The Flower Blog

Peak wedding season is well underway and we are a few short weeks from the temperature going from delightfully mild to hot and steamy. Don't let the heat keep you from planning the wedding of your dreams. Here are some tips to keep the flowers (and yourself!) cool and collected for a successful summer wedding! 

1. Select Flowers with Staying Power

What flowers hold up under high temperatures? One option is checking what's in season locally. Purchasing local blooms will not only help your budget but also better the chances of flowers holding up all day.

If local floral isn't fitting the bill we always have our hardy classics such as roses, garden roses, sunflowers, lisianthus and daisies. Another great option is going tropical with Bird of Paradise, calla lilies, tiger lilies, ginger and many varieties of orchids. Tropical flowers tend to have a glossy, waxy texture which ensures staying power for summer weddings. 

2. Bloom Maintenance Required

We are an organized people who feel assured when everything is in sight for our big day the night before. But the best thing you can do for your flowers is have them delivered the day of the wedding and have them refridgerated until just prior to the ceremony, pictures, or both (depending on the schedule for the day).

Have you ever noticed water droplets on up close photos of floral designs, especially wedding ones? It is so important to keep flowers hydrated and cool during the summer heat. If you aren't holding your bouquet, have someone place it in the shade or in a vase with alittle water in it. Centerpieces and arrangements can be lightly misted every couple of hours to help keep them fresh till after the guest depart from your amazing reception.

3. Go Bold with a Colorful Palette

"Go bold or go home!" as I always say...not true, not all the time. It's your wedding day therefore if the wedding palette of your dreams is basic black; nothing but neon; or purely pastel, then go for it! Based on research and industry opinion we have found bold colors are a popular selection for the summer. What bold is appropriate for your wedding theme? Use rich red, lux purple, and deep wine for a more formal event. Outdoors and semi-formal will be a festive occasion with flavorul colors such as mango, hot fuschia, violet, magenta and green. Lastly, let's get casual with bright and golden sunflowers and call it day. Sunflowers are so vibrant, you woudn't require many to create brilliant color.

4. Choosing the Right Centerpiece

There are so many options for centerpieces! Formal receptions call for tall vases overflowing with hydrangea, roses, etc while semi-formal and casual often use mason jars, wooden box planters, and found containers in their decor. Another fabulous option especially for bold colors is modern shaped clear containers utilizing wires or even fruit to give more pop to the table!

We've discussed flowers with staying power, bright colors, and also touched upon maintaining your blooms. At this point I'm going to mention hydrangea. It is one of the most popular flowers for weddings and also has a high risk wilting factor. Does that stop our brides from using it? Absolutely not! They are gorgeous and we encourage using these soft, lovely petals. Just keep them hydrated and misted every once in awhile and they will do just fine, and that is why I used this particular centerpiece as an example. Something to consider when planning reception flowers is venue location and table placement.

5. Call Us!

There are many things to consider when planning your wedding. Location, reception, food, guests; the list is endless and we haven't even begun to address questions such as "What's in season? What's local? Which flowers keep best in a certain temperature? What colors are available for these blooms?" all these questions and more can be answered with the help of your trusty, local florist...like us! So don't forget to call and enlist help in making the wedding of your dreams come true whether it be on the chilliest day, hottest night, or somewhere in that perfect 68-72° range in between.

Planning a wedding?
Contact us for a free wedding consultation & browse our wedding collection online below!

A few years ago, we at Gillespie Florists thought it would be fun to have a Prom King & Queen Contest and have been having it every year since! Prom goers only needed to post their picture on our Facebook Place Page or use #GFPROM2015 on Instagram or twitter wearing our flowers! We then asked our social media followers to "Like" their favorite picture or make a positive comment about it to determine the winner. We had several people enter but there can be only one winner! 

And the Winner is...

Hiedi Nguyen & Paul Sanders! 

Hiedi and Paul each get a $25.00 gift card to Gillespie Florists and Hiedi will be crowned with a tiara and flowers!

Hiedi wore a dendrobium corsage in this picture, similar to the one pictured below!

As a Thank you, Our Runners ups will recieve a $10.00 gift card each and each girl will recieve a Sunshine bouquet! Just stop in the store, let us know you are a runner up!

Our Runner Ups are:

Sydney Judge & Justin Adams

Thomas Barram & Lydia Trapp

A Big Thank You to Everyone Who Entered The Contest! Until Next Year!

Once upon a time...in a land far, far, away by way of Danville, IN there lived a girl who LOVED Disney characters, especially a particular red-headed mermaid. Alas, back in those days of yore, Princess- inspired Prom dresses were scarce, as was the internet, and the girl lacking ample time to shop selected a short, puffy, navy dress and enjoyed the prom with her friends.  The End.

Oh but it's not the end! It's only the beginning as Princess-Inspired Prom dresses have been quite the trend as of late. After viewing a superfluous amounts of fairy godmother turned fashion designer threads I decided to select a few of my favorite Disney ladies and pair a corsage with their perfect prom dress. Let us start with the frantic cleaning girl who started it all.

1. Cinderella

The one who started it all. A fairy tale come true complete with a mouse-driven pumpkin carriage and famous glass slipper which changed a girl's story into a "Happily Ever After". The story is timeless, the dress is classic ball gown style with off the shoulder bodice trimmed with tulle ruffles and butterfly accents. The two-tone tulle skirt has sparkling sequins throughout to create extra enchantment. It was difficult to choose the perfect corsage for this leading lady but it seemed fitting to use our "Frosted Butterfly" which our designers created this season. Fascinating how it seems this corsage was made for this dress...or is it? Perhaps it was meant to be.

2. Belle:

While we're on the subject of ball gowns, dancing, and dreamy princes...well wait, not in this case. The Beast wasn't easy on the eyes at first because he behaved like a monster. But remember when Mrs. Potts voiced by Angela Lansbury starts belting out "Beauty and the Beast"? By that time the hairy beast was acting more like a prince and he looked quite charming in his blue jacket.

Yellow ball gowns are a challenging color so this Beauty inspired piece has been upgraded to a warmer gold. The structured bodice with ruching and the gathered skirt is an elegant modern twist on Belle's original dress. I matched the Three Sweet Heart Rose corsage with the roses in a soft, sweet peach. The pearl bracelet sports shimmery gold leaves and sheer gold ribbons and accent beading. "Tale as old as time" with updated colors for a glamorous finish.

 3. Mulan:

"Hold the phone! Mulan isn't a princess!" You're right, she's not however I love her character. She is a fierce, unstoppable woman warrior. What a role model! Oddly enough, there weren't many dresses which I felt truly depicted Mulan's character so I went ahead and chose a stunning long one shoulder red dress with delicate beaded accents. Simple and refined with an edge. The "Leilani" corsage reflects the edginess of the dress with unique sparkling red accents, dendrobium orchids, silver leaves, and red feathers. Red is the key to this bold arrangement. A perfect fit for Mulan.

 Like what you're reading so far? Read more about this princess inspired prom dress trend with matching corsages in Part Two of this series!

Need to get some shopping done first and save Part Two for later?
Check out our website for special occasion inspiration and browse our prom flower collection online!

 Welcome back to Part Two of our Prom Corsage Fit for a Princess Series!  We started off Part One with the most famous Disney princess of them all: Cinderella and selected stunning corsages for Belle's beautiful ballgown and Mulan's simple yet striking one-shoulder long red dress. Which corsages will be worthy of the final fairy-tale inspired dresses? Let's find out together!

4. Merida:

We ended Part One discussing Disney ladies with names beginning with the letter "M" and the color Red; let's move onto the courageous Merida from Brave. Merida's dress of choice is flowy and sleeveless; which works out great if you're going to go to an archery lesson before or after prom. A versatile dress needs corsage of similar versatility therefore Pandora was selected. Perhaps the corsage should have been more simple with a bit of refinement but that's not Merida's style. The vibrant orange spray roses, blue wire, mutiple ribbon colors and fun feathers fit Merida's attitude to the "T". Isn't that what we hope for in the finished prom dress ensemble? That it fits, not only physically but in personal style as well?

5. Elsa:

I know, I know, can we all just "Let it Go" about Elsa and the cast of Frozen? Hasn't she had enough face time?! Sorry, not sorry but this dress is fabulous and has a couple of corsage placement options. Be assured it's just the dress...well..I do like the song, it's catchy. And the way she wields ice to make a castle was pretty neat too. Therefore we have decided Elsa needed to be on this list.

 The hi-lo dress is a vision in an icy turquoise with exquisite beading on the bodice. Forget putting anything on the wrist as it might interfere with this breezy chiffon; instead, add some extra fabulous to your strut with the "White Hot" corsage on your sparkling silver shoe! Another option would be an armband. Its swirling silver shape with sparkling leaves and barely pink kissed roses would accent the bodice and make a statemet; just like Elsa.

6. Ariel:

Speaking of statement, remember when Disney introduced their first princess under water? The Little Mermaid is known as the movie which started the Disney Renaissance in 1989 so not only did it stand out in terms of quality which parallelled the classics such Cinderella and Snow White but also made a splash using a red-headed teenage mermaid as it's main character. Also, we're talking about mermaids! 

This Ariel-inspired dress is fancy, fun, and full of modern whimsy. The bodice is a sensational myriad of sequin delight trailing into the several layers of marine like chiffon. The orchids in our "Flirty" corsage pull the deep fuschia accents from the dress and we add white opalescent leaves, silver beads, and a stylish chunky rhinestone bracelet to complete the look. 

Prom dresses and princesses, I could keep writing on this subject for days! However we will end here with these lovely ladies with their fairy-tale inspired dresses and fantastic corsages which complete their dreamy ensemble. Are you in the middle of finding the "glass slipper" of corsages for your prom dress? Is your heart wishing for a dream prom ensemble? Gillespie Florists can help make dreams a reality with artfully designed prom flowers to complement your style.  Check out our website for more ideas and stop by our shop to get started today!

Knights, Maidens, Ewoks, Batman, Minions, Whovians, Darth Vader, X-Wing Fighter pilots, Guardians of the Galaxy: What do these characters all have in common? A cosplay wedding at Indiana Comic Con!

Put cosplay and wedding together and you have one of the most exciting themes I can think of...besides perhaps a cosplay prom. How geektastic would that be? 

Hi, my name is Kelly, and I'm a fan and Star Wars cosplay novice. In honor of May the Fourth and all pop culture cons coming through Indy, it's my honor to write this article about wedding flowers Gillespie Florists provided for an official Cosplay matrimony at Indiana Comic Con 2015. Special Thanks to Gabe Duval Media, for providing photos from this MARVEL-ous occasion.

What does it take to develop wedding flowers for a Cosplay themed wedding? Especially a super colorful one involving popular characters from top shows, movies and comics from geek culture? After reviewing costume designs and colors for the bride and groom and locking in the the top two themes represented (Dr. Who and Star Wars); our wedding specialist, Sarah, streamlined the flower colors to white, red, and a variety of blues. The end result was gorgeous!

The bride, Kaley carried a Clutch style bridal bouquet which complemented her dress with white hydrangea, red spray roses, Kilimanjaro mini gerbera, silver brunia, white waxflower and dusty miller, hand-tied with charcoal gray ribbon with cornflower blue (tardis) treatment on the handle. The bridesmaids glided down the aisle with Clutch style bouquets with red gerbera with dark eyes, silver brunia, blue hydrangea, white waxflower and dusty miller, hand-tied with eggshell ribbon wrap. The groomsmen wore red mini gerberas, a touch of waxflower, dusty miller and blue wire on the stem while the groom, William, wrapped things up with a White mini gerbera with dark eye, white wax flower, red spray rose bloom, dusty miller backing and and blue wire on the stem.

Exciting costumes, thrilling themes, fantastic flowers: what a way to walk down the aisle and we are beyond delighted to have shared the experience by providing flowers for this event. Do you have an entertaining idea for your wedding? Need to plan long distance? DIY wedding flowers? Whatever your theme, distance, ideas; the super staff at Gillespie Florists are here to help you have the wedding of your dreams. Go ahead, give us a call and schedule a complimentary consultation with our wedding specialist. We'll help make your wedding out of this world.

View our wedding flowers online and schedule a free consultation below!

Post a snapshot of you and another person wearing flowers from Gillespie Florists on our Facebook Page, Twitter or Instagram and get the chance to be crowned the Gillespie Florists Prom King & Queen!

 Here's how it Works:

 ·          Take a snapshot of you and your date wearing Gillespie's Flowers.

·          Post it on our Wall or use #GFPROM2015 - make sure it’s a public post!

·          Tag your self in the photo as well as anyone else in the picture.

·          We'll put it in our "Prom King & Queen Contest Album 2015".

·          Ask your friends/family to "Like" your photo or post positive comments on your photo once it has
           been added to the album.

·          One week after the end of Prom Season, we will tally up the "Likes" and Comments and whoever has 
           the most WINS!

What do you get if you win?

The Queen will be crowned with a tiara and flowers and both King and Queen will be awarded a $25.00 Gift Card to Gillespie Florists!

And don't forget, Bragging Rights!

Contest ends May 19th, 2015. Winners will be announced on Facebook May 23rd!

Post to our Social Media Pages!

Gillespie Florists Facebook Page

Twitter:    @gillespiefloris

Instagram:    gillespieflorists

Prom! It's back and ready to vie for title THE "Hot Topic" and flood the internet with bff/dress selfies, fancy feast photos, and more.

And you know what? We're ready. Bring it on, prom fiends! We've been doing our homework and stocking up on corsage accessories, flowers, and more and kick up to wow factor to your dress, evening, AND all the Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram pics your trigger happy fingers are itching to take.

I could bore you with details on the hottest prom dress trends but we know you don't got time for that and chances are, your prom dress has been waiting patiently in your closet for months! So let's get straight to the point. 

BOOM! There it is. Such a small, minute sampling of what we have in store and on our website. Featuring elements of the latest trends for Prom in colors and accessories such as: lace detailing, posh pastels. red carpet bold colors, sophisticated bling, sheer fabrics, shimmering metallics, hot coral, and classic neutrals. And I also threw in a few of our favorite outstanding corsages because, 1. They're outstanding and 2. The possibilities for your dream corsage and boutonniere are endless. 

Sounds like alot doesn't it? It is. Just google "best prom dresses". "Ha! I've done that about a billion times already" you say. Then you know what I'm talking about. All the dresses are amazing, it's just a matter of finding the "One" for you. And while the prom specialists at Gillespie Florists have a pulse on all the most popular accessories for this year they also have grabbed some alternate fabulous pieces for making the perfect corsage. Our accessory selection is vast with rhinestones, pearls, metallic gold, silver, beads taking shape of necklaces, bracelets, arm bands, head pieces, rings, wands, and can even be used on your shoes! And ribbons? More styles than you can throw color swatches at. So many cool accessories, so few proms to strut your stylish ensemble. Which is even more reason not leave home without the perfect complement to your prom dress...besides your date or your bestie.

Nutshell version: Bring in corsage/boutinniere ideas, colors, etc. (or give them to your date or parental unit along with our phone number, ever so subtly) and we will make something perfect and amazing to make your Prom Night a dream come true.

"Sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love...” 
― E.E. Cummings

Oh yes, surely we can discern the topic of discussion today. Springtime isn't just lovetime, it's the beginning of peak wedding season! Which beautiful blooms are the most popular for matrimony and celebration of unending love? I'm so glad you asked; it will be of no surprise you'll spy some of these blooms in a few popular wedding floral trends: Modern Garden, Lapis Luxury, Kaleidoscope, and Majestic.

1. Peony

One of the most popular, they are also a bit difficult to coordinate due to the limited availability in the spring.
Why do we love them? Romanticism is oozing out of these beauties. Elegant, soft, prime choice for palettes; like moths to a flame, we cannot deny the siren call of the peony. 

2. Rose

3. Hydrangea

A full blooming floral in soft and delicate pastels make this another springtime favorite. Standalone stems in a vase; tied together with simple ribbons for bridesmaids and accentuating the bridal bouquet with their overflowing butterfly petals.

4. Ranunculus

Bold and bright or subtle and pale, Ranunculus has been trending high in many wedding themes recently. Soft and delicate, the paper-thin petals have a definitive edge which help them pop in bouquets when paired with peonies and garden roses. Fabulous form and the wide variety of colors available make them ideal for almost any theme.

5. Sweet Pea

This sweet smelling floral lives up to its name for many reasons. Ruffly, fragrant, romantic, and ranging from white to coral pink to purple, and many shades in between. Like many of the flowers on this list, these blooms are simply lovely by themselves  but also look fabulous mixed with other springtime flowers.

6. Gerbera Daisy

Personally I think these are the happiest flowers in the world but don't take my word for it, what do you think? Available in a wide assortment of colors ranging from the palest peach you can imagine to the most vibrant orange and hot pink; so vibrant they'll knock your garters off. Gerberas are making feature appearances in the Kaleidoscope floral wedding trend this year with their bolder, standout colors.

7. Lilac

This delightful, aromatic, delicated-petaled harbinger of spring will have you reminiscing sunny days, fresh breezes and country charm. The lilac is the perfect choice for a Modern Garden occasion or dress them up with violets, lavender roses, and Picasso Callas for a sophisticated Majestic wedding floral trend.  

8. Tulip

Springtime isn't complete without these beauties; brides adore the versatility of these blooms as they are available in hundreds of colors and varieties. From classic and simple clean lines to the varigated, fringed, and feathery; the possibility of themes incorporating tulips are endless! Add extra whimsy and romanticism with petals displayed wide open instead of traditional closed bloom. 

10. Orchid

Orchids are another option for springtime weddings; yet which one do you choose? There dozens of types of orchids with prices ranging from below $10 a stem to over $20! The variety of size and shape can have orchids such as Cymbidium featured as the main attraction of the bridal bouquet to including Dendrobiums, which mix well with garden roses, sweet peas, peonies, and parrot tulips for a beautiful springtime floral blend.

Oh the beauty of spring and it's abundance of flowers for weddings. Pale pastels, brilliant bold hues, sensational saturations; the possibilities are endless in color and theme for the beginning of peak wedding season. In the process of planning your nuptials? We are here for all the seasons! For more inspiration, check out our wedding collection online and give us a call to set up a complimentary consultation with our Wedding Specialist!

With great pleasure and utmost esteem do we present to you a most royal, regal, and romantic wedding flower trends: Majestic. 

Why so royally inclined? Only the richest of colors are utilized in this trend comprised of luxurious gold, deep purple, sophisticated lavender, and luscious dark pink. The main attraction of color is purple; which is often associated with nobility, royalty, power, and luxury. It also represents meanings of wealth, extravagance, creativity, grandeur, devotion, mystery, and magic. All of these descriptions and more can attest to the color, design, and mood of the Majestic Wedding Floral trend.

Flowers which are commonly highlighted in this richly saturated color trend are Dendrobium orchids, cymbidium orchids, vanda orchids, purple mini carnations, lisianthus, and orange spray roses. However such as all trends, there are many other flowers available to emulate the look and mood such as garden roses, callas, statice, ranunculus, and ever noble garden roses. While various shades of purple and pink are prime hues in Majestic; accent with gold butter tones and a glimmer of coral strategically placed to add extra grandeur to this royal theme. 

Speaking of gold, let us not forget the application of lustrous metallic gold to add to the extravagance. Imagine a gilded tower overflowing with hydangeas, peonies, and phaleonopsis. Petite found objects brushed to romantic golden shimmer; some of them containing a single calla lily or small composition of spray roses and carnations. Such lavish table pieces call for a sit-down meal with multiple courses; more time for your guests to sit, relax, enjoy fine foods, company, and of course, the elegant decor for their visual appreciation. Unsure the budget will allow for a multiple course thorough-fare? Opt for a cocktail reception with fancy finger foods instead! The best advantage to your wedding plans is the ability to take inspiration from favorite themes and transform them into a unique one of your own design!

These four wedding trends serve as inspiration to make your wedding a dream come true: Romantically rustic Modern Garden, exquisite Lapis Luxury, boldly brilliant Kaleidoscope, and extravagant Majestic. Which one speaks the most to you; or is there a combination of characteristics from each which make your heart skip a beat? Perhaps all the options are beginning to boggle your mind? The fine and friendly staff of Gillespie Florists is here to help you create the perfect floral theme for your wedding. Contact us for a complimentary consultation with our Wedding Specialist and browse our extensive wedding collection online to get started today!

And the award for the most vibrantly colored wedding trend of them all this year goes to: Kaliedoscope!

The name does a good job at tipping you off to what the trend is all about: delicious eye-candy you can almost taste presented in bold and sophisticated modern fashion. Certainly we do adore smooth and rich luxury; there's a place for earthy, rustic texture; however we cannot deny the extreme excitement which ignites with a pop of radical color! 

 Enjoy a taste of Mother Nature's rainbow with the wedding color trend: Kaleidoscope. Contemporary design is created through the use of simple shapes and dynamic colors such as coral red, bright orange, neon yellow/green, bright turquoise, hot pinks, black, white and emerald green! So many gorgeous colors; how is it possible we have these natural hues available? We do in flowers such as billy ball, fuji mums, joyful gerberas, playful green trick and those ever popular ranunculus which keep appearing in our trends this year. Adding more color and stepping outside the comfort zone of florals we add fruits such as illuminating limes, scintillating oranges, lemons, and other vibrant produce to continue the modern trend. The use of sleek wires, neon sand, and other simple lined items round out the look and tie all our colorful elements with topiaries and geometric shapes of clear glass cubes, cylinders, and bold contrast graphic print containers. 

What time is the right time for this outstanding color statement? The deep chill of winter will gain heat and summer thirst will be quenched with the hot juicy pop of these spectacular colors. Whether your wedding occurs during day or night, this brilliant color delight will set the mood for a festive celebration of your love. 

Modern Garden, Lapis Luxury, Kaleidoscope, Majestic; what 2015 wedding trend speaks to you? We have lovely examples of each and more on our website! Check out our extensive collection online and find even more at our shop when you contact our wedding specialist for a free consultation!