Notes from Alishan: Things I would've done differently...

Hello Again!

 

So we all know I think my wedding was the best thing since the YSL Tributes I am currently lusting after. It was prefect for us and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. With that said, there are a few things I would have done differently.

 

1. The guest list:  I adored having everyone I loved at our wedding but it was hard to get to spend quality time with everyone. We invited 255 and had 177 attend. If we had kept the numbers smaller we could have had more one on one time with our guests.
2. The dress: Now don’t get me wrong. I LOVED my dress. It fit my style perfectly and I gasped when I tried it on. It was made me for. However, since it was/is a more popular dress I probably could have bought a used one for a third of the price. I should have tried www.preownedweddingdresses.com before buying mine as I have already seen it on there several times.




image courtesy of Ben Harrison Photography


3. The shoes: Again, loved mine. I still think they are absolutely lovely but I kind of wish I had gone sassier. Maybe a pink pair of Manolos or a great blue heel with a classic red bottom. I could have used the money I saved on my dress to sass up the footwear.
4. The food: I hear it was incredible. I wish I would have sat down and taken the time to eat it! Our rock star wedding planner had our meals delivered to our suite but when we got back, eating wasn’t a top priority.

 

I figure if there are only 4 things I would change about my big day, I’m in pretty good shape! Researching everything left me very pleased without (many) regrets.

Next up, the must delayed vendor reviews of my gracious host, Modern Day Floral and our videographer Coastline Studios. Stay tuned! J

Exotic Waterfall Event

Imagine standing in front of Tiffany's, someone hands you a large sum of cash and tells you to enjoy...how geeked would you be?!  I know pretty ding-dang excited!!  :)  Well as floral designers working with a client who gives you creative freedom and a budget definitely creates that same sense of excitement.  (Shhh...don't tell my husband I still love a little bling)

 The Crush is the hottest nightclub in Grand Rapids and thanks to Tony, the GM, he is always coming up with outrageous events for the club. This particular party was their annual rainforest event complete with parrots, snakes, waterfalls and hot tubs!  Now seriously do these people know how to throw a party.  

This ginormous design actually had a waterfall that ran behind it and perched perfectly next to the arrangement were two gorgeous Macaw's.  

Talk about swanky soft seating...loin cloth anyone?  

I especially loved this container!

The entire club was dripping in spanish moss, ferns and fresh tropicals.

Happy Friday all!  It's a gorgeous day in GR and I think I'm going to enjoy a mango mojitos...at the Crush of course!  

Enjoy xoxo

Notes from Alishan: Planning A Long Distance Wedding - Research

Hey there!

 

One of my dear friends is getting married next summer and while talking about her upcoming nuptials I thought of something that should be shared with you all. Jill touched on it briefly in her blog about her (and my) favorite flower the Peony, but I wanted to delve a bit deeper here.

image courtesy of Ben Harrison Photography

It is absolutely imperative to the wedding planning process that you research everything you’re not sure of. When Mike proposed, I dove into wedding planning without really any idea what I was doing. I initially wanted to get married in June so I looked at the calendar and picked June 7^th. Simple enough. Until I realized a) that was festival weekend in Grand Rapids and it has rained the past 14 or so years and b) It was 6/7/08 and would be a wildly popular wedding weekend.  We quickly changed to June 14, 2008 and things worked out perfectly.

 

My own love of peonies was also a huge factor in my wedding planning. When my mom asked me to list the most important things to me for my wedding, in that list was incredible flowers. After our first meeting with Jenn, I discovered that peonies have a very short window and that June 14^th would be pushing it. I basically told her to get me that flower by any means necessary. If I hadn’t been set on mid June and peonies, I probably could have saved money but because it was important to me, I was willing to pay.

 

image courtesy of Ben Harrison Photography

Also, since we had a long engagement, I was able to research our vendors (have I mentioned that they were awesome) and not have to settle for just anyone. I read reviews from other brides on theknot.com, I asked for references, I even asked really obnoxious questions to make sure they were up for the challenge that would come with working with Team Alishan.

 

My next blog post is going to cover what I would keep the same and what I would change if I could do it over again. My failure to research is probably the only excuse I have for the things I would change and I don’t want you to have the same minor regrets.

 

Bottom Line: Research everything at least once. Whether it’s just double checking the schedules of those important guests or hopping on a wedding website to get vendor reviews, you will benefit in the end!

 

Until next time,

Alishan

Your Petal Palette: Red

Romance, passion and love are just a few of the feelings I get from seeing the color red. Red is color often seen for a classic wedding however with a few greens and extra special details shades of red work great for exotic or Asian inspired event.

A solid red flower with white or black accents gives the arrangement a real modern vibe.

How precious is this bouquet?! The deep red roses with hints of stephanotis, embellished with crystals creates a timeless arrangement.

all images courtesy by Brianna Graham Photography

Going to the Chapel: Marisa and Eric

image courtesy of Photography by Sue

Marisa Adam - Nursing Student

Eric Peterson - Veterinarian

Tell us about the first time you two met!

"We met New Years Eve 2007 at a party of mutual friends. Eric said it was love at first sight for him. I had arrived at the party before him so I was already a little too tipsy to feel that same way! We talked everyday after that and went on our first date the next week. We both knew on our first date that we would always be together. Everyone always says that when you meet "the one," you just know. We both really didn't believe in that until it happened to us."

What is your idea of the "perfect" date?

"A perfect date for us is an elegant homemade dinner followed by an evening cruise on our boat."

What is the one thing about your wedding you are the most excited for?

"Our honeymoon! Two weeks in Greece!"

Tell us about your proposal story!

"We live in North Muskegon and love to go for drives by Lake Michigan. It was Halloween, 60 degrees and sunny - a gorgeous evening. We were on our way out of town and Eric wanted to drive by the lake first. I didn't think anything of it because we do that quite a bit. We walked down to the beach and we were the only people there. He got on one knee and asked the question. He managed to catch me off guard and I was totally surprised! The things he said to me were beautiful and we both were a little teary-eyed, laughing and crying at the same time. It was perfectly romantic."

Designer Spotlight: Emily

I am privileged and excited to introduce myself as a member of the Modern Day Floral team. I knew I wanted to be a part of this venture when it was in its infancy. When I came across the enchanting window display Jennifer had put together, I realized something fresh had come to Grand Rapids. I was struck by her creative gift. Thus, my beginning at Modern Day Floral!

Along with floral design, one of the great joys of my life has been traveling. It has been a delight to experience flowers from all over the world. This includes the humble cactus flower to the most exotic blooms in the outback of Australia! By the way, if you ever have the opportunity to travel to Australia (maybe with an unplanned stop in Fiji!), be sure to check out EVERYTHING! It's great to experience the hospitality of the locals! I love being such a free spirit!!

Knowing I enjoyed being creative, I pursued educating myself in floral design. I attended Phil Rulloda's School of Floral Design in Anaheim, California to make sure I was learning from the best! Jenn encourages the staff to continue their education and always remain fresh. I am confident that my knowledge and love of flowers will better serve you at Modern Day Floral!

above image courtesy of Dusty Brown

Your Customer Service Stories!

Ever since Modern Day Floral has opened it's doors, one of the most important things we strive for is excellent customer service. Not only do we believe that the customer deserves quality... we LOVE making sure they're taken care of! 

image courtesy of www.art.com

So today... as we enter one of our busier weekends this summer, we would love to hear YOUR stories and experiences with high-quality customer service! Ranging from an independent shoe store who has gone above and beyond for you to a major corporation doing the same... we want to hear it! The stories are always so incredibly motivating... we can't wait to do some reading!