Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Wedding Belle Blues


I must confess my heart went out to last Saturday's bride who desperately wanted to be married outdoors.  She lives in Colorado in the mountains, so home was her first choice.  California or the family beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware were runners up. But her mother is handicapped and wasn't going to be climbing any mountain or fording any stream.  A private club in Chevy Chase, Maryland was the venue. Period.

At least there was a chance of fresh air and blue skies when the plans were made for the rooftop terrace, but temps in the 115 heat index range made outside an impossibility.

So inside it was.  Dark carved dining room chairs filled the ballroom. Heavy swags of fabric ballooned above the  windows, and ficus trees with fairy lights stood in for the stars, kind of.


We did our best to lighten it up.  Piles of hydrangea, cylinders filled with sand and shells or moss and pine cones gathered from her beloved mountains adorned the mantles.




The tables had simple centers of hydrangea and green and white tree ivy.



They had brought a sackful of rocks  from home that were scattered about the tables.

We placed urns and vases full of branches and tree ivy and flowers about, made it as bright and summery as possible but....

We couldn't give her fresh air or sunshine or her heart's desires.

And chandeliers, no matter how many or how bright, are not the milky way.

 Not even close.


Unsolicited advice to the bride and groom from your florist:
 Go forth into the world together, forsaking all air conditioning  (except when visiting the east coast), kick off your shoes, tear off your tie, let down your hair and don't look back.

.

17 comments:

  1. Our daughter attended a wedding on Saturday that WAS outside, on the Rappahannock River outside Fredericksburg ... in the 100+ degree heat and stifling humidity ... and everyone there suffered. Your bride was fortunate to have an indoor fall-back plan, and you are to be congratulated for making the place look fabulous!! White hydrangeas on the aisles were brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  2. True, a sweat free wedding is preferred by bride and florist alike. The design of the flowers, especially that mantle! Couldn't have been more lovely and natural looking. Nice job, Jane! I'll bet there were some bare feet on the grass the following day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Even though she didn't get her hearts desire, you thought of everything to make it be spectacular! I'm sure all of the guests are very thankful to have been spared the heat.

    ReplyDelete
  4. How wonderful for the bride and groom that they had you there to help make a less-than-ideal situation ever so much better! I adore hydrangeas, and you did such beautiful work with them. As crummy as it was that they had to be inside, you brought such a lovely, natural touch to the space. And I'm sure the AC was relief in all that awful heat! :)

    xoxo Gigi

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your flowers and your farewell wish are both beautiful. I know they will have lovely memories.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your last photo of the mantle is beautiful. I like how you captured the chandelier in it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hartwood Rose, OMG by a river? Guess you can add mosquitoes to the weather hell. You have helped put my pity away.

    Shelley, Sunday was pretty nasty hot too. bet there were some bare bodies...any clothes seem like too many clothes!

    Sherri B., I'm sure the guests were delighted. read Hartwood Roses comment:)

    Gigi, thank you for both your sweet comments and for taking me down another notch from a pity party for the bride:)

    Bonnie, I hope so. Looking forward to seeing some pics, other than my own.

    S&Z, Thank you. You're always such a good morale booster:)

    Denise, I am rather free with it aren't I?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ditto what everyone said - why am I always so late in the day with nothing new to say?

    Your care and concern for the bride and groom shine thru in every flower. Ya done good, girl! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow! Gorgeous! Too bad about not being able to be outside but those architectural details, the colours and of course the flowers just worked.

    ReplyDelete
  10. it is just lovely...you did a great job !!!!

    and YES !!! i could feel the care you put into it....

    well done, my friend

    kary and teddy
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. great advice and the flowers are lovely

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Those hydrangeas look so cool and blue. They remind me - and this must sound bananas - of Christmas at the seaside, cos that is when they bloom in South Africa :-)

    And that is another title for your memoirs: Don't Look Back

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow Jane, those flowers look so beautiful! Love the flowers on the mantelpiece and the bouquet beside it. It is so pretty! Good advice by the way :-)!

    Happy weekend!

    Madelief x

    ReplyDelete