The Flower Blog

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!

It's your wedding day! Throw on your wedding gear and avoid glancing at your beloved while adding something old, new, borrowed, and blue; give a hefty throw of the garter and/or bouquet to warm up your muscles for crossing the threshold as a married couple for the first time while holding the top of the wedding cake to be enjoyed sans freezer burn in a years time...Did I forget anything? 

If the above didn't clue you in; we are embarking on a journey of five well-known superstitions throughout wedding history! Some are not practiced as much but I bet you a sixpence, ladies, you will and/or have been asked which ones have made the cut into your wedding celebration. Without further "I do", let's take our seats, relax for a spell, and enjoy reminiscing a few of these matrimonial notions.

1. Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.

This is undoubtedly the most popular wedding tradition yet in the U.S. we oftentimes drop the "Silver Sixpence"; or at least I did as my shoes didn't allow for anything being tucked in them. Common good luck charms with deeper significance meant to be given by family, friends, and attendants in the "eleventh hour" before the wedding. Something old is for continuity while something new offers optimism for the future. Something borrowed symbolizes family and friends being there for you in the future and something blue represents faithfulness, love, and purity. What of the sixpence? It's primarily a British custom which is a wish for prosperity.

2. It's Bad Luck to See the  Bride Before the Wedding!

We're not sure where this notion originated; possibly from the tradition of arranged marriages but it's difficult to pinpoint. My interpretation of this tradition was that this was the most important day of our lives (at this point), we worked very hard to put everything together. The idea of the final moment, the anticipation, and the fact I spent a great deal of time selecting a dress, getting dolled up, wearing uncomfortable shoes...I wanted to take my future husband's breath away. Mission Accomplished.

This superstition is one which has fallen by the wayside for better things such as stunning photographs of the entire wedding party before makeup melts, shirts getting untucked, and the maximum hold hairspray giving out. Other reasons include spending a moment of quiet time together and getting the party started ASAP. It's time to celebrate! 

3. Bouquets Tossing and Garters Flinging!

This tradition has less to do with good luck and well-wishing for the newlyweds and more about spreading their bliss to other people in the future. More fun and/or embarassing than anything else; this practice is good for laughs, smiles, and great pictures.

I must to admit to really enjoying this one from both angles of the bouquet toss. As a single lady, yes it's a ridiculous tradition because how often does the lucky lady get married after catching the bouquet? The answer depends on if it's rigged or not. Is it still fun? Sure it is! As a bride I enjoyed tossing the bouquet and witnessing the aftermath. 

Ah the garter toss. The single guys aren't as easy to corral together for this one but eventually they gather for the fun of it. How often do you see to see your best friend get creative with removal of the token prize which might lead to someone's ineveitable walk down the aisle? 

4. Carrying the Bride Over the Threshhold

If you're worried about the bride tripping to bring bad luck upon the marriage or need to ward off evil spirits; the best way to remedy both situations is carrying her over the threshold! 
The Romans believed the bride should be reluctant to leave the home of her father therefore the groom acted as the villainous scapegoat and stole the bride, carrying her away to their new future together. There is also the belief that evil spirits hovered at the threshold of the newlywed's new home. The bride had to be lifted to ensure that the spirits couldn't enter her body through the soles of her feet. Sounds kind of creepy and definitely not the reason my husband carried me across the threshold. He did for the fun and tradition of it...and perhaps the fear I would actually trip over the doorway as it is well within my clutzy nature.

5. Save the top layer of the Wedding Cake

The superstition to saving the cake is to bring you good fortune. I think it's a trap. It is a way to see if you know your way around the kitchen and can make something that's been stuck in the freezer for a year taste delicious. Back in days of yore, in 2002, when the internet was young and we had no idea the vast resources available, I wrapped my cake in foil, then put it in a plastic bag. A year later it had a cardboard texture and the icing was more like playdoh; but I digress. 

Wedding cake has been around forever but the tradition of saving it is from 19th century England when cakes were exquisite to taste, elaborate to view, and laced with liquor to help it keep till either your first anniversary or the christening of your first child. Back then the three layers served a functional purpose. First layer for reception, second layer for distribution, and the third for the christening because more often than not children came right away after the wedding!  Times have changed quite a bit since this idea was put into practice. Now we save it for fortune. If you can successfully store your top layer and enjoy it a year later, that indeed, is good fortune.

There you have it; a few of the top common wedding superstitions and where they may have originated. I enjoyed the traditions we incorporated into our wedding. Some of them were time-honored and elegant, others were fortunately captured on film lest we "forget", and all made the day one of the best days ever. 

Are you in the process of planning your special day?

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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!

With Wedding Season of 2014 well underway, I have seen a gradual shift of trends from Wedding Season 2013 at Gillespie Florists. Color schemes that feature tints, tones and shades of the primary wedding color, limited use of foliage and a return of a popular accent flower have all made Wedding Season 2014 something to “blog” about!

I had mentioned in a blog post last year that I was noticing a trend towards “nude” colors. I meet with many brides well in advance of their wedding which prompted me to take notice of this up and coming color trend. So far, the nude color trend is the most prominent color scheme of this year’s wedding season. So what are nude tones? Nude tones are very subtle colors and when combined, they seamlessly blend together. Examples of nude colors are pale peach, pale pink, cream, tan and taupe. Next weekend, every single wedding I have (which is more than I can count on one hand) features this color scheme. In recent memory, I cannot recall a single weekend where every color scheme was the same.

Fashion is not my forte, but while interacting with brides, I have picked up on a few trends that are quite “fashionable” this year! Many brides are choosing “mismatched” dresses (both in style and color) for their bridal parties. For example, a bride may choose a smoky lavender color as the primary color theme for their wedding party. The bridesmaids can then choose a style and color of dress in a complimentary hue of the primary color, such as eggplant, iris, lavender or even a patterned fabric which incorporates several of the colors.

Groomsmen are expressing their diversity with various colors of ties, vests and even dumping the traditional black tux for a stunning charcoal or silver tux or suit. Flowers can be designed to unify the bridal party by designing similar personal flowers (i.e. small clusters of babies breath for all the groomsmen boutonnieres and clutch bouquets of babies breath for the bridesmaids). Or, to reflect the diversified theme, each attendant receives their own style and color combination of flowers.

Shabby Chic and Vintage style décor for weddings is still a popular theme carried over from last season. However, I have noticed a slight change in the flower varieties that are featured in this season’s weddings. Babies breath has made a huge comeback in the last year; to the point that babies breath, which is generally readily available, has been in short supply in the last couple of months! A couple of weeks ago, I contacted my local vendors to beef up my babies breath inventory because we were running low. Every single vendor was sold out of all varieties of babies breath. I’ve been the primary flower buyer for almost 10 years and this has not happened before!

In wedding designs, I have featured babies breath in bouquets for brides and bridesmaids, boutonnieres, corsages, ceremony arrangements, centerpieces and even a wreath designed of babies breath! 

Finally, I am seeing the growth of a trend against including foliage in wedding flowers, especially personal flowers. From my interaction with brides, the perception is that the foliage adds another (unwanted) color to the arrangements. I can understand this point of view and have successfully designed dozens of weddings without any foliage. However, with traditional design, I feel that foliage adds subtle depth and texture to an arrangement, as well as hide the mechanics of the design. A small amount of foliage nestled within an arrangement or collared on the outside of a clutch bouquet hides unsightly wires, floral tape, stems, glue and oasis that should remain unseen. No matter what style the bride prefers, a trained and talented floral designer can adapt to the specific needs of each wedding.

As Wedding Season 2014 continues, I am sure that I will be introduced to up and coming trends that will shape the next wedding season. For now, I am enjoying the current trends, learning and growing with each wedding that I am so honored to be a part of!

Ready to start planning your wedding? Click below to  contact our Wedding Specialist! 

Over the past year and a half I have seen some of the most amazing wedding flowers created here in the shop!  I had a very small and non formal wedding so flowers were not a major concern for me, but looking back on things I wish I would have done more with flowers.  

I think that yellow is an amazing accent color to any summer wedding.  Our designers can do some amazing arrangements with beautiful yellow flowers!

Our bridal bouquet called Bailey would be perfect for any bride to be that wants that splash of yellow as she walks down the aisle.  This amazing bouquet is made from beautiful yellow roses, stunning white lilies and white freesia that will provide a wonderful aroma as you walk down the aisle.  

Bailey - GFW127

Maybe you are not a fan of lilies or freesia but you love daisies, we can do that too!  The bridal bouquet called Sunbeam is beautiful.  This bouquet is a simple yet beautiful mix of yellow and white daisies and yellow roses.  Sunbeam is an elegant and cost effective way to make a full bridal bouquet for your special day!  

Sunbeam - GFW44

Have a more wildflower style bridal bouquet in mind for your special day?  Check out this one called Lemon Ice, featuring white roses, yellow freesia, white calcynia heather, pale yellow stock, purple limonium, tree fern and variegated pittosporum.  This bouquet is a hand-tied arm style design.

 

Lemon Ice - GFW45

 

Of course you cannot forget the centerpiece for the main table!  Brooke is a beautifully designed centerpiece featuring yellow calla lilies and yellow Asiatic lilies, as well as snapdragons, delphinium and belles of Ireland.  

 

Brooke - GFW96  

 

Maybe you want a centerpiece but not as large, we still have the perfect one for your special day.  Aubree is a wonderful centerpiece designed with yellow snapdragons, yellow daisies, a large yellow lily and blue delphinium.  

Aubree - GFW94

 

Tossing around the idea of adding fresh flowers to your wedding cake?  We can do that too! Breanna is a mix of yellow daisies, yellow alstromeria lilies and blue delphinium.  If you are not wanting to have the added pop of color from the blue delphinium, do not hesitate to ask if there is something else that could be used in its place!

 

Breanna - GFW93

 

 

Alexa is a  simple yet stunning way to add just a little something to remember to your seating arrangement for your indoor or outdoor wedding. Already have a sash on the rows of chairs in that beautiful sunny yellow?  Let us add exotic stems of white orchids to the end of the rows closest to your aisle.

 

Alexa - GFW95

 

So you have finally made the big decisions on the perfect bouquet, matching bridesmaid’s bouquets, centerpiece for your main table and decorations for the ends of your seating rows. Suddenly you realize you have not selected anything to recognize the other special men and women in the lives of you and your future husband.  The parents and grandparents!  Check out the beautiful Claire and strapping Elias. These matching corsages and boutonnieres are the perfect way to recognize those special people in your lives!

 

Claire - GFW89

 

 

Elias - GFW90

 

 

As you can see we have many options for you to check out that will help you get that splash of sunshine in your flowers for that special day!  With all of this talk about yellow, maybe yellow is not for you! But if you like some of these bouquets or arrangements, make sure you ask our wedding consultant what your options might be to change up the yellow to your own special splash of color!

Click below to contact our Wedding Specialist!

Click below to shop our entire wedding selection!

 

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!

"We live in Indiana..It will negate any reason you have"

It's true, our crazy and sporadic Indiana can be a deterrent for winter weddings. Does that mean you should let the unexpectedness of weather affect when your dream wedding should occur? Absolutely not! Inclement winter weather might mean you make extra preparations; such as add some long underwear to your wardrobe (not really if it's inside!) or have a plan "B" in place with your vendors and locations, but it can still be done, my friends! YES! Even in Indiana, you can have the most amazing, beautiful, creative winter wedding you've ever dreamed of. 

When was my wedding? End of September... On the most beautiful day...and also Memorial Day weekend.  Again, doesn't matter WHEN you plan your special day. There will be obstacles one way or another.  Why am I writing about Winter Weddings when I didn't have one? Simple. I wanted to be married on my parents property during my most favorite time of year, Autumn. Now let's get back to winter and the many romantic, trendy, and cost effective properties it has to offer for those researching the pros and cons of doing a winter wedding.

Reason 1: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Sound like song lyric? Yes, yes it is.You have the holidays, snuggling with your honey, love is in the air, everyone is joyful...What better time to celebrate your love and commitment than during the winter season. Holidays alittle too busy? That's ok. Winter season is from December through March. What better way to keep out of the post holiday blues than to have a wedding! We adults, we like to do stuff, go to events, and celebrate things! Give us something to celebrate after the holidays! 

Reason 2: Location, Location, Location

Peak wedding season is May, June, September, October. Many times weddings need planned 18 months in advance due to high demand of location during the peak wedding season. Off-Peak is January, February, and March. You are more likely to get your desired location of matrimony sooner if you go off peak. 

Reason 3: Do You Like Discounts?

Added benefits to choosing off-season are vendor discounts from the location you choose for your wedding and reception to your honeymoon destination.
If you choose to do a wedding during holiday season, many venues will already be decked out to the nines in holiday decor, lights, etc which will save some funds in the decorating department. 

Planning a trip to the tropics for your honeymoon? During the summer months is peak school holidays meaning you'll pay more, along with it being prime hurricane season in the Caribean. Hm...lower vacation pricing and less chance of hurricanes...sounds like a winner to me! 

Reason 4: Don't Sweat it!

Peak season weddings are beautiful aren't they? Being outdoors, the sun in your eyes from every direction while the photographer tries to get in one more shot. Your extra strength deoderant you just applied an hour ago isn't holding up the way it advertised. A sideways glance at your maid/matron of honor...is her blush sliding off her face?! The guys fidgeting with their collars, flapping their arms and repeatedly checking in their jackets...What on earth could be...oh..that's right. It's a bit warm right now. Another beauty of winter is the temperature. It's cool and comfortable, the lighting is softer, and there is less likelihood of your flowers AND wedding party wilting throughout the afternoon and evening.

Reason 5: Themes in Abundance

There is something about winter which is intrinsically romantic. Perhaps it's the holidays, the cool temperature, the ambience of candle-lit rooms, the daylight fading into earlier evenings,the quiet nature lending to a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

Oh the possibilities for theme during the winter months...  Will your colors be rich and luscious reflecting a more traditional and warm setting? Or maybe some cooler tones paired with metallics and sparkles which would accentuate the exciting chill of the season, a New Years flair. Or maybe Vintage! Steampunk! There are so many creative ways to celebrate your wedding in the winter. It's the perfect background for many themes.

 These are just a few of many reasons why weddings in the winter are becoming more popular. Whether you choose winter, spring, summer or fall, Gillespie Florists will be delighted to help you with your floral arrangements, bouquets, table pieces, for your special day! 

               Click below to get started today on your big day!

Over the last several years, I have seen a steady increase in customers who want to design their own arrangements.  The DIY revolution is not limited to one occasion as I have assisted customers with flower selections for weddings, receptions, large events/celebrations (recently a pastor at a church celebrated his 25th anniversary of service), birthdays, anniversaries, get well and even sympathy expressions.

DIY is not a new concept to Gillespie Florists.  As a matter of fact, Gillespie Florists has been offering our staple DIY bouquet (The Sunshine Bouquet) since 1975.  This simple, loose stem bouquet includes two stems of carnations, one stem of pomps (spray daisies or cushions), ½ stem of accent flower (babies breath, solidego, statice, limonium) and one stem of leatherfern for the unbelievable price of $3.95 each.  We sell dozens of Sunshine Bouquets each week to customers for every occasion.  We even have customers that purchase one or two Sunshine bouquets every week to have a few flowers at home to enjoy for themselves.

Did you know that you can bring your own vase into our store and fill it with flowers yourself at one of our design stations?  We provide the tools, water and flower preservative and you become the artist!  If you don’t have your own vase, no problem!  We have plenty of vases to choose from at the discounted, DIY rate!

Our second most popular DIY bouquet is the Take/Carry Out Dozen Rose Bouquet.  We offer two versions:  Dozen roses with Leatherfern for $19.95 or dozen roses with Leatherfern and a stem of babies breath for $22.95 (prices will vary with seasonal availability).  Our most popular color of rose is red, of course, but did you know that we offer a variety of colors of roses?  Depending on our inventory, we stock white, yellow, pink and other novelty rose colors, all for the low DIY prices mentioned above!

DIY weddings have steadily increased since 2009.  Brides on a budget are taking the world by storm, researching options online, arming themselves with the knowledge and skills to have gorgeous weddings, while staying within their budget.  The most common DIY aspect of a wedding is the reception centerpieces.  However, I have worked with brides who have designed their own bouquets for themselves and their bridesmaids, designed their own corsages and boutonnieres and designed their own ceremony and reception décor.  A tip for DIY brides:  Design practice bouquets a few months ahead of time.  This will help you know how many flowers you will need, how much time you need to plan for on your busy wedding week and discover any problems/issues/design changes BEFORE the week of your wedding!  

Interested in DIY flowers?  Stop by and speak with one of our friendly sales representatives to walk you through our 500 square foot cooler to start designing your own bouquet!

Mission impossible:  Plan a wedding from nearly 4,000 miles away from the site of the ceremony.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to plan every detail of your wedding, which is to take place in Indiana, while living and working in Alaska!  This was a REAL scenario for us a few months ago.  I have worked with out of town brides before, but this was certainly the greatest distance I had experienced!  

With the technology available to us today, working with brides from out of town is not an impossible mission.  As a matter of fact, it can be a very positive and rewarding experience! Of course, I prefer to meet brides face to face.  However, in the case of 4K miles, a bride just can’t hop a flight to Indy at a moment’s notice!  Therefore, the bride and I worked together to create an open line of communication and plan her flower selection down to the finest details.

Our bride, who lives and works in Alaska, contacted me about the possibility of designing the flowers for her wedding.  She inquired as to whether or not we could work with her from such a distance. Fortunately, this bride was able to meet with me in person during a visit to Indianapolis a several months prior to her wedding.  At that time, I was able to show her samples and begin planning her order with her in person.  After our meeting, we corresponded via email, sharing photos and samples of flowers digitally.  Over the course of several months, the bride and I kept in close contact via email.  

Finally, the weekend of the wedding arrived!  The bride came to our store to preview the completed/designed wedding flower order the day before her wedding.  The arrangements turned out wonderfully and she was pleased with the result of our coordinated efforts.  I really must give the bride most of the credit, she was fantastic to work with and corresponded with me frequently so we could have all the details worked out in advance.

If you are planning a wedding from across town or out of town, never fear! We are able to accommodate any distance (even 4K miles!) with a little help from technology.  

Ready to start planning your wedding or just have some questions? Contact Sarah, our wedding specialist, by clicking below!

One of the most popular trends in fashion during the last several years has been flesh-tone, skin tone or nude colors.  At the on-set of this trend, I had difficulty sourcing flowers in these colors and often resorted to over-spraying flowers (lightly coating a flower with spray paint formulated for flowers).  Tinting flowers is not a bad practice, it’s just not one of my favorite techniques (the smell of the fumes and the uneven/inconsistent color are my top two reasons to stay away from paint).  As with any trend, the more mainstream it becomes, the more products are developed to meet the demand of the trend.  Lucky for florists and consumers alike, growers at the farm-level developed some wonderful options in flesh tones to accompany the nude fashion trend!

One of the most popular roses right now is Quicksand.  This beauty actually has a hint of very pale pink with a warm, sandy overtone.  I have seen this rose used in tandem with lavender, pale pink, peach and ivory for a subtle contrast.

A unique blend of mocha and ivory, Leonidas roses have been popular with autumn weddings for years.  The nude trend loves this rose, as seen in this bridal bouquet.  
Pale peach has been around for quite a while.  One of my favorite pale peach roses is the aromatic Osiana rose.  One of my favorite Gerbera is Pacific, pictured here in a bridesmaid’s bouquet. 

Another pale peach option that I have designed corsages with recently is a miniature rose called Chablis. This unique spray rose is dominantly pale peach with hints of ivory at the base of the petal. 

Vendela roses are a warm ivory tone, which I have working with for several years.  They are making an impact with the nude trend as a lighter, contrasting color.   

New on the scene, but trendy all the same, are Amnesia roses.  This unique lavender rose is very romantic with hints of taupe undertones.  Seen here with Antique hydrangea and pale pink roses, this combination hints at nude tones, without being completely colorless.

Check out our selection of online wedding products by clicking below!

Ready to start planning your dream wedding? Contact our Wedding Specialist!