I have never seen anyone dance Tango in real life.
{little embarrassed, kinda blushing, is it hot in here?}
ahem.
I completely fell in love with my couple as they danced their first dance: a Tango.
They look like they have been dancing together for many lifetimes.
It was....magical. I am moved by stuff like this because it is just the ultimate display of love, simple love. Two souls dancing together.....UUGH! It almost makes me sick, lol!
Let me start from the
beginning:
{A Tango Wedding}
Here are my lovely ladies drinking water. When the bride emailed me a few weeks ago asking if I would not only show up of course as her DOC, but also, if
I could fill in for her florist, I was super excited because my
Indie Bride wedding really left me wanting to do the flowers for another outdoor wedding and with the season fast approaching it's end, I thought I would have to wait till next year. So ever since that email I have been searching for the right flowers to encompass everything that she requested in a bouquet
- Not perfectly round
- Garden-y
- Pops of yellow
- Orchids( because her she and her husband share a love of Orchids)
- Pink, but not pale pink
- Textured, but not off the hook
- Wispy and whimsical
- Oh! and blue with a nice collar.
Whew! :)
So I have been looking around the flowermarket and finally settled on this recipe:
Yellow Billy Buttons, 4 different Statice variations and colors, Orange Vanda Orchids, Yellow Oncidium Orchids, Pink Cymbidiums, Lavender Dutch Iris, Hot Pink Fancy Roses,PInk and Blue Berries, Galax leaves, White and Purple Scabiosas, yellow and hot pink Rununculi, and Pink Altromeria.
These are two of the arrangements that would sit at the guest book table and by the fireplace.
I slid Paper Source Ribbon in "Lake" at the base of the neck to tie in the colors to the linens.
The venue was gorgeous!
I would recommend the
Marin Art and Garden Center to anyone.
Here is one in action outside. Doesn't it just POP out against all the green?!
Why yes those are pink and blue berries you see. :)
Here is the Brides Bouquet sitting at the table in a Mason jar.
The best compliment she gave was this:
"I knew it was going to be good, but this is gorgeous!
Every time I look at it I see something new."
YESSS!
She got me.
That is exactly the reaction that lets me know I am on the right path in life.
If I can bring someone a bit of happiness through my expression in floral art, then I'm good.
She probably doesn't know that what she said to me will stay with me all my life. :)
I'm certainly not going to let flowers go to waste so I brought extra jars with me and after the cake lady placed what she needed on the cake I used the left overs on the back tables.
Then Jen( my lovely, brave, very-hot-in-90-degree-weather assistant) and I set up the centerpeice. Lemons in a low bowl with blossoms on them. How refreshing and bright they were against the blue linens. Check out her table numbers.
Don't tell me they aren't adorable! Haha, they are so cute naming this table Orchid.
Here is her DIY guest board for the guests to sign in advice and wishes for the couple.
There also is the Maid of Honor Bouquet.
She told me to use the miscellaneous items anywhere I saw fit.
Pretty huh?
Again, using left over flowers so that nothing goes to waste. I bought a tall mason jar to use up there a few days before thinking I would put something delicate up there on the Mantle.
I love the "B: and "M"......doesn't hurt that they are my initials!
Here' s the Photobooth that was set up for the guests to take advantage of. Every time I walked by it I encouraged whoever was nearby to take a picture and would just randomly throw them that hot pink boa! They must have thought I was crazy!
So the the couple made their entrance and as they waited around up there after saying a few words they danced!
I took an opportunity to catch a glimpse of her super cute fuchsia high heels!
The day was truly divine for them, the weather started to cool down from the intense heat earlier in the day but it was perfect because it was warm enough to be outside without a sweater or jacket.
Okay.
Break in the story.
These are "confessions of an aspiring floral designer" after all, so rather than skip over it, I'll share. Maybe a bride out there or another DOC can learn from my mistake.
Yes, I know I skipped the ceremony.
But only because that sucker was fast!!!
When they said short and sweet boy did they mean it!
18 minutes people!!!!!
We met earlier in the week to finalize things and I suggested to them they run through the ceremony because I have had couples say the ceremony would run the average 45 minutes. Always 45 minutes.
Well I have some read it through and go an HOUR and some read it out loud to discover it's really only 20 minutes.
I got an email later in the week saying it was more like 30 minutes.
Ok, no prob, let's adjust to finish 15 minutes less than we planned.
Well after I made sure she made it down the aisle, I set my timer for twenty minutes to go and walk the reception area and finish the last touches and find the velum lampshades that were GONE.
I sent Jen with the instructions "Can you go see if they are still getting married?"
She comes back smiling, yes, they are!
Then about 5 minutes later someone comes over and says they are done.
WHAT?!?!?!
My alarm never went off because it had only been 18 minutes since she got to the aisle.
I have never not been there for my bride when she came back down the aisle.
I ran over there like a bat out of hell to find them in the area we talked about them running off to so we could get her bustled in.
I have never been in that situation and I cannot tell you how mortified I was.
I sincerely apologize with my entire heart to the bride and groom.
WAHHHH!
So anyhow
Happy Thoughts, Happy thoughts!
We will move onto dinner.
Since we were ahead of schedule, everything slowed down a bit.
So while the rest of the food made its way to the buffet table.
The couple danced!
I stole a picture of them. I'm like a little spy with my camera, no?
Sage Catering had excellent food! The staff was wonderful!
Then the MOH made her speech during dinner as well as the best man.
Let me tell you about the Best Man.
I always keep my eye on them because they seem to always forget their drinks and are usually scrambling to get something in their hands when they finally finish and say:
"To the Bride and Groom!"
So I'm watching him and sure enough, he realizes he's up, he takes a swig, stands up, claps his hands and takes off without his drink. So I beeline to his table to get his drink and as I am walking up there towards him, he cracked a joke saying
"Hello my name is BestMan and I'm an alcoholic!"
Just as I am within 3 steps from him and so I shove his drink in his hand and keep walking.
He looks down at his hand and at me and at everyone laughing and he starts cracking up!
So thank god he said something funny because usually it's just really uncomfortable for me to just walk up to the BM to give him his glass. :)
Then we moved on to the cake that was decorated so beautifully!
Sally from
Forget Me Not CakesI cued the bride to change into her pretty tango dress.
Forgive the lighting.
While the cake was whisked away to be cut, the groom explained to the guests that they were going to dance a tango to a special song. I won't botch up the story by attempting to recreate it, ya just had to be there.
I love her expression:
I just married the love of my life......
Then, they started to dance a tango like I have never seen before.
I tried to take pictures, but I couldn't capture the look on their faces.
Eyes closed.
Moving gracefully across the floor, like they have been dancing together all their lives.
Small smiles in the corners of their mouths, faces serene with love one moment, scrunched up with passion the other, peaceful on certain notes of the song.
It was a beautiful display of balance, passion, trust, and love.
Beautiful.
I kept turning around to smile at Jen and say did you see that? After the third time I thought, okay, you look like a little kid. After the fourth time I thought, I don't care. This is sweet.
Then when the song was over they invited the best man and maid of honor for a dance and when the music started they made the crowd laugh by dancing Boy/Boy and Girl/Girl, hehe.
Then it was time for me to pack it up and leave.
I thanked the Couple and said goodbye.
{And they lived happily ever after}
When we got to the rose color I assumed she would have picked a dark burgundy or a cream and so when I asked her to picture what we had sketched in her mind and then to tell me what color she envisioned in the roses,
For the check in table we had a simple arrangement set up of the nice big burgundy succulent, the caramel roses, magnolia, mums and china berries.
We also had one sitting on the bar that fit perfectly in a little tiny platform.
This has been my favorite wedding combo yet!
