Food Network's Robert Irvine at the Food and Wine Festival Disneyland

Robert Irvine.
What does this guy have to do with flowers? Not much. But what does he have to do with the event industry? So much!
Star of Food Network's show Dinner Impossible, Robert Irvine is sent to feed gourmet meals for hundreds in near impossible conditions with limited resources and time. In the normal world of events, we usually book months in advance and carefully plan the all the details until crunch time. Like I said, that's in the normal world and probably how most of you plan your events. I truly have a deep sense of respect and admiration for a guy like Robert who can pull together these amazing meals in just a few hours. He seems to possess an incredible ability organize and execute on the fly. Needless to say, I was quite the giddy school-girl when I had the opportunity to meet him at Disneyland California Adventure's Food and Wine Festival.

And no joke, he greeted me with a 'sweep-me-off-my-feet' spinning hug! I couldn't have asked for more.
See? Dreams do come true!

And you know what else? I had to privilege to witness a wedding proposal!

Oh man, my Sunday couldn't get any better. Now, if only I had thought to give them my business card....

Watermelon Floral Foam Questions Answered

Ever since I introduced the concept of using watermelon as a substitute for floral foam, I have received reactions ranging from skepticism to awe. I've also received a ton of questions. So here are some of the repeated questions and concerns I've gotten with a response for each.

Q: Do you substitute floral foam with watermelon for all your arrangements?
A: No. Currently, the watermelon is used only when our eco-minded clients specifically ask for it.

Q: Doesn't the watermelon go bad?
A: Yes. This is why we use the fruit for select arrangements. For now, we only suggest using watermelon for 1 day events in an indoor, air conditioned setting. These arrangements must be deconstructed immediately after the event to avoid dealing with spoilage (usually meaning a nasty smell and unwanted critters).

Q: Is the watermelon okay for the flowers?
A: So far, yes. They don't call it WATER-melon for no reason. The flowers drink from the water in the fruit ensuring their longevity. However, one thing we are unsure of is the high sugar content and how it affects the flowers.

Q: Doesn't the ripening agent that fruits like watermelon emit cause more harm to the flowers?
A: This question brings an interesting point to mind. One of the first things any floral designer learns about proper floral care is to keep the flowers away from fruits and vegetables because of the ethylene that produce naturally emits to ripen the themselves. Unfortunately for fresh cut flowers, this gas also causes faster decay (aka - a shorter shelf life). Just by cutting open watermelon, we speed up the decaying process of the fruit. So, the fruit going bad is the primary concern since it will go bad way before the flowers will. This is why I strongly suggest watermelon to be used for 1 day events in an air-conditioned setting with immediate deconstruction of the arrangements at the end of the event.

Q: Is the watermelon more cost efficient?
A: No, not at all. It is so much more expensive. Watermelon is sold by the pound and the cost varies from season to season whereas floral foam is sold by the box and can be stored for very long periods of times.

Q: What do you prefer to use: watermelon or floral foam?
A: On an ecological concern, watermelon is 100% better for the environment so it would be my first choice. However, on a practical concern, floral foam is still superior. The foam holds the flowers better, preserves fresh flowers much longer and doesn't rot. We are still in search of alternatives other than watermelon. But until a biodegradable floral foam is readily available, we will continue our quest.


Hopefully this little Q&A helped out. If you have any other questions, please leave it in the comments below and I'll do my best with a great answer for you. And if you have any other thoughts and suggestions, I would love to hear them too!

Grand Opening of The Wedding Pantry in Tustin, CA

Monday night was a big night of celebration for the wedding industry with the Grand Opening of The Wedding Pantry. Eva Chiou, the mastermind behind this beautiful store, decided to bring her idea of a one-stop-shop of high-end wedding accessories to life through this fab store.



In celebration of her event, she brought in some great party essentials like fun floral decor,


the cutest little cupcakes,


and some delicious catering. Doesn't that sushi spread look yum!?



I spent some time perusing about the store admiring all the hand-made pieces.



Eva told me that because these are hand-made, most of the items are one-of-a-kind. And who doesn't love a unique 'something-new' for their special day?





And my favorite station? These oh-so-pretty feather accented purses.


The Wedding Pantry also offers wedding vendors a place to meet clients for a nominal fee. What a great idea!
But wait, there's more. This location is also the headquarters for the E-zine Utterly Engaged with creators Eva Chiou, Henny Vallee and Lucia Dinh-Pador. Definitely take the time to check out their e-issues. They are truly beautiful and inspiring!

It was so exciting to watch the ribbon cutting ceremony for this special store. Just in case you couldn't tell, Eva is the pretty one in the middle cutting the ribbon.




Congratulations The Wedding Pantry!

You Are What You Eat

You Are What You Eat debuted on Saturday May 15 in Brea's Community Center with 50 eco-friendly vendors, food demos, book signings and keynote speakers all centered around the concept of what we eat and how it affects our body. This event perked my interest mainly because I was on a mission to discover more resources that help to educate our community into green practices.

Cuatro Caminos Collective was their with their booth promoting CSA (community supported agriculture) with a mini project on their table allowing guests to make fresh corn tortillas. Another great perk about Cuatro Caminos is that they hold a monthly dinner with dishes cooked up from the current harvest. Their Facebook Fan Page and Blog are great resources for those of you who are interested to learn more.


And my favorite booth? The Popshop!
Naturally, I love finding vendors for the event industry that have products with a fresh twist. And the Popshop has a it! They sell popsicles in unusual flavors with all natural ingredients. They even use compostable wrappers!


Here's a list of the flavors featured for the day. I got to sample the Lime Mint Mojito and it was DELISH! Emily from Popshop informed me that they service events in the way most convenient to you. They'll deliver and drop off or even cater with a cart and staff on site. These pops are definitely something to consider at your next event.


And how is an event complete without a little goody bag of treats.


A special thank you to Belly Sprouts for organizing a great event!

Macy's Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. And being Asian American, I was particularly excited to learn that Macy's at South Coast Plaza decided to celebrate this special month by partnering with NAAAP-OC to feature Asian American fashion. Special guests stylist Michelle Ngo, Fashion Director at Skinnie Magazine and actress Lynn Chen made an appearance.


Shiseido cosmetics served as the make-up specialists for the beautiful models. In case you didn't know, Shiseido is a Japanese based company that caters to the Asian population. So the entire line is perfect for Asian complexion. An added bonus is that all their products are allergy tested so for those of you with sensitive skin, Shisiedo won't make your skin feel crazy.


All of these gorgeous models were styled with clothing, make-up and accessories chosen for the classy, chic Asian. Here are pictures of my 2 favorites.



Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!

The Proposal Collection Presented by Floral Sense and D. Park Photography

Gentlemen, here's a great way to 'woo' your woman to marry you.


Like it?
We'll just let the photojournalism do the rest of the story telling of this beautiful proposal.











Yes, we know that a lot of guys out there might be romantically challenged. But consider your weakness a gift because then you just HAVE TO leave it to the professionals to help you stage the perfect wedding proposal. And the best part is that you get to take all the credit...oh, and you get the girl.

We have teamed up with D. Park Photography to offer this proposal collection complete with romance planning, floral decor/staging, and fabulous photography for your special moment.

You can contact us via email at contact@floral-sense.com or phone 714-512-2443
for your romance training....ahem....I mean, 'consultation'.

And feel free to contact D. Park Photography to chat up the photography side of your proposal.
Email: studio@dparkphotography.com and/or Phone: 714-538-5324

Happy wedding proposal planning!

Photos courtesy of D. Park Photography.
Floral design and staging by Floral Sense LLC.


What? What is that you ask? Why yes, these floral arrangements happen to be eco-friendly. I'm so happy you asked. 'wink'

The Purely Paper Flower Shoppe by David Stark

This post is for my New York readers. West Elm will be hosting a party for 'The Purely Paper Flower Shoppe' at their Broadway location in New York on Wednesday May 12 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Here's a sneak peak at what they will be showcasing:



So gorgeous! All designed by David Stark, these arrangements are made from old books. Wish I could be there! The actual shop will only be open for 2 days on May 13 and 14, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Photo credit to West Elm.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you fabulous mums out there!
Here's some celebratory floral eye candy to brighten your day.



Remember fellow mommies: YOU ARE AMAZING!
Your kids may not tell you everyday how great you are but they know you're a rockstar.

Make an Arrangement with Flowers from Your Own Garden

Ironically, one of the most expensive flowers on the market are garden roses. I'm not talking about the roses you see in the grocery store but the ones that people grow in their own gardens. You know, the really fragrant roses that grow on bushes and produce these ginormous blooms.



As a floral designer, I know that I've paid as much as 6 times the cost of the commercial rose for a garden rose. So if you have a flower garden, pluck a few and throw 'em in a vase. Trust me, you won't need much design talent to make it look gorgeous since these beauties look stunning without any excess fluff. And they will make your house smell luscious.

And just for the record, I'm jealous of you green thumbers. I can't grow anything to save my life.

Sustainable Clothing by H&M - The Garden Collection

A few months ago, H&M released a line of sustainable clothing called The Garden Collection. I'm already loving it based on the name alone. So exciting! The materials used, which include organic cotton, organic linen, recycled polyester and tencel, were created with minimal waste and impact on the environment. And the next best part is that they are SO affordable. Personally, I'm a little obsessed with all the fabulous ruffles so here are a few of my faves (pictures borrowed off of H&M website).



In my opinion, these particular styles would make some great bridesmaid or party dresses.

Here's the website of H&M's press release so you can view the rest of the spring collection along with the pricing.
Happy sustainable shopping!