Grey…a girl’s best friend?

Ok so it’s happened…he’s proposed, now you can finally launch all those plans you’ve had since you were 4 into action, right?  Well you might want to reconsider that pink, and pink, and pink colour scheme you had in mind.  Or not, pink’s a great colour, and there are lots of gorgeous ways to incorporate it into a wedding.  But when it comes to bridesmaids dresses not everyone is going to be as fond of that magenta taffeta as you are.  That being said, we know that as a bridesmaid it’s your job to help your friend make the big day be her dream come true. But here’s a thought…choosing a neutral colour for a bridesmaid dress, then using flowers and other elements to incorporate your favourite colour into the wedding design.

We did a little photo shoot over here at Garden Party Flowers and used the same grey dress for 3 completely different bouquets.  We love grey as a neutral because it really sets off colour in the most gorgeous way.  Plus there is such a sliding scale of shades, from pebble, to slate, to charcoal.  There should be something for everyone!

Here’s a cool palette of purples to start with, it includes ocean song roses, delphinium, kale, succulents and sedum:

Next up we have a mixture or warm oranges, yellows and reds, using high and magic roses, dahlias and craspedia:

And finally a deep and dramatic bouquet featuring freedom roses, calla lilies, dahlias and proteas:

So as you can see all very different colour schemes, yet they all just pop when held against the grey dress.  So all you brides out there consider a shade of grey or another neutral when you’re selecting bridesmaids dresses….trust us, the girls will thank you!

VIFF 2011 Opening Gala

We have the honour of being the Vancouver International Film Festival’s preferred florist!  This year VIFF is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary, so they chose the 1930′s as a theme for their opening gala.  So with images of old Hollywood in mind, we started to whip up a design for them reminiscent of this opulent and iconic time period.  Although a depression was looming and a war was waging, the 1930′s in Hollywood was all about glitz and glamour, silk and satin, and feathers…lots of feathers!

We set to work creating some large arrangements using white lilies, white hydrangea, snow berries, cream roses, palm fronds, and fluffy white marabou feathers.

For the larger arrangements we split them into 2 halves, making it easier to transport and to get up into the 6′ high planters they were to sit in!

The vases held water pearls and mini LED lights to illuminate the arrangements and add extra sparkle.

It’s all in the details…the crystals, the feathers and old black and white photos, along with live music, and old movies set in the 30′s projected onto a huge screen all came together to take guests back to the golden age of Hollywood.

The guests entered through a giant picture frame at the front door of the Rocky Mountaineer Station, stepping back in time.

The drinks were flowing and some great Vancouver restaurants including C, Nu, Joe Fortes, Goldfish, and Earls provided a sampling of their menus for the crowd to feast on.  My personal favourite was the gnocchi topped with creamy tomato sauce, burrata cheese and micro basil served up by Earls…it was divine!

I can’t wait to check out a few films featured in the festival that will be playing here in Vancouver over the next 2 weeks!  There are sure to be some great ones.

Check back for our post on our design for VIFF’s closing gala being held on Oct 14th.

Welcome to the new studio!

As most of you know, we’ve said goodbye to our little shop on West 4th and moved over to a new ‘hood. We just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to all our neighbours and customers from the last few years.  We would be thrilled if you all came to visit us at our brand new studio!  We are now located at 415 Industrial Ave.

Our new space is a freshly renovated studio, and will give us lots more room to continue creating fabulous florals for you!  Here’s a little sneek peak into what our new home looks like.

And don’t worry Fatcat is still with us safe and sound!

We have a great new photo studio so we can keep sending you snaps of the bouquets and arrangements you order for friends and family.  It also allows us to keep our website and online store looking it’s best!  And upstairs we have a dedicated consultation space so our clients can come discuss their floral needs in comfort.

So there you have it!  A quick little tour of the new studio.  But to get the full effect you’ll just have to come visit us in person.  Hope to see you soon!

Interior Design by Janis Gosbee Design Inc.
Photography by nionavyo

Thank You Kitsilano!

There are many reasons to love Kits and especially the West 4th and Alma district.

You can’t get any better than having the daily routine of being surrounded by fresh flowers on our way back from the floral auction, then savouring a fresh coffee from Cuppa Joy, Blenz or Muffin Break.

Lunch was always something to look forward to as we were surrounded by amazing restaurants like Aphrodite’s Cafe, La Ghianda, Kerkis, and The Cove. We would also get a friendly visit by Harley in the afternoon, the cute doggy from the Okanagon Estate Wine Shop.

Thank you for showing all your love to Fat Cat!

Thank you to our neighbours!

The best thing about our Kitsilano neighbourhood was the sense of community. There are countless memories and stories of how supportive our community is. From the folks from LaQuercia popping in to make sure our designer was OK after a thief tried to steal things, Mike from the Okanagan Estate Wine shop telling all his customer’s to visit the best flower shop on the block, to our residential neighbours always referring your friends to us.

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
- Walt Disney

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all your support!

Check out our blog post for a sneak peek of the new location just minutes from the Olympic Village and the Science world sky train station!

Summer Wedding Wrap Up

With the arrival of the Autumn Equinox tomorrow, we say farewell once again to the long, warm days of summer.  We were fortunate enough to take part in a number of gorgeous weddings this season, all incredibly lovely and unique in their own way.  Whether the theme is bright and bold, vintage-inspired or country-rustic, summer nuptials always evoke a sense of wonder and romance, providing unforgettable memories with those we love.

With their breathtaking views of the mountains and ocean, Brock House on Jericho Beach is the perfect Vancouver location to tie the knot.  For this intimate wedding, we used white Cymbidium orchids, hydrangea, cream lisianthus, blush pink roses, wax flowers, seeded eucalyptus and sedum to create the table centerpieces.

This wedding at the Four Seasons was striking, elegant and a whole lot of fun to put together!  We designed these tall arrangements using white hydrangeas, Dendrobium orchids, whispy bupleurum and white roses.

Pretty in Pink at the Law Courts Inn in downtown Vancouver, a real hidden gem of a location.  We used everything pink for these stunners…hydrangea, roses, phlox, bupleurum, and Cymbidium orchids.

And finally, our Amy and Caley were married on a beautiful summer evening in August, and they threw a fantastic celebration for their family and friends at Guu Garden.  Simply put, it was awesome.

Isn’t the bride just lovely?

Vintage Wedding Inspiration

I love when the past can inspire the present, and show itself in a new and interesting way. I have a real love for all things vintage, and I do not just buy old things to look at them, I try to use them in my everyday life. When I got married last year, I found myself a dress from the 1940s or 50s that fit me perfectly. It was unique and inexpensive. Here at the shop we did a little photo shoot with flowers to match my vintage dress. I gathered up my best string of pearls and some bright red lipstick in order to capture the spirit of a bygone era. Oh ya, and my favorite old glasses that I wear everyday!

Orange, cream, peach and white come together to make a fresh bridal bouquet that matches my vintage floral dress.

Included in this bouquet are orange dahlias, white ranunculus, white and peach roses and creamy lisianthus.

A vintage wedding can be really fun. Using the past as inspiration can be really interesting, and finding all of your vintage pieces is like a treasure hunt. You just never know what you will find! Vintage items are also usually one of a kind, so you will have the most unique wedding around!

Long live the vintage-loving bride!

A Very Floral Thanksgiving

Yes, we have reached that time of year already. Harvest season is in full swing, and that means many feasting holidays are on the horizon. Here in Canada, Thanksgiving is now less than a month away. Here are some of our ideas for warm fall colours for floral centerpieces. Freshen up your Thanksgiving table with some harvest inspired colours that reflect the colours of red and golden leaves and harvest moons!

This orange, peach and plum arrangement is a bit of a different take on the traditional fall oranges, yellows and reds. It is a little more feminine and would be great for any mother, wife, girlfriend, sister or special lady friend that has been slaving over a hot stove all day to create the perfect turkey (or tofurky) dinner. In this arrangement there are dahlias, echinacea pods, phalaenopsis orchids, calla lilies, and spray roses.

If you want to go for the cheerful reds, yellows and oranges, there are plenty of flowers to choose from. Here are some samples of the many fall coloured flowers.

Singles stems of flowers in multiple bud vases can make a great (and inexpensive) tablescape or mantel decoration.

This bright orange, red and yellow arrangement can easily brighten up the dullest Thanksgiving table.

Bringing a nice bouquet for the host or hostess of a Thanksgiving meal will be much appreciated, and you might even get to take home some extra leftovers for delicious turkey sandwiches. Mmm.

May your Thanksgiving be wonderful, full of great food, lovely people and maybe a few flowers! Feel free to stop by our new location at 415 Industrial Avenue to see our great selection of fall flowers!

Sunny Side Up

Have you been loving all this late summer sunshine we’ve been having as much as I have??  September is often an extension of summer here in Vancouver. I’m also loving the late summer / early fall flowers!  Sunflowers and dahlias in rich colours are the perfect bridge between late summer sunsets, and the soon to be fall leaves.

Hope you have a super sunny day!