Trade you my cigar for your dahlia...

Terri & Erik!! These two had such heart and genious style, it was fate that we spoke on the phone late one night and they shared their ideas... I was hooked and here are the results! But first, check the heart-shaped toe peeps on her shoes- so cute!

Love those smiles!!!

Our beautiful bride, Terri with her deep red orchids....

Her bouquet of deep purple & black miniature callas, black magic roses and a multitude of monkey tails! A cuff of bright indigo purple statice and a butterfly brooch finish the details.Stylin' groom Erik with his shades... boutonniere of a single black calla, deep red orchid, and fiddlehead fern.Gorgeous sunny day at the Rancho Bernardo Winery.. garlands of fresh green leaves, black magic roses, and bright red butterflies framed their special moment.So cool! Step 1: Remove cigars. Step 2: Add flowers. Red roses, wine colored dahlias, and purple seafoam statice.. Favors were coasters fashioned from wine corks, two together, neatly tied with ribbon.

I just love the vintage pictures on each of the cigar boxes- no two were alike except for this pair on the Sweetheart Table; each one added a fun punchy flavor to the classic red & black color scheme.

Butterflies being very sentimental to Terri & Erik, the day wouldn't have been complete without a few on the cake. Amazingly delicate, crystalline sugar butterflies flit from tier to tier with the orchids, roses, and monkey tails.

Thank you to Acres of Hope Photography for the awesome captures &
the adorable Krystel of Couture Events for coordinating a perfect day!

Lilies for Lilly

Lilly & Neal had the most miraculous ceremony- seriously, it was raining on and off all day, and like magic- the sun came out just long enough for us to decorate the canopy at Seagrove Park and have the happy couple walk down the aisle! No sooner had the guests arrived at the cocktail hour, than the drizzling resumed- luck & happiness surely follow them still.

Lilly loved her namesake flower, so we were sure to include them in her bouquet- both the pink and white miniature calla lilies, as well as the fragrant Stargazer, surrounded by white freesia and creamy vendela roses.

We love the dusty mauve color of these Ravel roses! With just a touch of pink bouvardia and chocolate brown ribbon lining the aisle...

Details of the bridesmaid bouquet with those same pretty Ravels, more roses & white hydrangea, wrapped in chocolate satin.

Ceremony cabana topped with full clusters of big, bright stargazer lilies and eucalyptus at each post.

Check the adorable custom color shoulder wraps for the bridesmaids- happily posing to show off their pop against the chocolate dresses :)

Elegance at dinner- tons of votive candles to reflect on the glass brandy vases and simplicity of floating rose blooms...

Au natural reception decor befitting the Del Mar Powerhouse outdoor patio- river stones and curly willow mix up the lilies, eucalyptus, and Queen Anne's lace.

Pink, pink, pink! & and some chocolate.. yummy cake layers with sweetly trailing bouvardia around Esperance roses.
Congratulations Lilly & Neal!!

Thank you Amy & Maurice from Theorie for the awesome pictures!!

Flowers for a Revolution

In this life, there are boundless opportunities to make more of a situation. This generally begins with a little bit of service, generosity of spirit or material goods; and results in an exponential multitude of love given and received right back where it started.

In general, my posts are consistent- flower features based on my lovely brides & grooms, unique blooms, and stories of their day. For a special cause, I am breaking routine and bending your ear- for as we have something to offer, you have something to gain :)

By clicking this link or the image above you, will be able to bid on our flowers for your wedding at a deeply discounted price. We are part of a industry-wide collaboration to benefit one of our own. Besides flowers from Rae Florae, there are auctions currently running for DJ's, photographers, invitations, and everything else you could possibly need for your wedding. Take advantage of the amazing vendors who want to be a part of something good and need you to bid on our offerings to complete the circle of support.

Please, check out the following blogs for more information.. and inspiration.

Your wedding can be part of an even bigger picture-make a contribution that befits a celebration of your love!! BTW, Bidding ends this FRIDAY, May 7th so hop to!!

Rae Florae featured on the *REVO weddings* Blog

The blogpost that started it all... Suzanne Hansen of She Wanders opens her heart...

Peggi Walker's Blog - Cre8Love

xo- Paula Rae

Flames of Flowers

Victoria & Balasz wanted to celebrate their wedding in a very intimate manner... after being friends for a long while, the time had come to bring the family from near and far to sit around one long table...

Our beautiful bride, Victoria. In graceful repose on an adorable chaise at the La Jolla Darlington House.

Handsome groom Balasz's boutonniere of two red mini-garden roses and a cymbidium orchid.

Unassuming, naturally designed ceremony flowers to encircle the couple as they said their vows before family and friends in the Darlington courtyard...

Warm color palette of peach, rusty oranges and burnt browns and reds- lilies, hops, safari sunset, eucalyptus, roses, coffee berry, and antique hydrangea in scrolled iron stands. So begins our long tables... the Head Table punctuated by black budvases of bright red dahlias and floating candles.

Various textures and colors interplay down the length of our sweeping guest tables.

Bright yellow cymbidium orchids in a scattered bed of natural river pebbles..

Classic red garden spray roses drape diagonally for a new perspective.

Detail shot of Cobra Lilies- just one of the many unique flowers chosen to add diversity and depth in our arrangements- nothing ordinary about these tubular shaped specimens!
Congratulations Victoria & Balasz~ many blessings to you!

Nature's Texture

Christy's flavor for organic movement in the flowers, earthy colors, and stylized beauty was a story told best by her flowing bouquet of hellebores, orchids, fiddleheads, lisianthus, dahlias, and berzilia...

Contrasting simplicity of the Bridesmaids suited their royal purple dresses- papyrus flairs out around baby succulents, hydrangea, orchids, and lisianthus.

Outdoor decorations were simple clusters of kiwi branches, equisetum, lisianthus, and berzilia along the railing above their ceremony.

Table centerpieces of glass vases wrapped with variegated leaves surrounded by flows of polished river rock...

Hydrangea, dahlias, thistle, cymbidiums, coneflower, creamy coffee berries, strawflower, sew shades of blue, indigo, green, white, and pops of orange into the lovely Loggia Room at the Prado Balboa Park.A favorite flower for the couple and their family- Birds of Paradise- true to San Diego as their destination wedding location, adorned the cake with pizazz :)

Christy & Philip were one of the most enthusiastic couples I have ever been blessed to meet, so designing their wedding was an absolute work of artistic gratitude :) I wish them many, many years of happiness.. xo

Thank you to Aaron at AS Photography, I heart AS Photo!!

Crystals, purple, and pearls.

Lindsay's bouquet was a real stunner- beautiful composition of peonies and cymbidiums with their individual petals pinned with pearls to create a rounded shape, showing off the crystals sparkling in their midst.

Her bridesmaids picked up where the fuchsia left off- tones of deep grape purple and citron green in scabiosa, dahlias, vanda orchids, baby hydrangea, and amnesia roses.

Lindsay & Jeff's wedding cabana was lightness and romance in sweeping sheer fabrics.. crystals dangling with orchids in the sun, on the bluffs of Seagrove Park in Del Mar.
Cutie pie enamored by purple rose petals along the aisle :)

The happy couple!

Cocktails, toasts, and dinner were enjoyed on L'Auberge's rooftop terrace.. table centers of purple orchids and dahlias, crystal ice and glass baubles with candles galore.

Dancing the night away downstairs, Lindsay & Jeff's cake was revealed center stage- brilliantly colored orchids accented the tiers with the intricate icing details and bling topper!Fantastic coordination as always by Swann Soirees!
& major Thank you to the team at Jim Kennedy Photographers!