For the Peony- less Brides

If you read my post earlier this week that was all about peonies, then you know that I promised to share my favorite peony substitutions that were equally beautiful.  The blooms below have better availability then peonies and are usually less expensive.  

* From left, clockwise: Pink Garden Roses and Dahlias/  Dinner Plate Dahlias with Spray Roses / Carnations / Peach Garden and Traditional Roses

* Images from left: Dinner Plate Dahlias with Ranunculus and Dusty Millar / Peach Dinner Plate Dahlias

I seriously cannot get over those Dinner Plate Dahlias, especially the Cafe au Lait variety that is subtly peach while also being a little beige.  I would love to know which bouquet above is your favorite, let me know in the comment section below! 

Peony Season

One of the things I love most about June is that it means peony season has officially arrived.  Living in the Northeast (and the United States) means that the season for fresh and readily available peonies is short, but oh is it sweet.  June brings peonies in all shapes, sizes and colors to our local grocery stores, florists and gardens.

Three years ago when I moved into my house I transplanted peonies from my parents' home.  It took two full years, yes two, for the peonies to actually pop up in my garden where I planted them.  Last year was the first year they decided to grace me with their presence and I was beyond thrilled.  This year they have almost doubled in size and are just about to bloom.  I'm not sure what it is about peonies, but I love them.  I wouldn't say they are my favorite flower (it would be too hard for me to pick just one anyway) but there is not another flower I get as excited to see as peonies.  Maybe it is because of their limited availability or the delicately sweet scent, but there is just something about peonies.  

image {via}

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I know I'm not the only person that gets this excited about peonies, which may be why they are the most requested bloom for weddings.  However, a word of caution for all you brides out there planning your wedding: peonies have limited availability and as I described above are finicky and hard to grow (sometimes).  So, if you love the peony-filled bouquets like the ones below, be prepared that peonies may not be available and you will need a substitute bloom or they may be very expensive.    

Now if you are like me and the reason you love peonies is because of their romantic shape and texture, then check back later this week for a round up of substitute, yet equally beautiful blooms.  

* peony bouquets from top left, clockwise: 1 , 2 ,  3 ,  4

June!

I cannot believe that June is already here!  Things have been busy, busy here at L.brook events as we prepare for our summer weddings and events.  With the arrival of June, it seems summer has unofficially begun as well.  The temperatures have been rising, the garden is blooming and creating and planning for upcoming events is in full swing.  Here is a glimpse into what I've been up to the last week!

To see more of what I'm up to and an inside look into L.brook events,  be sure to follow along with my adventures over on Instagram.
I hope you all enjoy this first week of June!



*all images above taken by me and are from my Instagram feed.  

Spring / Summer Floral Guide

I love this flower, branch and berry guide that the amazingly talented Sullivan Owen curated for BHLDN.   It features six groups of seasonally relevant blooms that are perfect for your spring or summer wedding.  Some are well-known blooms, while others like the beautiful pale purple Hellebore could easily become a new favorite!  

I hope you enjoyed this guide as much as I did.  Be sure to head on over to BHLDN to see the rest of this guide in its entirety.  

* all images from  BHLDN

Secret Garden Inspired Paper

The last few weeks have been very busy.  Event season is in full-swing and I am currently prepping for an inspiration shoot with one of my favorite photographers... more on that later! I must admit that with the busyness I find myself spending less time reading my favorite blogs and more time reviewing contracts, design proposals and of course meeting with clients and the fabulous vendors I get to collaborate with this year.  That being said I caught a quick glimpse of this wedding yesterday on Green Wedding Shoes and the paper goods from Seaside Papery stopped me in my tracks.  Take a look below and you will know what I mean.

*Image credit: John Schnack Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

Be sure to head on over to Green Wedding Shoes to see the rest of this beautiful Secret Garden Wedding designed by Cortnie of Canvas and Canopy, she is a brilliant event artist!

A Gatsby Garden Party

Today is the day and by now some of you may have already seen The Great Gatsby.  With so much buzz about this movie's premier, there has been no shortage of Gatsby-inspired celebrations featured on wedding blogs for weeks now.  I love all the glittering gold and art-deco details that is present in many of these shoots and real weddings, but when I think of The Great Gatsby,  I think of  something else.  I remember the scene in the book when Nick Carraway describes seeing crates of oranges being taken into the back of Jay Gatsby's house and then goes on to say that every week the juice from 200 oranges is extracted for Gatsby's parties.   To me, this is a symbol of pure decadence and indulgence, which is what makes this period in history and this story fascinating.  

Below is my version of a Gatsby-inspired celebration.  What I imagine is a garden party that takes place on a sprawling lawn;  a tablescape filled with glittering gold details, peach bellinis, fresh citrus and summer blooms, and of course loads of fabulous fashion and jewelry inspired by the 1920s.  

*images sources from top left, clockwise: tablescape / glamourous bride/  Emily Riggs headpiece/ Ceci New York invitation suite/ garden bar cart

Jazz Age Glamour

A few weeks ago I wrote this post in which I talked about my excitement for the upcoming premier of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.  Premier week is finally here and I could not be more excited.  I love how the internet has been buzzing with excitement this week and how all my favorite wedding blogs are featuring Gatsby-inspired content.  

One of the amazing things about this film is how so many creative and talented people have joined together with Luhrmann to create and design specifically for the movie.  From Miuccia Prada digging through the archives of Miu Miu and Prada to adapt designs for the movie, to Jay- Z producing the film's soundtrack (which I swear feels like a combination of all my Pandora stations) this film has inspired many artists.  

This brings me to Tiffany & Co.'s  Jazz Age Glamour Collection.  This collection features pieces commissioned for and worn in the film, as well as pieces that were inspired by the glamour that defined the roaring twenties.  My favorite piece from the collection is that stunning platinum, diamond and pearl headpiece seen above.  Take a look at the collection below and let me know which pieces are your favorite! 

* Image Sources: Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan/ all other images from Tiffany & Co.