Sunday, January 30, 2011

Commerce Park and Beth O'Reilly AIFD TMF

Every month we pack up the shop an hour early and go to the Allied Florists of Houston meeting where we get to see fantastic designers, beautiful product and mingle with other florists in the area. This month we were privileged to see one of my favorite designers, Beth O'Reilly AIFD, TMF! She lives in Austin and works for the Flowers Studio.
In fact one of our very own designers, Fiona had the chance to spend the day with Beth helping her create some beautiful pieces for the show. It's a fabulous chance for us to learn about different design styles and trends in different parts of the country.
Commerce Park is a wonderful new wholesaler, with beautiful product. We are happy to welcome them to the Allied Family! So make sure to come in to the shop to come see some of the new things we learned!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Dream Weddings

This weekend we are going to be at the Dream Weddings bridal show at The Marriott Waterway in The Woodlands. We can wait to showcase some beautiful bouquets for you to come and see. We take pride in making sure that every detail is covered. Our expert team is solely dedicated to making sure that you are blown away when you see your wedding and event florals, it's what we do best.
These are a few photos of some of our beautiful brides from the past 8 years. We have loved serving you. It's fun to reflect back on some of our favorite weddings, the things we've learned and all the wonderful people we've met. We feel honored to be a part of your big day and look forward to making your dreams come true. So come see us! If you are looking for tickets, stop by the shop and we'd love to give you some! Who can't say yes to free tickets, right? We hope to see you this weekend!
Here are all the details for the show:
Dream Weddings Bridal Show
The Woodlands or Houston near Reliant Park


Saturday, January 29, 2011
10am - 5pm

Sunday, January 30, 2011
12pm - 5pm

or Saturday, April 16, 2011 10am - 5pm

Ticket price $15.00 -
$10.00 with advance on-line purchase (link to the purchase page)


(Free Covered Parking in Garage off of Six Pines - Marriott Parking Garage is not Free) or Free Parking for the April show
So you’re getting married? Congratulations! Planning a wedding in Houston is special, but it’s also challenging. However, with the help of the Dream Weddings Bridal Show and Wedding Expo in The Woodlands, it doesn’t have to be. You will find 125+ of the best wedding professionals in the Houston area that are eager to assist you with planning every detail. Gail McGroder, owner of the bridal show, strives to offer a relaxed atmosphere where you will take pleasure discussing the details of your wedding with the vendors that are best suited to serve your needs.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

In Print Again!

Twice in one month might just be a record for us but we are always happy to find wonderful articles about our shop. Here are are featured in the Houston Chronicle's Dream Weddings Bridal Show article by Lauren Hodges. You can either click here to see the article on the Chronicle's site or read below. So without further ado, here it is:

The Dream Weddings Bridal Show Jan. 29 and 30 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center will showcase the latest wedding trends of 2011.

Gail McGroder, publisher of the “Perfect Wedding Guide” which hosts the Dream Weddings show, said trends in bridal fashion this year include mesh material veils, heirloom head pieces and strapless gowns.

“We thought in 2010 that sleeves would come back into weddings. But strapless is still popular,” she said, adding wedding gowns with color, texture and “bling” are also currently popular.

Another trend McGroder sees in 2011 weddings is what she refers to as “subtle luxury.”

“The bride and groom will personalize everything with their style and the receptions will be a reflection of them. Intimate weddings will still be strong. The DIY (do it yourself) bride will start to fade as they replace doing it themselves with hiring professionals,” said McGroder.

Flowers

Green and white and purple and white color schemes are trendy this year, along with pink, said Frances Egbert, head designer and wedding consultant at The Blooming Idea flower shop in The Woodlands.

“Green brightens the white. It is fresh and energetic and gives a little bit more dimension to the flower so it is not so flat,” Egbert said.

In addition to traditional “white weddings” bride’s are requesting ivory, champagne and dusty pink themes, Egbert said.

“Centerpieces sometimes include candles and sizes vary,” she said.

Different seasons call for different floral hues. Red, orange and yellows characterize autumn weddings. Hot pink, green and orange work in summer. Blue, white and purple is utilized in the winter. Pinks and yellows are used in the spring. Wildflowers are sometimes used in weddings, but wither quickly, while peonies are prevalent in spring weddings and lilies common in the autumn.

“Filler flowers are dying out,” she said.

No matter the season, flowers bring a natural, live element to weddings that can set the tone for guests.

“It adds a level of romance,” she said, adding even a few rose petals can send a message.

Blooming Idea works within budgets by mapping out what a bride envisions and then deciding what can be realistically achieved.

“We try to make that dream come true as much as possible for them,” Egbert said. “It is always fun. It is the best part of our job.”

For more information visit http://thebloomingidea.blogspot.com/.

Cakes

The Food Channel and other reality baking shows have impacted cake trends. This includes the addition of color. Black is traditionally popular and eggplant is popular this year. Vintage black and white and round-shaped cakes are gaining steam. Other colors hot right now are chartreuse, sage green or mossy and different hues of purple.

Butter cream is always number one in the south, according to Chef Lisa Green of Kiss the Cook Cakes and Santa Fe South Catering.

“Fillings are much more exciting,” Green said. “There are hazelnuts and raspberry lacquers. People are using more than one filling.”

Other popular fillings include almond and lemon curd. Combining fillings creates a ribbon effect and customers get two cakes for the price of one.

“We discourage past two flavors,” Green said. “This causes people to run out of a cake and brides have to buy larger cakes.”

Green said cake colors often match the style of the wedding, with the dress and invitation usually matching the cake.

Green said with more cupcake shops opening, the miniature treats are showing up in more and more weddings.

“Brides want to cut a wedding cake so we sometimes make the topper a cake, and cascade cupcakes down from there,” Green said, adding an example of this style will be displayed at the Dream Weddings show.

Fondant, or dough-gum paste icing, is being used to create edible bows and flowers, Green said. Bling and brooch strings on the cake are other ways to enhance and “make the cake pop.”

She said cakes are usually a good indication of the couple themselves, with grooms now participating more in cake decisions. Green gave examples of cakes with frogs on the top and a groom running from the bride.

“It is the centerpiece of your reception, the main attraction when the bride and groom enter the room,” said Green, who is in the process of creating a coffee table book with photos of her creations.

For more information visit www.kissthecooks.com.

The Dream Weddings Bridal Show takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 29 and from noon to 5 p.m. Jan. 30 at The Marriott, 1601 Lake Robbins Drive. Admission is $15 cash at the door. Pre-purchase discounts are available at dreamweddingsbridalshow.com.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Purple Juxtaposed

Kelsey was indeed a beautiful bride with a gorgeous violet bouquet. Her rich and regal color scheme at Augusta Pines was the perfect setting for such a blushing bride and her guests to celebrate.
With curtains of miniature cymbidium and dendrobium orchids , coffee bean candle jars, floating candles and table scapes this wedding had all the details covered.
With a array of different centerpiece styles all in different hues of lavender, violet and plum and luminous candle light on every table the room was spectacularly sparkling.
Floating gardenia blooms filled the room up with a sweet aroma, while other tables enjoyed framed arrangements with spider mums and votive cups.
The feature of the ballroom is the beautiful curved staircase which we draped in an off white silk fabric with clusters of purple bouquets throughout to add a pop of color. And of course the bride and groom's table was covered in a lush layer of purple and white rose petals creating the perfect final touch!

Friday, January 14, 2011

In the Press

We found this lovely article on The Wedding and Party Network Blog by Kelly Curtis. Check it out:

Let your flowers Bloom with The Blooming Idea

Flowers make such a wonderful statement. They are something truly memorable and make your wedding or event stand out. Flowers have a life of their own and create an everlasting impression. One you won't soon forget. So if you're in The Woodlands, TX area, let The Blooming Idea provide you with unforgettable flowers. This local florist does it all! From weddings, special events and sending flowers, they will always go above and beyond just for you.

Blooming Weddings

When finding a wedding florist, a must visit is The Blooming Idea. They'll bring your dream wedding flowersto life. Striving to provide custom wedding flowers just for you is their main goal. Start out with telling their expert staff what you'd like to see within your wedding flowers. What is your color palette? What style is your wedding? These are all answers that they would love to find out from you, so they can create your one-of-a-kind flowers.

Imagine walking into your wedding ceremony where you'll find breathtaking arrangements. When you walk into your wedding reception, you'll have the same breathtaking view to match your ceremony. They'll also create your personal flowers to match flawlessly. Elegant bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres will all look equally beautiful.

Whether you've dreamed up a beautiful calla lily wedding or a perfectly pink gerbera daisy wedding, The Blooming Idea wants to achieve your exact wedding look. A wedding fairy tale with all the right flowers.

Sending Unique Flowers

So you've planned your wedding, and now you're hosting a special event. Let The Blooming Idea provide all the floral decorations to create a stylish location. If you are wanting something out of the box or traditional, they will create gorgeous reception centerpieces to fulfill your wants. Your guests will be blown away by all the amazing floral decorations.

Not planning an event at this time? Well send flowers. There are always special occasions coming up throughout the year, such as Valentine's Day, birthdays or anniversaries. Creating beautiful flowers to suit your exact taste every time. Nailing it down to the colors you like and your favorite flowers. You'll have a custom designed flower arrangement just for you.

It's truly amazing how flowers can set the tone of your event. So let The Blooming Idea set the tone for your next one. All your floral needs will be fulfilled with them. You'll find an expert florist who can create your dream flowers.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Deck the Halls

Kelly's wedding at the Woodlands United Methodist Church is the Robb Chapel was a beautiful combination of Christmas accents and gorgeous colors, creating a beautiful wedding day filled with a blushing bride and beautiful flowers.
Her bouquet was a combination of hydrangea, roses, lisianthus, and ranunculas wrapped in an off white satin ribbon with a keepsake locket as her something old.
Poinsettia blooms were the star of these tall centerpieces creating big focal areas of beautiful color. They coordinated beautifully with her lower arrangements of white hydrangea and white spider mums with a mixture of different seasonal greens. Overall it was a stunning event with rich colors and a beautiful soft fragrance from the pine; the perfect setting for a romantic reception in the Emerald Ballroom at The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

This is how we ring in the New Year.

 There is nothing quite as fun and vibrant contrast in color when working with flowers. One of my favorites (as is probably very evident) is black, white and green! We had a blast creating these beautiful pieces for The Club at Carlton Woods' New Years Eve party.
 These beautiful buffet pieces were truly striking. With strong line and movement they were the focal pieces of the room.
 There were 3 different styles of table centerpieces used on the guest tables. The first were beautiful black lanterns surrounded by a platform of gorgeous green blooms including button mums, green roses, hypericum berries, spider mums, rolled aspidistra leaves, bells of Ireland, black pods sprinkled with holigraphic glitter, dendrobium orchids and a variety of greenery.
 Our showpiece was the hit of the night. With balls of beautiful green blooms and swirling calla lilies how could you not stare, even if it's for just a second! They were beautiful.
The dangling crystals and candle light added a bit of glistening light to the room. And to top it all off, we heard the party was an absolute hit! So to you and yours, Happy New Year!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Snowberries and Snowballs

HAPPY NEW YEARS!
We hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season. We have enjoyed creating some beautiful pieces for you and your families to enjoy this season. We are looking forward to another successful year with many more smiles, events, parties and weddings to come!

These beautiful centerpieces were reminiscent of frost covered berries and fluffy white snow. They were the perfect winter wedding arrangements. Hanging votive candles added to the soft romantic ambiance in the room. It was a beautiful reception for any winter bride!