The Petal Press

When Jaime of Social Butterflies first called me to meet with a April and Johann I didn't know a thing about Iceland. Well except the obvious: Bjork. I researched the country and it's landscape, people, and history before designing the first centerpiece. By the time July 24 showed up I was ready to merge Tennessee with Iceland at the Teton Trek at the Memphis Zoo. Of course America has caught up with me a little since the Icelandic volcano became a wonder and nuisance at the same time.

What an experience everyone had last weekend as the couple married next to the Old Faithful-esque geyser in front of the Grand Teton Lodge. Then it was time to party inside. When Johann (groom) first saw the floral version of his Viking shield on the mantle, he gave me the "aww yeah" (universal hand gesture for awesome) and I knew it was a home run.

There were so many details that only someone who knew the couple may truly appreciate. I have always tried to merge good design with something unique that captures the essence of the bride and groom. It was a great compliment when the bride noticed the test tubes incorporated as an homage to her degree in chemistry! I also saw quite a few out of country guests who took photos of the Orange Billed Whooping Swan that is native to Iceland's waters.

The Vendor List:

Social Butterflies (coordination and design)

Brown Baguette (The cake was coconut and DELICIOUS!)

Blue Silk (Kept the crowd dancin' & romancin')

Classic Party Rentals (Tables, linens, and chairs)

A Moveable Feast (Friendly staff & fab food)

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at at 11:03 AM 0 comments  

Wish Upon a Wedding is growing by leaps and bounds. The next time I blog about this groundbreaking wedding charity, the first and only of it's kind, it will be about our own chapter starting right here in Memphis!

In the mean time there is a lot going on with the numerous cities that have already begun granting wishes. I am talking about the Blissful Wishes Ball. This is a national fundraising event that will have satellite galas in each city with chapters that have launched this year. By November there will be a grand and amazing selection of goods and services, all wedding related, on which people can bid. All of the proceeds go directly to WUW.
If you know anyone or business that is interested in making a difference in the lives of those who have terminal illness and wish to be married this is the time to make that donation! On the flip side, if you are getting married in 2011 and you are already going to hire a fab photographer why not see if there is one available on the auction listing? I am really hoping there will be items that one could not even put a price on, such as a national magazine with a wedding photo spread guaranteed to the highest bidder. How cool would that be?


Here's the detailed information:

Donate to the Blissful Wishes Ball
Learn More about Wish Upon a Wedding
A WUW Couple's Story

Posted in: Wish Upon a Wedding on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at at 1:29 PM 0 comments  

Kate's love of flowers (especially hydrangeas) and eclectic decor coupled with Spencer's love of music and nature gave their guests good times for all the senses. Everyone feasted on food nearly too pretty to eat from Club Windward Catering and the beat never stopped thanks to The Memphis Soul Revue. MSR had so much funk the band even got people to dance to a Coldplay song. I had no idea that was possible! I must also say that the Lichterman Nature Center staff especially the site coodinator Bobbi was so helpful and on their game. What a clean and well planned facility!

Later as I was clearing up the wedding site that Kate (my assistant - same name as the bride) and I had earlier installed, the birds and insects serenaded me at sunset. For floral staff there is often a peace after such demanding nuptial schedules. In the silence and scattered rose petals you know that the couple is married, dancing, and surrounded by loved ones and that you were a part of their journey towards new beginnings together.

...Or perhaps it was the Sudafed talking since I had a summer cold. ;)

Either way nature and love are two things that help my business thrive, allow me to create, and keep me energized so I embrace them as much as possible. Make time to take a walk outside and hold some one's hand if you are lucky enough...

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on Monday, July 12, 2010 at at 7:12 PM 0 comments  

One of the most rewarding things about wedding flowers is when the bride and groom genuinely love your work. After I spent the day and night at the Lichterman Nature Center working watching Kate and Spencer's entire wedding day unfold, they made it a point to tell me how much I was appreciated. That, my friends, made everything worth it even more.

-Karin

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on at at 6:58 AM 0 comments  

I am always ready to try new things. When Brooke and Josh (and Paula the bride's mother) gave the "OK" to Jeff Leatham style wedding flowers I was ready for the challenge. The results: Beauty... and a whole new respect for Jeff Leatham. Whew!
Here are the pics from the day by Creation Studios and all the lovely tulips in their glory!

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on Thursday, July 8, 2010 at at 9:13 PM 2 comments  

Joshua and Brooke now reside in Nashville, but pulled off a fabulous wedding and reception in Memphis this May. How? It's all relative! Thanks to their family and fab coordinators they were able to get the vendors that saw their vision. When I met with the mothers of the bride and groom before the wedding I began to realize that the colors themselves were the theme of the day and created arrangements that reinforced the theme (a far cry from the adjectives I usually hear; vintage, seaside, candy sweet). Thus, the resulting bold orange and pink drapes, cakes, and tulips were as abundant as the good times had by all attending guests. So I shall take a backseat and let most of the photos by Creation Studios speak for themselves.
There are a few back stories for the blog - one of which was their ice sculpture of a daschund Doggie. It was a beloved family pet and that was another new idea for me. Michelle of Social Butterflies, the coordinating and designing team for the event, took a hilarious photo of Brooke giving the poochie a kiss. Also, since we knew Josh was a golfer in Nashville my team created a full floral golf bag on wheat grass. The only non floral items of the display were tees, clubs, and a ball. Thanks for going to the pro shop last minute for those perfect touches Kristin!

Lastly I heard that there were a few guests who had invited their friends (on their cell phones)to come see the designs and flowers. I took that as the ultimate compliment!
One final mention for my floral wholesaler (you know who you are) who got the nearly 1200 tulips so fresh that I had not a worry in the world when all 7 bridesmaids and the bride carried them around for over 3 hours. Not a single bloom popped open; as older tulips tend to do in the intense heat. There were even a few typical florist's summer "no-no's" like tulip boutonnieres for the groom and ring bearer, and a bride's bouquet of 30 two feet long french tulips! WOW!

Lighting: Moonshine Lighting

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on at at 9:31 AM 0 comments  

This morning Haute Horticulture was featured in the Commercial Appeal Newspaper for an article about summer parties. The photos are from our recent Summer Garden Glow Wedding at the Dixon. For more images just scroll down to my past blog entries.

Special thanks to Michelle Hope, Jaime Newsome, and Addie McGowan of Social Butterflies for the article and Annabella Brandon of Asian Bees Photography for the photos! What a great way to start the day!

See the full article here:

Commercial Appeal Memphis

-Karin

Posted in: Featured In on Friday, July 2, 2010 at at 6:18 AM 0 comments  

Last year just 2 days before I moved from California to Memphis, instead of packing I was running around San Francisco and 1 Fort Mason at a launch party for the San Francisco Dream Wedding Giveaway 2010. How could I not? Liz Guthrie (the founder) is a dear friend with a HUGE charitable vision. It was such a great night and as a gift to the event and team I fashioned 3 tables with designs and flowers I was sure no one had seen before. The most prominent was the replica of the logo Astrid Mueller had created for the national Contest.

With the help of my husband and Monica ( and later Krystan and Sean) we set up a grand 8 ft table sized Golden Gate Bridge of flowers, wood, Ethereal Decor crystals, and lights (and a few of my son's matchbox cars). The results are something I am still very proud of.

Posted in: Featured In, Haute Clients and Events on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at at 7:30 PM 0 comments  

This tent deserved it's own post. Clint and the Mahaffey team outdid themselves once again! I was honored enough to have one of his crew members hang my delicate fresh Mokara and Cymbidium orchid chandelier over the dance floor in the clear tent at Karen and Glen's reception. It felt like putting a star on a Christmas tree.

Thank you Mahaffey! And thank you Asian Bees for some ethereal photos of the day before the sun set.

-Karin

PS Cigar Anyone?

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at at 8:33 PM 0 comments  

This post continues the celebration of Karen and Glen, a couple that gave me the creativity to make this reception so dreamy and taught me the exact Hot Orange of a Kubota Tractor. "Kubota Orange" as I will forever be calling the Cartegena Roses used, was one of the focal colors in the arrangements, linens, and draping in the clear tent. It was accented by coppery orchids and warm mercury glass vases. What a refreshing combination! Social Butterflies, Mahaffey Tent and Party Rentals, CFY Catering, and Moonshine Lighting did another fab job as a team on this long hot day. We all sweat but did not complain. Not a single member of my team told me how many bugs they encountered or how hot they were. Thank you Wayne, Kate, Kristin, Melissa, Molly, and Latasha for your tireless efforts. You deserve a lot of credit.
Annabella Brandon stopped by just before the guests started making their way down the Dixon's famous garden paths. In her usual glowing vibrant magic way, she translated our hard day's work into pixels of splendor. These photos are the inside room at the Dixon Garden.

Some of my favorite photos by Asian Bees Photography include:

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on at at 7:45 PM 0 comments  

A wonderful thing about coming back to Memphis is that even though I am not new to the area per say, each venue is new to me. This was the first Haute Horticulture wedding and reception at the Dixon Gallery and Garden. It is beautiful, the staff is so accommodating, and the flora and fauna is perfectly maintained.

Our bride chose to avoid the hottest part of the day by having an early morning wedding and a 7pm reception. We kept the colors in lighter shades of yellow, peach, green, and cream for the A.M ceremony and vamped it up later around sunset. Delicious details include a sculpted petal aisle, a natural willow arch, and petal cones on the chair backs.

This will have to be a two part entry because there are so many wonderful photos and stories to share. The photos you see here were taken mostly by one of my assistants Kristin Wolter. I forgot my camera in all the sunrise packing. The morning team included my husband Wayne, Kate, Kristin, and a new member Latasha. We constructed everything on site for a one of a kind garden arch and stunning backdrop to a wedding.
I must also mention that this was a Social Butterflies production as well as a Mahaffey Tent and Party Rentals construction. I love working with them both.

Enjoy the most fragrant arch of tuberose, hydrangea, garden roses, stock, scented geranium leaf, and peonies!

Posted in: Haute Clients and Events on Monday, June 28, 2010 at at 9:27 PM 1 comments  

Posted in: Featured In on at at 4:13 PM 1 comments