I am so excited to have this wedding to share with you.  It was incredibly kind of  Steve Canning Photography  to get me these captured moments so quickly. I forgot the camera last weekend. The photography is simply beautiful.  I love the images and how perfectly he captured this very remarkable couple.  Our wedding took place at a church in Arlington, with a reception at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens.  Please enjoy these lovely pictures. These photographs are a great example of some the fall designs at Holly Heider Chapple Flowers Ltd.

We will have lots to report this week. We have a bounty of beautiful blossoms to design.

Holly

Baby Grace has her first day on the job at Heiders Country Store.  My children having been helping grandpa for years at the store. I thought we would break Grace in early.

I neglected to take the camera to our wedding on Saturday. This of course, is a real bummer. Lucky for me it also happened to be a wedding that the Washington Post was covering. It looks like we will get to see the wedding pictures after all.
The rest of the weekend was about Lucketts. I went down to Heiders Country Farm Market early yesterday morning to help my dad and daughter Abby get ready for the fair traffic. In all of the years my dad has been there with his store I never have had any time to help. I am always busy running my own life, business and family.
It is amazing to me the work the farmer goes through to get his product ready for sale. I often think I have the most tedious job, but dad wins hands down.  Each morning every single basket of fruit and vegetables has to be sorted through, making certain all is perfect for sale. Once that task is complete you can start to make new baskets of produce. My father spends countless hours in the garden at the age of 72. I think that is remarkable.

Abby, my daughter, baked almost 100 pies this weekend.

After my tiny bit of volunteering, I went home and got the rest of the family. We headed to the Lucketts Fair for the petting zoo, rock wall, ice cream and crafts.

It was nice to have a little family time. This week is the beginning of the major wedding rush. Wait until you see what we have coming up over the next few weeks.
Holly

This is our brides bouquet.

Roses, cleaned and ready to be added to the bouquets.

The centerpieces.

Don's dahlias in the cooler.

These are the altar pieces for today's wedding. Below you can see the centerpieces just chilling in the cooler.

We have only one wedding today. With the extra time on our hands yesterday, we went shopping. We found beautiful pitchers, lanterns, glass and garden items. We were very successful. I have just a few photo's from our trip.

Please visit our little spot at On A Whim Antiques this weekend. Our space is full of beautiful things. It is also the weekend of the Lucketts fair.

 

Holly

I wanted to share with you the professional images from one of our June weddings. The photographs were taken by Jennifer Anderson Photography. I loved her work and how she captured the beauty of the day.  The wedding took place at Hillsborough Vinyard.  I have also posted two lovely letters from my bride. These letters mean the world to me and keep me pushing petals. Make sure you read the second letter she sent me at the bottom of the post.

Holly,

Thank you so much for going above and beyond to make my wedding a special occasion. The flowers looked SO beautiful. I'm going to try to take my bouquet on the honeymoon with me because I can't bear to part with it.

You managed to give me, and my mom, exactly what we both wanted- no small task. I can't thank you enough!

Sincerely,

Amy

 

For several little girls that were not officially a part of the wedding party, we created small bracelets and Barrett's of flowers. These were created to match their gowns. This is a fabulous way to keep all the little girls happy.

Thanks, Holly

Also, speaking of a great honeymoon, I thought you might get a kick out of this: I couldn't bear to throw out my bridal bouquet, so I took it on the honeymoon with us. When we checked in at the airport, the customer service rep asked us if the flowers were from a special occasion; after we told her it was from our wedding, she upgraded us to first class for the flight! I ended up tossing my bouquet into the Aegean Sea before we left Mykonos, Greece.

Again, it was fabulous to work with you!

Sincerely,

Amy 

We at Holly Heider Chapple flowers are loving these letters from Amy.

This is my Zinnia patch. Every year, Evan plants me lots of Zinnia's. They are one of my favorite flowers. The more you cut them the more they grow. In fact, one variety is even called Cut-And-Come-Again.  Anyone can arrange Zinnia's. Every color just magically works together.

We planted the seeds later than usual this year, so this was my first plentiful harvest of the year.

I love these flowers so much. I will actually take the time to arrange these flowers–just for me.  I think they look best in old mason jars and antique vases. These are fun Holly Chapple designs.

Here are some photo's of baby Grace. We have fun around here at everyone's expense. Grace is top prop for now.

 

Grace also made a trip down to On A Whim Antiques. She is already planning her big girl room. The store is loaded with unbelievable finds. Everyone in Lucketts is getting ready for the Lucketts Fair. You should come see all this little town has to offer this weekend.

Donna Troxler, owner of On A Whim Antiques, paid Grace with lots of hugs and kisses for her modeling.

 

Hope to see you at the Lucketts Fair!

Holly

Jane's wedding was this past Saturday. She had a beautiful church wedding with a reception at the Belmont Country Club. The Belmont Country Club features an extraordinary ballroom that is an addition to a true Louduon County Estate Home. Actually at one time the owners of the Belmont Estate owned the Hope Diamond.

 

The delivery process starts by getting all of the bouquets ready for travel. The bouquets are brought from the cooler. We dry off each bouquet and re cut the stems. We then box up each bouquet in tissue.

Jane was an incredibly kind, and very relaxed bride. So much so that she allowed me to photograph those last moments just before she went down the aisle. I had just finished laying out all of the bouquets, bouts and corsages. I wanted to say hello before I went on to the reception. I just could not leave. It was so much fun to watch her maids buzz around her. Everyone was helping her with makeup, and jewelry.  I actually am really proud of some of these images and hope she will treasure them like I do.

 

I loved this photograph. This was the first flower Jane saw of the day. I think I did an incredible job catching this moment between mother and daughter.

The flower girls were waiting patiently for the bride. I think they were ready to do their job. They loved their bouquets.

 

When I say Jane was relaxed, what I really mean is she gave me creative license to design. She chose me to do the flowers months ago, but then totally relaxed and almost disappeared.  Two weeks before the wedding we had a serious consultation and planned the whole look. She wanted pink and green. For a while we were calling her "Hypericum Bride". That was the one flower we were certain of from our first meeting.  Now I think of her as "Something Unexpected Bride".  What we discovered in that second consultation was that she wanted unusual blossoms textures and even a little twist on the typical pink and green color combo. She asked that I give her something unexpected. We added a touch of burgundy into the designs and I went crazy, with local grown product as well. Of course I went to Don for Dahlia's. I also used red and green hanging Amaranthus and Coxcomb from local growers. We used pink berry from my yard, green and pink Hypericum, Nerine Lily, and Roses.  I honestly loved the look of this wedding. We were all so proud of the work. 

 

We watched the girls head towards the altar, and we then headed to the Belmont.

 

One of the great things about the Belmont is they allow the guests to have cocktail hour in the Historic part of the Country Club. This is a space that is beautifully decorated with period antiques. This gives the Belmont so much more charm, than the standard country club. 

We had a total of 22 tables. The ballroom is quite large with plenty of room for dancing and fun. The house also has beautiful rooms for the bride and groom to get ready in, as well as a lovely site for outdoor weddings. Cocktails can also be served on the upper terrace.

The two centerpiece styles.

 

The cake was made by my good friend Rocio Diaz from a Piece of Cake. This lady is truly awesome. Her cakes are made completely by scratch. She has been baking since she was a child. Her mother and Grandmother and Great Grandmother all were cake bakers. She uses some of their recipes today.  You will love Rocio. We always have fun working together.

We also had the pleasure of working with Gina for the first time. Gina is a day of event planner. Gina is married to the owner of  Dream Day DJ's.

Jane thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding. This job was so much fun !!!

Happy Married Life Jane.

Holly

Friday started with a visit from Mrs. D; she is my bride Dharma's mom. This is the weekend of the bridal shower, and, of course, they needed flowers. Mrs. D has worked with babies for many years. She and baby Grace bonded at our first consultation, and they have been friends ever since.

Dharma's sister and niece came from Colorado to make the shower and her aunt, Mrs. D's sister, came from Holland. Now that is an awesome family.

I am posting this picture because when I saw it I just wanted to crack up. Dharma's niece is the baby on the right, and she is 11 months old. She can talk, and I swear she taught baby Grace how.  Grace has been babbling ever since.  I love when I get to know the whole family.

Here are the designs we created for the shower. These images were taken by the incredible Kate Headley, one of my favorite photographers, who just happened to stop by at the same time. Yes, the morning was a little busy but really fun. I love having visitors.

Kate also took these shots of the shop while she was here.

These are the low centerpieces for today's wedding. Today is Jane's wedding day. Happy Wedding Day! We really love your flowers.

I love this picture. Kate caught a very important part of the whole process: the recipe. I write a recipe for each design. The designers then copy it on whatever they can find and go off to their work station, and they begin the arrangement.

The rest of the horrid photo's are mine. I would not want anyone to think Kate was responsible for the next images.

I shot this photo of Kate while she was here. Mr. Headley, I think you need to see this; look how happy your wife is. Perhaps it is time for one more Headley. Just, think of the incredible photographs you would have with a baby in the picture.

The maids bouquet for today.

The elevated ceterpieces.

Have a great day will be on a flower delivery.

Holly

  I had a big city day yesterday, and I loved every minute of the day.  I have been with my husband since I was 19 years old. I had become so used to riding with him whenever we went to the city, I never learned how to get around. For years, if I had an event in the city, I would make him or some of the city designers go with me. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I hate having directions and finding the road is closed. Let's just say it unsettles me.

  For the last couple of years I have been venturing out on my own with a lot of trepidation and fear. Early this year, I got a Garmin. Having the Garmin feels like someone set me free. I love running around in the city now. I love hearing the Garmin say "recalculating." I buzzed around yesterday like a pro.

  My first adventure of the day was the Sunset Room.  The very new event venue was having an open house to show off their new extraordinary space.  To put it mildly, I loved this space. I would follow any bride into this room to design her flowers. Floor to ceiling windows that overlook the water at the National Harbor. A truly beautiful space: easy to access in a perfect location. This venue is going to set the industry on fire.  The space can handle 400 people for a reception and 600 for cocktail. With its proximity to shopping, dinning and, of course, the Gaylord, it is perfect for a destination wedding. I can't express how much I loved this space. Brides, please take me there.

  Just to keep it clear, I did not design the flowers in the picture above; several florists were presenting. I just wanted you to see the size of this space. The below picture is the view from the room.

  Here are my designs, I teamed with Design Cuisine for the open house. Any collaboration with Design is amazing. I work with Kelly and Seana  and if you need a caterer, I would highly suggest calling them. Our tables are always amazing.

This piece went to the event as well, but I did not get a picture. It was placed on a silver linen with hot pink napkins. The chairs had black cushions. I am sure it looked stunning.  We also created the following bouquets.

  Here is another display created by kelly from Design Cuisine. Kelly found this old stove while shopping in Loudoun County. She had it cleaned and painted and added it as a prop to their inventory. Very clever.

Seeing that all was well at this event, I raced across town to the Hay Adams to meet my bride Alexandra and her wedding planner Lisa Schulz.  Lisa owns The Posh Planner.

I have always wanted to work at the Hay Adams. It seems every time a bride has called, I have been booked, so I am very much looking forward to this event. The Hay Adams is total elegance. The service is remarkable and the staff lovely. I worked with Alison yesterday; she is the Director of Catering. She would be your contact person when planning an event. You will love working with her.

Here, my beautiful bride is in the process of making some of those very important wedding decisions: like which type of cake.

The person closest to us in the picture is Kendall of Kendall's cakes. The other young lady is Alison from the Hay Adams. I have been dying to meet the famous Kendall. We were both featured in the newest issue of the Washingtonian's Bride and Groom.

The reception will be taking place on the rooftop terrace of the Hay Adams. The terrace boasts incredible views of the city and one very important house.

Just down the street is the Decatur House. The wedding will take place in the courtyard. Guests can walk from the Decatur to the Hay Adams for the reception.  The Decatur House is a favorite venue in the city for weddings and events. I am so excited about working at this venue, and I actually have several additional ones that I am looking forward to. One very special one in May.

Weddings often happen in this courtyard but the venue also offers an incredible indoor option as well.

I had a great day yesterday.  I am thrilled about designing in new spaces. The sky is the limit in the big city.

Holly

Sunday night was fall preview at J. Crew. Abby, Hannah and I went for a little retail therapy. Of course, I brought flowers to provide that fall feel to the event. Baby Grace's stroller worked perfectly as a dolly to get arrangements into the store.

We did arrangements in my green crackled urns. I used antique green Hydrangea, deep orange Roses, hanging Amaranthus, Terra Cotta Roses, and Coxcomb.

Some of the designs also had brown Hypericum Berry and brown Angel Vine.

I loved these designs, and they would look awesome for a fall wedding. Can you imagine maids carrying bouquets created with these colors while wearing J. Crew fall dresses?

While the big sisters shopped, baby Grace played on the floor.

Somehow the dressing room started to look like my daughters room at home.  It took endless amounts of patience for the girls to find their favorite outfits. The J. Crew staff was amazing helping the girls put together just the right look.

We also got to spend time with our friend Maria Cooke of Ritzy Bee and Meagan and Izzy from RSVP Catering. RSVP provided drinks and hors d'oeuvres to guests as they shopped.

One of my favorite designs of the night was placed behind the check out counter.  It was awesome to see my designs all over the store. We had a great evening, and it was so fun to be involved with this event. The girls had a great night shopping, and they managed to rake in on some incredible new looks for the Fall season.  This was a really great night for me and the girls.
Holly

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!

  I just got these incredible images from Andrea at the Observatory.  Their tag line for their business is " We like to watch" . I just love the name and  I love the language.
This wedding took place at the Lansdowne Resort.  Andrea caught these images of me delivering the bouquets. This was my bride Amanda.  I can't thank the Observatory enough for sending me these photographs.  It really is a small world. I attended a blogging boot camp this June. I met Andrea at blogging boot camp only to find her a few weeks later at Amanda's wedding. I am so very happy to have met these very Noteworthy Documentary Photographers.  I will let there photographs tell the story of the day.

You may remember this bouquet. This bouquet got the attention of a national magazine.

Believe it or not, this centerpiece is simply a maids bouquet. The bride found these very lovely vases and we were all set.

 

We did create some centerpieces of just green Button Mums. These were designed in smaller vases, also purchased by the bride.

Thanks to Andrea for sharing her amazing work with us.  Be happy Amanda, we loved working on your wedding.

Holly