rubyandjoy: January Wedding Flowers

Welcome to the second guest post from the gorgeous and effervescent Nicola from rubyandjoy.

Hello my lovelies! Welcome to my second guest post and my second attempt at trying to sound coherent while discussing something that truly excites me. Always a difficulty I assure you!

I trust you’ve all had a wonderfully Merry Christmas and a spectacular New Years. I made my traditional fresh holly wreath for our door that not only looks festive in all its glossy green glory, but also doubles as a dangerous weapon when needing to get rid of door to door salesmen. Brilliant!

January Blooms
So to get down to business, let’s begin with your options if you’re getting married in January of 2011. January is a tricky time of year with the steamy weather which on a whim can swing to torrential downpours. Keep in mind a lot of grower’s holiday in the first few weeks of January which can also diminish availability and abundance. But of course, there are always loads of fresh and gorgeous blooms to choose from, as with any morning at the market.

* Beautiful roses of every type, peach and pink full headed David Austen roses are a favourite, as are the garden roses that smell delicious and come in yellows, creams, all kinds of pinks and deep burgundy.

* Dahlias in their cheerful brights are everywhere and look divine used in all their colours in relaxed table arrangements and bouquets, as do Gloriosa lilies with their scrummy pink green and yellow combo.

* If you’re after a beautiful scent, fragrant frangipanis are about, as are gardenias and tuberose.

* Lotus pods with their long green stems and heavy heads look incredible in structural creations and modern themed weddings.

* Unusual Pineapple lilies look amazing when used in fresh green arrangements. * And of course, we still have the lovely fluffy Hydrangea, finishing up in white but still readily available in blues.

* There’s so much gorgeous foliage around at the moment, big troughs of Pineapple lilies, green celosia, amaranthus and loads of leaves look magnificent!

* Simple bouquets that look like they’ve been picked from your garden always make me happy, and incorporating berries, nuts and seed pods will create a gorgeous texture palette to work from.

Blooms on a Budget
If you’ve purchased your dream Louboutins and are trying to cut costs elsewhere, there are a few things to look at.

* Buttonholes- Many classic weddings of late have said no to all buttonholes, the men preferring to keep their lapels flower free.

* Delivery- Ask around your extended family to see if anyone would be able to pick up the bouquets on the morning of the wedding to avoid a delivery cost and always check to see what is actually included in your venue hire.

* Book centerpieces through the venue- Some venues are starting to offer lovely options for centrepieces and will often offer a discount if you book everything through them, or perhaps even include them in your chosen package.

International Floral Trends
If you’re looking to overseas trends for some new ideas a great idea if you’ve planned a relaxed and festive day is to ask your florist for different buttonholes. Keep them original and unusual and the men folk will be pleased as punch* to tuck a bloom in their buttonhole! More importantly, they’ll look sharp for your wedding day.

My favourite ideas change hourly so it’s very difficult to choose just a few! I’ve also been planning my wedding since I was approximately 7 (will deny vehemently if confronted) so it’s incredible delightful to work in an industry where I get to see the loveliest of lovelies every day, and work with such creative people.

Well my lovelies, I do hope you all have a wonderful week discovering new delights and loves. And always, always remember to keep your eyes shut when getting a lash tint. Pain is not gain when it is in your eye.

Nicola x
rubyandjoy.com.au

*This may be a lie
Image Credits (from top to bottom): rubyandjoy by Cassi Kennedy, rubyandjoy by Global Sanctuary Photography, Brides.com.uk.

rubyandjoy: Summer Flowers

Welcome to the first guest-post by the gorgeous Nicola of Ruby & Joy. Nicola shares her tips for what's in bloom over the Australian Summer.

Hello! I’m so truly excited to be writing a guest post for Amour Amour, I have a celebratory cup of gorgeous geisha tea sitting with me. Yes, we like to go all out at rubyandjoy.

Tips for bouquets on a hot day
If you’re planning on getting married in the Summer months of December to February, it’s fairly safe to say you’re hoping you won’t get a 40+ degree day. Those hot summer days will make more than your groom melt in his suit, your flowers will feel the heat too. To help them last through the day follow these easy tips;
- As soon as your bouquets are deliver ed (and if the stems are free), pop them straight into a centimeter or two of water and leave them there as long as possible before drying them off and heading out into the furnace.
- Be sure to ask the photographer to get a few snaps of the bouquet before the ceremony.
- Then think cool. I’m yet to scientifically prove this helps, but heck. If it takes your mind of the heat, it can only be a good thing.

Summer Blooms
At the moment there are so many gorgeous blooms in season it’s easy to choose something to work with.
* Peonies, with their fluffy and full heads in shades of burgundy, pink and white are available from mid November through to Christmas, and are every bride’s favourite!
* Take advantage of the bushy Hydrangeas while they are in season. The gorgeous blues, purples and whites are a fresh and romantic look
* Beautiful Garden roses and David Austen roses
* Loads of beautiful Succulents, Calla Lilies in pinks, burgundy and white
* Persimmons on branches
* Casablanca lilies, hanging Amaranthus, Kale and great bundles of bushy Oak foliage and gorgeous Loquat berries.
* Gardenias are available in abundance and have a heavenly scent
* Figs on branches look incredible and make a statement, especially if paired with a real contrast like fluffy Peonies.
* Christmas bush is everywhere for those who love the festive season.
* And Celosia, you probably don't know it but ask your florist!

Fluffy Peonies and Calla Lillies

Hydrangeas and figs create a unique combination whilst flowers of a similar colours create a textured and harmonious effect.

Colours & Themes
There are so many colours and themes that look gorgeous at this time of year. My favourite will always be keeping it simple, modern, and going a little crazy with colour. Especially as we come into summer. Bright flowers look fantastic, especially if they clash a little.
As we move into December Dahlias are becoming available, with their bushy blooms and vibrant colours, they’re perfect for a relaxed and bright theme.

Image Credits: Dahlias by Denise Fasanello

Blooms on a budget
If you’re looking to keep the budget to a minimum with your flowers, try asking your florist for smaller bouquets, and keep them simple with one or two types of bloom. You could even work entirely with foliage which looks fresh and fantastic in summer, as well as limiting wilting.
Stay away from orchids and blooms that need to be hand wired such as frangipanis and gardenias as the labour that goes into these bouquets will boost the price.

Green foliage and branches make the white hydrangeas pop creating a decidedly summery look.

Weather worries
Keep in mind that due to the weather being decidedly difficult at this time of year the blooms you request may become unavailable.
If there’s a week of rain or a week of heat, my hair will not behave. But it can also cause major difficulties for the growers, their suppliers, and in turn the florists.
Most florists will be able to substitute with a similar bloom if this happens and your flowers will still look gorgeous. This is why it’s best at your first consultation to not only tell your florist what you love, but what you don’t love, to make sure you love your floral look.

International Floral Trends
In regards to international trends, we’re seeing a much more relaxed style. Lots of different blooms, lots of colours and textures, all arranged in a deconstructed hand held way. This creates a gorgeous wild flower feel, and can be used in every kind of ceremony, from black tie through to casual.

Make sure to keep your colours warm or cool, this will keep it from looking too messy. Be sure to use a gorgeous ribbon which compliments the bouquets.

On your tables, use every kind of vessel you can find, milk bottles, old glass jars, bowls, jugs. Fill them with a profusion of blooms and you’ll have a stunning French vintage theme at your fingertips. If you’re wanting it to remain classic, keep all the blooms white. Otherwise, go crazy with the colour, the more the better!

Image Credit: Max Wanger via A Cup of Jo

I’ve been trying to think of a cool tag line to finish this super informative post with, and so far all I’ve come up with is ‘spilling tea is not only messy but hot too’. So as that’s seems to be the best for now, I shall leave you with this insightful piece of wisdom, and wish you the loveliest week possible!
Nicola x
rubyandjoy.com.au

Images by rubyandjoy (unless otherwise credited)