark wooden boxes. Another bonus to the cool locale was my customer. I love it when I am given full creative reign to create something that is fun and different. So, next time you need to dress up a room for an intimate dinner party, give me a call! 

No waste

I always find a way to use my "scraps" once I'm finished with a project. I try to let nothing go to waste. Here, I used left over Ranunculus buds and some filler foliage to fill my little bud vases. The simplest greens can brighten up any room. I often find that I create the most interesting arrangments when I have very little to work with. Next time you are out for a walk, search for some unique greens or small flowers. If you have a simple container at home, use it to house your new treasures. This is an easy, FREE creative project you are sure to have fun with.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is such a  special day to show your mom how much you appreciate her. It is tradition in our family to spend Mother's Day outdoors. This year, we are taking my mom out to Point Reyes to enjoy an oyster picnic and maybe a little hike. I made this arrangement for my mother using Pink Peonies and Pink Roses. Both flowers smell terrific! I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day! 

Peony Season!

We are coming up on wedding season, and peonies are here! Peonies and Roses are the two most poplar flowers for bridal bouquets. Peonies begin blooming late April-early June. This pink Peony arrangement would make the perfect Mother's Day gift.