Peonies for the 2015 Wedding Season

Peonies Season 2015

Peonies are perhaps one of the most perfect wedding flowers, as they embody beauty, charisma, and pure romance. Peonies come in many shades of red, white, and pink to suit any wedding color scheme and can be used in bouquets, wedding table centerpieces, altar adornments, or even as floral accents on the wedding cake! What’s even better is that choosing peonies for your wedding can also be extremely affordable, as it’s quite easy to do your own arrangements. Many brides delegate the task of handling and arranging the flowers to their friends, family members, or wedding party.    Peonies are full, extremely arge,  and bountiful, so it can really be a fun process to put together wedding bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids, a medium-sized table centerpiece, or a huge floral altar arrangement.  

 Bridgewater Gardens in Southeast Michigan is the ideal place to find all your peony needs. Are you getting ready for a summer wedding?  Or maybe you need fresh cut peonies for a bridal shower.

On March 1, 2015 Bridgewater Gardens will begin taking orders for fresh-cut peonies for June 2015 wedding.  Not only is their collection absolutely exquisite, but they also offer the pleasure of convenience. Whether you choose to pick up your flowers if you are close to the Ann Arbor, Michigan area, or opt for overnight shipping, the process for your wedding florals is effortless and reliable with Bridgewater Gardens. As a member of the prestigious American Peony Societies, Bridgewater Gardens is a company that takes care of its clients with great customer care, dependability, and the best choice of peonies in the area.   They have spent years selecting just the right peony varieties that brides often request for their wedding flowers.  All peonies grown by Bridgewater Gardens are full, lush, double or bomb style peonies.

In addition to beautiful peonies fresh from the farm, Bridgewater Gardens boasts a website of spectacular ideas to help brides with ideas for all sorts of DIY arrangements. They also keep an insightful blog that gives tips, tricks, and creative inspiration on how to best use peonies on your wedding day. Whether you’re a bride who wants a bold scene of bright hot pink peonies or a more subtle array of whimsical pinks and whites, Bridgewater Gardens can help you turn your wedding day into a magical and memorable one.

2015 Peony Dates / Season

For the 2015 season we are accepting advance orders for weddings taking place between June 6, 2015  and June 27, 2015.   Its possible we will have peonies outside of those dates but based on the peony bloom in past years these are the dates that we always have peony flowers available.   There are some years where we have peonies in late May, and if the month of June is cool then we could have peonies as late as the first weekend of July.  The peonies are weather dependent and it is impossible to predict the season  until it is well underway.
 

To inquire about or to  order peonies for your June 2015 wedding or other special event please use our Contact Form.  Please check out photos of our flowers at our customers weddings on our website.  Just scroll down and all photos are filed under the brides first name.  We are always amazed at how beautiful our flowers look and what an amazing job they did arranging the flowers.

Peonies Grown In Michigan

Bridgewater Gardens is a Michigan peony farm located in Southeast Michigan not too far from Ann Arbor, MI. The inspiration for our farm comes from the 5 acre peony garden at the U of M Nichols Arboretum. We modeled  our first peony garden after a visit there in 1995.   After that we kept expanding the garden and adding more varieties of peonies. 

In 2002 we had peonies coming out our ears and did not know what to do with them all.  We decided to call some local florists and restaurants to see if they wanted to buy some.  Almost everyone we called wanted to buy some or our beautiful peony flowers.  The next winter we set up a website and figured out how to ship the peonies overnight.

We have planted more and more peony plants each fall since then and today we have somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 plants.  We have literally lost count at this point.

Our customers include wedding florists and brides and their wedding parties.  
We have also shipped peonies for funerals and we have some regular customers who purchase peonies for their own enjoyment each year.

Each year we have many brides who are having DIY wedding flowers come to pick up their peonies wedding flowers. Sometime if the bride is too busy she will send her family or friends to pick up the peony flowers and that is fine too.

Our peony season in Michigan is the month of June although some years we have flowers in late May and sometimes the peonies season will go into the first week of July.

We are a very easy driving distance of about one hour from Detroit, Southfield, Farmington Hills, Livonia, Dearborn, Jackson, and even Toledo, Ohio.

Design Your Wedding

Weddings are once in a lifetime experiences and an event that is well imagined and dreamt about by one and all. Nobody wants to mess up this much-awaited day and couples planning it together get a good opportunity to spend time together and better understand each other. Going into every detail of the event together can turn the event into a grand success and this is possible at any budget. A detailed plan and accurate execution is easily achievable if a proper design board is in place. Right from customizing invitations to décor, menu, cake and theme that is close to their hearts can all be arranged without having to cough out a lot of money to wedding designers. A little bit of effort and personal touch to the entire plan can do wonders. 

Design Your Wedding - Planning your wedding day is not necessarily only to cut costs. It being the most special day in any adult’s life, personalizing it will definitely make it a more memorable one. In the process, a hands-on plan also helps save a few bucks on unwanted expenditures. While almost everything can be personally arranged if you can plan it out and have good friends and family to help execute it, try your hand at only those things that you are confident of managing. While too many cooks spoil the broth, too many suggestions can make a flop show of your special day. Sit down with your partner and get a rough idea about what you both expect. While there are enough resources available on different websites and service providers in each category are listed on search engines, some asking around can help shortlist the best in each category. Friends who have recently married can give the best feedback about caterers and decorators. 

The best way to go about planning your wedding is to collect enough information about each category, discuss with your partner and then finalize the plan. Its best to trust the experts with catering, your wedding cake, and photography while you can personally decide on the menu, color preferences for the decorations, seating arrangements and invitation designs. For the enthusiastic, they can even get their invitation card custom made with simple kits available in stores. A lot of time goes into deciding on the décor, and this is an important aspect of wedding planning. It is one of the main aspects that make the day special. Thematic settings are very popular and coordinating wedding dresses with it only adds glamour to the event. Getting a dress code for the guests is another aspect to make it extra special. But for people to enjoy the concept keep the theme rather easy and simple. Nobody wants to spend a lot of money buy clothes just for one single event. Keep the décor as natural as possible to add some sophistication. Natural flowers make the setting more elegant. While the choices in location are plenty from ballrooms to gardens, beaches to castles, even the backyard of your home can be transformed into a beautiful setting for you to take your vows.  It is one special occasion that nobody wants to get it wrong, and to achieve best results prioritize things that need expert help and those that can be managed by self. The right balance of this will give best results and help save a few bucks as well. 

Wedding Caterer: 5 Sure Tips to Hire The Best for Your Special Day

Planning what to serve on your wedding day might be a very daunting task. However, life will be a lot easier if you know the best catering companies in Utah. Event planning in Salt Lake City will be a breeze if you know the right professionals to tap on the day you tie the knot. 

While you can do all the planning and the organize the catering on your own, it will be very challenging when you have a guest list of a hundred or more. It can also be quite overwhelming planning what to serve your guests while thinking about the other details of your wedding. Also, you do not want your family and closest friends to miss parts of your wedding because they are too busy thinking about the soup, main course, or wine. 

Below are some useful tips on how you can find the best Catering Companies Utah and professional Event Planning Salt Lake City: 

Ask for Referrals and Recommendations

If you are about to exchange I dos with your bride or groom to be then most likely some of your friends have done or thinking of the same. Ask for their referrals and recommendations for a trusted wedding caterer in Utah. Once you have several names on your list, check them out online and see what other couples are saying about them. Based on the reviews you find or hear, trim down your list to about three then ask these caterers if you can contact some of their previous clients. 

Set a Budget

No matter what your budget is, you will find a caterer that will meet your needs and make you smile. Before meeting catering companies Utah, have a budget in mind. Consider everything from event planning Salt Lake City, to the tables, plates, chairs, and all the other details you need on your reception. Most wedding caterers will ask for a down payment, so before signing anything, make sure all things are ironed out. 

Coordinate with the Venue

Some wedding venues have a list of approved vendors. So keep in mind that choosing a venue must come first before choosing a wedding caterer. Often, they provide lists of events organizers or caterers they work with because of insurance purposes. They need to work with people that they can trust. There is also an advantage when you choose from their list since the caterer will be familiar on how to set up the venue. One downside however is that they are too familiar with the venue and cannot give you that extra magic you are looking for on your wedding day. 

Special Needs

Your event planning Salt Lake City provider will be your best friend during the wedding preparations. Coordinate with them about the smallest and simplest details you need for your wedding. Consider any allergies of guests, if there are vegetarians on your lists, if there will be guests with special needs among others. Do not forget to arrange for children's meals. 

Read the Contract Well

Before inking the deal, make sure to cover all the details you need to cover. Any gray areas should be discussed and clarified. Do not be afraid to ask questions. If you have any special requests for the wedding caterer in Utah, then ask them as early as possible.

Todays guest post is by:  Main Event Catering is one of the top Catering Companies Utah. It is a full-service Event Planning Salt Lake City that brings its customer's vision to reality.

5 Fun Things To Make Your Wedding Memorable

Everyone’s wedding is memorable, but some are more fun than others and a few unusual touches can help make your wedding be the one that everyone talks about for years to come.

1. For the ultimate quirky memento of the day, why not consider Photo Booth Hire? In most cases, the photo booth team set it all up and arrange everything on behalf of the couple. Props make for wonderful images to look back on later, a little different to the standard wedding shots, and in many cases the booth will print two copies of each image – one for the guest book, and one that the guests can take home to keep for themselves. Photo booths also help guests to relax – and the photos which appear later in the evening, once the alcohol starts flowing, could be great fun. 

2. If pets are a part of your family, why not incorporate them into your wedding day? Dogs can be ring bearers, cats pose for photographs – even other animals like horses or birds could be involved. For many people, their animals truly are an integral part of their day to day life and share their homes – why not let them have their moment in the wedding and celebrate the bond you share? Again, it makes for wonderful photographs!

3. Fun dining options also help to create unique memories. Don’t be pressured into traditional choices if those aren’t what you want at your wedding. Although the sit-down meal might be ideal in some venues, for others, more unusual choices work wonderfully. For example, an outdoor wedding with a boho chic vibe might have a hog roast or a barbecue meal, where enjoying the open air and sharing in more casual food would be a lovely touch. Or, indoors, an elaborate finger food buffet might facilitate mingling and conversation across the party rather than restricting guests to their tables. 

4. If you’re having an outdoor celebration or your venue has a garden area, think about garden games hire. Things like cricket or croquet are lots of fun for all ages, creating a little competitive spirit between the bridesmaids and the best man! All the guests will love time to play and enjoy themselves, but this is particularly fun if you have children attending your wedding – that is, if you can keep the adults away for long enough!

5. Try and surprise your guests in some way to make your wedding really memorable. For most people, the easiest way to do this is a fireworks display at the end of the evening. 

Three Reasons Why a Wedding DJ Can Make Your Reception Unforgettable

For many people, there are few days more exciting than their wedding day. But, as you can imagine, it takes a lot of time, stress, planning and money to get to the big day, sometimes even years of planning. There are so many small details that go into planning a wedding that you don't even consider when first getting started like place settings, flowers, and cake toppers. One of the biggest decisions a couple has to make when planning their wedding is what kind of entertainment they would like at the reception. In general, there are two main choices, a DJ or a live band. Both have there benefits, but many people will end up going with a DJ because a wedding DJ will give the couple so many different options for music and entertainment at the reception. Dancing For those couples who love nothing more than getting out on the dance floor, a DJ is going to be a popular option. From Florida to Illinois wedding DJ will be able to keep everyone up and dancing all night with a mix of music. With a wedding DJ, you will be able to request exactly what music is going to be played, and have a list of approved songs. This way you can be sure the music will be right to your liking with no surprises that keeps the crowd up dancing all night. 

Entertainment 

DJ's are trained to get the crowd going in a fun and professional way. Many couples love playing games and doing little fun events during the reception to get the weddings gets excited and having fun. A DJ is going to know exactly what to say and do to ensure the crowd is going to be having a great time at the wedding. The couple can sit down with the DJ beforehand to plan out little games and events and schedule what time they should happen, the DJ will take care of the rest. 

Equipment 

No matter where you go across the country, DJs have professional equipment, which end up making a big difference at the wedding reception. The best Wedding DJ Chicago or Boston residents use will have a full set up that will be able to fit the size and dimensions of you venue. The DJ will be able to adjust his equipment accordingly, regardless of the size of your venue. This way for a small venue the music won't be overpowering, and for a large venue the DJ will make sure everyone can hear the music.
With everything else a couple needs to think about when planning a wedding, figuring out the entertainment is going to be a big decision. That's why considering a DJ when choosing the reception entertainment could be a great option for your needs, especially if you are a couple that loves getting out on the dance floor and having a lot of participation with your guests on the big day. Whatever you choose, remember the most important thing is to have fun! 

Author Bio.: For more information on finding the best Wedding DJ Chicago area residents use or the very best Illinois wedding DJ for your event, please visit http://diamondeventgroup.com.

The Meaning of a Unity Candle

The best wedding ceremonies mix tradition with originality. The ceremony should feel like “you”, but it should also feel like a wedding ceremony - you don’t want it to be so unique that it is unrecognizable. One traditional aspect of a wedding ceremony not to be missed is the lighting of the unity candle. You can purchase these YumYum Weddings when you're ready to plan your ceremony.


How to use it
Whether you are allowed to perform this ritual during the wedding ceremony itself, will depend upon the rules of your Church. Some Churches prohibit the use of candles, as a way round this, many couples choose to perform this ceremony at the wedding breakfast instead.
The unity candle sits unlit in the middle of two smaller burning candles. The two smaller candles represent the bride and the groom as individual entities before the marriage. The bride and groom take their respective candles and, in unison, light the bigger candle. This represents the joining together of two hearts, souls and minds. It is an incredibly emotive and beautiful tradition that really highlights the commitment you are making.


Biblical origin
This beautiful custom symbolizes the joining of two individuals, and the promise to act as one under God. The exact origins of the unity candle ceremony are unknown, but the custom became popular in American weddings over 40 years ago. The ceremony varies between cultures. The custom represents the couple’s submission to God’s will, and the joining of the bride and groom in an eternal bond.


Make it your own
It is up to you whether to leave the individual candles lit or not. Some couples choose to blow out the individual candles to represent the ending of two single lives, whereas other couples prefer to leave them lit as recognition that each person still has their own identity, although they are now joined in marriage.

There are many ways to customize this symbolic tradition:
* You can use personalized candles in your wedding colors.
* You can have a reading during the tradition, to highlight the importance of what you are doing.
* You can have all members of the wedding party involved, as a way of showcasing their approval of your marriage.

There are lots of things you can do to tailor the lighting of the unity candle, so get creative and make sure it represents you as a couple, and as God’s servants. If done right, this romantic custom will guarantee there’s not a dry eye in the house - so make sure you’re wearing waterproof mascara!

The Five Almonds

The Wedding Industries Top Planner's & Caterer's Are Embracing A Major Industry Wide "Social Good" Platform Announced By Luxury Candy Visionary "Les Cinq Amandes" at the New York International Bridal Week Show In NYC.

The Idea Dazzles with its Confections and Mastery of True Gift-Giving & Has Partnered
Miss America 2008, Philanthropist & Newlywed Kirsten Haglund. On Monday, October 14, She Makes A Celebrity Appearance To Launch The Campaign As She Joins with The Five Almonds.

Announcing A Meaningful “Inner Beauty” Wedding Initiative through the Creation and Presentation of Beautiful Wedding Themes that also Raise Funds for Girls in Need Through Scholarship

Dragées, Chocolates, Inner Beauty and Beyond . . . Rediscover the Art of Delicious Wedding Traditions Built on The Spirit of Good Wishes
Dazzle Your Wedding Clients With A Meaningful Offering ~ www.TheFiveAlmonds.com

Follow us as we create the way forward @thefivealmonds @kirstenhaglund @barnyardgroup

For moreinfo please see:  The Art of the Almond: http://youtu.be/Yo9q0o276GM  or visit http://the5almonds.com

Entertain your guest in style : Live music is the key

When it comes to choosing a  band to perform on your special day, you will need to shop around. You have a variety of genres to choose from, whether you want a jazz band or one that performs pop music. Whatever the case, you want a live band that is both entertaining and affordable.

So where do you begin when you’re trying to find the right one? Regardless of where you live, you will be able to find a good one that meets your needs and entertain guests. 

Finding the right band

If finances are an issue, you will need to look carefully to find the right wedding band that is both affordable and entertaining. You can find an elaborate and entertaining band that performs at local night clubs. Oftentimes, you can find high school bands that will perform for a lower cost than professional bands. You may be taking a leap here, but you will save money. And you will have extra money that can be put toward a more elaborate honeymoon. 

The right style

If you are hiring a band to play at your wedding, you want to make sure you hire a band that is dressed to play the part. Find a band that wears matching attire. For example, you could hire a band that dresses in black and white. You may want to choose a band where the male members wear a combination of black and white. Avoid bands that dress in primarily white clothing. This takes attention away from the bride, which is a huge no no in the wedding arena. A  good live band should conform to your taste. If you want them to fit your wedding theme, you could suggest the type of attire they wear.
Most musical providers at weddings are willing to work with you to make sure your special day is as happy as possible. 



Photo Credit : http://www.mauchchunkballroom.com/wpballroom/wedding-music-selection-tips-make-it-personal/



Tips for songs

Remember it’s you hiring so you want them to play the songs you want. Sit down with the band ahead of time, and make sure they know what songs you want them to play. 

Conclusion

You have a number of things to think about. Picking the right band, of course, is tantamount. But making sure they fit your theme is just as important.

I have a friend who is getting married in Australia (yes to an Australian) next year which prompted me to write this post. She has hired Veri Wedding Photography as her wedding photographer. So I was checking out their site and I just love this photo below.

Their website advertises them as an an award-winning photographer with sensitivity and spirit. Veri Wedding Photography is a specialist wedding, fashion and event photography business based in Melbourne. If you’re looking for an experienced photographer to tell your story with heart, insight and style, then look no further. Their progressive approach to photography sets us apart. We push boundaries. Challenge comfort zones. And strive to tell a unique, inspiring story with every new image. Wedding photography is their specialty and they travel anywhere throughout Melbourne, Geelong and surrounding areas as your chosen wedding photographer. They believe in spontaneity - but take no risks. It’s no secret that life’s most magical moments are those that are unexpected. That’s why we aim to produce candid, unposed images that evoke the special mood and unique subtleties of your big day. Less is not more… when it comes to wedding photography. We believe you deserve an abundance of photos to assess and choose from. With Veri Wedding Photography, you can expect to receive at least 100 photos for every hour we are retained. We won’t miss a thing. Every special moment will be captured, often from a range of angles. They capture the hidden stories. Your wedding day will be nothing short of overwhelming. You’ll be on the go, non-stop. That’s why you need a photographer you can rely on to record as many moments as possible. A good wedding photographer will enable you to reflect back and relive your day. But an excellent wedding photographer will also open a window into the stories you missed. At Veri Wedding Photography, they capture those special moments going on around you - the ones you were simply too busy to notice.

Are you thinking about having a Stag and Hen parties in Surrey?  Stag dos and hen dos can all be a little passé sometimes, can't they? It's never quite made clear whether they are supposed to be tacky affairs and that those who buck the trend by doing something a bit nicer are the ones in the wrong, or if all those cringeworthy stag dos and hen dos are actually the wrong way to do it. Perhaps there isn't a real answer. On one hand you can put these things down to taste entirely, so it may seem that the western world has a very tacky sense of taste when it comes to celebrating the night before a bride or groom is supposed to be married.

Well actually, these days stag and hen dos are leaving more and more of a gap between these events and the weddings for which they have been organised. It never used to be the way, not as far as probably a lot of people can remember. It's probably for good reason, however - there is something awfully seedy about either bride or a groom getting completely drunk the day before a very important day in their lives and ruining the whole day with a massive hangover that means they'll be no fun and possibly moody: and these are just the problems for other people, what about the sickness and the terrible headaches for the brides and grooms themselves? A very bad idea!

And another thing: you can go out drinking any day of the week (in theory). So why would you make a point of celebrating a once in a lifetime event (hopefully!) with a very common, everyday thing? Perhaps it is better the way it seems to be leaning these days - leaving a long gap between the stag and hen dos and the wedding and making a big event of the dos themselves. This way people can appreciate their friends more and actually do something interesting, different and worthwhile rather than just spend another night drunk.

For example you could look into going somewhere outside of big cities, like London, away from pubs and night clubs. There are much better locations for stag and hen events - Surrey, for example, would be a charming place. There are a lot of things you can do in the countryside, a lot of methods to create an unforgettable memories with your buddies - rather than having one that you're probably not going to keep in mind anyway! And if you do experience the need to consume alcohol, well, you could just take some with you!

How To Make A Wedding Speech Fearlessly

If you are supposed to give a speech at a wedding you might realize how daunting it could be. But there are ways to overcome the fear and make a successful speech.  Apart from the foods and drinks served, the wedding speeches and toasts are definitely one of the biggest attractions of the wedding reception parties. Giving wedding speeches or toasting the newlyweds at the wedding reception party is an age old tradition and are enthusiastically practiced with all bells and whistles.

However, not all the men and women who are supposed to make wedding speeches might not be in a similar state of mind. They are rather nervous because they scared of making a speech in public. You could well imagine the situation unless you aren't one of those few individuals who're blessed with the rare opportunity of making a speech in public fluently.

But since there's no way you could avoid making a wedding speech if you are supposed to make one as being one of the key individuals in the wedding, you should look for ways that would help you to overcome the fear and come up with a decent speech. The good news is, should you be willing, it's not hard at all to accomplish this objective.

The first big step to make a good wedding speech, no matter if it's a groom speech, a best man speech or a maid of honor speech, is to actually start preparing for the speech - the earlier you start the longer you'll get time to practice and so, the better your chances are of making it successful.

I am sure you have seen others giving their wedding speeches several times in your life. But you would still want to do some research to get some ideas on what to say in your speech and how. Going through some sample wedding speeches and even watching some videos online could help you to a great extent. Once you have brainstormed the ideas, it's time to write your speech in full.

After you have written your speech, start rehearsing it. This is the most important stage of the speech making process. The more you practice the more conversant you become. Once you become conversant with your speech it would help you grow in confidence. And you know when you are confident you would no longer be afraid of making your wedding speech standing in front of the guests at the wedding ceremony.

Wedding Invitations

In the past year or so I have discovered that photos of our peonies make beautiful gift and weding related items.   Recently I came across a wedding invitation site called Wedding Needs that had these beautiful peony floral wedding invitations. They are not described as peonies but this is a very common hand drawn depiction of peonies flowers.  I just love the artwork and the contrast of the white and pink on this wedding invitation. 

To see more affordable wedding invitations you can visit the Wedding Needs site directly.  They also sell birthday, baby shower, holiday, and graduation cards and invitations.