Blog Flower Wedding Advice - Nancy Liu Chin - Top Floral Designer Bog, Event Designer

Inspirations: Gatsby Deco

2013-05-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

By now, I'm sure the whole planet knows about The Great Gatsby film by Baz Luhrmann starring Leonardi diCaprio and Carey Mulligan. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, the film might have mixed reviews for acting and story telling but you can't deny that the movie set was perfect on par with the gilded opulence, flamboyant grandeur, and over-the-top decadence of Gold Coast mansions and estates.

I was a bit afraid that I wouldn't like the film and to some extent it's not a great movie but I can't deny my fascination with the exuberant eye popping soirees at Gatsby's grand mansion, the lavish, sublime fashions of that ear and the sparkle of that engagement ring that Daisy wore so well.

To inspire those who love the Art Deco style, I've put together a pinterest board of my favorite Gatsby looks including a gorgeous halo, deco, vintage styled engagement ring for those who want to "own" a little Gatsby inspired engagement ring. Gatsby design is about beautiful lines which you see in vintage Rolls Royce's. Opulent chandeliers like the black one featured in our board. It's about lush flowers. In the film orchids and large bloom hydrangeas are featured because they are hot house flowers and thus in that era perceived to be more expensive. Other decor elements that you can add to your Gatsby Deco inspired wedding could include gold flatware, yellow hued pearls, jeweled headpieces, and champagne coupes.

Real Wedding: Madrona Manor Garden Romantic Wedding by Vero Suh

2013-05-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

Right in time for late spring is this fresh and beautiful Healdsburg wedding that was photographed by Vero Suh, fellow dog lover, talented photographer, and fashion buddy. Vero and I had the best time working with Jenny and Ryan on their wedding in Madrona Manor. It helped that Vero, Jenny(the bride) and I all share something in common. We have all worked for Gap headquarter in merchandising during different times but in similar roles so we had this instant bond with each other. I adored Jenny for the first moment I met her. She came into my office with this 3 x 3 feet posterboard with ideas, swatches, fabric swatches. It was crazy amazing. Everything from fonts to colors were detailed perfect. I was impressed.

For that first meeting, Jenny and I just had fun. And that's something I wish every client could have during the process. Sometimes, it's hard making decisions, budgets may run overboard, ideas get diluted, compromises have to be made, but if you can laugh and find enjoyment in the process, it makes it so much better. Working with Jenny and Ryan was so easy and open that at the end of the night, I felt like I could hang out with their whole wedding party, friends and especially their families who couldn't have been more helpful. Enjoy this really sweet and romantic wedding that's fresh and bright and colorful just like our couple!

Photography by Vero Suh. Venue is Madrona Manor. Cake by the talented Cecile Grady of Cakeworks in San Francisco. Event and Floral Design by NLC Designs. Catering by Madrona Manor. Linens by La Tavola. Other Rental by Hartmann Studios in Richmond, California. Lantern by Wine Country Party Rentals.

Best Thing Ever: Instagram Favorites

2013-05-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

By now, many of you are not only on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest but Instagram.

I've been doing instagram for a while now and I never got into until a few months ago and now it's suddenly the flavor of the month, I can't stop myself. I just need to look and glance to see what is out there.

What I love about Instagram is how artful some of the images can be.

Yes, simple snapshots are suddenly too beautiful for words.

Amy Squires food shots always do me in. They make me drool.

My hubby's, Kevin Chin, Black Vespa photo with that old fashion filter makes me dream of Italy. It's such a simple photo but it's powerful in it's imagery.

Take for instance, Jose Villa's magnolia image.

I kept the images purposeful small because that's how we see them on our smartphones.

In that small space, simple every day objects become inspiring works of art. That's why Instagram is my Best Thing Ever!

Come follow up on Instagram(@nancylichin) and let's show each other our visions and inspirations.

Ask Nancy: Mechanics for DIY Bride

2013-05-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Nancy!

I am a DIY bride in Charlotte, NC. I found your blog online and noticed that you provide some brides with advice. I found a aisle centerpiece online that I fell in love with. I wanted to see if you would offer me any advice on how to best recreate this centerpiece.

I really would like to know what type of container the florist used to hold the piece.

I'd love to get your opinion on other aspects of the piece as well, but any reply would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, A DIY Bride in Desperate Need of Help!

_________________________________

Dear DIY Bride

Thanks for your question.
First and foremost, congratulations. I'm pleased to see that you are going to do your own wedding flowers. It's a huge undertaking and you need to be commended for your courage and tenacity.

Way to go.

As you know, I'm not one to shy away from saying that DIY flowers is not my thing. Even when I got married in 2000, I hired someone to do my flowers. Back in 2000, I had very little experience with flowers and I hadn't gone to flower school yet so I knew that creating something was out of my league especially a grand arrangement.

It's just an area in which I would prefer to leave to expert. Hear me out ---- I like to cook and a few of my friends might even say that I can whip up a 4 course menu. But I wouldn't want to cater my own wedding, plating 180 plates of salad, soup, main entree and dessert doesn't sound remotely fun. I just can't imagine myself cooking the night before my big day. It's not for me.

Having said that, for some, creating their own flowers is such a fun process. With that in mind, just make sure you are prepared in advance.

A few things to all who are doing their own flowers.

Things that you should address when doing your own flowers
1) Storing flowers - will you have a cool place to store?
If it's freezing outside, do you have a method to transport in cold weather as well? Once you get the flowers, do you have space to design?
2) Processing flowers - do you have a space for this? make sure to buy the right rools
3) Set up of flowers - do you have at team of friends and family who can set this up for you? Have you checked with your venue on when you can begin setup? And who will be responsible for cleaning all the flowers up at the end of the night?
4) Transporting flowers - do you have a rental SUV or Mini van that can transport this from where you will be designing the flowers to the venue? Will you be responsible for cleaning up the flowers at the end of the night? If you are ordering flowers, is it a direct drop or do you have to pick it up from a nursery or airport?

For DIY Bride, you will need a mechanic for which to do these arrangements.
I would advise you to use a

1) A Plastic Design Tray. This one is called a Saddle You can find these on many wedding supply outlets. Each one will carry different style of trays.

Here is a link to a few

This is called a Double Casket Saddle. It is good for 2 bricks of Floral Foam. Available at FSS'

www.fss.com - Floral Supply Syndicate

This is a silver 9 inch centerpiece tray. You can also try this one. This is available at Floral Supply Online

www.floralsupplyonline.com - Floral Supply Online

This is a 10inch Oblong Green Design tray from DirectFloral.com

www.directfloral.com - Direct Floral

A couple other things that I would use are 1) Water Proof Tape(on the top left) 2) Chicken Wire(on the top right) and 3) Floral Foam(bottom middle) You can find these on line. FSS.com is a good resource for most of these items.

You will need the floral foam to place on the design trays or saddle.
Make sure you soak them in deep water.
You will need the wire to cover the oasis foam and the waterproof tape to secure.

To make the size arrangements that are shown in the photos above, you can use two trays placed horizontal next to each other to create that long length.

To create this full look, you should use fluffy and large head flowers. Flowers like hydrangea, roses, Chinese mums, viburnum, stock, are good choices to create this ethereal and elegant look. I would create them 1 day prior. To create this arrangement, you will need more flowers than you think. It looks pretty large to me so I would make sure to buy enough. Start with your largest stems first.

Insider tip: Make sure that you keep the floral foam wet and the tray filled with water. This is very important.

Lessons: Surround Yourself With the Best

2013-05-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

I get asked by many people this question, "What is the hardest part of your job?". And one might think the answer is getting the right clients or setting up a grand, over the top wedding. But in reality one of the hardest and most difficult task of having a business is being a manager of a team.

Trust me, I am very far from a good manager but I've been so blessed to have a very understanding, patient, and wonderful staff possibly the best team that anyone could ask for. A group(Anies, Gaby, "Uncle" Ben, Laura R, Lily, Nancy T, Nicole, Kate B, Joyce, Anne M. ) of amazing designers, interns, production crew have shaped me into a better manager, not necessarily the best yet but that I'm still working on. The road to this has not been easy and I will be the first to admit this to anyone, I've made more than my fair share of mistakes, blunders, and out right miscues. Yup, I've done them all.

Regretted things I've said, actions that hurt, and advice that was just darn stupid. These things, I'm not proud of.

More than all of these things combined, I've allowed stress and my emotions to get the best of me. Leading to quick, rash, and fast decisions when instead I should be calm and approach things through my team's eyes.

What I have learned is that there is nothing as valuable as an asset as a team. And thus being an effective leader (even one born out of stupidity and trials and errors) is far more awesome than being the best designer leader.

There is no magic formula for effectiveness. All I can say is 1) be attune to each individual 2) you don't need to be friends, you need to be fair 3) pause whenever possible when you catch mistakes and speak with the individual quickly and with caution 4) practice patience 5) when a mistake happens, promptly salvage things with a genuine mea culpa 6) let them be involved with decisions that will effect the team 7) avoid being a tyrant 8) develop calm and grace(this one is super hard for me!) 9) minimize fault finding 10) foster and develop an individual's ability through encouragement.

I'm forever indebted to my current team, many who have been with me for a decade. And this post is for them.

Alisa Mach

Anies Charles

Anne Millett

Amy Mu

Avanie Koot

Uncle" Ben Fu

Casey Schotsag

Gabriella Reid

Heather Young

Janelle Jacky

Lily Castro

Olga Llerena

Mai Tran

Nicole Roveto

and

Kate Bennett, our intern!

Bottom line: surround yourself with the best and do everything possible to keep them through effective leadership.

Thank you to Kevin Chin for the behind the scenes images!

Press: NLC Designs Featured on Grace Ormonde April Issue

2013-05-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

This week The Great Gatsby will open up nationwide and I can't wait(I've got a movie date with my friends, Matt and Lisa, to see it!). There's not much not to love about decadant, over the top, grandeur. This Gatsbyesque inspiration will be featured in Grace Ormonde's April 2013 issue( by the way, you can go to Itunes to download the April issue for free). After so many years of simple, rustic, understated, it's refreshing to see a bit of posh, guilded glamour and luxury that marks the spirit of the Roaring '20's yet maintains the spirit of today's weddings.

Photography by Kevin Chin. Wedding Planning by Charmed Events. Lampshade, Table and Chairs by BluePrint Studios. Back drop by Blu Print Studios. China, glassware, and flatware by Classic Party Rentals. Runner by La Tavola Linens. Floral and Event Design by Nancy Liu Chin Designs. Stationary by Charmed Events. Venue courtesy of San Francisco's Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel.

Real Wedding: Bently Reserve Modern Luxe Wedding

2013-05-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to share weddings that are personally meaningful because of the relationships that you build during the wedding process. I'm totally thrilled to share this modern luxe wedding of a beautiful couple, Alexis and Emily. The first moment, I met them, I felt an immediate connection to these young ladies. They are both beautiful, inside and out, smart, brilliant, witty, and delightful. The love and respect that they have for each other was self evident from our first meeting in my humble Dogpatch office.

When A + E came to me, they really expressed their desire for a wedding that was more tailored, understated yet still equally elegant. Words like modern, sleek were emphasized. Lighting and color were important because they didn't want a reception that was too colorful so it was even more important to get the hues perfect. Flowers that they liked were all hues of whites and cream tones. What we ended up with is a modern styled, black/white hued wedding that feels old world but is much more modern sophistication. We used flowers like calla lilies, gardenias, hydrangeas, orchids for the wedding because the blooms evoked both a sense of elegance and timelessness yet modernness.

Other details included a simple square box cake with white clay flowers with black center by the wonderful DK Designs. Bridesmaids in black gowns flowed dramatic and complemented well with groomsmen in black tuxedo and black bowtie. Emily in an ivory Brioni Tuxedo while Alexis in a fitted lace wedding gown looked flawless. The ceremony was in the center of the Bently Reserve main room. A white carpet riser surrounded by tall cylinders with white grand flowers become the focal point of the ceremony. Emily's former mentor officiated the wedding while guests surrounded the couple on both sides.

The room was transformed after the ceremony into the reception where a combination of round and long tables with white flowers flanked a dance floor in the middle of the room. Black and white pattern linen selected by their wedding planner, Christopher Lee with West Elm styled Hartmann chairs created a modern edge for the reception(which I adore!!!) The lighting in the evening changed from amber from the ceremony to hues of royal and deep amethyst. They wanted the room to feel like a superclub, not your typical ballroom.

Take a look at the details for yourself.

The wonderful details are captured by photographer Darcy Padilla. The design is by the talented Christopher Lee of Leftwich Events. Hartmann Studios provided the rentals which are so chic I wish I could "buy" them for my own house. Taste Catering designed the modern cake and all the food. And of course, there is the wonderful Bently Reserve which remains one of my favorite places to design weddings. You can go from classic to romantic to modern to sleek. It's a perfect venue to create a bit of magic.

Before and After: Room Transformations Bardessono Resort

2013-04-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Room transformation are so amazing. One moment you have work tables, buckets, flowers, tarps, drop clothes, ladders set up. And in a matter of minutes, hours, days, it goes from a ballroom in transition into a lounge and dance party. This is the before and behind the scenes look at what goes into transforming a space. See the after photographs by Kevin Chin below.

Simple hydrangeas in acrylic white vases are being finished before looking pretty for a pool area that will serve as the cocktail space for this event.

Inserting a beautiful ranunculus.

Hartmann dropped a white carpet. We're using ladders to place flowers in this over the top head table piece.

There is Casey, our designer, having a blast. Kate, my intern, who is over 6 feet table is handing me orchids. Yup, that's me in the back(dressed in all black).

The hanging piece is 30 feet long and has hydrangea and orchids. Simple yet modern. John Woods from Enhanced Lighting stayed up past midnight hanging the bubble bowls.

The pipe and drape has to be pristine and steamed. They are tied at the bottom so that we(the vendors) can't get them dirty. They will be pressed in a few hours.

Bardessono staff have come in to set up chairs, flatware, and chargers. Tables are set and we are putting final touches on the main table before the floral centerpieces and glassware arrives.

Anne Millett, designer is working on modern arrangements. These open/leaning bubble bowls have beautiful long white tulips hanging out. I love how she is making them so perfect. Go Anne.

It's almost the start of the wedding. Gaby, lead designer, is putting finishing touches on centerpieces which pipe and drape are finally steamed and placed. We still have candles to do.

Finally....the finished room

At 10am Saturday morning, we hadn't finished the chandelier, the drapes needed to be steamed, tables had to be built from scratch. In just 7 hours, final components were pulled together. As for me, the lighting could not be more romantic.

It was our work space for 2 1/2 days. That morning there were tarps, buckets, flowers, tools, garage, water everywhere.....and when it was cleared, vaccumed, cleaned, it transformed into a lounge. Way to go Team A Savvy Event.

Hope this was as fun for you as it was fun for us. Along the way, we have to give a lot of people credit where credit is most certainly due....

Thanks to Kevin Chin Photography for these amazing photographs. Bardessono for their amazing staff who let us transform their ballroom into our work area. Enhanced Lighting for the setup and design of the head table floral piece. Hartmann Studios for the amazing tent, carpet, and tabletop furnishing that really made a difference. La Tavola Linens for the linens in the pool area and napkins in the reception space. My awesome team for being such great partners in crime. It takes a village to transform a space. The amazing Kelly of A Savvy Events. Without our wedding planner and team, we wouldn't have this amazing visionary. To our clients, we are so indebted to their willingness to let us run with an idea. To Lauren and Ashton for their courage, generosity spirit and inspiration! Thank you!

Behind the Scenes: A Girl Can't Help But Dream

2013-04-24T18:09:00.003-07:00

The world of Pinterest has not only made it easy for those who are actually planning a wedding or event to get inspired, but it has also inspired girls like me to start planning their wedding before they even have a groom. Scrolling through endless amounts of pictures of anything your could imagine can consume you for hours on end.

In college I found Pinterest to be the ultimate procrastination tool. In the library, during class, anytime I was trying to avoid those awful term papers, or long lectures. My Pinterest boards include fashion, food, beauty, home decor, fitness, and weddings & events. That last board I listed began as something with ideas for all types of events. But slowly I have come to realize that it contains all the things I would like for my wedding one day.

After talking with some of my friends about this, it is safe to say that my wedding board is nothing in comparison to others. I have found friends of mine who have every last detail picked out from their venue, their colors, their dress, and even their cake. Seeing my other friends wedding boards on Pinterest makes mine look rather innocent. I am in no way the worst offender of planning their wedding before even having a groom.

It became very hard once I started this internship to keep myself from dreaming of what I would one day like my wedding to be like. Constantly being surrounded by brides, wedding photos, and happy couples makes it hard to not be inspired. A girl can dream, right?

My wedding board contains pictures of rings, dresses, flowers, and picture ideas. But the day I start pinning the exact dress, or have a venue and cake and photographer picked out is the day I might need to make myself take a break from Pinterest.

People say it is good to have something like a "vision board" that contains pictures of the certain things one hopes to attain in life. When you think about it, that is all that Pinterest is. An online "vision board". Maybe by putting these ideas out into the universe, it is a way that we can attract the type of life we want. Whether it be your dream house, the perfect outfit, a fitness goal, or even the perfect wedding dress, there is nothing wrong with having goals for yourself in life or just simply dreaming.

Behind the Scenes: Bardessono and the 30 foot Chandelier

2013-04-18T15:59:00.001-07:00

For most girls growing up the idea of having an over the top perfect wedding seems like just a dream, but for our bride Lauren, that dream became her reality.

When first hearing about this wedding I knew that it was going to be the biggest wedding that I would work on during my internship. Our bride Lauren wanted a day inspired by Eva Longoria's wedding. This included a 30 foot chandelier of hydrangeas and orchids suspended above the head table during the reception. One could only imagine how grand this idea was, but also how daunting it became.

The weekend began on Thursday at Bardessono Hotel and Spa. Just stepping on the grounds of this hotel made me feel special, even if I wasn't the one getting married. Set in peaceful Yountville, California, Bardessono is surrounded by picturesque wineries and vineyards as far as the eye can see. The quiet little town was cold and wet that Thursday morning, and we could only hope for a weather change by Saturday.

After unpacking all the cars, we began to set up shop in the ballroom where the reception would be held. As we finally got everything settled, the guys arrived from Hartman to lay down the subflooring outside and to pitch the tent on the patio that was right outside the ballroom doors. This was the beginning of the chaos. There was not a moment from then on without at least 20 people running around. I began to wonder, how on earth is this war zone going to be turned into a wedding?

To me that was the most amazing part about this weekend. No matter how crazy and chaotic everything seemed to get, the end result was nothing less than perfect.

Friday came and the weather seemed to get better. Today was the day that the daunting chandelier would be suspended and built. Enhanced Lighting came and rigged the 30 foot white metal tray to the top of the tent. It was then our job to place the hydrangeas in midair. Using as many ladders as we could, as well as the scissor lift that was left behind, the building began. It took 24 blocks of racquettes blocks that we had perviously soaked in water to build the foundation of our floral chandelier. We placed the semi finished arrangement into the 30 feet metals trays and filled it with water.

The task of placing this bricks of oasis in the tray definitely gave our team an upper body work out for the day. The bricks weighed at least 20 pounds each. Lifting and passing them from person to person was where our great team work skills were put to the test. Around 9:00 pm we were all hitting a wall. Nancy ordered a round of Root Beer Floats to keep us going. It was the perfect late night snack too. As the last brick was finally set into the tray, the picture I held in my head of what the chandelier was going to look like was blown away. It was beautiful. Although there were still bubble bowls with lights and phalaenopsis that needed to be placed, a sense of accomplishment seemed to fill the room. 10:30 pm hit and we all were ready to hit the sack.

Our impromptu work out had got the best of us.

We went back to our rooms, where most of us took baths in the luxurious oversized tubs, that to me were the size of a swimming pool. We then drifted into dreamland. The one hope and worry was that the weight of the chandelier would not bring down the tent that night.

The tray before flowers were placed in it

Up on the scissor lift placing flowers and oasis

The finished masterpiece

Saturday 8:30 am and we rushed to the tent to make sure it was still standing. There it was. Perfect. Nothing bad had happened, and it in fact was even more beautiful. John Woods from Enhanced Lighting seemed to be the little fairy that placed all the bubble bowls and lights while the rest of the team was sleeping. (Nancy says he is the hardest working vendor she has ever met)

After making sure everything was still standing, we all changed gears. Today was THE day! The ceremony still needed to be set up, and the ballroom needed to be transformed from war zone, into a picture perfect reception. The clock was ticking. Clean up began and the last flower arrangements were made. The phalaenopsis was placed in the chandelier and the finishing touches of centerpieces and candles were put on each table. After all the hard work and long hours it was finally show time. I took a final lap of the ceremony area and the reception and could not believe how everything was transformed in such a short amount of time. It was magical.

Outdoor ceremony

Chaotic? Yes. But I could not imagine a better outcome. I felt so lucky to be a part of such an amazing team throughout the weekend. I think that this wedding really put all the skills that I have learned so far to the test. After seeing such a grand wedding take place, it will be hard for anything match it. I find myself wishing that every wedding we did was this grand and exciting. Our couple Lauren and Ashton chose Bardessono as the venue for their special day because it is their favorite hotel. I now know why and think that I too have a favorite hotel.

Lessons Learned:

Nothing is more important than good teamwork.
Good communication throughout and entire production can prevent bumps during set up and the day of an event.
Dreams really can come true.

Industry News: Something Blue May 23rd

2013-04-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

Something Blue is taking place May 23, 2013 at the lovely Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto. An evening to mingle and mix with wedding professionals and other brides like you begins at 6:30pm. Hosted by Karla Randolph of San Francisco Bride Magazine, we were told that the first 100 guest will receive a Vera Wang Gift Bag. Tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Bag

About Nancy: Buddy List {Downey Street Events}

2013-04-13T12:08:00.002-07:00

Hi Nancy's Brown Bag Readers

Every now and then, I add more friends to my Buddy List so feel free to take a look at all the new buddies I've enjoyed working with through the years. (I think it's a pretty good list filled with good people and businesses)

Recently, I've added a few new peeps on my list including the wonderful group of planners at Downey Street Events.

Planners, Cassandra, Emily and Lauren are my kind of planners. Smart, cool, organized, forward thinking, client oriented, and vendor friendly. A dream package!

I remember chatting with Emily at a lunching a few months back. I found her fascinating as she's a lawyer who fell in love with wedding planning. I believe it was during the planning of Lauren's wedding that both Emily and Lauren found their calling. Using their artistic talents, knack for negotiating, and strong organization skills, they forged and created DSE. With Cassandra, another successful event planner whose client list included Banana Republic(my former employer), Wine Spectator and Oracle, on board, the trifecta of talent has forged to become one of the Bay Area premiere go to event designers.

To me, I'm just so impressed and happy that I get to work with them on elegant, polished weddings. Welcome, Downey Street Events to our Buddy List!!!

Ask Nancy: Branch Resources

2013-04-10T17:19:00.001-07:00

Hi Nancy,

I saw your recent blog post with Nellie's wedding; I was wondering what the green leafy branches were on her tables and where did you get them? I always have trouble finding product like that during the summer! I would love it if you have any advice. Good luck with 2013!

Looking for Branches

_________________________________

Dear Looking for Branches

I love Nellie and Nelson's wedding. Thank you for commenting about it and the branches. I'm sharing a few more photographs so that you can see how beautiful Nellie was in her dress. All the photographs are by John and Joseph Photography.

When Nellie came to me she had this one inspiration photo. Here it is below.

We took that photo --- dissected what we loved about it. And as the days unfolded, we realized that we loved how a grand room could look like an indoor park. Nellie loved the idea of bring Central Park into a wedding.

The venue she picked was the opulent Garden Court at the Palace Hotel. It was perfectly suited for transformation.

Here is the beautiful Nellie with her sister to the right in a peach champagne gown. The rest of the bridal part are in taupe long goddess dresses. I love how different each gown is.

For her centerpiece, I went to local grower Green Valley who is located in the San Francisco Floral Market and I asked him to cut whatever he could find that would hold up well, that wouldn't be too stiff and would have a nice medium green leaf. To be honest, I believe it's a Black Walnut Tree branch but I confess this. I am not a tree expert.

Truly, it's about working with the vendor as I couldn't even begin to tell you how little I know about trees and foliage. There are so many trees indigenous to different regions that you don't learn in floristry classes. It's by going to the market, talking to your supplies that you learn.

I don't know where you, Looking for Branches, are located but it's important that you meet gardeners who know what trees are blooming where and when. If you can't locate a gardener...then take a drive with your iphone or digital camera. Touch the leaves. And show your local greens supplier what you like. Make a list of tree branches that you like. Experiment.

Bottom line: You have to work side by side with your vendors who are closest to the resources that you need.

Behind the Scenes: My Favorite Place Thus Far!

2013-04-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers...it's Kate again!

Traffic is one of the downsides about working in the city and although I find myself getting quite used to the morning commute, some days it is the last thing I want to do. On this particular day I drove into the city, battling the traffic from the east bay and spilling coffee on myself not exactly knowing the beautiful sights I would soon be rewarded with. We were going on a site visit to The Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay. Although I have always known how beautiful and luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotels are I have never myself been blessed enough to stay at one of them. As I walked into the hotel I instantly fell in love. The loveliness only grew as I walked outside and stood on a cliff next to a sprawling golf course watching the waves crash against the shore.

My first thought.... How could someone NOT want to get married here?!?!

View of the Golf Course from the ceremony area.

Being that this visit took place on a plain mid-March afternoon I did not expect to see much sun. Half way through the visit the sun broke through the clouds and I found myself wishing I hadn't left my sunglasses in the car. Watching the hotel guest enjoying the views made it hard for me to not think about how lovely it would be to be sitting in one of their adirondack chairs with my little brown poodle on my lap and latte in hand. But business had to go on!

We finalized the floor plans of the reception and measured the ceremony area which was on the cliff overlooking the ocean. Because the ceremony area is slanted, notes had to be taken about how we were going to make sure that everything would be secured.

View from the cliff overlooking the ocean. I was in LOVE!!!

Spilling the coffee on myself and battling the traffic this day was the furthest thing from my mind when leaving the hotel. I hope one day I can go back as guest and actually have that latte with my poodle overlooking the ocean. It is places like these that really remind you of why we live in California!

View of the Hotel from the ceremony area.

Behind the Scenes: My Journey Continues

2013-03-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! It's Kate, the intern again.

I know it has been a few weeks since I have posted anything, but I have been busy trying to learn as many new things as I could to share with you. When my internship first began and I started participating in things such a trips to the flower market, packing the vans, and setting up for events, I was rather hesitant to jump right in. But I feel as I have now been working with Nancy and her team for almost 2 whole months I am starting to get the hang of things.

The San Francisco Flower Market

My first trip to the flower market was more of a learning experience and for the most part I was there to see how things worked. I watched how Nancy and Lily made their way through the market to visit different people for different types of flowers. I was introduced to many people and did my best to try and remember their names for the next time. On my second and third trips to the market I was feeling more comfortable and Nancy would even have me go on my own to retrieve different flowers that were needed. If one vendor did not have what was needed, we could not leave until we found it somewhere else. Every bunch of flowers we buy has a purpose, and if we leave the market without something, the arrangements for the upcoming event will simply not be what they could have been. I think that the next time that I go to the market I would feel confident enough with my knowledge of flowers so far to go with Lily and maybe I take the lead while she watches me to make sure that I do not miss anything. I think this would be a good test for me and a good way to get more hands-on experience.

Packing the Vans

The mornings of events are not always the easiest depending on how many items the team needs to be able to fit in our Van and Nancy’s Jeep. Lily and I usually try to get as many things organized as possible before hand so that the tedious task of packing can run smoothly. The first time I witnessed packing I discovered that it was truly an art. In a sense it was a huge real life puzzle that if not put together correctly, disaster could strike. Utilizing all space in the Van, floor to ceiling is very important for getting all the items to the event venue. After following Lily’s lead on packing, asking questions, and taking advice I now think that I am getting the hang of this daunting task and that I would be able to do it on my own if necessary.

My journey will continue for about 8 more weeks and I can’t wait to share it with all of you. Life will be getting busy in and out of the office as big weddings approach and the reality of graduation in May hits me. I am excited to see what the next few months have in store for me.

Floral Inspirations: Hang In There

2013-03-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

Hanging flowers isn't necessarily a new trend but what started out several years ago is picking up steam. This year, Hanging Floral Art and Focal Pieces will continue to be strong but we will see new applications of the idea of hanging.

Here a few inspiring hanging floral designs that range from artful to whimsical, from modern to sublime.

This one is so playful and I love how it blends with that fabulous botanical wallpaper print.

This hanging floral branch is not only artistic and dramatic, I love that it's useful too.
Hanging table number in the manzanita branch is genius.

From Ruffled Blog

I love floral chandeliers, often set over a special table but this floral centerpiece is awesome and perfectly love for those who don't want a floral piece to impede conversation.

From Martha Stewart

I seriously don't even want to know how they did this....it's an upside garden and I love it.

We've seen so many application of paper flowers but this one to me is just breathtaking.

I love how some of the flowers drip downward. It's simple, yet complicated.

From on Mindy Weiss Pinterest Board

The movement on this piece is remarkable and gives the illusion of a print pattern when it's daisies on the ceiling. Fabulous

One of my all time favorite piece --- is this magnificient piece using foliage. It's brilliant.

From Lewis Miller Design

The repetition on this piece makes it modern and still so fresh.

Floral Inspirations: Hellebores Beauties

2013-03-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

Originally helleborus could be found in South Asia all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Dramatic climate fluctuations from warm to cold temperature allowed the plant to delay growth and flowering. Hellebores have five petals surrounding a ring of small, cup life nectaries. Today, helleborus is best used as an indoor plant but some do well as a cut flower.

Every year, I treat myself to a small posy of hellebores. I love arranging them simply in a heirloom bud vase. Each flower has unique freckles as I call them. They are stubborn, individually unique blooms, some opened, some closed. No matter what, I find them riveting and pleasing to the eye in their imperfections.

Their heads are sometimes naturally droopy but in their inconsistencies lie such mystery and intrigue. Arranged in sweet cups and vases, they naturally bring a subtle elegance to any room. Like the anemones, I find them long lasting. The ones that I typically get are sage green and pale green with burgundy hues. At the SF flower market, I don't often find stalls who carry hellebores so you have to shop early and often. When I do find them, they are usually at Torchio, Neve Brothers and Brannan Street.

Best Shown: Believe it or not, one of the favorite method of showing off a hellebores is to cut the stem rather short and I mean short...about roughly 1 to 2 inches. Float the cut flower heads in a shallow and wide bowl of cold water. This will allow the flower to drink as the temperature of the water comes to room temperature. On the other extreme, due to their fragile petals which don't always open, they don't often make the best boutonnieres or corsages.

Best Pairing: I love hellebores with other spring flowers like lilac, ranunculus, jasmine, flower branches, anemones, ranunculus, sweet peas, lisianthus, ferns.

Color Combinations: I love seeing hellebores with greens, plums, mulberrys, eggplants, blushes, lavenders, whites, chocolates, black hues. But be creative and don't feel constrained. Try them with orange, cerise, lime.

Seasonality:
The buds begin to develop in late fall and early winter so by February, most plants will be in bloom and they continue blooming through March and April.

Inspirations: Blue Trending in 2013

2013-03-06T23:15:00.000-08:00

From Reese Witherspoon's gown at the Oscars to Jennifer Lawrence's deep blue gown at the Screen Actor's Guild Award, Blue is definitely trending for spring especially in cobalt blue hues.

Are you still planning your wedding? Well, let me persuade you to give this moody hue an update with mustard yellows, citron greens, seafoam accents, or pristine white pairing. No matter what the occasion, I love blue patterns, old fashion china blue patterns, and Swedish blue influences.

Keep in mind how versatile blues can me. From Navy to Blueberry, Sky to Powder, blue has exotic ranges that can be both sultry but also traditional. To see the full Blue Mood inspiration board, please follow us on Pinterest.

Ask Nancy: Tips on Packages

2013-03-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

I hope some of you will have read Ask Nancy: How to Sell Event Design? post. In the post, I address how to sell your styling and design services. Today, I going to tackle the second part of her question. How to create packages? What a splendid question!

(see her original ask nancy question below)

Hi Nancy!! I'm a huge fan and love love your blog! I'm a wedding floral designer from Portland, Oregon, and my question for you is about Styling. I don't think brides in the Northwest see the value in this service - they'd much rather bounce design ideas off if their BFF than pay for this extra service. Any ideas on how to upswell this service to brides during a consult, and tips on putting together a few basic packages to offer them at different price points?

Thanks!! Stylish in Portlandia

____________________________

The second part of your question is tips on basic packages at different price points.

There are many ways to go about it and for me, I prefer to have a starting point and that's about it. For me, I like keeping it simple especially when it is a service. One starting price and the rest is customized. It is the least confusing for me and my clients.

For example, you can say your Event Design pricing starts at $xxxx for xx amount of hours that includes
1) design concept
2) floor layouts
3) procurement of design items
4) procurement of certain design vendor services
5) mock up of centerpiece and table
6) rental procurement of tabletop designs

****(this is just a sample list --- you come up with what your minimum service will entail)
Thus --- that can be your minimum package. Which will allow you the flexibility to set a minimum range of service will leaving enough room for you to customize things for your clients.

That way you don't have to lock yourself in.

Find a price point in which you feel it's fair for what you are doing.

For example, if you know you will work on an event design for 40 hours and you also need the help of 1 assistant for 8 hours --- well, that's 48 hours. Even at a very low hourly wage at $20***** per hour( I know this is relative to your area but in SF $20.00 is not a very high hourly wage, this equals about $41.6K annually which is 36% below the SF average of $65K annually . If you assumed $20 per hour, that's $960 dollars for event design/styling.

*****Personally I think $20 per hour is on the lower side. I would like to think that the hourly rate should be much higher given the your expertise, brand recognition, experience level, contribution, geographic location, client's perception, and value added.

I am not an expert on pricing or packages so I invite others to join in and share your tips.

Thank you Stylish in Portlandia! And readers, please don't be shy, keep these great questions coming.

Real Wedding: Luxe Deco Beaulieu Garden Wedding

2013-02-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, oh WOW! I've been keeping this wedding under wraps for so long. Partly because I just had this sinking feeling that it would show up in a magazine or blog...and bam! it did. And when I saw the images, it just gave me that instant thrill(like opening presents on Christmas!)

I'm completely happy, giddy, thrilled that Libbie and Jesse's wedding, photography by uber talented Gary Ashley, designed by Gloria Wong and planned to perfection by Jubilee Lau was featured on 100 Layer Cake.

Having been a part of their Hand Made Wedding Community of Venues & Vendors, I have always loved seeing the diversity of real weddings on their blog. And of course ---- it's a real joy to see Libbie and Jesse's Napa Valley wedding featured because it marks a return to a refined, classic luxury that is still infused with great charm and wit. It's refreshing to see a Napa Valley wedding that's outdoors but not just rustic or vintage.

One of my favorite invitation designer is Lisa Wong Jackson. I loved her so much, she designed our original website and branding. Lisa Wong Jackson of Good on Paper Design is one of the hidden gems of the wedding invitation world. Her talent is really showed off in the couple's invite suite.

Blush flowers including light pink hypericum, Cafe au Lait dahlias grown by Figone Nursery, a love vendor. We sprayed gold paint on the lemon leaves. I love that Art Deco/Baroque accent.

We stapled lemon leaves to create this dainty accent on the canopy. How beautiful is this canopy by Classic Party Rentals.

Gloria Wong is amazing at designs. I giggled when I saw these fun menu cards with the confetti. The hexagon napkin ring is so beautiful, I want it for a ring.

I rarely see black chairs with blush at a Napa Wedding so this was so beautiful. The gold hued flatware, blush La Tavola linen, black and gold container band --- really Gatsbylike.

Libbie is "Lucky". This is adorable. I love Libbie's dress including that amazing cap sleeve. Wow.

Hope you enjoyed this amazing wedding that was filled with such beautiful detail. I'm in love this all of it.

Photography by Gary Ashley Wedding Artists Collective

Wedding Planning by Jubilee Lau Events

Event Design by Gloria Wong Design

Venue at Beaulieu Garden

Floral Design by Nancy Liu Chin Designs

Invitation Suite by Good On Paper Design

Napkin Ring by WildFlower Linens

Wedding Gown by Jenny Packham

Rentals by Classic Party Rentals

Ask Nancy: How to Sell Event Design to Clients?

2013-02-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hi Nancy!! I'm a huge fan and love love your blog! I'm a wedding floral designer from Portland, Oregon, and my question for you is about Styling. I don't think brides in the Northwest see the value in this service - they'd much rather bounce design ideas off if their BFF than pay for this extra service. Any ideas on how to up sell this service to brides during a consult, and tips on putting together a few basic packages to offer them at different price points?

Thanks!!

Stylish in Portlandia

______________________________

Great question SIP!

It looks like your question has two parts to it. First and foremost, how can you up sell EVENT design and styling services to your potential wedding clients and lastly, tips on basic packages?

Both are really good questions. Let's tackle the first question which is how to sell an event design/styling service to consumers who don't see the value.

One should strive to create a service that is

1) innovative, unique, value added
2) that isn't easily replicated
3) hard to produce, procure, and present
4) that features unique, one of a kind, hard to find props
5) high level of service

In short, when you offer a service like styling, you have to be able to show your client a finished styled event that is something valued and worthy ---- that is done in such a way that no other personal friend, nor family member would think of.

During the consultation, you have to address why you are worth it. Simple as that. If you choose to do a design that is generic aka wild flowers in mason jars, stacked vintage books, flea market typewriters, escort cards on a clothes line, unless you are presenting it in a new way, it's going to be hard to justice why someone should hire you for your ideas when it's already out there.

Let's take a look at a few examples of styling and event designs that benefitted the client.

Example #1 Show them how your creativity can result in beautiful creations that are affordable. This wooden wall from a local rental company is typically used as a wall divider so we tried to figure out another use for it and I think using it for an escort card display worked really well. This is the type of value added benefit that you want to stress to your bride.

Photography by Vero Suh

It shows a level of creativity and at less than $100 to rent the wooden wall, it was cheaper than having something built from scratch. (Trust me, our groom was going to have a friend make this but in the end, it was so much easier having us just locate something that we knew would not fall and would fit their Rustic Garden theme. ) It was also almost 8 feet tall and with 50 pounds of sand weighing the back, it was perfect on a windy day. Stress your level of expertise!

Example #2 By hiring a designer, you often save the client time. This is very important to stress to your client especially as many of these styling details are done a few hours prior to them walking down the aisle

Our clients didn't have the time to design all the details of their Rosewood Sand Hill wedding so they asked us to come up with a unique design for displaying their escort cards. We transformed simple wooden clothes pin with washi tape details(it took me 3 hours to locate different washi tape, 2 nights(6 hours) to attach the washi table, 2 hours to adhere the cards on kraft paper). We took their escort cards by Hello! Lucky and adhered them to pre cut brown Kraft tags that we located from Etsy

Yes, it's a simple idea but the client didn't have time to do it herself, nor could she find a wooden wall to attach a clothesline. Our client could have figured out how to hang these but with their wedding preparation, they knew they just didn't have the manpower to procure the wall, hang it, and individually make each escort card.

Photography by Vero Suh

Example #3 Stress your merchandising and styling expertise by showing them examples. In this case, we took a bar back from a rental company and made it into a "froyo" station.

Photography by Vero Suh

We hung the burlap then went shopping for all these lovely glass jars, hand blown perfume bottles, and ceramic ice cream bowls. I took books and hand pressed them. Paper banners were purchased via Etsy after a 1/2 hour search for the right style. And we styled if in a very simple style so that it looked like it was from their own home.

Photography by Vero Suh

Example #4 Show them you are attentive to details. One of my favorite stylist of all times is friend and event designer, Gloria Wong of Gloria Wong Designs. She comes from a strong retail background and it shows. Look at the attention to the details. The boxes are precisely lined up. Look at how organized Gloria's handiwork is. It's in the details that makes a difference.

Photography by Lisa Lekfowitz

Gloria is so attentive, she provided the photographer(the great, Lisa Lefkowitz -- swoon) with patterned paper as a wonderful backdrop of a photo op. These are the original details that come from a creative mind. WTG, little G!

Lastly, emphasize Service!

My dear friend, John Woods of Enhanced Lighting once said to me, "you have to find a way that makes your clients feel that your event design is a not a want but a need". And the way to make it a need is through your service.

When I see rows of chairs, I like them lined up very exactly. When my team sets up a wedding, we notice inconsistencies in the way escort cards are set up and we fix them. We pull out measuring tapes to make sure that each place setting are often 1 inch from the end of the table. Why do we do this? Because going the extra mile, these are small services in which our clients cannot do. They put it in our hands.

Stay tuned for Part Two which I will address in a future Ask Nancy Post.

Behind the Scenes: My Internship Journey Begins

2013-02-22T12:02:00.001-08:00

Dear Fans of Nancy's Brown Bag

Hi, I'm Kate!

It's with great joy that I am introducing all of you to Kate Bennett, intern extraordinaire(or at least I hope so!) Our dear Kate recently started as an event specialist working on floral production, day-of set up and office work. As any intern will know, this industry is more than weddings and events, we are in the business of servicing clients.

Kate is going to write a few guest posts about her journey that began three weeks ago and will end in June. Will she make it through the pitfalls without breaking a sweat? How will she navigate her way and decide if this is truly her life's dream? Stay tuned and find out.

Give your full and undivided attention to Kate who is a senior at Chico State University studying Event Management.

______________________________

Hi my name is Kate Bennett and for my last semester at Chico State I am lucky enough to have an internship with Nancy Liu Chin Designs. I first heard about Nancy's company from my mom. My mother stumbled across Nancy through an old intern Nancy had, Nicole Roveto. Nicole was the same major as me at Chico and after talking with her about possibly working with Nancy I knew it was an opportunity I could not pass up. I will be writing a few blog posts throughout the 3 months of my internship and sharing the challenges, lessons, new skills, and fun things that I stumble upon.

Details

My first week included a wedding setup at a stunning Art Deco venue. The flowers and decor were amazing. I remembered the grand head table that stretched across the middle of the dining room. Even though the room had not been fully setup, I could see the potential of what it was about to be.

During our setup, Nancy pointed out little things that I should be aware of. First and foremost, linens. Nancy's pet peeve, and I think now mine, are linens that don't touch the floors. Seeing the legs of a table, is not pretty. And for such a formal space, it made it seem very casual when the linens that were provided were more suitable for a casual environment.

Notice the linens on the tables do not touch the ground. And the side tables also show the table legs. OOPS!

Nancy's second pet peeve are stains on linens and chair pads. We all noticed while setting up the centerpieces that a few chair pads had stains. Luckily, the catering manager was so accommodating and changed out the pads to clean ones. It really made a difference. What guest would want to sit on a dirty, unlaundered chair pad in their beautiful wedding attire? In hindsight, as I begin my journey as a soon to wedding planner, I know now that you can't expect the venue to provide the proper accessories, linens, and tables because each venue has a different idea of what is appropriate.

For this wedding, outside linens, chargers, and chairs were rented. Pinspotting was added to set the mood. These were all things that I assumed would be included or done automatically. Boy, did I get a rude awakening.

I live in a world of Pinterest, blogs, and wedding magazines. Everything I assumed was the "norm" is not. I didn't realize that linens could be rented, that you don't have to use the venue chairs, that you have to figure out what is important to you and your budget, that you can change the look of a space by sourcing things that match your style, and that even a pretty space needs some work.

The shell of the venue might be beautiful and elegant but you still have to watch the details when dressing it up. (Nancy says ---- It's like going to an open house where the house is staged. You think your house when you buy it will look exactly as beautiful as the staged house but you are just buying an empty space")

Lessons Learned:

What you see in magazines and blogs, might take MORE effort and investment.

If using venue linens, don't be afraid to ask to see a sample.
Go to your venue during a real event and see what it looks like before you have yours.

Being partners with the planner and venue managers makes a difference.

Flowers

During my second week, I attended a wedding setup with Nancy and the team. At the wedding ceremony two arrangements were delivered for the wedding that was provided by the venue.
Typically, I assumed that Nancy would do all the flowers but in this case, I was surprised. It turns out, the venue included two arrangements in their package therefore leaving the client feeling obligated to have them at the ceremony.

These were the arrangements ordered by the venue. The colors were right, the style was wrong.

When they arrived, I immediately thought they were the typically 1-800-Funeral flowers. Shocked. Stunned. And left speechless.

Nancy quickly discussed with the amazing Mother of the Groom and Planner a plan of action which included fixing this eye sore. Immediate deconstruction (that was what Nancy called it) of the two arrangements took place. I helped Nancy cut all the flowers off the original arrangements. We then grouped the flowers in a line, added our own candles, and removed the other two arrangements.

We took two tall centerpieces from the reception, to take the place of the venue arrangements for the ceremony. Nancy explained to me that although there was nothing wrong with those two "venue" arrangements, they simply did not fit with the style of the wedding and the rest of the decor.

We turned the two arrangements into this simple horizontal display.

Lessons Learned:

Think fast on your toes.

Find decision makers and get them involved.

Turn a possible bad situation into a good one.

Even flowers that didn't stylistically work initially, could be transformed into something suitable or pleasing to the eye. But taste is NOT something that can be replaced.

Having the confidence of the planner and Groom's mother allowed for us to rectify and bring up any issues we encountered on-site.

In contrast to the first wedding I went to where unfortunately, the planner was not at the reception site due to the fact that she was running the ceremony (no fault of her own), we were unable to fix certain details that could have used extra attention. Could we have ordered some new linens? Possibly if Nancy had the client's ok. But unfortunately, the ceremony was starting and our hands were tied.

Overall I have thoroughly enjoyed my first few weeks here with Nancy and the rest of her team. I have already learned so much and cannot wait to see what else I will take away from this experience. Through my blog posts I hope to show you what it is like to be a rookie in this industry.

Real Wedding: Timeless Palace Hotel Wedding Film

2013-02-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

One of last year's most endearring weddings has to be that of Nellie and Nelson's. Their wedding at the grand and opulent Garden Court at the Palace Hotel was nothing short of romantic and elegant.

I am a sucker for good love stories and this short film by the talented filmmakers Georgina and Justin of Weddings of Film captures a day that we won't forget.

Sit back and enjoy

Press: Nancy on The Knot

2013-02-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Thank you The Knot!

Real Wedding: Auberge du Soleil wedding on Junebug

2013-02-12T19:51:00.001-08:00

Some of the bravest clients that I have are those that plan the wedding from afar. 9 months prior to Allison's wedding, she and her mother, Cathy, began contacting me. Through the awesome wonders of emails, we began to develop a rapport. Back and forth emails were always met with delightful responses. And even when we couldn't figure things out, through the magic of Pinterest, we found our groove. Communicating and designing through the help of several boards, we refined our wishes and defined our ideas through visual aids. Bless you Pinterest!!!!

Usually I get butterflies the night before a wedding but I knew that the flowers for Allison and Dan would be perfect for their rustic-elegance wedding because we had a road map to success.

Thank you Michele Waite for the amazing images. And huge kudos to Junebug for featuring Allison and Dan's Napa Valley wedding.