The Flower Blog

I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance,

A church filled with family and friends.

I asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for,

He said one that would make me his wife.

~Author Unknown

Beautiful quote about weddings; it's a shame the author is unknown! What kind of wedding do you wish for? We all want something magical, memorable, breathtaking and completely unique! It goes without saying, EVERY wedding is unique. There is none alike. Certainly you could use the same location, theme, and colors as someone else but it will still be yours.

How does one go about having the wedding of their dreams? Get on Pinterest? Polyvore? Bride? Most ideas can be found online instead of just a short decade ago being predominantly in magazines.  When I hear about weddings I often wonder how different mine would have been now, a short twelve years later! 

Before we go any further I want to mention image to the right with the gorgeous carriage and couple looking lovingly at each other isn't us; I'd never do sleeveless. The carriage is one of the best looking Cinderella ones I've seen but not so much the Snyder style. "Then why is it in this blog? I thought this was a fairy tale." says the reader. Hold your horses, I'm getting there! Grab your coffee and let's get started!

Once upon a time, around 2001, the internet was still very young and Pinterest was non-existent, perhaps a twinkle in someone's eye or an electric pulse in their brain. After receiving a coffee pot and bag of coffee beans for Christmas I received an envelope with a ring inside and my love on bended knee asking in front of my family to be his wife. Ick! Too sweet, let's fast forward to 2002! 

I bought a wedding planner book in hopes of filling the pages with my wishes and dreams about our wedding. Samples of napkins, invitation paper, a multitude of business cards, ribbons, swatches; everything a proper wedding planner book should contain. Twelve years later finds this book with many empty pages, a few scribbles, and carefully written first page which states who is getting married to whom, when it will be, and that's about it.! I am not sad about this discovery; it was a reminder of what I "thought" I needed to do as opposed to what I did based on my personality.

It's amazing how wrapped up we get into things we think we should do. Example: being the daughter of a florist. I should have all the flowers memorized, categorized, know what blooms when, and exactly what is going to be in my wedding bouquet! The truth is I had NO idea what I was doing and the thought of having my floral arrangements down to the last minute detail was terrifying! Fortunately, Gillespie Florists had my back and up front and center was the floral fairy godmother, Mary Alice.

I'm sure her eyes rolled back into her head during our consultation as my description was something along the lines of "I don't like Martha Stewart clumps and my bridesmaid dresses are wine and ivory..or peach..I think". Pulling teeth would certainly be easier than putting together bouquets for this indecisive gal however Mary Alice forged ahead and came up with a plan after playing 20+ questions.

My mother was also available to give more accurate descriptions such as style of dress, color swatches and the fact I didn't consider arrangements outside of the bridal party like tablepieces, swags, flower girls, etc...oh stop gasping, I told you I was the odd daughter. My dad not only ran the flower shop, but also built a staircase and a concrete sidewalk path leading down the tree covered ravine at the Gillespie Ranch (my parents home) where the wedding took place.

Looking back I realize just how much of a dream come true this wedding was. My fiancé and I worked on guest lists, coordinating tents, photographers, food, gifts, etc. I designed invitations, programs, creating and embroidering our monogram on napkins, getting dresses and fittings and anything related to flowers, the "Gillespie Florists" family handled.  It was a beautiful collaboration of families, both work and home, to make our special day the most unique and meaningful experience. I am thankful for my floral fairy godmother who interpreted my vision and created a theme which complemented the style and nature of the bride and groom to-be. We're also very thankful for the creative vision from my parents and the transformation of the ravine which has hosted countless family gatherings and two weddings. What else makes a wedding a fairy tale besides enchanting transformations, fairy godmothers, beautiful bouquets, and fancy dresses?

Perfect weather and timing.

Whether you have your wedding details down to the last dotted "i" or need some help in solidifying your theme or direction with flowers the fine and caring staff of Gillespie Florists is here to help make your special day a dream come true.

Browse a few of our favorite designs in our wedding collection and click below to schedule a consultation!

Want to know more about my floral fairy godmother? We have a special interview right here!

Spring has sprung right into summer! April showers were more like frigid gray days void of chirping birds and early blooms but now, NOW summer is shoving the latecoming spring out of the way and stepping forth in all of its brilliant glory!

What else is strutting like a glamorous peacock preening its feathers and ready to hit the mainstage of the summer season? Weddings. It is now peak wedding season. Since weddings are lining up to walk the runway of summer it's a great time to share some of the new bridal swag you can find at Gillespie Florists! We have refreshing wedding bouquets, table pieces, boutonnieres and more online to help you get started on your own nuptials when you're ready! So shake out your best attire, click print on that registration list or grab your favorite shopping destination fancy scanner and let's get started!

JORDAN

This bridal bouquet is deceptively simple yet packs a hefty punch of fresh rosy pink tulips complemented by soft tree fern and fun white and ivory wax flower. 

Tulips are excellent choices for weddings. Once designated as accent flowers to the main bouquets they are more often taking front and center as the main attraction. Symbolizing fame and pure love, the meanings change with the color of the tulips. Red is a declaration of true love. Yellow is cheerful thoughts. Cream colored tulips mean "I will love you forever." White tulips symbolize heaven, newness and purity and pink tulips mean affection and caring.

JUSTINE

Justine is an exquisite blend of of nude fashion color and vintage design. Roses, Hydrangea, Spray Roses, Hypericum Berries and Seeded Eucalyptus make up this classic bouquet. The rose is a staple for arrangements used in weddings, special occasions and everyday "I Love You" as they are a pure symbol of elegance and grace. Hypericum Berries and Seeded Eucalyptus give a modern twist to this timeless look.

ZOEY

It's time to get bold and beautiful with this stunning bouquet of Calla lilies, Gerbera daisies, roses, Asiatic Lilies and Bear Grass! I find this lively bouquet appealing for the bright colors and flower variety. The color palette makes a striking statement however if you want to soften up the look it's no problem; the flowers are available in plenty of colors!

ADDISON

Continuing on with vivid colors we have this lively bridesmaid bouquet! Viking Pomps, Carnations, Limonium, and Tree Fern make a fresh and relaxing style. Burgandy, dark pink and lavender spiked with gold add flair to this fun bouquet.

RILEY

We didn't only update our bridal bouquets! This centerpiece de résistance is made up of soft pink roses, seeded eucalyptus, sprightly wax flower, stock and dark burgandy calla lilies. The style is modern, elegant, and needs to be on my dinner table for my family to admire as we dine at Chez Snyder. 

CORA

Are you ready to walk down the aisle? A collection of Coras will beckon your friends and family to their seats with Bells of Ireland, Sunflower, Cosmo and Viking Poms. Warm gold and red make this bridal pew bouquet perfect for the autumn. 

We have covered just a few of the many styles we have available to make your wedding day complete. Hop online or stop by our shop to see more of our collection to get more ideas.

Perhaps you have too many ideas and not sure where to start? Our wedding specialist can help with questions, ideas, flowers in season, etc.  

Click below to contact us and start your floral planning with our new styles today.

Alright kids! Mother's Day is coming up faster than a mom wiping the excess chocolate from her kids' outstretched hands as they are reaching for the freshly cleaned couch cushions for this weekends company!  In other words, the day dedicated to honoring moms everywhere is less than a week away...are you ready?  Got your gift or are you going to wait to the last minute and bribe your own kids into making a pretty card so you are off the hook? Oh my where on earth do these preposterous ideas come from? Of course you are ready! ...But if you're not, might I suggest checking out our Mother's Day Specials? We've got quite a few but if none of these catch your fancy, then be sure to stop by or shop online for a plethera of mom inspired bouquets!

 What's not to love on a spring night? Warm nights, fireflies dancing, freshly mown lawn, and the aromas of spring floating around the neighborhood.  Southern Evening encapsulates the mood with golden alstroemeria lilies, dark pink daisies, red mini-carnations, berries, and fresh greenery!

Another delightful arrangement dedicated to the arrival of the warmer seasons is heralded by the bold Song of Summer!

The red cube vase radiates warmth with beaming yellow solidago, graceful pale blue delphinium, pussy willow, vibrant carnations, lush variegated pittosporum and an adorable little blue bird that sits in a sparkling nest made of red wire! A perfect reminder of a warm summer day!

Of course, what is the promise of summer without the brilliant and bold sunflower?

Sapphire Shower is brimming with vibrant yellow sunflowers, delphinium as blue as sapphire, bright alstromeria lilies, yellow solidego, green hypericum berry, purple statice and soft green carnations! I would love to walk into my kitchen and see this sitting atop my island so I could enjoy it as I'm preparing dinner or sipping coffee before leaving for work in the morning.

Such a lovely collection of bouquets for Mother's Day it is difficult to choose just one! However for the sake of my husband I will narrow it down to this one (hint, hint ;) ).

Mother of Spring is graceful and elegant with soft pink carnations, delicate lavender larkspur, vibrant purple statice, feathery lavender fuji chrysanthemums, and intricate waxflower!  Surrounded by the beauty of this arrangement is a gorgeous, sparkling keepsake glitter angel...perhaps as a permanent reminder for the kids that mom is indeed an angel, even when she insists on the rooms getting cleaned and chores done before bedtime. Yes, I think a glittery angel will do the trick...no more complaints for sure!

Once again, these are a few of our many marvelous bouquets designed especially for Mother's Day to celebrate the ladies in our lives we look up to, admire, and love.

Short on time to stop by our shop? Just click below to view our full collection!

Heavy metal at prom? Headbanging to some Slayer or Anthrax? I don't know what they listen to at prom these days but anything is possible.  The focus today is not on heavy metal music but the trend of metallics and how they pair with the latest styles of gowns. There are a few styles which exclude sequins, crystals, and metallic accents but if you look around, you're going to see metallic bling in most everything this year.

Oh I hear some of you groaning, "agh Prom! Give it a rest! I'm going to catch a movie instead!" True, there are naysayers about prom. It is overrated, cliche, a waste of money, etc, etc, however I'll put in my two cents because that's what we adults do, isn't it? Young adults, I can appreciate that you probably hear many suggestions about many things daily therefore if you prefer not to read my view, please proceed to the next paragraph. The readers digest version is this: I'm a mother of 3 and have worn fancy dresses per my selection on 2 occasions: Prom and my wedding day.  There are not many opportunities to get decked out and glamourous as an adult (we will be addressing this topic in the near future). If you have the chance to get dressed up, wear something amazing, and feel like a rockstar, queen, what have you then take the limited time only experience and make the most of it!

Ok! Back to prom gowns! It is overwhelming the variety of styles, fabrics, and colors for prom gowns, like wedding dresses it would be difficult to narrow down and find the "one" dress for one of the biggest nights your high school career! After spending a considerable amount of time browsing the multitude of dresses this season and day dreaming about my dress selection I've decided my favorite style is a beautiful blend of tulle and metallic accents via sequins, like this fabulous get-up right here! I love hot pink! It's a powerful, poppy, and very fashionable color. The sequin bodice with crystal accents is stunning yet playful. Altogether the style is glamourous with a splash of fun!

Since the dress is so dazzling I could take it easy on the jewelry...or go all out, because this may be my last chance to reflect disco lights off of my clothing and accessories. Just a note if you're still looking for jewelry, Kohls has some amazing clearance costume jewelry. I bought a pair of beautiful dangly rhinestone drop earrings for under $5. I am clueless what to do with them except perhaps blind my coworkers with their sparkly brilliance. If you want to go all out and shine bright like a diamond, hit their clearance section first!

And of course let us not forget the corsage.This is the defining piece to your outfit for prom night. The perfect match for my dress would be this gorgeous jeweled bracelet with opalescent leaves, silver beading, and orchids. 

I suppose we *could* forgo the prom corsage...wait..what am I saying?! Did my fingers really just type out that ridiculous idea?! Prom just isn't the same without a custom-made corsage to finsh out your well planned ensemble. Let me reiterate...PROM IS NOT PROM WITHOUT THE CORSAGE!

Go to the ones you trust for your corsage needs, in other words, Gillespie Florists.  Our selection of accessories is phenomenal and our designers are not to be trifled with. We will complete your look for one of the most memorable evenings in your lifetime. Because believe or not, people remember their prom night.  Almost 20 years later I still remember mine, and recently was re-introduced to one of my high school friends parents as "she was my prom date in high school". Yes, prom can have a lasting impression on your life. Go now, get the "this dress was meant especially for me" dress and the "we will make this just for you" corsage and make prom night one you'll always remember.

Click below to browse a few of our corsages for ideas on what we can do for you!

“A leprechaun, a cluricaun, and a far darrig…”

Sounds like the beginning of a great joke!

The joke is really on us in the states as we’ve condensed these three completely separate creatures into the Leprechaun. Here in the US the leprechaun is recognized on cereal boxes, plastered on t-shirts, posters, buttons, etc for St. Patricks day. I’ve often wondered what does this guy have to do with St. Patrick's day...he isn’t St. Patrick.  In fact, St. Patrick wasn’t even Patrick to begin with; he was Maewyn Succat and hailed from Great Britain. Kidnapped by pirates; sold into slavery in Ireland; and herded sheep on a mountain. One day God spoke to him in a dream to become a priest and his journey to sainthood began. But I digress, let’s get back to leprechaun and his pals.

The Leprechaun, sometimes called “wee folk”, inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. They are small enough to sit on your shoulder and are quite intelligent and a bit mischievous. Leprechaun translates from Irish leith brog into "One-shoemaker." He is often seen working on a single shoe.

Legend has it the Leprachaun makes shoes constantly and dresses in smart little suits with waistcoats, hats, and gold buckles on his shoe.  He has grown very rich from making shoes therefore dresses most proper!  Ah, so that is where the pot of gold comes in, isn’t it, to store all his riches? Hardly. Old treasure crocks were buried during war-time by soldiers whom never returned from the battlefield.  The Leprechaun discovered the buried treasure and claimed them for his own.

Irish fairies the gave him magical powers in case he was ever captured by humans who may be lurking near the pots of gold. The leprechaun could then use his magic to either vanish into thin air or grant three wishes!

Dodging humans and animals all day is hard work so the leprechauns are well known for playing hard too with musical instruments such as fiddles, tin whistles and even the irish harp! They get together and have crazy music gatherings at night called “Ceili’s, where hundreds of leprechauns join together to dance sing and drink.  Their favorite drinks are Poteen and Moonshine. You’d think they would cause some chaos, but it is not the case, his fine cousin, the Cluricaun, is the real trouble maker with his drink.

The Cluricaun is considered the night “form” of the leprechaun. Surly, rough, and mischievous he makes himself drunk in gentlemen's cellars after finishing his daily chores. Folklore concludes clurichauns enjoy riding sheep and dogs at night. If they are treated well they will protect your wine cellar, but mistreated, they will wreak havoc on your home and spoil your wine stock. Sometimes they act as liquor stockroom spirits, plaguing drunkards or dishonest servants who steal wine; if the victim attempts to move away from their tormentor, the clurichaun will hop into a cask to accompany them. Once plagued by the Cluricaun, it is difficult to get rid of him. If one happens to invade your wine cellar, I’d suggest staying on his good side. The Far Darrig is a different story; at first glance he looks like trouble!

The Far Darrig, meaning the Red Man, occupies his time with practical if not gruesome joking. He is closely related to the leprechaun, with similar features and a short stocky body. His face is splotchy yellow and dresses in red from his hat down to his socks. This is the reason he is called the far darrig or red man.

Ever the practical joker he can manipulate his voice, emitting sounds like the thudding waves on the rocks or the cooing of pigeons. His favorite sound  to make is the dull, hollow laugh of a dead man coming from the grave. It is advisable to say 'Na dean maggadh fum'-- do not mock me', when you come into contact with a far darrig so you will not be used in one of his macabre games. Unfortunately, he plans his tricks so well that mortals are snared long before they realize what is happening. 

With all this being said, the far darrig does not actually desire to do harm! He is good natured and will bring luck to those whom he approves; but cannot resist an initial prank or two. We can surmise the far darrig does have a good side although his appearance suggests otherwise.

The small, magical, mischievous and well dressed Leprechaun seems to be the spokesperson for his relatives here in the states, and I think we now know why! What does he have to do with St. Patricks day? Absolutely nothing until Walt Disney released a film "Darby O'Gill & the Little People" which changed the face of the Leprechaun to Americans everywhere. He is now a happy, joyful, and lucky symbol for St. Patrick's Day.  

I have checked around the shop a few times to see if there were any of the 3 creatures living among the plants in the showroom or maybe hiding out in the back cooler waiting to suprise a customer or designer but haven't seen any yet.  

We may not have these mischievous creatures lurking about to pull pranks but should you come visit in search of something green for St. Patrick's Day; you will be able to find quite a few fun, happy, and charming bouquets available!

Click below to see what Irish inspired delight our designers have created this year!

Is that a new ring on your finger?! Did you just celebrate Valentine's Day with your significant other and end up a fiancé by the end of the evening? If so, congratulations! So now what?

If you've been planning your big day since childhood it's possible you've already got your ducks in a row: the venue selected, the dress has been narrowed down, invitations on order...but what about the rest of us? If you're anything like me, perhaps you're still in shock or not even sure where to begin the process of planning your wedding!  

Planning a wedding is a spectacular feat and not to be taken lightly. Therefore we did some research on some of the more popular and convenient ways to get organized and on schedule as the countdown begins.  It definitely helps to have a day in mind when you get started but if you don't have the exact date, that's ok, even a month or season is a great start.

When I was planning my wedding in the days of yore the first thing I did was go to the store and pick up a couple of copies of bridal magazines. Of course, we had internet back then but this was before pinterest and the best way to gather your ideas was cutting them out of magazines and visiting the bridal stores to pick up free info.

We also visited the Bridal Show at in Indiana Roof Ballroom to visit many local vendors at one location. There are more shows available nowadays, and you can find more information about them and other local wedding related events at Indiana Bride Magazine.

Have you seen the movie "The Wedding Planner" with Jennifer Lopez?  I did. As a very indecisive person, I loved the idea of having someone else take care of the arrangements. Someone to say "we need this done by this date, you should have your dress by this date, the venue should be selected by..."  Sounds awesome, just tell me what to do when and I will do it. Unfortunately a wedding planner was not in my budget so I settled with the helpful lists the bridal magazines supplied and went online to gather more info.

Thanks to technology, all the wedding resources we could possibly imagine are just a couple of clicks and/or finger taps away. Here are a few of the best wedding resources out there to help you make your day a big success.

Weddings, there's an app for that. Actually there are quite a few!  We are spending less time in front of a computer and more time on the go! We've got places to go, cakes to sample, dresses to try on, this is no time to be sitting unless its in a vehicle to take you to another possible venue for the big day!

The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner app

This free app is available through itunes and truly is the ultimate wedding planner and syncs with one of the best wedding planning websites theknot.com

Get your budget and track payments, find your dress and the bridesmaids dresses too, 1000+ IDEAS for cakes, decor, hairstyles and more, see top gifts for your registry, Find and save the best wedding vendors in your area, AND save, store and send all your clippings and photos 

Weddinghappy:Wedding Planner, free wedding planning app. Just put in your big day and it schedules task list calendar to keep you on track. The beauty of this app is you don't need the web to use it.

MyRegistry.com this app is available for both iphone and android. No more standing in front of registry box filling out info and carrying around awkward price gun!

Scan any product barcode to add items to your registry/wishlist, manage your registry/wishlist on the go, send eCards to invite your friends to check out your gift list

Postable.com, another free online service, brides send out one email to friends and family, sharing a link to an address book. They fill out a form and suddenly everyone's information is organized in a neat file for sending invitations, thank you notes and more. 

Tabletop planner This ingenius piece of software and app is remarkable. Import guest list,
drag/drop names in table diagram as guests rsvp, can adjust table size and indicate meal preference. It reduces the headache of guest musical chairs and it's free!

Vyclone This app lets everyone upload videos which are then mashed up into seamless videos. Feeling super creative? You can edit and add soundtracks from your phone!

Wedding Party kind of like facebook for weddings! Invite friends, family, bridal party, etc and upload images, posts, and messages to single site viewable on mywedding.com, you choose privacy settings!

Don't these apps sound super handy and convenient? Have you downloaded them yet? These are just a few of many great apps and websites you can find online to help plan for your big day...it seems we might be forgetting one more website though...oh here it is

www.gillespieflorists.com

Sure we don't have a wedding app but we are ready to make bouquets and beautiful arrangements perfect for your wedding day!

For your every day floral needs, however, we DO have a floralapp! Check it out here!

Don't forget to click below to schedule a free consultation with our wedding specialist!

Tomorrow is the big day! Have you ordered something for your sweetheart yet? No? Don't worry, it's not too late! Stop by our shop and see what we have available. We have plenty of beautiful flowers for you to peruse; our cooler is packed full of gorgeous bouquets, loose stem flowers, sunshine bouquets and our shelves have countless cute things to attach to your selection.

We have many great take-out specials for our walk-in customers so stop on by and have a fantastic Valentine's Day!

Dozen Wrapped Roses $29.95

Dozen Wrapped Roses with Baby's Breath $34.95

Sunshine Bouquets $3.95

Dozen Wrapped Carnations with bb $16.95

Gerbera Stems $3.00

Tulips $9.95 a bunch (while supplies last)

European Style Wrapped Bouquet  Starting at $11.95

South Bend Chocolates $12.95 & up

Hydrangea fresh cut stems $3.95

Nothing says "I love You" quite like being smacked with a bloody piece of goat hide and having your name put in a jar to be matched up for a year with some guy you've never met. Sounds great, right?  It simplifies the process of dating and who knows, by the end of the year perhaps fate was right and the stranger selecting the scrap of paper with your name on it might end up being the man of your dreams! It could happen...maybe not today, but back when Rome was founded (traditionally 753 B.C.) or possibly even earlier. Romans, they really knew how to party! This party, Lupercalia, in particular occured February 13-15 and is often pinpointed as the origin for Valentine's Day.

 Lupercalia was actually a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. 

To begin the festival, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat's hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and hit the streets, smacking (gently) both women and crop fields with the bloody hide. It sounds disgusting and unpleasant but Roman women looked forward to this portion of the festivities because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Then later on in the day is when they held the Roman version of "The Bachelor". All the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn and bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. It was common for these matches to end in marriage.

Lupecalia was celebrated until outlawed due to it being "un-Christian" around the end of the 5th century when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day.  It wasn't celebrated as a day of love right off the bat however; began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. One legend is Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine realized the injustice of the law and performed marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.  

Another popular legend is an imprisoned Valentine fell in love with a girl, the jailor's daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it has been said he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," an expression which is still very common today. Ah, NOW we are getting somewhere. This sounds a bit more romantic, although tragic, than Lupercalia festivities, but Valentine's Day in modern times is still a far reach from its origin until the Middle Ages.A common belief in France and England was February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season. So it was romance between birds which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine's Day should be a day for love! 

Although Valentine greetings began in the Middle Ages, written ones weren't around until the 1400's. The oldest one still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. I wonder if it ever reached her. This valentine is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.  

From the 1700's on, Valentine greetings and cards became more common place with the first ones being printed in the 1900's. Today, over 1 billion cards are sent a year for Valentine's day.  That is a lot of cards!

This day to celebrate love has come a long way from its origin. As Valentine's Day 2014 approaches, not only am I thankful for more opportunities to express love to my husband but also that I don't have think about an unknown bachelor drawing my name out an urn and lining up along the street for a chance to increase my fertility! 

If you happen to be celebrating Valentine's Day the modern way like me, there are many ways to say "I love you", from handmade cards, romantic dinners, unique dates, to beautiful bouquets! The fine staff at Gillespie Florists have outdone themselves again with fabulous designs this year! Click below to see what we have in store for you!

January 2014 kicks off a new year of award ceremonies. Some of them I watch; others, I just google the winners the day after. Regardless of watching in real time or checking stats later, one area I find intrigueing about these ceremonies are the glamorous outfits. Yes, Sandra Bullock didn't win best actress for Gravity at the Golden Globes but did you see her gorgeous black dress with pink and blue accents? Stunning! Taylor Swift was full of glitz and glimmer at the Grammy's!  Oh such a vast display of fashion do's, don'ts, and "What the heck was that?!" to be seen on the Red Carpet. It reminds me of prom...and corsages.  

Instead of designer jewelry and clutches, this year I decided to pick a few people from the Red Carpet and match a winning corsage to their look. It was difficult to choose a few; there are a plethera of amazing dresses AND corsages from Gillespie Florists with which to match them.  It's like playing digital barbie, lots of fun, so let's get started!

One of the most interesting dresses was the Rani Zakhem which "The Big Bang Theory" Kaley Cuoco was wearing. A corseted floral ball gown on millefueille tulle with watercolor floral patterns.

The Venetian corsage reflects a similar style with its peach roses, mini lotus pods with glitter, bead sprays, cream and gold ribbon, cream and pink accent flowers and a keepsake crystal beaded bracelet with rhinestones! Sure it has a bit of bling in it but it works with the dress as the pieces are small, flowing, and dainty.

Next up we have songstress Taylor Swift in a striking Carolina Herrera strapless gown with a black bust with bustling red gown.  The dress is simple yet elegant so I chose Glamazon to add a bit more attitude to the ensemble.

The beauty of this spray rose & rhinestone corsage that everything on it is interchangeable! Whether it is the color of the roses, ribbon, even the wristlet can be switched out or upgraded. A fantastic and versatile corsage!

BBC's "Orphan Black" Tatiana Maslany shimmered in an Old Hollywood styled Jenny Packham gown. The Bauble Bath corsage complements the style with posey callas, clear jewel accents, a butterfly, an adjustable bracelet and other jewel and silver accents!  

Now lets not forget about the guys! The ever so smooth and southern accent dripping Matthew Mccounaghey accepted his Golden Globe award in style with his Dolce & Gabbana and Cartier cufflinks. This guy has so much style I decided he needed a single rose in a silver boutinniere to complete his sophisticated look.  

There seems to be definite themes this year with color block dresses, metallics, and bold colored gowns. In other words, there are many exciting options to work with!

What ever style you choose, we have a corsage to match it!

Click below to see a few of our corsage selections online and stop by our shop to create the perfect accent to your winning prom ensemble.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I've been thinking about love and how it appears in different forms. We use more than words to express love; writing notes, saying "you're beautiful!", sending flowers, giving hugs and kisses, even taking out the garbage! All of these are expressions or "languages" of love! If the concept sounds familiar you may have read or heard about it in Gary Chapman's successful book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts.  The book explores how people communicate through different love languages with each other. The more we learn about the languages the better we know what makes our own hearts tick, as well understand and appreciate what makes the hearts of our loved ones skip a beat.

What are the 5 languages and how do they relate to you? I highly recommend reading the book at some point but for now, I'm just going to list them with a brief description; there might be a couple which resonate and perhaps even a few you recognize in others!

Words of Affirmation:

Sometimes when I'm having a bad day, hearing words of affirmation make me feel better and boost my confidence to keep on going! Our schedules have become so hectic as of late I am recognizing more and more everything my husband does for me. I use words of affirmation on a regular basis now. It's not so much having to think about doing it but more of me outwardly expressing my appreciation, which in turn he appreciates!

"You look fantastic today"; "I appreciate you making dinner"; "Thank you for being there for me"; "Thinking of you makes me smile"; "You did a difficult job really well"; "I love the way you giggle"; "You smell great!" The list is endless. It could be anything that you love and appreciate about someone, as long as you're saying it out loud and with a genuine heart!  

Acts of Service:

"Actions speak louder than words". This is very true for ones who appreciate acts of service as their primary love language. But what kinds of service are we talking about? A seven course meal? Probably not! It might be as simple as doing the dishes if your spouse has had a long frustrating day. If it is done out of love without having being asked to do it it will speak VOLUMES of your love and devotion. Other examples might include: folding and putting away the laundry; picking up something from the grocery you know he/she likes but didn't ask for; making their favorite dinner; fueling up their car or bringing lunch to their office.

Every once in awhile my husband offers to make dinner if things have been going non-stop and I'm too frazzled to think about food. Whenever it happens it's like a weight has been lifted and it's an amazing feeling. In return I use words of affirmation by saying "I appreciate you making dinner; thank you for doing it for me".  See? Two love languages for one situation. BOOM! 

Gifts:

One time I took a test to see which language is my primary love language.  I have three because a lot of things say "I love you" to me.  Of the top 3, Gifts is my favorite. And no, don't feel sorry for my husband; he isn't out buying diamonds and pearls for me all the time!

It's not so much the gift as the thought which goes into it.  It could be as simple as a single Lindt truffle; I love those! Actually chocolate in general works because I love chocolate. Mmm..now I'm hungry so back on track!  It doesn't have to be chocolate; it could be a little note by my toothbrush, a random "Thinking of you" text during the day or a few stems of my favorite flowers. These are all little gifts which say big things about his love for me.

Physical Touch:

Sitting and watching tv I like to lean on my husband. I also like to cover his eyes during scary parts of movies that I don't want to see while burying my face in his side. He doesn't appreciate that as much but I do it anyway. We could be at the grocery store and I'll take a moment to put my hand on his shoulder or maybe at home I'll bump into him on purpose while getting milk out of the fridge. These little gestures are fun, random, and say "I love you" without me having to speak a word.

Physical touch doesn't have to be limited to hugs, holding hands and cuddling although those are just as lovely. These actions speak mountains to someone whose love language is physical touch. Another case of actions speaking louder than words. 

Quality Time:

We are great at multi-tasking. We can listen to the radio, direct kids with their chores, fix dinner with one hand while checking the recipe with our other, fumble for pots and pans with our feet and throw a few comments at our spouse since they are at the kitchen table paying bills! We are awesome; communicating and accomplishing stuff at the same time. Go team! Yes!

That's great! All the multi-tasking but now it's time to put your phone away, avert your eyes from any mobile device which might have your attention, switch off the screen to your computer, turn off the tv and look at each other. Well...maybe after finishing this blog, then you can do it. 

Quality time is not just spending time together; it's giving each other your undivided attention. You are looking at each other, holding a conversation, making eye contact, and completely "into" the moment of just being with your loved one with no mobile devices attached.  It doesn't have to be for hours; even twenty minutes of your undivided attention goes a long way.  I know this is a problem area for me. There is always something to do, something, someone, some child always needs attention, it's difficult to set aside quiet time just for us. When I make the effort, it is more than worth it; it's a chance to re-connect and enjoy why I married this guy.  

So that's it in a very large nutshell. Maybe more the size of a watermelon shell, but you get the drift. There are so many ways for us to say "I love you". We don't have to wait for Valentine's Day to speak any of the 5 love languages. You can do something today, right now, in fact!  Send a text, say "You're pretty!", be like Stevie Wonder and call to say "I love you"!, grab their hand, hug them and bring them home flowers!

If you are planning on saying "I love you" in a big way on Valentine's day, check out some of the unique designs we have this year. Or stop by our shop and pick out some beautiful blooms from our cooler and make your own bouquet!