anastasiaehlers

you guys, the pictures and files are so disorganized on my computer that it’s not even funny. but you get to benefit, because every now and then i come across something buried in the creepy depths of this mac that i haven’t completely shared. like today. how gorgeous is nicole working her peony crown?

these are all from a collaboration with Erika Nicole Photography a while back. this ended up on the Wedding Chicks blog as a feature, so if it looks familiar, that’s where you’ve seen it before. after the feature went up, i shared a couple things, but then the rest of wedding season happened, i had a baby (who is now a very energetic toddler) and other stuff happened, so here we are.

anyway! that spectacular ivy-covered wall is at King Estate, and can we just take a moment to cry a little over how they aren’t booking new weddings?

somebody asked me to re-create this bouquet in december. and ship it to them. you don’t want to know what that quote was. sweet peas, peonies, astilbe, poppy pods, blushing bride protea…these ingredients don’t really do december.

not pictured: all the chocolate i ate. if you set up a s’mores bar at your wedding, please make sure to schedule that after my departure on your wedding day timeline if you want any leftover for your guests.

i’ll be at the luxe bridal event at the hult center on thursday, with ten beautiful bouquets for their showcase. the bouquets above are from the last time i exhibited at the show. it’s a lounge-y setting for the night. come by, have something to sip on, and try a bouquet on for size. tickets are on sale now through the hult center, but i still have some guest passes left. so if you want to feel like a rockstar, hit me up and i’ll add you to The List.

want a sneak peek of the flowers i’ll be using to make this year’s gorgeous bouquets? follow along on instagram (@anastasiafloral) for some sweet behind the scenes action.

welcome to bridal show season! if you’d love to see (and smell) some flowers in person, this is the perfect time of year. these shots by Cat Dossett are from Brides on Broadway, which is seriously going to be the quintessential wedding event in Eugene. there is a huge pool of talented folks and very savvy businesses behind this fun tour of downtown.

next up is the Luxe Bridal Event at the Hult Center on March 13th. i’ll be there with at least ten bouquets for you to bury your face in and swoon over.

the day after, i’ll be decking out some gorgeous gals in wearable flowers for Blush Bridal Boutique’s prom fashion show. Blush only sells one dress per girl per school, so you’re basically guaranteed not to show up with the same look. shouldn’t your corsage (or halo, or necklace, or whatever you can dream up) be custom-designed to match? we are taking prom flowers to the next level this year. this is jewelry made from flowers.

see you around eugene!

thanks for being my valentine. here’s a few snaps i took of arrangements heading out the door and some of the goodies i was playing with for the holiday.

i can think of nothing more appropriate for valentine’s day than pussy willow. ahem.

artistic cooler selfie.

trends have been on my mind lately, thanks to a spot on the local news and lots of chatting with flower friends in the area. in a lot of ways, it’s such a crapshoot to try and predict these things, but i do actually see some patterns emerging locally and in a broader sense as well.

i think the word “trend” gets a bad reputation. just because something is trendy and current, doesn’t make it less beautiful. similarly, being off-beat has no more or less value than going with the mainstream flow. as ever, do what you like! design things and choose things that speak to you and make your heart sing!

all that said, here are my top six predictions for where wedding flowers are heading. i’m going to step outside my usual habit and show you some of my favorite designs from my favorite designers. so here’s the necessary disclaimer, i didn’t make these!

palette: go bright or go white, just make sure you accent with some shade of teal.

left: twig and twine, image by annie mcelwain | right: sam franklin, image by watson studios

it seems like every wedding inquiry that comes my way has shades of blue-green, from dark classic teals to more muted mints. contrast is king when paired with warm brights like orange, hot pink, and coral. on the flip side, the other popular request is all white and fluffy with a spot of cool eucalyptus and succulents to add that minty freshness. speaking of succulents, this color trend is keeping them going strong in a huge way. shades of aqua and teal are basically non-existent for flowers, so this is one of the only ways to add those hues naturally.

bouquets: focal and wild.

bouquet by studio choo, image by leo patrone

the cascade continues to make its triumphant return, but in a wildly different form than the trailing orchid constructions of the eighties. the new cascades are all natural, using flowing vines, curvaceous stems, and draping inflorescences. contrast in color, size, and texture guides the eye through a deliberate focal hierarchy, further highlighting the sense of movement. this would also be a great time to mention layered ribbon streamers: they’re gorgeous and positively romantic.

texture: foliage and greenery throughout.

urn arrangement by amy osaba, image by jeremy harwell

i tell clients to think of green as a neutral. as the natural background color for flowers, featuring leaves in designs just makes sense. it’s another way to play with visual movement and it certainly drives home a garden or woodland impression better than a tightly packed dome of blooms. there are also so many more varieties of greenery available these days, so there’s really something for every style.

fragrance: the key to all the best memories.

lilac and jasmine bouquet by leaf & honey, image by greta kenyon

another thing that using foliage has going for it is the ability to incorporate fragrance into your flowers. fresh herbs and scented geranium are suitable for bouquets and table flowers, since the scent is crisp and not cloying or overpowering. in bouquets, fragrance is coming back into flowers through the ever-increasing popularity of garden roses and peonies, along with jasmine, sweet peas, stock, and tuberose. there’s something of a slow flower movement happening, with small local farms embracing heirloom varieties that are more wild and fragrant than their factory farm counterparts. this is good news.

go big: sell out on a really memorable part of your decor.

backdrop installation by sullivan owen, image by designlovefest

if my talk of focal hierarchy above really captivated you (obviously it totally did), let’s take that concept outside of a single bouquet and apply it to an entire event. there are so many opportunities to create a really strong focal point to highlight an important part of an event. think floral installations as backdrops for displaying escort cards or the ever-popular photo booth. hang a floral chandelier over the head table, dance floor, or cake. going really big on one cool element like that will be so much more memorable than dozens of centerpieces, thanks solely to the fact that there’s only one of them.

you guys! i was just going through and trying to make sense of my completely disorganized folders of photos and i came across a wedding that i never shared here. forgive me! without further ado, here are some beautiful shots by Amy Rollo, who is currently gallivanting around southeast asia, but would probably love to snap photos of you when she gets back.

kellen, one of the sweetest brides ever, chose lavender, blush, ivory, and silver for her palette. i played with that by mixing and matching the colors for the bridesmaids’ hydrangea poufs as well as the centerpieces. the whole celebration was crafted with lots of really beautiful layers, like gorgeous handmade place cards and plenty of candles, so we went all out on trimming the bouquets with lace, ribbon, and fabric.

flower-wise, there’s a whole bunch of delightful goodies here. the hydrangeas really take on a starring role, but i think my favorites are the blushing bride protea and flowering oregano in the bridal bouquet. if i could get that protea year-round i would put it in everything. you’ll also spy amnesia and sahara roses, cafe au lait dahlias,  scabiosa, larkspur, dusty miller, and more. the centerpieces also pick up some veronica, wax flower, and lavender, and a whole bunch of farm-fresh things that i can’t actually name, believe it or not. about half of the flowers were sourced locally around here.

need a flower fix? not getting married? don’t fret. valentine’s day is your answer. you have a few different options.

sexy red with a hint of black and a few…provocative shapes.

soft and romantic, in classic pinks with feminine textures.

something a little less traditional, if all the pink and red makes you dizzy this time of year.

of course, a dozen reds, but with a twist.

and a little something extra…

all available at www.anastasiaehlers.bigcartel.com for your pleasure and the delight of your valentine.

the rest of the details:

• there are three sizes for the mixed arrangements.
• pickup orders available on February 13th, use code PICKUP at checkout to waive the delivery fee.
• delivery happens February 14th, for Eugene/Springfield, and i can probably make it to Junction City as well.
• like it says up top, this is a limited engagement. i’m not ordering a ton, so don’t dally.

serena and shaun did it right over labor day weekend last summer. here are a few snaps by cassy berry. i’ve blogged a bit about another part of their decor, oranges arranged with foliage, and here’s more that i did for them. their whole wedding concept was just…beyond. walking into their reception site was like entering a whole little fantasy world. it was great to do my little part of it!

the bouquet had dahlias, freesia, lavender veronica, lisianthus, and gold-tinted eucalyptus. i left a matching hanky with it when i delivered it, which turned out to be a good thing since serena had one for all her bridesmaids but forgot her own.

the accent there has hydrangea, scabiosa, larkspur, stock, veronica, scented geranium, eucalytpus, and more. serena found that great cut glass container on one of her many thrifting excursions.

we’re two days in to 2014, and so far, so good. like every other sucker with a blog or a business, i’m ready to kick things up a notch this year. won’t you join me? the mister got me those fancy japanese clippers for christmas, and i can’t wait to break them in. here’s what in store for the upcoming year.

valentine’s day, baby. it’s going to get all kinds of romantic up in here. and a little cheeky too. i think i’m going to put pussy willow in everything. is that going too far? there will be pictures, prices, and a bigcartel shop for ordering online, hopefully in the next week or so. this will be something of a limited engagement, so make sure to jump on it when the opportunity comes around. i promise to be really noisy about it, so you won’t miss your chance.

march 13th brings around the eugene luxe bridal event at the hult center, and i hope i’ll see you there! i exhibited at their first show two years ago and it was a blast. it’s a great chance to meet some of my favorite folks in the area and really experience their services. i’ll have a bajillion flowers of course, so do please bury your face in the bouquets.

weddings are kicking into high gear this year too. there’s is going to be so much loveliness to share with you all. 2014’s brides so far all have the best ideas, and it’s so fun to have so much to look forward to. if you’re getting hitched, now’s the time to get in touch since dates are filling up.

there’s a lot to look forward to, but one of my most anticipated projects is going to launch sooner than the rest. engaging eugene, a networking event for local wedding and event people is happening on january 14th at the barn light. becky from event crush and i have put a lot of thought and work into this and it’s going to be a blast. this is not your average stuffy business thing. come have a drink and hang out with your colleagues. we’re a particularly creative bunch, and spending time together can only be inspiring! engaging eugene is really more than just a networking event though. i’ve set up forums on the website, and there will be regular blog posts with the best business advice and anecdotes i know how to give. it’s truly for the whole community, so let me know what you want to see.

what are you up to this year? what’s new?