September can be quite a roller coaster of a month with respect to weather. But on this lovely September 23rd evening, it couldn't have been more perfect for a wedding rehearsal dinner in downtown Denver. Tamayo restaurant features a lovely corner location on Larimer St. and 14th.
La Fleur La Fete is their florist and design the floral arrangements for the various celebrations hosted here. This time we were honored to design for a mother of the groom hosting over 75 people on the restaurant's lovely balcony.
The Mother of the Groom wanted color, color and more color and what fun it is to have free rein with colorful flowers. The deepest red dahlias, lime green kermits, yellow snapdragons, orange roses, a plethora of gerbera daisies and so many more. These were designed in cube vases which adorned the long rectangular tables and the head table. We also created a lovely flower ball tree with manzanita branches and a dozen balls covered in petals, blooms and ribbon. All the time these flowers lending their beauty to an already lovely celebration!
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August 13, 2011 turned out to be a spectacular day for Tracy and David's wedding and La Fleur La Fete was honored to be part of their beautiful celebration. Weddings are all about surrounding yourself with those that are close to you and you hold dear. Tracy's wedding had all the family involved and it showed how much fun a family can have on a special day. Not only was both families involved but they chose to host their wedding in their lovely backyard of their new home! Colorado's blue skies were a perfect backdrop to the watermelon pink and black that Tracy chose. White accents even popped out that beautiful color more! Tracy chose gerbera daisies as her main flower and had them in all the bouquets, her bridesmaids' hair and held by her flower girls. In addition to the gerbera daisies, she also had white calla lilies and hydrangea. Her
something old was a classic brooch pinned on the gathered stems of her bouquet. Chairs at the reception were adorned by big silky bows and one gerbera daisy tucked into the fold and table centerpieces completed the reception. Just the right amount of elegant touch everywhere.
Tracy's flower budget was modest and Wendy made sure she worked with Tracy and designed exactly what she wanted. Tracy's wedding demonstrates that one doesn't need to expect to spend a lot to make a beautiful statement. You don't need to see the word 'couture' in a wedding florist. When we give you a proposal, we give 2-3 alternate options to your ideas. You are never held to a certain style or feature since we can adjust here or there to make sure you stay in your budget and get exactly your vision. Sometimes a bride changes her mind and wants to expand the budget. That's okay too since La Fleur La Fete is working for you. Flowers are inherently beautiful and the right amount and combination is what will compliment you, the beautiful bride. Expect a lot from your wedding florist!
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There is nothing more charming and beautiful to offer your bridesmaids as a thank you than a small intimate celebration in your garden! The options are endless and the ready-made venue of a lovely backyard sets the stage for lovely time to sit and enjoy your attendants before the big day when attentions are directed elsewhere!
Weather-wise, anytime of year except a cold day in winter lends itself to lovely days in the backyard or terrace; of course watch the weather report and have a back up plan ready just in case!
Set the table with light colored linens which will not dominate the lovely garden setting that Mother Nature has created for you. Choose your colors from your wedding or change it up into anything festive that makes you happy to share the day. Polka dot napkins, mixed shabby-chic plates and cutlery, bright colors mixing with bright flowers will say "welcome, I'm glad you are here" to your guests.Flowers can be simple-arrange blossoms of the season in flower pots or watering cans. Ceramic birds, a shabby-chic chandelier and crepe paper flowers can compliment a green backyard or patio. Have potted flowers? Set them around or on extra cafe table chairs to envelope the table and your guests. Create a 'secret garden' by tucking yourselves off into a garden corner with pillows, comfy chairs and delicious delicacies.
Teas, brunches or cocktail hours all can be hosted in the garden. Flowers are such an important part of your wedding, make them as important for your other celebrations! Tuck flowers in folded napkins, create mini topiary of tiny blooms or make paper flowers on name place holders. Make a garden in a garden for your guests and they'll leave not only feeling appreciated but also like they stepped for a while out of the strains of planning and had the opportunity to just be with you. Give them small tussie mussies (miniature bouquets tucked in a paper doily) as they leave. And of course send them home with the left over goodies! Enjoy!
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That is the question.... 
Let's face it, times are tough, you've already dropped a bundle at your wedding and now you have to reach into your wallet and dole out more to all your vendors? Not necessarily. The bottom line is that if someone has done a great job and you think they deserve a tip, then tip. Gratuity (a tip) is defined as a GIFT or REWARD for services rendered. If someones services are not reward-able, don't feel pressure to tip.
Here are some guidelines to follow for gratuity:
Who Doles out the Cash? It's customary for the Best Man to handle passing out gratuity to vendors. However, anyone can be responsible for this task. Whomever is hosting the wedding; i.e. Mom and Dad, GrandMother and Grand Father or the Couple themselves sometimes like to handle the transactions.
Your Wedding Planner? Not expected, however you can offer up a token of appreciation. Approximately 50% of couples tip their wedding planners with cash or a "thank you" gift. Speaking from the wedding planning stand point, if you're throwing a party the night before the wedding, ask the Wedding Planner to attend. It's a nice token of appreciation.
Your Florist? Not expected.
The Caterer, The Baker or the Cupcake Maker? Not expected.
Hair Stylist and Make-up Artist? Yes. Tip as you would in a hair salon, 20%.
Staff that is Setting-up? If they are apart of the venue, tipping is not necessary. If they're from an outside vendor and setting up tents, sound systems, ice sculptures, photo booths, etc. Handing them a $5 is always a nice gesture.
Ceremony Officiant? If the Officiant is affiliated with a church or synagogue, you're expected to make a donation. The dollar amount is a personal choice; however I wouldn't give less than $100.
Ceremony & Reception Musicians or DJ? Optional, $15 to $20 per musician. If it's one DJ, give 20%.
Photographer/Videographer? This is my personal opinion: most photographers stay beyond there contractual wedding day agreement and usually do something over and above. Ours did a photo shoot before the wedding so we felt "comfortable" with her. Tipping in my book was a must, 20%.
Wedding Reception Staff/Bartenders? No necessary. It's usually dictated in your contract. Often times your guests will tip the Bartender (if they have out a tip jar).
Parking, bathroom, and coat-room attendants? Tipping is dictated by your contract. Standard is a $1 per guest for coat room, and $1 per car which is usually handled by your Guests. I don't think it's necessary to tip beyond that.
Transportation? Gratuity is usually included in your contract. If not, I would base it on travel time. If the trip from the church to the reception site is 5 minutes, I would give a $5. An hour, think 20%.
In the end, it's what you feel comfortable with. Gratuity is optional, however, thank you cards are a must.
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If you're an August bride, think about which flowers are currently in season. It is extremely expensive to supply out of season flowers for an entire wedding, so take some time and make sure that the flowers you pick are in bloom during the month of August.
Apple Blossom DahliasA flower that blooms during August would probably be the dahlia and mine are blooming right now as I write in my own garden. Colors range from a warm and buttery yellow to a vibrant scarlet and varigated white and red mixed candylike petals. This flower also has blooms in a variety sizes and shapes, so consider how well they will look adorning your bouquet and your reception! For something sweet and gentle, look at the appleblossom dahlia, and something a little more hardy, consider the heat-seeker dahlia. There are over 50,000 named varieties of dahlias. You should find one to your liking!
Considering other colors and flowers for your bouquets, white flowers can be found with calla lilies and gardenias. That something blue, don't forget the blue delphiniums. A variety of colors are in snapdragons and orchids for August weddings. You still have a lot to choose from even on limited wedding budgets. Don't forget the greens like cascading ivies. Hydrangeas can fill out the bridal bouquet making a grand statement for not a lot of money. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
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Read More Posts From Posies and Parties
September can be quite a roller coaster of a month with respect to weather. But on this lovely September 23rd evening, it couldn't have been more perfect for a wedding rehearsal dinner in downtown Denver. Tamayo restaurant features a lovely corner location on Larimer St. and 14th. La Fleur La Fete is their florist and design the floral arrangements for the various celebrations hosted here. This time we were honored to design for a mother of the groom hosting over 75 people on the restaurant's lovely balcony.
The Mother of the Groom wanted color, color and more color and what fun it is to have free rein with colorful flowers. The deepest red dahlias, lime green kermits, yellow snapdragons, orange roses, a plethora of gerbera daisies and so many more. These were designed in cube vases which adorned the long rectangular tables and the head table. We also created a lovely flower ball tree with manzanita branches and a dozen balls covered in petals, blooms and ribbon. All the time these flowers lending their beauty to an already lovely celebration!
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