The Flower Blog

Let the holiday cheer get into full gear! Our Thanksgiving feast is digesting so it's time in the Christmas season preparation we'll be investing! 

This year while you are perfectly aligning the stockings to be hung and checking all your to-do lists twice, be sure to pencil in some fun time for yourself, a friend, and bring home your very own DIY Christmas Centerpiece!  

Yes, we had such fun with our "Giving Thanks" DIY Centerpiece class we decided to continue spreading the floral design cheer by offering two opportunities to get your DIY floral design on again, with Christmas! Please join us on one of the following dates:

Wednesday, December 10th

OR

Wednesday, December 17th

6-7:30pm

Don't wait too late to register for the opportunity to create your own Christmas centerpiece.  Seating is 12 students per class; call us today, they fill up quick!

Perhaps you need a ladies night with your best friend, or maybe alittle mother/daughter time (yep, we welcome kids to the class as long as they are under your supervision), or maybe, just maybe you want to break out of the normal date night and do something different! Guys, from my point of view, if my husband asked if I wanted to attend the class, I would be thrilled. We would have some great laughs while taking a chance to do something different!

Did you miss out on the Thanksgiving class? Not quite sure you're ready to discover whether your green thumb is in working order or not? Don't worry! We have experienced designers on hand to help you! Not sure you know what you're doing? It's ok, neither do I.  Like I've mentioned before, I'm the florist's odd daughter. The one who makes designs with a keyboard and mouse. At some point however, if we want to grow we need to step out of the comfort zone and try new things.  I can see it now! The class in the design room with fresh cut pine and evergreen, rich in color carnations, and a design bowl just waiting to be filled with your creation.  There might even be holiday music in the background!  

Are you sold yet? Are you ready to design?Call 317-273-1100 to reserve your seat! Payment will be taken before class begins. Hope to see you there!

“May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility.”      - Mary Anne Radmacher

It's the holidays! Time to bring on some good cheer and what better way to start than with a fantastic sale to deck out your halls for the most wonderful time of the year!

Starting November 24th and running through December 8th, we are pleased to be presenting you with the following discounts on most of our items! Plush, Webkinz, Thanksgiving and Christmas decor, merchandise, and more! Stop by and see us soon before all these great items disappear!

60% off Plush

60% off Webkinz

60% off Fall

25% off Christmas

25% off of any other everyday gift items or merchandise

50% off *Select* Christmas merchandise

Sale does NOT include: Live plants, fresh cut flowers, or anything that needs serviced. (Such as adding bows to the sales items)

*Sales items are take out only

*All sales are final 

There you have it! 2 full weeks of holiday sale goodness to start the season off right!

Don't forget to check our website for winter bouquets and our Blue Mountain Christmas collection!

Did someone say DIY? Yes, Yes I did because this is the age of DIY and at some point friends, you WILL hop on this trend if you haven't already! Not sure where to start? Need some guidance? There are bountiful amounts of classes around town ready to ignite your creative side with painting, drawing, making cards, etc. Do these classes work with living components? Step aside paint brushes, bounce back to your boxes, beads; we are getting three dimensional with live flowers, containers, and an instructor with decades of experience!

Gillespie Florists is taking the DIY class trend to the next level with our first

"Giving Thanks" Floral Design Class on

Tuesday, November 18th, from 6-7pm 

Weds, 11/19, from 6-7pm! (CLASS NOW FULL)

at 9255 W 10th St, Indianapolis 46234

Now if you're anything like me, you're probably thinking, "I like flowers..that people give me, premade. I can't control-z or command-option-z out of this one!"  These are reasonable thoughts however this is the age of DOING and you will have the most experienced person, Patrick Gillespie, as your guide and instructor on your flagship journey into the world of floral design. I hear he is quite funny...or corny...but nevertheless, an hour exposure with this guy will have you designing flowers in no time whilst making jokes your family will be most certainly not appreciate therefore I would suggest you take your freshly made arrangement home and leave the jokes with us, we are used to it.

Imagine, if you will, setting the table for Thanksgiving: A bountiful aromatic feast fit for the most special occasions, cutlery shined to the nines, dishes daintily decorated, and amidst this glorious vision is your centerpiece, that you made, with your own hands! Friends and family ask "Where did you get the centerpiece, it's BEAUTIFUL!"  "Oh, I made it at Gillespie Florists; they gave me flowers and this, THIS is my creation!" It is a proud moment, isn't it, when you have a successful dinner party; build a bookshelf; gaze upon a perfectly mulched garden you worked on all spring; and now your latest venture into DIY, a fall floral centerpiece for you and the family to enjoy!

So how about it? Sound pretty good? One hour and $25 for our centerpiece materials including: design bowl, carnations, fall daisies, candle, filler! We will also have accessories available if you would like to add more to your creation!

CLASS SPACE IS FULL FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH

CALL US TODAY AT 317-273-1100 TO REGISTER FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18th!

All Hallow's Eve is upon us! What better way to celebrate Halloween than to decorate with spooky stuff, eat candy, and create scary fun bouquets?That's how we roll at Gillespie Florists. Another way we enjoy Halloween is to dress up in costume! Know what else we love? Trick-or-Treaters! And because we enjoy costumes, candy, Trick-or-Treaters and more, we have a special treat for you! 

Are your little Trick or Treaters anxious to get the Halloween ball rolling?  Did they hop off the bus in costume and you've got a few errands to run?  Bring everyone over to our shop for a few treats of our own as we host a few Trick or Treat hours in our sixth year and running...

Treat or Flower!

Except it's Treat AND Flower! We send off our costumed Trick-or-Treaters in style with candy AND a free flower! Is there a more fabulous way to start the evening than with a fresh flower to go along with the impending harvest of sweet treats?

Still not sure it sounds like fun? Let me convince you with some pictures of a few of our visitors during All Hallow's Eve past! We have some really cool displays that are perfect for taking pictures! We'll take pictures for you and will be happy to email you a copy of the picture!

Trick or Treat Hours

Friday Oct. 31st 4p-7p

Storewide Sale!

We are all about the treats here so why not pick up a few things since we are having a storewide sale!!!

Candles, Webkinz, Silks, Comfort Throws, Angels, giftware...everything 40% OFF! 

**This is for Take Out Only and on items already in stock. This sale excludes: Serviced Product, fresh flowers, and plants. Sales items cannot be delivered. Restrictions may apply. All sales are final**

Hmm...costumes, candy, flowers, storewide sale...sounds like a great way to start Halloween!  Be sure to add our shop to your trick or treat route: We will be there with flowers and candy at the ready and excited to show off our own creative costuming as well! 

It's that time of year, friends! The most spooktacular event of October is eerily hovering in the distance. We've been waiting on pins and needles to sift through our cobweb captured boxes full of ghoulish decorations, terrifying costumes, and put our brewing schemes for horrific fun into action.

October has always been my favorite month for the long awaited occasion of decking out the porch to beckon trick-or-treaters to come hither so I throw candy and marvel at creative costuming and adorable characters. But don't let the kids have all the fun! As adults we hold parties, make our own costumes, and swipe the hard-earned candy from our kids. Come on, if you're a parent, you're a candy-swiper. Admit it; it's for the children and you're helping the dentist protect little teeth from the candied indulgence of Halloween.   

Short for  'All Hallows Eve' it initiates the three day celebration of Allhallowtide which is dedicated to remembering the dead. The traditional theme is using humor and ridicule to confront the power of death. Jack-o'-lanterns, costume parties, trick-or-treating, haunted houses are a few of the many ways we pay tribute to the day. We enjoy taking part of this good-spirited fun at Gillespie Florists with designing spooky fun arrangements. I thought I'd highlight a few of them today in hopes one of these will be sent my direction. Just kidding! Recently I received the most gorgeous, spilling-over-the-top, amazing arrangement along with a new line of candy we are carrying! Ok, enough candy talk! Let's see what our designers have up their mummified sleeves this year! The Eerie Spider bouquet  pictured above is a prime example of a few Halloween treats we will be exploring!

We do have some terrifying pieces to explore but will be leading in with something a bit more traditional with The Pumpkin Patch Deluxe! This arrangement celebrates the fall season with vibrant yellow sunflowers, burnt orange fall daisies, curling willow, wheat, and pumpkin accents in a ceramic container. It is a perfect centerpiece for a table overflowing with caramel apples, warm apple cider, pumpkin bread, apple crisp, turkey pumpkin chili...you get the picture! The beauty of this piece is not only having the fall season sprouting out of a pumpkin but also the longevity of the flowers used. It's a win-win! 

Continuing on with the pumpkin theme I will keep a pumpkin-shaped container and raise you with a keepsake steampunk light up Frankenstein's Monster head. The shocking orange fall daisies, poppy purple statice, and a smashing variety of greens bring this arrangement to life! Add in the steampunk flavor (who doesn't love springs, gears, and metals shaped into a monster?) and this piece is good to go in the family friendly fun category!

Call me biast, that's okay, I can handle it; I am loving the keepsake steampunk accents on our Halloween treats this year! Let's consider for a moment you may not have the real estate on the main table for an arrangement but still want to celebrate the spirit of the occasion on a smaller scale. The Haunted Skull is perfectly sized for a desk, nightstand, side table; pretty much anywhere!  The simplicity of the gerbera daisy with limonium in a poison bottle complements the light up steampunk skull. The tile ties everything together to complete the spooky display.

Speaking of displays, the last design on this snapshot of our Halloween and Fall collection is the sleek and sophisticated Autumn Elements. Colors of the season spike upwards out of a modern red rectangle vase. Belles of Ireland, carnations and gerberas mixed with fall leaves, pheasant feathers, and greenery create a stunning piece which will command attention where ever it is placed! 

Gillespie Florists carries such a spectacular assortment of Halloween and fall bouquets it was truly difficult to narrow down to a select few to highlight! If any of these have picqued your interest or invaded your brain come stop by our shop or check out our website for seasonal treats! (No tricks, we promise!) 

Picture this: You're waiting just outside sight range of all of your guests. The maid of honor and bridesmaids are in place in perfect alignment with the groomsmen on the opposite side, and everyone has started craning their necks and turning to see the vision of bridal beauty. There is one last item which pre-cedes you in this scenario. It completes the composition of the colors, dress, style, and theme of your wedding.  It is your bridal bouquet. 

As you know bridal bouquets are designed in all shapes and sizes to fit the theme in a wedding. Why is shape important? It's just a bouquet, right? It's round, has flowers in it that match the theme colors, end of story!  "I can't believe you just said that! I'm defriending you" said all of your wedding-pinning friends. The shape of the bouquet complements the style and shape of your wedding dress! So let's go through a few popular shapes and break out some knowledge for the next wedding themed coffee discussion. 

Cascade Bouquet:

Also known as shower or trailing bouquet, this design is the most formal and traditional of bouquets. The shape is designed to spill gracefully over the bride's hands as it flows downward, creating an air of sophistication and style. It is perfect for a romantic themed wedding with a larger shaped dress. A good thing to keep in mind is not letting your bouquet overpower the extensive time and monetary investment of your bridal gown.

If your dress is simple and slinky, then the full trailing shape of the cascade bouquet would not be the optimal choice. Of course this wasn't always the case! When the cascade bouquet hit it's peak of popularity in the 1920's-1930's it was designed so large it often ensconced the bride! 

It is suggested to use the cascade bouquet for a fuller figure, fuller dress, taller bride, etc. However these are just suggestions in many bridal guides; it doesn't mean you have to follow the rules! Case in point, the picture to the left from my wedding ages ago. I didn't know it was called a cascading bouquet but did know I didn't want a round-bunchy-Martha- Stewart-in-the-height-of-her-glory bouquet. So my floral godmother designed the most amazing, gorgeous, beautiful, trailing bouquet which could have overtaken my 5'1 frame in a straight dress but it really didn't...and if it did, I didn't care because I LOVED it! 

Posey Bouquet:

Cascade bouquets are the most traditional choice but nowadays we've headed back to basics with the posey bouquet. During Victorian times, this smaller round shaped design was composed of tightly wrapped flowers holding very specific meanings and/or messages. Presently, the flowers selected are based on shape, color, and bride preference. The most adaptable of all shapes and sizes, it can be formal, or have a looser more natural look. The formal style consists of stems of the flowers being "fully-wired"; where they are removed and replaced with florists’ wire and then constructed into a much lighter bouquet with an easy to hold handle.  

The more natural style has a more unstructured look with stems tied together with satin or lace ribbons, often adorned with beads, pearls, and other decorative strands. The posey bouquet started with just flowers but has transformed over the decades into an dazzling mixture of flowers, greenery, loose leaves, berries, you name it! This versatile style complements most dress shapes and styles lending another reason to it's acclaim with brides. One more note on this particular shape: it is often what bridesmaids will carry as well so plan for your bouquet to be bigger but make sure to keep the width smaller than your waist or the bouquet will conceal the beautiful frame that is you.

Nosegay Bouquet:

This bouquet is worth mentioning for it's simplicity and prominent usage of greenery. More for the bridesmaids this basic style can also be a statement of elegance and sophistication for the bride.

The small round-shaped nosegay was more prevalent in the Victorian Era and was often mounted in a tussie-mussie (a small, metal or glass, cone-shaped Victorian style holder). As the Cascade bouquet rose to bridal acclaim during WWII the nosegay died out until the 1980's when it was revitalized as a tight posy with small flowers and tulle backing. This day and age we enjoy the nosegay with satin and organza ribbons, a bit larger arrangements, and other small decorative elements to match the theme of the wedding. Both brides and bridesmaids will find this soft light style balances well with dress structures such as mermaid, fish-tail, and ballgown.

Presentation Bouquet:

You've seen this particular style if you've ever watched a pageant! The presentation bouquet, otherwise known as an arm spray or arm sheaf, became prominent after it they were given to famous actress of the 1900's, Sarah Bernhardt. These bouquets became so popular during that time they were named "Bernhart" bouquets. 

Carried across the arm or held to trail down beside the dress, this style creates a stunning line and will showcase the features on the front panels of your wedding dress. Smooth Calla lilies, orchids, and tulips work well and create a modern elegance. Arm sprays can also be dressed up with greenery, multiple types of flowers, filler, for a more "just picked from a garden" look. This style goes hand in hand with an empire waist or straight A-line structured dress.

Let's see, we've covered Cascade, Posey, Nosegay, and Presentation; have I forgotten any? Absolutely not! There are many styles and shapes left to cover, however, you probably have a coffee date, family plans, get back to work, and things to do!

So I will leave you with one of many helpful graphics which show a snapshot of bouquet styles to quickly scan over before moving onto other activities. Now I could do all the research but I invite you to jump online OR visit us at Gillespie florists and speak with one of our wedding specialists about the many bridal bouquet options (including ones I haven't mentioned) available to you! 

References:

http://www.botanicaldesigns.com.au/what-shape-bouquet-will-suit-me/

http://www.perfect-wedding-day.com/bridal-bouquet-types.html

http://mag.weddingcentral.com.au/flowers/history/

Trends are kind of like seasons; they come and go and come back again. When they return there may be a little (or ALOT) of variation but still the base idea, concept, weather, colors, they are still there. A fabulous difference between a season and a trend is you have more control over a trend and how much it affects your personal style, if at all! As fall kicks into full gear we will take a look at some of the trends for weddings this season. Who knows, maybe you'll see a rerun revisited in whole new way as you're enjoying the heralding colors of fall whilst sipping warm cider and secretly hoping the bride and groom will invite guests to take home that shabby chic table centerpiece burlapped vintage jar with wildflowers; because are they going to take them to Santorini? Hey, a girl can dream...or she can get on Pinterest and DIY it.

Since the weddings for fall season have recently begun it will be interesting to see what our autumn brides have in store for us this year! First off, let's take a peek at the color palette.

Pantone's color of the year is Radiant Orchid. At first glance I'm thinking this color isn't very radiant; it is more of a muted dark pink with splash of purple. However after perusing the tints and shades we can find a variety of ways to make this color pop front and center from sleek metallic to shabby chic fabulousness! Case in point, I absolutely adore this bouquet! The accent of lavender ties together the entire look right down to the shimmering opalascent ribbon.

Royal Blue is a strong competitor along with Alumninum for smooth sophistication while Mauve Mist and Cognac speak the softer yet refined language of nude fashion. Clean cut Cobalt and subtle natured Cypress although next to each other will set complementary tones when it comes to decoration. 

My personal style leans towards the Aurora Red, Misted Yellow, and Sangria. Nicely saturated earth tones with a twist which mimic the traditional season of changing leaves, brisk days, and nights alive with bonfires, roasting marshmallows, and ghost stories abound in wooded hallows. 

Speaking of wooded hallows; Outdoor, indoor, in a barn, under a tree, where are these fall weddings going to be? The fall season is the optimal time of year to be outside and most couples take advantage of the fair weather and celebrate the nuptials outdoors using venues such as farms, vineyards, parks, or even their own backyard!

Will the decorations be a glistening glittertown of glory? Roaming woodland creatures with tabletops displying tree trunks, lace, and burlap? Magnificent metallic and fabulous fabric fusion? The possibilities are endless and the starting point is a texture mashup and what better way to convey this than beginning on the path of Shabby chic?

A wonderland of repurposed woods and goods are perfect for a rustic fall setting especially if the nuptials are going to be held outdoors. Simplifying with burlap & twine accents or dressing it up with mismatched antique bottles and/or mason jars filled with mixed flowers for a countryside flair is a popular choice!

Burlap, lace, antique glass, seems like there is something missing. Something which with sparkle and shine besides candles and twinkling lights. Of course! Glitter and Metallics!

These frontrunners of fashion can transform a simple bottle into an elegant centerpiece element! As a DIY society we can create the look of antique silver and copper containers without breaking the bank and still have swanky decor. Have some leftover vases from beautiful arrangements? Perhaps metallic gold or silver spray paint and a bit of time? Oh Pinterest...or rather, internet, where we would we be without you. Still creating fabulous weddings, but having millions of ideas to inspire one of the most important days of our life? It makes it easier doesn't it?

You know what else will make your wedding day easier? An amazing florist *cough*Gillespie Florists*cough*.

Friendly, knowledgeable, talented, and ready to take your wedding trend ideas and inspirations to the next level. Keeping up with trends and working outside the box, we're always on the lookout for exciting and/or fashionably revived ways to help you celebrate your special day.

Click below to schedule a free consultation with our wedding specialist!

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!

The season of hats has arrived and we have been busy at Gillespie Florists designing some of the best!  Whether you're off to the Kentucky Derby, Indy 500, or a backyard garden party, hats are always a welcome change from the ordinary.  It's lovely to see the old fashioned traditions mixed with contemporary flair while designing the flowers that will adorn the many different styles of the season.

It doesn’t have to be expensive either. Make your hat DIY style! Go and purchase a simple hat that suits your individual taste at your local Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, ect.  Next at Hobby Lobby or Michaels; pick custom colors of silk blooms to compliment the colors of your outfit. The number of blooms is up to you. Do like lots of flowers and colors or something more simple? You may already have both of these items in your home tucked away in a closet or storage bin! Last use hot glue or fabric glue to glue on the blooms of your flowers. You don’t have to stop there! Think about adding feathers, ribbons, charms or anything you like!

Don’t have time for DIY? Bring your hat into one of our talented designers and tell them about the outfit you are wanting to match your hat to or better yet bring your outfit in for them to see! After asking you a few questions, our designers will be able to select silks and create the perfect Derby hat by matching your personalized color palette perfectly.

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 customers only needed to post their picture on our Facebook Fan Page or use #GFPROM2014 on Instagram or twitter wearing our flowers! We then asked our Facebook fans 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...