There are so many varieties of gerbera daisies, how do you know which ones you want?  With so many weddings being planned, at least in part, via e-mail, the old variety posters aren't very useful any more.  Two brokers which specialize in gerbera daisies have updated their websites with outstanding selection guides, featuring photos and the variety name.  One broker is Cedar Way Floral, the other is Rosa Flora Limited.  Rosa Flora's site also includes a number of other flowers, including mini calla-lilies and oriental lilies.  You can't order from these brokers directly, but most florists can order from these brokers, either directly or through a local wholesaler.  Keep note of the name of the variety name, and when you meet with your florist, let them know which ones you liked.

Remember that for a variety of reasons, the color of your flowers won't match what you see on the screen exactly.

One of our most loved accessories is the flower girl cone--a delicate satin cone, which the flower girls carry instead of the traditional basket.  We've also known brides to order several of these to use as pew decorations, and even for the bridesmaids to carry instead of bouquets.  Both alternatives are beautiful when filled with a small bouquet of flowers instead of petals!

The most common question we're asked is whether or not there is a seam on these cones.  There are actually two tiny seams on each side of the cone.  The seams are very finely stitched, so you have to look very carefully from more than a few feet away to see the seams, and they're virtually invisible in photos.

Each cone is decorated with bows, and can be individually monogrammed with a single letter.  For a larger view, click through the link below.

If you're interested in a flowegirl cone, you can order them from us online at http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/detail.asp?product_id=1750, or call us at 800-729-1711 (724-285-1711 if you're in the Butler/Pittsburg PA area).

The Wedding Fanatic recently posted 22 Questions You MUST Ask Your Florist, Musicians, and Transporation Company.  It's actually 22 questions in total, not 22 for each vendor.  We're happy to answer the florist questions below:

Can we please see your portfolio?

You're looking at part of it!  In addition to our online photo galleries of bridal bouquets, centerpieces, etc., at http://bloomeryweddings.com/wedding_flowers.asp, we feature a more in-depth look at the wedding work we do here on our blog.  The categories on the right include Featured Bouquets and Featured Locations, with many examples of our work.  In the photo galleries, if the item code starts with "BW", we made it.  We also have several photo albums of our work in the shop, and some additional ideas books you can browse.

When will the flowers for our event arrives?

We typically deliver your flowers to the church (or ceremonly location) two hours before your wedding, as allowed by the location.  Many locations have tight schedules, and we can only get in with 90 minutes to spare.  If we are setting up a reception location as well, we will coordinate with that location to work on their schedule, while ensuring your flowers are the freshest possible.  Different flowers in your centerpieces also determine when we can do the final setup.  Tulips, for instance, can't be delivered too far ahead, but roses are usually fine if we drop them off several hours before the reception.  If you need flowers to be delivered to your home or other location for photography, we can arrange that.

Is there a delivery fee?

Yes, and the fee depends on where we're going and what we need to do.  You'll know the exact charge when we send you your contract.  Depending on what you have ordered, pick-up is an option--many of our brides with small floral needs do this.

Do you distribute and pin on flowers?

If you need us there, let us know at your consultation.  There is a labor fee for this service, but many photographers recommend having us there, since it makes the process much easier.  We do label corsages and boutonnieres, and ask you provide us with the name of the person to receive it.  Otherwise, we just label them "organist" or "bride's grandfather".  Corsages and boutonnieres are packed separately for easy handling.

Will you be doing any other weddings that day?

Many times we do, it all depends on the size of the weddings and the order in which they are booked.  We only take as many weddings as we can handle, and we keep careful watch on sizes so we don't overextend ourselves.  We have done as few as one, and as many as six, in a single day.  We have four designers, some of whom may double as delivery/setup for your wedding.

Have you ever done an event at our venue?

Very probably.  We are one of the largest wedding florists in the Butler/Pittsburgh area.  If necessary, we will scope out the locations ahead of time, and take photographs of the areas you want to decorate.

We hope we've answered these questions to your satisfaction, but if you have any additional questions, please call us at 724-285-1711, or e-mail us at info@bloomery.com.

Apparently the Swedes have a much more relaxed attitude about opening times than here in the US, but that didn't stop a bride from picking up her bouquet!

Bride Camilla Holmström had ordered her bouquet from a florist based in a mall in Umeå and agreed to pick it up on the morning of her wedding. Staff at the florist's had promised to open at 10am, but when Holmström's friend arrived at 10:30am the shop was still closed. The bouquet was visible on a shelf inside, according to Västerbottens Kuriren newspaper.

By 10:45 there was still no sign of the florist. After trying to contact someone to open the shop, Holmström's friend told the bride what had happened. By now very stressed, Holmström went up and shook the grille over the florist's door, shouting: "Where are my flowers?".

At this point, the bride-to-be noticed that that there was a 15-20cm gap under the grille. She squeezed under and made it inside to grab the bouquet. She then crept out the same way.

Full story at http://www.thelocal.se/8736/

In 1961, rose breeder David Austin released the fragrant Constance Spry to the horticultural world, re-igniting the love for colorful, fragrant English Roses.  Since then, David Austin has developed and released over 200 varieties of roses, beginning his eponymous company in 1969.  While prized by gardeners and horticulturalists alike for nearly 30 years, David Austin's beautiful roses were not widelay available as cut flowers for florists.  So, in 1992, the David Austin Company began developing varieties which could be used for the cut flower market.  In 2004, Emily (now known as Cymbeline) and Patience were the first two varieties released to the floral market.  There are now 5 varieties available to florists, and 2007 marks the first year the David Austin English Roses are widelay available in the US market.  Grown and distributed by Green Valley Floral in Salinas, CA, they require special cooler growing conditions for maximum beauty.

When fully open, English garden roses resemble a peony in appearance, with lush colorful blooms and a delightful fragrance.  Their large heads and thin stems mean it's still some time before garden roses are suitable for vased arrangements, but they are perfect for bridal bouquets and special event work, where appearance and fragrance are prized over vase life.  Two of their gorgeous roses are shown below.

"When fully open, the blooms reveal many neatly arranged petals nestling in folds within the heart of the bloom. The soft, peachy shades of Juliet combine well with other colors, creating a feeling of warmth and romance."

Green Valley also entered these roses in SAF's Outstanding Variety Competition, and we have some photos of their additional varieties below.

Miranda "Spectacular rose-pink blooms made up of many wavy petals, perfectly arranged to form beautiful, almost flat rosettes.  The outer petals have a lovely streaked green effect, which adds to the garden style."
Patience "When fully open, these roses portray a sense of grandeur from yesteryear."

You can see Green Valley Floral's selection of garden roses at http://www.greenvalleyfloral.com/gardenroses.htm.  While we do not normally stock these flowers in our shop, they are easily available for your wedding or special event work.  If you want garden roses as part of your wedding, contact us for a consultation--we'll be happy to create all of your wedding floral needs (remember, we're in the Butler/Pittsburgh PA area, so if you're not around Pittsburgh, check with your local florists instead).

For a history of David Austin Roses, check out http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/Advanced.asp?PageId=1906.

Did you miss the Days Inn 2007 Fall Bridal Show?  If so, this is one of the bouquets we made for the event.  This gorgeous hand-tied bouquet featured antique green hydrangea, dusty miller, lavender mini calla lilies and vendella roses.  Approximate price $350-$400.

Instead of trashing your dress in a grungy urban setting, how about splashing your dress at a beautiful beach?  Local photogs Paul and Cyndy Meyer at White Ribbon Design have been having Splash the Dress photo sessions, and have posted some of the results on their blog.  If you're looking for an alternative to the alternative of what to do with your dress, think about a kinder gentler photo shoot.

Splash the Dress - August 14th session

Splash the Dress - August 25th session

Could this photo be any more beautiful?  If this is your type of thing, you need to call Paul and Cyndy.

<update 2007-10-27>

We saw Cyndy and Paul a couple of weeks ago, and she let us in on a little secret--many of the photos you see were taken in the same dress!  They have a loaner dress you can use for you phot session so you don't ruin yours.  In between sessions, they have it cleaned, and it's nearly good as new each time.  Since most of it is under water in their shots, no one will know!

Create your free wedding countdown clock, which you can embed in e-mail, use in your forum signature, or add to your wedding webiste.  Choose from a number of different designs, completely free from When Is My Wedding.  A sample countdown is below.

For a different style of countdowns, have a look at Daisy Path's free wedding announcements.  Instead of a countdown, these are more of a timeline to your wedding day.  You choose from several different timeline styles (such as the sunflower below), one of three markers (such as the doves below), then add some text and even a small image of your own.  These also can be used in e-mail, or forum sigs, etc.

Did we miss any?  Please let us know in the comments!