Wedding Bay Area + Flowers = Gypsy''s needed!

[mia1181]

Hey Gypsy, I know you are in high-demand

, but I was wondering if I can get your opinion on something.

Pretty Please?

So from my other post about keeping warm after my elopement, I am deducing that you are from the Bay Area? And you know a thing or two about flowers?

Well, for my elopement I want to carry a simple bouquet. I was thinking small, like a bridesmaid bouquet and white roses with subtle pink (roses or not) and maybe a couple caililies (I know I butchered the spelling). Could you recommend a Bay Area florist that would do a nice bouquet for me for good price? Or do you think that it would be something I could do myself?

*Oh and obviously, non-gypsy opinions are wanted also!

 

[Gypsy]

HI Mia, yes I live in the bay area. I would be happy to help you.

Let me look around for pics, I know I have something. What''s the season and the budget? I know its fairly soon and summery but details would be lovely. Here is a pic of pale apricot callas and peonies (close up)-- pale pink callas would be a lovely substitute. It would be lovely to do some white peonies, small white spray roses and pale pink callas. And handtied, with a lovely ribbon.

Only problem with florists is that some will have wedding ''minimums'' of like 2K or something ... some have ''only one wedding per day'' clauses in their other contracts. I interviewed 3 incredible florists, and chose mine from them... but they all work from home and none of them are in the city proper. I would be happy to ask mine if she could do a bouquet for you... but she''s in Walnut Creek, and to keep things affordable you''d want to pick up from her.

And where for a BM sized smaller bouquet they might have charged you 70 ish... if there are doing one stand alone piece, they might charge you more.

SO what I''m saying is... if you have any skill or inclination, you might want to consider DIY. Callas need to be kept in water after a few hours so you''re going to want a handtied with the stems open at the bottom, so you can set them in water after a while (like at the restaurant).

Where exactly in the city are you going to be? I can see if anyone recommends a florist in the city who would be willing to do a single lovely handtie for you at a reasonable cost.

 

[mia1181]

Yay! Thanks for your help!

I live on the peninsula, but I could drive to Walnut Creek to pick up a bouquet (my FI loves Walnut Creek!). The only problem would be I have to work the days leading up to my elopement. How far in advance can a bouquet be made before it starts to wilt?

We will be getting married at city hall so I could pick it up in the city before my ceremony which I''m hoping will be at noon. I just know where to find a florist in the city.

But wow, $70+? I was hoping for 50ish! Maybe I need to seriously think about DIYing it! I could keep it very simple, and practice, but I''m wondering if it would cost the same in the end since I''d have to buy flowers to practice with. What do you think? I have read a few articles on DIYing and saw a how to video on youtube. It seems like it may be possible as long as I keep it simple.

Our (almost confirmed) date is 9/9 are callas in season?

Oh and I like very clean looking flowers, no leaves or carnation looking flowers. I really like this bouquet, but obviously a lot smaller.

 

[mia1181]

Oh and I like this too. Hmmm... maybe just all callas? I didn''t even know they came in pink until you mentioned it! I would like pink and white callas mixed, I think.

 

[Gypsy]

UGH! That first the one I was trying to download for you yesterday from Project Wedding and I couldn't! I am so glad you found it! It screamed Mia to me.

As for DIY... I buy flowers almost every week. I go to trader joes and just pick up a handful whatever looks good. So for me, it wouldn't be a big deal to buy some flowers and try out a bouquet and I wouldn't count it toward my bottom line. Trader Joes has mini callas right now, and you can always get some roses somewhere... Costco, safeway. But if you aren't a flower person, then yes, this could all add to your bottom line. The other problem is that you would need to somehow make sure you have the right mini callas for your wedding. Easiests way to is call a local florist and place an order for 8 light pink mini callas for a day or two before. They can be refrigerated for a couple of days. And you can get 8 roses too from that florist on order. But it might be worth it to call around and see what they qoute you. Tell them you want a small "POSY" handtie bouquet with about 7-8 light pink mini callas and about the same number of light pink roses in it with a nice wide ribbon (that you can drop off for them, since they'll charge you a bunch for that). A couple of pearl head pins and you are set.

If you want to keep costs down, I'd add in the roses. Mini callas are pricey suckers.

 

[Gypsy]

Something about this size would be good. (I know you don''t like the greens and berries) it''s just for size.

 

[mia1181]

Haha! That''s funny you saw the same bouquet! I have a hard time copying pictures from them too. To get this one I right-clicked on it and clicked "save background." I thinkit''s my favorite so far!

Okay, I am definitely thinking I want to DIY it! Nothing wrong with having a bunch of flowers around the house to practice with! I''ll check out Trader Joes, Costco and Safeway. Are the prices at these places generally better than a florist for just the flowers?

Thinks for the tip on mini calla prices... I thought the roses would be more expensive.

So your thinking about 8 roses and 8 mini callas would be the size I am looking for?

And yep, the picture you posted looks like the perfect size for me. Thanks So Much For Your Help!!!

 

[Gypsy]

Depends on the size of the roses. I don''t like trader joes roses. Safeway and costco are better for roses. Pick roses with the.. um green parts outside the bud part (have NO idea what it''s called) are UP, and squeeze the buds slightly to make sure they are firm. If the green parts are down and the bud is soft... its a dead flower that will flop over in no time.

Trader Joes rocks for callas though. So does costco when they have them (and peonies too!). Only problem is they probably won''t be able to get them in for your wedding in terms of a special order-- but I have HEARD that safeway DOES do weddings actually, and that they will order in specific flowers for you (no idea if there is a minimum order though, but worth the quick call!).

I would experiment with number of roses and callas. It will depend on the roses you get too, and what size they are.. light pink roses can be nice and large to kinda small. But I would start at about 6-10 of each. So about 8 of each is right smack dab in the center of that. That''s why I picked that number... post pics Mia.

Also did you know we are having a Bay Area GTG next week? On Saturday at Palo Alto? If you come down (I don''t know what you are doing) it would be a blast! The thread about it is the Hangout.

 

[mia1181]

Okay I went to Trader Joes today and boy were you right about their callas! They were lovely! The roses weren''t great though so I''ll have to look around for some. There''s a costco on the way home from work, so I''ll check there first. So hopefully, I''ll be able to try my first one tonight (I''ll post pictures!).

Thanks for the tip about the "green parts" on the roses. I know exactly what you are talking about.

Also, thanks for the invite to the GTG. I may have to work that day. But I''d love to go. I''ll post over in hangout.

 

[Gypsy]

Yeah. I love their callas. I get tempted whenever they have them. Those and thier peonies are hard for me to say no to. I''m glad you liked them. I look forward to pics. And I''m glad you understood what I meant about the green parts on the roses. LOL.

If you can make it to the GTG, it would be lovely to meet you. If you can''t... well, maybe some other time!

 

[mia1181]

Well.... no pictures.. I had a hard time with it. Well actually I think I made a cute bouquet, but then I would start adjusting. I am too anal about it so I wanted the colors to be perfectly dispersed throughout the bouquet. I kept rearranging over and over again and I realized I probably would never be happy with it.

But....

I did realize I LOVE calla lilies! So I think I will do my own bouquet of mini callas and call it a day!

Thanks for all your help Gypsy! And I''m pretty sure I''ll be able to make it to the GTG Saturday, but I''ll know for sure tomorrow.

 

[Gypsy]

I really am off to bed. Must go.

But first, I just wanted to post that... that is EXACTLY why I am not doing my own bouquet. I am SUCH a fiddler! I do an arrangement or even just a simple vase of flowers and everytime I walk by them.. fiddle. I would drive myself batty, I think if I did my bouquet.

I'm so happy you love the callas. They are just beautiful and elegant, and I think they will really suit your wedding! I can't wait for your pics of your wedding day!

I'm so happy you may make it to the GTG! No worries about what we do, okay? Amber was right. Mainly we set up 'checkpoints' like a couple of set timed activities (like one bling store and one restuarant) so that those who want to do only a short thing, and pop in and out, can find us. But beyond that... last time we spent a while in Louis Vitton and Ferragamo looking at purses... just talking over a lovely lunch, and of course... looking at bling and making stores (ones with good humor) chuckle at PSers huddled tightly around rocks and talking excitedly. It's very relaxed. The one I went to before that had no purse shopping, but had other events. It's all good. And don't worry, NO ONE bites. Or is unfriendly... and no one cares if you've got a .10 carat diamond or a 7 carat honker... they all get oggled, passed around, photographed. Wear what ever you want, bring whatever you want, do whatever you want. It's fun.