20 years in Merry Making

The San Diego Association of Bridal Consultants celebrated last Tuesday - 20 years of amazing networking. Bringing wedding consultants and vendors together, bringing a new level of professionalism to the industry, and fortifying our roles as colleagues who work best when we work together- the ABC in San Diego has played a very important role as our city's wedding market developed and continues to boom.
Rae Florae was honored to provide floral centerpieces for the event!

For the Love of Cake provided a classic 3-tier that we adorned with precious johnny jump-ups, poppy, and african daisy blossoms.

Honoring the 9 past & current presidents of the San Diego ABC, we created corsages of orchid blooms that they could choose to wear with either a magnet at the shoulder, or as a bracelet on their wrist.. and, yes, those are slap bracelets :)

Our centerpieces were a fresh combination of baby green hydrangea, coral colored coxcomb, and locally grown varieties of white firework agapanthus, lisianthus, vibrant orange and peach alstroemeria, in a ring of white carnations and satin ribbon for unexpected kick.

The light flooded the room of the La Jolla Bridge Club, and the view of the water was an appropriate backdrop as we talked about how much San Diego offers for weddings.

Thanks to Jen @ Pink Star Design for the perfect programs and Sabrina @ La Dolce Idea for coordinating a wonderful event!

Yellow Yellow Everywhere!

One weekend at a time, folks.
We've been having so much fun around here that I am already backlogged on photo posting! Starting at the beginning of spring let's take a gander at Jamie & George's spring nature fest.

I swear I felt like breaking into "the hills are alive..." like Julie Andrews as I was taking these pics of such fresh yellow and white ranunculus on the bluffs of La Jolla, surrounded by shady Torrey Pine Trees....

Sweet flower girl basket of white rose petals with kermit mums on the handle.

Cocktails in terracotta- cool dusty miller for that smooth gray-green, yellow ranuncs, white roses and statice.

Hanging baskets along the aisle full of locally grown goodness- ranuncs (because they're in season and beauteous!), wax flower & eucalyptus- giant dogwood branches along the shepherd hooks made the effect complete!

More ranuncs, chamomile -aka feverfew- blossoms, hydrangea, and dusty miller for the tables.

And sweets for my sweets! yummy cupcakes from Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. adorned with feverfew blossoms, kermit mums, and fatty yellow ranunculus; dogwood branches meandering through the goodies.

Celebrate Earth and Oxygen! (& get a free book :))

You knew I had to post for Earth Day and Arbor Day! Two wonderful reasons to put on your thinking cap, gardening bonnet, close your eyes and give thanks for the awesome splendor of our world.
In honor of April 22nd-Earth Day and today, April 24-Arbor Day, I want to do several things..

1) To REDUCE/REUSE/RECYCLE I would like to open my library of floral design books to the public. I have so many wonderful books on flowers and floral design and I will gladly give...

***10 people a book of their choice from my library!***

There's Vera Wang Weddings, books by designers Jane Packer and Paula Pryke from England, the list goes on...
2) To ENCOURAGE MORE NATIVE PLANT APPRECIATION for Southern California's wealth of beautiful flowers and trees, I want to provide links for 3 of the best places you can go for information, pictures, and purchasing of the right kind of native plants for you. There are SO Many beautiful, flowering native plants for this region that there is just no need to plant another pansy or petunia!
Check out your options & look at the pretty pictures-

Tree of Life Nursery, San Juan Capistrano
www.californianativeplants.com
Recon Native Plant Nursery, Otay Mesa
www.reconnativeplants.com
Las Pilitas Nursery, Escondido
www.laspilitas.com

Now go breathe deep and hug a tree!

Sweet Peas at the Prado

What a lovely setting for our monthly Weddings of Distinction meeting! Thank you to everyone at the Prado, notably Andrea Pena, for coordinating a delicious lunch in the Loggia Room. Amy Wright of Theorie (one of our newest members:)) was on hand to snap the shots- Thank you for making the beautiful colors of our flowers really shine!

Purple sweet peas and fun papaya-peachy-buttery ranunculus in a glass vases set upon a palm leaf and surrounded by river pepples in a mahogany wood tray.

Oh yeah, how pretty is the Loggia Room! Those colors just popped in the soft setting of gold and sea green! And the wall of windows overlooking the courtyard... so nice.

Now we've got the addition of fresh lavender and leucadendron all wrapped in horsetail (equisetum) and an orange satin ribbon. BEST PART.... IT'S ALL LOCALLY GROWN RIGHT HERE IN SAN DIEGO!! Check out the potential for fun and beauty!!

Yours truly on the left, with the awesome Kristie Emmons from Continental Catering and the always fabuloso Elaine Ardizzone from Sweet Cheeks (a familiar name around here :))

Go Green Goodness

You asked and you shall receive!! All the Rae Florae flower detail shots from the Premier Green Event at the New Children's Museum (thinkplaycreate.org).

Our tablescape centerpiece of locally salvaged birch bark, moss branches, and wildweed- colorfully accented by pink ranunculus blooms from Carlsbad, Ca.

Peachy pin-cushion proteas from Valley Center, Ca adorned with a spring-time appropriate hummingbird :)

Table settings of locally nurtured, mini-pink kalanchoe plants in ceramic bowls on bamboo plates. Each personally hand drawn label highlights a way we incorporated green goodness to our table- local flowers, recycled paper, low water use, salvaged goods, natural fibers, etc.

Can't leave out the sweet chairs! Single proteas and pink alstroemeria from Bonsall, Ca tied with lime green mesh and sheer white ribbon for a little raw edge :)
Thanks to Concepts Party Rentals for the chivari chairs, avocado satin linen, and bubblegum pink napkins!

DJ Jerry Beck got decked out! Surrounding his sleek sound system under the crazy cool wooden latice sculpture/structure with locally nurtured plants- papyrus reeds, horsetail equisetum, camellia, bromeliads, and maidenhair fern- all from Leucadia, Ca or right here in Ocean Beach, Ca.

More pin-cushions and flutterbirds for your fancy- this time in electric yellow with pink tips, set upon a natural raffia placemat for the belly bars in a glow of green uplights.
Gotta Go Green!

Green Premier Party

St. Patrick's Day, the greenest day of the year is manana and what better way to celebrate than with a doubly green party! This is San Diego's first green event planning vendor showcase!
Come see what Rae Florae can do with live plants and locally grown, sustainable flora! Among all the other cool things that will be going on... :)

The Green Premier Party 2009 is an evening of eco-friendly food and fun at the hottest new venue in town, The New Children's Museum and brought to you by Plan It Green.

Amazing organic & local cuisine will surround you all evening, compliments of ChileCo Catering, ECO Caters, Waters Fine Catering, Urban Kitchen Catering and Culinary Concepts.
A well stocked bar offered by Best Beverage Catering will include a selection of wines donated from Prince Of Wine who will be at the event to tell you about their special wine selections. Also, our downtown Omni Hotel has generously offered us an additional selection of wines to please a wide variety of tastes. We even have Joe's On The Nose offering you an Organic Espresso Bar to give you that lift for the evening.

Our charismatic DJ, Jerry Beck from Beck's Entertainment will be keeping us in the mood with his collection of ambient tunes emulating from the lower level of The Museum.
Of course, no event would be complete without the décor! The New Children's Museum will be decked out inside using battery operated LED lights from Beck's Entertainment, linen and lounge furniture rentals compliments of Concepts Event Design and eco-friendly floral design by Embellishmint Floral & Event Design Studio and Rae Florae.

Our vendor showcase on the 3rd level of The Museum will include a collection of eco-friendly vendors from Earth Friendly Apparel Co, Angel Printing, Wherever Shuttle (100% vegetable oil driven limo and shuttle service will be on display outside), Pulse Staging (providing exterior lighting powered by a solar generator along with our digital signage), REC Solar and more.
We are also excited to have a very talented local artist, Chris Martino that will have his work on display as well as be painting on used surfboards.
Lastly, but very important to mention, we have Zero Waste San Diego organizing and executing our zero waste management solution.


Break out your best organic clover and join us in making our St. Patrick's Day 2009 celebration the greenest ever!

March 17, 2009
7pm-10pm
$25 per person. Includes admission, 2 drink tickets, food, entertainment and education.

A portion of your admission will be used to purchase carbon credits with Nature & Culture International. One of their representatives will be present at the event to tell you how your admission will help their efforts to save rainforests, endangered eco-systems and help build and sustain local communities.

The New Children's Museum
200 West Island Avenue
San Diego, California 92101
The Museum is well positioned near the Amtrak station at Santa Fe Depot and Convention Center Trolley Station.

Street parking will be available.
We encourage you to use public transit or use icarpool, and help reduce greenhouse gases, slow global warming and improve air quality.

Rock-n-Roll!!

Who doesn't like to support a bunch of people running in white Elvis suits with enough studded rhinestones to be dangerous without sunglasses?
We were happy to participate in the Rock-n-Roll Marathon's Health Expo on Friday and Saturday in conjunction with EcoCaters. Offering all organic catering and locally grown sustainable flower arrangements seems a match made in health heaven, goodies for your tummy and your happy well-being.
Artichoke flowers and Granny Smith apples mix with scented geranium, bright gerbera daisies, and parakeet heliconia..

Shades of Green

I am personally very excited that everyone else is getting excited about Green Weddings. Green weddings are not a fad; they are here to stay, just as recycling and reusing, they will eventually become the norm. That is not to say that everyone will be wearing hemp wedding dresses and putting potted succulents on their guest tables, but there will elements of eco-consciousness available at every turn. Choose to use locally grown flowers and recycled glass vases like we did for Hans & Shannon in yesterday's post. Choose to gift your live orchid plants to your aunts and uncles or the neighborhood elementary school's science class. Choose to not go to excess when designing your wedding- Reduce is after all the first of the 3 R's. Choose a florist who cares. Yesterday the Association of Bridal Consultant's monthly meeting focused on Green Weddings and of course, I was more than happy to provide the florals seeing as how Going Green is right up my alley ;)

Wanted to be sure and showcase the lovely local selection- every flower you see here is grown in either California or Mexico. On the top we have pale yellow Stock flower with a nice fragrance to boot, pow factor orange and yellow tulips (two thumbs up for also being Veriflora certified), and the exotic looking Banksia protea, which have naturalized here in San Diego from Australia. On the bottom, we have a base of lavender purple Statice flowers, targets of red-orange Gerbera daisies, and neon mauve dahlias to seal the deal. (I feel like I'm narrating a fashion show!)
Anyhoo- great meeting yesterday hosted by the lovely Water Conservation Gardens at Cuyamaca College, informative and humorous presentation by Rene van Rems - International Florist Extraordinaire (btw, I want your job:)), and organic dining by EcoCaters. Check Heather Moreau of Vallentyne Photography's blog for her post on yesterday's event, too!