Wedding Obsession | A New Opportunity

Well, it was a great surprise to have Melissa from Wedding Obsession ask me to become a regular Guest Blogger on her site. I was thrilled. There was no better way to start off the series than with the Pocket Bout. I never would have guessed I would receive such a positive response than I have had in the past few days. Please have a read and see what you think! http://www.weddingobsession.com/2011/10/04/a-new-concept-on-boutonnieres/

Weekly Wonder | Ornithogalum

Well, here is the second post to our Weekly Wonder segment on our blog.  This week we are going to showcase the gorgeous and ever popular Ornithogalum (or Star of Bethlehem).


This flower is amazing for wedding bouquets.  It adds so much texture and just explodes with blooms.   It's wonderful to see such a small flower bud (well several small flower buds in one small area), turn into such a mass of flowers.

Name:  Ornithogalum (in order from top to bottom O. thyrsoides, O. nutans, O. dubium, O. saunderasiae) - commonly known as Star of Bethlehem or Wonder-Flower


History:  Ornithogalum is of the family Hyacinthacea - yup related to hyacinths - and is a perennial plant native to Southern Europe and Southern Africa.  Because of it's star shaped flowers it is named for the biblical Star of Bethlehem.  Although there are 150 species, the best known are O. arabicum, O. saunderasiae, O. dubium, and O. umbellatum.


Availability: Ornithogalum is becoming an increasingly popular flower in design work.  The species is available throughout the year with O. dubium being available only from Dec - May.


Longevity:  This flower, in our experience, has the potential to last several weeks, while continuously blooming.


Our take:  We LOVE to work with ornithogalum; especially the variety of saunderasiae.  It adds so much texture to any piece and just explodes in blooms.  The price point is perfect to add some volume to a bouquet and give a bride a similar look to stephanotis without the associated price tag.  A tight unopened sample is great in corsage and boutonniere work, while the more opened flower is perfect for bouquets.  What's even more special is that blooms can be individually separated from the mass to create some couture designs.


We hope you consider using ornithogalum in your wedding work, if it fits into your 'look'.  You will not be disappointed with the final product.


Photo credits from top to bottom:
O. thyrsoides: bidorbuy.co.za
O. nutans:  missouriplants.com
O. dubium:  bulbsociety.org
O. saunderasiae:  visiflora.com
Bouquet:  Akiko Floral Artistry (photo taken by Capture It! Photography)

Attention all Brides | Have We got a Discount for You!

Here's a great opportunity for all of you brides & grooms getting married in 2012/2013 to earn 15% off your wedding flowers created by Akiko Floral Artistry.

Unique handheld cascading bouquet by Akiko Floral Artistry

Here are the details:


1.  Like Akiko Floral Artistry on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AkikoFloral) - then share this contest with all of your friends linking back to this blog - make sure you spell out our Profile name exactly in order that we can see your mention.


2.  Follow Akiko Floral (@akikofloral) on Twitter - then tweet this contest with all of your fellow tweeters linking back to this blog.


3.  Email us at info@akikofloral.com informing us that you've liked and followed us on Facebook and Twitter and that you've mentioned our contest both on Facebook and Twitter.  Also, send us information about your wedding (ie. your name, date, contact information for you).  You will receive a confirmation email with further information about how to set up a consultation, etc.


Please keep in mind that this is a discount for EVERY bride getting married in either 2012 or 2013 that ends up following the instructions above!  What a great way to get an amazing discount for your wedding flowers...and it won't even take 5 minutes of your time!


Here is the not-so-fine print:  Wedding must take place in either 2012 or 2013.  This discount has no cash value and cannot be combined with any other offer.  Discount will be taken off of final pre-tax quote.  Discount is non-transferrable.  Wedding must take place in Edmonton, Alberta and surrounding area (i.e. St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, Stoney Plain, Sherwood Park, Leduc, Beaumont, Nisku).  Ability for Akiko Floral Artistry to create your wedding flowers is dependant on availability (hint: if you book early, you will secure your spot).  This offer expires 08/31/2011.


Happy posting guys!

Texture, Texture, Texture...More Texture Samples for a Late Spring to Early Summer Wedding

Some more great ideas for texture; but, this time for summer! In this sample, I used peonies, white veronica, saracena (the veiny calla looking flower), green trick, white and soft pink ranunculus, and beautiful bicolour roses (soft green and mauve). When discussing texture, as in the previous post, you can see that every flower offers a different feeling and look. The contrast of each varieties' texture creates a distinctive look for each flower; however, the arrangement brings unity to this beautiful blend to create a stunning bouquet that is simply...jawdropping. Thanks to Sheri of Capture It Photography in Edmonton. Amazing photos from a talented photographer.