You’re probably wondering, florist versus floral designer, what’s the difference? There’s a huge difference, I can tell you that! Believe it or not, I am often confused for being a florist. I can absolutely understand why someone might think this as my work revolves around flowers, but my job goes a little deeper than buying and organizing flowers. In this piece, I’ll explain the difference between the two roles so you can make the right choice when it comes to seeking someone with floral expertise. Distinguishing the Two I have to admit, oftentimes I don’t enjoy being called a florist. During every introduction and consultation I make sure to introduce myself as a wedding designer or floral designer. I think this helps the term ...
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Styled Collaboration – Cross W Ranch Howell, Michigan
I’m a creative, so I’m always interested in trying something new and different. Such was the case when photographers decided to do a styled shoot with horses! I reached out to a good friend of mine that told me about a barn where I may be able to execute my idea. I was giddy with excitement! It didn’t take long for me to put on my thinking cap and envision what a barn, horses, and floral design in Howell would look like. A Dream Come True Cross W Ranch is the name of the barn that allowed us to do a styled shoot at their location. We got really lucky because this barn isn’t open to the public for events due to city regulations. Fortunately, they were interested in letting us use their location and also their ...
Styled Collaboration -Zingerman
Covid-19 has transformed the wedding industry, as vendors strive to keep our clients safe. Fortunately, it hasn't completely stopped weddings! After all, love knows no limits! In addition, it has not stopped Design Quintessentials from being able to participate in some fantastic photoshoots. Keep reading to learn about the floral design I did in Dexter, Michigan, for a styled photoshoot at Zingerman's Corman Farms! Floral Design in Dexter: Zingerman’s Corman Farms Photoshoot Zingerman’s Cornman Farms in Dexter, Michigan, is one of Michigan's most stunning wedding locales. I have always wanted to do a photoshoot here. I was so excited to be asked to participate in one by A Good Event Planner and their wedding planner, ...
Styled Collaboration – Hamburg, Michigan
One way that we showcase our floral design work is by participating in styled shoots, and we did several in 2019. However, one of the most exciting shoots was at my business partner, Kelle's, beautiful lakeside home in Hamburg, Michigan. This location allowed us to take advantage of Michigan's incredible natural beauty while collaborating with many of our favorite vendors. Keep reading to learn more about my experience doing floral design in Hamburg, Michigan. Working With Diverse Styles As you might imagine, weddings are very diverse and should reflect the bride and groom's unique life experiences. It also needs to capture the couple's vibe. Recognizing this, Design Quintessentials looked to capture various styles in our ...
Styled Collaboration – Venue One Eleven & Holly Vault
Doing photoshoots at interesting new venues are one of the most exciting parts of my job at Design Quintessentials. It undoubtedly helps spark my creative juices, and it also helps promote fellow vendors in the wedding business space. Our business is truly collaborative, and we all benefit from our fellow vendors' success. Speaking of collaboration, let me tell you about a styled photoshoot we did during the 2019 holiday season. There’s Nothing Like a Holiday Photoshoot! The holiday season is always busy, both on a personal and professional level. But, I always try to make an effort to reach out to the people who I have worked with over the years. During one of these chats, the owner of the Holly Vault mentioned two of her ...
Wedding Day Magazine Cover Shoot
As you know, 2020 has been a challenging year for many small business owners, and Design Quintessentials has not been immune to these challenges. Many people had to cancel, downsize, or completely reimagine their weddings. There have been moments when I have been frustrated and have simply wanted to throw up my hands. So imagine my enthusiasm when I found out that I had been selected to do the floral designs for the cover of Wedding Day magazine. This is the second year in a row that they've chosen me for this honor! The Breathtaking, Zingerman Cornman Farm Before I get into the design concept, I have to give a special shout out to our fantastic wedding venue, Zingerman Cornman Farm, in Dexter, Michigan. This farm is a ...
Design Quintessentials Takes California: Floral Design in Marina Del Ray
Family Time Some of my favorite time in the world is the time that I get to enjoy with my family. And this family time is even more special when it brings together family members across generations. My grandmother is 94-years young and she loves to see her great-grandkids. So I make it a priority to visit sunny California at least twice a year. If it was not for work and other commitments, I would visit even more frequently. But, I also like to combine family time with work adventures, so I … Embracing Floral Design in Marina Del Ray Marina Del Ray is a beautiful seaside community. The natural beauty of the community means that it is ideal to explore floral design in Marina Del Ray. The harbor that is ...
Featured Wedding: Lauren & AJ
Real Wedding: Lauren & AJ Brighton, Michigan | Photographer: Amanda Dumouchelle Often, when we think about traditional wedding colors, our minds go directly to pale pink or a handful of other popular colors. However, more and more brides and grooms are thinking outside the traditional wedding rainbow of colors. When couples decide to use untraditional colors, it creates a fun challenge for floral designers. I'm excited anytime I'm able to express my creativity with new colors, venues, etc. Think Outside the Color Box I was recently approached by a bride who wanted to use mauve as the primary color in her wedding day palette. It was one of the first-ever requests as a floral designer that I had fielded for ...
Featured Wedding: Lynette & Hisam
Real Wedding: Lynette & Hisam Detroit, Michigan | Photographer - Stephanie Kaslly Last fall, I had the opportunity to work on Lynette and Hisam's stunning and intimate wedding in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It always gives me a special thrill when I can offer my floral design services to individuals I have worked with professionally in the past. An Exciting Detroit Wedding Lynette is an amazingly talented wedding photographer with Lighting with Love. I collaborated with her on two previous weddings and on my Detroit Castle Hall wedding photoshoot, where she was one of my lovely models. I was equally excited to hear that her wedding photographer was someone who I have also worked with in the past, Stephanie ...
5 Tips for Planning A Backyard Wedding
Covid-19 has changed everything for 2020 and thrown major hiccups into many of our lives. Not only has how we worked changed but also how we celebrate major events in our lives, including weddings! These days, there are restrictions on the size of in-person gatherings in many states. In addition, there are also concerns about the safety of air travel. As a result, many couples have chosen to postpone their weddings to 2021 and 2022, but this is not the right choice for everyone. So, what other options do couples have? Consider a Backyard Wedding I would say that the best choice is to plan an intimate backyard wedding celebration. You can always have a big party later (when it is safer) for all of your friends and loved ...
Styled Collaboration – The Iroquois Club
Often time we do styled shoots within metro Detroit and surrounding area. This time around I wanted something near West Bloomfield and that’s when it hit me. I remembered doing floral design in Bloomfield Hills at The Iroquois Club for a wedding a few years back. I adore their rustic design and beautiful structure so it was only right for me to make this the next styled shoot. The Next Steps I reached out to Katelyn, the manager at The Iroquois Club, to let her know I was interested in doing a styled shoot there. We clicked immediately and exchanged ideas to set-up a shoot date. I took the time to tour the venue to get an idea of how to set everything up. Originally wanted to highlight the ceiling with a large wreath and greenery ...
Highlight A Wedding Vendor – Hair Stylist
I followed Simona Vigh on Instagram after someone mentioned her name to me. All I knew about her at the time was that she did amazing hair stylings and specialized with weddings. One of the techniques that she used back then and still does now is to weave fresh flowers into the brides’ hair. I loved the thought of combining the two elements, making the bride look graceful and one with the nature around her. I immediately wanted to see how my floral designs could be incorporated with her hairstyling skills in the Detroit area. Creating Magic at a Wedding-Style Photoshoot I later invited Simona to the barn wedding-style photoshoot in Clarkston back in the fall of 2018. This photoshoot was huge with over 25 vendors including ...
Styled Collaboration – Castle Hall
I’m always searching for a styled shoot location and Castle Hall in Detroit is one venue that stood out to me. The place has big windows, a unique location, and literally looks like a castle. Therefore, I couldn’t wait to yet again do flower design in Detroit. 2019 Color of the Year - Coral This was the second styled shoot that Kelle and I worked on together, which was a great opportunity to see if we’d be a good fit. Kelle was interested in using bright wedding colors so we agreed on bold and bright. After all, colors like that will make a statement. We decided on the 2019 Pantone color, living coral. Kelle designed a flower wall that included ombre rose colors. The colors transitioned from dark red to light pink, ...
Styled Collaboration – Holly Vault
I remember seeing a bridal show hosted at the Holly Vault and being enthused with the Chapel. After they finished their renovations and opened up the venue to 2019 brides, my creative juices started flowing. By now, you know that I enjoy styled shoots, so I couldn’t help but jump on the opportunity. I contacted my partner Kelle and photographer Ilze to do a tour in February and fell in love with the venue. Before I left, I’d already come up with a color scheme for floral design in Holly! The Color Scheme I really like blue, so it was only right that the color was somehow incorporated into the styled shoot. My refreshed branding color scheme, like my logo, follows a blue theme. Therefore, I thought it was a great idea to have the ...
Magazine Cover Shoot
You guys, we were so proud to have our unique, eye-catching floral creations presented in the recent cover photo and feature story for the fourth edition of Wedding Day magazine. If you didn’t know, Wedding Day is an interesting magazine for Midwestern brides. The magazine, originally launched in Indiana, is working hard to increase its presence in the bridal market, including in the Detroit metropolitan area. They strive to present the work of wedding innovators, including companies like our very own, Design Quintessentials, and appeal to brides who are looking to have a unique wedding experience. The Excitement Was Real When I was approached by Kaitlyn from Wedding Day to play an important role ...
Highlight A Wedding Vendor – Floral Designer
In the line of work I do, collaboration is important and networking is a must. I typically go to monthly meetings for networking, such as the Rising Tide Society meetings. It was there that I met Kelle. She opened up her studio, Flower Smith Studio, for the Livingston County group meeting. And guess what? She is a floral designer and does eco-friendly flower arrangements and large installations! Friends to Styled Shoot Partner I met Kelle in late 2018 and our friendship has blossomed since then. I sometimes wonder if it’s because she’s a Capricorn like me (lol). We’re both pretty conservative people and we think alike. It’s fun bouncing ideas off of one another about custom flower arrangements and coming up with creative ...
10 Lush Spring & Summer Wedding Bouquet Ideas
We’ve rounded up some of the summer wedding bouquets, from bold burgundy blooms to soft pink lush. Garden rose is always in season so no matter when the season and what color you can always count on those garden roses. Spring is peony season so don’t forget some peony bouquets. ...
Avoid Falling into the Pinterest Rabbit Hole
Everyone loves Pinterest, especially brides to be! You can easily use the website to virtually pin your dream wedding items to a board and share them with your friends. From your bridal bouquets, centerpieces, decorations, bridesmaid dresses, gown dresses, what to serve, what NOT to serve and more can all be found on Pinterest. The Age of Pinterest The age of Pinterest has definitely changed how brides approach meeting with their wedding vendors. They now greet them with binders full of ideas from Pinterest, which is wonderful! It's always good to have an idea of what you want and to be inspired by what's online, but it becomes a challenge when certain things aren't actually feasible. As a wedding florist, I often see brides with ...
Highlight A Wedding Vendor – Photographer
Introducing Ilze Lucero I met Ilze Lucero at our Tuesday Meet over a year and half ago but I didn’t have the chance to work with her until my barn wedding-styled shoot. She’s the one that introduced me to Leanna, the barn owner in Clarkston where we had the successful yet massive Greek influenced wedding styled photoshoot. About IlzeIlze has a background in graphic design and creates wedding invitations available on Minted, Redbubble, and Zazzle. Notably, she has a passion and love for fresh flowers. Some of her specialties include senior, baby, and family pictures, but weddings are where we come together. My Go-To PhotographerDuring our first wedding-styled photoshoot, she went above and beyond to make sure every vendor ...
Styled Collaboration – The Barn in Clarkston
FINALLY I'm writing about this shoot, almost a year later. I’ve participated in a few styled photoshoots in 2018, some organized by me and others by someone else. However, they weren’t big enough for me and weren’t really making the impact I would have liked. I wanted something large and spectacular, something to challenge myself with. Then I Found The Barn in Clarkston When I met Leanna at a business meeting, I was immediately in love with her barn. She purchased the barn back in 2017 and was doing all the renovations herself. Leanna’s end goal was to make it a historical place where locals could hold farmer’s markets and wedding ceremonies. She was very excited when I shared my idea of my very first, big, wedding-styled ...
Highlight A Wedding Vendor – Makeup Artist
Introducing Rossa Alcantara Rossa Alcantara was the makeup artist that a dress vendor found during a purple and green wedding-styled shoot we worked on. (read the blog post about this shoot) I didn’t know much about her but she was such a sweetheart to work with that I was immediately drawn in. Her personality was charming and refreshing, so I liked having her on the team even before we got to see what she can do with a brush. Makeup That Makes You Stand Out Our second collaboration together was the Alpaca styled shoot which she did amazing hair and makeup for. The setting for the wedding was outdoors, and Rossa’s style shone through. The dark lips and curly hair of the bride highlighted the nature-style of the shoot without ...
Magazine Featured – Dexter Horse Farm
As a Floral Designer, I’m always seeking a challenge. I always learn from the experience and feel good about overcoming any hardships along the way. Completing a task has never been an issue for me, as I can always figure out a way to get the job done. However, figuring out what I REALLY want and how I like to do things is the hard part. Believe it or not, half of the time I don’t even know what I like or want from a project. And that’s why the challenge is so fun. It forces me to take a closer look and find out the answers for myself. Consider this example below... Wreaths, Weddings and Farms So, a few months back, I wanted to make a wreath for an animal, particularly a horse. I always thought it would be a cool idea and unique ...
Magazine Featured: The Treasury
Guess what!? We were featured in a magazine! It was such an incredible surprise and honor when I received an email from Wedding Day Magazine about being featured. If you’ve been on their page before, then you know that their site is filled with so much inspiration for any bride, so I was so very happy when they reached out regarding one of the pictures on the Design Quintessentials Instagram page. The picture was then presented on one of their special Friday introduction articles. Let Me Tell You More About It The picture selected was one of my styled wedding photos, with a gorgeous bride posing with a dazzling bouquet of flowers. The bouquet was mainly composed of a variety of white flowers, but we switched it up by weaving in ...
Featured Wedding: Jen & Chris
Real Wedding: Jen & Chris Bay Pointe Golf Course - West Bloomfield, Michigan | Photographer - Fairytale Productions Jen and Chris had an absolutely lovely wedding at the Bay Pointe Golf Course in West Bloomfield. I always remember the weddings I’ve worked in very fondly, but there’s something about the way I was introduced to this couple and their wedding that I’ll always remember. A Package Deal It’s safe to say I’m usually contacted by brides, or even the brides’ mothers, when it comes to booking a consultation and working a wedding. It’s not often I’m contacted by a gentleman, and definitely not the father-in-law. John reached out to me and booked the service without an initial consultation. Not only was the ...
Featured Wedding: Haley & Ben
Real Wedding: Haley & Ben Waldenwoods Resort - Hartland, Michigan | Photographer -Little Blue Bird Photography Haley and Ben’s wedding at Waldenwoods Resort was notably lovely. I’ve heard great things about the location many times before but never had the pleasure of working there until now. It was a great opportunity when they told me where the ceremony was being held, and I jumped on board as fast as I could. Who Doesn’t Love An Outdoors Wedding? I love setting up an outdoors ceremony, especially if it’s by a lake like this one was. The weather, thankfully, was beautiful for celebrating outside. That’s the challenge of deciding to do ceremonies in the outdoors well in advance. You have to plan everything a second ...
Featured Wedding: Ashley & Donte
Real Wedding: Ashley & Donte Charles H. Wright Museum - Detroit, Michigan | Photographer - Lume Photography In the wedding business, it’s very important to have reliable, skilled, and overall incredible vendors. It makes the process a whole lot easier and makes for an incredible outcome for the couple. In addition, great vendors make the planning process more fun. We get to work together to create the ultimate wedding day and challenge one another to step out of our comfort zone. I can honestly say that collaborating with other vendors is the highlight of my floral design job, which is why I talk about it so much. The beautiful weddings we create together always seem to surprise me, and Ashley’s baking skills are just ...
Floral Workshop in Sunny California
Part of being a professional is maintaining and keeping up our knowledge and skills. That being said, workshops are essential. They’re a great way to network as well as learn new tricks and tips. Workshops exist to challenge those who are already professionals by introducing new concepts and providing the chance for experimentation. They’re highly recommended for anyone who can attend, especially if you’re interested in breaking out of comfort zones. Creativity flourishes in workshop settings, allowing anyone to recreate the latest trends and styles with their own twist. For a professional, getting more practice and learning new things is an important part of keeping up with the market and challenging yourself. My Workshop ...
Featured Wedding: Erika & Eric
Real Wedding: Erika & Eric Pine Knob Mansion - Clarkston, Michigan | Photographer - Bre Thomas Photography Erika and Eric were lovely to work with. Even during the initial consultation, the couple was very outgoing and sweet. I simply couldn’t wait to begin to work with them! And Guess What Color Wins Again? Erika and Eric were going for a lavender purple wedding (purple was the color of the year after all!). There’s something very crisp and sweet about lavender that I knew would make for gorgeous details for the big day. The couple had also brainstormed and put together some ideas already, and I was eager to listen to what they had in mind and then take over from there with a few ideas of my own. Both of their ...
Styled Collaboration – The Treasury at Pontiac
There are just some things I countdown the days till I can post because I just can’t wait to share with you guys, and these photos are one of them. I took the amazing opportunity to organize and style a photoshoot at The Treasury in Pontiac. This venue is absolutely exquisite, and when I saw an ad about The Treasury getting booked for 2019 with an opening in April 2019 due to renovation and new ownership, I jumped on the chance. With an appointment, I was able to tour the venue with the amazing Ilze Lucero to get her opinion on the color theme we were going after. Deciding on the Color Scheme When I tell you that we were both simply floored with the detailing of the venue. If I had to choose one word for it I’d say exquisite. The ...
Magazine Featured – Alpaca Elopement Photoshoot
Everyone loves a good Alpaca moment, right? I was so excited when I met the wonderful and talented Chettara and found out she was planning an Alpaca elopement photoshoot. Why? Because she needed a florist! I didn’t have to be asked twice before I agreed to the gig with a huge yes. This was a distinctive opportunity that I’d never heard of before but I was definitely up for the opportunity. Alpacas on the job? C’mon, I couldn’t refuse! My New Furry Coworkers When I met my new fluffy coworkers, I was astounded to see that the Alpaca farm we were working on housed more than 60 Alpacas. Each one was microchipped and insured. Some Alpacas were worth over half a million dollars, just because of their fur! It was an incredibly unique ...
Featured Wedding: Crystal & Henry
Real Wedding: Crytal & Henry Tina’s Country House and Gardens - Macomb, Michigan | Photographer - Fairytale Productions Crystal and Henry’s wedding was a gorgeous affair held at Tina’s Country House and Gardens in Macomb, MI in September 2018. I always remember past weddings I’ve worked on very fondly, and this wedding and couple were no different. The Beautiful Color Theme Crystal and Henry chose a color theme of champagne and blush for their wedding. Two beautiful colors that complemented each other very well. The moment I learned about the colors I just knew they were going to pair beautifully for the big day! Planning It Out During our initial consultation, Crystal knew exactly what she liked and ...
Featured Wedding: Kali & Jordan
Real Wedding: Kali & Jordan Shed 3 Eastern Market - Detroit, Michigan | Photographer - Lindsey Fender Photography As I think back to October, I reminiscence on Kali and Jordan’s beautiful wedding. Kali found me through Wedding Wire and we started working together on the wedding of her dreams. The whole planning process was quick, and of course, turned out magnificent! Ditching The Traditional The wedding took place in Eastern Market, a gorgeous little district in Detroit, Michigan. I have to admit that before this wedding I’d never worked in Eastern Market, but there’s a first time for everything, and I was very excited at the chance to explore a new venue. In addition, Kali had one special request for her ...
Featured Wedding: Michele & Brandon
Real Wedding: Michele & Brandon The Inn at St. John - Plymouth, Michigan | Photography: Lighting with Love Michele and Brandon married at the Inn at St. John towards the end of last December. I love to look back at all the weddings I’ve worked over. I may be biased, but each wedding is special, and the couples I meet are truly lovely people! I still remember this wedding fondly. It was a marvelous experience for me to work with this wonderful couple and this amazing venue! Bringing Floral Design To The Inn at St. John I had never gotten the chance to work at the Inn at St. John before, so I was definitely grateful for the opportunity to work over this venue. Michele was actually referred to me by Olivia, another bride I ...
Wedding Color Schemes of 2019
Who doesn’t love a really good color scheme? I personally love a good wedding color scheme. The colors that couples select are quite literally the base for my work and is the starting point that allows me to help tell the soon-to-be married couples story! It just brings everything together and creates this feeling I can’t describe. But, you’re probably also wondering, what actually makes a good color scheme? Well, color popularity can vary depending on the couple and season. However, there can be some outside factors that can determine a color scheme as well. Each year I do my research in an attempt to predict what colors will be most popular for that year. Here are some of the wedding color schemes I’m predicting for ...
Featured Wedding: Olivia & Ryan
Real Wedding: Olivia & Ryan Marriott Inn - Dearborn, Michigan | Photographer - Lighting with Love Photography Grooms Take Charge, Too As you might imagine, it’s usually the brides that come to me regarding floral design, but sometimes I’m surprised when it’s the groom who reaches out to me. This was the case for Ryan and Olivia! Ryan was the one that found me through Wedding Wire. It’s always great to see a groom taking charge of the consultation like that and being involved during wedding planning. The groom’s involvement can help out immensely with the decision making process as well as to ease anxiety off of the bride. Having the groom involved beyond his initial and more traditional responsibilities can help tie the ...
Featured Wedding: Emily & Michael
Real Wedding: Emily & Michael The Woodland of Van Buren, Michigan | Photographer - Special Moments When I first met with Emily, she expressed to me that she isn’t afraid of color. She also mentioned that she loved the colors and hues associated with the fall. Emily envisioned making a big and bold statement for her woodland wedding theme, so white was out of the question. For me, it was great to know that Emily loves color. I was very excited to create a woodland theme for her wedding. Her wedding colors were a combination of burgundy, peach, crimson and dark orange, which isn't a common pairing. For Emily’s wedding, we did a combination of moss, ferns and a touch of flowers to create her centerpieces and decorations. I ...
Featured Wedding: Katy & Jason
Real Wedding: Katy & Jason Grosse Pointe Academy Chapel - Ceremony | Villa Penna - Reception | Photographer - Elite Entertainment Nothing can beat a dazzling landscape and a magnetic color scheme when it comes to weddings. I like to believe that these are two of the most important factors the soon-to-be newlyweds must decide on. Being able to work with beautiful colors and an amazing scenery is just two reasons why Katy and Jason’s wedding was such a memorable experience. Purple, Purple, EverywhereSt. Clair Shores provided a gorgeous background for Katy and Jason’s wedding. It seems that 2018 was meant to be the year of purple for Design Quintessentials, as we were working with a variety of purple hues. Pantone’s color of the ...
Featured Wedding: Christine & Jonathan
Real Wedding: Christine & Jonathan Livonia, Michigan | Photographer - Slipstream Photography Christine and Jonathan was undeniably my royal wedding of the year in 2018. Like many of my clients, Christine found me through Wedding Wire. During the consultation, Christine expressed to me that she wanted her wedding to be a relaxed and semi-formal event. She wanted everything to be done at her church, including the ceremony and reception. Instead of having a traditional dinner, she would be doing lunch. Christine also wanted her bridesmaids to wear navy blue lace dresses and she wanted her flowers to be pink and white. She loves peony, so it was only natural for her bouquet and garland for the guests’ table to include this. The ...
Highlight A Wedding Vendor – Cake
I love being a wedding professional! Not only do I get to create beautiful arrangements for blushing brides, but I also get to meet other amazing wedding professionals. Many of us go on to create exciting designs together, which is a truly rewarding experience. The Dulce Experience During a styled shoot some time ago, I met Ashley, who is the owner and phenomenal cake artist at The Dulce Experience. The first time I met Ashley she let me know up front that she's a little wild and crazy with some of her ideas. I thought to myself, wonderful! She's very straightforward and always willing to help, which is what I love about her. I'm glad that we were able to work together at the styled shoot because later on, we worked together on an ...
