An American Grown Wedding!

Recently I had the opportunity to create the wedding flowers for Kelly's Godson.  We love Sean and Samantha... and they Love Flowers! One request they had was to use American Grown Flowers and Foliage... along with Recycled or American Made Materials...Although to some this might appear to be a challenge... it was the Perfect Opportunity to create An American Grown Wedding... showcasing the Beautiful American Grown Flowers and Foliage available in today's market!Samantha had an idea of the bouquet style she wanted... and also had selected gorgeous pink dresses for her bridesmaids... the Guys would be casual with khaki pants, white shirts, suspenders and bow ties!The Wedding took place on a Vineyard outside of Niagara Falls... the perfect setting ... and it lent itself very well to accents of Mason Jars, Recycled Glass, Burlap and Lace...very popular for Wedding Themes Today... some call it "Rustic Chic"...Sam and Sean's Invitation was "printed" on balsa wood... with soy based inks... setting the stage for their special day!The Bouquets were created with All American Grown Flowers and Foliage, featuring Eufloria Roses... CA Grown... (and as you've heard me say... "The Prettiest Roses on the Planet"...) We chose Fragrant Varieties in Pinks, Whites and Ivories... Paired with An Assortment of Eufloria's Incredible Spray Roses...I collared the bouquets with Texas Grown Curly Willow and Florida Grown Variegated Pittosporum and a Touch of Resendiz Brothers Grevillea Foliage! A perfect Combination!I dressed up the Bouquet Handles (and the 100% Post Consumer Recycled Glass Vases from Garcia Group) with a Burlap and Lace Combination Ribbon from Reliant Ribbon...This Ribbon is hand crafted in the USA... Both the Lace and Burlap are made in the US and hand stitched stateside as well! Perfect!Mason Jars are so popular... so I continued the banding with more Ribbon... and filled the vases with a CA Grown Mixture from my "Flower Pal" Barbara at Brannan Street. I made a Visit to San Francisco to go over the selections of flowers for the wedding and worked out a list with Barbara... a few weeks prior to the wedding... then Barbara hand selected and packed CA Grown Flowers that fit Samantha's Color Scheme... Barbara even touched base with me... because she had some "incredible New Zealand Andromeda"... but it wouldn't make the cut for our American Grown Specifications!Thankfully, my Suppliers, Growers and Wholesalers All shared the Importance of Creating Something Special and Memorable (and "American Grown") for this Once in a Lifetime Event... Stock from Lompoc, Scabiosa Pods, Callas and Stemmed Gardenias from Monterey Bay, Chocolate Cosmos, Bunny Tails, Explosion Grass, Garden Roses from Salinas, Hybrid Teas from Nipomo, Scented Geranium, Chamomille, Mint and Rosemary completed this American Grown Extravaganza of Flower Blossoms!It was rewarding to share the Beauty of America's Flower Farmers... knowing that we were supporting American Families and making a Memorable Event more Meaningful... all it took was a little planning, thoughtful preparation, creativity and knowledge!It's Important to know where your flowers come from... and even more important to share our Love of Flowers with Loved Ones! It's one of the Most Important Events I ever created... and it was BEAUTIFUL.. thanks to a creative couple that cared to ask... "where do my flowers come from!"Thanks Sean and Samantha... It was Wonderful to be a Part of your Very Special Day! Wishing you a Lifetime Filled with Flowers and Love!J Schwanke is"the Flower Expert" and Host of Fun with Flowers and J on uBloom.com. For More information on J visit uBloom.com! #americangrown #originmatters #cagrown