Your Petal Palette: Black

Dark, creepy, mysterious? HECK NO! We say modern, deep and totally versatile. Hints of black to the color palette can give your event a totally different vibe. I know it sounds scary to add black to your wedding but try adding black feathers, a clear black charger or better yet, a schwarzwalder calla lily and you'll be singing a different toon.

Love a certain color but want to give it something a little extra? Maybe a splash of black is just the ticket... it is definitely ok to be a little bit of a diva!!

all images courtesy of Dusty Brown Photography

Happy Birthday Karen!

Karen, one of our lovely designers is celebrating her birthday! Barb of Sweet Cakes Design whipped up some yummy little lemon squares to help us celebrate!

Wedding Recap: Amanda and Alex

Amanda and Alex were married last May. We had the honor of designing a very bright spring wedding for such a bright and cheerful couple. Amanda's European hand-tied bouquet was a collection of hot pink gerbera daises, mini green hypericum and soft peony. Alex wore a hot pink spray rose with loops of greens. The reception was held at Till Midnight in Holland.

Thank you Kate for all of the fantastic images. Congratulations Amanda and Alex! May the two of you have a long and happy life together!

Going to the Chapel: Allison and Matt

This Saturday, on August 29th, one of our fabulously amazing bride and groom duets is finally tying the knot. We're just as excited to see everything come together as they are - it is going to be !! Allison and Matt have been so much fun to work with... from their sassy, swanky style to their unbelievably incredible personalities!!!!

image courtesy of Lotus Photographic

Allison Hammond

"After 10 years of climbing and descending the corporate ladder in the banking world, I'm now a stepford wife (weird)! I do however, volunteer with GRPS and hope to work with another charity after my stint as a wedding planner is over."

Matt Sevensma

Cardiologist with Metro Hospital

Tell us about the first time you two met!

"I was at my best friends bachelorette party. Per usual, I was being read the riot act about not dating enough and being 30 and maybe it's time to start looking for boys ect, ect, ect. In a moment of sheer frustration, I turned around from the table we were seated at, grabbed the arm of the guy walking past us and exclaimed "fine, maybe I'll marry this guy!" That was Matt. The rest is history. True Story."

What is your idea of the "perfect" date?

"That a tough question for me. It really depends on the day. I really do love it when we get dressed up and go for a fabulous dinner somewhere followed by a nightcap at some cozy place. I'm guessing Matt would say the same thing. But a close second (or first), would probably include wake boarding on our boat together. I'll ask him..."

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

"For me, its just after the ceremony. I'm hoping we'll get to steal just a minute to take it all in. Matt is my best friend and favorite companion for all adventures. And this is the biggest adventure yet."

Tell us about your proposal story!

"A few weeks after we started dating, I invited Matt over to my house along with my other guy friends to watch UofM/Ohio State game. I am a HUGE Michigan football fan. After the game, we went to the Broadway bar to lick our wounds from a painful loss. We had our first kiss at that dive and it kind of became "our spot." A year later, much to my dismay, my beloved Wolverines suffered another painful loss. Matt surprised me by taking me back to the Broadway. The bar was decorated for Christmas ("decorated" being an understatement). He had pinned my ring on a cheesy dancing snowman that sat on our table before our arrival. I saw it when it was shaking around doing its little dance. Perfect. Understated. Not too obvious. I loved it!"

Your Petal Palette: White

Clean, simple, fresh, elegant but add a tiny splash of color to a white pallet and BAM it's any one's ball game! White is such a wonderful color to work with. It goes great with any season but with touch of sparkle and shine to a winter wedding it looks like a fairytail come to life.

The soft white feathers with soft white roses and a hint of glam just makes me melt.

Here is a list of white blooms throughout the year....

Spring- dahlia, dogwood, freesia, geranium, hyacinth, iris, lily of the valley, lisianthus, tulips, violet.

Summer- anemone, baby's breath, daisy, garden rose, gladiola, hydrangea, peony, phlox, stock, sweet pea.

Fall- aster, cosmos, kale, white spider mum, zinnia

Winter- amaryllis, camellia, hycainth, pussy willow, white poinsettia

Year-Round- calla lily, stephanotis, gardenia, orchid, rose, lily.

source: Brides Magazine

Wedding Recap: Brittany and Jay

Last month, two fabulously amazing people were married at Cascade Hill Country Club. Brittany and Jay are both social, bubbly people - their personalities are contagious! We had the pleasure of designing a tropical oasis for them! Loon Lake Photography sent us images for a "sneak peek"... we couldn't help but share! Enjoy!

Best wishes and many congratulations to these newlyweds as they start their life together in Florida!!!!

Exotic Bouquet and Bout Pairing!

This morning, I checked my twitter (as I do every morning) and was SO excited to see that the fabulously talented Jen Kroll had posted a tiny url about one of our incredible July Weddings! Below you will see one of our favorite pairings of the summer... an "exotic meets classic" bouquet paired with a tropical and sophisticated boutonniere.

image courtesy of Jen Kroll Photography

Thank you Jen for ALL of your hard work and incredible talent! Without you, we wouldn't be able to melt in the memories of events that go by too quickly!

event planned by Jodi Bos of In Any Event

Brides Michigan

Brides Michigan Fall/Winter 2009 recently hit stands and we are excited to announce we have a bouquet and boutonniere feature! The bouquet was designed by o-so-talented Karen and our always fabulous Rueben created the matching boutonniere. Below is a paring from our Eco-chi collection .

I wanted to send a special thanks to Dusty Brown Photography and JK Photography for their stunning images. I also wanted to thank our wonderful clients for their inspirational ideas and thoughts that allow us to produce the latest and greatest in floral and decor. Thank you!

Going to the Chapel: Danielle and Jayson

This fabulous couple was married on July 11th out of state. We have the extreme honor of providing flowers for their super fabulous and super mod wedding at the EVE club on August 21st... we can't wait!

Danielle - Assistant Professor of Communications at GVSU

Jayson - Chef at Gill's in the BOB

Tell us about the first time you two met!

"We met at Northwestern University, in the summer of 2000. We worked together at a summer high school camp that was held at the university. At the time, we were friends - although we fought a lot about work issues. We'd see each other during the summers, but we didn't start dating until 2006, when we met up again, by accident, in Chicago."

What is your idea of the "perfect" date?

"Our perfect date is pretty simple - a good meal, great weather and the chance to spend time together."

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

"Since our wedding has already happened, we're not getting excited for our reception. Since we're from different parts of the country, and have both lived in different states, this is a chance to have all of our friends and family together in one place. We can't wait!"

Tell us about your proposal story!

"After a conversation about friends planning elaborate proposals, Jayson turned to me in the kitchen and said - "if I wait until I get this perfect, I might not ever get to do it, so I want to know, will you marry me?" The rest, as they say, is history..."

Wedding Recap: Michelle and Kevin

On July 18th of 2009, a good friend of mine married a fantastic man and we were honored to design her flowers for the ceremony and reception! Michelle has a bright and cheery personality and her florals definitely matched her!

One of my favorite shots... look at the color of the bouquet popping off the gray sky!

I absolutely loved her bridal bouquet! The different textures and scrumptious color palette of saffron, raspberry and kiwi is always a perfect combination.  

The adorable boutonniere Kevin wore to match his lovely lady! 

Some inside info for all of you readers... Michelle has coached the Jenison Varsity dance team for years and is absolutely fabulous at what she does. You can totally tell she's a dancer...just look at that pose!!

A special thanks to Jen from JK Photography for capturing these moments and details for us to share!

Going to the Chapel: Jessica and Kyle

Jessica and Kyle are tying the knot this weekend, August 15th at the Immaculate Heart of Mary and then celebrating their marriage with elegant style at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel! We're so excited to see this day come together for such a fabulous couple! 

Jessica Talbot - Attorney

Kyle Lowery - Sales Representative at Applied Imaging

Tell us about the first time you two met!

"Kyle and I have actually known each other for most of both our lives. We both attended Immaculate Heart of Mary grade school and then Catholic Central High School. We actually rode the same bus growing up and Kyle remembers I was "two stops" after him. We were friends throughout high school but did not start dating until right after I graduated from college."

What is your idea of the "perfect" date?

"Date night for us usually entails going for dinner at a new restaurant that has a nice atmosphere and then maybe catching a movie or heading home to relax and drink wine while watching HGTV! We also love Sunday afternoons of antiquing and discovering new places within our own city."

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

"We are most excited about being married and moving in together. As for the wedding day itself, we just can't wait to see how everything will come together - our amazing flowers, the venue, the food and drinks and plenty of dancing to our band!"

Tell us about your proposal story!

"Kyle proposed on Saturday, December 13, 2008. The weekend before, we went to pick out and cut down a Christmas tree. We had it mostly decorated, but Kyle was waiting to get some of his ornaments from his childhood that were at his parents home. On Saturday afternoon, he called me over after being busy "hanging lights all day at his parents." I went over and Kyle showed me the ornaments he brought back from his parents home. He suggested we hang them on the tree, so we did. I was not suspecting a thing, until he directed me to the other side of the tree to a specific, beautiful ornament. The ornament was a picture frame and inside the frame he had written, "Will you marry me?" and was getting down on one knee when I started to turn around after reading it. It was an amazing night  and we proceeded to head over to our parents houses to celebrate with all our family and to make lots of phone calls!"

The Members of Team Alishan: Modern Day Floral

Ok, so if you are reading this you probably already fully grasp the awesomeness that is Modern Day Floral but I need to rave about them anyway because they are so worth it.

I first heard about Modern Day Floral through a friend who is dear friends with Jenn, who had just opened a new flower shop. No longer than 2 days after initially hearing about Modern Day Floral, we heard about it again from Michael Lyman at the J.W. Marriott. If you know Michael, you know that his recommendations are usually spot on.

image courtesy of Ben Harrison Photography

After leaving the J.W. we scurried over to the Ottawa St. location and met who is now one of my favorite people in the world. When we walked in and saw Jenn, before even meeting her, there was a huge smile on her face and a welcoming presence that hooked us. Before we knew it, we were signing contracts and committing to Modern Day Floral. She was the second florist we met with and the only one that really listened to my ideas and grasped what I wanted. Grand Jour, elegance and peonies. Lots of peonies.

Being a long distance bride was a joy with Jenn as I could always reach her and she was a dream to work with. If I was difficult at all during the wedding process, it was definitely regarding my flowers. I wanted perfection. I wanted something spectacular without spending a fortune and that is exactly what was delivered. In the beginning stages of the process I sent her emails daily of tons of pictures and ideas and she would tell me what it would take and if it would work. She was in constant contact with my mom and I and we never questioned her ideas as we trusted her with my vision and allowed her the freedom to execute it. The professionalism was endless. From the gorgeous mock ups to the ability to get exactly what I wanted when I wanted it. As mentioned in an earlier post, peony have a short seasonal availability but that wasn’t a concern of mine as Jenn was able to make it happen. Modern Day Floral also provided us with our incredible linens that we hadn’t even gotten around to thinking about. The linens added that special touch that really brought the room together and matched everything perfectly.

The Modern Day Floral team made my wedding what it was. I would not have trusted it with anyone else and they really are the best Grand Rapids has to offer. My wedding was long before they became the hottest ticket in town but I still would never hesitate recommending them to anyone.

Jenn is not only an incredible artist and talented business owner, she is one of the most genuine and sweetest people I know and I am blessed to be able to call her a friend. I mean really what more could you ask for? I got great flowers and a buddy for life. I call that a win!

Coming up, Coastline Studios review and (because Jill touched on a great topic!) Our rehearsal dinner.

Lauren is engaged!!!

Lauren, our fabulous PR gal over here at Modern Day Floral, got engaged last week to her boyfriend, Brent, of two and a half years! Last week she was on a mini vacation to her hometown in Houghton, MI when he popped the question.

Here is the story... it was their turn to make dinner, but Brent and his brother bailed to "go four wheeling". As Lauren was wrapping up dinner, they roared in after their little trip :) After innocent glares during dinner, Brent convinced lovely Lauren to go for a walk. He spotted some tiki torches down the beach and insisted they go find out what was going on. After trying to convince him to "let it go", they made their way to "crash the party." Upon their arrival... Lauren was trying to figure out what was in the sand. After reading the message in rocks about a dozen times, she started to tear up from being so happy! Brents comment as he held out the ring was, "Will you, will you, will you?!" After she could finally catch her breath to say yes, he asked her if she could handle being a Hanson :) Let the adventures begin!!!

This custom ring was specially designed here in Grand Rapids at Siegels Jewelers.

Congratulations Lauren!!! We're so excited and happy for the two of you... and I'm sure the girls have already started brainstorm how we're going to make your wedding as fabulous as you are!!

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