The Language of Flowers

Just about everyone has at one time or another, given flowers as a way of expressing a sentiment: "I love you." "Forgive me." "Congratulations!" "Happy Birthday!" "Happy Anniversary!" "I'm sorry for your loss"...

But did you know that individual flowers each have their own meaning,
many dating back to Victorian era?

The beautifully fragrant Lilac, a bush not easily grown here in the South, stands for humility.

The true flower of the South, the magnificent Magnolia, stands for Love of Nature,
the heavy scent is almost too much to bear.

Sunflower: haughtiness-really? Sunflowers are very nearly the national spokesperson for sunshine and happiness. They also stand for devotion, which certainly explains why so many brides are asking for sunflowers these days!

The Carnation, that flower everyone loves to hate-oddly enough stands for Woman's Love.
It is the bane of every florist, and suffers from a poor reputation. But really, what other flower has this combination of range of color, long life, spicy fragrance, and a budget-conscious price?

Lily of the Valley, meaning Return of Happiness.
That description certainly suits this scented sweetie,
returning every spring no matter how cold the winter or how much snow has fallen.

Tulip: stands for fame.
How appropriate, given the lengths that 18th century Europeans went to
secure even one bulb of tulip!

Rose: Love, passion. The Latin name Rosa means "red".
Different colors have their own varying meanings such as white for friendship, yellow for joy,
and light pink for beauty, to name just a few.


Bloomers and flowers: a true match!
910-815-8585

Over-The-Top Weddings

Expensive celebrity weddings are nothing new. But perhaps you'd be surprised to know just HOW expensive some have been. The average American couple will spend approximately $28,000 for their wedding. Let's see what a million-dollar wedding "budget" will get you:

Paul McCartney and Heather Mills: $3 million
Paul and Heather were married at the 1000 acre Castle Leslie in Ireland. Heather came down the aisle to a song that Paul had written just for her, and she clutched a bouquet of 11 "McCartney" roses. Two 40-ft refrigerated trailers were needed to transport the thousands of flowers, brought from Holland specifically for this event. Fireworks entertained their guests late into the night, who had no reason to fear for their safety thanks to a 100-man security unit.

Liza Minelli and David Gest: $3.5 million
For this, her fourth wedding, Liza wore an Edwardian-style lace dress
designed by the celebrated Hollywood designer Bob Mackie. Her walk down the aisle was highlighted by Natalie Cole singing "Unforgettable".
Her all-star guests were treated to a 12 tier wedding cake,
and danced to a 60 piece orchestra.
Michael Jackson was David's best man, with Liz Taylor as maid of honor.

Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar: $2.5 million
This lavish celebration lasted 8 days, entertaining over 300 guests in the medieval Sudeley castle in Gloustershire, England. Elizabeth carried only a tiny bouquet of Lily of the Valley.
Days later, a second Hindu ceremony was held in India to celebrate the groom's heritage.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes: $2 million
Tom and Katie chose a 15th century castle outside Rome for their extravagant nuptials in 2006. Katie wore a Georgio Armani gown custom-designed for her.
Armani also designed Katie's bouquet of Calla Lilies and Steelgrass.
Guests were treated to a 5 tiered chocolate wedding cake, while being serenaded by none other than Andrea Bocelli.

Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky: $2 million
For her 8th wedding in 1991, Elizabeth wore a lacy yellow Valentino gown,
valued at $25,000, which was gifted to her by the designer.
The event was held at Michael Jackson's 2700-acre Neverland Ranch in California.

Donald Trump and Melania Knauss: $1 million
There's no need to book a venue when you own a Florida estate named Mar-A-Largo, including a 17,000 square foot ballroom! "The Donald"s wedding was organized by celebrity event planner Preston Bailey. Billy Joel provided the musical entertainment. Famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten delighted guests with his menu. Melania wore a custom Christian Dior gown comprised of 300 feet of satin and 1500 crystals, with a 13 foot train,
featured in a lavish spread in Vogue magazine.
Interestingly, she carried only 3 tiny white roses.


Whether you are planning a small wedding for just friends, or an all-out bash,
Bloomers can help bring your vision to life!
Call for your free consultation: 910-815-8585.

Deconstruct a Bunch

At Bloomers, we often run Build-A-Bunch specials where customers may select their own flowers to take home. But what happens once those flowers arrive home?

Deconstruct!

First, think outside the box, er, vase.
Look around your house for unusual containers; things that you may not necessarily associate with flowers. Think pitchers, tea cups, mixing bowls, mason jars, even assorted pretty tins...

Lay all your flowers out on a table, then break them up.
For instance, if you have one tall stem, place that one into a tall, thin container by itself.
Suddenly, it will take on more importance.

Full headed blooms, such as carnations and roses look great grouped tightly together.
Try a tea cup, or a pretty glass.
This is a great way to use an item you love that may have a chip or crack in it.

The most gorgeous bloom? Float it in a gorgeous bowl.

Mums are the workhorses of the flower bunch.
Group them together using similar containers in varying colors.
You've just turned them into instant stars!

If you've picked up fall color flowers, a baby pumpkin is the perfect container!

Or hide a plain-jane glass vase behind a wall of veggies, like this asparagus!

Need more ideas? Call Bloomers anytime! 910-815-8585