2010 has been loaded with memorable brides, and weddings. I am so pleased to finally share the images from Alison and Chris's wedding this past Spring. Alison and Chris married at the Dumbarton House in Georgetown. Many of our current weddings are being held for submission with either magazines or blogs. Saving them and not sharing them on the blog, has become a true act of patience or a certain kind of torture. Yesterday Alison and Chris were featured on the Brides Guide blog with Martha Stewart Weddings. We were so honored to make our debut appearance with Martha Stewart weddings. This wedding was a true team effort, and I was thrilled to be working with Ritzy Bee Events, Kate Headley Photography, Design Cuisine, Chris Laich and The Dumbarton House.  Thank you to all the vendors involved, it was clear when Kates first images came in, that we had created something totally awesome.

I remember every little detail about this wedding. Allison came to me with an inspiration book she had created. The designs that appealed to her were natural but elegant. Due to the fact that she was having a "dessert and dancing wedding" we wanted to keep the flowers comfortable and inviting. Allison had requested a bouquet that was made of all blue flowers. At one point I think we even talked about light blue hydrangea, but that just seemed to pale and uninspired for this very vibrant and beautiful bride, so we decided on dark blue. Allison needed something unique and very special but blue can be difficult because there are not a lot of flowers that are truly purely blue, deviating to dark purple was not an option, so she said. I intended to use dark blue hydrangea, blue hyacinthus, blue muscari, blue thistle, blue privet berry, and blue delphinium. The day before her wedding she stopped by my house to drop off a few last minute items, we kissed goodbye, and seconds later she called saying " hey, you know those purple flowers at the end of your driveway, you can use those also." Ha, that was the money shot, she was giving me permission to use my dark purple lilac, so I whacked it right from my garden seconds after she left.  When allison allowed me to use the purple lilac, I added the purple anemones, and purple monkshood. It was the purple flowers that made her blue bouquet so beautifully blue. We also used dusty miller, rosemary, and seeded euc to add a sage blue or steel blue grey to the designs.  Her bouquet was bound with a vintage handkerchief, in fact I believe I used several different pieces of vintage lace.

 In an effort to keep this unique and totally Allison's, I suggested the use of the sahara rose for the maids bouquets. I needed a lighter toned flower to give her contrast against the blue maids dresses, but I did not want to go to white flowers because that would be to expected. So I used the taupe roses called sahara with a mix of the all the blue flowers of the day, we did use a lot of thistle and dusty miller in these designs. Ribbon for the maids bouquets was purchased on a buying trip in SFO and I was thrilled with the result.

Bouts and corsages are always enhanced here, they are little mini pieces of art. The grooms bout was made with blue thistle, rosemary, viburnum berry and delphinium.

Maria of Ritzy Bee had explained that there would be a collegiate theme and that she and the bride wanted a mix of vases. The bride had gathered a full set of white trophies and a full set of blue vintage vases, and I added old pewter cups, or silver trophies to the mix. I kept the blue and white separated throughout most of the wedding. All white flowers went in white vases with pops of thistle or blue berry and all blue flowers went into the blue vintage glass. In the centerpieces we used all the flowers of the day but we also added, white ranunculus, white tulips, white stock, and white spray roses. There were also awesome buffet pieces in large silver trophy bowls.

One of my favorite pieces of the day was the design I created for the wall at the ceremony site. In true Holly Chapple fashion, I saw the empty spot and designed a piece from my "doctor bucket," In other words I used leftovers.  The piece had thistle, delphinium, monkshood, anemone, my lilac, and aggies. I remember putting in whatever was in the bucket. I loved putting that piece together, I really thought it needed to be there so I just couldn't resist.

I have been waiting months to say this, "happy married life Alison and Chris. We loved doing your wedding flowers."