Hispanic Society Gala 2012
The annual Hispanic Society Gala was held at a the beautiful and historic Metropolitan Club. The event honoring Laura Diez Barroso de Laviada & Leopoldo Rodes had a rich color palette of blue and warm burgundy.
The bar arrangements had a gorgeous mix of antiqued hydrangeas, deep red roses, red cymbidium orchids along with touches of magnolia branches. The shock of the red paired with the subdued hydrangeas created a beautiful balance as pictured below.
The reception florals were a continuation of the color palette, maintaining the warmth and elegance of the space. A low arrangement of antique hydrangeas, red roses and burgundy dahlias were mixed with touches of magnolia and bush ivy, keeping the arrangement seasonal and organic.
A big thanks to Julie Skarratt for these beautiful photos. You can see more of her work at http://julieskarrattphotography.blogspot.com. Enjoy!
Winter at the NYC Flower Market
Even with the impending bitter cold, spring is making its way into our hearts yet again with beautiful tulips, peonies and blooming bulb plants. A late afternoon visit to the flower market on West 28th street between 6th and 7th avenues gave me a chance to escape the noise of the city and take in all the vibrant colors. These miniature daffodils are happy and bright!
I was happy to see one of my favorites even in the dead of winter. These peonies are imported from Chile where they are currently in season.
Winter is a great time to get blooming branches like forsythia, quince and cherry blossoms. When you pass by them at the market they might look like dried up sticks but hammer the ends of the stems and put them in warm water. After a few weeks they will be in full bloom and last such a long time! Check out these blooming quince we found in the market.
Another great spring flower with a subtle scent are sweet peas. They come in vibrant colors and are great for wedding bouquets or in a simple vase.
These kumquat branches and ornithogalum are a great shade of orange and offer a fresh look for arrangements. Kumquats are fun to use all winter and have a citrus fruit hanging from them.
French and parrot tulips covered the market along with fragrant hyacinth. Looks like spring to me!
There are so many more and gorgeous flowers at the NYC flower market, even in winter. Stop downtown and take a look at all the great flowers, plants and things they have to offer!
Get inspired!
2012 Land Rover Evoque Premiere at the Guggenheim
The new Land Rover Evoque made its mark on the Guggenheim this past November as a local dealership hosted an event to show off their newest addition. We were excited to be working with them and helping to design the concept for their space and bring in the decor for the event. When we arrived at the Guggenheim prior to the event we were fascinated by the amazing piece currently on display. The artist, Maurizio Cattelan, is credited with creating some of the most unforgettable images in recent contemporary art. The pieces were suspended from the ceiling in a fashion that provided a unique perspective from each level.
The dealership brought in this amazing metal and wire model sculpture of the new Evoque. The life size work of art looked like it belonged at the Guggenheim as a permanent display piece. Once they got the lighting setup the piece really came to life and set the mood.
During the cocktail hour we kept the arrangements clean and simple using stainless steel cube vases filled with white peonies and folded Thai leaves.
The bar arrangements were housed in large stainless steel cylinder vases filled with curly willow, white peonies, white hydrangea and folded leaves.
We were inspired by the great art and architecture of the Guggenheim when making the pieces for this event. Everything came together perfectly and the event went as smooth as possible. A great venue to enhance with flowers and we were so lucky to be able to experience the great art!
Hispanic Society of America
The Hispanic Society of America, located on Audubon Terrace, has served as a cultural center for great works of art and a reference library for works of art from Spain, Portugal and Latin America. This past month they celebrated the release of a book featuring works of art, cultural topics and other texts complied into one unique book. A beautiful way to capture the rich heritage of the past and an inspiration for future artists. We were lucky enough to be asked by the Hispanic Society of America to help with the decor for the event and to highlight some of the amazing works of art they have on display. The intricate wrought iron gates that mark the entrance were a great place to start. We softened the entrance with clean and compact juniper topiaries planted in black wrought iron urns.
We continued the look through the courtyard creating an aisle of beautiful trees and lit the way with pillar candles housed in clear glass cylinders. As the guests made their way up the stairs to main entrance candles brightened the way and a patio of tall ficus trees enclosed the space. We wanted to fill the space without making it seem cluttered, so we chose to use several statement trees/topiaries to set the mood. The candle light kept the feeling warm and intimate and was continued inside.
In the foyer we created a tree of magnolia branches and an assortment of blooms. We kept the shape organic and flowing with the staircase. Using a large black urn kept with the look of the topiaries and provided balance to the look.
The cocktail tables were set with petite arrangements of peonies and roses accented with bush ivy in sterling silver julep cups. We also accented the room with bright fuchsia peonies and bush ivy. The bar decor consisted of two large arrangements perched on sterling silver vases. They were constructed on a dish and set on top of the vases and consisted of white roses, peonies, hydrangea and magnolia branches.
We were so happy with how beautiful everything turned out and enjoyed working with the Hispanic Society of America on another event.
Bridal Guide Magazine January/February 2012
We were excited when asked again by Bridal Guide Magazine to create a winter bouquet for their January/February edition. We decided to embrace the winter blues and create a bouquet of deep purples with touches of blue that created an unexpected winter bouquet.
The bouquet consisted of purple hydrangea, Japanese blue delphinium, purple lisianthus and blue gentiana. The combination of flowers gave the bouquet a very lush and textured look without it being too over powering. The colors speak for themselves and made for a beautiful winter clutch.
Enjoy!
Alexis and Richard’s Wedding, September 10, 2011
A fall wedding this pass September offered a great venue and a wonderful couple to work with. We were so excited to work with Alexis and Richard on their wedding at the Bowery Hotel. The Bowery Hotel is a beautiful venue that lends itself nicely from rustic to contemporary flowers and decor. Our happy couple wanted a romantic and beautiful look for their special day and together we created a unique look just for them.
The bride wore an ivory lace dress and carried a hand tied bouquet of purple hydrangeas, purple and white lisianthus and white roses. We also added a touch of lavender to blend the colors and add a soft scent to the bouquet. The lisianthus lent themselves to a more organic and wild shape giving the bouquet a romantic garden look.
The escort table at the venue was gorgeous and we only wanted to enhance the look of it. We used a vintage looking urn and filled it with white garden roses and hydrangea to create a simple but impactful look.
The happy couple were married under a birch chuppah that was accented with touches of flowers. We used white and green hydrangea, white dalhias, white lisianthus and white roses to soften the birch.
After the ceremony the guests enjoyed a relaxing reception with access to the beautiful garden patio. The tables were set in mercury glass compotes and filled with white and green hydrangea, white dahlias, lavender lisianthus and roses. Since they used long family style tables we mixed in petite arrangements in hobnail mercury glass vases full of lisianthus and fresh lavender. To set the mood we placed white taper candles in crystal candle sticks down the length of the table.
A beautiful wedding that we enjoyed working on and hope you enjoy the pictures!
Dia Art Foundation Fall Gala 2011
This autumn has been a busy season for us at In Bloom and we are excited to share some photos from another beautiful event earlier this month. The Dia Art Foundation held their fall gala hosted my Giorgio Armani at a fantastic venue, Tribeca 360. Dia is currently launching a new space to showcase exhibitions and feature readings by world-renowned poets. They came to us to with a very Armani look and asked us to help pull the space together. The space itself features windows that wrap around the entire room to showoff the incredible views. The tables consisted of two white cubes topped with plexiglass; clean, simple and modern. Everything in the space had a very specific look, from the square plates to the podium that was actually clear lucite to the flowers arranged in long rectangular vases. The look was modern and very well put together. The simplicity of it all allowed the eyes to catch the skyline peering from the windows and beautiful views of the Hudson.
We kept the centerpieces simple with just two long arrangements featuring steel grass and a single phalaenopsis orchid stem. The steel grass provided support and a contrasting color to show off the beautiful orchid and allowed for a simple and clean look. We also placed square votives on the table in keeping with the square/rectangular look of the event.
To dress the bars we created arrangements that tied in with the centerpieces featuring extra long stems of orchids, steel grass and different types of greenery. The tall vases bring the eyes up and allows the orchids to naturally hang.
There was also several 'pop-up' ponds around the room which we floated monstera leaves and anthurium in. Water is a great and unexpected element to bring into a space and ties in nicely with the grand views of the Hudson just outside the windows.
The deep set windows allowed a great place to bring in some warm lighting with floating candles and attract the guests to the windows to enjoy the views.
As the sun set the room was coming together and look was almost complete. The warm rays of sun set the mood for some great snapshots of the almost finished product. The flowers were soaking up the beautiful sunlight and the floating candles were glowing before we even had a chance to light them.
The simplicity of this space spoke volumes and everything came together perfectly with all the last minute details. Such a great organization doing so much for the community and bringing attention to some fantastic artist, glad we could be part of it.
Glamorous Glamelias!
We are always up to a challenge here at In Bloom so when a recent bride asked us to make her a gorgeous glamelia as her bridal bouquet we were happy to channel the classic, throw back look. Glamelias were highly popular in the 1940's and 1950's and in the last few years have started to come back into fashion for brides seeking a simple, classic and unique look. These composite bouquets are made by gluing, sewing or wiring each individual petal onto the base of a rose to create one large bloom that makes a statement and is still delicate enough for a bride to carry. Our lovely bride wanted a simple and classic look to compliment her beautiful day which I believe we achieved with this simple bouquet.
We used two different types of freeze dried roses when making this glamelia to make sure it would last beyond the wedding day for our bride and still retain the texture of a fresh cut rose. Back in 2008 Katherine Heigl carried a beautiful glamelia made of a composite of white roses, a very elegant look.
Glamelias, while often time consuming to make, can be a great DYI for a bride or her bridal party to set out and do themselves for that personal touch. For those brides embracing a vintage style wedding this is a great way to pull the best out the 40's and 50's and will bring a certain nostalgia to your wedding.
So, if your hearts desire is for a delicate and beautiful single flower for a bouquet, consider a glamelia and all the tradition they hold.
Enjoy!
The Hispanic Society of America Fall Gala 2011
The Hispanic Society of America held their fall Gala this October at the beautiful 583 Park Avenue venue. What a great space to host a beautiful event and beautiful people, like honoree Liliana Godia. All the guests arrived in spicy, colorful attire and the vibrant fall tones of the flowers set the mood for an evening full of dancing and celebration. These cocktail arrangements featuring orange circus roses with a touch of bush ivy are a fun contrast against the classic, metallic hobnail vases.
After the cocktail hour the guests arrived in the main ballroom which features a gorgeous crystal chandelier framed by the high, dramatic ceiling.
The tables featured two different style of arrangements, one which was a silver candelabra accented with circus roses, bright fuchsia dahlias, orange and red dahlias, mango calla lilies, green coxcomb, rust colored cymbidium orchids and a touch of rose-hips. The base of the candelabras were illuminated by over-sized votives in amber glass holders.
The other tables are set with three different arrangements each in a mercury glass compote. The largest of the three arrangements played off of the flowers used in the candelabras; dahlias, circus roses, bush ivy, rose-hips, cymbidium orchids, mango calla lilies and coxcomb. In another mercury glass dish, a cluster of orange and red seasonal dahlias popped against the vibrant table linens. The third arrangement was a beautiful mound of rust and brown cymbidium blooms delicately placed in a simple compote. Accenting these clusters of arrangements were amber votives and crystal candlesticks which made everything sparkle.
The night seemed to go off without a hitch and the guests truly enjoyed themselves. What a great way to recognize members in the community and bring us all together through the history and art that make up a beautiful group of people!
Bridal Guide September/October 2011 – Floral Fantasy
In Bloom New York's Floral Fantasy Store in Bridal Guides September/October 2011 Issue
A tight fuchsia hyacinth bouquet compliments the structured shaped of this romantic gown. The saturated hue of the open hyacinths really adds a beautiful pop of color to an otherwise monochromatic ensemble.
The hand-crafted silk organza florals in this Alyne dress is transformed into reality with the Duchess Garden Rose & Gloriosa Lily Bridal Bouquet.
For the ultra bohemian bride, a clutch of Yves Piaget Garden Roses is a statement in itself.
Enjoy!
