The Petal Press

The Food!
Ziparo's catering brought in the most delicious feast and since it was a photo shoot... we couldn't touch it for a while! I am including a photo of my favorite layered salad because it is what I ate the most of while feverishly putting flowers together for the lounge. In a horse stall. (I brought a lot of hand wipes)
Then after the lounge session there was one large item I had my eye on. Yes, the Bourbon cake! I wanted to take the entire thing home until I had hiccups for a week (alcohol cake!) but alas, I brought two slices home for me and my husband and we vowed to get another one some day because it was so unusually delicious. I say that because I am a cake purist. I like icing and cake, no need to marinate it in anything. Well I was a cake purist until Ziparo's got ahold of me. So let your mouth water over these photos from Annabella Charles.

PS Did you notice the photos on the wall behind the champagne? They are of horses and family members of our own Clint Sidle from Mahaffey Tent & Party! Champagne Wishes to all!

Posted in: food, Photo Shoot on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at at 7:04 AM 0 comments  

The newest issue of Southern Bride Magazine is on the stands and here are some of my favorite personal flower photos from the Dream Derby Inspiration Photo Shoot. The planning for a shoot is usually months before the actual images are taken, which is then a few more months before they are published and ready to sell. It seems so surreal to visit these photos again after having to keep them secret for nearly 4 months. It was very difficult not to share when I had so many coral and pink rose loving brides this spring and summer!
My fellow Derby vendors - Each with a stellar reputation in the South:

Annabella Charles Photography
Social Butterflies

Posted in: Photo Shoot on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at at 8:27 PM 1 comments  

Posted in: As Seen In, Photo Shoot on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at at 2:13 PM 0 comments  

Here are the pages from the most recent issue of Premier Bride, but that's not the only feature for Haute Horticulture. Stay tuned for a few more posts with extras from the articles and their brides and vendors.

Posted in: As Seen In, Photo Shoot on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at at 9:07 PM 1 comments  

The long anticipated new issue of Premier Bride is out today and I can't wait to share of my favorite pages from the magazine. Let's begin today's post with Southern Peach. Now Annabella of Asian Bees Photography really blew my mind when she sent me the photos from this day at Hunt Phelan. We all worked so very well together to design and bring this theme to life. I couldn't be happier that the feature is in the first few pages of the magazine and that it printed so well. Almost all of the photos were good enough for publication, so I want to share the pics we didn't choose, but are still inspiring.

Posted in: As Seen In, Photo Shoot on at at 7:07 AM 0 comments  

Posted in: Inspiration Boards, Photo Shoot, Vintage Love on Friday, November 27, 2009 at at 8:05 PM 0 comments  

This next set of photos from the Radonich Ranch series is just too sweet not to post. The model is so naturally beautiful in the vintage dress and hand tied and natural bouquet. Whenever I hear brides say they want their bouquet to look like it was "hand picked on their way through a meadow", this is what I visualize. Most floral work in weddings can be so structured and this is a truly serene contrast.

In events and photo shoots, typically the more natural and loose a hairstlye or dress or floral arrangement looks, the more skill it took to create. Amburlee Price proves this when she created this hair updo that looks so perfectly easy and flowing but I assure you I could never do this in hours with my own hair! Hairstylists are just one part of the magic that happens when you hired trusted professionals to make all your event details look seamless and effortless.

Posted in: Photo Shoot, Vintage Love on Sunday, November 22, 2009 at at 12:45 PM 1 comments  

When Monica and I started creating the flowers for this shoot we wanted to capture the softness and beauty of dusty pinks and all of the shades in a hydrangea at the end of the season. This bouquet perfectly embodies the fabulous range of the hydrangea itself as it also brings so much detail out of the other flowers. I enjoy photos shoots because there are no limits on the creativity or whimsy of a moment. Model Anastasiya looked so free and happy standing barefoot and yet I would have never done such a thing when I was a bride myself!

Again I must mention that these photos are so true to the day because of Chyna Darner's talent.

Posted in: Photo Shoot, Vintage Love on Friday, November 20, 2009 at at 9:42 AM 0 comments  

I received the most wonderful DVD in the mail from Chyna Darner this week! I will feature a montage every other day of this amazing photo shoot at Radonich Ranch. It started with a sunny day that was soon filled with happy vendors and models (as well as honey bees) buzzing around the property getting made up and dressed, setting up props, posing, and photographing. I had such a great time I didn't want to leave!

This is the first session of the day inspired by the vintage dresses of Robin from Recapture Vintage Bridal Designs and my grandmother's peach cameo. Hair and makeup was by the talented Amburlee Price and hosting by the exclusive event coordinator of Radonich Ranch, Marky Carr. Working on all florals along side me was Monica Kau from Signature Bloom.

Posted in: Photo Shoot, Vintage Love on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at at 10:35 AM 0 comments