STARTING 2010 WITH A RISING STAR

What a way to end the year! What a way to begin a new one!

Just before we closed up shop for the holidays we learned the great news that I've been nominated for an Event Solutions magazine Spotlight Award for Rising Star!

Here is a look at three of the events that our peers in the event industry felt made us elegible for this prestigious award. To place your vote, simply click here, enter your e-mail address (it's only used to monitor votes) and go to the category: Rising Star, Female.

Thank you!!

A VINTAGE WEDDING

We create unique floral design for many types of weddings as well as photos shoots in all the top bridal magazines. Many times the look involves romance. So when this call came in from planner Kelley Lee Gin of Picture Perfect Events, I knew it would be an interesting and fun challenge.

The bride and groom wanted a vintage look to their Hollywood-inspired wedding that took place in Los Angeles’ downtown Union Station, a venue that oozes filmdom history. They asked us to create floral designs for the bouquets, boutonnières, centerpieces and buffet pieces that would emulate the beauty of a time-worn sepia-tinted photo.

We met that challenge with a palette of muted flowers and succulents to create a look that appeared to have been faded to perfection by the afternoon sun.

At the ceremony, the bouquets featured a combination of white orchids and dahlias, soft, sage-color leaves and succulents. At the reception, table centerpieces featured box vases covered in soft gray suede that held the same variety of white exotic floral and succulents. On the buffet tables, large Manzanita branches were the focal point, hung with glass balls containing exotic succulents.

Photo by Stephanie Williams

SETTING THE TABLE

For a two-night sleepover event planned by Good Gracious! Events and Rrvire Works at The Simpson House bed-and-breakfast in Santa Barbara, we faced myriad challenges. Each of the two nights would be attended by 40 top wedding planners so the pressure to produce perfect work was high; the event featured three very distinct areas, each requiring its own look; and finally, unlike the weddings and corporate events we do, much of this event design was developed as a team on the spot to give everyone creative flexibility.

With a swatch of linen, a few photos of props and some color palettes as her only guide before the event, our team arrived armed with a refrigerated truck filled with flowers. In the garden area we turned a simple look on its head, literally. Clear vases shaped like bell jars were turned upside down to display a composition of succulents. And on top of each base, vibrant pink floral provided color and balance.

In the main al fresco dining area long banquet tables (pictured above) were lavishly set with the elegant linen, place settings, chandeliers and silver accessories. Working in concert with the overall design, we used the top of the silver candlesticks to create white floral arrangements, a finishing touch.

And in the fire pit area which was created with hip lounge furniture, we added vignettes of white and green succulents accented by dark purple iris. Finally, other flower arrangements were created and placed throughout the house to enhance its vintage design.

Photo by Marianne Lozano

FLOWERS AND FINE FEATHERS

This buffet look was one of five totally different theme looks created at an industry awards show in Las Vegas. This was the first time that Mille Fiori would be displaying designs for a large group of colleagues and the first time working in a satellite locations miles from the studio. Plus, most of the work would be conceptualized and then designed on site.

Two shipments of flowers and props were sent from Los Angeles that would be used in the five areas. The buffet that is pictured here was themed after the award show’s own theme – “Glow and Plumes.” We began the design with box vases covered with purple damask in which she arranged purple flowers and feathers. But it was the texture of the actual table that got guests talking and touching. Inside the buffet table’s inset, we placed hundreds of water beads that emulated the look of snakeskin, perfect for Vegas!

On “The Green of England” buffet, we enhanced giant chess pieces with boxwood hedges made on site; the Indian-themed table was adorned with a pave of hundreds of marigolds in various shades of orange and yellow; and the buffet featuring Mexican cuisine was accented with floating pink, paper flowers made on site by a member of the design team. They floated from the ceiling and alit over a Manzanita branches. Our goal was to make the entire event was a feast, as much for the eyes as the palate. We think we succeeded!

Photo by Brilliant Studios LA