The Power of Flowers to Relieve Stress and Increase Productivity

With winter and the holidays fast approaching, it’s easy to forget to take a moment to breathe and relieve stress trapped in the body. If you find yourself looking for a simple way to reduce anxiety, give flowers a chance to brighten your perspective. In 2005, Rutgers University conducted a study on the effects of flowers on our mental hygiene. Across all ages and genders, flowers were found to improve emotional health by triggering feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and social comfortability.

Peonies via Traditional Home

The easiest way to reap the benefits of flowers is to simply place them in your home. The results of a study conducted by Dr. Nancy Etcoff at Harvard suggest placing flowers by your bedside, so they’re the first thing you see when you wake up and start the day. Participants reported having a better outlook throughout the morning after placing flowers throughout the house as they went about their morning routines. Placing flowers in the foyer or dining room welcomes guests into your home with a burst of positivity and inclusivity.
Read More

Paper Flowers via Hey Wedding Lady / Flowers by Balushka Paper Artisttry / Photo by Elisheva Golani

Planning & Inspiration

The Ancient Art of Paper Flowers

by admin

Using paper flowers at your wedding opens up a whole new landscape of colors, sizes, and shapes with which to construct your vision. Even if you’re positive you want real flowers, one quick Pinterest search for “paper flower wedding” is enough to send your imagination reeling with new ideas.

Paper Flowers via Hey Wedding Lady / Flowers by Balushka Paper Artistty / Photo by Elisheva Golani

Our Wedding Coordinator, Jasmin Norwood, is also a skilled artist and paper craftsman who took a completely DIY approach to her own wedding, from her dress to her florals. “I come from a family of artists, weavers, potters, jewelers, and people who work in glass, ink, and wood,” says Jasmin, “Looking at natural things and attempting to render them in another medium is something we’ve just always done in our house. When my husband and I decided to DIY our wedding, I looked at every production area as a place to “make”, so making the dress and trying to hack the florals was an obvious place to start.”
Read More

Planning & Inspiration

Alternative Bachelorette Ideas for NYC Brides

by admin

Your bachelorette party can be the perfect chance for a wild night of drinks and debauchery, but maybe you want to spend some more intimate time with your closest friends, sharing a unique experience you might not otherwise get to do together. Here are a handful of ideas for NYC bachelorette spaces to inspire you and your leading ladies.

Spa Day

Moonshine Spa at Le Parker Meridien

Where better to unwind with your best friends than at the spa, getting pampered from head to toe and relaxing all your wedding worries. One of our favorite venues, Le Parker Meridien in Hell’s Kitchen, features an entire floor devoted to rejuvenation and relaxation, including a dry bar, manicures/pedicures, full-service lash and brow and to top it all off, the gorgeous speakeasy-style Moonshine Spa for luxurious massages and facials.
Read More

Planning & Inspiration

Festive Fall Cocktails

by admin

As the changing leaves and brisk winds have us reaching for our favorite sweaters and jackets, we’re also warming up our palette with delicious autumnal flavors. And if you’re planning a fall wedding, no doubt your cocktails will include some seasonal favorites. Need some inspiration? You’re in the right place. We rounded up five fall cocktails perfect for an autumn celebration – be that your reception, your bachelorette party, or simply a Friday afternoon with friends.

The Apple Cider Mimosa

What’s not to love about mimosas? Simple, sparkling, and now – seasonal! Turns out apple cider and champagne most definitely mix. This recipe from The Cookie Rookie includes an adorable glittering rim and apple slice garnish.
Read More

Thai Floral Garlands via Thai Top Wedding

Planning & Inspiration

Floral Wedding Traditions from Around the World

by admin

It’s easy to take for granted the wedding traditions we know so well, such as the first dance or tossing the bouquet. But our wedding ceremonies, rituals, and festivities vary greatly from culture to culture, including how we incorporate blooms & botanicals. Today we take a look at some floral wedding traditions from around the world, from competitive garland-giving to double bridal bouquets.

Italy

Italian Wedding Car Flowers via Whimsical Wonderland Weddings / Aynhoe Park / Alexa Loy Photography

Italian Wedding Car Flowers via Whimsical Wonderland Weddings / Alexa Loy Photography

We’ve all seen movies where the bride & groom clank away in their decked out wedding car, but in Italy it’s often a reality for the couple to make their first exit as man and wife in a car covered in fresh blooms. As they drive off to wedded bliss, passersby will honk and shout “Auguri!” to wish the new couple a long and joyous marriage.
Read More

Planning & Inspiration

Wedding Trends: Geode Cakes

by admin

It doesn’t take more than a quick Pinterest search to see that wedding cakes are getting more and more spectacular. From intricate sugar flowers, to 3D printed cake toppers, to candied frosting so shiny you can see your reflection, there’s no denying today’s cakes are true works of art.

Geode Cake by MJ Cakes

Meet the geode cake – the latest dessert craze that imitates a crystallized gemstone to create a show-stopping spectacle, straight out of a fantasy film.

Geode Cake by Whisk Cake Company

Geode Cake by A Squad Cake Shop

The geode is composed of three different sizes of rock candy and granulated sugar to create a sense of layering and natural texture. Modeling chocolate is then used to hold the geode in place and blend it into the fondant icing. All in all, a geode cake can take up to 2 weeks to complete.
Read More

Planning & Inspiration