Throwing a Green Picnic

Picnic season is in full swing, and there are many ways to green your summer get-together. Here are just a few:

1. Bring empty cans and paper home to recycle.

2. Skip styrofoam plates and eat off of biodegrable dishes with biodegradable utensils. These can be found at organic food stores, and grocery stores in the disposable dinnerware section. This photo is from World Centric:

3. Bring water in stainless steel water bottles.

4. Bring dishes from home and bring them home to wash. My favourite are these tin plates & cups sold at Viva Terra:
Happy Picnic Season!

Green Wedding Ideas

I would love to showcase any green wedding ideas from couples that are planning a wedding or already married to inspire couples that are planning their weddings. If you incorporated any eco-friendy elements into your wedding that you would be willing to pass on to others, please contact us and let us know what you did and how it turned out. You don't have to be a With a Flourish client or live in Manitoba to respond. I'm looking forward to hearing from you and will publish responses on the blog next week. Thanks!

Handmade Wedding Inspiration

I am a planner, an organizer, a decorator. I take things that other people create and I arrange them with other things to look pretty. However, I don't really create things, and I'm always in awe of the skill and vision that it takes to dream up a product and create it. I think that's why websites like Etsy are so fascinating to me - these artists are regular people with huge talent. So today's post includes my favourite Etsy wedding finds with an encouragement - check out Etsy for some of the decorations and accessories for your wedding. It will be much more one-of-a-kind and fair-trade than buying something made in China!

Items for a Handmade Wedding:

Send guests a beautiful invitation made by Golden Rectangle Press:



(*This has been edited, and originally I had photos of Cross Grass dresses but apparently they are not selling on Etsy anymore. If anyone comes across the Cross Grass website, please let me know!)


Dresses by The English Department are super cute:



Headpieces from Portobello:


This bouquet from Letters 4 Lilly would be perfect for feminine but unconventional bride, or a flower girl:

Have your guests sign this trendy guest book from KC Scrapper:


And for the guys, a twist on the boutonniere by Emily K Botanic Studio:


Also for the guys, these very cool cufflinks from EDM Designs:

Happy Father's Day!

If you were to hang out with my family, one of the first things you would notice is that Sam is a SuperDad. He dove right into fatherhood 20 months ago (like there is a way to ease into it!) and has settled into a wonderful routine. Miles adores his dad and Sam is even teaching him Spanish - my one year old is more bilingual than I am! As a stay-at-home Dad, Sam is able to be here so that I can be everywhere else, working the strange hours that I work. When I'm home to witness the every day goings-on, I just smile all day. My two men read, draw on the chalkboard and do their "touchdown dance" together, chatting away in Spanish, and when Sam brings out the vacuum cleaner, Miles brings out his little popper vacuum cleaner and helps out. There is lots of tackling, lots of toy car crashing and lots of laughter. They are so in tune that sometimes when Miles does something bad, he puts himself in time-out without Sam sending him there!

I know that I am very blessed, and when people make comments about how being a mom means cold dinners, piles of housework, and no sleep, I just smile. I ate about half of my dinners cold, woke up early about half the time, and the real kicker - I don't actually do much housework (although cooking is all mine)!

Thanks Sam for everything that you do and for the really really great Dad that you are!

Wedding Decor Inspiration Part 4 - Wild with Colour

When Sam and I went to create our gift registry before our wedding, we had the huge task of picking items for our new home. Having never really decorated a living space before, colour was the biggest question. We wanted something simple that we would be able to add to over the years, and ended up with two colours: blue and brown. Our couch is brown, our chair is brown, and our area rug, pillows and drapes were all the same shade of blue. I was afraid to add any other colours and any pattern at all to our rooms, and I wasn't quite sure what to do with the wedding gifts we received that didn't fit our colour scheme - where should I put those orange coasters? What about the beautiful pottery vase that has green in it? So I moved those things around - our bedroom became the home for all of the colours that were not blue and brown. Over the years though I've become more confident with colour and pattern and things that don't quite match - in fact, I like things that are a bit eclectic. It all started with the green wall which you can see in this post or in the background of my promo video, and I've been adding to it over time with red and teal and gold and green. And the orange coasters are proudly in the living room!

The same fear of colour is often present while planning for a wedding. Couples think they have to pick one strong colour and one neutral colour. Not so! You can have as many colours in the room as you would like, as long as it is done properly.

Two Tips:

1. If you want colour but you're nervous, incorporate the colour in the flowers. But please never use flowers that are grown one colour but have been dyed a different colour - if you want blue and your option is to have your roses dyed blue or use hydrangea's (which are naturally blue), use hydrangea's instead - it will look more natural because it is more natural!

2. If have colours and ideas in mind but you're not sure how to put it all together, work with a decorator, wedding planner or florist - this is a case where it is best to call in the professionals!

Photos today are events from Colin Cowie, celebrity wedding planner:


 

Wedding Decor Inspiration Part 3 - White Out

White on white on white weddings are timeless and stunning. The colour will never go out of style and your grandkids won't be able to make fun of your tacky wedding photos:)

Unique shapes and uncommon flowers are two ways to bring the look together, but I don't need to say anything else because today's photos are creations by the king of floral design, Preston Bailey:

Wedding Decor Inspiration Part 2 - More is More

3 tips for a luxurious wedding: Height, Light, and Extra Special Details.

Height: Tall centrepieces, and lights or flowers hanging from the ceiling add drama. Decor at different heights is one of the least expensive with the most impact ways to decorate a room. Tall centrepieces are most functional when they do not obstruct the view of the guests at the table, for example a very thin vase with a large bouquet over head level when guests are sitting at the table.

Light: Options for lighting are vast, from gently washing the room in colour to projecting patterns on the wall. Lighting makes simple white decor look glamourous and illuminates key elements like the head table or cake table. It is a simple addition to a room and makes a huge difference.

Extra Special Details: Don't forget about the small but personal touches. Name the tables after your favourite movies, serve a signature drink or place flowers on the plates.

Wedding Decor Inspiration Part 1 - Less is More

My very favourite decor projects are those that are on one end of the extreme - very minimalist or very layered, very monochrome or very colourful. So in the next four blog posts, I'm going to provide photos and a few tips for these four categories, starting with:

Minimalist Decor - Less is More

1. Since you will be using less decor materials, add interest by using unique shapes, styles & sizes. One of my brides for next summer had the idea to use glass bottles as vases in the centrepieces - they'll be technically free (as long as the couple isn't buying bottles of whiskey and downing them for the purpose of good decor) :) and really unique. Brilliant.

2. The little things add up: Add small items of interest, like a single flower or pattern in an unexpected place.

3. Texture. Since you're having less layers, go for high quality linens and mix up the textures so the room doesn't look too plain.

4. Natural Ingredients. Sticks, flowers, and fruit really pop against a simple backdrop.

Here's a little bit of inspiration for a minimalist wedding:

With a Flourish Website Progress

Today we're launching a new, more detailed section of the website under "Weddings". Hopefully this will give prospective clients more information about what we can offer and how we can help plan one of the biggest days of your life!

Please view the updated section by clicking here.

ALSO: I'm finished with the long-winded posts of the past week and working on a neat 4-part series showcasing some of my very favourite wedding designs from around the world. Check back Tuesday or Wednesday for the first installment!

Creating an Eco-Friendly Wedding Business

Event coordination is a job that I thought about for a few years, but it didn't all come together until the eco-friendly and fair trade element became part of the business plan. I love weddings and events but I couldn't imagine putting together a huge elaborate wedding and then having everything thrown away. My business had to reflect my values, and when the idea of a globally minded event came to me through a project that I had to do for my wedding planning certification, I couldn't let it go. After talking to friends and strangers about the idea of a green wedding and hearing fantastic response, I knew that I wanted to get started sooner rather than later.

There are two components and unfortunately, they are different: Eco-Friendly and Fair Trade. There are eco-friendly companies that are not fair trade, and there are fair trade companies that are not eco friendly. In my mind, these two things had to be present together. Eco-Friendly means using products that are easier on the earth - that don't get shipped here from far away, that are made from local materials, that are vintage, etc. Fair trade means making sure that the products that I use were made by people that were paid a fair wage to make them. So, Nicole, who came up with my business name also suggested the tag line "globally minded event management." And that was the day that my ideas all came together and the whole dream of a little event management company with a big heart for the world, really took root.

So now, myself and my team guide clients through the confusing world of weddings and events, and help them to make decisions that are globally minded because honestly, I believe that most people try to live in ways that are beneficial to the earth and it's people and this can be extended to all of lifes big events. I love coming up with new and creative ideas to decorate and plan events that are earth-friendly and spectacular. And by the way, globally minded events are no less elaborate or fantastic then other events, the design process simply happens in a different way.

I've had a crazy number of blog readers over the past several days, so I wanted to give a bit of an overview of how this company came to exist and what we offer. Feel free to post questions or send me an email for more details on With a Flourish and how we can help you with your next event.

Fair Trade Wedding Flowers are Prettier

Flowers are my very favourite decor item. They set any mood from casual garden to elegant ballroom and I love incorporating living things into design.

Unfortunately, though, flowers have a dark side. They are often shipped here from thousands of miles away where workers (adults and children) are paid less than a living wage for their labour. I'm going to skip the statistics and facts on the floral industry, and direct you to this article for more information. For this post, I'd rather write about why I think organic and fair trade flowers not only make sense, but are really the only option for a globally minded event.

I'm always pro fair-trade. I think people deserve to get paid a living wage. So in my search of fair-trade flowers, I've been really disappointed. There's really not of availability. The floral industry seems to be poorly regulated and there are a lot of loopholes in the system.


That said, there are several things we in our lives and in our weddings can do to go a little easier on flower growers:

1. Organic flowers seem to be slightly easier to find. Although they don't come with fair trade certification, simply getting rid of the chemicals sprayed on flower fields eliminates a significant part of the problem. One of the biggest complaints at these sorts of farms is the dizziness and illness that accompanies the work, from being exposed to strong chemicals all day every day.

2. Check around Manitoba for cut flowers. There are several growers at the Farmer's Market, and some Winnipeg florists even have relationships with growers and carry Manitoba grown flowers in their stores when they're available.

3. If you're up for a challenge, grow your own flowers! Unless you're a florist or really love floral design like my new sister in law Adrienne who designed all her own arrangements and even created all the bouquets, hire a professional to take care of the arranging to eliminate the stress on you the day before the wedding. Or, give myself and Adrienne a call! We'd love another go at wedding flowers.

4. When I shop, I always have a hierarchy in mind: First, I try to find something locally made, then I try to find organic & fair trade, and if neither of those work out, I buy something that is not locally made but sold at a local store (as in, not a chain grocery-type store). The way this applies to flowers is: If you can't find locally grown flowers or grow your own, and you can't find fair trade or organic, please at least purchase from a local florist. They will have the expertise to design something fantastic, and your well-spent money will stay closer to home.

Consumers are requesting better regulations and healthier flowers, and suppliers are starting to meet that demand. I think that in the next couple of years, the fair trade and organic flower market will really take off because really, flowers are a lot more beautiful when they come to us organically grown and fairly traded, don't you think?

Stay tuned tomorrow for a post about what the heck a globally minded event is, and why this little business of mine exists!

Eco-Friendly Event Products

Yesterday I brought a table of products with me to Breakfast Television, so I could talk about some of my favourite Winnipeg companies that provide eco-friendly products and services. Here's a little bit more information about those companies:

Jewelry: Dayle Goertzen of Vintage Bling takes vintage jewelry which is broken or needs a face lift and takes it apart and then reassembles the pieces into her very own creations, which are contemporary, but still have a vintage flavour. Dayle is one of the first wedding vendors that I met, over a year ago, and I am so excited to keep up with her company and see where it is headed. She even had the opportunity to take her pieces to the Oscars this year, and although she couldn't go, she is looking forward to possibly going next year. How cool is that! One more thing: Dayle has a Swarovski & Pearls line, which is what the necklaces in the photo are from, a Hollywood Glam line and a Spring & Summer line. Her pieces are not just for weddings. They range from simply pretty to pretty luxurious and can easily be worn to work or to an event. I have a couple of pieces and I really do wear them almost every day.

Dessert: The cupcakes and cake cookies are from Sweet Impressions. The bakery is peanut free and the creations are custom made - the "cookie girls" work with you to design cupcakes and favours that are perfect for you and your wedding. They are incredibly creative and you can see more of their work and their green menu on the website.




Invites: Yoko from Pulp & Circumstance has started a new brand called Vert Yoko Chapman that includes 6 vintage-inspired designs which are printed on FSC-certified paper and printed on with soy-based inks. This new line is co-branded with a company called WedVert (or Portovert) in the states. WedVert is a great resource for planning an eco-friendly wedding, and works with top designers in the stationery, wedding gown, floral, etc. markets to produce high quality, eco-friendly products with a "go green, save green" mentality.

Candles: The candles on the sample table were Manitoba made at Wild Dog Farms. They are beeswax candles and they smell SO good. I picked them up at Blue Earth Organics (1851 Portage Ave), my very favourite organic food store, which you already know if you've been reading this blog for a while!


I also wanted to talk a bit about flowers, but haven't got the space today. Check back on Friday for some info. about fair-trade/organic flowers. I'm off to see Yoko speak at the Women Business Owners of Winnipeg meeting tonight. Happy Wednesday!