Friday, November 02, 2007

Wedding Dress Design Website

by LeAnne Nelson
http://www.afloral.com/

For all of you brides out there who are struggling with your wedding dress, bridemaids, tuxedos, or all of the above -- Check out David's Bridal! They now have a "dress your wedding" section, where you can create a whole bridal party with everything from dresses to accessories! Although there is no wedding in my soon future, as a woman, I HAD to get on there and design the models; I absolutely loved the site! It has several dresses to choose from and if I didn't have a dress in mind, it would've definitely helped with ideas!

Check it out today:
http://www.davidsbridal.com/


wedding dress design bride groom
create bridesmaid accessory veil
shoes flower girl gown flowers hair

"Just living is not enough...
One must have freedom, sunshine, and a little flower."
~Hans Christian Anderson

Visit our websites at http://www.afloral.com/ & www.afloralconnect.com

Choosing Your Wedding Flowers

by LeAnne Nelson
http://www.afloral.com/

When choosing your wedding flowers there are several important aspects to take into consideration. Below is a list of things to research and keep in mind.

Budget
One of the first things you should decide on is your budget. What price range are you looking at, and what are you willing to spend. Having limits, or having none will be a big factor in the overall design and amount of your arrangements.

Silk or Real
After establishing your budget, decide if you would like to go with silk or real flowers. Silk flowers are lower maintenance, lower in price, and you can buy them well before the big day. Real flowers, of course, look more natural and are beautifully scented. Take time to review the ups and downs, availibility, and cost of both.

Season
When your wedding is taking place is also very important to consider. Certain flowers are more readily available at certain times/seasons. When buying flowers out of season, availibility and expense will be a consideration. Example: If you adore tulips and are getting married in Novemeber, you will run into availibility and product quality issues. Also, the cost will be significantly more than normalbecause of supplies being scarse. Temperature is also a factor if you are usingreal flowers. Keep in mind the overall look you are trying to create as well. Youmay have a fall wedding and want the flowers to clearly give that feel.

Type
When picking the type of flower you would like to use, start by making a listof several of your favorite stems. Again, it's important to keep in mind the time ofyear of your wedding as some flowers are more readily available in certainseasons. If you don't have a specific favorite -- try to decide what look you aretrying to achieve. Then, speak with a local florist. Most florists will know whatflowers create a certain style or are complementary of ones you have alreadypicked.

Color
The color of flowers you choose is very important. Some flowers are onlyavailable in certain colors and shades, where others have a wide selection.Same as with the flower type, when choosing your colors, first decide whatoverall you look you want your wedding to have. Soft creamy shades such aswhites, ivories, creams, and pinks with give your bouquet that traditional,elegant feel, where bright, vibrant colors will make a bold and beautifulstatement.

Where to Put Flowers
Deciding where you would like your flowers is a big decision. Ask yourself howmany arrangements you would like at the ceremony, reception, and whereyou want to put them; bridal table, cake table, guest tables. Do you want acouple of large displays, or several smaller ones? Also, decide who in thewedding wears what. You will most likely need a bridal and bridesmaids'bouquets, something for the flower girl, and boutonnieres for the groom,groomsmen, and ring bearer. Don't forget corages for the mothers, andboutonnieres for the fathers! Also, decide if you want anyone else to wearflowers, such as the musician, ushers, hosts, or other family members.

Florist
One of the most important steps in choosing your flowers is hiring a florist. Make sure to find someone who is easy to talk to and that you'll enjoy working with. This way, you'll feel comfortable telling them what direction you want to go and throwing around design ideas. Make sure to discuss topics like cost, who will be arranging the flowers, and how many other events they have that weekend. Most importantly, make sure they can work with your budget and create flowers you will be happy with!

To purchase your silk wedding flowers, visit
http://www.afloral.com/
For more wedding info, visit
http://www.afloralconnect.com/

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florist color flower type design
season silk flowers reception

"Just living is not enough...
One must have freedom, sunshine, and a little flower."
~Hans Christian Anderson

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Flower of the Month & Holidays for November

by LeAnne Nelson
http://www.afloral.com/

The seasons are changing and we're heading full force into the month of November!

The flower that represents this month is the Chyrsanthemum, and it has a special meaning of course! The mum is a great Thanksgiving flower as well. Check out the Mum's signifigance at
http://www.afloralconnect.com/!

On top of the Thanksgiving holiday this month, there are several other holidays to keep in mind.
Here are a few more dates to remember:

Day of the Dead - November 1st & 2nd
All Saint's Day - November 1st
All Soul's Day
- November 2nd
Daylight Savings Time Ends - November 4th
Election Day - Novemeber 6th
Veteran's Day - November 11th
Rememberance Day (Canada) - November 11th
Thanksgiving - November 22nd

The full moon falls on the 24th this month.

For a full list of holidays, please visit
http://www.afloralconnect.com/
To purchase silk Chrysanthemums and many other silk flowers, browse
http://www.afloral.com/

Happy Thanksgiving!

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chysanthemum celebrate election
veterans silk flowers mum seasons

"Just living is not enough...
One must have freedom, sunshine, and a little flower."
~Hans Christian Anderson

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween!!!

by LeAnne Nelson
http://www.afloral.com/


Although it's not flower related, it IS my favorite holiday of the year!
Have a safe and wonderful Halloween everyone!!!

halloween pumpkin happy orange
holiday
season carving
costume
trick-or-treat spooky october night

"Just living is not enough...
One must have freedom, sunshine, and a little flower."
~Hans Christian Anderson

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Taking Care of Cut Flowers

by LeAnne Nelson
http://www.afloral.com/

Here are some simple tips to help lengthen the life of your cut flower stems and keep them fresher, longer.

Make sure to thoroughly clean vases and containers that you are going to use, as bacteria kills flowers.

When filling the vase, make sure to use lukewarm water. This creates less oxygen and air bubbles in the stems, allowing them to drink more.

Always use flower food/preservative! The food gives flowers things they need to last longer such as carbohydrates; to help their metabolism, biocides; which help fight bacteria, and acidifiers; which helps increase water intake.

Before placing the stems in the vase, cut about an inch off of the bottom at an angle. This allows the flowers more surface area to take in more water. Make sure to use a sharp tool!

If you are cutting the stems from a bush outside, make sure to do it in the morning. Not only are flowers cooler in the morning, but it's when the plants are storing the most food.
Also, check for maturity of the flowers. Certain types need to be cut as buds, where others should be cut as open blooms.
Some Examples Are:
Buds - Rose, Daffodil, Iris, Gladiola, Tulip
Open - Marigold, Dahlia, Sunflower, Gerbera Daisy

Once your flowers are placed in their container -- (be careful not to overcrowd)! -- avoid extreme temperatures, cool drafts, and direct sunlight (unless otherwise specified). Also, keep your flowers away from fruit, garbage, and cigarette smoke; as these items give off ethylene gas that flowers are sensitive to.

Make sure to remove any wilting, faded, or dying flowers and give your blooms fresh food and water every couple of days!

Check out
http://www.afloral.com/ & http://www.afloralconnect.com/ today!

flowers stem cut fresh vase
water preservative oxygen trim

"Just living is not enough...
One must have freedom, sunshine, and a little flower."
~Hans Christian Anderson