Wright House Wedding Bouquets August 26, 2012

A pretty garden setting for a beautiful bride – we created garden-style bouquets for this wedding at The Wright House.

Enjoy these photos by Desert Trends Photography!

Bride and Bridesmaids’ Garden-style bouquets

Lavender stock, ranunculus, and roses are adorned with swirling herbs for the bridesmaids’ bouquets.

Bride’s Bouquet of Roses, Hydrangea, Sweet Peas and Ranunculus

Budgeting and Deposits for Wedding Flowers August 25, 2012

You’ve had your consultation.

You know what flowers you want.

You know how and when to order them.

But how much should you expect to spend and when should you have your deposits in?

Right now the current national industry standard is to budget about 8-15% of the entire wedding budget for flowers (all expenses, not just the venue).  With that said, let’s touch on price fluctuations with flowers as you will need to adjust your budget or your order based on this information.

Some flowers have steady pricing throughout the year, and other flower prices can fluctuate from 30-40%, up to 50-200%. For example: Red roses at Valentine’s day (high demand, but not the prime growing season for roses) can run 2-3 times what they are the rest of the year.  Mother’s Day weddings also will see a premium upgrade for the floral designs and delivery services.

Peonies out-of-season are typically at least twice as expensive. Also, when thinking about flowers that are in season, remember that it depends on the growing season, not colors for the season. For example, in the fall, orange roses and almost anything else orange is actually a higher price because there is so much demand. On the other hand, tulips are very plentiful in the spring and prices come down significantly.

Remember that there are some seasons during the year where specific flowers either just aren’t available or are very, very pricey and must be pre-ordered well in advance. For example, tulips in July, August, or September are available in a limited supply and are much more expensive. Daffodils are just not available at all except a short season in the winter and early spring, at least here in Phoenix. 

Also, where you are located in the country greatly affects availability and cost as well. If you are closer to the area where your favorite flower is grown, the prices will be better. And as is typical with our other selections, we always seem to want the exotic for our area – for example, hydrangeas can be seen as a very common flower in the Northeast or Midwest where it grows in many gardens. Here in Phoenix, it is in high demand because we never see it in the landscape.

It is common for most florists to ask for one-quarter to one-half of the price as a deposit.  At God’s Garden Treasures we require one-third of the complete package for the full deposit. We also offer a hold-the-date deposit for brides who know they want to use us and still are working to make final decisions about their package style. This allows us to release all the information and photos we have gathered, so that they can utilize this in their final decision-making.

Planning a wedding can be stressful for brides, fiancés, and family members. Let use help take away some of that stress and provide you with quality flowers and outstanding customer service. Call us today to schedule your wedding flower consultation.

As always, check out our other wedding tips on our blog here.

I’m Engaged. Now What? A Guide to Planning Your Wedding Flowers February 19, 2012

First of all, Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!  I hope that these tips and suggestions will make planning your wedding flowers stress-free and flawless.  The first step in planning your wedding flowers is to consult with your florist.  This is best done in person, however if your wedding is a destination wedding this can be done over the phone.  In preparation for the consultation you should know what colors will be featured in your wedding.  Come prepared with any pictures you have seen that inspire you, color swatches (or websites or better yet, Pinterest that shows your color/style/inspiration for phone consultations, or send the links ahead of the consultation).  Also bring a list of the personal flowers you are looking for, table count, linen colors, if selected (we often will assist a bride in selecting linen colors or the linens themselves).

Wedding Flowers are completely customizable and the world is your palate.  There is no rule saying you have to carry a big bouquet of red or white roses down the aisle.  Maybe you are more of a lily lover and want to carry a simple bouquet of calla lilies.  It’s your wedding and your choice.  Having 2-3 inspirational pictures available for the consultation helps point your florist in the right direction.  Choosing flowers that you like and that compliment the color scheme and season of your wedding ensures that you and your fiancé are surrounded by pure beauty. With that said, we do live in Arizona and location, season, and temperature need to be taken into consideration when planning your wedding flowers.  Different forms of treatment, choices about photography including whether outdoors, time of day, and many other factors come into play when addressing these issues. We want the bouquets and all the flowers to look fabulous through the whole day.

Make sure to share many pictures with your florist and ensure that those pictures are available to the whole team working on the wedding all the way through the process. Ask for a sample to be created, and ask about any costs associated with this (usually based on the scope of the design and whether it’s included in the package). Look at actual flowers as well as photos – some flowers tend to photograph better than others – and be clear about what you like and don’t like.

When ordering wedding flowers it is also important to know the difference between a ladies buttonhole and a corsage.

• A buttonhole, or boutonniere, while typically worn by men, is a smaller size that can be worn on the lapel of a jacket. It might be one flower with or without embellishments, or a composite (multiple smaller flowers or accents combined in an artistic design). Sometimes there is so much attention to detail, it is like a small work of art. With women, wonderful accents that add a feminine touch without adding too much weight or volume are crystals and pearls, or even incorporating a brooch.
• A corsage can be worn on the shoulder or the wrist, and is larger and yet still in scale for the person wearing it. A popular trend now for wrist corsages is to attach the flowers to a wristlet that can be a bracelet, or to an actual bracelet, in such a way that the bracelet can be worn later while remembering the event and the people involved. A great keepsake! Traditional corsages have a base of ribbon tucked into or around the flowers, adding an accent color or bringing cohesion to the corsage. Another modern trend is to not use ribbon in the traditional bow fashion, maybe as a small accent, if any at all. Tropical leaves and grasses are taking the place of the ribbon to add a clean, modern look to the corsage.
• A man’s buttonhole or boutonniere typically is more simple, especially if the men are involved in selecting them. The one exception is the man who has an artistic eye and loves texture – the buttonholes created for them are intricate, works of art, and they love it!
• The colors and flowers used in boutonnieres and corsages are selected from the wedding palette, keeping in mind the overall style (larger or smaller flowers), and the ability to withstand without a water source over the length of the entire event. If a softer, more water-sensitive flower is chosen, especially for the groom’s boutonniere, typically a second boutonniere is created to replace the faded one between the ceremony and reception, or for pictures later in the evening.

Call us to set up your wedding flower consultation today.

Also see my blog to for additional wedding flower planning tips.

It’s Christmas Time and That Means Poinsettia Season December 19, 2011

With the holidays quickly approaching, you’ve probably seen an increase in the presence of poinsettias around you. Whether they are in your local coffee shop, office building or church, poinsettias are a sign of the Christmas Season. Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America where they are called “Flores de Noche Buena” meaning Flowers of the Holy Night. The star shape of the leaves is said to represent the Star of Bethlehem and they are very popular and in high demand in florist shops come Christmas time. And our shop is no different!

But aren’t poinsettia’s toxic?

There is a very common misconception that poinsettias are toxic. This is absolutely untrue. In 1998 Ohio State University issued the results of a study that showed that poinsettias were not toxic to humans and animals. The study tested all parts of the plant including leaves and sap. In fact, POISINDEX, the national information center for poison control centers, states that a child would need to ingest somewhere around 500-600 leaves before they even exceed the doses that showed NO toxicity in the research. If you live in a household with curious little ones, keeping the poinsettia out of reach is the best precaution you can take.

Large Red Poinsettia

So they aren’t toxic to humans, but what about pets?

Again, poinsettias are not toxic to animals as reported in the Ohio State University study. The ASPCA states on their website that while poinsettia’s may cause mouth and stomach irritation in pets, the actually toxicity is highly overrated. The irritation of the stomach could lead to vomiting but it is not deadly. If your pet does get into a poinsettia it is important to wash the sap off immediately to prevent further ingestion. Pet owners should contact a veterinarian if the sap gets into the eyes or if the symptoms don’t resolve within a few minutes.

White Poinsettia

What if I’m allergic to Latex?

As long as the poinsettia’s leaves are not broken and the plant is not damaged you should be fine. The poinsettia’s circulation system does contain latex which is only accessed when you break the leaves. The American Latex Allergy Association states that a person would have to have significant contact with the latex of poinsettia plant to develop an allergic reaction. A drop of latex from the plant that is easily wiped off would be unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. With that said, if you are allergic to latex, common sense precautions should be observed when handling poinsettias.

Hopefully debunking some of the common myths will put you at ease and even encourage you to place a poinsettia order at your local florist. We have several arrangement options available on our website for you to choose from. What better gift to bring your holiday hostess then a beautiful poinsettia arrangement. Happy Holidays!

Poinsettia Arrangement

Visit our website for more tips and myth-busters about Poinsettias, and other tips! God’s Garden Treasures

Tips and Guidelines for Wedding Flower Budgets December 1, 2011

You’re planning for your big day, and you are working on your budget. How much should you set aside for flowers?

Here are tips from our experience and general industry wisdom:

1. Work with a Wedding Planner. They are organized, often have sample budgets you can start from, and not only will help you set the budget, they will also help you stay in the budget. Many vendors provide preferential pricing for clients of wedding planners as well.
2. The national average for wedding flowers is from 8-15% of your total wedding budget, depending on where flowers and decor fall in your priorities.
3. For many years, florists have followed the guideline that a good rule of thumb was to consider that 1/3 of your budget will go to the bridal party and personal flowers, 1/3 for the ceremony decor and 1/3 for reception decor and centerpieces.  A new trend when on a tighter budget and still wanting flowers throughout the wedding is to ask your florist to creatively re-purpose the ceremony decor to the reception, or planning for the centerpieces and then planning out how to decorate the ceremony with them. Some brides choose to not drop the amount they spend on flowers when doing this, instead they are spending a larger amount on fewer arrangements for a larger wow factor. When going with this second option, it is helpful to remember to build in an extra fee to hire the wedding florist to stay through the ceremony and move the flowers to the reception so that your family and friends can really enjoy and celebrate with you, be in the pictures, etc.
4. To know whether you want to adjust the average, be towards the lower percent or higher, consider these factors: How much personalizing does your venue require or do you desire? Do you want to be awash in color and texture, or are you looking for a pop of color here and there? Are you looking for a rich Hollywood look with lavish bouquets? Does your theme lead you to more simple or more lush floral designs? Do your favorite flowers include peonies, hydrangea, calla lilies, stephanotis, or tropical flowers, which tend to fall in the higher price range per stem?

Other blog posts that might interest you:

Seven Questions to Ask before Hiring a Wedding Florist

Three Tips for Maximizing your Wedding Flower Budget

Thank you to

http://www.katinaphotography.com/    http://beautyoflifephotography.com/    justinemillerphotography.com

for the wonderful photography!

Eight Tips for Hydrangeas in Bridal Party Bouquets in Arizona July 23, 2011

Hydrangeas are lovely, feminine, and very popular! Did you know they are also Divas in the flower world?

They prefer moister climates than ours, and don’t like the dry heat, which is why you don’t see them planted in people’s yards here. In gardens, you find them all over the Mid-West and East Coast, and in the Northwest, where they grow profusely. That should give us a clue!

And hydrangea here in Arizona are Diva flowers, very temperamental, and like the ‘little girl with the curl’ in the Mother Goose nursery rhymes:

‘There once was a girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead, and when she was good, she was very, very good. But when she was bad, she was horrid.’

Here is what a wilted hydrangea looks like – very much not fun during a wedding!

So what’s a girl to do??!

1. Work with a florist if you really want hydrangea – ask if they use a two- or three-step hydration process for hydrangea.  Since hydrangea don’t grow here, they are shipped in boxes through the floral industry by air or overnight shipping, and so the stem end dries out.  Re-hydrating them properly is critical. And also conditioning them and treating them to hold in the moisture is also critical. Ask them if they know about these steps.

2. Keep the hydrangea cool and in clear water as much as possible: ie. have your wedding at a cool time of year and time of day, or if your wedding is in warmer months, have an indoor ceremony, don’t take lots of outdoor pictures, etc.

Blue Hydrangea and Chocolate Dahlia Bride's Bouquet

3. Schedule your photography so that most of the pictures are taken as close to the ceremony as possible, or even after the ceremony, so your walk down the aisle is guaranteed a stress-free, dew-dropped look of the fresh hydrangea.

4. Think through how important hydrangeas are compared to timing of photography, venue, time of year, etc. If the hydrangeas are the most important, be willing to shift some of the other aspects to accommodate them. Remember, they are divas! 🙂

5. Ask your florist to create the bouquets with the temperature and your timing of photography in mind. See if they have the bouquet holders with wicks, or select a hand-tied style and keep them in vases of water until the last second, returning them to vases for the reception.

Hydrangea and mixed flower Bride's bouquet

6. Also ask your florist about other flowers that give you the same or similar feel and look that might work better with your circumstances. If it’s more about the timing, and not a hot time of year, stock is a great alternative.

7. For extra security, appoint a ‘Diva Hydrangea rescue person’. Have one of your close friends or family trained in re-hydrating the hydrangea, should something happen between the ceremony and reception, and make sure they know where a sink and a refrigerator are at the venue.

8. Select style where the hydrangea is tucked in among other flowers, and supported by a collar of foliage or other supportive botanical or florals.

With the proper precautions and expectations, hydrangea can be a lovely flower for weddings.  They do wonderfully in centerpieces with a water source at the reception, especially indoors or at cool times of the year. And there are many other flowers that complement them well and a few that can give a similar look. Selecting hydrangea means working a little harder and being strategic, partnering with your florist, and being ready for anything!

I hope these tips have helped. Please feel free to contact us any time at weddings@godsgardentreasures.com or 480-603-7673 with other tips, questions or concerns.

Visit us here to schedule your complimentary event or wedding consultation.

Bentley Projects’ Wedding June 26, 2011

Thank you to Amber and Ethan for taking us to the Bentley Projects for the first time this spring! What a fun venue, and the staff are great. It’s a great blank slate to personalize – urban, rough, modern, with history.

Thank you to Darby Elizabeth Photography for the amazing composition of the pictures. We love working with gifted photographers!

Mamiko and Michael’s Wedding at Montelucia May 15, 2011

Thank you to Mamiko and Michael, who invited us to do their wedding flowers at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley. Thanks to Alma from De Amor Photography for sending over their album pictures! What a spectacular wedding…

Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation and for more information about Custom Wedding Flowers.

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Bridal Fashion Debut January 11, 2011

We were at the Bridal Fashion Debut this past weekend, and had a pleasure creating flowers centerpieces for amazing vendors like Heidi’s Events and Catering, Foothills Golf Club, Iris D Bridal, Firesky Resort and Spa, The Knot and Got You Covered DJ!

Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation and for more information about Custom Wedding Flowers.

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New Year’s Eve Wedding at Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center January 6, 2011

Lindsey and Elliott got married at the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center on New Years Eve. We absolutely loved making Lindsey’s bridal bouquet of white peonies and roses with touches of silver beads!! She was such a beautiful bride and a pleasure to work with. And also, thanks to our ASU students Justine, Kaitlan and Ashlee for helping us with setup. There was a lot of intricate details involved, and we couldn’t have done it without you ladies.

Congratulations to the wonderful couple!

Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation and for more information about Custom Wedding Flowers.

Connect with us on Facebook to find out when we post new blog  entries for wedding flowers, and watch for specials we post there.