Floral Class was a Blast!

Today was our first Floral Design class of the season: Floral Design Demystified. We had 14 students and they did a terrific job!


Today's was such a hit we are considering doing others in March and April. We'd like your feedback and interest. Check the possibilities at the end of today's blog and let us know what you'd like to learn about!!!

Stoneblossom's proprietor Joyce Holland gave a tour of our showroom, offices and workspace and we settled in with coffee and pastry before getting down to the work at hand.

The showroom:
International Designer John Orton chaired the class, assisted by Naomi Garcia and Sherry Scott - two other heavy hitters from our talented staff.

The informative, hands-on workshop was designed to cover the basics. John began by encouraging a "loosen up" mindset - forgoing perfectionism and fussy placement in favor of creating focal points and making designs that reflect personal style.
"We all see and perceive things differently" John explained. "There is no right and wrong. What I think is fabulous may be totally not what my client had in mind!"

Composition, Balance, Texture, Focal Points and Eye Movement - and Color Inspirations were covered as areas to think about when designing. "I'm sure that at the end of our class we will have all used the provided materials in very different ways - which is what makes life so wonderful!"

Participants check out a design for an event....

Mechanics was the meat of the discussion. "A beautiful design is all well and good - but if it won't stay together from design shelf to table - or if the flowers are unable to soak up water - you're in trouble!" They chose from a variety of containers. There was also the choice of whether to design in floral foam - or the much more challenging taped grid-work to design in water in a wide-mouthed container.

Checking out the containers:


Surprise, surprise, surprise!!! "The element of surprise is what makes your piece memorable!" So important! Fun, interesting or unexpected elements incorporated into your design - or even in the detailing of the rest of your tabletop - make for lasting memories of your work.

Check out some of the terrific work. GREAT JOB!

Love the soft palette and tulips massed together

Courageous! Suzanne Nolter from Block Island chose to design in water

We'd love to do more interactive and informative workshops in March and April. Possible topics might include:

SOME THOUGHTS FOR WORKSHOPS:

INTENSIVE WEDDING WORKSHOP: Soup to nuts, you would be involved in the proposal, recipe and ordering process. Become familiar with the Wholesale Flower Market, assist in processing, setting up and designing the flowers and bouquets. The course will culminate in delivery and set-up of the glamorous wedding! Multiple classes. Stoneblossom Staff

INTRO TO FLORAL DESIGN: Processing, flower care, mechanics, composition. Hands on basic design. Single or multiple classes. STAFF

ADVANCED FLORAL DESIGN: We by-pass the basics and focus on intensive design training and styles. Single or multiple classes. STAFF

THE BIZ: Turn your PASSION INTO PROFIT with Joyce Holland! We artistic types are notorious for adding those extra perfect touches - and end up paying our clients to do their wedding!!! Joyce has an an amazing viable business model that might actually produce a paycheck! Single Class.

TOUR THE WHOLESALE MARKET: Take an exclusive tour of RI's Wholesale Flower Market. We'll tour the hardgood aisles explaining all the tricks of the trade. Peruse the fresh flower department and learn about importing and how we buy. Enjoy the lush greenhouses, with one time access to the plant material florists purchase from. You'll enjoy a one-time wholesale purchase so bring your checkbooks or credit cards!

BEGINNING AND ADVANCED BOUQUETS AND PERSONAL FLOWERS: The how-to's of this very specialized and important part of the wedding business. Naomi Garcia has designed almost all of the beyond amazing bouquets featured on www.Stoneblossom.com. Learn from the best!

DO IT YOURSELF!: In today's world, sometimes hiring a professional is just not a budgetary option. We are considering a possible series of workshops covering all facets of the do-it-yourself affair. The class would be open to Brides and their friends only, with lots of one on one advice from the experts! Numerous specialized classes.

GLAMOUR ON THE ROAD: Dennis Delsignore and John Orton have been designing amazing events for Fortune 500 companies around the world for 15 years, including four Olympic Games and parties from the top of the Swiss Alps to the Opera Houses of Paris and Venice. Hear them share their stories and enjoy some of the glamorous table settings as they take you around the world and back! Single Class.

SPECIAL EVENT DECOR: If budget permits, many of our clients want to create amazing "environments" for their events. We can show you the ins and outs of turning a tent into a ballroom, a mundane space into a New York Lounge.... Single Class

LIGHTING! Make your party WORLD CLASS!: We can't stress enough the importance of lighting in transforming your tent or hotel ballroom into the most magical, unforgettable space ever! Tony Ormonde of Ormonde Productions adds the drama to many of our events - painting with light - enhancing what you want guests to see - or not see! Single Class with great visuals!

We'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave comments or suggestions here on the blog or email me at:

orton@stoneblossomflorals.com

Thanks!!!!

Vegas or Bust!

We recently did a corporate event at the fabulous Wynn Las Vegas. 

Take it from us, there's a whole lotta walking involved  when working in Sin City.  While it seems getting together dinner for 700 in a glam Vegas Casino is every event designer's dream - think again! Vegas is so BIG! 

We timed it! 20 minutes from room to workspace. 20 minutes from workspace to ballroom. If you forget your scissors or knife - 40 minutes to go grab 'em!

We've got lots of photos to share in a forthcoming blog. Boxes and boxes of feathers and boas! Above is Buzzy who helped us pack!!!

Fourth of July Weekend with Cornelia and Patrick!

Jamestown, Newport's sister island, is a treasure. This oceanfront family homestead was complete with great dogs - including a golden retriever puppy - perennial gardens, sweeping views and a winding, lantern-lit pathway to a private beach. It was a joy designing the flowers and event decor for Nell and Patrick. The Bride's mom did a great job tying together lots of the many details!

We loved Nell's Vera Wang gown - so Jackie O! They were married in Ochre Court at Salve Regina University where her parents tied the knot 26 years previously.

Summer color!!! Our centerpieces staying cool in the refrigerated van:

We detailed the placecards with tiny starfish fastened with twine.

Love these highball cups!

Stoneblossom's Wicker Lounge sets were just the ticket for the relaxed setting. We custom selected the pillows to match the robin's egg blue palette.

Tasty tied morsels from Blackstone Caterers:

Naomi's bouquets are always perfection. She combined soft apricot roses, sweet peas and hypericum berries with fragrant tuberose, spray roses and mini green hydrangea - gorgeous against the pale blue silk.

Stoneblossom's tablescapes featured duos and trios of mossy pots overflowing with loads of great ingredients like figs, club moss and succulents for texture. Strong color - apple green and shades of orange - provided great pop on the starched Irish linen from Rentals Unlimited.

Yet another "cake as art" creation from award-winning James Kennedy and the gang at Confections! Yes, those are all sugar. Check out the twigs and hypericum berries...

Ormonde Productions did an amazing job lighting the tent with onion-shaped lamps that changed color as the dancing heated up.

Many thanks to our friends at Snap! Photography for all the great images!!!

This is a featured wedding in the 2009 Southern New England Brides.

Be sure to visit our website - www.stoneblossom.com for tons more inspiring images from our local and international events

Lemon Grass!

Michelle Obama confirmed it! It has been predicted for months that the hottest new color trend this coming season would be yellow, and our First Lady's Inaguration ensemble underscored it. The designer, Isabel Toledo, called it Lemon Grass. We loved it, especially that she chose those J Crew gloves in "Stoneblossom Green"! You go girl!!


On another note, yellow popped up again this morning on our Today Show watch. Those florals behind Matt and Meredith are always fashion forward. Their designer has been arranging in glass cubes for awhile now, with tropicals squeezing out the Martha Stewart English garden look (they also hold up better under those hot lights). Today's designs were a fun combo of green anthuriums, orange mokara orchids and a great pop of callas in lemon yellow!

Kaitlin and Duncan's Wedding at Castle Hill

We first met when they were on a quick stop between Dubai and their London home. Three months before the wedding and they were setting up house in Ghana!!! These jet setters had terrific taste and style. Africa was the perfect thematic jumping point for the reception decor and having done events in both East and South Africa, they had come to the right place. We had a blast designing it! Here are a few shots of this world class event on a most glorious day in Newport:

Colorful parasols and a trio of moss-covered balls greeted guests at the beginning of the aisle. They enjoyed iced tea and lemonade set on one of Stoneblossom's wooden farm tables before the ceremony.


Castle Hill's trumpet vine covered arbor was embellished with salmon roses and lilies, with loads of hydrangea, roses and hanging amaranthus.

The party immediately got into full swing at the cocktail reception. The central, burlap-covered bar was a popular spot all night long. Kaitlin brought lots of choice goodies with her from Africa that we worked into our displays including zebra, cow and springbok skins that were perfect under our white leather lounges. We even made toppers for the cocktail tables from hand-blocked fabrics that she found at market. Such terrific detailing!

The sexy round leather ottoman seen through our 3 dimensional wall drapes!

Place cards were arranged on our ruddy wooden Farm Table. Pale salmon "Princess Caroline" delphinium were massed in the Bride's carved wooden Unity bowl and African accents and lanterns were grouped with tropical leaves

The ceiling was underlit and the high and low centerpieces were pinspotted for extra pop by Ormonde Productions. Antique and white hydrangea were mixed with mokara orchids, roses, passion flower vine, grasses, and hanging amaranthus. Succulents and fiddlehead fern added great texture to the tabletop pieces.

Heading to the reception after photos. Check out that ultra-glam gown!

This wedding is featured in the 2009 Southern New England Weddings as well as under Castle Hill on our website! Check it out!

Venue: Castle Hill Inn and Resort

Linens: Rentals Unlimited

Lighting: Ormonde Productions

Lounges and Tent Decor: Stoneblossom

Photographer: Christian Oth

Stoneblossom goes Platinum!!!

Stoneblossom has once again been named to the grace ormonde Platinum List.

You know you've made it when..... you make it on the grace ormonde 2009 Platinum List!
This distinctive program honors the top vendors in the wedding industry and we're certainly proud to be included!

Southern NE Weddings Feature!

This magical "Great Gatsby" inspired wedding of Sarah and Brad last June at Rosecliff is a featured wedding in the 2009 Southern New England Weddings.


They fell in love with the mansion while strolling Newport's Clff Walk. It certainly is one of the finest jewels of the Gilded Age summer "cottages"! Indeed, The Great Gatsby with Robert Redford was filmed there.

Newport is glorious in June! The formal rose garden was in full bloom, the temp not too hot, and some of our favorite flowers - peonies, clematis, dogwood, garden roses - are at their peak...
The Bride looked so amazing and her bouquet was quintessential spring!!!



Placecards were tied to budding twigs with dogwood and hydrangea.
Inside the ornate ballroom, a romantic mix of grand tall designs - and low ones in iron urns - made it so romantic in shades of cream, pink and blush - with loads of candlelight, of course!!! The napkins were detailed with mini cymbidium orchids. Beautiful.

Stoneblossom has 7 feature weddings in the new Southern NE Weddings issue. To see more of our Newport and International soirees visit www.stoneblossom.com!

Catering: Blackstone Caterers

Photos: Daniel Doke Photography

Party Planner: Excelebrations

It's all about HEAT!

The annual Celebrate RI Ball  - "Twistin' the Night Away" is not to be missed on January 31st! So important in these economic times is taking care of our fellow Rhode Islanders in need. Proceeds from the event will help warm the homes of those that just can't swing it by benefiting the RI Good Neighbor Energy Fund. 

This amazing fundraising effort will transform Rhodes on the Pawtuxet to a 60's throwback extraordinaire - great music, atmosphere, vignettes, games, food and drink are on the menu!

Sandy Winslow, a great friend and inspired scavenger heads up the Decor coordination and is staged to pull off yet another glama event with a crazy budget of less than 2 grand. And that would be for 600 guests ladies and gents!

She starts as soon as the last one's over, grabbing loads of deals at our annual "yard sale". She has an army of dedicated volunteers from Johnson and Wales University who are amazed at her resourcefulness.  We love you Sandy! You Rock!!!!

The Event is chaired by Governor and Mrs Carcieri and a terrific hands-on committee. Thanks so much for all you do!  

May we ALL stay warm this crazy winter!!!

New on the Scene!

We have the insider info on a new artist in our midst!!! Uber talented Neil Alexander has recently relocated to the area from New Orleans and we're sure you'll soon be seeing lots of his great images at some of our most exclusive events!

His new site is under construction, but we'll keep you posted as soon as it's uploaded. If you're looking for a great photographer with an uncontrived, quirky, journalistic style give Neil a ring. Not lots of fussy poses - he captures the essence of your big day with extraordinary attention to detail!  Tell him we told you so!!!

Shagrila and Justin at Rosecliff

It's all in the details! That's the trademark of Something Fabulous, an award winning "creative, full service event planning boutique and invitation studio". They are based in Detroit and DC and we had the pleasure of working with pricipals Jennifer Charles and Kimberley Allen on a tres fab wedding at Rosecliff last Spring!
This Shakespearean-inspired wedding had lots of great literary touches. Favorite books were nestled into the table designs and even the place cards were wonderful mini leather-bound "books" filled with Nantucket chocolates. We especially loved the gorgeous custom charger plates they made as a surprise for the couple!

Peonies were at their peak and we did a showstopping head table incorporating crystal chandeliers into a solid floral "runner" of pink peonies, creamy roses and spirea on a rectangular Tuscan table!

Check out the great photos on their website portfolio under Storybook Love. Sota Dzine flew in to take photos and were also a treat to work with. Beautiful images. It's also one of our featured weddings in the Venues area of our website. Click on Rosecliff.
It was a beautiful collaboration and we hope we get the opportunity to team up again in the future!!!