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Alluring Blooms

Blog Home Page Feature Real Weddings

Demri & Ethan are Married!

March 28, 2021
wedding party black swan mke plant no 4 milwaukee

As the 2021 wedding season swings into gear, I’m fondly remembering our 2020 events. Demri & Ethan were models of grace and flexibility in a very odd 2020 wedding season. What was supposed to be an August 2020 wedding in Madison turned into a November 2020 wedding in Milwaukee, and it couldn’t have been more beautiful. It also allowed us to work at Plant N° 4 in the Historic Third Ward for the first time. I’d seen weddings at this industrial yet elegant venue before, but it was a true pleasure to experience it first hand and work with Wendi and the entire team there.

Let’s get on to the photos, shall we? A huge thank you to DeGroot Film Co. for the amazing images I’m sharing with you today (with exceptions as noted). Without generous photographers like them sharing their work, our blog wouldn’t be such a pretty place.

elegant neutral wedding invitation suite with rings and floral
  • mother wearing pearl bracelet wrist corsage and pinning grooms boutonniere of white flowers
  • bling bridal shoes with rings and grooms boutonniere
  • grooms boutonniere

Neutral white blooms and and soft greenery set a natural, muted tone for the floral.

  • unplugged wedding sign
  • tallit prayer shawl on corner of wedding chuppah
  • bride walking down the aisle
wedding ceremony plant no 4

One of the things I found most inspiring about my 2020 couples who decided to proceed with their weddings amidst the COVID-19 pandemic was their ingenuity in finding ways to share their special day with their loved ones who weren’t able to be present. I can honestly say I never expected the words “Zoom Wedding” to be in my vocabulary!

covid 2020 wedding reality zoom broadcast so guests can attend the wedding virutually

After the ceremony guests moved upstairs for cocktails, while we quickly flipped the space for the reception. Hot tip: I’m a huge fan of repurposing florals – in this case we moved the chuppah to the side wall as a photo backdrop and used the bouquets on the head table (a fresh cut and a low opaque vase hides the ribbon wrapped stems). It’s a great way to create a lush head table without a huge added investment.

Reception space flip images above of chuppah and head table taken by Alluring Blooms

clear compote with white floral on an elegant table set with gold chargers and gold Chiavari chairs
two layer cake with simple frosting and white floral and eucalyptus accent

Demri and Ethan, thank you for working so hard to make this day happen. It was a bright spot in my wedding year, and I’m so happy we were able to flower your day!

  • bride and her maids
Blog Home Page Feature Real Weddings

Amanda & Thad are Married!

May 15, 2019
Alluring Blooms Madison WI bride holding a winter inspired bouquet on the steps of the state capitol building with veil blowing in the wind

I’m terrible at blogging. There. I said it. Apparently you’re supposed to post more often than once every two+ years? Meh. I’d much rather be designing flowers, ordering fun new seeds, digging in the dirt, playing with the dogs or spending time with Matthew.

But, alas, there are so many gorgeous weddings and events we’ve done, and I really should be sharing them with you all!

I was SO excited to do the flowers for this wedding. First of all, Amanda & Thad were awesome clients. Secondly, it was photographed by the amazingly talented duo Laura & Ben at Laura Zastrow Photography. And finally, Matthew and I were married in January, so I have a soft spot in my heart for winter weddings. This one did not disappoint. I loved all the wild rustic goodies worked into these bouquets. The burgundy dahlias, the white and black anemone, the pinecones. Yum.

red and white winter wedding bouquets by Alluring Blooms Madison Wisconsin

I mean look at these two, aren’t they the cutest?

bride and groom kissing with winter wedding bouquet Madison WI Alluring Blooms Florist

Matthew and I were married inside the Wisconsin State Capitol, so these pictures inside the capitol and outside the Capitol doors really brought me right back to our wedding day.

laughing bride with her bridesmaids Madison WI Edgewater wedding by Alluring Blooms

The reception was held at The Edgewater. It is one of the most beautiful venues in the city. I think this simple rustic cake they chose is just adorable.

rustic wedding cake at The Edgewater Hotel Madison WI

Huge congratulations to Amanda & Thad – your day was absolutely gorgeous! And a giant thank you to Laura and Ben for the beautiful photos.

Blog Home Page Feature Styled Shoots

Brides & Blooms: A new blog series with Willow & Stone Photography!

February 28, 2014
industrial tin vases with pink and white ombre floral

The seed was planted last summer. I was smack dab in the middle of wedding season and I got an inquiry from a completely new to me photographer who wanted to do a stylized shoot. I knew from the moment we chatted over email that Samantha at Willow & Stone Photography was someone special. From her love of all things vintage to her attention to detail that rivals mine, she thoroughly impressed me. I watched her kick butt on her first stylized shoot (it was a smashing success – we’ll share those images soon. I promise). I watched her do an impressive re-branding of her business. And most importantly, I watched a fellow hard working woman pour her heart and soul into growing a business because she believes in her amazing clients and true love. I can relate. And let me tell you, that seed blossomed into a beautiful thing.

And here we are today. Starting a really cool new blog series – Brides & Blooms! Look for some gorgeous inspiration the last Friday of each month in 2014. We’ll be covering a range of topics from trends to table settings, bouquets to boutonnieres, flowers to favors, and lots of fun things in between – all including gorgeous blooms from yours truly, and stunning photos from Willow & Stone.

So let’s get this thing started, shall we?

We’re kicking the series off with this fun modern + industrial tablescape. Anyone who knows me knows I have a passion for all things vintage + rustic. This table design was a nice change of pace. I went with a mix of my favorite go-to flowers – garden roses, ranunculus, double tulips, agapanthus, nerine, standard tulips, anemone, waxflower, eriostemen and jasmine vine – but gave it a modern twist with a bold color palette of white + pink ombre.

pink and white ombre flowers

The industrial zinc containers contrasted nicely with the aged hardwood table. A single nerine blossom and a fuchsia napkin added a pop of color at each place setting.

plate with pink napkin and pink flower accentOh, and I finally get to showcase our gorgeous collection of mid-century modern silver ombre glass votive holders! We rent these lovelies and they really dress up a table. And because we were incorporating them, I felt obligated to use our personal flatware for the shoot. Matthew and I use this awesome Mar Crest atomic flatware (Citation pattern) on a daily basis. We love it so much.

retro vintage candle holders silver ombre marcrest atomic flatware settingLet us know what you think  – join the conversations on our facebook pages: Alluring Blooms and Willow & Stone

Blog Home Page Feature

Leftovers

August 15, 2013
wild whimsical centerpiece in bright colors on old chipped paint chair

I haven’t been feeling well this week. Last night I was on the couch watching TV, puppy at my feet, and I quickly put together a little flower crown for a dear friend for a photo shoot today (those pics to come soon). After I was done I took it out to the cooler and there, staring straight at me, were vase after vase of pretty little blooms that hadn’t been good enough for my last 3 weeks brides, but were too pretty for the compost pile. So, even though these leftover flowers were old and previously rejected, I took all those little bits and pieces and arranged them in one of my Grandma Mary Ellen’s old pressed glass dessert cups. So, here it is, in all its glory. Rejects. Still beautiful. Frail in their old age. Maybe they’ll last a day, maybe two or three. Who knows. That’s part of the beauty of flowers – so fleeting.