Edmonton Wedding Florist: Akiko Floral Artistry - Fresh Couture

WE'VE MOVED | COME CHECK US OUT

2012-03-08T18:09:00.001-07:00

We've made it simpler to find us. Click here to check us out at our new location.
Please bookmark our link (www.akikofloral.com/blog) for future reference.
Thanks for being loyal to this page for as long as you have! We appreciate it.

A Tough Group!

2012-03-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last fall Julianne from A Modern Proposal asked us to join her in another stylized shoot. As if we would say no! Seriously, it's a great way to show off some creative ideas!

So, this theme was Silver, Charcoal and White. I contemplated in my mind all the things I could do to really make this 'shade' combo really pop. I was a bit concerned that with white the flowers would really just blend into one another, so I fell back on "Texture". If you've read my blog, you'll notice that the first post ever was about texture and how it is key to making sure that your flowers will really pop and look defined in your photographs. Floral Texture is extremely important as those photos will be what you physically can look back upon to remember that day.

I was also concerned about how everything would come together...not only everything created by us, but also all the details that A Modern Proposal would design. I was nervous.

What made things worse, was that our initial location unexpectedly cancelled on us LAST MINUTE. By 'last minute' I mean hours from the start of our shoot. But, leave it to Elizabeth from ENV Photography to come up with an even better idea. We went to a local Superstore just northwest of the Edmonton downtown core to utilize a great outdoor wall. Talk about texture. This added a whole new element to our shoot. It really looked fantastic against the new silver overlay from Elegant Touches.

You might be wondering why I titled this "A Tough Group". Well, not only did we manage to figure out a new locale for our shoot, but I said, this was done last fall. This is Edmonton in Alberta, Canada..... For those of you unfamiliar with our location on the map....COLD, really COLD. Although we've had a mild winter and fall this 2011/2012 season, it was still nippy. Kudos must be given to our 'bride' for wearing that spectacular shoulder-less dress on that frigid day.

Without further delay...here are the pics! For some more information on the shoot itself, check out the original post on Wedding Obsession!

Enjoy!

Styling + DIY Details: A Modern Proposal
Photographer: ENV Photography
Bouquet + Boutonniere: Akiko Floral Artistry
Linens: Elegant Touches
Hair piece + Necklace: Claires
Dress: Ebay
Earrings: BHLDN
Groom’s Tie: Burberry
Stationery: RiverStDesign on Etsy

2012 Spring Colour Trends and Your Flowers

2011-12-08T10:08:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone, on Tuesday I had another chance to write for WeddingObsession.com. In this week's post I discussed colour trends for Spring 2012 as set out by the colour experts, Pantone. I also discussed what flower choices are available to you in those colors! I hope you enjoy the post and find it a useful resource if you Re getting married next Spring.

A Great Experience | A Modern Proposal

2011-10-08T07:32:00.001-06:00

Hello!

I wanted to share a few VERY pretty photos from a shoot that was done with A Modern Proposal. This tablescape was designed for a photography class that Ryan + Beth Photographers held to teach students how to take photos of a wedding day from start to finish. It was really interesting to see the results from several of the students. Everyone catches details in such different, but beautiful ways. The name of the class was The Full Circle || A Wedding Photography Workshop. I just loved that!

So, without further delay, here are the photos from that day.

To see more AMAZING photos, make sure to go check out Ryan + Beth's blogsite here.

Photography: Julianne Cragg, Ryan + Beth Photographers, Eee + Bee Photographers

Table Design: A Modern Proposal

Floral: Akiko Floral Artistry

Thank you ALL for letting me be a part of this day.

Wedding Obsession | A New Opportunity

2011-10-07T00:34:00.000-06:00

Well, it was a great surprise to have Melissa from Wedding Obsession ask me to become a regular Guest Blogger on her site. I was thrilled. There was no better way to start off the series than with the Pocket Bout. I never would have guessed I would receive such a positive response than I have had in the past few days. Please have a read and see what you think! http://www.weddingobsession.com/2011/10/04/a-new-concept-on-boutonnieres/

Weekly Wonder | Lady Slipper Orchid

2011-08-29T11:10:00.001-06:00

This week I thought I'd bring something a little more 'uncommon' and exotic to the table - Lady Slipper Orchids (properly known as Paphiopedilum). The use of these orchids in wedding work can be soft and romantic to edgy and more couture.

Just a sample of the many available varieties of Lady Slipper Orchids

Name: Lady Slipper Orchid or Paphiopedilum (pronounced PAFF-ee-oh PED-e-lum) of the Orchidaceae family consisting of 80 species and over 20,000 registered hybrid forms. Surprisingly, there are new varieties being stumbled upon in nature - although, not often.

General FYI: These orchids naturally occur in China, India, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. They are mostly terrestrial; however, some varieties have been found to be growing in trees and on rocks. The name Lady Slipper came from the cup like appearance of the lower petal or lip. These occur in a multitude of colours and either have a spotted or striped pattern.

Availability: Paphiopedilum's (Lady Slipper Orchids) are available year-round. However, as these are not commonly carried by many local florists and their wholesalers, make sure to ask well in advance for special orders.

Longevity: As a plant, blooms can last a month or longer; however, as a cut flower, do not expect to have the bloom lasting any longer than a couple of days in dry Canadian climates. The bloom is not as delicate as one would expect; however, these flowers do love moisture, so don't expect one to look as vibrant at 10 pm as it did first thing in the morning after a long hot day in the summer sun.

Our Take: This orchid is amazing and can be used in conjunction with various palates and themes. Simply the look of this variety of orchid will have your wedding guests dropping their jaws. As they are not that delicate of a flower, their versatility in bouquets and body flowers is phenomenal. As this is a less commonly used flower, do expect retail prices per bloom to be anywhere from $10 - 30 per bloom depending on your locale.

We purchase all of our Lady Slippers from Green Point Nurseries in Hilo, Hawaii. They have never let us down!

Photo Credits:
Bouquet Wedding Flower.com
Rebecca's Silver Rose
Tropical Plants Flowers and Decor

Information credits:
All About Paphiopedilum Orchids and How to Grow Them
Wikipedia

Weekly Wonder | Garden Rose

2011-08-17T11:22:00.000-06:00

Wow! Looking at this site, we see that the last blog post was on July 18th. Summer Holidays and weddings have gotten in the way of keeping up-to-date with our "Weekly Wonder" posts!

Well, seeing as we have had a few weddings since the last post that have used Garden Roses, we only found it fitting to showcase this GORGEOUS variety of roses.

Although we limit the use of this flower to bouquets and decor as it is too delicate for body flowers, it is one of our favourite flowers! It's depth and texture is unsurpassed. What we love about this flower is that it not only looks and actually smells like a sweet rose - scent which is hard to come by in farmed roses these days - it also has the combined look of a peony and ranunculus. This is advantageous, as both popular flowers are not available year round; however, the Garden Rose is!

Name: Garden Rose; there is no single system of classification for garden roses as they are mostly hybrid varieties grown in public or private gardens.

History: It is believed that all early civilizations from at least 5000 in temperate climates had grown roses. Evidence has been found to link them to growth in ancient Chinese and Greek gardens.

Modern cultivation started but where else, in Europe, from approximately the seventeenth century.

Availability: Garden Roses are available year round as an ever increasing popular flower among brides - as peonies fall in and out of season.

Longevity: This flower is extremely delicate as roses are water pigs. Garden Roses in general maintain a relatively short vase life of up to 5 days provided proper care and handling is followed. The longer these flowers are left out of water, the weaker they become. Therefore, it is best that your wedding flowers are provided with a simple vase filled with water. This way your flowers can get a drink between photos and the events of the day. Also, the vase provides a nice vessel to display your flowers in during your reception.

Our take: As previously mentioned, we feel that these flowers are AMAZING! Again, their depth and texture is unsurpassed. While other favourite event flowers such as peonies and ranunculus fall out of season, Garden Roses which look like the two combined, continue to be available. As these are a more exquisite variety of rose, expect to see the price per stem be anywhere from $1 - 3 more per stem than your regular variety of rose - but the value is worth it! Watching a tight bud open up in the bouquet throughout the day is spectacular - symbolic of a woman blooming into a bride!

We purchase all our Garden Roses from Alexandra Farms - we have never been disappointed!

Talk to your florist about Garden Roses in your bouquet!

Photo credits from top to bottom:
All single blooms: alexandrafarms.com
Bottom right: Akiko Floral Artistry Inc.

Information credits:
Wikipedia

Weekly Wonder | Ornithogalum

2011-07-18T11:25:00.004-06:00

Well, here is the second post to our Weekly Wonder segment on our blog. This week we are going to showcase the gorgeous and ever popular Ornithogalum (or Star of Bethlehem).

This flower is amazing for wedding bouquets. It adds so much texture and just explodes with blooms. It's wonderful to see such a small flower bud (well several small flower buds in one small area), turn into such a mass of flowers.

Name: Ornithogalum (in order from top to bottom O. thyrsoides, O. nutans, O. dubium, O. saunderasiae) - commonly known as Star of Bethlehem or Wonder-Flower

History: Ornithogalum is of the family Hyacinthacea - yup related to hyacinths - and is a perennial plant native to Southern Europe and Southern Africa. Because of it's star shaped flowers it is named for the biblical Star of Bethlehem. Although there are 150 species, the best known are O. arabicum, O. saunderasiae, O. dubium, and O. umbellatum.

Availability: Ornithogalum is becoming an increasingly popular flower in design work. The species is available throughout the year with O. dubium being available only from Dec - May.

Longevity: This flower, in our experience, has the potential to last several weeks, while continuously blooming.

Our take: We LOVE to work with ornithogalum; especially the variety of saunderasiae. It adds so much texture to any piece and just explodes in blooms. The price point is perfect to add some volume to a bouquet and give a bride a similar look to stephanotis without the associated price tag. A tight unopened sample is great in corsage and boutonniere work, while the more opened flower is perfect for bouquets. What's even more special is that blooms can be individually separated from the mass to create some couture designs.

We hope you consider using ornithogalum in your wedding work, if it fits into your 'look'. You will not be disappointed with the final product.

Photo credits from top to bottom:
O. thyrsoides: bidorbuy.co.za
O. nutans: missouriplants.com
O. dubium: bulbsociety.org
O. saunderasiae: visiflora.com
Bouquet: Akiko Floral Artistry (photo taken by Capture It! Photography)

Inspiration Boards | A Great Way to Help Plan Your Look

2011-07-15T11:27:00.000-06:00

Lately, when meeting with our brides, we've listened to what they have had to say about what is they want for their weddings. Colours, themes, accents - these all come into play when we start to come up with ideas in our studio. And for ideas, what better resource than the internet.

We look on great sites like Pinterest and Google to find Inspiration for creating our own ideas and suggestions for our brides. From the images found on associated sites through search queries, we create an inspiration board, or several, to show our brides and see if what we are thinking of is in alignment with what they have told us they want.

Here is a sample Inspiration Board we created for a "Secret Garden/Enchanted Garden" themed wedding. Such an exciting concept!

Although these creations are not ours, in several cases we use pictures from our inventory of previously made bouquets. In this case, we had the idea to use antique keys as accents to the wedding florals. A key as the base of a boutonniere over which the flowers have 'overgrown', a key as an accent to the bouquet handles, etc. The best part...we found an image online of a key based boutonniere. What a coincidence!!!

When planning your wedding, why not find inspiration on the internet, magazines and feature stories in local papers. If you don't have or know how to use photoshop - then cut and paste onto a larger board. Inspiration is everywhere around you.

Image Sources:

Antique Keys: kaboodle.com

Boutonniere & Bird Bath: studio-white.blogspot.com

Purple Bouquets (3): heraplanners.blogspot.com

Bottom Bouquet: thefrenchbouquettulsa.com

Attention all Brides | Have We got a Discount for You!

2011-07-14T00:21:00.012-06:00

Here's a great opportunity for all of you brides & grooms getting married in 2012/2013 to earn 15% off your wedding flowers created by Akiko Floral Artistry.

Unique handheld cascading bouquet by Akiko Floral Artistry

Here are the details:

1. Like Akiko Floral Artistry on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AkikoFloral) - then share this contest with all of your friends linking back to this blog - make sure you spell out our Profile name exactly in order that we can see your mention.

2. Follow Akiko Floral (@akikofloral) on Twitter - then tweet this contest with all of your fellow tweeters linking back to this blog.

3. Email us at info@akikofloral.com informing us that you've liked and followed us on Facebook and Twitter and that you've mentioned our contest both on Facebook and Twitter. Also, send us information about your wedding (ie. your name, date, contact information for you). You will receive a confirmation email with further information about how to set up a consultation, etc.

Please keep in mind that this is a discount for EVERY bride getting married in either 2012 or 2013 that ends up following the instructions above! What a great way to get an amazing discount for your wedding flowers...and it won't even take 5 minutes of your time!

Here is the not-so-fine print: Wedding must take place in either 2012 or 2013. This discount has no cash value and cannot be combined with any other offer. Discount will be taken off of final pre-tax quote. Discount is non-transferrable. Wedding must take place in Edmonton, Alberta and surrounding area (i.e. St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, Stoney Plain, Sherwood Park, Leduc, Beaumont, Nisku). Ability for Akiko Floral Artistry to create your wedding flowers is dependant on availability (hint: if you book early, you will secure your spot). This offer expires 08/31/2011.

Happy posting guys!

Weekly Wonder | Mokara Orchid

2011-07-11T16:59:00.000-06:00

Hello all! We are starting a new weekly feature to be posted each and every Monday! The goal is to introduce you to a floral "wonder" every week. An amazing flower that contributes its own flair to every arrangement it is a part of. Each post will include photos of the flower; the benefits, and in some cases the "cons" of its use in wedding work, and a bit of history on the species itself. Happy reading!
For the premiere post, we will be showcasing the beautiful Mokara orchid.

Name: Mokara Orchid (hybrid of Arachnis X Ascocentrum X Vanda orchids)

History: Created in Singapore in 1969

Colours: Red, tangerine (orange/yellow), pink, burgundy, and purple. Available in solid colours as well as with fashionable spotted petals.

Availability: As most colours are available throughout the year, some varieties are seasonal.

Longevity: This flower has a potential vase life of two to three weeks if taken proper care of.

Our take: For us, what makes this a desirable flower to work with is its femininity. Not only do they look fantastic on their won, but can be the focal point in a bouquet, or used as a filler flower among other tropicals or used with more 'domestic' flowers such as garden roses, ranunculus and mini hydrangea. What we especially love them for is their longevity in wedding florals and their fashionable look as boutonniere flowers. They look so modern and couture on the lapel of the groom and his attendants - they make for a simplistic but stunning look.

We like to use Mokaras in boutonnieres and corsages as they not only tend to handle better than thirsty roses and gerbera in the unrelentless heat of the sun; but they have a lower profile, so they are less likely to be damaged by catching on to anything that the wearer may bump into. Once 'sealed' with a floral freshness 'enhancer' they stay stiffer and last longer than their more traditionally used counterparts. Cons: any bit of cold will cause these flowers to brown quickly; therefore, proper care in advance by your florist is required - these flowers are unforgiving when exposed to colder temperatures.

This orchid symbolizes all things that are sought after at a wedding - love, beauty, & refinement.

Here are some samples of Mokara's used with other flowers and on their own:

We hope you've enjoyed our first Weekly Wonder post! If you feel that we've left anything out, or have any questions, please feel free to post a comment below!

Catherine's Royal Bouquet

2011-04-29T18:54:00.003-06:00

Well, it was tradition with a twist! Catherine's bouquet to me, at first, was a little bland. But the more I looked at it the more I LOVED it. It had class, it was the perfect size, and it followed the 'Language of Flowers' as origined by Queen Victoria.

Here's a formal Royal press release about the bouquet: "The bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the valley, sweet william, and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers."

You will never believe how much this bouquet actually ties into the Royal Family and their traditions...the bouquet featured myrtle extracted from a bush planted on the British Isle of Wight by Queen Victoria in 1845, as well as a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in Queen Elizabeth II's wedding bouquet!

The lily-of-the-valley was featured in all ceremony flowers of the bride and attendants - a flower that was used in Carol Middleton's bridal bouquet.

In keeping with tradition, the Duchess of Cambridge will be placing her bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a practice started by the Queen Mother in 1923.

Now, I mentioned the 'Language of Flowers'...so what do all the flowers in her bouquet 'say'? Well here's a breakdown:

Hyacinth (white) - loveliness
Lily-of-the-Valley - sweetness; return to happiness; humility
Myrtle - Love
Sweet William - Gallantry; Finess and Perfection (and I think a tribute to Wills himself)

What I loved about this bouquet was it's reflection of Kate herself. This bouquet was demure, suttle, and well thought out - a true representation of the new Duchess. It was perfectly proportioned to her tiny physique and followed the simple rule that it should NOT outshine a bride's dress and NEVER be larger than the bride's head. It was definitely a modern twist on tradition. It stepped away from the heavy, and overdone bouquets that we have seen royals carrying in the past. Rumour has it, Princess Diana's cascading bouquet weighed 6 lbs. That's a heavy bouquet to be lugging around, along with the weight of one's dress!

This bouquet was a perfect fit with the 50's style that Kate wore - mimicing the look of Grace Kelly's dress in '56. Everything about Kate was perfect today. A true beauty.

I don't doubt that future brides will be requesting bouquets similar to that donned by Kate today. I don't doubt that she has just set a trend!

The Sights & Scents of Spring

2011-04-05T10:42:00.001-06:00

Spring is definitely showing signs of it's arrival. But, before we can enjoy the ability to flit around in flirty shoes and wear amazing white bottoms, we have to endure what remains of the white blanket that once covered our streets - BROWN COLOURLESS GRIT!

Yet, while I look at all the colorless surroundings of Edmonton, I think of all the amazing scents and sights of Spring blooms that we will soon be in the midst of. The fluorescence of the new buds and grass has to be one of my most favourite parts of the season.

With the onset of Spring, we see such amazing blooms, most of which I do not see often in our local gardens. But, fear not, they are accessible to brighten up your home and bring in the fresh light scent of the season. As we know, our neighboring province to the west, luckily, has a milder climate than us and can supply locally grown fresh product to remind us of springs' arrival - as early as December. Yup you heard it....tulips are available the same time we're draping cedar garland outside our homes.

So, if you are in the need of brightening up your surroundings....if you need something more than BROWN in your life....talk to us, or if not in the Edmonton area, your local florist. We can get you all the spring blooms to brighten up your home and office.

Here are some ideas for great scents and sights of Spring:

Peonies
Tulips
Freesia - very sweet scent
Anemone
Ranunculus
Daffodils
Iris - did you know you can get these in yellow?

Ask for an assortment in a nice European twist for your table, or throw a mono-floral loose bouquet in a vase. Whatever you choose, these delicate blooms of the season are a great and inexpensive way to bring you out of the sunless winter funk!

Happy Spring!

WIN $500 in Fresh Couture Towards the Wedding Flowers of Your Dreams

2011-02-23T09:35:00.001-07:00

Are you planning your wedding, or are you helping a friend with hers? Are you a trendsetter coming up with your own unique touches to make your day stand out from the rest? If so, we'd love to hear from you!

Akiko Floral Artistry Inc. is holding a contest for the most AMAZING and unique wedding ideas for 2011 and 2012. Send us your ideas and you could win $500 in wedding floral couture, compliments of Akiko Floral Artistry. You can email us at info@akikofloral.com.

The fine print: The contest is open until March 31st, after which the winner will be picked and notified via email by April 15th. Contest is open to Edmonton & Area residents (Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Westlock, Barrhead, Onoway, Leduc). Entries will not be accepted by those clients who have already consulted Akiko Floral Artistry for their upcoming wedding. The winner will agree to have their entry featured on our blog with no renumeration for this feature other than the prize as awarded ($500 in wedding arrangements). The prize will be awarded as wedding bouquets and or arrangements created by Akiko Floral Artistry for at total value of $500 excluding all applicable taxes. The prizes will be awarded between July 1st, 2011 and December 31st 2012, dependant on the wedding date. The prize cannot be surrendered for cash.

We're LIVE!

2011-01-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official! As of yesterday, Friday January 28th, our site was LIVE and online. It was a bit of a struggle getting it there, but good things come to those who wait! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

More pics and updates will come as time progresses...but for now, I hope enjoy all that it has to offer.

And, speaking of offers...prebook your Valentine's Day orders by February 7th, and recieve an additional 10% off your entire order! We've already got a lot of great deals on our roses - so make the deals even better by entering coupon code VAL11 at checkout; or if you call, just mentioning the code and we'll take the 10% off!

So, check us out at http://www.akikofloral.com/!

Enjoy,

Akiko Floral Artistry

Texture, Texture, Texture...More Texture Samples for a Late Spring to Early Summer Wedding

2010-06-11T21:14:00.006-06:00

Some more great ideas for texture; but, this time for summer! In this sample, I used peonies, white veronica, saracena (the veiny calla looking flower), green trick, white and soft pink ranunculus, and beautiful bicolour roses (soft green and mauve). When discussing texture, as in the previous post, you can see that every flower offers a different feeling and look. The contrast of each varieties' texture creates a distinctive look for each flower; however, the arrangement brings unity to this beautiful blend to create a stunning bouquet that is simply...jawdropping. Thanks to Sheri of Capture It Photography in Edmonton. Amazing photos from a talented photographer.

Are you planning a fall wedding? Texture is key!

2010-06-10T11:53:00.019-06:00

With all the rich luscious colours available in the fall wedding season, it is not hard to find an amazing assortment of simple and cost effective florals, to the rich full luscious look of a more exotic blend. It is also easy to incorporate various items that would create a varying assortment of texture.

Now, texture....texture is often missed in wedding florals. I think it is one of the key elements that is often overlooked. That is a shame! Texture creates interest in your bouquets. It is simply one of the key elements that create that WOW! experience for the bride, and those looking at her bouquets and decor florals. When looking at the bouquets of other seasons, I notice that varying the texture in the bouquets is often forgotten; however, in the fall, I find that florists include a bit more as there are more interesting things available. Perhaps a poppy is done blooming, and you're left with the pod. This pod can be incorporated in with items that are still in bloom. Fall is the season of extreme variety between that which is still blooming, and that which is in seed readying for the next growing season.

When talking to your florist, ask them what ideas they would offer you to incorporate a bit more texture so you can take advantage of the varieties of available flora that are in season and more cost effective.

Looking at the images you can see the varying samples of texture utilized in the pew pieces by varying the type of chrysanthemums used. The rich fall look was attained with differing shades of mums in a multitude of varieties. Seeded eucalyptus was added for interest. Again, a berry type texture against the deliecate petals of a mum!

For the bride whose budget is a bit higher, the bouquet shows a varity of flowers such as roses, callas, hypericum berries, leucodendron, asclepia tuberosa, and once again the seeded eucalyptus. Just take a moment to look at the items used to create the look of interest in the varying textures. The multitude of petals in a rose against the simple soft velvety petal of a calla lily; the rich thicker leaves of a leucodendron, contrasting in not just colour but in the thin narrow petal against the softness of the roses and callas. Finally, the berries and hollow asclepia create that finer texture against the bulk of the roses, callas, and leucodendron.

When I consult my brides, I always bring up texture, and ask them to think not just of roses and gerber daisies in their bouquets. I suggest other varieties of flora that would compliment the look their going for while still bringing in some touch of texture.

Texture should be in mind in all seasons; however, in the fall, there are so many options available. When you consult with your florist, just keep texture in mind and ask to look at ideas for berries, filler, and flowers that would compliment your look while still adding that WOW! factor.

Welcome!

2010-06-09T23:38:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our first ever post! Not much to say yet, other than thanks for visiting our blog site. Stay tuned in the next couple of days and weeks as we post several images to our blog and discuss what it is that we have created for you. Throughout the summer, I will be adding more images as wedding season is upon us! If you're getting married this year or next, be sure to follow our blog to be inspired by the many ideas we ahve coming your way! Look forward to inspiring with our design! BTYL!