Bough Frau is on the Air!


For FM listeners in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, there is a special advertisement airing on weekday evenings that is dear to me not only because it is my friend's fantastic home decor store, but you may recognize the voice as well!

I present you with the Bough Frau commercial.




Happy St. Patrick's Day! Is Gra' liom Eire!

Since I am Irish I could not let Saint Patrick's Day slip away today without mentioning my love for Ireland. It's people, history, landscape, and beauty inspire me like no other place in the world - and I haven't even been able to visit yet!
Even my wedding 6 years ago had so many Irish elements. The most noteworthy being the clover plants incorporated into the centerpieces (some are still alove out there) and the Irish dancing girls from the
Inis Acla School in Memphis. What a wonderful country! I love Ireland!! Is Gra' liom Eire!

Vignette #5 White Fantasy Table

When asked the question, "What would someone in Hollywood do?" this is what we decided on. All white for the modern luxury appeal with a serpentine "S" shaped table, custom linens, and a 9 foot "S" shaped trellis of branches and orchids. With over the top crystal beads and Lucite menus, extremely high end hairs and a dash of blue lighting, this was one of my favorites of the evening. Depending on the flash use, the photos here vary from dramatic to detailed. The professional pics are under wraps until we receive word on publication.

I hope you enjoyed the tour as White Fantasy Table finishes the 5 Vignettes at the Meet Mahaffey party in February. Next up for the blog is a look at the spring Daffodils and flowering branches in Memphis (my favorite!). I can't say it enough, thanks for following the Petal Press. The photos and articles are really going to be colorful this year. We have tons of unique weddings lined up for Wedding Season 2010!



Vignette #4 Moonlight & Mannequins

A concept that was not new, Moonlight and Mannequins was inspired by and event that happened in San Francisco called Una Bella Sera and I just wanted to bring a touch of that to Memphis. It's a small table that could be used in the daytime as a theme for a bridal luncheon or at night it could be vamped up with many candles and flowers to create a formal but feminine theme.



Vignette #3 Crimson Candleabra


The lighting on this table was so red and deep that in person Crimson Candelabra demanded your attention. Upon approaching the table one's eyes were kept busy taking in every detail. I have to admit if I lived in fantasy-budget land I would have added hundreds more Freedom Red Roses and amazing black centered Anemones everywhere(a personal favorite). But that's what I love about my profession; it is fun, a creative challenge, and there is always something to learn from every job to make you a better florist. Even as the money crunch of 2010 is keeping flowers to a minimum there are ways to make big statements with less.
These candelabras (sacrificed by Social Butterflies) held black matte spray paint so well. Now I want to cover all my gorgeous silver items in wild colors! I will restrain myself for now....
I must also mention that the rose balls you see in the corners were made by the Social Butterflies. They are silk and reusable and if you would like to know their secret recipe, visit the SB Blog.

Vignette #2 Bird Boutique & Shabby Chic

Shabby Chic was a blast to make! Just ask Jaime from Social Butterflies, who showed me her "find of the century" the morning of the Meet Mahaffey party. She found this old chair with a wooden birdhouse on top of it {on the "take me" side of her neighbor's curb}. We sprayed it to the proper colors and brought it right into the vignette. I love stories like that.

This table has a lot of details starting with the centerpiece which is flowing from a vintage tea tin (my new favorite piece) I found on Etsy. The centerpiece is held on a curved cake plate that has streamers of ribbon each ending in a tiny cameo or rose painted cameo. There are mini tart dishes that house flower filled pies and for a place card, the top of a jelly filled mason jar. Even the fabric is perfectly turquoise and lemon yellow rosettes!

I love the old windows and birdcages hung in the background. True story: The big grid in the back is from my largest window in the log cabin!!! Ever since we popped out the frame I have been wanting to hang something from it. I'm a sucker for suspended arrangements. The dainty flowers include some of the first ranunculus of the season and acacia. Add in the stock and freesia and this was the most fragrant table around. I hope to do more of this theme in the summer; it's a great look.

Vignette #1: Beautiful Butterflies


Since I have been working with the Social Butterflies on the Mahaffey Project I have been noticing the actual butterfly pattern more often in stores and merchandise. I am always that way with a wedding theme. If a bride loves copper, then I will stop at all things copper in the months preceding, during, and proceeding wedding. It takes a while to deprogram my mind from looking out for anything that matches the theme that the happy couple might want to have included in their special day. It's just the way I am.
That said, I have a feeling after this table and working with the fluttering ladies, I will have a penchant for anything beautiful and 4 winged for a long time.

Beautiful Butterflies table has a modern linen that even reflects the wings of this creature and all the flowers are such that a butterfly couldn't resist them! On the chandelier, a vibrant hanging teardrop shaped orange butterfly "ball" is made with Mokara Orchids, Orange Tulips, and Voodoo Roses. The Purple leis were hand sewn from hundreds Purple Mokara orchids. The whole table was fragrant and lovely! Michelle even got in on the flower action and hung extra orchids on the chandelier and placed them on the napkins. Those extra touches are one of the best parts about having a coordinator on your wedding day team to make sure every detail is the best it can be.




"Meet Mahaffey!" Open House

At the end of February I was honored to be a creative and floral part of the Meet Mahaffey Open House. There were at least 250 of Memphis' finest vendors there on that unsuspecting Tuesday evening to see what new rentals and amazing structures Mahaffey Tents now has to offer their clients.

Once you walked the red carpet entrance to the warehouse office, all signs of business disappeared into a display of 20 ft backgrounds, flowers, food, and decor at every turn! Clint the general manager and his staff did an amazing job. Moonshine Lighting set the mood with an assortment of colors, shapes, and a network of floor to ceiling effects. Teaming with the Social Butterflies who coordinated and designed the event, Haute Horticulture created the florals and floral accessories for 5 vignettes, 3 lounges, and a bar. Between the planning and the actual event, it came and went so fast. Luckily Donny G. of Creation Studios was able to capture the moments!

I will post each vignette separately this coming week on the blog starting with the Lounges:
There were 3 main lounges and an assortment of mini lounge tables and chairs around the massive center room. It was the perfect layout for munching and mingling.








Let the Sun Shine!


Let's take a side trip from the polished pinks and purples emerging from the bridal magazines in 2010 and show a little sun. Sun-flower that is. This yellow gem is another part of the Radonich Ranch Series photographed by Chyna Darner. Love this theme! It is called Sun Country on the website and makes me feel a little warmer on a cold day. The ball you see on the top of the centerpiece could easily be floating in a pool at a wedding. How fun would that be?