Anemones / Kristen & Dave / New York Botanical Gardens / Chad David Kraus Photography

Planning & Inspiration

Flower Feature: Anemones

These charming, vibrant blooms with their signature black center derive their name from the same Greek word meaning “the wind’s daughter.”

Anemones / Kristen & Dave / New York Botanical Gardens / Chad David Kraus Photography

Anemones / Kristen & Dave / New York Botanical Garden / Chad David Kraus Photography

 

Anemones open in the day and close up at night, a unique trait that played a symbolic role in the Greek myth of Aphrodite and her lover Adonis, a mortal.  The story goes that the two lovers would go hunting together in the woods, Adonis chasing game on foot and Aphrodite trailing behind him in her swan-driven chariot. Aphrodite’s ex-lover Aries soon grew jealous of their bond, and while Adonis was out hunting alone, his rival disguised himself as a boar and brutally attacked Adonis with his tusks.  While Adonis fought for his life, he was no match for a god and fell to his death on the forest floor.
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Bridal Bouquet Recipe / Anna & Brian Wedding / Wave Hill Bronx NY / Chellise Michael Photography

Planning & Inspiration

Bouquet Recipe: Whimsical Wildflowers

 

Bridal Bouquet Recipe / Anna & Brian / Wave Hill / Chellise Michael Photography

Bridal Bouquet Recipe / Anna & Brian / Wave Hill / Chellise Michael Photography

 

Anna’s magnificent bouquet features an array of beautiful textures and intricate detail, joined together in silvery, matte colors. Flowers include white garden roses, cream O’Hara roses, white and blush Astillbe, and white rice flowers, accented with green thistle, parvifolia eucalyptus, and fresh mini succulent blooms.

Captured beautifully by Chellise Michael at Wave Hill in the Bronx.

Alexandra & Jason / Tribeca Rooftop / Natural Expressions Photography

Planning & Inspiration

The Best Blooms for Winter Weddings

Alexandra & Jason / Tribeca Rooftop / Natural Expressions Photography

Alexandra & Jason / Tribeca Rooftop / Natural Expressions Photography

 

When we think of winter wedding flowers, we often jump to an all-white color scheme, while in fact there is a wide range of flowers in many colors available in winter to suit any floral design vision.  Amaryllis, Anemones, Orchids, Hydrangeas, and Peonies are some of the most popular winter blooms, as well as many varieties of Roses.

Even if you’re committed to an all-white winter wedding, mixing and matching shades of white can make for a stunning array of tones, textures and shapes, from antique ivories to soft creams to classic white-as-snow.  Silvery accents of Dusty Miller or Silver Brunia make for beautiful finishes for a monochrome winter wonderland look.
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Ron Ben-Israel Cakes

Ron Ben-Israel and his unique crew of chefs and artisans have been the style-setters for designer cakes for the past twenty years, and continue to lead the industry with mouth-watering as well as astounding confectionery creations.

 

Coffee Table Flowers via Casa Tres Chic

Planning & Inspiration

The Power of Flowers to Relieve Stress and Increase Productivity

With winter and the holidays fast approaching,  it’s easy to forget to take a moment to breathe and relieve stress trapped in the body.  If you find yourself looking for a simple way to reduce anxiety, give flowers a chance to brighten your perspective. In 2005, Rutgers University conducted a study on the effects of flowers on our mental hygiene.  Across all ages and genders, flowers were found to improve emotional health by triggering feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and social comfortability.

Peonies via Traditional Home

Peonies via Traditional Home

 

The easiest way to reap the benefits of flowers is to simply place them in your home. The results of a study conducted by Dr. Nancy Etcoff at Harvard suggest placing flowers by your bedside, so they’re the first thing you see when you wake up and start the day.  Participants reported having a better outlook throughout the morning after placing flowers throughout the house as they went about their morning routines.  Placing flowers in the foyer or dining room welcomes guests into your home with a burst of positivity and inclusivity.
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Fairy Tale at the Pierre

Anna and Matt’s modern Jewish wedding at the Pierre Hotel was classic, elegant and quite romantic.

 

 

Who knew you could meet your true love among 30,000 Phish fans? That’s exactly how this lovely couple met and began to start their travel-filled relationship! After hitting it off at the concert, Anna and Matt began dating. Their mutual love of travel played a big role in Matt’s epic, romantic and picture perfect proposal! The couple visited Thailand together, and while Anna felt the engagement was coming, she was blown away by how well Matt pulled the whole affair off! He coordinated a private dinner for two on a beautiful lakeside waterfront at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai Resort, complete with live music and dancers! He nervously dropped to one knee to pop the question, and Anna gleefully said yes!

 

The couple decided that the elegant and classic theme to their wedding would find a perfect home at the iconic Pierre Hotel. Opened in 1930, this New York landmark sits at the corner of Central Park and Fifth Avenue, an address steeped with history, luxury and refinement in New York history. With its multiple and ornate ballrooms, the Pierre is perfect destination for an elegant and timeless wedding.

 

Anna and Matt brought this sense of modern elegance into their wedding florals and decor by featuring a palette of white, ivory, cream and pops of pale lavender. Their wedding flowers included multiple varieties of roses, Phalaenopsis orchids, hydrangea, and stock flower. Although their wedding floralscape featured a small variety of blooms, the sheer number of flowers in their wedding decor made for a spectacular effect on the big day.

 

Anna and Matt participated in a tradition that is growing in popularity with our brides. Before the ceremony, they did a “first look,” a private moment captured by the wedding photographer before the festivities began. Anna and Matt met in a beautiful spot in Central Park overlooking the Pierre Hotel and shared an intimate moment together. Anna took our breath away in a gorgeous Ines di Santo gown, and held a modern bouquet of white garden, cream vendela, and lavender menta roses with a spray of perfect white Phalaenopsis orchids. The bouquet was quite structural, with a cascading effect of orchids that really gave it a modern and unique look. Anna’s bridesmaids wore bridesmaids dresses in gorgeous shades of blush, mauve and champagne and carried bouquets made of garden, vendela, menta, and lavender spray roses and accented with white Phalaenopsis orchids. Matt looked dapper in an Isaia tux with a lovely garden rose boutonniere!

 

When guests took their seats in the gorgeous Cotillion Room at the Pierre, their jaws dropped at the stunning and romantic ceremony! Before them stood an enormous and romantic chuppah made of billowing draped ivory chiffon. The traditional Jewish wedding structure was dripping in white blooms including hydrangea, Tibet roses, vendela roses, spray roses and Phalaenopsis orchids. The pristine white aisle was decorated with white rose petals and flanked by gorgeous entrance arrangements and tons of floating and pillar candles, which gave the ceremony an ethereal glow. Anna floated down the aisle, which allowed guests to see the gorgeous beading and dramatic fishtail train on her dress and long veil, also by Ines di Santo.

 

Guests headed to the Grand Ballroom for Anna and Matt’s reception, where the romance continued! With such a large and opulent space, it was important for Bride & Blossom to fill the room with gorgeous flowers while still keeping the decor classic and elegant. Anna and Matt opted for three different styles of centerpieces and a sweetheart table. While all of the centerpieces featured white, ivory, cream and lavender roses and Phalaenopsis orchids, the varied styles of the centerpieces were made to compliment the size and shape of the guest tables and gave the room lots of dimension.

 

Long tables featured medium and small arrangements in glass vessels featuring roses and hydrangea in shades of white and lavender. Interspersed between the arrangements were gorgeous crystal candelabras with taper candles and low and delicate votives. On round tables, we created stunning elevated centerpieces on gold pedestals that were overflowing with cascading orchids. The third and final style featured an elevated round centerpiece of hydrangea, roses and orchids on top of a crystal candelabra with beautiful taper candles. This centerpiece gave the room classic drama, but the crystal accents kept the candelabras looking modern. Anna and Matt drank in their gorgeous reception and the love of their family and friends from a beautiful sweetheart table with a lush spray of blooms and votives.

 

The most surprising and memorable moment was when Matt took to the mic and serenaded Anna!! The band played a Phish song as their encore and all of Anna and Matt’s friends took to the stage to sing, dance, and celebrate their love.

 

Vendors:

Venue: The Pierre Hotel

Photographer: Brett Matthews

Videographer: Fred Marcus Studios

Gown: Ines di Santo

Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Tux: Isaia

Makeup: Stacie Ford Weddings

Music: Element Music

Officiant: Rabbi Avraham Ashville