Floral Sense's Joanna Park: Mayesh Design Star Contest Finalist

I am completely beside myself right now.  It seems that I made it to the Final 5 for Mayesh's Design Star Contest and the rest is up to voting from you!  You can go to the link here.

Take your time browsing through the videos and vote for your favorite!  There were 38 entries in all and I am SO honored to be chosen in the Top 5!  Actually, I'm also a bit terrified since I wasn't expecting my video to be viewed by so many people. I had no idea that I would even get this far.  All I had that day was a borrowed Flip camera (which I placed on a chair) and 4 takes to get a decent video.

So, there you have it.  Voting ends on October 22, 2011.  Crossing my fingers and closing my eyes in the meantime...I can't handle the anticipation.

A special thank you to Eva Chiou of The Wedding Pantry for allowing me to use your space to film!  And thank you to Wendy Ramos of Just Wenderful for being there to give me feedback between takes (and pressing the Record button)!

Yours Truly,

Joanna

Even Hungry Hungry Hippos Get Substitutions

Remember the game Hungry Hungry Hippos?  This used to be one of my favorite games as a kid so it was only fitting that I pass on the tradition to my own kids.  The only issue I ran into was the blatant choking hazard of the small white feeding marbles for the hippos' voracious appetite.  So, rather than waiting a few more years to introduce the game, I decided to substitute the little white marbles with cereal (ie. Kix).  This simple substitution works perfectly for my little men!  They get to enjoy the game and eat at the same time!

 

My point?  Yes, I do have one that pertains to the floral world. I know some of you may not want to hear this but there are times that florists will need to use botanical substitutions depending on what Mother Nature decides to offer during that season.  Keep in mind that Mrs. Nature has a mind of her own and no one can control what she will produce and how she will produce it.  For the most part, we can predict what will be in season but sometimes she likes to throw us a curve ball.  So, in the event those precious peonies are not available in exact shade you wanted, your florist should contact you to let you know what the other options are.  And if you end up hiring a GREAT designer, he/she will make your decor look just as stunning (if not better). Let's face it....its not as much about the flowers as it is the designer.  Right?

As a word of advice, I might have a few back-up options in the contract if you have specific varieties in mind for your decor.  My personal preference is to go with a general feel of your decor in seasonal flowers if possible.

Hope that this tid-bit of info helps you in your wedding decor planning!

Yours Truly,

Joanna

Coscto Size My Wedding

I have a love/hate relationship with Costco.

Love: They have everything under the sun in massive quantities at great prices.

Hate: I, without fail, leave with a ginormous bite taken out of my wallet. This is the very reason I avoid going there.

Case in point: I don't know if you're a Modern Family fan.  I am unashamedly obsessed with this show.  There's an episode in which Cameron, the country mouse, introduces Mitchell, the upscale city mouse, to the wonderful world of Costco. During their outing, doubtful Mitchell is quickly and comically converted to Costco-ism, excitedly filling up carts full of "needed" items.  (In truth, you're going to have to watch the episode to appreciate all the humor if you haven't already.) 

But this is what happens...you go in with the intention of getting a few items and, before you know it, you walk out with hundreds of dollars worth of stuff. What the hell happened?

In regards to wedding planning, I'm going to call this the Costco-syndrome. Most couples tend to under-estimate their wedding budget mainly because they start shopping not knowing what to expect, what is available and how much services will really cost.  It doesn't take long for a couple to realize they are going to need some financial reinforcement to sustain their wedding day wants/needs. Trust me, I see this all the time.  

I get it.  The options are a bit overwhelming.  Who knew that there were so many different colors and textures of linens to choose from? Personal flowers should go to other people outside the bridal party? Wedding gifts are supposed to be given the members in the bridal party?  The venue has a separate cost for cutting the cake?  Alright,I feel your anxiety. I'll stop there for now.

My solution for wedding planning is the same solution for an outing to Costco: Have a budget and shopping list ready before you get out there and get sucked into Costco-syndrome.

For my consultations, I suggest that my couples list out their priority floral items (shopping list) and some extra items they would like to have.  Then we talk about styles that will fit within their price-range (budget).  That way, when I send over the formal proposal there isn't much sticker-shock.  See, you got it.

As for me, I have yet to overcome Costco's drug-like effect.  Wish me luck.

Happy event planning!

Yours truly,

Joanna

PS - Due to a sudden influx of professional photos from past events and new editorial content, the blog post schedule will temporarily change to Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Summer Bloomin'!

Summer in Southern California is definitely a favorite of mine. The smell of sunscreen and BBQ grilling signify that school is out and the beach is in. As for us wedding folk, we get the glory of being immersed into the full swing of nuptial season. And with that come some great summer blooms for the floral decor! You may even have the pleasure of coming across these beauties in your own garden. Here are a couple of my top picks for mid-year bloomers.

Lilac


Kangaroo Paw


Cockscomb


Euphorbia


Cosmos


Dahlia


If you're planning a summer wedding for next year, you may want to consider inviting these pretty things to the party. Happy summer lovin'!

Yours truly,
Joanna

All photos courtesy of google images.

Quick Guide to Flowers for Your Wedding

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from Brides: What flowers are in season during the month of my wedding?
The second most frequently asked question on flowers: What does a (insert flower name) look like?

SO, I'm going to share my secret weapon with you. There is a website called Sierra Flower Finder that I often use throughout the design process to communicate with my clients.



The website allows you to view flowers by their name with the various breeds and colors each flower comes in. There is a detailed description of each flower. I also love the fact that they showcase each of their growers and breeders.

Just keep in mind that you can request a flower you find on this site but the specific color/breed may not be available to all designers. Use it as a guide to help you out and have fun doing it!

Happy designing!

The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, CA

Every year, I like to make a trip down to The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, CA to soak in the yummy colorful rows of ranunculus. Pictures truly do no justice to the beauty of experiencing the floral blooms in person. Here are just a few shots from their website:



The best part of this year is that the fields will be open to the public until May 15th! Check out the The Flower Field website here for more info.

It'll cost $10 per adult and $5 per child to get in. And it is totally worth it!

Modern Floral Designs - Less is More

I am a minimalist. And I think that's why my designs gravitate towards a very modern appeal. If you are looking to make a statement with your event floral decor, you don't have to use an excess of flowers to bring attention to it. Here are a few tips and ideas on keeping your decor clean, modern and exciting:

1) Take advantage of negative space. Tulips are a great flower to incorporate in your designs if this is the approach you're going for. They bend to and fro creating an original design each time. They almost take on a life of their own!

2) Go monochromatic. Stay within a single color palette but play up the varying hues. The different shades really play up the depth on your arrangement.

3) Choose florals based on textures. I know the 80's gave carnations a bad name. But I love using carnations to tuck into floral arrangements for their ruffly/spikey visual appeal. Look at the different seasonal flowers and think outside the box of roses. Envision your arrangements having different facets of large blooms, small blooms, feathery, fluffy, ruffly, spikey. The list can go on.

4) Keep the greenery to a minimum and the florals tight. For modern arrangements, I almost never use greenery. This is the easiest way to keep your design lines clean. If you choose to use greenery, arrange them so that they have a more purposeful symmetric placement. Or, find a way to manipulate the greenery to expose negative space.

Happy designing and event planning!

Check back for pictures in a few days with examples of each!

What To Do With the Flowers After Your Event

Flowers, flowers, flowers! They are definitely plentiful at a wedding. So after the music turns off, the lights turn on and the guests go back home, what happens to all those gorgeously designed arrangements? If you aren't planning for your guests to take the florals, then it would be smart to think about finding another home for them. Need a few tips to plan ahead?



1) See if the florist that you are working with will be willing to pick up the leftover centerpieces from the venue and deliver them to your location of choice. Some may charge you for your request, some may not. Otherwise, see if someone you know personally would be willing to take care of the delivery.

2) If you rented the vases in which the flowers are arranged, then be prepared to transfer the flowers into vases you don't mind giving away.

3) Be sure to contact the location receiving your florals ahead of time so they can prepare for your delivery. Nursing homes and hospitals are great places to send your arrangements to. And depending on the location, find out if certain flowers in the arrangements are going to be of concern due to allergies and strong fragrances.

I hope this was helpful in planning for your next event! Happy planning!

Image courtesy of Luminaire Images. Thank you for such a gorgeous shot of our work!

Floral Design Class 1 at The Wedding Pantry

Last Tuesday marked the first of a series of three floral design classes that I am teaching at The Wedding Pantry this month. I can honestly say that it was so much more fun than I had anticipated. Put me in a room with Eva, owner to The Wedding Pantry, and that's enough of a party right there. Add a few more fun ladies and flowers to the mix, its tempting to not throw confetti.



Of course, I had to bring in a few essentials including floral tools and ribbon.


I love this stuff....food for the flower soul. Toss some of this in their water and your flowers will be happy longer.


And what's a flower class without flowers. Any guesses to the names of these?


Oh yeah, that's definitely an essential for me. Don't judge.


I kept the colors bright for this class since Spring came so early.



Check out the newly established pros and their stellar handiwork! Those were just the boutonnieres too!





Thank you D Park Photography for the beautiful shots!

I'll be teaching on bouquets tomorrow night and centerpieces next week.
Feel free to sign up here. You know I would love to see you there!

Mayesh's Inagural National Floral Design Contest

Mayesh, the world's largest wholesale floral supplier, hosted their first national design contest yesterday at each of their locations. With over 200 designers across the USA, each location voted yesterday for the favorite local design. Designers were given a box of pre-selected flowers and were challenged to create their interpretation and vision of Valentine's Day. So naturally, I entered and here's what I came up with.

I named this one "Shut Up and Kiss Me". Appropriate? And moving along the lines of sustainability, I wanted to decorate with as many organic materials as possible. The ribboning is actually created with black ti leaves. The only non-compostable ingredient was floral foam. Yeah, I know...damn that foam.

I'm not sure who won at our Santa Ana location. But the local winner will then go on to compete on a national level via online voting. Kinda fun, eh?

Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Wreath

You asked and I answered!

I had multiple requests for the Inspired Buyer event's demo that I teach an easy way to make a Holiday Wreath. But I'm gonna cheat and show you the finished product:


This is SO easy that I'm not even going to attach step-by-step pictures.

What you need:
1 Grapevine wreath
2 to 4 different plant and berry clippings that you like
(I chose sustainably grown materials of Liquid Amber leaves, Red Ilex berries, Seeded Eucalyptus and Yellow Solidaster)

What you do:
Start from a point in the wreath.
Clip 6 inch pieces off the plant and berry stems.
Insert the stems into the wreath until secure. Be sure to insert the stems in all the same direction.
Work your way around the wreath until you end where you started.

Viola! You have a holiday wreath!

And of course, this is a completely sustainable way to create a holiday wreath! Not only is the entire wreath decompostable, you can reuse the grapevine wreath for any holiday...including Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Statement Pieces for Your Holiday Party

Every year when the holidays roll around, I always get asked for some festive decorating tips for holiday parties. One of my favorite things to do is create Statement Pieces as a focal point of any event with small, simple supporting pieces. And intimate gatherings are no exception!

We recently decorated for a Coordinator luncheon at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. I really wanted to embrace the concept of the use of a Statement Piece along with the colors and feel of the season. Here's what I came up with:


What's the first thing that your eyes go to? Yep, its the center arrangement.


The supporting pieces on either side of the Statement Piece are very simple in monochromatic colors, staggered across the table.




Only 2 of the arrangements had a mix of colors.



And mini pumpkins and gourds were clustered together in groupings throughout as a seasonal accent.


The colors were kept simple: yellow, orange and deep red.

I know its the day before Thanksgiving. So I hope I have inspired you to pull in some fun decor for tomorrow's dinner party!

A special Thank You to Molly of Luminaire Images for capturing such beautiful images of our flowers!

Inspired Buyer in Newport Beach, CA

About a week ago, Jesse Baker from Ecofficiency.org asked me if I would be willing to do a sustainable floral demo for their Inspired Buyer event coming up.



So how could I say no! Of course, I love any opportunity to share the knowledge that I have gained over the past year in Greening Up Floral Sense. I'll have a posting on the demo later on but if you are interested in attending the event, it is free! And you'll have an incredible opportunity to meet some great businesses and tour the ENC in Newport Beach, CA.



Here's the quick 411:
What: Inspired Buyer
When: Sunday November 21, 2010
Where: Environmental Nature Center
1601 16th Street, Newport Beach
What: The Inspired Buyer is a one day sustainable shopping event showcasing the finest environmentally and socially conscious businesses in the region. Geared specifically for the upcoming holiday season, the goal of the event is to inspire our community to celebrate sustainably. In addition to fabulous vendors selling holiday gifts, The Inspired Buyer will also feature do-it-yourself gift demos, nature tours, live music, kids activities, and lots of healthy food and drinks. The entire event will be powered by the sun and is absolutely free to attend!

Hope to see you there!

Floral Color Combinations for Autumn

Its funny how Southern California's season changes are more punctuated by our retail stores than Mother Nature. We see a few trees change color here when Autumn rolls around but its nothing like this:



And as inspiration goes, I got inspired to create a few arrangements for fall.




Just because you can't go somewhere to get the full experience of fall doesn't mean you can't bring it to you!

Happy Autumn Inspiration!

Autumn tree photos from google images.

Halloween Inspired Floral Arrangement

So, its the night before Halloween and you have a party tomorrow. You're struggling with coming up with some elegant floral decor options. How about you try this one on for size? We pulled together dark brown with muted vintage purple colors. Even the dark foliage is a perfect play on spooky spider webs.



What other floral color combos would you like to see for a Halloween party?

Help! How do I pick a floral designer?!

Ah, music to my ears. How DO you find the perfect florist for your event? Whether its for an extravagant wedding or just a fun party you're throwing, there's more to a florist than their ability to throw some stems in a vase.

Here are a couple of questions to ask yourself:

What is my budget?
This is an important question because how much money you decide to set aside for the flowers will determine the number of pieces you can have and how extravagant you can make your arrangements. Every event is a budget event despite the amount of money you have or don't have. Just decide whether or not the flowers and decor are more important to you than other parts of your special day. Do you want some innovative designs or do you just need something to fill the center of your guest tables? Be realistic and you won't be dissappointed.

What kind of designs do I want?
A great indicator of a good match for you: take a look at their portfolio. If it has an "ooh, ahh" effect on you, you may have found the design style you're looking for. If not, keep looking.

I think I found my designer but I still don't know what I want.
Don't worry about this one so much because a good designer will be able to conjure up some great designs that work within your theme and budget. Again, be realistic. But personally, I love it when my clients hand over a bunch of pictures, fabrics and color samples to give me a sense of what ambiance they are going for. Often I find myself brainstorming together to create the perfect look for the event. What I hear frequently too is, "I didn't know this was what I wanted until I saw it."

What is their reputation?
This is important. You certainly don't want to hire someone who is seemingly awesome only for them to NOT show on the day of. That would be more of a nightmare than anything else. Yelp is a great resource. But referrals are even better. If your friends or family know their work and can vouch for them, its probably a good indication that you have a reliable designer to work with.

Just remember to have fun! Don't stress too much. You're paying someone else to do the stressing for you.

Happy planning!

Planning a Green Event - Part 9: The Leftovers

So, you're throwing a grand event with lots of amazing food, fabulous drinks and stunning decor. But what do you do at the end of the night with all the leftovers?



Chrissy Gray, the talented event planner of Green Events, has some great suggestions so I asked her for some help on this one:

"For food waste there are a couple of different options:
1. This sounds obvious, but almost always does the trick, give leftovers to your staff. At the end of a long night, almost everyone will want something to munch on or to bring home for a snack the next day.
2. Donate the leftovers to a food bank, such as the Second Harvest Food Bank in Irvine. They are happy to take food donations of any kind, whether packaged or already prepared.
3. Compost anything else. Home composting is relatively easy to start, or nearby farms (yes they still do exist in OC! :) can take your compost as well.

For decor, donating to hospitals and nursing homes is what I always suggest, unless your guests want to take the arrangements home."

Thanks so much for sharing your words of wisdom!

Floral Centerpeices - Manzanita Branches

I am amazed at the versatility of manzanita branches. And the popularity of these simple pieces just seems to keep on chuggin'. Just a few variations to this centerpiece can completely change the look and feel. Just take a look at the next 4 pictures. The first three were Floral Sense events and the fourth is by Nancy Liu Chin for the San Francisco Dream Wedding Giveaway.




All four pieces have the same basic structure. But you change the container, base decor, flowers and/or setting and the entire ambiance is so different.

Another variation that I love is when the branches are accented with colorful pomander balls, draping jewels and hanging tea lights. Here's a great picture of the pomander idea (www.marigoldevents.com).


Manzanita branches seem to making their way into home and office decor too. Its a great idea because there is no maintenance involved and looks great!


These manzanita renditions were created by The Juicy Leaf in Santa Monica, CA.

You know what else? These can be Green solutions to your events since they can be reused in home decor. As for me, I've decided to turn one into my jewelry organizer on which I hang all earrings and necklaces. Works like a charm! Next time you're at an event and the centerpiece is one of these branching beauties, see if you can snag one to take home. Better yet, go out and buy a branch and see what creative masterpiece you conjure up.

Happy decorating!