Lover Bee Botany

loverbeebotany

We met many talented vendors at the FLAX DIY wedding fair last weekend, and were especially taken with the work of Lover Bee Botany. Owner Brie styles floral and botanical displays for weddings, parties, photo shoots, restaurants and more.

A Trip to the Flower Mart

We were recently lucky enough to make a special trip to the San Francisco Flower Mart to drop off some wedding invitations to a wedding planner we work with. We love going to the Flower Mart and could spend all day in there!

The Flower Mart is where wedding vendors and other professionals can get locally grown flowers direct from growers at wholesale prices. It's always such a treat walking through the Mart and we thought it would be fun to show you some behind the scenes photos, including prep for the wedding we did the invites for. Enjoy!

Real Wedding: Elizabeth and Kristof

There's nothing we love more than seeing our designs for brides on display and put to use at their weddings. We spend so much time at our computers working hard to get every design and detail just right, it's so rewarding to see how they look on the big day! 

Elizabeth and Kristof were married in Carmel, overlooking the mountains. We're all about natural backdrops for weddings and this one is perfection.

Here's some of the signage we worked on for the lovely couple. We're excited to say that this design is now available on our site, we aptly named it Mountain Skyline. Like all of our skyline designs, this one is available in both letterpress and flat printing.

Congratulations Elizabeth and Kristof!

Ceremony & Reception site - The Santa Lucia Preserve, Carmel, California. Photography - Sabine Scherer Weddings. Wedding Planner - Alison Events. Flowers - La fleuriste

Real Wedding: Lauren & Derek

This wedding had it all. Beautiful woods and a beach side ceremony. We love the couples casual approach to their wedding day. Derek and Lauren wanted a simple but beautiful wedding and these photos are proof they achieved just that!

You can't go wrong with this stunning view.

The couple chose our Seagulls Wedding Invitation which matched their Oregon beach setting perfectly.

Lauren and Derek also win best wedding song choices ever in our book. The couple's processional song was “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin and their recessional song was “Sunshine of my Life” by Stevie Wonder.

Congratulations Lauren & Derek!

More photos can be viewed over at Ruffled.

Wedding Location: Oceanside, OR / Wedding Photographer: K Miller Photographs / Ceremony Venue: Oceanside Beach State Park / Reception Venue: Oceanside Community Club / Wedding Flowers: Bride and friends / Wedding Dress: ShopBop / Wedding Caterer: Bread and Ocean / Dessert: Couple’s friends / Officiant: Helen Hill / Wedding Invitations: Hello!Lucky

Real Wedding: Britt and Blake

This real wedding featured on Style Me Pretty shows a classic side of San Francisco that we simply adore. Dream a Little Dream Events' Britt McNany and her beau Blake met in San Francisco and wed in San Francisco. Their theme was timeless, with dramatic details and bold colors. Plus, both the ceremony and reception took place in iconic buildings that were the perfect destination for their big day. We recreated a custom design to suit her romantic soiree along with some equally gorgeous day-of products.

Tables were each named by the various neighborhoods in our city, to guide guests to their seats. We love how the gorgeous deep red bouquets by Nancy Liu Chin match the cards.

A ceremony in St. Ignatius Church was the only place for these two. It's sweeping archways and rich architecture set the tone for the night ahead.

This room is completely breathtaking. The entire Asian Art Museum is filled with historic and contemporary beauty, but to host a reception here is a true dream.

Custom printed place cards were set to match the table decor, with individual meal choices, too.

Congratulations Britt and Blake! We wish you a lifetime of happiness and a wonderful 2013!

Photos by Andrew Weeks Photography

 

Real Wedding: Anne and Chris

A late summer wedding in Montauk, NY is just about as close to bliss as one can get. The warm days, cooler nights, salty air and bright colors make up a pretty perfect setting, and the real wedding of Anne and Chris shows us just how perfect it really was. The wedding, featured on Cappy Hotchkiss Photography, is dubbed "J.Crew I do" because the party is head-to-toe in the popular brand. It fits just right for these nautical nuptials, so we give props to the young couple for their killer style.

Have you ever seen a better looking bridal party? White weddings are classic but those colorful shoes definitely make a statement. Anne and Chris chose our Big Day wedding invitation customized with a heart and their initials at the top. Our favorite part has to be the dress suggestion at the bottom: Dress Sharp.

Each table included some handmade details, along with bright and beautiful bouquets by Flowers by Beth.

Our Big Day menus and table signs complimented the decor nicely.

Sparklers are always a nice touch when bidding adieu to the newlyweds. Congratulations to Anne and Chris! For more photos, visit Cappy Hotchkiss Photography.

Izzy's Bouquet Inspiration by Vanessa Mason

I’ve just been away visiting family in Switzerland for a few days, but I’m back again to inspire you to plan your dream wedding. If like me you’re still hungry for more inspiration from Harry Judd (think band Mc Fly and 2012 Strictly Come Dancing winner) and his sweetheart Izzy Johnston’s wedding, read on. Her pretty pastel bouquet, which was made of brunia, freesia, sweet avalanche, pacific blue and avalanche roses, is so on trend. Pastels like nectarine, white linen, African violet and dusk blue are really top of the colour charts as well this spring according to colour trend forecasters Pantone, so take note.

And whilst you’re in a ‘floral’ frame of mind, why not check out Hello! Lucky’s brand new wedding designs: Classic Rose and La Vie en Rose. Again pinks and yellows stand out from the crowd, judging by what dress French actress Marion Cotillard was wearing to the BAFTAs 2013 and by the colour Dame Helen Mirren dyed her hair.

The colour yellow could be that of your bridesmaid’s dresses, table flower arrangements or going away outfit and pink carefully used is great all round, but particularly special for the flower girl’s dresses. I'd steer away from dyeing your hair pink for your special day, but you never know it may be just your thing!

If you're in the UK and need help with your wedding flowers, call upon these experts:

Florists: G LilyJamie AstonMcQueensDavid Austin

Wedding planners: Isabel SmithMark NiemierkoZoe Lingard

Photo credits: Bouquet made of two tone arum lilies, pink roses, hyacinth, brunia and lisianthus by Aleit weddings. Bouquet made of apricot coloured David Austin roses by David Austin.

Real Wedding: Bailey and Erik

Weddings at the Bear Flag Farm can never disappoint. The beautiful couple Bailey and Erik said their vows among some of the most breathtaking scenery, and their wedding details were just as perfect. Our Lavender Harvest invitation suite was a nice introduction to the event, especially because of the lush lavender field nearby.

In addition to the crazy gorgeous location, Bear Flag Farm also coordinated the design and florals for the event. The succulents add a deep texture to these cheerful bouquets, making them a lovely addition to the decor.

It was important to the couple that fresh, delicious foods were incorporated into their big day. With cuisine by Alex's Catering in Vallejo, everything was complete!

Congratulations Bailey and Erik! To view more images of their wedding, head over to Style Me Pretty.

Photos by One Love Photography

Glitter Ball Centerpieces & Welcome Vanessa!

Hi! My name is Vanessa Mason, you may remember me as the Style Editor at You & Your Wedding and Cosmopolitan Bride magazines here in the UK. I left the world of weddings to have our two amazing babies, Scott and Sienna (now two and a half and eight months) and when Sabrina at Hello!Lucky asked me to be a guest blogger for their gorgeous company, I didn’t have to think twice, I jumped at the opportunity. What an honor! Well, enough about my details, let’s talk weddings! Just before Christmas, Harry Judd and his sweetheart Izzy Johnston tied the knot. As a nod to Harry’s Strictly Come Dancing win in December 2011, they tucked into a cake topped with a glitter ball trophy.

If you like the glitter ball touch, why not take the idea further and use them in vases as table centerpieces? To keep costs low, only place them on the head table in front of the bride and groom and special guests like the best man or your respective parents. The idea works nicely, as the vases are so tall, they don’t interrupt the flow of conversation over the table. They also provide great atmosphere thanks to the lights placed inside them and as the evening falls, the fairy lights reflect pretty twinkling light off the glasses, cutlery and tea lights! Whatever you decide to do for your wedding, just have fun and make it look beautiful!

Suppliers: Silver mirror balls to buy (www.dzd.co.uk), glitter balls to hire (www.eventprophire.com), vases to hire (www.weddingandeventprophire.com), fairy lights to hire (www.partylights.co.uk).

Wedding photos by Aleit Weddings, styled photo by Bill Kingston

Real Wedding: Caitlin and Timothy

Caitlin and Timothy's sunny Palo Alto wedding has us dreaming of summer time all over again. With lots of golden yellow details and an elegant outdoor reception, it's warm and inviting and oh so romantic. Caitlin and Timm started out by sending guests these Heartland save the date cards. And who says you have to keep with the same card? They switched things up with a custom icon in our Big Day invitation suite.

We customized the invitation with a mason jar holding two yellow California poppies. The theme carries out throughout their wedding day, even into their homemade favors!

The gorgeous florals were done by Amy Burke Designs, and we love the darker orange pops of color.

It was love at first sight with this ceremony venue. The Stanford Memorial Church just glowed among the guests.

And how darling are these homemade favors? The California poppies made another appearance on the labels of each jar. We're dying for a taste!

Congratulations Caitlin and Timm! For more lovely photos, head over to Lori Paladino Photography!

Photos by Lori Paladino Photography

Wedding Design & Planning - Elisheva Basseri of A Bride's Best Friend www.a-brides-best-friend.com Venue - Villa Montalvo http://www.montalvoarts.org/rentals/weddings/ & Stanford Memorial Church Music - Ron Grandia www.rongrandia.com Hair & Makeup - Joey Chueng of JBeautique http://www.jbeautique.com/ Flowers - Amy Burke of Amy Burke Designs http://amyburkedesigns.com/ Rentals - Classic Party Rentals http://sanfrancisco.classicpartyrentals.com/ and La Tavola Linen www.latavolalinen.com Transportation - Lone Star Limousine http://www.lnstarlimo.com Caterer:  Melons Catering Dress Store:  Priscilla of Boston Shoes:  Valentino

Winter Wedding Roundup

It's getting colder and the days are getting shorter, meaning we're gearing up for the winter months ahead. Snow is falling in many parts of the world creating a gorgeous white backdrop for our favorite winter weddings. There's something very romantic about a winter ceremony, whether it's the peacefulness of the seasons or that friends and family slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. We've gathered a few of our favorite Pins from Pinterest in a Winter Wedding Roundup. Getting engaged this season? Winter is a beautiful time to say "I do," so take a peek at these images for inspiration for 2013.

Photo Credits: Winter Bouquet / Paramount D'Orsays HeelsVintage Lace Letterpress Wedding Invitation / Papineau Calligraphy / Favor Wraps / Elie Saab Dress / Lace Bunting / Cake

Real Wedding: Melissa and Jay

This romantic garden wedding has inspired us in many ways. From the delicate florals and the gorgeous scenery provided by Bear Flag Farm, to the subtle hues of pink and sage, we've found ourselves captivated by every last detail. Melissa and Jay truly executed a marvelous event and we feel fortunate to have been a part of it. Their wedding stationery inspired us to create the Midsummer wedding suite, a simple yet elegant floral design perfect for the modern bride and groom. You can read more about this wedding over at wedding Elizabeth Anne Designs and see more lovely photos by Lisa Lefkowitz.

Pictured here is the original letterpress printed invitation for Melissa and Jay, now called Midsummer. The classic champagne and charcoal ink colors create a for a delicate,  contemporary design.

What a picture perfect day. Complete with olive oil favors and a night of dancing, we'd say this wedding is one to remember. Congratulations Melissa and Jay!

Photography by Lisa Lefkowitz

Real Wedding: Rachel and Jared

One thing we never get tired of is a beautiful feminine wedding. Yes, we love modern details and quirky decor, but a traditional wedding with delicate touches just feels right. This real wedding of Rachel and Jared covers all bases. From the neutral tones and blush pink bouquets, to the Parisian influenced food and romantic decorations, it's simply beautiful. Rachel and Jared share a love of french culture, and knew their big day would have to incorporate their favorite place (and honeymoon destination). The Villa San Juan Capistrano provided a perfect backdrop with rustic walls and dreamy greenery. And what can we say about that Lazaro wedding dress? Stunning.

We couldn't imagine a more fitting invitation than our Nouveau Peonies suite. The couple even had a custom program made to match their invites.

Gorgeous florals and boutonnieres by Krista Jon.

This might just be our favorite detail of Rachel and Jared's wedding. This textural ombre cake by Sweet and Saucy Shop and those pistachio green macarons look très délicieux.

Congratulations to Rachel and Jared! What a lovely wedding. To see more pictures head over to Ruffled for a full feature and image gallery!

Photos by Ashley Rose Photography

Wedding Inspiration Pin Boards

Wedding season may be coming to an end soon, but we know how important it is to plan ahead. Seasonal trends will come and go but once you've chosen your wedding invitations it's easy to create a complete look. We're still busy pinning inspiration around some of our most popular wedding invitation designs. Our Pinterest Wedding Inspiration Boards are a great way to develop a look without aimlessly scrolling through image after image. Whether you're having a bright modern wedding or a rustic, natural wedding, our inspiration boards have lots to offer. Above is a mini collage of our favorite images from our Big Day Inspiration Board. This wedding invitation speaks loudly to our fans, and with the whimsical wording and bold typeface it's a shoe-in for a splashy event.

Photo credits clockwise from top left: Drink Straws / Favor Bags / Wedding Shoes / Big Day Wedding Invitation + Save the Date / Heart Programs

Our Lavender Harvest wedding invitation has all the sweet and delicate details that make a rustic wedding look elegant. Designed by Shelley Laband, its colorful illustrations make coordinating wedding details a cinch. Check out the Lavender Harvest Inspiration Board for more matching decor ideas and lovely photos.

Photo credits clockwise from top left: Lavender Harvest wedding suite / Lavender Boutonniers / Wedding Photo / Lavender Cake / Lavender Lemonade 

Real Wedding: Marie and Sam

After a true tale of travels, Marie and Sam tied the knot at the heavenly Farm Kitchen in Poulsbo, Washington near their hometown of Bainbridge Island. Their story of friendship, love, and forever is truly endearing, and after seeing these lovely photos by Yvonne Wong it's obvious the two were meant to be right from the start. We've seen weddings at the Farm Kitchen before, all with a rustic barnyard invitation, but Marie and Sam chose to use a more romantic design for their big day. They customized our Nouveau Peonies suite with just a hint of purple and we love the outcome.

Set among a field of perfectly pruned flowers, it was only natural to include floral arrangements wherever possible. This cake by Blackbird Bakery could be the most perfect combination of rustic elegance we've ever seen!

We're delighted the couple chose us to create their wedding stationery. Congratulations Marie and Sam! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. For more photos head over to Style Me Pretty!

Photos by Yvonne Wong Photography

Real Wedding: Ellie and Jon

Whilst the downside of our temperate climate here in London is that this summer has, to date, been a complete wash-out, the silver lining is that the flowers have been blooming like never before. This was so wonderfully apparent at the Cheshire wedding of Ellie and Jon in late June where cottage garden favourites like peonies, roses and delphiniums abounded and were so perfectly picked-up in our Nouveau Peonies design that they chose for all their stationery. We love the way that the lace of Ellie’s beautiful dress was echoed in the place cards and how the floral theme was continued to the cake iced simply in white rose motifs.

Even the weather stayed fair!

All of us at Hello Lucky would like to wish Ellie and Jon all the best and to thank Ellie’s Mother, Jan, for being so wonderfully organized with the stationery!

DIY Floral Bouquets by Madeline Trait

You may remember Madeline Trait by her amazing cake toppers, but today we're excited to feature her for her more prominent role as floral designer. Madeline creates beautiful bouquets that reflect the character and style of each event. As a San Francisco artist, she chooses locally grown plants and flowers for her displays. Madeline is also the official floral designer for Locally Grown Weddings, a team of San Francisco-based small business owners with an emphasis on green business practices. We asked Madeline to write a guest post on our blog with tips for making your own bouquets or arrangements and we love what she came up with. Take it away Madeline!

Flowers are a decorative element that not only add to the decor of your event but also add to the importance, and that is why it is such an integral part of a wedding or party. Whether you DIY or have a florist do your flowers, it is that finishing touch that you don’t want to skip.

Today, I have a fresh modern look to a wedding bouquet using Hello!Lucky’s wedding stationery as my inspiration. Many times, the invitation is the first thing your guest will see to introduce them to your special day so it’s only fitting to have that the guide for the design of your event as you move forward. I selected the Big Day suite as my inspiration as I like the bold colors and modern look it has with it’s big bold text. Red being the main color was perfect guide for selecting summer seasonal flowers.

The red flowers that I chose were Dahlia’s, Lipstick Pods and Godetia. I chose these not only for their color but for the diversity in their shapes and textures. Yellow peonies were then added to the mix due to their red/orange centers and that added splash of yellow, plus, you can’t go wrong with peonies. Hasta leaves were used as a the final trimming to the bouquet creating a backdrop of green and pale yellow to set the other flowers off.

Looking to create your own? Here are some quick tips to consider for a bright, modern and bold bouquet:

Use bright colors.

Choose a mixture of textures such as the soft petals of a rose with the hard structure of a poppy pod.

Choose flowers that contrast in color and or shape and texture.

Finish the look with a bold stroke such as an interesting ribbon or leaves.

Photos by Aurora Meneghello Productions

Wedding Invitation Pin Boards

 By now Pinterest has become the most inspirational search engine and idea web on the internet, and we're still amazed by all the style and design popping up every day. We use Pinterest to not only gather inspiration for our own work, but to also give our followers a place to gather ideas for your own use. We've taken our favorite and most popular wedding invitations and curated a collection of inspiration pieces that match the aesthetic of our designs. The best way to start planning a theme for your wedding is to start with paper products - and we've got you covered. Figs is the perfect design for a casual outdoor event, and for all you brides having a cozy, rustic wedding, the Figs Inspiration Board might be the ideal place to gather tips for table displays or floral arrangements. You'll find everything from neutral color palettes to delicious looking treats.

If bright colors are more your style - or if you're planning a desert wedding - check out our Desert Skyline Inspiration Board. We've taken our classic Desert Skyline design and transformed it into a bright and festive picture palette. Here you will certainly feel at home by all the warm sandy backdrops and gorgeous succulent bouquets. Visit us on Pinterest to view more inspiration boards and to find links to all the images above!

Real Wedding: Elizabeth and Simon

There's something about this wedding that has us completely captivated. Perhaps it's the stunning teal blue color palette, or the breathtaking Tres Hermanas Winery backdrop, or maybe the fact that this is just one of two wedding ceremonies this couple gets to enjoy. Either way, this wedding is glorious. Elizabeth and Simon met - of all places - on an airplane and immediately clicked. Their first destination wedding in Santa Barbara embraced all the rustic qualities of a winery, but incorporated many luxurious accessories, like the insanely beautiful gemstone hued table displays and floral arrangements. We can definitely see this color trending for fall!

The bridesmaids all wore the same teal feathered headpieces. Gorgeous!

We couldn't think of a better theme to match their palette than peacocks! The couple tucked our Antoinette menu card into their table linens and it matched perfectly with the setting.

Congratulations to Elizabeth and Simon! To view the entire post on Wedding Chicks and to see more photos, click here!

Photos by Beaux Arts Photography

Real Wedding: Molly and Daniel

We're counting down the days until official summer and that means we'll be seeing more of our favorite country weddings. You know a bride and groom that chooses our Heartland invitation is planning a rockin' farm wedding and that's exactly the case with this Colorado couple. Molly and Daniel wed at the adorable Ellis Ranch in Loveland, CO. Who wouldn't want to get married in Loveland? The picture perfect venue and priceless cowboy details made this wedding a classic.

We're definitely thinking green! The leafy floral arrangements by The Ruffly Rose are simply stunning.

What's a wedding without a good laugh? This groom's witty take on a classic photo gets us giggling every time.

To see more photos check out the post in Colorado Weddings Magazine!

Photography by Julianne Brasher