Off to the Races

And so it starts.......

Wedding season.......

This weekend officially marks one month of straight booked wedding season weekends - already.
But the good news is....so far so good! actually I still have people booking for this year - which is great. However - I'm starting to think I'm a glutten for punishment, I'm getting pretty full and am thinking I should start saying 'no' but I meet these brides and they're so excited for their weddings - and I just want to be a part of it!!! So anyone anywhere knows where to find me - Thursday through Saturdays - either chained to a workbench....or in a church or reception hall somewhere in Southern Ontario.

The past few months I have been doing my best to launch my new website - which is gorgeous, amazing, stylish, beautiful etc etc..... trying to bridge the gap between internet provider and website designer however is a different story - and I'm finding it difficult to get both worked out appropriately - but keep your eyes peeled, because once I get at it - it will be great!!

My latest challenge is revolving around a piece of fruit.....Preston Bailey - if you don't know who this man is, look it up.
He's one of the most amazing floral designers ever - he's the guy all the rich people and movie stars hire to do their functions and weddings.....I have 2 of his books -'Fantasy Weddings' and 'Inspirations' To be quite honest with you - it's like a floral designers porn!! LOL The absolutele most beautiful arrangements and colours you will ever see, and drool over.
One of his signature styles is to create sculptures of flowers - animals, fruit etc....
Now I am trying to figure out the mechanics of creating an enormous, 4 feet tall pineapple, made completely out of fresh flowers - sunflowers and palm leaves - it's a challenge.
The hard part if figuring out what to create beneath the flowers to shape the appropriate base - however working with small blocks of oasis...it becomes complicated!
I'll keep you posted - trust me, one of these times, you'll see the picture on the Facebook group - and be in awe!!
On a personal note - I've become seriously addicted to the twilight books, and am now working my way through the 3rd one....it's great - however I'm nervous about starting the fourth - as I heard it's the best, but don't want the saga to be over - it's like eating the most delicious dessert in the world - slowly and enjoying it, it's way more fun to inhale it! LOL
It's inspired me to think I should write a book - if I could get the plot and find time to write it...but apparantly my body requires sleep - so this becomes a problem

I've been working with my boyfriend on the yard outside our house - it's a slow process, and physically labour, using out entire wait to heave shrubs and growth out of the ground - but it's coming, our 'tamed' flowerbeds right now with nothing in them are an improvement.
My green thumb seems to be specialized more in flowers without roots - but I'm improving -

Keep checking Village Vines Facebook - for pics weekly - they just keep coming.

Destinations!!

Hey!

So - I wish more people would do this....all the girls that work for me were so excited when I was done. I had a bride request artificial bouquets for her to take south for her wedding the end of the month - and they're beautiful!!

She was telling me that when you book your package a bouquet is included, however you can't specify what you'd like or pick any colours or anything....which sucks - because what if it's terrible???

This isn't the first wedding we've done this for, but what an excellent iea - everybody packs their bouquet in their suitcase, fluff em up before you use them, and they're ready to go, and a wonderful keepsake for afterwards!

I've included some pics of them in the blog - tell your friends!

A new Year!

Hello....to anybody who still checks and reads this!!LOL

I cannot believe that I haven't posted to this since October...I should definitely be ashamed of myself, because I love reading other people blogs and checking up on new happenings!!

So - my goodness where to start!!

2009 is off to a wild and chaotic start. I am full-blown wedding mania here these days, and are spending 95% of my time meeting with brides, pricing quotes, emailing orders and making appointments with people. I am proud to say I have currently booked between 50-60 weddings ALREADY for 2009 season. Not including the 6 we had between January and February (which is a lot for the off months)

We worked through and completed yet another Valentine's Day. Mind you this year being a Saturday, it was a little slower than last year, which is normal for a weekend, so we slightly downscaled our order, and still sold out and had a very successful Valentine's week/weekend!

Mind you - I also decided to take on 2 weddings that day, so if we were slower for Valentine's we still had just as much to do!

I'm glad February is winding up...as much as time flies, I'm looking forward to a change of seasons! A bit of spring would be a welcome change.

So...very exciting news!!

For anyone who knows - we're members of theweddingring.ca for the London region. Recently they conducted a survey of brides in the London area asking them who their favourite wedding vendors were and why. I t was advertised on the radio and through the web as well as ads!!

I was ecstatic to discover Village Vines was voted #4 of the top ten!!! We were the only florist to make the list - and #4 at that!! I'm so excited!

We'll be participating in the Ironwood Bridal Show again this year - check out the Facebook group by searching "To Have and to Hold Bridal Show" or go to http://www.bridaleleganceexeter.com/ for more info. It was a huge success last year - so we're definitely looking forward to it again. I have also been voted to be the MC for the evening - who is going to have a fair amount of speaking to do....so look out!!

A New Season

I can officially say - that I have survived another wedding season - successfully. I can also say - that I don't think there's any quicker way to make half a year go by!!! This past weekend, I did three weddings - all of which turned out stunning, and is also the last weekend in our solid weekly bookings that began May 17. Now.....I have weddings booked for November, December January and February....but not the steady pace that has been taking place - so I feel a little less overwhelmed. So begins the Christmas season!!! Our entire staff worked their BUTTS off this past weekend, as we hauled hundreds of boxes up from the basement and filled the store with every sparkling gem jewel and bead you've ever imagined!!! It looks amazing!! I've shifted my focus from weddings to the holidays....for now anyways!
Let's see.....wow - what's new here????
Well - our first ever Christmas design show is taking place next week. I've never done anything exactly like this - so we'll give it a shot. We're going to Ironwood Golf Club to present a design show, and all of the attendees will come here to the store afterwards, for discounted shopping, wine, food, door prizes....etc.etc. We've sold out of ALL of our tickets, and are expecting 135 people who have already purchased theirs and are commited to coming. WOW.
The WedLuxe magazine will be coming out shortly, I think they told me December?? Can't wait to see it!!~! We did some feature bouquets for it, that we had to DRIVE to Toronto for the photo shoot - but it'll be so worth it when they are published!
The bridal show the end of September was a huge success. We've booked several weddings from it, and will soon be thinking about the next one.
My calendar for November is quickly filling up with decorating dates -which is great!
I'm looking forward to trick or treating on Friday with my SKUNK!! Hopefully the weather turns out for the evening!
We've also switched the whole store over to a computerized order system. It actually makes life so much easier, gives us WAY more informations and keeps track of things much better than before. However like anything, it's taking a little time for everyone to get used to it...but it'll come!
We're participating in the Exeter Christmas Home Tour, as well as holding an open house at our Arva store on the 15th of November. This time of year is always SO busy!!
If you're bored stop by - it looks amazing, and although the front of the store looks great, the backroom and downstairs is a completely different story! LOL

Wow....I cannot believe it has been over a month since I have added anything to this!

In the last month....hmmm. let's see - we've done a ton of weddings - which, you can see all the pics on Facebook.

Last weekend we had 8, and delivered/setup all - and everything was perfect, what a relief!

This weekend we have one wedding - which is a nice break from the craziness.

Next weekend - we're participating in the Bridal Show at Western Fair - which is going to be awesome - for anyone who's going, my booth is going to be GORGEOUS!!! It's a lot of work though - and I've got a lot of bouquets and arrangements to make in the meantime.

As well, we have a wedding next weekend in London at the Best Western Lamplighter - which is going to be all beautiful fall colours - I'm looking forward to it.

Not only is all this going on - but WedLuxe magazine is having a photo shoot on Friday, and we were asked to create 2 feature bouquets to be in their next issue as part of an editorial or something....this is awesome - however.... we have to deliver the bouquets to a photo studio in downtown Toronto between 9-10am.....we'll see how that goes!

Anyways, before you know it we'll be switching the store to Christmas - and I can't wait.

I get all pumped up and keen about the change of seasons, and when I walk through the basement here and see numerous boxes of merchandise packed to the rafters....I just want to get it out and show people.

We're having a Christmas design show on November 3, which is something new that I'm trying out. It will be hosted at Ironwood Golf Club - and we'll be showcasing design tricks, different Christmas decorating ideas, and the lastest colours and styles in Christmas. After, we'll be coming back to the store for cocktails, refreshments, and discounted shopping!!!

We're currently selling a limited number of tickets for the evening, call if you're interested.

Personally, I'm happy because I love fall, from now until Christmas is the absolute best time of the year, I love the colours at work and outside - there's nothing better.

I'm possibly moving in next couple weeks, which I'm not looking forward to, packing and unpacking things, then deciding which cupboard or drawer to put it all in, it's exhausting.

I think moving has to be one of the most unpleasant things to do - but it happens right??

We have been booking weddings for next year like crazy!!! I can't believe how many weekends I already have booked for the summer, and even into the fall! It's great though - because that's the funnest part of a flower shop in the summer.

Well - check things out in the store - and Christmas will be out the last weekend of October.

As for me, what I think is a couple weeks, turns into over a month - so I will do my best to try and update this crazy blog a little more often than I have been, becuase of course with fall/Christmas season upon us I have WAY more spare time!! LOL!!!

Hello!!

Yes I am still alive!! Everyone's been wondering where I dissapeared too, no pictures, no blog.......

Well.....besides being the usual - unbelievably busy - I was able to get myself "oh so very sick" and was no word of a lie - in bed recovering for 5 days straight.....actually the last 2 weeks I've been only here to do my wedding work and that's it!

BUT - I am now better than ever! and back at it full tilt.

I've posted up pictures to the Facebook group - of weddings the last weekend in July. The blue/green/ivory went to Stratford for Susan, the pink/browns/burgundy went to Janelle - in a backyard wedding here in Exeter, and the purple/green/ivory went to the Riding Club in Sarnia for Laura's wedding - all on July 26. It was a big weekend - and everything went perfectly!

In the meantime I made some AMAZING enormous dried/artificial arranged outdoor pots for a gorgeous home near Bayfield - I do have great pictures of them which are worth seeing....but they're 'on' my camera, not on my storage card, and currently my cable has been 'misplaced' somewhere, as soon as it shows up - they'll be up for show.

We also did 3 weddings Aug 2, Angela at Hessenland, Katie in London, and Kate at Oakwood in Grand Bend. Due to me being under the weather - I made an exit as soon as they were finished, and neglected to take photos to show you.

Last weekend we did Nicole's wedding in London - which was all purple orchids - which were gorgeous....again, forgot to take pictures.

BUT - this weekend, I am with camera.....and we have Tiffany on Friday night at Hessenland, Renee on Friday at Benmiller Inn, Terri on Saturday at Hessenland, Julie on Saturday at Oakwood, and Emily on Saturday in London.

Every wedding this weekend is completely different, we've got yellows and whites, pink roses, tropical and exotics, blue orchids and white roses, and artificial pink calla lilies.

I PROMISE to take photos - and they'll be WELL worth the wait!

You MUST make sure you get the next copy of the Wedding Ring's Bridal News...not sure when it's coming out - should be anytime - I was asked by the girls in charge if I could create 3 different bridal bouquets to be featured in the magazine in a floral trends feature they were doing for their next issue. I really created some neat bouquets, with lady's slipper orchids, de-petalled sunflowers, golden leaves......anyways - you get the idea - I can't wait to see the photos - I'm sure they turned out Incredible!!

Other than that....the weddings are still keeping us incredibly busy...and lately I've been spending a lot of time meeting with brides for next year!

Personally myself......Other than the odd pool date with my Isabelle - there's nothing too out of the ordinary. I've been spending my time recovering from the crazy virus I found somewhere, and have been trying my best to take it easy.

I can't believe summer is almost to a close....but in the same sense...our Christmas stock has been flowing in here like crazy, and it does get me excited for the upcoming fall/Christmas season here - it's always the most beautiful in the store.

Mark your calendar to check out the pictures next week from this upcoming Aug 16 weekend - there'll be a lot to see, and be absolutely magnificent.

Well......I said I'd try for weekly...right?? LOL

Let's see......where has the last 2 weeks gone. We've been going crazy around here that's for sure. Last weekend we did Meghan's wedding at Hessenland - if you check the Facebook group - all of the pictures are posted.......there's too many to put them all on here. It was absolutely stunning - reminds me of why I love my job. They just let me loose, and everything turned out incredibly. We've been doing weddings - lots of weddings. I'm working on 3 this weekend.

1 is in Stratford - Susan's having bright blue and green hydrangeas with ivory gerbras - it's going to be gorgeous.

2 is in Exeter here, and Janelle's having antique pink/burg/ touch of mauve bouquets to go with her chocolate brown - it's going to be amazing.

3 is in Sarnia - at the Sarnia riding club. I have to be there to set-up at 9 am on saturday.

I'm slightly nervous - I have a very small period of time to do all the decorating (mantle, 6 chandeliers, table centres etc) and I'm not really all that sure where I'm going - definitely going to be a mapquest job.

I posted a few Facebook pictures of some random bouquets......I'm pretty excited about them. They're being taken to Kitchener today to be professionally photographed for 'floral trends' article coming in the next Wedding Ring Bridal News magazine. I can't wait to see them!!!

Right now I'm working on some enormous outdoor decor pots for a lady's home near Bayfield - they're spectacular. I'm pretty sure I'll be delivering them in the next couple days......how I'm going to get them there is another issue.......

I've also got 2 ladies homes I'm working on in London right now - doing some decor and floral pieces for them.

This weekend is sidewalk sales in Exeter - we'll have all of our odds/ends and stuff I'm bored with out on the street for half price. Check it out!

The girls are pricing more new Christmas merchandise right now.....you'll hate me for saying I can't wait until I can put it out!

You've probably guessed I don't have a lot of spare time right now by the sounds of it - which is ok.........I love my work!!

On a personal level.......well - I guess you can read it above. Working is about all I've been doing lately (other than sleeping and eating) I think I have a slow week coming up in a few......and I plan on getting out of town and disappearing for a couple days!!