It's a chilly, rainy, fall day here in Virginia – perfect weather for reminiscing about a summer wedding, don't you think?
Several of you have asked for post about my wedding flowers, and I'll tell you: it all started with the lavender.
I don't remember when I mentioned to Habou my idea of using lots of lavender in my (theoretical, at that point) wedding, but she took it to heart and immediately began preparing me a floral hope chest. I have emails from her from as early as four years ago (no boy in sight!), giving me lavender status updates. They often looked something like this:
From: Habou
To: Rosie
9/11/05
I've been gardening almost non-stop and the lavender is doing better than I though it would. Have totally (or have started) revamping the slope with the idea of putting more lavender in next spring. Haven't been able to garden near the house because of the roofers but that is nearly done now.
At times, she worried that the lavender might not be ready for me:
From: Habou
To: Rosie
5/1/06
Still too early to tell about last year's lavender which always a cause of anxiety for me.
Luckily for me, the timing worked out great: Habou and the lavender came through with flying colors.
From: Habou
To: Rosie
5/17/09
Hi Rosie, Just ready to pop into bed – must get beauty sleep. I'm sure the lavender will be in full bloom by wedding time. Love, Habou
(and then, a few days later):
5/19/09 I keep looking at the Lavender and chanting to it; “Hold back until the last week in June.”
(Isn't she the cutest?)
In the weeks before the wedding, she would come in every day with several bundles of the beautiful, fragrant flowers, tie them up, and leave them to dry. When the time came to put it all together, we had much more than I needed!
From the start, I planned on doing the flowers myself (which is to say, with the help of my mother, grandmother, and sisters). Based on my minimal experience as an wedding florist (I put together bouquets for my now-sister-in-law Annie's bridesmaids and flower girls when she was pressed for time the day before the wedding), I knew I would love doing it, and I also knew that I could get much more bang for my floral buck that way.
After much research, I ordered flowers in bulk online (it seemed like a huge leap of faith – especially after I heard how my friend received a shipment of dead flowers just a day before her wedding. ack!), and the flowers arrived as promised on the Thursday before the big day.
Question: are the boxes big enough to fit a bridesmaid inside?
I originally was thinking just in terms of white, purple, and green (you know – lavender colors), but the truth is that I love bright colors, I especially love orange, and I absolutely love bi-color yellow and red roses.
So I ended up ordering them along with my white roses, and white and orange spray roses for the bouquets. I also ordered green hypericum (St. John's Wort) as a green/filler, and of course I had my lavender.
I was so happy with it all. The roses were perfect, and I was so happy I'd gotten the spray roses and hypericum – they added texture to the arrangements that otherwise wouldn't have been there. I also loved the way the orange popped (especially against my sisters' bridesmaid dresses (which we snagged at TJMaxx and the clearance rack at Anthropologie, by the way!)). I put together all the bouquets Thursday night, leaving the orange out of mine.
This sweet little beaded purse was sent to me by my cousin Mary Ellen (actually, my grandmother's cousin, I believe) before the wedding. It belonged to my great-grandmother (Nana), who was given it for her wedding by her mother. After Nana's death, my grandmother gave it to Mary Ellen, who passed it on to me! I tied it into my bouquet to honor my grandmother and the other Collins ladies. Between that and my veil, I had my “something old” covered! (ps – Jen, your silver sixpence was in the purse, not my shoe. Is that cheating?)
The bridesmaids bouquets and the flower girl's basket were mostly orange, with white, lavender, and green. Deirdre made some beautiful wrist corsages for the mothers and Habou and boutonnieres for the men.
Everything was perfect, right down to the “spirit sticks” Deirdre and Mom made out of fabric flower weeks before (not knowing what the real flowers would look like) when they decided on the plan to have everyone – bride, groom, guests – walk together from the church to the reception, a few blocks away across the town green. (They got the idea from the wedding scene in Sense and Sensibility, with all the kids running around and waving pretty things… do you remember this? I don't think Marianne and Colonel Brandon would have called them Spirit Sticks, but somehow it just seemed right to us!)
For centerpieces, we filled Mason jars with roses, hypericum, lavender, and various other herbs my mother brought in from the garden (mint, chive blossoms, and I don't remember what else), and tied each jar with purple ribbon.
Briana says
Beautiful! So wonderfully sweet that your grandmother grew the lavender for you!
Suki says
I love that Bridget is dozing in the box! I think that sums up my attitude in the week before the wedding–quick, a chance to sleep, take it!Also, I'd like to add that your sister-in-law Amy also did a LOT of work on the centerpieces the day before the wedding. It was, however, the Lawler Family Stalker who saved the day while we were all at the ceremony: she came into the hall and realized that the water in the jars was all brown and gross, and filled every one with fresh water by herself. LFS was my hero that day.
Charlotte (Matilda) says
What a beautiful post! I love wedding posts especially ones that highlight the elegance of simplicity. I'm hoping to instill in my girls a love for the idea of everyone working together on the little touches that mean so much in creating so much beauty! And can I just say that it was pure genius to reenact the S&S wedding scene! Beautiful!!!
Sue says
Absolutely dreamy – the flowers, your dress, your man in uniform, all of it! Thank you for sharing. I especially love the kiss photo with the young ladies looking on in the background.
Anne R Triolo says
I don't know how I missed this post! I'm glad I found it though. So pretty. 🙂 I'm glad you married my brother, and that you did my wedding flowers. 😛
Anonymous says
I'm the gal who requested the wedding flower pictures! Thanks for your post. I think I am going to do the reception flowers, and maybe the bouquets. You did a great job!-Mary
Elizabeth says
Oh oh oh! I love all the pictures! The bicolored roses are PERFECT.
magda says
Oh, wow. The next time I get married, I'll add this to the plans. Same husband, of course. 🙂
Leila says
This is so exciting! Thanks, Rosie! Actually, so many people helped get the flowers done. Lorraine, Lucia — why, even Ted, FOG, brought us apples and pastries to see us through! I think by then I had sent you home, mono girl!Oh, that reminds me…what about a mono post!! 🙂
Leila says
Oh, and I forgot to add this about the water:To prevent yukky-ness from being evident (we HAD used preservative in the water…) if you have to make the arrangements the day before, line each jar with some broad leaves so that what you see is green….
Deirdre says
Those emails from Habou are adorable!! That's just how she is; if you tell her you care about something, she will always remember and hold it close to her heart. So sweet. :)For those of you who may be confused, Lawler Family Stalker is my dear friend from here at school. (She's not really a stalker, she just chose the name to poke fun at herself for being one of those friends who is interested in everything and somehow stays up on all the news.) She kindly agreed to spend a few days with the family over the wedding to help us with odds and ends. Her presence was absolutely clutch – and I agree with Suki about the heroism of the bouquet triage. That was your shining moment, LFS! 🙂 It's so nice to remember all this, Rosie! You did a great job; the flowers were just right.
Anonymous says
Thanks for sharing more pictures and tidbits about your big day. It was so touching to read about it back in July when your mom first posted. I too used one of those big internet companies for my weddding flowers 5 years ago and was thrilled at the quality and quantity I got for only about $200. I'm glad you were pleased too.Cheers!Erika
Kelly says
The flowers are beautiful – so refreshing and so terrifically home spun and full of love. Just perfect. ~KellyunDeniably Domestic
Habou says
Thanks for the tribute, Rosie. It was all my pleasure. I enjoy growing the lavender so much and there will be some for your anniversary. All the arrangements were beautiful. You are so thrifty.And thanks to you, too, Deirdre. I do love my grandchildren.Habou
Lawler Family Stalke says
Not at all, it was fun! I got to hang out with the cake decorator, and we had a grand old time!!! The flowers were soooo pretty! Who woulda thunk- a girl named Rosie loves flowers… :)xoxoxo
Jen says
I guess in your purse counts! Glad to know it was there.
Toronto Florist says
Beautiful! I really liked your bouquet!
Alice says
I approve.I continue to marvel at our shared taste (if different inspiration: my orange and purple desires came from California wildflowers). The flowers look amazing! You're so inspiring, if I had the space and the help, I'd be doing my own.
km says
i hopped over here from April's blog. These pictures and your wedding are absolutely beautiful. My best wishes to you
Decadent Housewife says
Pretty, pretty, pretty. Smart girls to do your own flowers. Thanks for sharing.
montreal florist says
Wow! It's beautiful wedding. Happy and gorgeours. Flowers are really beautiful!
Meg says
This is such a beautiful wedding!! I know this is a very busy time for your family, but do you think one of you could share helpful hints for a frugal but beautiful wedding?? I am engaged and working with a $5,000 budget. A post with any insights on wedding planning would truly be a blessing.Thanks so much for considering my request, and best wishes for a blessed Christmas season! And I just have to say that Rosie's baby boy is absolutely adorable — congratulations!!
Blooms By The Box says
This is Diana from BloomsByTheBox! This is such a thrilling post! You not only did a wonderful job with the flowers but i am so happy to see such a great documentation! I have shared your posts on Blooms By The Box facebook! Thank you so much! If you ever need anything feel free to call and ask for Diana! INLOVE WITH THIS POST!!!!!!