The very talented Holly Turville of Holly Fleur Fine Floral Design wrote this article about planning a wedding and she lists off some essential points to creating your dream wedding! I asked her if I could post the article here on the blog to share with my Brides and other readers, she was happy to oblige! I had the great pleasure of photographing Holly last November and seeing some of her stunning bouquets and other floral creations! She is so talented and creative and I urge any brides that are still looking for a florist to call Holly, she will help make your floral dreams a reality!

By: Holly Turville of Holly Fleur

Holly Fleur~ www.hollyfleur.com

Become a fan on Facebook! ~ Search: Holly Fleur

775-297-5850

1. Make it perfectly personal.... Think of you two as a couple. What perfectly represents the pair of you?? Your love for quirky vintage books? Your adoration of the outdoors? Your obsession with 1940’s jazz? Whatever it is, USE it in your decor. It will set the tone and create a mood that is undeniably you.

2. DIY.... Seriously consider taking the time to channel your (or your mother’s!) inner “Martha”. We all have it in us somewhere. Creating fabulous vintage looking fabric squares out of inexpensive fabric (for example) can help “eat up empty space” on a table that you have decided to place a smaller centerpiece on. So will adding special touches (think coordinating “trinkets”!) to your tables. www.etsy.com is a great source for crafty yumminess.

3. Collect.... Gather items of collected pieces that you love- and use them on your tables!!! Do you have a fabulous collection of vintage milk-glass? What about inexpensive mason jars? Do not be afraid to ask your floral designer to use something that you already have. It will save you tons of money in buying or renting vases.

4. Stay inspired.... Reference the hottest wedding blogs to get inspiration from other brides! www.stylemepretty.com and www.greenweddingshoes.com are fantastic resources for keeping current on what is going on in the wedding world.

5. Think outside of the box.... Gone are the days of ultimate formality. Essentially, with wedding decor- anything goes! If you and your sweetie adore your grandma’s key lime pie, skip the cake and serve it for dessert! Incorporate limes into your decor, use a lime (or a pie!) on your Save-the-Dates and invitations! Do not be afraid to be quriky and unique! Your guests will love the attention to detail you have paid!

6. Stay focused... With the internet at our fingertips, it is easy to fall in love with all sorts of new ideas. Find an idea you love and run with it! Do not stray from your path and purchase unnecessary items or change your master plan. Spend your time wisely, picking up coordinating, complimenting accents to make your day even more beautiful!

7. Spend some money on renting nice linens..... Nothing is more attractive than a well dressed table. Linens set the stage for the beautiful centerpieces that your guests will be enjoying throughout the evening.

8. Be realistic.... We all love the glossy pages of Grace Ormonde and InStyle Weddings. Featured weddings are gracing the pages of these publications because they are extravagant- and with extravagance comes a cost (a high one!). Be prepared to receive some sticker shock from your designer if you must, must, must have nothing but garden roses and peonies (which we adore, by the way) on every table.

9. Plan wisely... Set a budget and bring it to your consultation. Be forthright with it. It is easier to guide a client down a smart-spending path than to guess at what she can spend. We are here to help you create something beautiful, within your budget- that you can then take and accent with your own personal touches.

10. Book early... Not only does booking early secure your date and make it all yours- it also allows you plenty of time to do some personalizing, DIY, collecting, inspiration-searching, thinking, focusing, reality-checking and planning! I am here to guide you through those steps- all the way to your BIG DAY!