The Flower House joined Colorado Wedding Company and Gaston Photography on an absolutely picture perfect day in October, 2011, for the marriage of Anne and Rajan. The couple, along with family and friends, celebrated their marriage with TWO ceremonies in beautiful Cordillera, Colorado.

This wedding day was special, as the couple chose to honor each of their traditions and incorporate both Hindu and Christian ceremonies. The vibrant and joyous Hindu celebration began with the groom’s entrance on a white horse. The bride, with her beautiful and intricate henna,  entered with her bridal party shortly after. The ceremony took place under a mandap inside the gazebo overlooking the valley below.

Simply beautiful.

The second ceremony of the day was a Christian celebration. The guests were seated at the very top of the property and overlooked breathtaking views of Cordillera and the valley.

Anne’s bridal party, dressed in various hues of purple, wine, and navy, carried seasonal bouquets featuring dahlias, hydrangea, hypericum berries, lisianthus and roses.

Anne’s bouquet featured lush dahlias with deep callas, Black Magic roses, berries, lisianthus, stock, and a few purple button mums. I loved her color palette and thought the deep bold colors of her bouquet were perfect against her gorgeous cream lace gown.

Cheers to Rajan and Anne!

Floral: The Flower House

Event Planning: Colorado Wedding Company

Stunning photography by: Gaston Photography

Venue: The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera

I am so thrilled it’s finally Spring! The weather has been unbelievable and it has really benefited the local growers and flower markets. Check out some recent beauties…

Neighborhood Crab Apple Tree

Anemones, Hydrangea, Hyacinth, Quick Sand Roses, and Viburnum

Ranunculus and Hellebores

Hellebores, Grape Hyacinth, Maiden Hair Fern, Trick Dianthus, Dusty Miller

Ombre Roses

Locally grown Ranunculus!

Viburnum, Hydrangea, Lilies, Freesia, Queen Anne’s Lace, Agapanthus and more.

Robin and Justin were married at the Seawell Ballroom in September of 2011. The two had quite a unique style, which they deemed “swanky vintage”. The color palette we had to work with was black, white, and a touch of robin’s egg blue. Planning the decor was a bit of a challenge, but one we were excited to take on. Well, let’s see here, there are no flowers that are truly black or robin’s egg blue. All white flowers just wouldn’t convey the right look. Hmmmmm. What to do, what to do?!

We’ve got it! The Flower House and Classic Creations wedding planning came up with a very unique and definitely customized look for the event. We used tall silver candelabra stands topped with giant feather pieces. When I say giant, I mean 5 feet tall.  We created lamps from scratch (and yes, they do light up) and covered the bases with flowers. Long tables were completed with a “runner” effect of assorted laser cut paper wrapped glass and mercury glass with candle light. Adding the scrolled black and white damask pattern where we could helped to complete the look. This was a super fun wedding to be a part of and we were thrilled with how it turned out! A big huge thank you to Autumn Burke for providing the beautiful images below.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day! A day celebrating love and romance. It is said the holiday originated around 270 AD, when St. Valentine died. Many different stories exist about this fellow, and at least 3 different saints with that name are recognized by the Catholic Church, all of whom were martyred.

One legend tells how third century Roman Emperor Claudius II thought young males made better soldiers if they weren’t married, thus outlawing marriage for soldiers. Valentine tried to right this injustice by preforming marriages in secret for the young lovers. A very nice gesture indeed, until Claudius found out and ordered Valentine be put to death.

Yet another legend suggests that Valentine crusaded to free  Christians from Roman prisons and the abusive jailers that kept them. Upon being found out, he was thrown into just such a prison, where he fell in love with the jailers daughter. It is said he passed notes to her and his final love letter to her before his execution was signed “from your Valentine”, an expression still used today.

Others believe that the Catholic Church created Valentine’s day as a way to put a stop to the pagan fertility festival of Lupercalia, a holiday time celebrated on and after the 15th of February. The rituals involved in the festival included sacrifices and blood (which we won’t go into here…YUCK) as well as a “love lottery” of sorts. The single woman would all place their names into an urn at the center of town, whereby all the bachelors would draw a name out. The pairings would then spend the next year together.

Whatever the truth may be, Valentine’s day serves as a great reminder to do something extra special for your sweetie.

The following photos are from a beautiful Valentine’s weekend wedding in 2011. The bride and groom wanted the look to be as romantic as they were… so needless to say, the event called for hundreds and hundreds of red roses and lots of glowing candle light.

Photography provided by the amazingly talented Travis Broxton. The venue was the ever so beautiful Sanctuary.

The Flower House was  THRILLED to part of Liz and Nate’s wedding day!

The gorgeous setting was courtesy of Crooked Willow Farms… the perfect setting for a beautiful “kick your heels up” wedding! The bride’s family has roots in Nebraska ( as do I), and we incorporated many personal effects from the family farm… from antique jars, metal milk pails, calf feeder troughs, and even a wind mill! We LOVE personalizing a wedding, and what better way than including items that have been in the family for years! Enjoy the following images graciously provided by  Lindsay B Photography. Lindsay is an amazing photographer and we’d recommend her until the cows come home! Planning, inspiration, and coordination was provided by Heather with Table 6! The entire day was amazing! Check out the sunflower aisle!

Check out the AMAZING aisle with a growing sunflower look!

Grandpa’s boots placed at his seat in remembrance.

CHEERS to NATE and LIZ!

XOXOX

I’d like to take a moment to THANK all of the 2012 bride’s for your inquiries! We are currently BUSTING at the seams attending to our current 2011 events! If you are waiting for a proposal for your your special day in 2012, or are eagerly awaiting a consultation… please know that we haven’t forgotten about you! We pride ourselves in focusing on our clients during their special time, and we will do the same for you during your special time. Weddings are a big deal, and every bride deserves focused attention and creativity. We thank you  for your patience and are looking forward to your wedding day!

Cheers!

Amy

We were married in Estes Park at Della Terra in June, and Amy at Flower House listened to what I wanted, and executed my vision of the flowers at our wedding in such a perfect fashion that it was more than I had even ever dreamed they could be. We had a very minimalist, elegant flower theme, progressing from pinks, creams and champagnes during the ceremony, to white with copper tones during the reception. The flowers were fresh, full, in arrangements that made it seem like they were floating in air. The bouquets were stunning, absolutely stunning. Individual attention to fulfill every request, even down to customizing a slightly different bouquet for the maid of honor based on the MOH’s love of ribbons. I wish I could include pictures in this review so that everyone could see Amy’s artful designs! My husband and I were performing an Aspen tree planting ceremony as our unity ceremony. To give just one example of Amy’s dedication to making sure all floral arrangements are perfect for the big day, the day of our wedding, the Aspen trees looked half dead – not exactly what you would want for a ceremony about your marriage lasting forever – and Amy brought Blue Spruce trees as a possible replacement. When I explained to her that a family friend had written a song, and the sermon, was all about Aspen trees, she stopped with the rest of the flower arrangements and searched through Estes Park to find a greenhouse and bought us brand new healthy Aspen trees that were perfect. Even with having to go out and buy new trees, the flowers for day were absolutely perfect. Amy is amazing, and such a wonderful person, if you want a florist who will quit literally go above and beyond for you, she is the one!

Thank you Tiffany! Cheers and love to you and Brian! My heartfelt wishes for a long life of pure happiness together!

Tiffany’s wedding was simply amazing and I have to thank CC with Colorado Wedding Company for connecting us. It was an honor to be a part of such an amazing day!

Check out the photos by the amazing Autumn Burke!!!

XO-Amy

Photography is such an important piece of a special event. Without it, you need to rely on fond memories; and with it, you can share your special time with everyone… forever.

An Interview with STORYLENS PHOTOGRAPHY

I have the pleasure of calling Lisa McKendry a friend. She is not only a friend, but a fabulous photographer as well! I sat down with Lisa to pick her brain about what makes her tick and how she found her passion for the art of photography. Check it out!

Flower House: How did you discover your passion for photography?

Lisa: I grew up traveling the world with my parents. I have always been fascinated by simple stories- the one that each of us have that connects us as humans. As I’ve translated that and my passions of travel and adventure into a tangible, visible art form, I have had the honor of connecting with people to tell their story. I love finding the nuances that make people “themselves”.  

Flower House: What is your most memorable “shoot” or experience thus far?

Lisa: I have always been a mountain girl and am used to the wildlife and it takes a lot to rattle me… However, I was shooting a wedding with a good friend at the Cherokee Ranch and Castleoutside of Sedalia and just that happened.  We were on the castle grounds shooting the romantics of the bride and groom. The bride had delicately and carefully walked down the rugged stone steps. She and the groom were gazing into each other’s eyes. Laura was snapping away and I heard it first, then saw it- a rattle snake rattling away about 6” from Laura’s foot. There was nothing delicate about getting out of there. As soon as I realized what it was, I told Laura to move and the next thing you know, we were ALL dashing up the stairs. It must have been quite a scene to see the bride in her gown and the groom in his tux running at sprint pace up the stairs followed by their photographers. I wonder if people thought they were running from us??

Flower House: What would you advise people look for while selecting a photographer?

Experience and personality.  There are a lot of people out there “in business”- however there is no substitute for time and experience. It is the “what if things don’t go exactly as planned” reactions that will prove to be important on your wedding day. Having a photographer who is experienced with weddings specifically is so important. They know how to anticipate what is coming, who are the key players, where they should be to set up the shot, and how to shoot in any lighting/weather situation Having someone with a good, flexible and fun personality will only enhance your experience and create a comfortable environment. When you are at ease, your photos show it. When things are on time and organized, you are at ease. These are all subtle, but very important details to pay attention to in your selection of your wedding photographer.

Flower House: What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment, personally or career related?

Lisa: The journey of choosing a path that was not “mainstream” and pursuing my dream to own and operate my own business.  I had a great job working for a non-profit doing their marketing and special events when I decided to take the leap of faith and return to school at age 30. When I got to the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, I never looked back. I love the challenge, the discipline, and the creativity it takes to make it all work. It is kind of like training for a marathon, except it keeps going and going! I love it.

 Flower House: Anything else we should know about Lisa?

Lisa: When you don’t find me behind the lens (or my computer), you will likely find me out on a mountain trail running, mountain biking or skiing with my husband and friends. I love Colorado and love shooting people in our beautiful environment.

Do yourself a HUGE favor… contact Lisa for your next special event. Her gift of photography will become your gift to everyone you love.

Cheers!

Amy

A flower’s appeal is in its contradictions – so delicate in form yet strong in fragrance, so small in size yet big in beauty, so short in life yet long on effect. ~Adabella Radici

Originally posted February 3, 2010… after having a really “bad” day. I was still reeling from the loss of my friend and business partner, Jamie, in March of 2009. The experience I had in a Target store really changed my outlook on life…

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Question… Have you ever saved a flower? I mean saved it because it meant so much to you? The flower probably didn’t mean as much as the moment, but that flower was your connection to the experience. I saved some petals from my wedding bouquet and pressed them. Big deal- they are now faded and tattered, but I can’t bring myself to throw them away. They are my tangible connection to “that big day”. Please read on.
I was in the checkout line at Target yesterday and I noticed the lady behind me was purchasing a really beautiful lamp. It looked like a large glass jar with a silver lid but had a lamp shade on top. I’m sure that if I had spotted it first I would have grabbed it. I turned to her and commented on how wonderful it was. She smiled back and then her eyes welled up with tears. She moved towards me and softly said “I told myself not to cry today”. She then told me she had been searching and searching for a vase or a jar to place some dried flower stems into and thought the “jar” lamp was perfect. She went on to explain that her daughter had passed away just 3 months ago while giving birth to her second grandchild. The flowers were from the funeral. Wow. Not what I expected to hear. I didn’t really know how to respond. I paid for my purchase, turned back towards her, told her how sorry I was for her loss and touched her lightly on the shoulder. She continued to cry, but said thank you. What else could I do?
Tears in my eyes, I walked out of the store and tried my best to take a positive message away from the experience. I believe that certain encounters in life happen to you for a reason. I think that particular encounter served as a huge reminder… life is precious and fleeting. Ok- that is obvious. I know. It also serves as a reminder to me how powerful flowers are. Flowers add beauty to every part of life… happy times and sad. This woman, although grieving, had found comfort and a connection to her daughter through a few simple stems of dried flowers. If I could go back I wouldn’t have left her… I would have met her.
Flowers are powerful. Flowers may not save lives, but they can touch them. I’m thankful for all the flower people in the world… you help people in more ways than you may ever really know.

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Post script… It may sound unbelievable, but I was contacted by the same lady I met in line. I still reflect on that random encounter we had at Target and the indelible mark it left on me. Life is a powerful experience. Soak it in and be grateful for each gift it brings. 

11:23 am Comment by marj wise on April 29, 2010

I am that mother you met at Target. Now 6 months out but thankful to have been blessed with an exceptionally wonderful daughter for 30 years. Her incredible husband and the precious little boys, Clark 2 yrs. and baby Quinn, now 6 months old, are all doing well. Thanks to Blair, one of Katie’s childhood and motherhood friends for recognizing and forwarding this blog to me. I still “loose it” at times but know God’s plan for our lives is perfect. We’ll be together again someday. Thanks for sharing!

The Flower House was recently invited to have a chat on Martino TV. Check it out…

( http://www.kdvr.com/videobeta/0788ad15-dafa-4c38-a164-dc1ae2028063/News/The-Flower-House)