Exotic Flowers in Boston

Christmas themed weddings on the Cape, in Boston or in Newport are all enhanced with the back drop of Christmas. There are so many ways to put the jingle in your jolly for your winter wedding in Boston. Drapes of pine roping, shimmering candles, Christmas ornament wedding favors along with a decorated Christmas tree can transform your Noel nuptial into a Boston Christmas extravaganza. Winter themed weddings are surprisingly economical and easy to design. If you really want to take the next step into North Pole Blowout bash, then recruit your wedding party to assist. Here's how to get started...

Brides cherish choosing their ring bearers and flower girls. Dressing them up, coaching them down the aisle and prompting them to show their tiny white teeth all add to the excitement of your Cape Cod wedding.  Let's face it, these cherubs are one of the highlights of any wedding. Why not dress them to suit the season ? Instead of traditional mini tuxedoes and small angel white dresses, opt for an elf suit. Think about the children in the movie The Santa Clause.  If you do not want to go extreme, how about handing out Santa hats to all the children in attendance ?   Not only will you ignite a wonderful holiday magic for guests but create an exciting and entertaining role for all children and want to be children who are  involved.

 The bridesmaids and groomsmen can also adjust their wardrobes. Bridesmaids can opt for a sleeky red dress and groomsmen can wear a green bow tie. Boutonnieres made of holly and mistletoe hanging from the dance floor chandelier can only enhance the event. These natural Christmas decorations can of course be provided by Exotic Flowers in Boston.  Shoes can even be altered and the bridal party can show off their dancing feet in elf structured shoes. If your bridal party is really animated, have them wear Santa hats. Sure to bring  giggles and smiles as your bridal party strolls down the aisle, you will have your entire ceremony engrossed in the magic of the season.   

Suzie Canale

www.beantowntales.net

Follow me @SuzieCanale on Twitter

The Christmas season is all about magic, mystery, dreams, memories and inspiration. Evergreen boughs, scented candles and Christmas keepsakes are just a few small tokens that can transform your white wedding into a holiday wonderland. Try adding a few of my simple Christmas wedding ideas to make your Boston Christmas wedding magical.

Ask your guests if they coud wrap their gifts in holiday gift wrap or if their wedding card could be a Christmas card. In lieu of a flower arrangement on the gift table, set up a decorated Christmas tree and guests can leave their Christmas wrapped wedding gifts under the tree. A great decoration for this tree could be photos of the bride and groom hung as ornaments.  If your wedding is the week after Christmas then you can score a great deal on Christmas trees and decorations.

Another great way to include the spirit of giving is to insert a game into your Boston wedding. How about setting each table with a small gift wrapped box. Then underneath one of the place settings, leave a gold star. The guest who has the gold star, wins the Christmas present.   Or you could even put a larger gift on the table in lieu of flowers. Of course, nothing takes the place of fresh flowers at a wedding. Not something that the staff at Exotic Flowers in Boston would recommend for any wedding. HeHe. :)

Another idea for fun would be a karaoke like game of singing Christmas Carols. You would be surprised what a punch bowl of spiked egg nog can do to get guests to sing. Not only is this feature fun for all the guests, but can also serve as free entertainment.

Suzie Hearl Canale

@SuzieCanale on Twitter

www.beantowntales.net

The Christmas season is filled with hope and possibilities. The season of wishes and dreams forces us to extend the season as long as we can; hence the arrival of Christmas music on Boston radio on November 11. In Boston, we hang garland, bake cookies and even mount Christmas wreaths on our cars. The aroma of vanilla, pine and cinnamon brings us back to our childhood. Even Boston brides try to recreate Christmas magic for their weddings. 

Christmas is all about lights. Twinkle lights, LED lights, twinkle lights, sphere lights, musical lights. You can never have enough lights for Christmas in Boston. Lights can hang from the ceiling, on archways, over mantles and on trees outdoors and indoors. Not only electrical lights, but how about candle light ? Tea lights, hurricanes, tapers, pillars or even battery operated candles will create Christmas romance for your wedding. Another favorite of mine is candle lighting your church with no electric light. Call up the fire marshall and illuminate your church with hundreds of candles along the aisle and altar.

Another essential for any Christmas wedding are evergreens; boughs, garland, wreaths, kissing balls and trees. Holiday garland beautifies chairs, banisters, mantles and can even be draped along the aisle of church pews. Christmas garland may also be accented with berries, pine cones and ornaments as well. Candle rings are also a cost effective centerpiece. A candle ring is just like a miniature Christmas wreath; add a cream pillar candle to the center and you are done. Christmas trees are also a great wedding prop. Six to ten Christmas with white twinke lights on a church altar will give you your own indoor forest. This tree scape is an ideal backdrop for timeless wedding photos. 

Suzie Canale

www.beantowntales.net

follow me at www.twitter.com/SuzieCanale

Thanksgiving remains New England's most celebrated holiday. Whether in Boston or Beverly, Portsmouth or Peabody, we embrace our heritage as the home of the pilgrims. One of the first three Thanksgiving feasts took place in Plymouth in 1621, (the first Thanksgiving feast took place in Virginia in 1619,). Boston residents have been practicing this feast ritual for almost four hundred years. We design menus and decorations with homage to the pilgrims; these decadent spreads of food, flora and fauna pay homage to our ancestors.  This celebratory holiday inspires both brides and wedding planners alike. If your wedding is in Boston, Newport or Cape Cod - here are a few tips to get your Thanksgiving wedding on track.

Let's Eat -  A wedding dinner can be fully repliacted for a Thanksgiving theme. Thanksgiving dinner is the focal point of the holiday. Sharing a meal with friends, family and loved ones creates wonderful and lasting memories. Remember they are loved ones, no fried turkeys. Serve healthy flavorful dishes that harken back to days of the pilgrims. Some traditional and flavorful appetizers include stuffed mushrooms, butternut squash dip, baked brie with apples. Main courses not only feature a gigantic roast turkey but a plethora of side dishes like mashed potatoes, yams, corn bread and stuffing. Tradition might call for wedding cake for dessert, but how about a small dessert plate of miniature pumpkin, apple and sweet potato pies. Several Boston  bakeries offer these mini pies. 

Flora and Fauna - Thanksgiving offers New England brides a host of colorful flowers from the season. Vibrant fall hues allow brides to ignite their wedding with an infusion of fall colors at the reception, for the bride's maid dresses and the wedding centerpieces. Purple, gold and burgundy create a romantic back drop for the oranges yellows and lime greens that illuminate the wedding. A great choice for linen is a gold table cloth with an arrangement of bronze deco mums, all yellow sunflowers, and green cymbidium orchids. Boston wedding planners can even go the extra yard by having flower filled cornucopias on the table. Your guests with be thrilled with warmth and love of your Thanksgiving themed wedding celebration. 

Suzie Canale

http://beantowntales.net

@SuzieCanale on Twitter

Nothing says autumn weddings in New England like a clever fall wedding favor.  New England is known for its abundance of rich fall hues during this time of year, party planners have an enormous spectrum of wedding  gifts  to choose  for guests.   The key to selecting a memorable party  favor which reflects  your pride for Boston lies in considering the region's traits which are best shown throughout the months of autumn.    Two of the area's most dominant features include opulent historical landmarks like Faneuil Hall or the gold dome of the Boston State House ; and the most eye catching pinwheels of color that drape the trees of the city.   By combining creative instincts with a seasonal Bostonian flair, your bridal favors will surely be the talk of Beantown! 

A few suggestions;

Salem, MA  draws  thousands of tourists yearly to partake in Halloween festivities.  It is no wonder why many Boston brides are enticed to thematically capture a bit of this enchantment within their own wedding.   One of the tastiest ways to achieve  sweet tooth ambiance is to offer specialty candy or chocolate in shapes of pumpkins, ghosts and witches.  Gather three to four pieces in a clear wrap bag and fasten with an orange, purple or black ribbon.  Other sweet treats can include satchels of personalized candy corn monogrammed with the bride and grooms initials.  These special favors are not only reasonably priced but can be easily ordered through many of Boston’s talented chocolatiers  or your party planner.  Milk chocolate Halloween pops are also a scrumptious indulgence.

If you are looking for a memorable keepsake that captures  New England’s picturesque scenery then consider gifting the view through autumn themed  key chains.  The streets of Boston are just covered with gold, red and green spectacles of delight.   It is  difficult to evade the splendid grandeur that blankets most of our neighborhoods during this time of year. Whip out your cameras and start snapping!   Once you have selected your favorite autumn picture, visit QLT.com and order photo ready key chains in the style and quantity that you desire.   Not only is this an affordable novelty  but it will leave your friends and family with a stunning remembrance of New England’s greatest pride, her autumn season.

Suzie Canale

follow me at Twitter.com/SuzieCanale

www.beantowntales.net

Some Florists are just too uptight when it comes to weddings. Weddings and funerals are two of the largest pieces of the independent florist's sales. Florists in Boston and New England need to embrace and appreciate that the newly engaged would choose them to create their wedding flowers.

Below is an information sheet to prospective clients from one of the larger wedding florists in New England. Exotic Flowers' viewpoint is countered in bold.

"In order that we may provide you with the attention and service you deserve, please keep the following in mind when planning your flowers.

 1. Please make an appointment. Because our bridal consultants are often attending to the details of other weddings, they are not always available to assist you properly. Yes, an appointment would be great, but we know you are pressed for time and often impulsive. Please come in any time we're open.

2. If you are part of an event site package, we suggest you consult with us no later than five months prior to your wedding date. Five months. Are they kidding? Package weddings are often the more simple ones and we will treat you no differently than any other bride and groom.

3. Have wedding and or dress colors chosen. Do not sweat it if you have not chosen your colors yet. We all know your mother in law will choose hers at the last minute.

4. Please be on time for your appointment. Each consultation is for 90 minutes. Yes, please be on time. Our attention span is short and we do not wish to lose our patience. ;-)

5. Please try to limit the number of people you bring with you. This is Your day. Bring whomever you want with you.

6. Please silence all cell phones. In a perfect world, we would appreciate it. But guess what ? While you're here, our phone is going to ring.. a lot. So we feel, yours can ring as well. We know how busy you are and half of our job is to make your life easier.

Some florists get it and some do not. As a florist, I know we are not curing cancer. The catering business has a famous saying "it's just chicken on a plate,". I agree. At the end of the day, there are much more important things in life to stress over.

"
"Pay close attention to where you are walking." I uttered these words shortly before I dropped a full case of glass hurricanes and pillar candles while setting up flowers for Exotic Flowers at the Decordova Museum in Lincoln, MA.

Sunday October 10th, 2010 - was one of the busier wedding days of the year. First, Columbus Day Weekend is always a busy wedding weekend. Second, many brides and grooms sought the 10-10-10 wedding date for its cosmic connection.

Exotic Flowers of Roslindale was on the grounds of the legendary Decordova Museum and Sculpture Garden. When setting a wedding at any type of museum, there are lots more rules than a function hall. For example, no rose petals. Bring a vacuum, stay so many feet or inches away from the displays and above all do not spill any water and do not break anything.

The Exotic Flowers staff and I, had the honor of working with Jessica Kriley of the Decordova. Jessica is friendly, professional, efficient and truly welcomed us into her arena. La Fete Catering of Natick was the chosen caterer. What a truly inspirational showcase that Amy Colombi and the crew delivered.

The fun part happened when I dropped the case of glass and smashed three hurricane lanterns right on the dining room floor and I sliced my ring finger wide open. Thankfully we always bring extra vases and band aids along with us for any event. The Exotic Flowers events kit not only includes, bandaids, but tape, matches, ribbon, scissors, pins, business cards and even a sewing kit. Sewing kit ? Sure, we have had to help with last minute tailoring for guests and wedding party members.

My advice to anyone planning flowers for an event.

• arrive early
• bring extra flowers
• bring extra vases
• pack a Flower Event tool kit
• bring a camera (see above)
• if someone has to bleed, make sure it is you.