Burgeoning Blooms...

Beware: Big Doesn’t Beget Beauty

More flowers don’t give you more look— rather, they just give you more to look at.

Now, please don’t misunderstand us. We’re big on blooms… in fact, they’re at the root of almost everything we do (wink, wink)!

Courtesy of Smirnov Weddings for La Petite Fleur

A tall arrangement doesn’t necessarily mean high-style, so don’t blow-off collections of containers or centerpieces that utilize accessories, like specialty candle holders, when considering your centerpieces. And flowers are inherently beautiful, so the right variety, color and cylinder can make an impression without being over-the-top. So for a simply sophisticated look, stick with a cluster of uber-chic alliums in a pilsner vase and finish off the look with an assortment of cubes with floating flowers and candles.

Photo of Bouquet Designed by LPF, Courtesy of Smirnov Weddings

And as far as bouquets go, pretty and proportionate are the priorities. You invested some serious style energy (not to mention money) into your gown, so don’t be tempted to select flowers and, ultimately, a bouquet, that will mess with the dress. We implore you to share a picture, not just a description of your dress (and your bridesmaids’ dresses) with your florist to design a bouquet— sized for your stature— that complements, rather than competes with, your look. So, if your gown has intricate detailing, particularly flowers on the bodice— a bloom with clean lines, such as a calla lily, will offer just the right juxtaposition to be petal perfect.

However, at the root of our message is that size matters just as much as the beauty of the individual blooms. So whether you’re talking personal flowers or reception decor, ensure you discuss proportions with your florist because too sparse a look is just as un-fabulous as too much look.

Pattern Up Your Party

Photo courtesy of SAS Becker Creative Photography

Now, when we say “patterns,” we’re not talking about china.  We love when our clients transcend the stand-alone color palette for their wedding by infusing their décor with damask, swirls, caning and, even, textured fabrics.  It adds character and class. 

Patterns aren’t limited to stripes and polka dots, nor are these designs restricted to the preppy look any more. Alternating white and pale pastel stripes, and color-on-color oversized dots can be used to evoke a vintage look.  Meanwhile, wide stripes in a deep tone-on-tone presentation offer a sophisticated impression.  Of course, we also love damask in every size and color, especially because it’s fabric inspired, and goes so well with rich florals.

Photo courtesy of Wren and Field Photography

For sure, patterns can infuse traditional affairs with unexpected elegance and more casual or outdoor events with sophisticated fun. However, be aware that patterns can easily go awry. So, when you find yourself devoted to a design, refer to these rules for keeping your stripes straight and your cirques from swirling out of control.

• Find inspiration. For a bride, this can be as easy as looking at your gown or talking through your and your finance’s personal style with your event designer.
• Resist a rainbow connection. Don’t mix pastel and primaries, or vibrant with muted tones.
• Be mindful of your color palette.  Use related colors to tie the patterns together. Choose distinctively different designs-- like a wide stripe and a paisley in the same palette.

And now you probably want to know the right places for patterns in your party décor. Read-on you reception renegade:

• To start, the place and medium can be unexpected.  Let a pattern in on the action with your bouquets.  Blooms themselves can bring a design to the table, like the Vanda orchid, which appears to have polka dotted petals. Or, confer with your floral designer regarding ordering a custom ribbon to wrap your stems.
• Then remember, your stationery can say a lot about your event’s style, so it’s the perfect place to debut a damask with a specialty paper. Talk with your stationery designer about paper selections and/or designing a logo for your event that uses an element that you’d like to feature throughout your affair—from invitations and table cards, to a dance floor wash and linens. 
• Finally, flowers and décor are primed for pretty patterns. Talk with your floral/event designer about playing with (or on) the patterns from your stationery suite for to accent your room décors—from the linens and centerpieces, to the place settings and table cards—your reception offers a myriad of marvelous opportunities to infuse patterns and, subsequently, character.

La Petite Fleur is Blushing with Pride!

It’s official… La Petite Fleur is a 2011 ­­Winner in The Knot Best of Weddings!

The Knot Best of Weddings List is a special section in The Knot magazine and on TheKnot.com and is a must-have for couples when it comes to selecting the best-of-the-best wedding resources in their city.

So naturally, La Petite Fleur is blushing with pride!

And how does The Knot know the who’s who in the wedding biz in cities across the nation?  Well, each year, this leading wedding resource asks recent brides to rate and review their wedding vendors to compile the “best of wedding pros” list.

So how did it all happen for LPF, you ask? Well, you see, it went a little something like this:

The proposal: “Will you review us,” asked LPF of its client with sincerity?
The reply: "Yes,” said our brides (and grooms) enthusiastically!
The engagement: Couples logged-on to theknot.com following their weddings and posted glowing reviews.
The big day: On March 17th, LPF received a 2011 Pick Knot Best of Weddings award for Philadelphia/Delaware!

What now? La Petite Fleur lives happily ever after—designing weddings and events— as a proud 2011 winner in The Knot Best of Weddings!

And for us, the best part about being a “best of,” is having been picked by our very own brides and grooms… not to mention industry peers as well!

So in the end, what we really want you to know is how grateful we are for the couples who partnered with us on their special days because, as you can see, they are special to us, too!
 

We’re “In,” Again! (Oops, we did it again)

Our design team prides itself on being in tune with clients, in front of trends and once again… in Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book Blog with the fall wedding of Amanda and Wes.

When the artful eyes of Style Me Pretty’s editors caught a glimpse of the “Green & Aubergine Scene” La Petite Fleur made at Huntingdon Valley Country Club for this couple’s wedding, they wanted to see more.  And then, what they wanted even more was to share the event’s design with all brides- and grooms-to-be. 

And we, well we were smitten with the idea of showcasing not only one of favorite looks, but one of our most collaborative (and beautiful) couples! 

So with the help of Lori Gail photography, and Lorraine Dailey Weddings, we are “in” the prestigious blog with detail shots of Amanda and Wes’s delicate blooms, vibrant pallet and stunning style—which against the lush, classic backdrop of Huntingdon Valley Country Club— is both a bride’s and a designer’s dream!

So what are you waiting for… an invitation to the blog? Well, you’re in luck (even if you’re not Irish). 

We, the design team of La Petite Fleur, formally request the honor of your presence at the wedding of Amanda and Wes as seen on Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book Blog.   

And while you’re at it, be style-forward… send these stunning scenes from Amanda and Wes’s big day to every former, current or soon-to-be-bride you know. Believe us, they’ll want to be in-the-know about who and what is in… style.

Hot Dog, Who? (Charlie, Take a Bow)

Photo courtesy of Smirnov Weddings

This bologna's second name is C-H-A-R-L-I-E... Hot Dog Charlie, that is.

Forget bubbles and skip sparklers, Hot Dog Charlie Carts, Cheese Steak Stations, Water Ice and Krispy Crème Donut Bars are serving as the grand finale at many weddings. And we love every delicious one of them!

Not only are we big fans of creating a big "to-do" when sending-off the Mr. & Mrs., but when bidding farewell to guests, too.  The photo ops are fabulous and guests will feast on the served-up fun, particularly after 'cutting a rug' all evening.

We must warn you though that when selecting such tempting touches be sure they are kitschy, not "kiddy," as in you hired the weenie cart crew from your nephew's birthday party. Even the coolest of cheese steak carts can appear just that, cheesy, if not done classily.   

So, for a wedding finale with flare, follow our recipe for sophisticated fun:

• Keep it simple and offer just one type of food that can be eaten with your hands
• Dare to offer carb-concentrated fare, which hits the spot after cocktails and conga lines
• Be smart when choosing a cart and ask your venue or event designer for a referral
• Play with your food and rename the fare for the two of you or to tie-in a theme
• Talk with your event designer about creating a personalized sign, menu, wrapper, etc.
• Call an audible and request your DJ/band announce the cart's arrival and location
• Put your photographer on notice so he doesn't miss Aunt Faye feasting on a foot-long  
• Safeguard your schedule and have the cart serve guests as they're leaving, so as not to cut-into reception time 

Love's on Fire

La Petite Fleur was a hot spot this Valentine's Day! Our team warmly greeted waves of customers (new and familiar) throughout the holiday weekend with everything lovers love to give (and receive)-- from confections and jewelry, to blooms.

This year, our rose arrangements were wrapped in 'hugs and kisses.' Wraps are a design element we (and our events) are known for. And although we won't kiss-and-tell about how they're created, we will say they are nothing less than fabulous! High-quality, upscale design is at the heart of our every effort. So of course, our roses didn't stand alone in a well-dressed vase, nor did they "wear" the fillers many florists favor. Rather, our roses were arranged with lush hydrangea and tropical leaves, which made their way into many of our floral selections this season. What can we say? We like it (our design) hot.

Of course, our Love's on Fire Valentine's theme permeated our confectionary selection, which featured old-school Hot Tamales, couture hand-crafted chocolate hearts that read 'Light My Fire' and 'Hot Lips' by Anna Shea and Indoor S 'mores Kits by Three Tarts. We searched high and low for delicious, lovely packaged, tummy yummies and hit the jackpot.

Centerpiece and 'Perfect Match' table card design by La Petite Fleur. Photo by SAS Becker Creative Photography.

Photo of table scape designed by La Petite Fleur by SAS Becker Creative Photography

Lastly, igniting our hottest of holiday themes was our sultry window display, which boasted the ultimate sweetheart table-- complete with matchstick table number, "Mr. and Mrs." place cards, flame-inspired linens from Choice Party Linens, and chiviarri ballroom chairs and china by Party Rental, Ltd. At the heart of the display though was a massive tissue paper heart and "fireball" arrangements by the La Petite Fleur design team.

Photos courtesy of SAS Becker Creative Photography.

And although we're heartbroken to see this holiday go, we're psyched about what lies ahead.

Setting Your Sights on a Single Site?

Planning on getting hitched at one of the Philadelphia-area’s fabulous historic estates? Or thinking of tying the knot in a rustic suburban barn?

We’ve seen a lot of non-traditional wedding venues in the past year. In fact, we’ve seen a lot untraditional approaches to the “big day” recently. Many couples are moving away from ceremonies at a place of worship-- opting to exchange vows on the links, by the river, in quaint gardens and along ocean fronts. 

Photo of Cairnwood Estate, courtesy of Lori Gail Photography

So, if you intend on saying 'I Do' at the same location you do your first dance, ensure single-site set-up a success with these steps:

Invest in an insightful invitation. Invitations are a fabulous way to give your guests the information they need in advance to really enjoy themselves. Perhaps include a card with the history of your venue, and a little snippet about why it’s the perfect place for your special day. Be sure to include specifics about special requirements for parking and travel arrangements. Or, consider including details regarding attire—for an August wedding in the garden, guests should plan to dress comfortably.

Take care, hire a coordinator. Never underestimate the value that an on-site coordinator can bring to managing the logisitcs of your day. This is especially critical in the single location wedding. You might be thinking that it would be easier to manage if everything takes place in one spot. Not necessarily. Challenges could arise--especially when you're just renting a space without a built-in kitchen, furniture or caterers. Someone needs to be the point person who directs your vendors and guests, and helps manage your timeline. 

Walk this way. Especially when you're celebrating in a non-traditional way, consider that your guests may not be familiar with the venue or how you've planned your day. Consider custom signage (in addition to point-people) to help inform and guide your guests where to park, leave their belongings, and enjoy a cocktail.  You may even want to offer a floor plan of the mansion, with information about where food stations and entertainment are located.