Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

What inspired you to start your business?
Although I grew up in NYC, our backyard was full of flowers. As a little girl and with each new season, my mom would walk around with me and would name the little shoots and buds that eagerly pushed up out of the soil. Many of these flowers would be cut for enjoyment indoors and to give as nosegays to our teachers: snowdrops and crocuses, violets and daffodils, wild roses and peonies, and scores of others.

I’ve always had little arrangements when I was little or from wildflowers picked alongside a country road during my college days in Ohio. Although most of my work was in baking, coffee shop tables would be graced with a little arrangement.

As it goes with many folks introduced to the wedding business, my first bridal flowers were for a close friend’s wedding. She and her guests sincerely loved them. After I sold my cafe and decided to hang up my flour-covered apron, I had a long conversation with my parents whilst figuring out my next venture. What have I always loved since I was a child I asked. My father said that was easy: flowers. Although I found myself traveling and living abroad the next few years as a guide and teacher, I held on to that idea.

Several years later, returning to the States with my own wedding to plan, I designed the flowers; I was my second client. Our wedding was recently featured in the Knot Georgia magazine and January of 2011 marked the official beginning of Urban Poppy.

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

What options for customization do you offer?
Every bride is unique, therefore, so is every arrangement and bouquet. I explain to brides that I am a wedding floral designer, not a florist. This difference, I believe, allows me to place my full attention on each bride and design around her individual style. So I guess it would be fitting to say that all of Urban Poppy’s flowers are custom.

If you could give one tip to couples who are planning a wedding, what would it be?
A general tip would be try not to change your style and color palette every month. In other words, once you have chosen your look, whether it be modern, romantic or vintage (just a few examples) and the color palette, make sure they are a reflection of you and try to stick with them. There are so many gorgeous ideas and photos out there; like regular candy, too much eye candy can make you feel a little overwhelmed as well. This allows your vendors the time they need to truly capture your look and create a cohesive vision.

Another strong word of advice for any out of town destination bride is to invest in a reputable wedding planner, whether it be year of, month of or day of. They only seem like an unnecessary expense until the bride is running around in her Vera Wang sweating in 100 degree heat trying to arrange chairs and guests and figure out where the band is and are they really in the right historic square? Excellent planners are worth their weight in gold. This day was meant for you, the bride, to enjoy, not to have a nervous breakdown.

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

What is something that most people don’t know about your biz/you?
My background is in graphic design. As a designer, I’m not just thinking of whether the flowers are the right colors; I’m thinking of the dress, the cake, the bride’s personality, the color of the table linens and the season. Designing is creative problem solving. I love creating unique and wonderful florals for my brides. I could create the most beautiful arrangement, but if it’s not what my bride was imagining and wanting, I’ve failed as a designer.

What is your one must-have item/product/tool to have on-hand when you’re working?
My clippers and some good tunes.

If you had to choose one word (or phrase) to describe yourself/your business what would it be?
Beauty (not, myself; I’m cute that’s about it, lol). I love being able to create beautiful work in a gorgeous environment. Sometimes the arrangements really shock me when they are finished with how lovely they are. I give all the credit to the flowers

5 Things that make you happy?
Aside from flowers, of course …
A good book in a sunny spot with my cat.
The sunrise and watching baby squirrels wake up and play in the tree outside my sunroom while I’m drinking a yummy cup of coffee.
Traveling and living abroad with my gypsy husband.
Playing soccer with the boys and stealing the ball from under their noses.
The smell of the sea and the distant sound of a ship coming to port. It is the sound of a promised adventure.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
A reminder to brides to enjoy their whole wedding weekend. Many of us women really do have a hard time delegating and relinquishing control. Especially if you are a DIY bride, plan well and delegate tasks early to folks you trust. Work with vendors you trust and like and that really take the time to help you and explain things.

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Junolese

The term “pavé” is French for “paved” and basically describes floral looks that are completely covered with flowers having a relatively uniform profile. Everything is packed tightly together, for a lush, textural look. Wondering where you might have seen this look before? Well, this is the method used when they make those Rose Bowl Parade Floats, but also works well for creating unique wedding arches, centerpieces, pomanders, and escort card flower beds.

Rose Bowl Float Flower Close-ups…

Photo Credit: Studio G

A fabulous pavé floral arch and pomanders down the aisle…

Photo Credit: BHG

Pavé flowers can be all one type–like a mass of carnations OR they can be a mixture of blooms, textures and foliages all similar in overall height. This method is also used when making flower-covered monograms, wreaths, pomanders, and floral ring bearer pillows.

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Zuzu's Petals

Photo Credit: Adam Nyholt, Photographer

Photo Credit: Kuga Designs

Photo Credit: Pepper Design Blog

Photo Credit: Swann Soirees

Photo Credit: Bustled Blog

This look also works for topiary-style designs…

Photo Credit: JSanchi21 on ETSY

Photo Credit: Botanicals, Inc.

The ceremony arch made for Nick Lachey & Vanessa Minnillo’s Wedding last summer is one of my favorite examples of pavé flowers.

Photo Credit: TLC

I’ve even seen some very lush tables entirely covered with pavé flowers and textures…

Photo Credit: Cedar Hill Florist

Photo Credit: The Wedding Chicks

Do you love this look? Are you going to rock some pavé flowers at your wedding? Here is some more decadent inspiration to win you over!

Photo Credit: David Tutera

Photo Credit: Luxe Finds

Happy Planning!

Photo Credit: Google

There are a lot of flowers out there that our mothers and grandmothers might refer to as “weeds” but {surprisingly} some of them can actually function as beautiful wedding flowers. My favorites include Queen Anne’s Lace, Thistle/Eryngium, Scabiosa and Scabiosa Pods. These weedy blooms are totally trend-on and perfect for combining with more traditional flowers to create a unique, textural mix for both wedding bouquets and centerpieces.

Photo Credit: Kara Schultz | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Hazelton Photography | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Anne Designs

Photo Credit: Rebecca Shepherd Floral Design

Photo Credit: Rebecca Shepherd Floral Design

Photo Credit: Rebecca Shepherd Floral Design

Photo Credit: Precious Pear Floral Design

Photo Credit: Sophisticated Floral Design

Photo Credit: Southern Weddings

Photo Credit: Grey Likes Weddings

Photo Credit: Lila B

Photo Credit: Cori Cook Floral Design

Do you plan to include some chic weeds in your wedding?!

Photo Credit: Lou Gonzalez

What inspired you to start your business?
While working for other florists I quickly realized that until I owned my own company I couldn’t thoroughly unleash all my creative capabilities. I decided then to get my business/marketing degree so that I could rock out in the business end and the design world as well. The inspiration to open the store came from my parents instilling in me that It’s important to find a job and career that I love to do every day, they didn’t want me to be waiting for the weekend to come on Monday (which out of my first round of college I saw a lot of my friends doing). So my husband and I decide to open the store the first year we were married, so that I would have my happy place to work every day and be able to tell my kids I am getting to do everything I love every day and encourage them to do the same. And we are now due to have a baby boy this January, I am sure he will bring much more inspiration in to my life and my business each and every day as well.

Photo Credit: Lou Gonzalez

What options for customization do you offer?
Everything is customized here. We don’t like to create the same thing twice so we will take inspiration and tweak to accommodate each client’s needs.

If you could give one tip to couples who are planning a wedding, what would it be?
Enjoy it!!! Let your imagination take over, you don’t have to do everything that’s been done before, start a new tradition.

What is something that most people don’t know about your biz/you?
I still get nervous even after 16 years in the industry before delivering each and every event. I take dealing with someone’s once in a life time affair very seriously.

What is your one must-have item/product/tool to have on-hand when you’re working?
Red landscape snips and my floral knife. I am lost without either of them……and my iphone so I can keep track of emails coming in.

Photo Credit: Yuka Photo Art

If you had to choose one word to describe yourself/your business what would it be?
Fun or Inspire. If it’s not fun we need to change it up. Our phrase “ Sure it’s great to be inspired but it’s much more fun to be inspirational.”

5 Things that make you happy?
Flowers
Color
Anything design
My super supportive husband
My rocking staff

Photo Credit: Tammy Swales

Photo Credit: Yuka Photo Art

Photo Credit: Tammy Swales

Photo Credit: Erich Camping Photography

Photo Credit: Heather McKay

Photo Credit: Yuka Photo Art

Photo Credit: Tammy Swales

Photo Credit: Tammy Swales

Photo Credit: Images Unveiled Photography

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

As a florist, fresh flowers are of course my favorite thing to work with–but lately I also am loving fabric, lace and ribbon flowers–especially when mixed in with real blooms! I also love seeing them worked into necklaces, wrist corsages, ring pillows and fascinators. They have a much more unique, one-of-a-kind look than silk flowers, they hold together better than dried flowers, they are fancier than paper flowers and they last way longer than fresh flowers–so what’s not to love?! I have collected some of my favorite fabric flower looks below. There are some made of satin, organza, felt, lace, ribbon and other miscellaneous fabric materials–but the one thing they have in common is they are all awesome!!!

Did I mention I have included some DIY projects below on how to make them? Well–I did, so ENJOY!

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Hazelton Photography | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Hazelton Photography | RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Hazelton Photography | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Hazelton Photography | RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Hazelton Photography | RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Kara Schultz | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kara Schultz | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Redwall Photo | RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Redwall Photo | RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Redwall Photo | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Redwall Photo | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Redwall Photo | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Krumpets Designs on ETSY

Photo Credit: SolBjou on ETSY

Photo Credit: Autumn and Grace Bridal on ETSY

Photo Credit: Likron on ETSY

Photo Credit: Petite Peanut on ETSY

Photo Credit: RiRiFisch on ETSY

Photo Credit: SolBjou on ETSY

As promised some Do-it-Yourself Projects…(click on the images to jump to the tutorials)
DIY felt flowers:

Photo Credit: Craftiness is not optional

DIY ribbon flowers:

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

And just some more eye candy made by yours truly…:)

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Brian Kinyon Photography | Kio Kreations

As a boutique wedding florist, I am totally excited about this year’s trend towards TEXTURAL, colorful bridal bouquets. I cannot wait to make a ton of beautiful bouquets using mixed materials–from fancy flowers to pokey pods to chic succulents to winding branches–the possibilities are endless! And fear not brides–color is your friend. A textural, colorful bouquet will totally pop off your dress in photos–so feel free to keep the dress silhouettes more simple and sophisticated and leave the rich textures for your bridal bouquet!

Here is a collection of some of my favorite textural bridal bouquets. They are AMAZING!

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Joel Cookston Photography | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kara Schultz Photograph | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Tara Etrheim | Kio Kreations & RBK Creations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Hazelton Photography | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kara Schultz | Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Tonya Peterson Photography

Photo Credit: Anne McGowan Photography

Photo Credit: Flowers by Snapdragon Studio

Photo Credit: Elegance and Simplicity

Photo Credit: Brida and Bloom Flowers

Photo Credit: Ashley O'Dell Photography

Are you embracing the trend towards texture for your bridal bouquet?

When trying to think of creative ways to make roses exciting on your wedding day, consider using roses in both the traditional ways and in new details for your wedding day. Roses can be added to your hair to add a sense of whimsy and romance. They can also be added on your shoes (as shoe clip) for an added fashion couture look. Some other lovely ways to incorporate roses on your wedding day can include having your flower girl sprinkle whole roses instead of just the rose petals, this will add a little more romance to your day.

For more ideas on using roses in your wedding day just look below:

Photo credit: Bragging Bags

Photo credit: Francis Joseph Photography

Photo credit: marthastewart.com

Photo credit: Amorology Weddings via itsajaimething.com

Photo credit: Clairelafaye

Photo credit: Bragging Bags

Photo credit: Martha Stewart Weddings

Photo Credit: JonathnFongStyle.com

Photo Credit: RachelRayMag.com

Photo Credit: CharonelDesigns

Happy Planning

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Branches are an awesome addition to weddings held any time of the year. They are versatile and textural and come in many shapes, colors and sizes. From birch branches and curly willow branches to flowering branches and manzanita, there is no end to the ways you can branch out at your wedding…

Birch Branches

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Table Art

Photo Credit: Object Splendor

Photo Credit: Sprout

Click HERE DIY instructions for making icy branches

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Curly Willow Branches

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Manzanita Branches

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Danielle Aquiline featuring Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Flowering Branches, Kiwi Branches, Berry Branches & Other Misc. Branches…

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: Kio Kreations

Photo Credit: The Newlywed Diaries

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart

Photo Credit: Heavenly Blooms

Photo Credit: The Gardener's Eden

Photo Credit: BHG

Having seen all of this branchy goodness–are you ready to branch out?! How do you plan to incorporate branches into your wedding?

Photo Credit: found on forum.daviddicke.com

The poppy is a classic flower but very modern at the same time. Groups of red poppies are just stunning! If you’re looking for a variety of colors, try adding other flowers with pinks, peaches and yellows hues.

Photo credit: SD Wedding Insider

Photo credit: Pinga Amor

Photo credit: Martha Stewart Weddings

Photo credit: & Unlimited Photography

Photo credit: Wed Savvy

Photo credit: Meredith Perdue

Happy Planning

You could use yellow daisies, buttercups, chrysanthemums … even dandelions!

Photo credit: found on LindemanWeddings

Photo credit: found on Bubbly Bride

Photo credit: Stephanie Williams Photography

Photo credit: Martha Stewart Weddings

Photo credit: found on Ashley's Bride Guide

Photo credit: found on Four Winds Weddings

Photo credit: Jen Huang Photography

Happy Planning