april flowers.

A new change!

2011-08-20T15:13:00.000-07:00

Hello all! A quick note to let you know we have a new website and thus a new and improved blog! Please check out our new site by going here www.aprilflowersslo.com or our new blog by going here www.aprilflowersslo.com/blog. Thanks for stopping by and please enjoy our new online digs!

Monday cutie: a lovely feature on Style Me Pretty!

2011-08-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of creating the personal flowers for this beautiful couple for their gorgeous wedding at Lago Giuseppe. I am in awe of the photos taken by 3 Nails Photography as well as all the rustic yet classy details the bride put into the wedding! For the full post on Style Me Pretty click here!

Monday cutie: Kari+Matt and the sweetest white dahlias I've ever seen!

2011-07-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! Today's cutie comes from Kari+Matt's wedding at Tiber Canyon Olive Ranch. Their blooms included shades of blush pink and cream with grey accents. There's something about this palette that really does it for me - it's so soft and sweet. We used blush pink peonies, lizzy and ranunculus accented by cream ranunculus, scabiosa, and the most beautiful white honeycomb dahlias I have ever seen. Congrats to Kari+Matt and thank you to Sarah Kathleen Photography for sharing some images with us!

Monday cutie: a weekend off in the summer? Whaaaaat?

2011-07-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! It has been too long since my last post and I have no excuses for you! With a wonderfully busy wedding season, 4th of July, and a great weekend away I've just been a down right slacker! Well...I'm back and this week I'm sharing a little fun getaway weekend with you. My friend April (yes..I know it's confusing to add another April in the mix) is getting married at Stillwaters Winery in late August and the girls and I took this past weekend off to celebrate her upcoming nuptials. We whisked her away to Los Olivos and had the BEST weekend I think we all could have asked for! We rented the cutest house in downtown Los Olivos and enjoyed every minute of our visit. We tasted some wine from Saarloos & Sons and delicious cupcakes from Enjoy Cupcakes then we visited Mattei's Tavern for dinner and got our groove on at Mavericks Saloon in Santa Ynez! It was such a fun weekend filled with laughter and good memories. Here are a few shots from the weekend! Next week I'll be back with some flowery goodness!

The bride to be!

Don't ask! Maegs loves Christmas! Haha!

Monday cutie on a Tuesday: a lovely GWS feature with AH-mazing artists!

2011-06-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Where do the days go?? Monday was lost with a great day spent with my husband so here we are on Tuesday. So excited to share this post with you today. We had the pleasure of teaming up with some amazingly talented people for a photo shoot highlighting Lisa Leonard's amazing handcrafted designs. Lisa Leonard's personal creations are perfect for bridesmaids gifts and such, Cameron Ingalls photos make me swoon as usual, Enjoy Cupcakes made our mouths water, Jessi Skipton gave some glam to our models already beautiful faces and Flying Caballos provided the gorgeous backdrop. "True Love Always Wins" was our inspiration with a kick of some sexy equestrian! Ranunculus, freesia, viburnum, tulips and dusty miller complimented everything just right...at least I think! Please enjoy a full feature on Green Wedding Shoes by clicking here!

Monday cutie: Kate+Bill and an accomplishment!

2011-06-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hello all and happiest of Mondays to you! I have a little treat to share today.....Kate+Bill were married at Spyglass Inn a short while back and it was truly a pleasure to work with such classy folks. Kate choose deep burgundy, pinks, creams and fuchsias for her beach fete and I think the colors just pop off the page. We used anemones, hydrangeas, mokara orchids, cymbidium orchids, roses, ranunculus, dahlias and dendrobiums to pull it all together. I am most proud of her luscious cascading bouquet. I had never made one before (not a style often requested by my clients) and it was really a "learn as you go" kinda thing. My dear friend Sarah came along with me to set things up and we were able to stay after setting up, with a mid-afternoon nip and watch the wedding take place from the restaurant patio. It was a beautiful ceremony! Congrats Kate+Bill! Thanks to Sophie with Mike Larsen Inc. for sharing some pretty pics with us!

Monday cutie: Jen+Mike+flower doggies and a feature on Grey Likes Weddings

2011-06-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

So excited to share this sweet wedding with you all today. Jen+Mike and their doggies Brown Pants+Fergie make the cutest little family. It was fantastic working with Jen - her laid back and trusting personality made my job so much fun! Their wedding was at Santa Margarita Ranch on a beautiful (but warm day) in May. We used lilac, viburnun, garden roses, succulents, lavender, hyacinth, ranunculus and other pretties to pull it all together! Cameron Ingalls captured some stunning images and graciously shared some with us! Grey Likes Weddings also gave Jen+Mike a front page feature on their blog - FUN! See the full post here.

Monday cutie: another early blog and a sneak peak!

2011-06-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peak of some GREAT stuff that will be featured soon on the blog! Can't wait to share it all with you!

Monday cutie: Missy+Chad and a feature on 100 layer cake!

2011-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a super special sweetie for you! Missy+Chad were married at HammerSky Vineyards in Paso in late April. The day was gorgeous and perfect in every single way. Jill Thomas captured some lovely photos and Ashlyn+Heather over at Carter&Cook Event Co. handled the details flawlessly. Missy+Chad's wedding was picked up for a feature on 100 Layer Cake - it's not hard to imagine why is it? See the full feature here.

Sweetest ever.

Monday cutie...er...Saturday cutie. Ya baby!

2011-05-14T23:06:00.000-07:00

A little time off is in the works (yes please!) with Josh and our vintage trailer "Breezy". I'm signing out for the week but didn't want to neglect the blog. So...here are some of my favorites from our family shoot with Ken Kienow. Ken's an awesome guy and takes amazing photos. See for your self and then call him to take some of you! :)

Monday cutie: Style Me Pretty Feature, weddings and Mama's day

2011-05-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

Hello! What a busy few days it has been! A lovely Friday wedding at Santa Margarita Ranch, then a classy fete at the Cliffs Resort on Saturday and Mother's day on Sunday! Whew! Now it's time to get back to e-mails, contracts, flower orders and such. I was super excited to find a little gem in my mailbox today that said Heather+Kurt's wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty this week! Fun! See the full post here. Here's a little snippet from the post.

Here are some sneak peaks at the lovelies we created this weekend for wedding clients. On the left is Jen's bouquet and on the right is Debra's centerpieces. Yum! Can't wait to see the photos from their gorgeous days.

Lastly, here's a shot of my and my mama. I hate that I don't ever get to spend mother's day with her. She is the very best and I couldn't imagine life without her. AND.....Happy 1st birthday to my sweet little niece Julia!

Monday cutie: pink cuties travel from SLO to Turlock!

2011-05-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

I love it when our flowers travel far and wide from their happy home in SLO to the happy hearts of people in love. So far our flowers have been designed and delivered, in SLO of course, but also Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Catalina Island, San Diego, Woodland (twice!), Idaho and now Turlock! These little pink cuties were created for Sarah+Taylor who were married at Pageo Lavender Farm in Turlock. I love the shot of the bouquet in the flowering branches - perfection. Thanks to Sam Potter for sharing some great images and to the darling Alana over at Love Me Simple for transporting the blooms and treating them with extra care even though she had a million things to do!

Monday cutie: husband of the year, mama love and a coconut cake

2011-04-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

This past week was pretty intense. It was so intense that I missed the 4/18 Monday cutie - not that anyone complained (except Sarah!). It was a busy busy week filled with lots of fun things, lots of work related things and lots of Easter-y things.

Fun = mom, Josh and I had our photos taken by the super awesome Ken Kienow (photos coming later), we cooked an Easter feast complete with homemade coconut cake that happened to be incredible and shopped till we dropped in downtown SLO.

Work = a 7am set-up in west paso for a morning wedding. This is where Josh wins husband of the year. He woke up with me at 5:30am, helped me load the van with blooms, took me to get some coffee and then hung strings of peonies in a huge oak tree using rocks and fishing line, then came back to SLO and did all the flower deliveries for the shop. I HEART HIM and couldn't do what I do without him. Work also included mom and I setting up a second wedding in the afternoon. The florals were perfect for the setting and the "love fence" was our favorite. Mom set up the centerpieces perfectly and it was so much fun to have her there working side-by-side with me. I think we make a pretty good team!

Easter = a perfect morning celebrating Jesus's resurrection at Calvary with a friend who is a friend I will have forever - I luuuurrrvvveee her! Then home to make a feast of yummy-ness for friends and family to enjoy. 1st try at making this coconut cake was a hit and a recipe I'll be filing away for use again in the future.

monday cutie: I am the worst graphic design client ever!

2011-04-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

Friends meet Jeremy+Ana Cristina. Jeremy does awesome graphic design via the 805 collective and Ana Cristina is just the sweetest little thing you've ever seen. Jeremy has been helping me as I stumble along the re-branding process for my business. I have been past deadline, indecisive and just completely putting my best type-A face on. Jeremy on the other hand has been patient, kind, helpful and encouraging. I was happy to give back and get decisive about the blooms for their happy day. Enjoy!

Love to Cameron Ingalls for sharing some of his AH-mazing photos!

Monday cutie: wedding chicks feature and new friends

2011-04-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's so awesome to follow up our feature in BRIDES magazine with a front page feature on The Wedding Chicks! Kelly over at True Bliss Photography (located in S. Cal) contacted me a couple weeks ago to see if I'd be willing to take part in their central coast inspiration shoot and I of course said yes! They asked me to create a lovely little set of blooms that was spring inspired and we came up with some little cuties for them. We included anemones, ranunculus, poppies, crespedia, cottage roses, dusty miller, freesias, calla lilies and succulents for a fun twist on spring! Thanks to the wonderful So Cal vendors involved and for including us in the set. Wedding Chicks loved the shoot and picked it up for a front page feature....see it HERE.

Monday cutie: Hot off the press...April Flowers has arrived!

2011-03-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Think back to a time that you accomplished a lofty goal that you had and, at one time, thought you'd never be able to cross your list. Do you remember the excitement of that moment, the happiness you felt, the people who congratulated you, the wonderful mood you were in that whole day (or that whole week!)...can you picture it? I can, I'm living it today. The new issue of Brides magazine was released today and I'm so excited that our flowers were featured throughout a 6 page spread from Meghan & David's adorable wedding. Right there in full color, in a nationally distributed magazine, for all to see are OUR flowers. I have seen April Flowers credited on blogs and websites but there's something about seeing it this way -- ink and paper. Something that can not be erased, changed or altered. Something that is timeless. I have worked so very hard these past 5 years and seeing my business in a magazine makes it all worth while. While showing our "director of deliveries" Jason the spread this morning, he looked at the article, looked at me, gave me a hug and said "April, you've arrived!". Jason summed it up - I feel like I've landed and planted my feet feet and made a name for myself. To some in this ridiculously talented industry their work may be featured all the time and to others it wouldn't matter -- to me this is HUGE..something I've always wanted. It's finally here and I kinda like it. I think I'll hang around for a while. :)

Many many thanks to Meghan & David for picking me and making it possible for me to achieve one of those big lofty goals in life. xo

Monday cutie: Nicole+Jeff, the girls, and boots!

2011-03-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Well, I'm back from vacation (try not to be too jealous) and ready to get back to monday cuties, consultations, e-mails and lots of pretty flowery things. Since I took the week off last week to fully enjoy my vacation, I have something very special for you this week. My dear friends Nicole+Jeff were married this past summer and I'm so glad to finally get the long awaited photos. Nicole and I have been friends for quite sometime and I love her fun spirited, hard working, always laughing and comforting personality. Nicole has a heart of gold and when I think about some of the most important people in my life she is one of them. As a thank you for creating all her blooms Nicole gifted me my first pair of authentic western earrings. She even wore a pair of my earrings for her something borrowed. Now, Nicole's a cowgirl...a real legitimate cowgirl...so where else would she marry her man than in a pasture? Yes, a pasture on the family ranch with a few upgraded additions of course. There were sunflowers (naturally), lots of purple (her favorite color), wildflowers (c'mon the wedding was in a pasture), boots, hay and lots of dancing. The evening was filled with so much love and good friends -- I think so often of how much fun the day was and I'm honored to have been a part of it. Thank you Nicole+Jeff for allowing me to be a part of this truly special day. Also, thanks to some super awesome vendors who brought the day together: DJ Bob with Phase 1 Entertainment, Jonnell+Niki over at Events Redefined for running things so smooth, Rib Line for making some delish dishes, and Jessica from Paper Sky for crafting some awesome invitations.

Photos by Bella Castle Photography

Monday cutie: Kim+Matt and a Style Me Pretty feature!

2011-03-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hello all and happy Monday! I've been so excited to share this post with you for a while now! It seems as though Style Me Pretty was just as excited about this wedding as I was and they gave it a front page feature on their uber-fabulous blog - see the full feature HERE! Meet Kim+Matt. Kim is just the sweetest and goes down in my book as one of my favorite people to have worked with. Her brilliant and heartfelt ideas combined with her sweet personality are a winning combo. It was so much fun to work with someone who had such great ideas but also wasn't afraid to let me throw my own ideas in the mix. With a super-star team of vendors like Pacific Harvest Catering, Ahlin Photography and Sealed with a Kiss Events the day was perfect. Thanks to Elisa at Ahlin Photography for sharing this lovely images with us and many many thanks to Kim+Matt for letting us play a small role in such a momentous day. Best to you always!

Like what you're seeing on our Monday cutie? Give me a shout out - I'd love to know who's reading!

Monday cutie: Emily+Steve

2011-02-28T13:08:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and happy Monday! Here's a little cutie for you of Emily+Steve's lovely day. They were married at the Santa Margarita Ranch and despite the rainy day everything turned out beautiful - largely in part to Alana over at Love Me Simple! Alana helped to get the day off without a hitch and ease Emily's rainy nerves. Thanks also to Samuel Potter for suppling us with some superb images from the day!

Monday cutie: sneak peak of some super yummy-ness

2011-02-21T18:15:00.000-08:00

Can I say that you just might have your socks knocked off when you see the full post from this lovely inspiration shoot we did with a super star team? Well, yes, I can and you will BUT you'll have to wait! For now here's a teaser. xo

Monday cutie: Sun Valley Idaho, a custom wedding dress and dear friends

2011-02-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! This week's Monday cutie coming at you on a Thursday....the shop was super busy making lots of Valentines happy and so I, sadly, had to neglect the monday cutie. Better late than never right? So...meet Danielle and Drew. Danielle and I first met working together at a local flower shop during our college years. We quickly struck up a friendship and so did our boyfriends (now hubby's)! We worked together for a couple of years and then when I started up my own flower shop Danielle came on board with April Flowers. She played an instrumental role in getting the shop off the ground by providing support, love and beautiful designs. She is someone who is highly organized and on her game which really helped me stay on task during the difficult adjustment into the life of a business owner! Shortly after Drew asked Danielle to be his wife (she of course said yes!) it was only fitting that she ask me to create the flowers for her wedding...there was only one catch....it was going to be in Sun Valley Idaho. We finally got all the details worked out and off to Sun Valley we went! Danielle loved the soft garden-ish pastels but also has a thing for tropicals so we blended the two for a rich display of color and romance. Be sure to take a second look at Danielle's one of a kind, hand made for her specifically, beautiful wedding dress - every girls dream right? Here's so shots from Kristin Cheatwood of the flowers and the beautiful day Josh and I were able to be a part of. Love, love, love to you two always.

Monday cutie: The Hames+Style Me Pretty, Valentine's day and a winner!

2011-02-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

Meet Sarah+Matt Hames. See Sarah in her gorgeous red dress....yes, a RED dress! I met Sarah @ Cal Poly and our type-a highly organized personalities struck us up a quick friendship. She and her handsome groom Matt are long time loves and I was over the top excited when she asked me to put together the blooms for their SLO wedding this past fall. Jonathan Roberts over at Bluephoto took some fabulous images of the day and I'm so happy to have been a part of it all. It was especially fun for me to create the flowers but then also stay for the party and celebrate their new journey. Flying Caballos was the perfect compliment to Sarah's red dress and all the details were just so perfectly them. Style Me Pretty thought so too! See the front page feature by clicking here!

On another happy note we have a winner of a special prezzie from April Flowers! My husband Josh was actually the closest guess but that just wouldn't be cool so.....the happy recipient of a lovely prezzie from April Flowers goes to Michelle Zulim! A super sweet client who took a chance on me when I was still so new to the industry. Congrats Michelle!

Monday cutie: Heather+Kurt featured on inspired by this

2011-01-31T21:36:00.000-08:00

Heather+Kurt are the cutest...so was their wedding. See the front page feature on inspired by this by clicking here. Muy gorgeous photos from Mike Larson and a beautiful backdrop provided by Flying Caballos Ranch!

Monday cutie: a french press, a photo shoot and a wholelatta happiness

2011-01-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

It was a perfect day yesterday. Waking up, creating some seriously beautiful flowers for a photo shoot and then meeting up with two of the sweetest people I know (see their pretty faces below) for a glass of wine. Let's just say I seriously enjoyed the 80 degree January day in SLO. I thought it would be difficult for all of the other days of the week to trump Sunday but as it turns out Monday, only 3 hours young and after a superb french press brew, is making sure to keep the good stuff coming!

Soooo.....
Cameron Ingalls is a ridiculously talented photographer and also happens to be a SUPER nice guy. I have admired his work for a while, even from the early days of photographs hanging in local coffee shops. Cameron's work is romantic, meaningful and every picture seems to tell a very sweet story. He also has a project called The Wedding Standard, a place for brides, vendors and interested people in the like to look for folks in the industry who are raising the bar. From The Wedding Standard Cameron says, "I want my brides to have the best of the best, the people that don't just work for a paycheck, but who work with a love for their craft and a passion for people. Artists interviewed here are those that don't settle for mediocrity in what they do, they see their business as a service and an art form". I hope you can understand the excitement I felt when Cameron asked if he could interview ME for The Wedding Standard! It's so awesome to be recognized by such a leader in the wedding industry but to also be grouped together with so many talented folks. I feel so humbled. So....without further ado check out the interview HERE!

*Cameron Ingalls, Inc.

Monday cutie: sneak peak Kim+Matt

2011-01-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

I'm so over the moon excited to share this wedding with you all...but...we'll have to wait! It's been a busy couple of weeks with new client meetings, proposals, inspiration boards and booking! Feeling so blessed already for 2011! For now, here's a sneak peak of Kim+Matt's awesome fete. Can't wait to share loads of images! Thanks to Elisa from Ahlin Photography for helping our blooms look their very best!

Monday cutie: Kate+Zac and a castle

2011-01-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

Kate and Zac were married at Eagle Castle Winery a short while. Not a real castle I know, but it's pretty close and you can have a glass of wine while you visit - what could be better? The wedding day was clear and the bright colors of orange, blue and green popped out against the clean backdrop at the Winery. Amy Bakes Cupcakes handled the sweets and Ken Kienow shot these super crisp images for me to share!

Monday cutie: Merit+Sam and some very sweet little banners

2011-01-03T15:45:00.000-08:00

Merit and Sam were married on a hilltop in West Paso Robles. It was warm and clear and the perfect sun light for some romantic late summer nuptials. I adore the use of little yellow banners to celebrate their first exit as Mr.&Mrs. What a sweet and inexpensive way to make a seemingly wide open space seem so full and happy. Hats off to Michele @ Forget Me Knot Event Planning for pulling it all together and of course many thanks to Allyson Magda for sharing some of the many fabulous images.

Monday cutie: a wedding season in review

2010-12-26T21:37:00.000-08:00

Super excited for what the 2011 wedding season holds but for now here's a few of our favorites from 2010. Many thanks to all the wonderful people we got to work for and with this past year - YOU ARE AWESOME! 2010 has truly been a tremendous year for April Flowers and we are stoked to be so busy already for next year. As we are rounding the corner and headed into 2011, I'm feeling so blessed for all that has happened and also so excited for what is to come. Cheers to all we have to look forward to in this coming year!

Monday Cutie: The orchid robber+Miranda and Jake revisited

2010-12-20T20:46:00.000-08:00

# 1. An orchid robber you ask? Yes, it's true. Someone stole an orchid from the shop this past week. Here's the story in case you didn't read it in the newspaper. Just kidding it wasn't in the paper...just making sure you were paying attention. So....I had prepared a beautiful cymbidium orchid to send out on delivery and set it in the back of the shop which we sometimes do because space is so limited. When our "Director of Deliveries", Jason, went to find it it had up and walked away from it's happy home. I was, to say the least, distraught at the notion of someone up and making off with a huge plant that wasn't meant for them to take. I called up my...ahem...connection in law enforcement and he quickly came to my aide and tried to track down the thief (they couldn't be that hard to find carrying a huge orchid plant right?). Well as he was driving the perimeter of the shopping center, alas, there it was cut up and left for dead. He continued to make some inquiries and discovered that an employee of a neighboring business had lifted the plant right out from under us. She wanted the blooms so she cut them off and left the plant for it was too large to carry onto the bus. The long story short is: she stole the plant, he found it, we got it back and she got fired. Thanks to that dashing man I know in a uniform for coming to my rescue and bringing the cymbidium back to it's rightful owner. I owe you one. Here's a photo he snapped with his phone when he first made the discovery.

#2. On a happier note a little treat arrived in my mailbox recently from Mirelle Carmichael. It was a sweetly wrapped disk of images from Miranda+Jake's wedding at the Flying Caballos Ranch back in October. You may remember reading a bit about their feature on the wedding chicks...if you don't go ahead and click here. I was happy to have the images all to myself to share so without further a-due please check them out below!

Monday cutie: Jen+Simon and a couch

2010-12-13T19:01:00.000-08:00

Jen, Simon and I had our flower consultation in my living room, on my couch, in our pj's with a cup of coffee in hand. So cozy and comfortable as Josh was making us breakfast in the kitchen. How did this come to be I know you are thinking to yourself? At the time Josh and I had a housemate, Brian, who rented out one of our rooms. His pals Jen+Simon happened to be getting married in Santa Barbara at the beautiful Bacara Resort and he introduced us. We hit it off (it was hard not to over such an awesome breakfast and coffee) and here are a few of the results of our collaboration. Thanks to Austin & Dara Photography for the fabulous shots and to CanaVP for creating such a moving video.

Wedding Preview: Simon and Jen 8.26.10 from Ben Potter & Drew Barefoot on Vimeo.

Monday cutie: Lauren+Matt and a long evening

2010-12-06T19:39:00.000-08:00

Hello friends. It has been a very long, but productive, evening of putting together proposal and inspirations for future clients. I'm excited to be happily working, meeting so many awesome new folks and getting inspired daily. For today I thought I'd treat you to a few images from Lauren+Matt's wedding and a little inspiration for a future wedding. Thanks to Sam Potter for sharing the images of Lauren+Matt's wedding.....see his work here!

Monday cutie: Christmas, pine, poinsettias and mason jars

2010-11-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

I'm so very excited to be in the flower shop this week! The Monday after Thanksgiving marks the start of our Christmastime favorites. The shop is filled with the smells of pine nettles, cedar, rosemary, peonies and brightened up by the colors of red poinsettias (making a comeback), variegated holly, red ilex berries and tulips of all colors. Can you tell I'm excited? I love this time of year...for the festive feeling in the air, the celebration of Christmas day, the cold boots and scarf weather and all the beautiful flowers that make their debuts during this season. I'm feeling re-inspired and falling in love with Christmastime all over again....

Monday cutie: centerpieces and a thanksgiving weekend wedding!

2010-11-21T19:28:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is here! I like Thanksgiving. I don't like Thanksgiving nearly as much as I do Christmas but I like it just enough. It's always a busy time at the shop helping folks pick out flowers for their dinner tables to compliment their delicious dishes. Or perhaps people are looking for a sweet something to take to friends or family who have graciously opened up their homes to them. Either way I enjoy the bustle and excitement that starts with Thanksgiving and lasts thru the new year. For me, Thanksgiving represents the very start of my favorite seasons of flowers...winter thru spring. I love that as soon as Thanksgiving day passes we are running full steam into Christmas and all the pine, winter berries, and amaryllis. Then we are on to ranunculus, hyacinth, anemones, tulips...my oh my. I love the colors, just about all cold weather flowers, cheerful and happy people, hot drinks during the middle of the day, boots and scarves...can't wait!

For now a quick glimpse as some fun Thanksgiving centerpieces and the inspiration board for our holiday weekend wedding! I'll be so busy saying goodbye to orange and yellow flowers this week that I posted this just a smidge early...hope you don't mind. Happy Thanksgiving friends. Be thankful and happy this week.

Dana+Dave's wedding featured on The Wedding Chicks!

2010-11-16T16:35:00.000-08:00

Happy to announce another feature on The Wedding Chicks! Dana+Dave's wedding at Holland Ranch was just perfect. Sweet and unpretentious this couple pulled out all the stops...delicious food, eclectic but classy blooms, awesome and comfortable venue with a talent behind the lens to boot! See the entire feature on The Wedding Chicks here!

Monday cutie!

2010-11-15T17:06:00.000-08:00

This week we are happy to let you know we have two features on the stylish Wedding Chicks blog. First up is Miranda+Jake. These two are really as sweet as can be and just so excited to be married. Their joy, happiness, love and affection was evident in my time spent with them prior to the wedding as well as the day it's self - just the way it should be. Check out the photos and feature on The Wedding chicks here and let them speak for themselves! Thanks to Mirelle Carmichael for sharing these images!

Monday cutie on a Wednesday!

2010-11-10T17:37:00.000-08:00

The time change has messed with my internal clock and everything seems to be running in fast forward since Sunday! I've neglected the Monday cutie long enough. With Thanksgiving right around the corner I'm dreaming up some fun table arrangements that will look just as good as the food you're serving! My inspirations this year are coming from the sweet but rich colors of figs and raspberries. Thanksgiving doesn't have to be all orange, gold and rust. Why not peach, eggplant, burgundy, golds and greens. It's simple, elegant and interesting enough to keep your guests talking about how fabulous your flowers were. Here's some images from around the web that got my wheels turning. Happy monday friends...on Wednesday!

Monday Cutie!

2010-11-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

A girl can get carried away online that's a fact. Maybe it's looking for flowery inspirations, things for around the house or a new pair of shoes, it's easy to let a few hours slip by without even realizing it. This was the case yesterday. I sat down at my computer to "work" at around 4pm and before I know it it's 8pm -how did this happen? Websites like Lonny Magazine, Etsy, The Wedding Chicks and Style Me Pretty make it super easy to get lost in an online world of beauty and wonder. Here's a few finds from my escapades yesterday that I LOVE! Happy Monday friends!

Etsy Store: Love Crush
*I also love that these are my and my husband initials!

Etsy Store:ddeforest

Etsy Store: indenyldesigns

Etsy Store: Bellasma

Etsy Store: Cozyblue

Monday cutie!

2010-10-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

So I'm pretty sure I'm one of the last people with an iphone to get a cool photo editor app. I discovered one a couple of days ago out of boredom and now I love to use it. Here's a few from my new adventures with the photo app.

1. my sweet corgi Jack

2. handy pocket guide that our client, Kim, created for her and Matt's guests

3. a peak at Dana's bouquet

Yum!

2010-10-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I can't stop day dreaming of flowers, colors, the fabulous weddings I get to be a small part of and my awesome clients. This little ditty of inspiration comes from my meeting with Whitney and Lucas. Excited for their wedding next year at the beautiful Dana Powers House.

Monday Cutie!

2010-10-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday friends!

#1) We are excited to announce that April Flowers is now a preferred vendor of Style Me Pretty - a fabulous blog covering all things wedding. We are so excited to be a part of the Style Me Pretty community. See our vendor profile here: April Flowers on Style Me Pretty.

and....
#2) October and November are proving to be full of inspiration, creativity and awesome weddings. Keep your eyes open for some fabulous bits of beautiful florals, fabulous couples and other awesome wedding vendors. For example this little gem from Mirelle Carmichael.

and...
#3) Have you seen/heard of Lonny Magazine? If not you need to check it out here: Lonny Mag.

Monday Cutie!

2010-10-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

So October is here and with it comes pumpkins, dry falling leaves, chilled afternoons, scarves, boots and hot tea during the middle of the day (except today's tea was iced because it was about 90 degrees!). I find myself getting anxious in the fall. Anxious for the arrival of winter and all my favorite flowers like viburnum, anemones, ranunculus, tulips and hyacinths. For now I'll have to enjoy the cute mini pumpkins, artichokes, liquid amber branches, chinese lanterns and an occasional anemone from time to time. What are your fall favorites?

Monday cutie!

2010-10-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

I was contacted recently by a potential client, Chelsea, who's friends flowers we did a while back! Chelsea wanted to schedule a consultation but wanted to wait until she and her love had decided on colors for the wedding. I wrote her back and said of course, that would be fine BUT why not schedule a consultation to go over colors with me?! I suggested that she use me as a great resource for what colors are coming into trend, will work well and be available in your season and look great with your venue! After all what better person to chat with than the person who will probably inject the most color at your wedding? I've been helping clients like Chelsea by creating inspiration boards - and not just for flowers. Inspiration boards that do just what their title describes....inspire. I've been so creatively inspired lately (thanks Mom for my new Lonny mag obsession!) by so many people and their talents! Happy Monday friends!

P.S. Leave a comment. How are you inspired?

Monday cutie!

2010-09-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a Monday cutie for you! Natalie and Matt are cute as a button...yes...as a button and shared an awesome day with family and friends a while back. This is a very special post because Alana Weaver, who is one of the shop girls, designed these flowers AND also put together all the sweet touches and coordination for Natalie and Matt. Find her at the flower shop if you're looking for a event designer/coordinator! Alana would also love it that I'm calling this post a Monday cutie! Happy Monday friends! Glad to share some images with you courtesy of Ryan Froese.

New! April Flowers is now a preferred vendor on The Wedding Chicks!

2010-09-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

So VERY happy to announce April Flowers has been invited by The Wedding Chicks to be a preferred florist for the San Luis Obispo area: see the listing here. What does this mean and why should you care? Well.....

For April Flowers it means our goals are being realized, our limits are being pushed and our work is being recognized! When you work in a creative climate (designers, artists, musicians, etc.) you do so because YOU love it and YOU stand behind it but you also do it because you hope that others will love and appreciate your work just as much as you do.

For our clients this means we are held to a different standard which makes us strive to be better and continue to grow looking for new, re-vamped, creative and unique ways to bring your vision to life!

For you, reading this right now, it means you support April Flowers and for that we heart you.

Yay! Happy Wednesday friends!

Tracey+Ross on Green Wedding Shoes!

2010-09-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

Check out the feature on Green Wedding Shoes of Tracey and Ross's lovely vintage bicycle wedding! SEE IT HERE!

Jen+Jake

2010-09-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Annemarie (see her blog here) for sharing this photos with us! My husband's cousin Jen was married to Jake on August 14th. These two were truly destined for each other and I'm stoked to be a part of their lives! Thanks for letting me create some floral goodness for you guys! Much love and many blessings!

Carolyn+Chris

2010-09-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to show you some love from Carolyn and Chris's wedding at Tiber Canyon Olive Ranch. These two wanted a sweet and simple day full of love and their closest family and friends. Carolyn made a stunning bride and Chris and their son Joaquin couldn't have looked more handsome. They infused the wedding with touches of Carolyn's Mexican heritage which included brightly colored paper flowers, a Dia de los Muertos bride and groom, and assorted chilli tins filled with brightly colored blooms. Amy Bakes Cupcakes provided they tasty and beautiful desserts and Joe Goger snapped the pics!

Danny+Soojung engagement!

2010-09-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Engagement flowers? Yes...engagement flowers. Danny lives in San Fran and called us up a couple weeks ago to discuss how he could propose to his girlfriend, Soojung, in a creative way with flowers. He knew he wanted the words written out in flower somehow and it had to be large and bold enough to make a statement. After Kelsey and I brainstormed some ideas this is what we came up with:

Josh and I delivered the proposal to Sycamore Mineral Resort, set it up and scattered rose petals all around. The happy ending is that Soojung said YES! Danny and Soojung visited the flower shop on Sunday (the day after) to say hello, take a picture in front of the flower shop and ask for some yummy dinner spots. Congrats to Soojung and Danny! Happy planning and thanks for letting us be involved in such a memorable day!

Jen+Simon video via the awesome house of CanaVP

2010-09-03T21:50:00.001-07:00

We had the pleasure of creating some pretties for Simon and Jen's wedding at the Bacara in Santa Barbara! Photos to come soon...for now enjoy the awesome video from the uber talented guys, Ben and Drew, over at CanaVP!

Wedding Preview: Simon and Jen 8.26.10 from Ben Potter & Drew Barefoot on Vimeo.

Vanessa+Tryg

2010-08-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

I have been so anxiously awaiting these photos to come in from Ma5en Photography because I couldn't wait to share. I heart these flowers - plain and simple - I love them. Vanessa and Tryg live in New York so we worked out all the details long distance. They had a clear vision for the day and I really think it came together beautifully. Thanks to Kelly Oshiro Events for putting together the pieces of this wonderful puzzle and to Bianchi winery for having such a fantastic setting for Vanessa and Tryg's wedding.

Hollie+Mike

2010-08-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hollie and Mike first came into the shop a long while back! They were planning their Avila Beach wedding from out of town and needed to get their vendors booked in the short trip they had planned. We met, it was great, they booked us and gave us the extreme pleasure of creating the floral beauties for their wedding! Special shout out to Christan Parreira for these awesome images. Don't you just love the romantic glow these photos have? I know you do so check out more of Christan's work here! Congrats Hollie and Mike!

The Wedding Chicks!

2010-08-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this feature on the wedding chicks of an inspiration shoot we did with some very awesome vendors! Many many thanks to Ken Kienow for the beautiful photos! Check it out here!

Vanessa+Chris

2010-08-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure how to even explain what a joy it was to work with Vanessa and Chris. From the beginning, during our first meeting at a little coffee shop, I could tell that Chris and Vanessa have that forever love that runs so deep. Their interactions, the way they glance at each other, how easily they laugh together are just a examples of why it was such an honor to work with these two. Many many thanks to the amazing Rachel and Rico with Studio Castillero for capturing the classic, vintage and amazing sparks that fly between these two. Gotta show some love to the Portola Inn for the beautiful backdrop and to CanaVP for bringing it all to life! Also, check out the feature on Green Wedding shoes here!

Amber+Sean. Featured on Style Me Pretty.

2010-07-12T17:15:00.000-07:00

Amber and Sean were married in May at the be-a-utiful Spanish Oaks Ranch in Santa Margarita. Amber put a lot of thought, careful and creative planning into this very personal and home-made wedding. The family style tables and cozy touches made it perfect! Her blooms were truly eclectic in containers of all shapes, sizes and colors along with cream ranunculus, green viburnum and yellow crespedia - oh how I miss the springtime blooms. It was so fun to work with Amber narrowing down the flowers, containers and style and the end product was just what she had envisioned. Ken Kienow, who is always on his game, snapped the images that enticed Style Me Pretty to feature Amber and Sean's wedding - see it here!

Jenny+Jeff

2010-07-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share some photos from Jenny and Jeff's beautiful day. They were married at a sweet little white chapel in Templeton and then celebrated with family and friends at Robin's in Cambria. It was evident from my first meeting with them that Jenny loved Jeff so deeply and the feeling was most certainly mutual. Here's some fantastic images from the super talented Colleen Rosenthal who has a way with catching special moments thru the lens of her camera. More images likely to follow another day - for now enjoy and Happy 4th of July! Happy Birthday USA!

Alissa+John

2010-06-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

Alissa and John were married just recently at a private residence in Templeton. They had a beautiful day filled with awesome weather, family and friends! Here are some shots from Ashley Machado who shared some great images with us!

Jessica+Jason

2010-05-31T00:58:00.000-07:00

I met Jessica about only a month before her wedding. Her mom, Jerri, and I had been in contact via e-mail and phone but we had not met face-to-face. When I met Jessica and Jerri in person I couldn't have asked for a better meeting! These two were fun, happy and ready to get plannin! We quickly drew up the details and the result of all their hard work was a beautiful day filled with an intimate group of their closest friends and family to celebrate Jessica and Jason's marriage. Thanks to Montana Dennis for sharing these great images. Check out his site here

Kelly+Nick

2010-05-12T21:56:00.000-07:00

Kelly and Nick were married May 1. The very awesome Jonathan @ Bluephoto has already, yes already, given me some of the fabulous images of the wedding. Kelly fits in that awesome group of clients that were so easy to work with! She was prepared and knew what she wanted which made my job so very easy. Congrats Kelly and Nick - happiness to you always.

Latest find...or re-find.

2010-05-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

I was cruising through my favorites file and stumbled upon this one for which I had completely forgotten! Taste Spotting is an awesome recipe catalog and the best thing about it is that it's a visual catalog - all the recipes are accompanied by pictures. I'm so visual so it helps to know if something looks good before I make it. While there are NO guarantees my version will look the same, it's nice to have some encouragement that it could. The other two very fun things I love about Taste Spotting is that the recipes are usually easy and quick AND they are generally recipes that don't require you to track down some crazy ingredient that can only be found at the market down the road, around the bend, past the sign.....well you get it. Happy cooking friends.

Morgan+Joel

2010-04-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that I love my job? Well I do and I especially love it when a fabulous couple like this comes my way. Meet Morgan+Joel. They were married on March 20th during an intimate ceremony at Ebbtide Park. I first learned about their wedding on March 16th - yes, 4 days before the wedding from Joel's brother Jeremy. *Side note: Jeremy is a crafty guy with an awesome company see it here! Jeremy called me wondering if we would be willing to create some beauties for his brother's wedding and I, of course, obliged. After a couple of phone chats with Morgan that night and only about 5 hours later we had our "look" all figured out. Morgan has such a sweet and genuine personality and made my job just so easy. She was trusting and willing to let me run with it which is always so fun for me. Cameron Ingalls is a dear friend of Joel's and had the honor of shooting the photos for their wedding and they came out spectacular! Morgan and Joel, may your marriage be so very richly blessed.

Tarah+Jason

2010-04-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

Tarah and Jason were married on March 23rd during an intimate family ceremony at the Cliffs Resort. Tarah had called us a few months prior about putting together the simple and colorful blooms for their ceremony and of course we were happy to make that happen. She had a clear direction of what she wanted so it made our job very easy! We had the pleasure of receiving some images from the so very talented Cameron Ingalls! Cameron is a fantastic photographer here on the Central Coast and we were so lucky to have had the chance to, finally!, work with him. Congratulations Tarah and Jason - many years of happiness to you both...

vintage + peacocks = love

2010-04-22T00:09:00.000-07:00

Vintage books, peonies, peacocks, old weathered wood, florals and peacocks are making me supremely happy at the moment. I love the mix of vintage, current and organic! I had the chance to do some creative brainstorming today with someone (more on that later) and it was so fun to think about what truly inspired me without any limitations. So much of my day is filled with listening to what others are inspired by and then turning it into something, which I love, but it was nice to wander around in my mind for things that make me happy. Perhaps tomorrow I will create an arrangement for myself!

Another thing that makes me happy is this very lovely, very vintage and very special picture of my grandparents. I love and miss them....

Shop Girl Bio's.

2010-04-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

I heart my shop girls. I hold them near and dear to me at all times. We have had some shop girls (and one guy) come and go throughout the past few years but there are the few who have stayed and dedicated so much of their time to making my business better. I thought it would be fun to introduce them to you and share with you how fabulous they are. First up: Kelsey.

Kelsey has worked with me since summer of 2007 and it has been such a joy sharing my days with her! She started work at April Flowers with some experience but soon developed a beautiful style that is all her own. Her design aesthetic, knowledge of flowers, willingness to learn, and awesome interactions with customers are all reasons why she's tops in my book. Besides being a fabulous employee in every sense of the word - she has become an even more fabulous friend. She has a heart of gold that is rare to find, a sense of humor that keeps me laughing for days, and a sensitive quality to her personality that always lets you know she cares. On a daily basis it can be so easy for me to feel overwhelmed with the day's demands. Kelsey always lets me know it's going to be okay with an encouraging note or visit and soon after I realize things will be ok after all. She makes sure we celebrate Boss's day at the shop, which seems silly, but it's a day that I'm encouraged by my staff and reminded of how much they care about me and how much they are invested in my business. As Kelsey faces some important decisions ahead (where to go for her final years of college) I wish her all the very best in the whole wide world. It is my hope and prayer that she is as richly blessed in her journey as richly as she has blessed mine.

Dana+Collie

2010-04-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

I give you Dana+Collie. There were married on March 13 and these beautiful shots were taken by Ken Kienow who is always so gracious to share. It was clear when I met these two that their wedding was going to be meaningful and beautiful in every sense of the word. I think it's pretty obvious from these photos that they are in love and will be for many many years to come. Congratulations Dana and Collie...many blessings to you - always.

3/50 Project

2010-03-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

As things go when one is falling into an online pit of blogs, pages, pictures and such - I happened across this site. The 3/50 project! The simple concept is this: Pick 3. Spend $50. Save your local economy.
In a few more words here's the run down...

*Pick 3 tried and true real small business that you would hate to see close it's doors. Be sure to pop in there this week or next, buy something, and let them know you're glad they are there.
*Next, spend $50 each month in locally owned businesses. If only half the employed population makes this commitment it could generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue for small businesses.

Isn't this an awesome concept? How many of you want to jump on the bandwagon and commit to this 3/50 concept for the rest of 2010? Think of all the money that will be put back into the local economy...maybe..just maybe this would turn things around. Be the difference!

Shannon + Cory

2010-02-18T15:17:00.000-08:00

This wedding was special to me for a few different reasons. 1. Shannon is a cousin of my soon to be cousin-in-law. I know that sounds crazy but it was really neat to be able to take care of far extended family! 2. Shannon and Cory are from San Diego, used me for flowers from SLO, and got married in Santa Barbara - I'm honored that someone would want my flowers even though they could use someone closer. 3. Shannon and I never met although we shared many a fun e-mail or phone call. She was so kind and easy going thru the whole planning process. She gave me some direction and then let me take the reigns! I'm so excited to finally meet her this summer at my cousin Nick's wedding to his fabulous fiance Corrie (oh and their wedding is in Catalina and we'll be doing those too!). Many blessings to Shannon and Cory for a forever and happy marriage. Special thanks to Amy with Vita-Bella Photography for sharing these beautiful images with us!

Fun furry fact for today!

2010-02-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Friends meet Fur. Fur meet friends. This has been a really fun flower for us to have in the shop! It has so much texture and a fun personality (yes flowers have personality or at least that's what I tell myself when I talk to them all day). Anyway, thought this would be a fun one to share. *Side note this is also a photo I took with my fabulous borrowed camera. I take pictures of everything...

New ambition!

2010-02-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

My photographer friend Jonathan Roberts gave me a lesson in taking pictures today. He also long-term lent me his old Nikon D70 from way back. With it I'm going to take pictures of everything and get better. He said if I get good enough he'll let me carry his bags when he shoots a wedding. Awesome! Here's some things I captured today: a canada dry bottle, my dogs, the trees and these two which I'm very fond of!

13 things your florist won't tell you...or will they?

2010-01-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

My husband hearts Reader's Digest (aka RD). When I woke up this morning there was an article on the kitchen counter he'd ripped out of the magazine titled "13 Things Your Florist Won't Tell You". As I read the article I was perplexed because literally all 13 things I tell my customers on an almost daily basis. So, I thought I'd put it out there for all to see - "13 Things April Flowers WILL Tell You".....

1. Please don't order flowers from ANYONE online. When you place an order online that company sends us the order and keeps $15-50 worth of your money as a convenience fee. Always call someone local. Actually just call me @ 805-541-8787.

2. Fridays and Saturdays ARE good days to ask for specials. We do want to turn over product to start fresh on Monday morning. P.S. At our shop we receive local and imported flowers 5 days a week.

3. RD said your florist won't tell you to "cut the stems at an angle and change the water at least ever other day. And use the floral preservative we give you". Every time someone leaves the shop they hear almost those exact words. A customer who follows those instructions has their flowers longer. This = happy customer. Happy customer = repeat customer.

4. Of course you need to wash out your vases with soap and water. Eeewww if you didn't.

5. I am always happy to tell you that just a couple drops of bleach added into the vase of water helps keep the bacteria down in your water which, in turn, keeps your flowers fresher longer. Those little preservative packets aren't cheap so I'd prefer if you'd use your own bleach anyway!

6. This one is a good one. RD says your florist won't tell you "To look closely at the bottom of the blossom on your rose. See how many petals have been removed. The more ripped petals you see, the older the rose is." Just don't sell old roses to begin with and you don't have to worry about someone checking to see how many petals have been pulled off.

7. Why on earth would I NOT tell you to bring back your old basic clear glass vases and I will recycle them. Bring them, I will recycle them and I will thank you for saving me some money!

8. Why wouldn't your florist tell you that fruit is the enemy - it really is. The ethylene gas is no good for flowers and turns them brown. I just told a customer that today about the rose petals he purchased.

9. Direct and hot sun will kill flowers - you don't need someone to tell you that but I will if you were to ask.

10. RD says your florist won't tell you to ask for a discount. Ask me...I dare you!

11. Okay, this is a good one for the upcoming Valentine's day (already? yes.). RD says your florist won't tell you "you can buy cheaper V-day roses at the gas station but they will die the next day because they've been cut for weeks." What business owner in their right mind would not share this information. It's all about education and quality. Educate your customers and offer a quality product it's a winning combo.

12. RD claims your florist won't tell you "Many flowers don't have scent since they are grown for long stems and lengthy vase life instead." I have nothing cleaver to say on this one except my customer are constantly commenting on how great the shop smells!

13. I will definitely tell my customers that I think Valentine's day is a "hallmark holiday" you should express your love year round. But hey it's the #1 profiting holiday so I don't mind if you only profess your love once a year. Go ahead - profess and profess big!

Melissa + Ryan.

2010-01-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

So I've blogged and facebooked the heck out of these two but I finally got the pics from the awesome Ken Kienow and I had to share more! Thanks Ken for capturing the beauty of my creations! For more pics go to Ken's page here or check out the mention on style me pretty!

A very happy Monday!

2010-01-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

Got an e-mail from the very wonderful real estate broker Cheryl Burcheri and couldn't resist sharing! Stuff life this reminds me that I'm going a great job!

"Dear April,

Just wanted to share with you how much I appreciate visiting your beautiful floral shop and ordering flowers for delivery to my friends and family.
Your customer service is impeccable and the flower arrangements are always so well designed and last for weeks. Thank you for all that you do in making sure my orders are so well cared for. I can always depend on you and your company for customer service that goes beyond any other floral business in our area.
Cheryl Burcheri
Real Estate Broker
http://www.cherylburcheri.com/"

Melissa and Ryan's wedding featured on Style Me Pretty

2010-01-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Sunday Greetings! Melissa and Ryan's rustic barn wedding featured on Style Me Pretty! The place - Dana Powers Barn in Nipomo, CA. The photographer - Ken Kienow. The food - Upper Crust Trattoria. The flowers - but of course us! Check it out here!

Lia+Brian update!

2010-01-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

And since I'm in the mood to update - here's some pictures from our friends at L&JNewville PhotographyDesign of Lia and Brian's wedding at the SLO Mission!

Kathryn+Ryan

2010-01-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

It has been too long since I posted anything to here. The only excuse I have is the worn out "the holiday are crazy"! Anyway, here's a little love from the day of Kathryn and Ryan's wedding at La Perla Del Mar Chapel. Photos courtesy of Shannon Moore Photography!

Karla+Patrick

2009-11-10T17:56:00.000-08:00

Karla and Patrick were married 10.10.09 at the SLO Mission. Karla is one of those people who had an always flickering sparkle in her eyes! She has been shopping at my shop for years now and came to me when she first was engaged with her ideas. Over time those ideas evolved and turned into her vision you see here. Thank you Karla for trusting us to make the vision come to reality and.....special thanks to Jen Rodriguez (formerly Jen Slot) for sharing these images with us. Although Jen and I have not personally met - just from my phone/e-mail communications with her I can tell she has that same sparkle in her eye!

The making of a succulent garden

2009-11-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

It's a succulent kind of day. I'm meeting with my friends Matt and Sarah tomorrow for a floral consultation. They are getting married next fall and LOVE succulents. Coincidentally an order came into the shop today for a succulent garden for delivery! I heart succulents. They are hearty, native, and only require a little bit of water. Here's some pics of the garden I made this afternoon...

Aimee+Alex

2009-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Aimee and Alex were married on Sept 19th @ Cypress Ridge! Cypress had a soft romantic feeling to it with the heavy fog and quietness. Aimee chose all sunflowers since these are Alex's favorite flower and I'm glad she did. The bright yellow of the sunflowers popped right off of the gray fog - any other flower or color would have been lost to the wind. Congrats to Aimee and Alex - may your marriage be richly blessed! Thanks to the talented David Pascolla for sharing some of his fabulous images!

Lia+Brian

2009-10-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Lia and Brian were married yesterday @ The Mission! Here's a sneak peak of the flowers we created for them. More pics to come soon!

Fall Centerpieces

2009-10-23T22:59:00.000-07:00

Had so much creative juice at the shop this weekend working on many different projects. Here's one that was particularly fun. Mini pumpkins, orchids, succulents, artichokes, sunflowers make up this fun table piece for a dinner party. Mum is not the word here @ April Flowers. We're using fresh and eclectic mixes to keep things well...interesting! Happy Fall!

Kellie+Paul

2009-10-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

Kellie and Paul were married a while back at Tiber Canyon Olive Ranch - one of my favorite places! Calm, cool and collected is how I would describe Kellie. Trying to hunt down more photos - stay tuned. Pictures by Jayson Mellom Photography.

Fun with Jonathan @ Bluephoto

2009-10-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

I needed a head shot and asked Jonathan @ Bluephoto if he'd be willing. He replied with can I come down to the shop @ 2pm today and I, of course, said great! He came over to the shop and we had a mini shoot right there in the shop. He got right into work mode and away we went...with a lot of fun along the way. Thanks for such a fun afternoon stint Jonathan! Here are some of my favs....

April Flowers gets noticed!

2009-10-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ken @ Ken Kienow Photography and Brooke & Raf for the awesome opportunity to create this bouquet! Snippet and Ink caught wind of the wedding details and featured it on their blog check it out here!

An alternative to mums

2009-10-05T20:31:00.001-07:00

I heart succulents. They have so much texture and personality. What a great alternative to a mum plant for fall. Rich greens, browns and eggplant tones offer up the warm colors we all love at this time of year. Succulents are also so resilient! A side story for you...My father-in-law has them growing like weeds in his yard. Last year I had him clip some and bring them up for me to use in a wedding. Not only did they look great after a days worth of travel but I planted the stubby stems that were left and a year later I have my own succulent garden. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

something fun from the shop

2009-09-26T22:57:00.000-07:00

So posting all the wedding pics are fun but that kind of leaves you hanging for bouquet photos from the shop eh? Well here's a few for now...

Brooke + Raf

2009-09-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

Pics taken by the awesome Ken Kienow

Alyson + Derek

2009-09-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

All pictures taken by Vita-Bella Photography.

Venue: Gainey Winery in Santa Ynez

Work in progress...

2009-09-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Friends, my blog is certainly a work in progress. I'm slowly getting the hang of it I think. I've moved onto blogspot rather than posting an internal blog on my website. Sadly, my old comments could not be transferred over...boo. So, feel free to comment again...yay! More (lots more) updates coming soon!

Ashley + Nathaniel

2009-09-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

Photos by AMS Photographics

Kari + Kyle

2009-09-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

Photos by the very fabulous Jen Slot Photography

Tracy + Craig

2009-09-16T20:33:00.001-07:00

Photos by A. Blake Photography