blossom sweet

magazine/publication exposure 2012

2012-01-25T13:32:00.003-07:00

We are excited to begin sharing with you Blossom Sweet's magazine exposure for 2012. Our work can be seen and is credited in the following three publications, each of which came out this month:

Salt Lake/Park City Bride & Groom

Utah Bride & Groom

Utah Valley Bride

More specifics to come soon on each magazine!

consultations with blossom sweet

2012-01-17T10:36:00.004-07:00

We thought the first month of the year (after so many holiday engagements!) would be a great time to review the details of Blossom Sweet's consultation process. Shall we?

First off, consultations with us are complimentary and are on a no-obligation basis. Lucky you!

Next, who is it that you will be meeting with at this appointment? You'll be meeting with the owner of Blossom Sweet, Melissa Nickle.

photo courtesy of darla roze photography

Beyond that, please review the following info which is taken straight from our WEBSITE under the "consultation" tab:

_________________________________________________________________

Our goal is to make the consultation and design process as painless as possible for our clients. That being the case, we are happy to offer our consultations on a complimentary, no-obligation basis. The first step you need to take is to set up an appointment with a Blossom Sweet designer. As our calendar fills up quickly, we would strongly encourage you to contact us as far in advance as possible. We hold consultations in Provo, but under special circumstances arrangements can be made for us to come to you for a time and travel fee.

To schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation with Blossom Sweet, simply click on our "contact" tab.

On average, an initial consult takes about an hour, so please plan your schedule accordingly.

PRE-CONSULT TO-DO LIST:

Given the importance of this first meeting, it is helpful for the client to come prepared with as much of the following information as possible:

1. A list of quantities needed
2. A general floral budget*
3. Wedding colors [please bring color samples for our files]
4. Venue name[s] & address[es]
5. Photographer's name & contact information
6. Timetable of your wedding day
7. Any inspiration photos
8. Any other pertinent information

_________________________________________________________________

* What do flowers actually cost? If you have questions about creating your floral budget, please contact us for information.

To set up a consultation feel free to contact us via our website or give us a call at 801.669.4646.

Happy planning!

utah bride blog preferred vendor, 2012

2012-01-10T13:22:00.007-07:00

We are pleased to announce that for the third consecutive year we have once again been named by Utah Bride Blog as one of the top five floral vendors in the state! You'll notice this year that upon visiting UBB, our work from the spring shoot is showcased on the home page in the rotating photo header.

As far as being a preferred vendor goes, you can see our official vendor listing HERE. Just look for the following photo:

Also, our UBB vendor portfolio for this year features the following photos of our work (photographer credits at bottom of post):

Proud to be a preferred vendor once again!

Vendor Listing Photo:
Miesh Photography

Portfolio Photos:

1: Mikki Platt Photography
2: Mikki Platt Photography
3: Kate Osborne Photography
4: Alixann Loosle Photography
5: (left): Blossom Sweet, (right) Nicole Carman Photography
6: Bryant Livingston Photography
7: Yan Photography8: Nicole Carman Photography
9: Ravenberg Photography
10: Blossom Sweet
11: (left): Alixann Loosle Photography, (right): Kate Osborne Photography
12: Kate Osborne Photography
13: Miesh Photography
14: Mallory Lynn Photography
15: Mikki Platt Photography

named as the "best of 2011" on utah bride blog!

2012-01-02T10:18:00.004-07:00

We are so excited to announce that our designs from the Spring Garden Editorial Shoot were named by Utah Bride Blog as the "Best of 2011!" in the flower category. What an honor! See the post HERE.

In honor of being named the "Best of 2011," we've chosen to showcase one of the photos from the shoot as the first photo of the month for 2012. Enjoy!

photo courtesy of mikki platt photography

Well, hope you all had a great go at the holidays, and we wish you a Happy 2012! We have some exciting changes coming up soon, and we are so looking forward to sharing a beautiful year with you!

christmas orders / out of the office

2011-12-21T09:38:00.004-07:00

First and foremost, we will be out of the office from now until after the New Year's holiday.

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! Our wish is that your holiday will be spent joyfully with those you love.

We want to extend our sincere thanks to all of you who continue to support Blossom Sweet, whether that be vendors, clients, or simply blog followers. There are absolutely too many of you to thank individually, but know that our appreciation for you runs deep. 2011 has been an amazing year for Blossom Sweet (our best yet!), and it wouldn't be the same without you. We are ecstatic to see what 2012 has in store and look forward to sharing it with you. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.

......................................................................................................................................

And now on to some photo goodness! Although we design almost exclusively for weddings & events, occasionally we take large custom orders. That being the case, we had a couple of lovely Christmas orders this year.

The first was a large two-piece arrangement. The taller of the two was approximately 5ft tall when all was said and done. They turned out beautifully - we loved them! Here are a few shots of the two-piece arrangement:

Our second order was a smaller, single-piece arrangement which was equally lovely:

flowers/elements used in the arrangements:

white kale, vendela roses, tulips, snapdragons, sunset safari, anthurium, hanging amaranthus, eucalyptus pods, silver-dollar eucalyptus, smokebush, mossy branch, fresh cedar, and grapvine balls.

tiffany & co.

2011-12-19T15:20:00.003-07:00

Do you anticipate that your relationship status is set to change from Miss to Mrs. any time soon? Well, if your answer to that question is "yes," then you should be very aware that Tiffany & Co. is soon to arrive in Utah! Can you even imagine getting your rock at Tiffany's (or... ahem... even trying one on)? Here are a few of our favorite images from their engagement collection:

That's right, Tiffany & Co. will be opening its first store in Utah at the new City Creek Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. The new store will have men and women's fashion jewelry, gifts and pieces for the home, crystal and china, accessories, baby gifts and timepieces.

Be excited.

holiday giveaway winner

2011-12-17T20:42:00.004-07:00

Congrats to the Bockholt Family! According to random.org, as commenter #2 you have officially become the winner of our latest giveaway! Thanks to all who entered.

holiday giveaway! skullcandy ear buds

2011-12-14T09:50:00.004-07:00

As a way to wish a Merry Christmas and express our thanks to all of our Blossom Sweet readers, fans, and followers, we are having a holiday giveaway for some brand spankin' new Skullcandy ear buds. This would be an awesome gift to give to someone for Christmas if you win! Or, on the other hand, if the winner is a bit of a grinch she could easily keep them for herself! It's a win-win either way.
Entry is open to everyone. To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment on this post telling us about your favorite holiday memory. Be sure to include a phone number or email address in your comment so we can contact you in the event you win.

The winner will be announced Saturday and the product will be shipped Monday - just in time for the holidays. Good luck!

courtney @ highland gardens

2011-12-12T09:34:00.005-07:00

Happy Monday!

Courtney was married back in June at Highland Gardens in Alpine. Her event was lovely, and we are happy to have received a few photos from her talented photographer, Jessi of Hiya Papaya Photography. Enjoy!

photos courtesy of hiya papaya photography

For more information on specific blooms used, see our previous post about Courtney's bouquet here.

attention brides: alta moda sample sale

2011-12-07T11:53:00.004-07:00

Brides to be, it looks like Christmas came early for you this year because Alta Moda is having their annual sample sale this weekend. Lucky you!

Alta Moda is known for being the top gown source for Utah's brides, carrying only premier quality, high-end/high-fashion designer gowns. This is certainly a sale you'll want to check out.

Here is a bit more info from the staff at Alta Moda themselves (who coincidentally are known for their blow-your-mind customer service and expertise):

..........................................................................................................................................

Alta Moda Announces Annual Sample Sale

Annual couture gown sale will take place Saturday, December 10

Alta Moda bridal boutique will host their annual Sample Sale on Saturday, December 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brides-to-be are invited to line up early for a selection of more than 50 couture wedding dresses marked down 50 to 85 percent. Gowns start as low as $400, with many under $1000.

There will be dresses from all of your favorite designers; Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Anne Barge, Melissa Sweet, and many more.

Things you’ll want to know:

● Sale hours are 10am – 3pm, December 10th only

● No appointments: First come, First served (wait list)

● Gowns are sold as is, alterations not included

● Only sample sale gowns will be on display

● No holds and all sales final – come ready to buy

● Most gowns are suited for street sizes 4-12

● We only do this once a year, so now is the time

● Space is limited; only one or two key decision makers/guests per bride

We love our gowns and treat them with the best of care, so you can be assured you are getting your dream dress at a coveted price.

Want to know how sought-after this sale is? Last year, the Alta Moda staff arrived an hour early to find there were already a couple dozen brides lined-up outside the doors. That’s how much you need to be at this sale.

Come early, wear a warm coat and bring hot cocoa or coffee to warm up with. Doors will open at exactly 10 a.m., and you’ll be welcomed into the shop to stay warm and cozy as you wait for your consultation. Once inside, your name will be put on a list in order of the line/arrival so you can find a seat and wait for your name to be called-- no fuss, and no need to hold your place!

Consultations will be limited to 40 minutes. We’ll be running many more fitting rooms than usual to help get you in your dream dress as quickly as we can. And just because it’s a sample sale, it doesn’t mean you’re on your own. You’ll each get an experienced consultant from start to finish. They know all the gowns (by name and inside and out), all the tricks, and how to make sure you are beyond thrilled. Only four gowns can be initially selected, but your consultant will guide you and make sure you try on the perfect styles until you find the one.

Come ready to buy the dress of your dreams!

Information about last year’s event:

http://www.altamodabridal.com/utah-bridal-gown-sample-sale

http://www.altamodabridal.com/designer-wedding-dress-sample-sale-utah

http://www.altamodabridal.com/sample-sale-salt-lake-bridal-shop

Alta Moda is a Utah bridal shop offering designer gowns and high service, tailored to the individual bride. Started in 2005, and named after an Italian colloquialism, Alta Moda was formed around the ideas of unique style, personal service, and couture quality. We have steadily grown into a 3000 square foot boutique with a collection from more than ten industry-leading designers; Utah’s largest and best designer bridal selection. Alta Moda has gained a reputation among brides and designers alike for providing service that goes beyond the gown. Perpetually evolving, we continue to add new services, products, and options to our brides. Refining and redefining what can be expected.

For more information, contact Hilary Anderson at:

801-531-1215 or via email at hilary@altamodabridal.com.

back to december (all the time)

2011-12-01T11:30:00.005-07:00

We try our best not to channel Taylor Swift lyrics into our posts, but sometimes we just can't help ourselves [see title].

So yes, yes indeed we are "Back to December" once again, and are excited for the winter wedding season (not to mention the upcoming holidays!).

This month's featured photo showcases a snapshot we took of the lovely Sydney's bouquet from last year's winter season. It was a beaut - very classy with some funky elements thrown in the mix, which seemed to fit the bride to a T. We loved it.

flowers used in the bouquet:
standard tulips, fringe tulips, ranunculus (two varieties), eucalyptus pods (super cool), fiddle fern (airbrushed slate grey), silver curly willow, hypericum berries, israeli ruscus, and silver dollar eucalyptus. Finished with an ivory satin ribbon and pearl pins.

Merry December!

mikaela & eric

2011-11-22T11:05:00.007-07:00

Remember this bouquet photo we took which was shared back in September as part of a sneak peek post from a fab La Caille wedding?

Well, as we mentioned in our last post, several of the professional photos from the wedding in question were featured on Utah Bride Blog last Friday, but those gorgeous photos (and many more!) were yet to be shared on the Blossom Sweet Blog. Well, the time has come, our little friends. Enjoy!

photos courtesy of alixann loosle photography

ceremony & luncheon at la caille

reception at velour:

vendors:

floral: blossom sweet

photography: alixann loosle
dress: custom made
ceremony venue: la caille
reception venue: velour
cake: carrie's cakes

*for more info on the bride's design concept and the specific blooms used, see either our Sneak Peek Post shared in September, or the Utah Bride Blog Feature.

september wedding featured on utah bride blog

2011-11-18T11:02:00.003-07:00

More of our work was featured again today on Utah Bride Blog. See the post HERE.

photo courtesy of alixanne loosle photography

This particular wedding has not yet been shared here on the Blossom Sweet Blog, but watch for more photos from this event which will be posted sometime next week.

Have a GREAT weekend!

retro hipster shower featured on utah bride blog

2011-11-17T11:44:00.004-07:00

The retro co-ed shoot we recently shared here on the blog was featured today on Utah Bride Blog. Check out the post HERE.

photography by tonya peterson

Happy Thursday!

cookin' up pretties

2011-11-15T11:01:00.004-07:00

A few random thoughts for the day:

We've been cookin' up some pretties in the Blossom Sweet kitchen as of late. My oh my, such floral deliciousness. Watch for pretty posts, soon!
Also, this time of year is the time when we go full-force in our advertising efforts so we've been caught up to the max in that. We're getting excited for the 2012 season!
And finally, hope you're all having a great week!

retro co-ed shoot featured on green wedding shoes

2011-11-09T12:27:00.009-07:00

We were thrilled that a shoot we were recently asked to be a part of was featured last Thursday on Green Wedding Shoes... one of our very favorite sites! You may be familiar with GWS, it is one of our select "inspiration station" sites listed on the blog sidebar. See the feature [which has many more photos] here.

And now, enjoy the fab photos by Tonya Peterson Photography!
[note that all additional vendors involved in the shoot are listed at the bottom of the post]

Flowers used: spray roses, football mums, spider mums, seeded millet, dusty miller, tulips, viburnum berry, black pepper berry

Vendors:

Photography: Tonya Peterson
Floral: Blossom Sweet
Stationery: Alexis June Creative
Cake: Bayshore Cakes
Sunglasses: Proof Sunglasses
Desserts: Sara Aston
Linens: La Tavola
Event Planner: Attention 2 Detail
Furniture: Down East Outfitters
Jewelry: Ruby Sweetheart
Makeup: Jillyn Nelsen
Hair: Heather Green
Stylists: Emily Fonnesbeck and Megan Ballou
Venue: Private Residence

november's photo of the month

2011-11-03T15:15:00.007-06:00

Hard to believe that October has come and gone, is it not? Well, a fond farewell to October... but we welcome November with open arms - our favorite time of year!

We thought this photo of a wreath we created nearly a year ago would be a great photo of the month for several reasons. The wreath was initially shared several months ago and more info about it can be found in this post. Essentially, we chose this photo because November kick-starts the most sentimental, family-oriented time of the year, and this wreath was one of the most sentimental pieces we've ever created.

Happy November!

photography by jamen long

elements used: wheat, seeded eucalyptus, sunset safari, spray roses, bear grass, salal, and thistle. finished with tan satin ribbon.

eat, drink, and be scary

2011-10-31T10:20:00.002-06:00

pumpkin centerpiece photo from martha stewart

coming soon...

2011-10-26T13:58:00.002-06:00

We recently received the photos from an event we designed in September. Watch for a post showcasing those photos soon!

A teensy sneak peek:

photo courtesy of mikki platt photography

sydney's bouquet for the big day

2011-10-20T11:12:00.004-06:00

Like we mentioned in a recent post, Sydney was married last Tuesday. The reception was gorgeous up at The Garden Place (a new venue at This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake) and it was made up with somewhat of a vendor dream-team (i.e. Culinary Crafts, Pink Piggy Design, Carrie's Cakes, Blossom Sweet (obviously), etc...). It was gorgeous!

We loved this event and should be getting photos from the photographer at some point, but for now please indulge us in our sharing a few photos we took of the bride's bouquet.

More to come!

flowers/elements used in bouquet: dusty miller, fiddle fern, queen anne's lace, roses, spray roses, freesia, lisianthus, birch branches, scabiosa pods, silver brunia, ornamental black pepper, and viburnum berries. finished with a charcoal satin wrap and gunmetal pins.

Have a great weekend, all!

a [very belated] photo of the month

2011-10-17T09:49:00.004-06:00

Goodness gracious! It may already be the 17th, but we just realized that October's photo of the month never happened! Needless to say we've been busy. Without further ado...

We loved these gorgeous fall bouts from one of our October 2009 weddings. When it comes to boutonnieres, going for "simple" often yields a simply lovely result.

Flowers/elements used: Mini callas, smokebush, lily grass, and rosehips. Finished with either chocolate brown or orange satin ribbon and olive green pins.

sydney's portrait bouquet

2011-10-10T13:21:00.005-06:00

The oh-so-cute Sydney is getting herself hitched tomorrow, and we are working on her gorgeous designs as we speak! We wanted to take a quick break, however, to share with you a sneak peek of the portrait bouquet which was used in her recent groomals session with her fiance. Enjoy!

flowers/elements used in bouquet: stock, football mums, spray roses, dusty miller, black pepper berry, and scabiosa pods. finished with a gray satin ribbon and gunmetal pins.

mikaela at la caille: sneak peek

2011-10-05T11:12:00.005-06:00

We had a wedding up at the beautiful La Caille a couple of weeks ago. It began with a gorgeous morning ceremony in an absolutely picturesque setting followed by a lovely luncheon on the third story of La Caille's restaurant.

We will be getting more photos from the event's actual photographer (whom we are happy to say is very talented!), but for now, here are a few photos we took ourselves prior to the event. Enjoy!

the bride's bouquet
ranunculus, standard tulips, parrot tulips, lisianthus, freesia, craspedia, football mums, queen anne's lace, feverfew, stock, gold airbrushed branches, and hanging amaranthus. finished with a mustard yellow satin ribbon wrap and draping crystal jewels.

the luncheon centerpieces
gypsophila bunches with finishing touches of hanging amaranthus, gold airbrushed branches, and draping crystal jewels in extra tall cylinder vases.

vintage bud vases... everywhere!
the bride wanted a rather eclectic and free look to her flowers. for the head table, there was a collection of twenty vintage bud vases lining the center of the table filled with various blooms mirroring the bride's bouquet. we also placed bud vases throughout the luncheon on cabaret tables, etc.

one more of the bouquet for good measure:

...because we loved this bouquet.

a blossom sweet bridal party featured on utah bride blog

2011-09-30T10:46:00.003-06:00

Hello lovelies, just wanted to let you know that Riley + Sunny's wedding was featured today over on Utah Bride Blog. Check out the feature HERE.

photos courtesty of miesh photography

Have a great weekend!

tanisha's bouquet and the inspiration behind it

2011-09-28T09:40:00.004-06:00

We mentioned back in August that we had a wedding coming up in which the bride had based her design concept around one of our past wedding bouquets. Tanisha was that bride, and the following two photos were the inspiration behind her design concept:

portrait bouquet inspiration (2009)

wedding day bouquet inspiration (2009)

As we pride ourselves on custom work, we do not duplicate past designs for new clients. However, we are happy to suggest alterations which will make a loved and sought-after design unique to any bride. That was the case with Tanisha, and this was the bouquet we came up with for her wedding day:

As you can see, the bouquets have a very similar look, yet at the same time are rather different in their makeup. Now Tanisha can say that her bouquet was unique to her and her alone!

flowers/elements used in Tanisha's bouquet: stock, callas, china berries, freesia, bells of ireland, lisianthus, cymbidium orchids. finished with peacock feathers, black feathers, black satin ribbon, black pins, and a turquoise wire wrap.

riley + sunny

2011-09-21T10:51:00.007-06:00

Riley and Sunny were married in June and we loooooved their flowers and concept. You may recognize that our current photo of the month came from this wedding. Such a hip couple. See for yourselves:

[photos courtesy of miesh photography]

Thanks again to Miesh Photography for the fab photos!

a client's review of blossom sweet

2011-09-16T11:05:00.004-06:00

Remember our gorgeous "Sundance Soiree" that we recently blogged about? Well, we were thrilled to receive an email yesterday from that particular bride letting us know she had written an online review about Blossom Sweet which gave an overview of her experience. We love hearing feedback like this from our clients just about as much as we love anything. So without further ado, here's her candid and unaltered review:

..................................................

"After recommendations from my wedding venue of their "approved florists" left me seriously wanting, I did a little research and found Melissa of Blossom Sweet. Boy, am I glad that I did!!!

Throughout the planning process (mind you I was out of state and do not live in Utah), Melissa was always just an email away. Through email and phone conversations I was able to communicate my layperson vision to her, which she in turn took...and ran with.

When we finally did meet in person, she had wonderful resources for me to browse through and help pick exactly what flowers I wanted. Not only did she deliver with beautiful blooms and arrangements, she more than captured the "feeling" that I wanted from my flowers. I had so many compliments on the flowers from guests at our wedding. My wedding planner kept me updated throughout the day, saying how beautiful things were looking...especially the flowers. She was so impressed with Melissa's work that she took her information and told me that she would definitely recommend her to future brides. She also thought that, for what Blossom Sweet delivered, things were fairly priced.

While our flowers were an investment (Melissa freely acknowledges this on her website), they were absolutely worth the splurge. Thank goodness I also had a great photographer to help capture just how beautiful Melissa of Blossom Sweet made our wedding look, because now it is all just a memory...but a really great one thanks in part to her artistry!

You can check out what Melissa did for us at: http://www.blossomsweet.com."

..................................................

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy life to do that, Lesley! You were a fantastic client and we so enjoyed working with you on your beautiful event. Warm wishes for you in all your newlywed bliss!

blossom sweet featured on the women in weddings blog

2011-09-12T09:36:00.004-06:00

Hello darlings and Happy Monday. Just wanted to let you know there was a little feature about Blossom Sweet on the Women In Weddings Utah blog this weekend as we are a sponsor for the big luncheon going down tomorrow.

Check out the post here.

photography by kate osborne

Hope your morning has been grand, and if so, that it is a good indicator that your week will be as well!

sundance soiree = smashing success

2011-09-08T10:16:00.005-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we had our biggest event of the summer. It took place up at Sundance Resort, and let us just tell you - it was gorgeous. Gor-geous. And the monster rainstorm/flash-flood even held off until the exact second we finished cleaning up and loading everything that night. Perfect timing!

We should be receiving the professional photos of this event at some point in the future, but for now, please enjoy a few [amateur!] snapshots we got of some of the flowers, just so you can get the general idea. Apologies that we did not have more time to get photos of everything!

THE BRIDE'S BOUQUET:

HEAD TABLE ARRANGEMENT:

[STUNNING!] CENTERPIECES:

CEREMONY ARBOR & CHAIR FLORAL
[sooooo gorgeous in person]:

We loved this event! Watch for more soon...

so long sweet summer... september's photo of the month

2011-09-05T16:50:00.005-06:00

Happy September! Boy oh boy we've been enjoying the cooler temps the past week - have you? But even as we say a fond farewell to the fiery furnace that was this summer's heat, we also must say a bittersweet "au revoir" to an amazing summer filled to the brim with beautiful Blossom Sweet Brides. As you know, summer is the busiest time of year for us, and this summer did not disappoint! We had countless incredible events and look forward to sharing them with you (upon receipt of the photos of course)!

This particular photo captured one of our favorite summer bouquets which has yet to have been shared on the blog. Isn't it a beauty? And trust me, the bride was equally lovely both in style and in spirit.

So now, it's with this latest "photo of the month" that we say, "So long, summer!" Until we meet again...

photo courtesy of the uber-talented and oh-so-hip Miesh Photography

flowers used in bouquet: stock (three varieties), spray roses, ranunculus, peonies (so gorgeous!!!!), garden roses, craspedia, succulents, green lizard, silver dollar eucalyptus, tuberose

women in weddings luncheon, september 13th

2011-08-30T11:56:00.004-06:00

*NOTE: RSVP's were due on Tuesday, but there are still a limited number of spots open. So even if you missed the deadline, feel free to contact Melissa with Blossom Sweet to see if there is still availability to RSVP. [801.669.4646]

Local wedding vendors: did you know that in 2010, Melissa Nickle, Owner at Blossom Sweet; and Audrey O'Brien, Owner at Studio Stems, co-founded the Women In Weddings Utah organization? And did you know that the second of our semi-annual luncheons is coming right up on the 13th of September, and that RSVP's for said event are due TODAY? And finally, did you know that if you are an industry professional you are totally invited?

The event is going to be outstanding, the guest list so far is stellar, and the sponsors are impressive (to say the least). It is a great (and fun!) opportunity for network with other professionals in the local market and will do nothing but boost your biz.

We hope you'll be joining us! Here's the invitation for your review (click to enlarge):

Thanks, vendor amigos!

mikki + midway + mountains = groomals

2011-08-25T09:18:00.007-06:00

Hello! We have been so busy the past week working on an exciting editorial shoot for Salt Lake/Park City Bride & Groom as well as a huge destination wedding we have coming up this weekend (which is going to be gorgeous!). That being said, apologies for the lack of posting - it sure hasn't been for lack of being busy!

We recently received the following photos from Mikki Platt Photography of a lovely little groomals session shot in the beautiful mountains of Midway, UT. Oh how we love that stunning area of our dear old state, and you already know we rave about Mikki, so enjoy these beauties!

The oh-so-intense summer heat this August took a bit of a toll on the blooms in an outdoors shoot (has it not been SOOOO hot this year?!), but the photos still turned out perfectly lovely.

Flowers used in bouquet: scabiosa, stock, lisianthus, silver dollar eucalyptus, queen anne's lace, and bouvardia. Finished with a twine wrap.

Thanks so much for the photos, Miss Marvelous Mikki!

40% off offer for Wedding Floral Academy in San Francisco!!!

2011-08-20T10:46:00.005-06:00

NOTE: THIS SPOT HAS NOW BEEN SOLD. THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO INQUIRED!

Hello floral friends!

Get ready to hear about one INCREDIBLE opportunity for you and your business. Have you ever wanted to go to the San Francisco flower market - one of the largest floral markets in the entire country with floral options you would never dream of seeing locally? Wanted to learn from industry professionals who are staples in the world of weddings - learn not only about design principles but of pure business savvy as well? Well, read on!

Nancy Liu Chin Floral & Event Design, based in San Francisco, began a few years ago what is called the Wedding Floral Academy. The premise is an intense three day workshop for those wanting to break into the wedding floral industry with gusto and/or take their brand to the next level. She teaches modern design concepts at the workshop, but perhaps even more enticing than that is the fact that she instructs attendees on the business development side of the industry. Nancy's work has been seen consistently in: Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine, Brides Magazine, The Knot, and on the ever-popular Style Me Pretty blog (among many others). She is a well-known and respected industry dynamo, and as each workshop is limited to under 6 attendees, the personal attention that each participant will receive from her is unparallelled.

I know you're already excited, but get ready to blow that excitement out of the water, because due to some extenuating circumstances there is ONE SPOT available for the November 2011 workshop which is 40% off!!!

(for more information about exact pricing, please contact me and I'd be happy to chat about it!)

So if you or anyone you know would benefit from attending this workshop, please let me know ASAP as I'm sure this spot won't take long to fill.

The dates for this workshop are November 8th-10th, 2011.

For more information about this out-of-this-world offer please contact Melissa Nickle of Blossom Sweet:

via email: info@blossomsweet.com

via phone: 801.669.4646

First come first serve. Thank you!

liesl + justin: a "WOODSy" soiree

2011-08-15T09:56:00.007-06:00

When we met Liesl and her cute mom for our initial consultation way back when, it was an extremely stormy and cold evening. They had a bit of a hard time finding the location in the storm, and had parked quite far away and had to brave walking through the storm to try to find us. We knew we'd get along great when they walked in to the appointment windblown and covered in snow & sleet... and were laughing about it! Yes, just as we suspected, the consultation was very fun and there were lots of laughs the entire time. They are such fun clients and have been a true joy to work with!

And now, fast forward to today. Liesl is tying the knot tomorrow morning and we're very excited for her sure-to-be-beautiful event. And as it is the eve of her wedding, enjoy her couple spotlight which she kindly agreed to do. Thanks, Liesl!

photography by dan hixson photography

How did you meet?
I met some of his friends while he was still on his mission and we all became really close. The day after Justin came home, I went with my friends hiking up the "Y" and he came along. He was very shy and he wore a hat so I could barely see his face! We didn't even carry on a conversation that first day!!!!

What is the most unique thing about your relationship?
We definitely follow the saying "opposites attract." I'm a ballroom dancer and he is a skateboarder/musician. I love dressing up and he's confident being casual. I'm the oldest in my family and he's the youngest. I like staying inside watching movies and he likes to be outdoors. I like having my quiet time and he loves always being with people. He doesn't like olives on his pizza and I wish they would invent a pizza with only olives! The list goes on but we couldn't be happier!!

What was your first date?
A week after we met, I told my roommate that I was extremely interested in this new handsome guy I just met! Five minutes later I get a call from Justin asking me out!!! He picked me up and we stopped at Subway and picked up a footlong black forest ham sandwich and some Power-ade. We headed into Provo Canyon and did a small hike near Canyon Glenn Park. It was beautiful! Up there we played frisbee, well, he threw it and I never caught it and I threw it and he had to run 20 yards to get a little closer to where it landed, and did some exploring. After we ate and played we headed back down and as we got closer to the car he asked me if he could hold my hand (Who is this guy! How great!)!! Of course I said yes! We headed to Arby's and shared a chocolate milkshake and then he told me that this was all he had planned so if I wanted to I could go with him to his sister's house and watch a movie. (This is at 9:00 p.m. and little did I know that this was a little test given to him by one of his sisters to see how well I thought the date is going and if it wasn't going well for him..... date over early! Good thing he didn't!!!!) We watched Transformers and we also might've had our first kiss as well! Two years later, the rest is history!

Tell us a little about your design concept:
The feeling of our wedding is a more natural, rustic, woodsy feel. My new last name will be Woods so I wanted to highlight that a little bit. Everything about the reception is just going to be enhancing the natural feel that is already there. Light pinks, sage green, and different shades of tan and brown are the colors for our reception. We wanted everyone to feel so relaxed that they just wanted to stay and enjoy the day with us. We are both so excited for everyone to come together and celebrate! We are going to have pictures everywhere and different arrangements of flowers leading the way to the party. We really cannot even wait!

What are your favorite qualities about each other?
Him: One look at Liesl and you can see that she lights up the place wherever she is. She has the most beautiful smile which makes everyone around happy. Liesl is also very funny/goofy :) - she likes to make people laugh. She cares so much for people and can easily create great lasting relationships. Especially for me, Liesl just makes me be a better me. She loves and wants me to do my best. She has such a love, and is so sincere that even when she is not around, I know she is there for me.

Her: Justin is very kind and sweet and sincere. He loves his family and always wants to be around them. He wants to make sure everyone is happy and always having a good time. He is very charismatic! Justin never talks badly about others and always looks for the good in sticky situations. He loves to laugh and hearing his laugh you can't help but join in! He is very creative and talented. He's a great singer and whenever I try to sing along he never makes fun of how horrible I am. Last but not least... his devotion and love for me is one of a kind! I am so lucky!

How did he propose?
Justin and I waited on standby to see "The Foreigner" at Hale Center Theater. We were there about an hour and a half early and were the first ones to get in! I was such a funny and great show! Afterwards it was about 10:30 and we were both STARVING! It's really not very nice to go to a restaurant that late but we did anyway. We decided on Carrabba's! I had some delicious pasta and he had a yummy chicken dish. After we were done eating we let our food sit and and then he asked me if it was okay if we stopped by his sisters house real quick after we were done. I said yes and asked why. Then he told me that he wanted to stop by so we could tell everyone that we were engaged!!! Then he got down on one knee next to the booth and asked me to marry him!!!! How sweet!!!

Thank you again, Liesl, and best wishes for tomorrow!

brittany's bright bouquet

2011-08-10T10:35:00.006-06:00

Brittany + Tony took the gettin'-hitched-plunge last week, and we were able to snap a couple quick snapshots of her bright bouquet. So here you go!

flowers used in bouquet: callas, cymbidium orchids, roses (two varieties), freesia, celosia, tulips, bells of ireland, pincushion protea, gerbera daisies, ranunculus

a stunner in the truest sense

2011-08-05T11:27:00.003-06:00

We LOVED Meredith's portrait bouquet we created earlier this summer and felt that it was a stunner in the truest sense of the word. We couldn't be happier to have these images from one of our favorite photographers (whom we recommend in the highest regard!), Mikki Platt Photography. No bride could possibly regret choosing Mikki to capture the biggest moments of her life on her wedding day. Thanks for the photos!

And are these Utah views not breathtaking in every way? What a gorgeous place it is which we call our abode! Enjoy the fabulous photos of this fabulous creation and have a great weekend!

photos courtesy of mikki platt photography

flowers/elements used in bouquet: scabiosa pods, peonies, allium balls, hanging amaranthus, stock, sweet peas, and fringe tulips. Finished with a loose burlap overlay and custom burlap floral embellishment.

photo of the month: august

2011-08-03T09:05:00.003-06:00

Happy August! August has always been our busiest month of the year here at Blossom Sweet and August 2011 did not disappoint. We completed our first wedding of the month yesterday, and we have some incredible events coming right up!

Now onto our latest photo of the month - we're going to feature an oldie but a goodie! We loved this 2009 portrait bouquet. A very simple design, but very funky at the same time. We have an upcoming wedding for one of our September brides whose floral concept is based around the wedding that this particular bouquet belonged to. While we do not duplicate our designs (every bride deserves one of a kind!), it's always fun to take a new spin on one of our previous concepts and make it fresh and customized for a new client. Stay tuned...

Photography by Blossom Sweet

flowers/elements used in bouquet: eggplant callas, thistle, green callas, black feathers, and black satin wrap, finished with a turquoise wire and pin handle treatment

broken down bouquet - "warm summer"

2011-07-29T08:48:00.006-06:00

Today's wedding is sure to be a vibrant little number! Shades of bright reds, yellows, and oranges complete with finishing accents of turquoise are set to steal the show this evening.

And now, bask in this teensy snippet and sneak peek of the bride's bouquet, followed by our latest Broken Down Bouquet board: "Warm Summer," which showcases the individual elements that are to make this event's so-called vibrancy come to life!

elements used in bouquet:

top row: bells of ireland, carnations, ... , dahlias
middle row: freesia, celosia, calla lilies, ...
bottom row: tulips, craspedia, pin cushion protea, hypericum berries

Have a great weekend, everyone!

pioneers, oh pioneers: an inspiration

2011-07-27T09:51:00.006-06:00

Hope you all had a great Pioneer Day Weekend (for those of our readers outside of Utah, July 24th is a big state holiday called "Pioneer Day")!

We've created a lovely little number by way of inspiration boards in honor of the holiday. We love this style! Click on the image to enlarge. Enjoy!

"Pioneers, Oh Pioneers"
inspiration board by blossom sweet

image credits:

style me pretty
green wedding shoes
once wed
squaresville studios photography
tyler metcalfe photography
dmagazine
allison davis photography
alyse french photography

yours truly as captured by darla roze photography

2011-07-22T14:29:00.006-06:00

In case you have ever wondered just whose face is behind the scenes of Blossom Sweet, you're about to find out. My friend and local photographer extraordinaire, Darla of Darla Roze Photography, was gracious enough to take some head-shots for me this Spring to use as profile shots for work. Do you know Darla? You should! She's just about the most genuine gal in the world, and her talent is just as authentic as her sincere genuineness.

Anyway, I've had the photos for quite some time, but have been somewhat hesitant in sharing because frankly it feels weird to post photos of myself on the business blog. But, then again, I am the Owner and Head-Designer of said business, and I am so grateful to Darla for these images so I think it's only fair to share.

So now enjoy these photos of me, Melissa Nickle, Owner of Blossom Sweet. Yep, it feels weird even to say it. Ah well.

Photography: Darla Roze Photography
Hair & Makeup: Enizio

I'll end with this last photo which is particularly significant to me because it is me holding the vintage gold brooch which was my Great-Grandmother's, who passed it down to my Grandmother, who passed it down to me. These photos were taken less than a week before my grandmother was set to have a massive cancer surgery, and I wanted to incorporate the brooch in honor of her. And I'm ever so grateful to say that the surgery was a success!

Thank you again, Darla!

spring garden editoral shoot

2011-07-19T10:15:00.012-06:00

This post is so long overdue, but we hope you'll think it was worth the wait.

We were asked to be part of the Spring Garden Editorial Shoot put together by Utah Bride Blog earlier this year. We were thrilled when we heard about the concept and the other collaborating vendors and were honored to have been asked to be such an integral part of the design.

While this post shows many of the photos from the shoot, the feature can be seen in it's entirety on our website under the "featured weddings" tab, and can also be seen in a new album on the Blossom Sweet Facebook Page. So if you'd like to see more, that's where to go!

Without further ado, enjoy!

Vendor links:

Flowers: Blossom Sweet
Photography: Mikki Platt Photography
Gown: Alta Moda Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Enizio
Stationery: Pink Piggy Design
Place Settings: Pottery Barn
Venue: Memorial House
Cake: Sugar Kisses
Jewelry: Morgan Jewelers
Tux: Tuxedo Junction
Furniture Rentals: Alpine Event Rentals
Design Concept: Utah Bride Blog

email issues

2011-07-14T12:02:00.000-06:00

It just came to our attention that our email account has not been functioning the past week. We have received emails but no one has received ours. We apologize for any inconvenience, we are working to resolve the issue. Thank you for your patience!

the color coral

2011-07-11T11:47:00.005-06:00

We're back! What a lovely week in California it was, but we are glad to be back in the blogging world once again. And after a long(ish) absence, we think you blog-viewers are quite deserving of an infusion of color! So let's get to it.

Stefanie was married a couple of weeks ago at Red Butte Garden. Her colors were coral, peach, ivory, and turquoise. Now, you should all know, although it is extremely popular this season, coral is actually a little hard to come by when it comes to flowers. Stefanie specifically did not want any roses (other than garden roses) so that made our options limited even further. However, we aim to please our clients and were able to come through with the most stunning coral peonies EVER at the end of the typical peony season. Stefanie's lucky day!

Enjoy several snapshots we got of the bridal party floral, starting with...

THE bouquet:

peonies, garden roses, pin-cushion protea, hanging amaranthus, lisianthus, silver dollar eucalyptus, stock, succulents, spiral eucalyptus, and lady's mantle. finished with a draping coral satin ribbon.

the groom's boutonniere:

stock, lisianthus, mini-carnations, spiral eucalyptus, silver dollar eucalyptus, and filler. finished with turquoise ribbon and pearl pins.

the corsages:

larger, more feminine version of boutonnieres. stock, lisianthus, mini-carnations, spiral eucalyptus, silver dollar eucalyptus, and filler. finished with a turquoise ribbon wrap, turquoise ribbon bursts, and peach pins.

the bridesmaids' bouquets:

peonies, garden roses, stock, lisianthus, spiral eucalyptus, silver dollar eucalyptus, lady's mantle, and pin-cushion protea. finished with draping turquoise ribbon.

one more of the bouquet for good measure:

We thoroughly enjoyed working on this wedding's designs. What a delicious feast of color for the eyes! Have a great week, everyone.

out of office . josi's portrait bouquet . july's photo of the month

2011-07-01T09:44:00.003-06:00

A few items of business today:

1. We will be out of office from now until Monday, July 11th. We will have access to voicemail so feel free to call if need be, however, internet access will be intermittent at best. See you on the 11th!

2. We had several portrait bouquets, orders, and events this week, and one such was one of our upcoming clients, Josi, who had her bridal portraits taken earlier this week by someone whom we happen to think is among the top of the top-notch photographers Utah has to offer (as far as notches go): Gideon Photography. We have admired his work for a looooong time! Can't wait to see the photos. BTW, her event is going to be STELLAR.

3. And last but not least... it's July! Happy July! Happy Freedom! Happy Patriotism! Happy America! We love July. And in honor of this month, we thought we'd share as our photo of the month a snapshot we snagged of the aforementioned portrait bouquet we created for Josi this week. Enjoy!

[photo by blossom sweet]

flowers/elements used in bouquet: peonies, dusty miller, butterfly bush, hanging amaranthus, spray roses, and fringe tulips. finished with a sky blue satin wrap and black pins.

Have a great holiday, everyone, and we'll see you on the 11th!

stefanie + matt

2011-06-29T09:33:00.006-06:00

This lovely couple is getting hitched this evening at Red Butte Garden. Stefanie's bouquet is STUNNNNNING. If you "like" Blossom Sweet on Facebook, then you've probably already seen the itsy-bitsy sneak peek we posted of her bouquet this morning so you know what we're talking about. If you don't... well sad day for you because you'll have to wait a couple of weeks to see it on the blog!

And now, onto the spotlight:

Stefanie + Matt
photography by erin hallmark

1. How did you meet?

We met through mutual friends from Matt's work. He asked me out a week later.

2. What has been your favorite date as a couple?

We spent New Year's Eve in New York City and got a police escort to see the ball in Times Square because we were from Utah and had not seen it up close before. We went to my favorite restaurant, Serendipity 3, and we also went to Central Park to see the fireworks. We also had a snowball fight. :)

3. What are your favorite qualities about your fiance?

I love how sweet and gentle and caring Matthew is. And he is very concerned about everyone and makes everyone feel loved. He loves that I come from a good family and is very excited to have more "siblings"!

4. What is your favorite way to spend time together?

Since we're both so busy we like to relax and watch movies. We also love eating sugar; Mountain Dew is our favorite drink so we are having that at our wedding reception.

5. How did he propose?

There is no short version to this story. First of all, it was April Fool's Day, and he gave me a fake proposal on a carriage ride downtown. But later he completely surprised me when we went to a gazebo in my neighbor's backyard at sunset; he had pizza (our favorite food) and roses waiting for me where he gave me the real proposal and my beautiful ring. :)

Thanks again for agreeing to be spotlighted! Good luck today and we hope you love your flowers as much as we do!

courtney's bouquet: sneak peek

2011-06-27T15:33:00.004-06:00

We la-la-LOVED Courtney's flowers last weekend. Think lace. Soft pinks. Creams. Muted greens and all other aspects that ooze femininity. Ah, we sigh at this pinnacle of loveliness.

Now, please pardon our shameless display of amateur photography and enjoy this little sneak peek we snapped of her bouquet. Cannot wait to see the professional images of the entire event!

flowers/elements used in bouquet: peonies, ranunculus, geraldine roses, sahara roses, hanging amaranthus, lamb's ear, lisianthus, spray roses, queen anne's lace, tulips (the most GORGEOUS tulips we have ever seen!), snow on the mountain. finished with an ivory satin wrap and a vintage brooch with champagne-hued jewels.

courtney + jake = roller-skate love

2011-06-23T10:29:00.006-06:00

Wouldn't you love to meet the love of your life on roller-skates? When I first met with today's spotlight couple several months ago, I asked them how they met and they told me they worked at Sonic Drive In back in high school. I asked, "Did you meet over roller-skates?" They confirmed my suspicion. Call me old fashioned, but it just makes me think of a time when poodle skirts, bobby socks, saddle shoes and true side ponytails were in full swing - such a romantic, puppy-love era!

So without further ado, let's get to the task at hand. Courtney and Jake are getting married tomorrow afternoon, and they have graciously agreed to be spotlighted. Their wedding is going to be beautiful - think feminine, ruffly, classic, and vintage (I have mixed feelings about the word "vintage" lately, everyone uses it! It's almost as bad as "fabulous..." don't get me started!). Anyway, yes, it will be a lovely touch of vintage-y, antique-y goodness. It's a gonna be pretty!

Enjoy the spotlight.

Photography by Hiya Papaya

How did you meet and who made the first move?

1. We met in high school at our first job at Sonic Drive-In. I was a senior and Jake was a sophomore. We were just really good friends and neither one of us tried to date the other. Then a few years later we ran into each other while we were on dates with other people. He got my number and the rest is history!

When did you know you wanted to get married?

2. I knew i wanted to marry Jake a few weeks after we were boyfriend/girlfriend. He is my best friend and the greatest man i know. We have such great chemistry and connect on every level. I love him more than anything.

What are your favorite qualities about each other?

3. Courtney's favorite qualities about Jake: His sense of humor. His honesty. His hard work ethic. His love of music. His love for sports. His sillyness. His loyalty. His passion. His sexy legs and arms haha. His sense of adventure. His kindness. His generosity. He teaches me to let the little thing go.

Jake's favorite qualities about Courtney: Her tenderness. Her creativity. Her sillyness. Her eyes and lips. Her love for animals. Her kindness. Her big heart. Her sense of humor. Her cleanliness. Her sense of style.

What is the reason you are most excited about to get married?

4. I am most excited to get married to Jake because I know he is the one for me and I want my life to be spent with him. He makes me feel every emotion. He takes care of me. He truly loves me. I want to live my life with him. I want him to be my husband forever and the father of our children. Absolutely no one could do what he does for me and make me feel so special. I am excited to start planning for our future and accomplish our goals together.

How did he propose?

5. I use to work at an assisted living center and while I was loading the residents for work, Jake just showed up, got down on one knee and proposed. It was on Valentine's Day. He said he had the ring for a week and was going to explode if he didn't give it to me. All the residents were cheering and laughing. It was very cute.

Where are you going for your honeymoon?

6. California! We are going for eight days and are very excited! We will be staying in LA and plan on going to the Price Is Right, Universal Studios, Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo, and then just shop and go to the beach and site see! I'm so excited and I know Jake is excited to get work off for eight days.

Thanks so much for doing the spotlight, Courtney and Jake; we're excited for your stellar event tomorrow!

sunny + riley: oh so hip

2011-06-14T09:54:00.009-06:00

We know we know, we've been slacking on the spotlights the past few months. Deepest apologies - the spring and summer seasons are a bustling busy time 'round these parts, but we're about to get back into the swing of spotlights!

And now, for your viewing pleasure and without further ado, enjoy this little lovely about Riley + Sunny, who are getting hitched this week...

Riley and Sunny are getting married this weekend, and we are so excited for their concept! When we first met with Riley, we knew her style was a perfect fit for Blossom Sweet: hip, vintage, earthy, eclectic, current, feminine, and classically beautiful all rolled into one. We dare say Riley has style coming out her ears!

And how much do you love these adorable engagement shots by Michelle Frampton of Miesh Photography [100% film photography] - so cute! Riley said of photographer Michelle: "She is a one man show and totally rad."

HOW DID YOU MEET?

Sunny and I met on a blind date. It's kind of funny because I am not the blind dating type of person but a friend of mine that I lived in China wanted to line me up with her friend and I begrudgingly agreed to go. When I first laid eyes on him I thought he was a fox! We had a fun first date making chinese dumplings, going bowling, and then watching the classic What About Bob. We had so much fun! At the end of the date I was sure he was going to ask me out again but as we were saying goodbye he still hadn't asked me for my phone number! I decided to go ahead and be my headstrong self and say, "Aren't you going to get my number?" I guess he wasn't too intimidated by my straight-forwardness because he started calling me every night afterwords.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO AS A COUPLE?

I think one of our favorite things to do as a couple is play outside. We both enjoy going cruising on our longboards, or taking the day off work to go snowboarding. Sometimes we'll take our cat, Elenore exploring or on picnics. Whatever it is, we like to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful world around us.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE QUALITIES ABOUT EACH OTHER?

[FROM RILEY] Finding a favorite quality is more difficult than one might imagine! One of my favorite qualities in Sunny is his open-mindedness to new things. Guys with this quality are few and far between so I feel extremely lucky to have Sunny. I tend to be somewhat spontaneous, random, and scattered and it is so nice to have someone who just kicks back and enjoys the ride rather than staying 'in the box'. He finds a way to be playful and supportive no matter what the scenario and I really respect that about him.

[FROM SUNNY] My favorite quality about Riley is just how playful she is. Also, she has a fresh view on things and it makes me feel lighter when I am with her. She is considerate and makes me happy.

WHAT IS THE MOST UNIQUE THING ABOUT YOU AS A COUPLE?

There are many things that I think are unique about us as a couple. The most obvious one that comes to mind is our differing nationality backgrounds. Sunny is from Taiwan (China), and I have lived in Utah most of my life so it creates a unique scenario for us a couple. Although we were both raised in very different backgrounds, we have found a way to mesh our lives (and cultures) together as a couple. Whether its eating authentic Chinese and Taiwanese dishes or watching The Office marathons on tv, we have found a heavenly little harmony where both of us are represented and happy. I think that is unique.

HOW DID HE PROPOSE?

Sunny proposed to me on December 27, 2010 by way of scavenger hunt. I woke up one morning to find a clue laying by the side of my bed (it was really cute, he had typed up all of these cles and sealed them with candle wax). The clues led me to different areas around the house where I would find a clue to lead me to the next location. At the last spot there was a little owl with a ribbon tied on its neck and a beautiful ring hanging on to it. Sunny snuck in behind me and got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Of course I was thrilled and I agreed. Now it is four days until the wedding and we couldn't be more excited!

Thank you so much for doing the spotlight, R + S! We are so excited for your hip concept. Good luck with everything this week.

father of the blossom sweet bride

2011-06-09T14:50:00.004-06:00

"Daddy, I met a man in Rome. And he's handsome and brilliant and we're getting married."

You know the movie. A tried and true classic, "Father of the Bride."

Well, a couple of weeks ago we received an email from one of our very own recent "fathers of the bride," thanking us for the beautiful designs at his daughter's wedding and expressing how much he loved the flowers. Now, don't get us wrong, fathers have often expressed such things before, but usually in passing while we are setting up the event. But how sweet is this F.O.B. for taking time out of his day to send a personal little "Blossom Sweet Thank You" post-wedding? We really appreciated it. Would that all fathers were as grand as this one.

An excerpt:

"...Thank you for your hard work on our daughter's wedding. The flowers were spectacular, natural, and beautiful. I loved the entire look..."

Thank you for making our day!

"i want a love like johnny and JUNE..." - photo of the month

2011-06-03T14:50:00.006-06:00

"I want a love like Johnny and June..." is a lyric from a country song I hear now and then on the radio about the love affair between Johnny Cash and his June Carter. Yep, I love country music. I listen to it on the radio. By choice. On purpose. Judge me.

And why do we speak of country songs? Obviously we are alluding to the fact that it is now JUNE! Summer is at our fingertips and that means times have been busy, busy, busy for Blossom Sweet. We so love it and we have some incredible events coming up over the summer months.

To celebrate the summer season, let's kick it off with June's photo of the month, a lovely little number from a groomals portrait session of one of our all time favorite clients, Amy + Aaron, who we're sure are a "Johnny and June" in their own right. The red barn in the background just seals the deal. Enjoy!

photo courtesy of mallory lynn photography

Happy June!

flowers used in bouquet/boutonniere: peonies, thistle, dahlias, butterfly bush, craspedia, scabiosa pods

carson + orrin 5.19.11

2011-05-31T10:52:00.007-06:00

Carson and Orrin's Draper Temple/Wadley Farms wedding was a feast of delicious details and must be shared! Not only was Carson so easy to work with, but she committed to her concept and carried it off flawlessly. If you can't tell, we loved this wedding.

Thanks so much to Becky of Ravenberg Photography for sharing her mad skills with us! We adore these photos and are so grateful to have them. See a bit more of the wedding in a recent album on Ravenberg's Facebook Page. Enjoy!

Did you love the photos? Thank you again, Carson and Ravenberg Photography!

lone peak giveaway winner

2011-05-27T18:38:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to...

Drumroll please....

.....
.....
.....

BEKAH

Our latest giveaway winner. Watch for your prize next week.

Thanks to all who entered!

give me a giveaway: LONE PEAK only

2011-05-24T17:50:00.004-06:00

Today we had the great opportunity once again to visit the Lone Peak High School floral classes to chat about wedding flowers. And once again, it was a great day!

And now for the exciting part, right kids? We're having a giveaway that is limited to current Lone Peak Floral Students ONLY (sorry to everyone else!). Here are the rules to enter:

Any current LPHS floral students may enter.
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post stating what you most liked learning about today.
If you "Like" Blossom Sweet on Facebook (facebook.com/BlossomSweet), you may leave TWO COMMENTS and therefore will be entered in the giveaway drawing twice.

The winner will be chosen at random and will be announced this weekend. Good luck!

Thank you again, Miss Harris, for inviting Blossom Sweet into your classroom. We always enjoy it.

break it down for me

2011-05-20T17:22:00.008-06:00

As we briefly mentioned in our last post, we had two weekday weddings for which to design this week, and yesterday was the second of the two. Both were at Wadley Farms, but both were immensely different! Tuesday's wedding (which unfortunately we don't have any pics of) was shades of plum, white, and black and was very funky, modern, and whimsical. On the other hand, yesterday's event was very natural, earthy, and eclectic in shades of khaki, chocolate, cream, earthy blues, and all natural greens. Both were beautiful in their own right!

We did manage to get a few bridal party snapshots of yesterday's event. Granted, we had to take them around 8:30 am when it was POURING rain, so we had about one foot of space on the porch to work with to get these photos which made it pretty difficult. Please keep that in mind! The reception was so, so beautiful but we unfortunately did not have an extra minute to take photos. Ah! The cake! The cake was to die for! This was a bride who was dedicated to the details, and it really paid off. We hope to see the professional pics of the wedding and share them with you in the future. For now, here are a few of our bridal party snapshots.

The bride's stunning-in-every-way bouquet:

The bridemaids bouquets which were mono-botanical, showcasing just one type of flower per bouquet.
All were unified by the dusty miller, silver dollar eucalyptus, and soft blue ribbon:

The boutonnieres:

Now, while we were putting the bride's bouquet together and had everything laid out on the counter, this is what it looked like:

While looking at this view, an early morning idea came to mind that we should start a new blog series. We will be calling this series:

"Broken Down Bouquets"

The concept is to take a bouquet and break it down into each individual element for both inspiration and to show what really goes into a bouquet. So, with this wedding we created our first "Broken Down Bouquet" board. Enjoy!

"Earth and Sky"
by Blossom Sweet

Top row, left to right: birch, ..., wheat, white stock
Second from top, left to right: berzelia, waxflower, gypsophila, succulents
Third row, left to right: scabiosa pods, tulips, ..., lisianthus
Bottom row, left to right: dusty miller, yellow stock, silver dollar eucalyptus, novelty leucadendron

So brides, readers et al, is this concept something you'd like to see more of? Do you find it helpful and/or interesting? Let us know what you think!

wadley wednesday

2011-05-18T10:18:00.004-06:00

In 2010, we had four Blossom Sweet brides bearing the name of "Holly," so we called it our "Year of the Holly's." Well, if 2010 was that, then 2011 is certainly our "Year of Wadley Farms." We had an event there yesterday, have another event there tomorrow, have already had several events there previously this year, and have several more booked throughout the summer.

Maybe a Wadley Farms post is in order? We'll have to get to it soon because they have done some major renovations and it looks amazing. We can't wait to see it this summer.

For you visual delight, here's a photo from one of our Wadley Farms events in 2010:

yan photo

Happy Wadley Wednesday.

the tackiest little thing we ever did see

2011-05-16T10:45:00.005-06:00

When you receive wedding invitations in the mail, it is a fairly standard expectation (at least in the great state of Utah) that you will find some sort of gift registry card enclosed in the pretty little envelope. Now, here at Blossom Sweet we have mixed feelings about said enclosures whatsoever, but we'll tell you what, things are seriously starting to get out of hand! People seem to be feeling more and more entitled when it comes to asking for money and gifts. We'd like to address this issue in what (hopefully) will not offend those of you who have violated basic rules of nuptial etiquette in this manner. Yep, violated.

photo found here

First is the worst. Several months ago I was at a friends house and was looking through some wedding invitations on the kitchen counter (I can't help myself). I found the concept you're about to see to be so ghastly that I have carried this card around in my wallet for six months waiting to share it with you. Brace yourselves, my friends, because yes, I was shocked to find that enclosed in one of the invites was this little number:

Agh! Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Who does that? I was more than a little speechless and taken aback to say the least. The happy couple in question had enclosed a registry card that would allow guests to essentially sign on the dotted line, mail or hand deliver the card to the couple's bank, and deposit a designated amount of moolah into their account instead of giving a gift. Ew! Tacky, tacky, TACKY. Stop it.

That one was definitely the worst I've seen, but I have to say I have seen some other doozies in my day. A couple of prime examples:

I've received more than one little insert requesting cash gifts ONLY.
Now this one goes one step further. I received an invitation from a bride in which the registry card asked specifically for cash, but then pleaded with guests that if they felt they needed to give a gift other than cash that they PLEASE remember to include a gift receipt. Yuck.

Brides, please cease and desist with the lack of tact. What's wrong with getting five toasters, anyway? My very own parents have rarely had to buy a new toaster in their nearly 27 years of marriage because they have their own private stash of them from their gettin'-hitched glory days. It's totes cool and super convenient, and their guests had the satisfaction of purchasing said congratulations-and-best-wishes-toasters.

photo found here

We support bridal registries, let's be clear about that. But where is the tact in nuptial bliss? Where has all the etiquette gone? Sigh. Be classy, couples, please be classy people.

featured weddings: did you know?

2011-05-05T13:36:00.004-06:00

We'll soon be having another photo series featured on our website and we are very excited about it. Watch for that soon!

However, for now let us say that Tori and Eric's gorgeous Tuscany event became a "featured wedding" on our website several months ago - did you know? Well, likely not because we neglected to announce it. Pardon us. :)

Go to our website, click on "featured weddings," and select "Tori & Eric." Enjoy!

photography by nicole carman

so, will may showers bring june flowers?

2011-05-02T13:59:00.005-06:00

We're back... and we'd love nothing more than to wish you a happy, happy May! We will say that it feels more like April than May, though; it seems that Utah's running about a month behind schedule and temps have been a bit cooler than normal. We'll see how this month plays out!

Anyway, enjoy a lovely little photo of the month, a snapshot of Deanne's bouquet from last summer. We do so love a pretty peony bouquet.

Flowers used in bouquet: eucalyptus, china berries, poppy pods, peonies, roses, stock

P.S. We apologize for our April hiatus. It was warranted, but we're sorry.

oh snap! + out of the office

2011-04-14T11:27:00.004-06:00

First off, we will be out of the office immediately following this post and will be returning Monday. Calls and emails will be returned at that time.

Now, do you remember the SNAPdragon bouquet we introduced last month? Well, we're bringing it up again because the bride, Julie, was so kind to share a couple of her professional photos with us! They are so beautiful - we LOVE them. Thank you Julie!

Now compare our measly photo of her bouquet...

...to the professional photographer's photos:

photography by KJ

OH SNAP! We just can't even compete with that! It goes to show that a good details photographer is so important. This is the same exact bouquet, but it looks completely different when the professional is behind the camera. Girls, invest in a great photographer. We do so love it when you do.

Happy weekend! See you next week!

flowers used in bouquet: red alstromeria, white/red bi-color alstromeria, spray roses, tulips, snapdragons, hypericum berries

editorial eye candy day 5: the flowers

2011-04-08T10:27:00.004-06:00

It's the final day of Editorial Eye Candy Week on Utah Bride Blog, and of course we're happy to say that it's Flower Friday! You've seen our flowers splashed across every post this week, but today is focused more on the up close and personal details of our designs. Check it out here. Happy weekend!

mikki platt photography

editorial eye candy day 4 - ANOTHER pottery barn giveaway!

2011-04-07T12:27:00.002-06:00

As if yesterday's Pottery Barn giveaway wasn't enough, Utah Bride Blog is having ANOTHER PB giveaway today! The prize of this contest will be the adorable Emma Cake Stand from the shoot. It is divine - we love the ruffled, scalloped edges as well as the subtle dot details. We SO want to win this prize too... so once again we hope you don't! Find out how to enter here (or don't, up to you!). XOXO

But today's post isn't just about the giveaway, mind you. It features the lovely wedding cake by Sugar Kisses Cakes, and gorgeous invitation & stationery work of Pink Piggy Design. Be sure to check it out - these are some uber-talented vendors for sure!

Mikki Platt Photography

editorial eye candy day 3 - a POTTERY BARN giveaway

2011-04-06T22:49:00.004-06:00

It's day three of Editorial Eye Candy Week, and today's post on Utah Bride Blog featured Pottery Barn, as that is where all of the details for the shoot were born. And what better way to celebrate day three than to let you know that UBB is having a spectacular Pottery Barn giveaway for all of the vases used on the shoot? Seriously! The prize is these five beauties as a set:

mikki platt photography

We shouldn't even tell you about this, because we just entered and truly want to win! The vases are supremely gorgeous (we should know, since the floral design came from none else but us). But... since we are SO SO nice, we will share this valuable information. Hop on over and enter.

Good luck... uh... break a leg!

photo of the month + editorial eye candy [day 2]

2011-04-05T10:52:00.003-06:00

Oh yeah, it's April, huh? I suppose we're a little preoccupied this time of year as the busy time heats up! Well, happy April. Let's [belatedly] start if off right with a beautiful new photo of the month shot by an equally beautiful photographer whose work we adore:

photography by kate osborne photography

flowers used in arrangement: hanging amaranthus, tulips (2 varieties), hydrangea, bupleurum, bi-color godetia, peonies, butterfly bush, scabiosa pods, spray roses, veronica, lisianthus, dahlias, liatris, craspedia

Also, today's Editorial Eye Candy on Utah Bride Blog features fashion and beauty trends. The vendors featured are Utah's best of the best - hop on over and check it out!

(P.S. I know the other female vendors on the shoot would all agree and I'm sure you all do too... the male model is eye candy enough!)

WINNER! ... and the start of an eye candy week!

2011-04-04T10:10:00.004-06:00

photo found here

Hello my darlings and happy Monday. It's time to announce the winner of the Thanksgiving Point photo pass! Drum-roll please...

We had ten entries, and the winner was randomly chosen using random.org, which generated the number 3 out of 10. And that means our third commenter is the lucky duck!

so let's give a big, huge, lucky-day, $150 congratulations to
Laura!

Whom [I believe] is engaged! What a great prize for engagement photos or bridal portraits! We'll be in touch shortly about getting you your much-coveted prize.

And now, on to even more exciting news. Get ready to feast your eyes on an ENTIRE WEEK of daily eye candy! We mentioned a couple of posts back that Blossom Sweet was part of a massive (and massively gorgeous) editorial shoot. Well, that shoot is being featured every day this week on Utah Bride Blog. Get excited!

You can see the today's introductory/overview post here. Each day for the remainder of the week will feature a different aspect of the shoot. The big flower feature is planned for this Friday. Can't wait!

We will post one photo from each day here on the Blossom Sweet Blog and will give you the link to the particular day's post. Here's today's sneak peek photo, GO SEE THE REST!

Mikki Platt Photography

give me a giveaway: $150 value photo pass!

2011-03-30T09:01:00.007-06:00

It's time for another giveaway! Spring has been a bit slow in coming this year, but we do believe it's almost here... for real. And here in Utah, there are few places as pretty in the Spring as the Thanksgiving Point Gardens, especially during the Tulip Festival (because we do so love a pretty tulip) which is being held this year from April 15-30.

So let's talk about this prize, shall we? We are thrilled to be giving away a $150 photo pass to Thanksgiving Point! It is a combo pass for the Thanksgiving Point Gardens and Reception Gardens. Brides/photographers/families/seniors - this is a great offer! Anyone can enter, and the pass does not expire.

How to enter:

leave a comment on this post telling us how you found out about Blossom Sweet
include your phone number and/or email address in your comment to ensure that we'll be able to contact you should you win

Finally, bask in the beauty that is the Thanksgiving Point Gardens (and go ahead, let your imagination run wild thinking about the gorgeous portraits that would come out of it!):

all photos taken from the Thanksgiving Point Gardens Facebook Page

Good luck!

sneak peek #3: be excited for the real deal

2011-03-26T13:01:00.003-06:00

And now, its time for our final segment of Sneak Peek Week. This little lovely was created as a small part of a huge editorial shoot. Oh my word, this shoot showcased some of our favorite designs in Blossom Sweet history.

More details and LOTS more photos (of the beautiful/professional variety) will be forthcoming in the near future, but for now, just know that you're going to want to keep your eyes peeled for the real deal. That's all we can say, but trust us. TRUST US.

flowers used in arrangement: stock, roses (3 varieties), viburnum, ranunculus (3 varieties), craspedia, salal

sneak peek #2: alysha's bouquet

2011-03-24T13:03:00.002-06:00

Alysha's wedding was on Saturday, and may we say it was beautiful. We can't wait to see the professional photos. For now, enjoy a couple quick shots we got of her bouquet pre-wedding.

flowers used in bouquet: succulents (3 varieties), brazilia, vendela roses, super green roses, anenomes, craspedia (airbrushed), stock, viburnum, tulips

sneak peek week

2011-03-21T18:00:00.005-06:00

We had four events last week, so we thought it would be fun to do a "Sneak Peek Week" to tide you over until we get the professional images.

*For now, please excuse the amateur photography!

One of our brides, Julie, specifically requested that her bouquet have snapdragons. While we have on occasion used snaps in decor pieces, to date we had never incorporated them into a bouquet concept. But, we were up to the task. Here's a couple shots of her bouquet (do you love the striped ribbon as much as we do?):

flowers used in bouquet: red alstromeria, white/red bi-color alstromeria, spray roses, tulips, snapdragons, hypericum berries

Watch for a second sneak peek soon!

alysha + jesse sittin' in a tree . . .

2011-03-16T00:03:00.009-06:00

Alysha + Jesse are getting married this weekend, and we are a level or two above and beyond excited for their designs! A timelessly elegant color palette of champagne, gray, buttercream, ivory, and apple green with infusions of ambient light are bound to make their's an event to remember.

And just who are these sittin'-in-a-tree-lovebirds, anyway? Without further ado, meet the cute couple:

[photography by Dan Hixson]

What did you do for your first date?

Alysha: "Our first date was more of a 'hang out' because we were both too shy to be alone together. A bunch of our friends got together and went swimming and had a BBQ at one of Jesse's friends houses. Even though we were both extremely nervous that night, I fell for him right away. We had a fun time laughing and playing; he even tried to "woo" me by singing songs with his guitar. I think it worked." :)

What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?

"We are just like any other couple and enjoy going to movies,out to eat, bowling,etc. But the two things that we LOVE to do that some may find strange are playing chess and playing catch phrase with just us two. We laugh our heads off and nothing can ever top those moments."

Where are you going on your honeymoon?

"Seeing as we both have to go back to work soon, we are going to spend a couple days up at a cabin! It will be fun to get away and relax together."

What are your favorite qualities about each other?

Alysha: "I love just about everything about Jesse, but a couple things I love the most is how caring and hard working he is. He knows just how to take care of me or others when something is wrong. He is very good as showing how much he loves me. He is such a hard worker. He is so determined in anything he does and am thankful for that because he keeps me going a lot of the time."

Jesse: "I love everything about her but I am going to have to say I admire her faith the most. She always stays positive and helps me to do the same when I'm having a bad day or somethings are going wrong. And I love her for that!"

What is the most unique thing about your relationship?

"I would have to say the most unique thing about our relationship is that we have lived on the same street and grown up together almost our whole lives. It is crazy for us to think that our whole lives we tried to imagine our future spouses, when really we were seeing each other at least once a week, every sunday, for years. Who knew we would be marrying the girl/boy from down the street?"

How did he propose?

Alysha: "We were coming home from seeing a movie and needed to go somewhere else but he "forgot" his jacket at my house and wanted to get it. He ran inside while I waited in the car. After a good ten minutes he finally called me and asked me to come inside. Not having any clue what was waiting inside, I hurried in. I walked into my house full of rose petals, candles,and a beautiful meal. He brought me in and I turned to him and he was on one knee. He said all these wonderful things, including how he thought proposing at my house was perfect because it was where we grew up together. Then, he popped the question! I was crying and shaking and saying weird things but I somehow managed to get "Yes!" out. Then we enjoyed a nice meal while staring at each other (and the beautiful ring). It was perfect. :)"

Thanks oh-so-much, you two, for completing your Blossom Sweet couple spotlight! We're so looking forward to Saturday (but not as much as you are...)!

our new favorite image

2011-03-14T10:20:00.003-06:00

When we saw this image from Amy + Aaron's big day, we just about died. Ah, such understated elegance! It's our new favorite image and obsession. The peonies at her wedding were among the most gorgeous we've seen, massive and completely open. Hope you love the image as well.

photography by mallory lynn photography

Happy Monday!

amy + aaron groomals portraits

2011-03-10T10:14:00.003-07:00

LOVE this groomals session! Amy was one of our all-time favorite brides, and we are thrilled to have recently received the following images of her fun groomals session. So adorable. Enjoy!

photography by Mallory Lynn Photography

Is not that third image to die for? Ah, we love it. Thank you so much for being such a great client, Amy, and thank you Mallory for sharing your photographic talent with us!

P.S. Mallory took a photo at Amy's wedding that is now (at least) among our TOP FIVE favorite photos. Await the sharing of said photo in eager anticipation!

blossom sweet in utah valley bride magazine, 2011

2011-03-07T11:05:00.005-07:00

We are excited to (belatedly) announce that Blossom Sweet is once again a part of Utah Valley Bride Magazine. The 2011 issues are on shelves now, be sure to pick up a copy! Now, time to introduce you to our exposure in this year's magazine:

{all images are used by permission, and are copyright Utah Valley Bride Magazine, 2011}

Our ad:

Page-spread view:
Two of our bouquets were featured in the flower section of the magazine. Here they are with their corresponding descriptions:

"Showcasing a delicate mix of ranunculus, roses, lisianthus, spray roses, dusty miller, and hydrangea, this bouquet exudes an air of femininity and grace. Add a ruffled satin wrap and Blossom Sweet's signature handcrafted skeleton leaves, and you've achieved this season's "must-have" status.

"Orange is in! And this striking mix of ranunculus, tulips, cushion dahlias, calla lilies, and spray roses in various shades of orange is a monochromatic showstopper sure to wow the crowd - not to mention the bride."

We also had a few words of advice scattered throughout the issue. Here they are in no particular order:

"Look at your floral concept as an investment rather than an expense. You will be looking back on the 'best day of your life' for the rest of your life."

"If you want your guests to remember your events as a stunning soiree, then the first thing they should see should be something pretty. Be sure to include entryway and guest book pieces in your floral vision."

"Want great detail shots of your wedding? Pay attention to the details of the details. What a difference a stunning handle treatment makes on an already beautiful bouquet! What a gorgeous idea it is to add one simple bloom to each place setting. Keep in mind there are so many options beyond the obvious - so many avenues beyond the expected to tap into your design's potential. It's all in the details, darling."

And finally, let's talk cover girls. Here are the four seasonal covers of the 2011 issue:

Winter:

Spring:
Summer:

Fall:

Thank you for the photos, UV Bride! Happy to be a part of the magazine once again.

aching for spring: march's photo of the month

2011-03-03T22:07:00.002-07:00

We are aching for Spring! And here in Utah, Mother Nature has been such a tease the past few weeks. Have a heart, Mother N!

Eh... enough of our complaining. Let's get down to business and share March's photo of the month. As we are excited for Spring to arrive, we thought we'd share one of our favorite photos from our Spring 2010 season. It is so simple, yet it is lovely enough to be one of our all-time faves. LOVE.

photography by Pepper Nix

Happy almost Spring!

sydney's bouquet

2011-03-01T09:45:00.007-07:00

Sydney is a true beauty, and her flowers were a true work of beauty. Enjoy a few sneak peeks of the bride's bouquet in a series of photos we took pre-event:

This sneak peek was shared awhile back on our Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/BlossomSweet). To see it all first and be a part of our fans-only club, click "Like" today!

colors: crimson, ivory, slate gray

flowers used in bouquet: fringe tulips, tulips, eucalyptus pods, silver dollar eucalyptus, ranunculus (2 shades), hypericum, slate gray airbrushed monkey tail, silver curly willow, israeli ruscus

love notes: we love 'em

2011-02-24T09:24:00.005-07:00

First of all, our blog absence the past week is due to not only President's Day Weekend festivities, but also due to a VERY exciting new endeavor for Blossom Sweet that we are working on. Details coming soon!

Secondly, we received two messages from clients yesterday whose weddings took place in the past week or so, one message via text, and one via facebook. We thought we'd share their lil' love notes on the blog today:

client love note via facebook:

"Hey Melissa! I just wanted to say thanks so much for doing my flowers! They were GORGEOUS!!!! Honestly probably one of my very favorite things about my wedding day. You are so talented and I just can't tell you thank you enough. :)"

client love note via text message:

"...Your flowers were a HUGE hit! There were a couple of moments that I wish I could have recorded for you when people were gushing over the flowers."

This, my friends, is what we like to hear! Love notes - we love 'em. Happy clients=happy florists.

these ADORABLE little love cards can be found here

tiffany's showstopping bouquet

2011-02-17T11:43:00.005-07:00

Enjoy a few snapshots we got of Tiffany's bouquet pre-delivery this morning. We hope to share further photos of the event in the future. But for now, just know that gosh, we LOVED this bouquet.

Hope the ceremony this morning was wonderful, Tiffany, and we're sure your reception will be beautiful tonight!

wedding colors: eggplant and various purples, mossy and natural greens, silver

flowers/elements used in bouquet: kale, callas, anthurium, cymbidiums, stock, button mums, trachelium, silver brushed curly willow, pitt, silver dollar eucalyptus, purple glitter bear grass, lisianthus, purple satin ribbon, vintage green brooch

happy valentines!

2011-02-14T10:12:00.003-07:00

Hope you all have a vivacious Valentines. Looking forward to hearing about all of your V-day engagements!

In honor of the day-of-love, enjoy two lovey dovey wedding photos that make our hearts sing. Enjoy!

photo source: oncewed.com

sydney + brandan

2011-02-07T14:44:00.003-07:00

We have a few weddings coming up in the next few weeks at Blossom Sweet, one of which is the wedding of the adorable Sydney and Brandan. Thank you two for completing our spotlight questions!

And now, enjoy the latest Blossom Sweet couple spotlight - a great start to a new week!

photography by Sweet As Honey Photography

What were your first impressions of each other?

Sydney: When I first saw Brandan my honest first impression was "Wow that kid has incredibly beautiful eyes, he is really cute but has on more rings than me, a backward flat brim ball cap, and black rim glasses, what is his deal?" Luckily after taking the time to talk with him I realized he is super sweet, with his own sense of style (hence the clothing), and I am still mesmerized by those beautiful brown eyes with eyelashes to DIE for!

Brandan: I thought Sydney was really cute. Apparently she was flirting with me when we first met, but I thought she was just being mean. I guess it was like how little girls act when they think a boy is cute, be mean to them! But after I realized she wasn't actually being mean I started to like her more and more. She had the prettiest smile, and I used to find myself getting to class early with the hopes that she would come early too, and we could talk and get to know each other, outside of the classroom talk.

How did you meet?

Sydney: Brandan and I met in a marketing class at UVU. I actually was finishing my degree through Utah State but had 1 class at UVU that semester, it happened to be the class I met Brandan in and we were in the same group together for a huge project. He "conveniently" forgot to buy a book for the class and I "conveniently" had one so I asked him if he wanted to study for our first test together, studying turned into dating and a year later here we are getting married! :)

Who said, "I love you" first?

Sydney: Brandan said I love you first, but only because I was too chicken. He was interning in Washington state that summer and we both knew our feelings for each other were strong but wanted to wait to say those words in person, he couldn't wait any longer and ended up saying them over the phone, but it was still great to hear a few weeks later in person.

What are your favorite qualities about each other?

Sydney: My favorite quality about Brandan is how kind and supportive he is to me. He really pays attention to how I feel and will jump in and help out when he can tell I am stressed to the max. He is also incredible about supporting me and us making decisions together and compromising.

Brandan: My favorite quality about Sydney is that she is so genuinely nice. She is the most unselfish person I have ever met, and she always seems to put my needs in front of hers. I am trying so hard to be like her because she is just such a great example of unconditional love.

What has been your most fun date as a couple?

Sydney: The best date we ever had was on a trip to Las Vegas. We went on a 6 mile hike down to some hidden natural hot springs by Hoover Dam. There was a lot of boulder climbing and hopping around but it was totally worth it when we made it to the bottom and got to relax in the hot springs and also sit under a warm waterfall, a VERY cool experience.

How did he propose?

Sydney: I travel for work and was working in St. George the beginning of November for a few days. We had been talking and texting throughout the day as I had been working and he had been doing school work (or so I thought). I had just finished working out at the hotel gym and went back up to my room when I got a call from the front desk saying there was a problem with my card and could I please come down to the front desk to get it figured out. Totally clueless I rode the elevator down and as the doors opened I saw Brandan down on one knee in the hotel lobby with a ring in his hand. I ran up and hugged him (still gross and sweaty from my workout), apparently I forgot to actually say yes because he asked if that meant yes. He showed me the ring which is a family heirloom handed down for about 5 or 6 generations and I was ecstatic. After calling our parents and sharing the good news I was finally able to take a shower and get cleaned up for one of the biggest days of my life. :)

Congrats to the cute couple!

photo of the {love} month

2011-02-03T23:04:00.002-07:00

We decided to go somewhat against the grain on our February choice for photo of the month. One would think we would choose something based on traditional Valentine's hues, or perhaps even with flowers as the main focus, right? Wrong. We wanted a photo that represented love, and this photo SPEAKS love to us. Enjoy!

For more photos from Camille + Bryant's wedding, see the post on their summer 2009 wedding here.

photography by Twila Clair

bittersweet sympathy

2011-01-31T20:29:00.011-07:00

Today was my uncle's funeral, and I am so glad I was able to go. I actually really like funerals, because in my experience they are a celebration of life, and today's case was no different. It was a really good, really bittersweet day.

I was so honored to be asked to represent all of the nieces and nephews in creating a wreath for the funeral. My uncle was a farmer by profession in Delta, UT, and I wanted the wreath to be an expression of that part of him. I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out; it was a wonderful and special experience to be able to do this for him both in honor of his life and in reverence for his fight with cancer.

So, let me now share some photos of the design with you. These photos are so fantastic - a true treasure! Thank you's beyond measure to my friend and photographer-neighbor,

Jamen Long,

for sharing your camera, your talent, and your time with me in helping to capture this special piece in the way it deserved to be captured. Ah, my family and I cannot thank you enough! Also, thank you to the sweet man who let us use his home as the perfect backdrop for the photos. Perfection. Enjoy.

each element represented a specific thing from the farm: wheat (wheat), seeded eucalyptus (alfalfa seed), sunset safari (ears of corn), spray roses (his nickname was "Tex," so the roses were used as the "yellow rose of Texas" in honor of nickname), bear grass (hay), salal (freshness of life), thistle (beauty of the farm and country)

fix you

2011-01-27T11:59:00.008-07:00

Let me tell you up front, this post will be somewhat of a sad "getting to know the artist" moment.

Last night I was driving home from Salt Lake after having been up there all day for a committment I have on Wednesdays, when the song "Fix You" by Coldplay played on a CD mix my best friend gave me for Christmas. My uncle and my Grandma had been on my mind the past three days, and especially the entire time this song played. My uncle has been fighting kidney, bone, lung, and brain cancer for about eight months now, and this song brought me to tears thinking about my uncle's pain as well as how sad my grandmother must be at this age and time in her life to have to sit by and watch as her first child approaches the end of this life, knowing that there's really nothing she can do to "fix" him. Right after the song was over I turned off the CD and decided to call and check in with my dad to see how my uncle was doing. He informed me that earlier that day, my uncle had passed away, and they were waiting for me to get back from Salt Lake to tell me.

I'd really love it if you would watch this video, which is of a performance on "So You Think You Can Dance" to the song "Fix You." It is one of the most beautiful and inspiring dances I've ever seen, and if you listen to the story of why it was choreographed, you'll see why it has meant a lot to me today. I wish I could embed it (its disabled), but since I can't please visit this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnguqsMQmg4

see the above photos here

I know this isn't a dance blog, or even a personal blog. But, it is a beauty blog, and it is an art blog. This dance is certainly beautiful, and it is absolutely art. I know I will see my uncle again, and this dance just reminds me that he is now free from being trapped in a body filled with constant pain, and although its still extremely sad, that fact makes me feel happy for him.

editorial shoot sneak peek

2011-01-24T00:56:00.004-07:00

Fall 2010 brought an editorial shoot our way, and we were happy to be a part of it. Although the bulk of the photos have not yet been made public, the talented Jacque of Jacque Lynn Photography has been generous enough to let us post a few photos of the bouquet we created for the shoot as a sneak peek of sorts. Thanks, Jacque!

Enjoy and watch for further photos at some point in the future (when the photos go public).

flowers/elements used in the bouquet: hydrangea, roses, spray roses, lisianthus, ranunculus, dusty miller, handcrafted skeleton leaves, ruffled satin wrap.

It was a gorgeous shoot and a pleasure to work with all involved.

The vendors included: Jacque Lynn Photography, Enizio, Alta MODA, Utah Bride & Groom, and of course Blossom Sweet.

blossom sweet in the press 2011: part 2

2011-01-19T01:20:00.005-07:00

Hope you all had a fantastic holiday weekend. We have been so excited to announce that several photos of our work have been featured in the 2011 edition of Utah Bride & Groom Magazine. We have found ourselves to be infatuated with this year's out-of-this-world publication and are oh-so-honored to say we are a part of it!

The (stunning) cover:

one of the details pages:
(to see more pages, see UB&G's preview post here)

Our work can be found in the magazine on the following pages:
55, 59, 63, 64, 67

a couple of our favorite Blossom Sweet photos featured in the mag:
(Photography by Kate Osborne, cake by The Bungalow. More photos of our work are featured on the aforementioned pages.)

Brides-To-Be, be sure to pick up a copy of Utah Bride & Groom ASAP. It is a feast of delicious, delightful details.

Thanks, UB&G!

consultation season: we so heart you

2011-01-13T21:59:00.005-07:00

So, we have much more to post in regards to Blossom Sweet in the 2011 press, but first may we tell you how much we love the consultation season? We have been so busy consulting with 2011 brides lately, and we adore this time of year because it sets our imaginations ablaze with visions of our future designs. And may we tell you just how elated we are about our latest consultation? Read on.

Earlier this week we found ourselves perusing the pages of the latest Martha Stewart Weddings mag, and there were a few designs that tickled our fancy so much that once viewed, we immediately found ourselves dying to do. Well, two of the designs we loved happened to fit in perfectly with our latest [and so so adorable] Blossom-Sweet-Bride-To-Be's vision, and she & her mom loved the general concepts for her event as much as we did (of course the designs for her wedding will be variations of this concept, not replicas).

Here are the two designs we're talking about, the gray succulents and fresh garlands in particular:

find the above photos (and many more beauties!) in Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine

Oooh baby, we can't wait! Consultation season: we so heart you.

blossom sweet in the press 2011: part 1

2011-01-10T07:59:00.007-07:00

We are excited for so much exposure in the press this year both online and in print. Our next several posts will be to announce this exposure.

First, we have once again been named and recommended by Utah Bride Blog as one of the top floral vendors in the state of Utah for 2011. What an honor! Check out our listing by clicking on the "vendors" tab, and then selecting the "flowers" category.

Those of you already familiar with UBB will see that Utah Bride Blog has undergone a facelift of sorts, and the new design looks spectacular. It is very user friendly, crisp, colorful, and (as could be expected) all around lovely!

One of our personal favorite new features is the portfolio option with all the recommended vendors. Now, it is easy for the planning bride to get a snippet and sneak peak of any listed vendors work with the click of a mouse without having to leave UBB. Be sure to check out our portfolio which features 15 little lovelies like this:

photography by yan photo

Thanks again, UBB. We are looking forward to a great 2011 with you!

simply sentimental: january's photo of the month

2011-01-05T09:22:00.003-07:00

While we won't go too much into it, this particular bouquet photo (shot on film, hence the scanned image) from one of our 2005 weddings is very simple, very sentimental, and very special to us - especially in regards to this time of year. It therefore only fits that it would be our first 2011 photo of the month.

flowers & greenery used in bouquet: roses, salal, israeli ruscus, italian ruscus, bear grass

Have a great January, everybody!

P.S. We have much to share in the near future of Blossom Sweet's exposure in the 2011 press - stay tuned!

a short and oh so sweet farewell to 2010

2010-12-30T23:51:00.006-07:00

As the title of this post indicates, this post will be short and sweet. But we couldn't let this year come to a close without sending it off properly.

What a year it has been. This time last year, we could never imagine what 2010 held in store for Blossom Sweet. It is very humbling, very exciting, and very promising to see where we have come and how fast we have traveled and continue to travel in an upward direction!

Blossom Sweet clients are without a doubt extraordinary. 2010 has been filled with clients who have been so fun to work with, and who have all made beautiful brides! We are so happy that so many of you Blossom Sweeties have just closed out your first newlywed holiday season and hope it lived up to the hype! Thank you for giving us such a fantastic outlet for our much-loved passion for creativity, and perhaps even more than that, for trusting us to be such a big part of your wedding days. What a pleasure it has been to work with you, and to become close friends with several of you. Thank you, thank you!

And last (but so not least), thank you so much to fellow vendors and colleagues in the industry who have really been the icing on the cake to a great year for this company and this florist. Looking forward to another year of kindled relationships in the wedding biz. You make life in this business worthwhile, fulfilling, lovely, and an absolute joy!

2010: thank you for being a year not only of growth, but also one of learning, refinement, growth, fun, progression, and promise.

2011: we're ready for you. BRING IT ON!

Like we said, this post would be short and sweet - fitting for such a sweet company! Get it?

Happy New Year 2011! See you next year!

hope you had as merry a christmas as ours!

2010-12-27T21:36:00.008-07:00

Ah, what an outstanding Christmas we had this year. Yes, we know we have been absent from the blog for a week. Let's just say... we hadn't exactly planned on such a long, sweet, divine hiatus... but the prospect of an entire week off in honor of Christmas became a prospect much too enticing to pass up!

And now, one week later, here we are once again. Christmas has come and gone, family visitors have traveled home, "real life" has commenced in all its "real life" guts & glory, and we are back (somewhat hesitantly, somewhat enthusiastically) in the blogging business.

One of our favorite parts of the Christmas season each year at Blossom Sweet is that there is a special order we work on for a special client who orders a special focal piece for his special wife's birthday/the holiday. It's special, okay? Creative freedom is free to run not only through our veins but throughout our designs with these orders, and we totally love it!

(One request with these orders is that we use flowers that will bloom and last throughout the holiday season. So, you'll notice that many of the flowers are tight. This is done on purpose so that the arrangement's beauty and transformation can be enjoyed for at least a couple weeks.)

Yeah yeah yeah, here's this year's design (which, BTW, was far too large to capture appropriately!):

With the first photo, you'll notice that the reflection of yours truly (taking said photo) is in each ornament. I thought it was a nice touch:

Here's what all the flowers in the arrangement will have looked like when in full bloom (long after we took the photos):

flowers/elements used in arrangement: peonies (2 varieties), ranunculus (2 varieties), leptospermum, godetia, eucalyptus pods, eucalyptus leaves (silver), salal, cedar, silver-dusted pinecones, silver/glitter-dusted birch branches, pistachio Christmas ball ornaments

"visions of sugar plums" by blossom sweet

2010-12-20T18:33:00.007-07:00

Who says Christmas weddings have to be formulaic? Not us! We are excited to share with you our latest inspiration board, "Visions of Sugar Plums," which is far from the bride's typical take on the holiday. We think you'll love it! But just how do we come up with our boards, anyway? It depends on the day, but let's walk you through this particular board.

It all started with one photograph (found at Style Me Pretty), which in its understated, simplistic elegance really spoke to us:

Then, based upon our initial inspirational photo, we came up with the following pallette - a non-traditional spin on the holiday season:

And then came the fun part, putting the board itself together. We found lots of photographs on various sites on the web which meshed well within our pallette, our style, and the Christmas season. And voila! It all came together perfectly! So, without further ado, here is our latest board (which we totally adore!):

visions of sugar plums
by blossom sweet

sources: style me pretty, martha stewart, carla ten eyck photography, the knot, martha stewart weddings, ritzy bee

Merry Sugar Plum Christmas from Blossom Sweet!

holiday post featuring blossom sweet

2010-12-17T11:10:00.002-07:00

Be sure to visit Utah Bride Blog today to see a holiday floral post featuring a couple of Blossom Sweet's winter bouquets. Thanks, UBB!

Also, be sure to visit the blog next week for Christmas inspiration boards, holiday arrangements, and more.

P.S. Merry one-week-until-Christmas!

jessica + aj

2010-12-15T10:24:00.003-07:00

We have a beautiful winter wedding to share with you. AJ & Jessica's wedding was shot by the oh-so-lovely (not to mention oh-so-talented) Darla of Darla Roze Photography, who was gracious enough to share her photos with us. Thanks, Darla!

Jessica wanted a winter wedding with a slight tropical twist. So, we incorporated a lot of ti leaves & monstera leaves in the design to do just that. Enjoy the photos!

Flowers: Blossom Sweet
Photography: Darla Roze
Venue: Salt Lake Temple + Fox Hollow

we have a winner!

2010-12-12T15:39:00.005-07:00

Thanks to all who entered in our latest giveaway; we have a winner!

Random.org generated #6, meaning that
Hayley L.
is the lucky girl as hers was the sixth of eleven comments.

Congrats, Hayley, and watch for your clutch purse & other goodies soon, perfect in time for the holidays!

blossom sweet @ lone peak: giveaway

2010-12-09T13:34:00.003-07:00

Blossom Sweet was invited to be a guest speaker for Lone Peak High School's two floral classes, and it was our pleasure to oblige their request this morning. The students have just finished a unit on planning a wedding, and we were able to come in for a little post-unit Q&A. It was a blast and we loved being there and talking wedding flowers!

Now, as those in the class already know, this giveaway is specifically for you and you alone. If you "like" Blossom Sweet on Facebook, please leave two comments on this post including your first name and last initial (to become a fan visit Facebook.com/BlossomSweet). Or, if you're not in our Facebook club but still want to enter, please leave one comment on this post including your first name and last initial.

The winner will be chosen at random and announced sometime this weekend. Once again, this giveaway is for CURRENT LONE PEAK FLORAL STUDENTS ONLY.

Thanks again for having us, LP, and thank you for the beautiful poinsettias!

new email address

2010-12-06T08:37:00.003-07:00

We have some exciting things going on this week! But, to start the week out let's get down to business.

Blossom Sweet is now operating out of a new email address. Please update our contact information accordingly. The new address is:

info@blossomsweet.com

Thanks and happy Monday!

back to december {all the time}: photo of the month

2010-12-02T14:25:00.002-07:00

I'm always spouting off about how I'm not a huge fan of Taylor Swift, and yet her songs are always in my head somehow. How does that happen? Maybe I really am a Taylor fan. Loving her song on the radio lately, "Back to December."

And in the word's of Miss Swift, here we are in 2010, "back to December" once again. We here at Blossom Sweet are looking forward to all of the upcoming Christmas festivities. What better way to start out the month than with a sentimental photo of the month from Heidi's December wedding last year? As Heidi is a dear friend, it was particularly special to work on her event. Here is a shot we got of her bouquet just prior to her ceremony, December's photo of the month. Enjoy!

flowers/elements in bouquet: roses (2 varieties), silver brunia, pepper berry, cedar, callas (2 varieties), feathers, black satin, oversized vintage brooch.

thank you, thank you very much

2010-11-29T22:14:00.004-07:00

Oh, Thanksgiving was wonderful! Wonderful, wonderful. Loved spending a little time with my beloved family. Hope you all had a great holiday as well. As promised, here is our "grateful post" for 2010.

A few weeks ago, we made a bouquet for a magazine shoot. After the shoot, I decided to take the bouquet apart and create an arrangement for a good friend of mine who has been courageously and patiently battling breast cancer. At the time, I had just barely gotten over being sick (and relatively miserable) for ten days. After I dropped off the flowers, I realized that as bad as I had been feeling, my minor and temporary health problems were nothing compared to what my friend (who is much stronger than me) has been and is going through.

So, to me, the arrangement I created represented a form of gratitude if that makes sense. It became a reminder to me that even when I have bad days and go through minor aches & pains now and then - both in health and in regards to life in general - at the end of the day I have it pretty good, and I have an enormous amount of beauty and good in my life for which to be grateful. I just need to look at the big picture and appreciate what God and life give me from day to day.

{the arrangement: my grateful epiphany}

So now as November comes to a close, I'll put it out there to my life, belief, universe, and circumstance: thank you, thank you very much.

happy turkey day!

2010-11-25T08:46:00.004-07:00

Our latest inspiration board, "Harvest," was featured today over on the Utah Bride and Groom Magazine blog. Check it out here. Thanks, UB&G!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I'm getting ready to head down to good old Delta, UT today to have Thanksgiving Dinner @ my wonderful Grandma's house. Can't wait for a whole day with the family! Watch for a "thankful" post from us soon (tonight or tomorrow . . . ish!).

What are your Turkey Day plans?

photos found @ martha stewart weddings

harvest: thanksgiving inspiration by blossom sweet

2010-11-22T00:16:00.006-07:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Let's start out Thanksgiving week right with a beautiful board inspired in large part by the holiday and the season. Click on the image to enlarge. Enjoy!

harvest
by blossom sweet

image credits: oncewed, style me pretty, love and lavender, marry you me, the knot, borter wagner, jessica lynn,

women in weddings 2010

2010-11-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

Together with Studio Stems, Blossom Sweet was uber-pleased to host the first official "Women In Weddings" retreat back in October. It was essentially a vendor-vixen slumber party for our favorite wedding gals & company owners at a beautiful mountain cabin. We dare say that a lovely, laughter-filled time was had by all!

The night began with getting settled in & introductions led by Melissa w/Blossom Sweet (embarrassing stories, anyone?), followed by a great presentation on networking given by Audrey. The rest of the night was about dinner, mingling, games, hot-tubbing, contests (including the best ever hip-hop showcase, you know the one I'm talking about, girls!), lots of chocolate, lots of laughs, and many strengthened vendor relationships.

Kayleen of Kayleen T. Photography was in attendance, and we are so glad she snapped some photos before heading out Saturday morning. Thank you, Kayleen, and thank you so much to all attendees for a night to remember!

P.S. Be sure to check out the recent Utah Bride Blog post written by co-owner of UBB, Audrey, who wrote about the Women In Weddings event as well as why it is SO important to get vendor referrals when planning your wedding. It's a brilliant take on vendor "insurance."

out of office + sneak peek

2010-11-12T08:58:00.002-07:00

We will be out of the office from now until Tuesday, November 16.

But before we leave you, here are a couple of snapshots we got of a gorgeous monochromatic bouquet we designed for a shoot a couple weeks ago:

flowers/elements used in bouquet: spray roses, dahlias, callas, tulips, ranunculus, camelia, gold satin wrap with a lace & pearl pin overlay.