Califorina Floral Designer Archives

Beyond the Centerpiece: Unique Reception Decor Ideas

February 7, 2021

Tables aren’t the only place that could use a little bit of floral and decor love! Think beyond the centerpiece and add unique and unexpected details to elevate your event. From beautiful bars to chic lounge areas to divine dessert tables, we can make your floral dreams come true to take your celebration to the next level.

Stock the Bar

Photography by April & Co. and InMotion Pro

We are big fans of a bar for any event! Let yours stand out with arrangements and decor that will have your guests not only excited about what you are serving, but where. We love suspended florals, lush garlands, and flower-decked candelabras to make a big statement.

Pool Party

Especially with backyard bashes, you want to make sure you think about the decor of your entire space. That includes your pool! From wild floral arrangements to colorful balloons, there are tons of fun ways to accessorize your pool with whimsical floating decorations. This extra attention to detail is sure to wow your guests!

The best events are those that really focus on a great guest experience. Trying out these more unique reception decor ideas is sure to make your next event a flourishing success!

Flourishing Art 2021 Workshop Schedule

January 4, 2021

It is a new year and that brings a whole new set of workshops for you to brush up on your floral skills! Whether you are looking to make something beautiful for your home during the holidays or a gift for someone special, we have tons of classes all year round.

We are thrilled to share our 2021 workshop schedule with you. We have so much fun planned for the new year!

Valentine Wreath

January 28 12pm PT

Create something special for someone special at our Valentine wreath making class.

Hand Tied Bouquet

February 18 12pm PT

Looking to learn how to make the perfect bouquet? Join us for our hand tied bouquet making course.

Easter Planter

March 25 12pm PT

Check off your Easter decor early with our fresh flower planter class!

Corsage Handwork

April 15 12pm PT

Learn how to create beautiful corsages by hand in this fun workshop.

Mother’s Day Brunch Dozen Roses*

May 6 12pm PT

Join us for a special Mother’s Day brunch and roses workshop to celebrate you and loved ladies in your life.

*Please note that this workshop is $100 per person because a catered brunch will be provided with your ticket in studio.

Father’s Day Succulent Planter

June 17 12pm PT

Father’s Day is right around the corner! Join us to create something special for the all the dads out there.

Orchid Planter

July 15 12pm PT

Orchid lovers: this one’s for you! Don’t miss our orchid planter workshop this summer.

Tropical Arrangement

August 12 12pm PT

Celebrate the close of summer with our tropical arrangement workshop.

Fall Wreath

September 23 12pm PT

Bust out the pumpkin spice lattes and get ready for fall with our autumn wreath making class!

Pumpkin Centerpiece

October 28 12pm PT

Go chic instead of spooky with our fresh pumpkin centerpiece course.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

November 23 12pm PT

Have your Thanksgiving tablescape dreams come true at our fresh cornucopia centerpiece workshop.

Advent Wreath

November 29 12pm PT

Get ready for the holidays with our most popular workshop of the year, the Advent Wreath. Slots fill up quick so be sure to sign up fast!

With all workshops, you’ll have the option to join us virtually on Facebook Live or in-person. Each workshop includes all the materials needed, as well as light hor d’oeuvres and wine for in-person attendees. Please note that due to restrictions, in-person spots will be limited. If you would like to sign up for any of our workshops you can call us at 661-861-8600 or you can sign up on our website here!

Flourishing Art in the News: May Press Roundup

May 11, 2020

In the month of May, we focused on education for couples as they navigate the daunting task of rescheduling their wedding dates and planning during COVID-19. We also contributed to a few industry articles to help some of our creative friends find inspiration during this time, as well as how you can push your business forward after a setback.

In our first mention, we were thrilled to have our styled shoot at Sextant Winery in Trends Magazine. Reliving this stunning shoot has us ready to get back to Sextant to create some more magic! We can’t get enough of that adorable cottage, and the all-white floral combination is what spring dreams are made of!

Next up, we tackled the topic of how to handle virtual planning meetings with your floral designer on Brides. Like many others, we have had some of our consultation appointments via phone or video, but this is a whole new world of having all of our clients online.

During this time, we have all found ourselves looking for a little inspiration and something happy to lift our spirits. We were thrilled to be included in an article on Catersouce among other event industry professionals that are spreading the love. We were included with our delivery of over 150+ arrangements to area hospitals, nursing homes, and Alzheimer care centers and hospices. Others were included for online dance parties, to kids boxes for takeout, and an incredible interview with photographer Lara Woolfson who has recovered from Coronavirus.

As we entered April, Oleta shared her very personal story of how she rebuilt Flourishing Art after her diagnosis and recovery of breast cancer on Sage Wedding Pros. As most business owners are facing uncertain times, we hope that this article can help them as well.

Your Floral Timeline

January 10, 2020

Engagement season is upon us! For couples that are just starting to think about planning their wedding, we’ve got the intel on when and how you should start thinking about your florals.

When to Book

Don’t wait on choosing your florist! You’ll want to have them booked early on so that you can be sure you’re choosing a wedding date with flowers that are in season. The last thing you’ll want is to book your wedding for November when you’ve always dreamed of a bridal bouquet full of peonies, which already bloomed in the spring.

Photographer: Cecily Breeding Creative

When to Finalize

Everything should be set in stone by two weeks ahead of the wedding. Remember that centerpieces and other arrangements are simple to add, but you can’t put flowers back in the ground once they’ve been pulled.

Photographer: J. Michelle Photography

What to Bring

When finalizing your florals be sure that you also have the timeline set from your planner and photographer so that the florist can be sure the arrangements and bouquets are in the right place at the right time. Also, be sure you’ve included contact information for your planner and the venue to prevent issues with getting in to the space and getting everything set up.

A good rule of thumb is that it’s never too soon to book! The more time you give yourself and your vendors, the smoother your experience will (hopefully) be!

Flourishing Art in the News: November Podcast Roundup!

November 5, 2019

Fun fact: we love being a guest on wedding podcasts! And, we’re covering all the bases this month by highlighting two very different podcasts.

On Planner in Training, we’re speaking on how wedding planners can best communicate with other vendors during high-stress situations on the wedding day.

Then, we’re having a bit of fun on Bridechilla by helping couples bring their wedding vision board to life – even with countless platforms of inspiration online. Thank you to Planner in Training and Bridechilla for allowing us to be a part of your podcasts!

Planner in Training

As wedding and event professionals, one of the most important things we do is communicate! But, what happens when things don’t go as planned and that communication has to be with other vendors during stressful circumstances?

Oleta is sharing her personal experience that she and our team have encountered, and how we persevered to make this best of each situation. Access Oleta’s insight on the Planner in Training podcast by browsing here.

Bridechilla

With engagement season making its annual debut, we know how overwhelming it can be with today’s treasure trove of wedding inspiration. Thankfully, Oleta has partnered with Bridechilla in a wedding planning Q & A podcast to help you create the wedding mood board of your dreams!

From deciding what you like to budgeting and finding the right people to help you, we know newly engaged couples will find a lot of great takeaways from this podcast. Take a listen on Bridechilla’s website here.

Gilded Ballroom Retirement Fête

October 22, 2019

After 25 years of service, a retirement celebration for Bahram Ghaffari, the President of the Delano Regional Medical Center, is just what the doctor ordered!

Our goal was to design and choreograph an awe-filled event that epitomized opulent glamour with its décor, entertainment, white-glove service, and many other special touches.

When guests arrived at the Bakersfield Marriott, they were greeted by a parade of servers offering trays of wine while enjoying the tunes of an eccentric piano musician.

Once cocktail hour concluded, greeters simultaneously opened the ballroom doors to reveal the swanky, candlelit room. While the guests located their tables, under black crystal chandeliers while walking through the low-lying fog that swept across the room. Everyone’s attention then fell to the seamless black gloss dance floor, where two tango dancers floated across for the next round of entertainment.

The dining tables featured an abundance of gold accents, candlesticks, candles votives, and towering white floral candelabra centerpieces. Guests sat down to enjoy a delectable dinner that ended with “a flamed” baked Alaska presentation.

The evening was filled with heartfelt speeches from close friends and colleagues while a world-class Salsa band rounded out the evening’s entertainment. As expected, the evening ended with guests dancing the night away.

A big thank you to our amazing creative partners and their staff who helped make it a real success!

Vendors:

Planning, Production and Floral Design: Flourishing Art

Photographer: Fernando Oregel

Videographer: InMotion Pro

Venue: Bakersfield Marriott

Rentals: Walker-Lewis Rents and Revelry Event Designers

Music: Mento Bru

Rustic Countryside Destination Wedding: Lucy & Ben

July 16, 2019

As a couple that is by far one of the sweetest couples we have had the pleasure of working with, we are thrilled to share Lucy and Ben’s destination wedding in the UK at Clock Barn with you on the blog!

Located in the heart of the countryside, the seclusion of Clock Barn grants couples a venue unlike many things offered in the region. The beautiful exposed beams give an air of vintage OLD WORLD – fit for the couple craving a rustic wedding. For Lucy and Ben, they admired the endless options offered by the Clock Barn, and we took full advantage of its natural beauty when it came to the overall design. From the paper flags and table numbers to all of the day’s floral arrangements, we incorporate shades of white, champagne, and citron in countless of the details.

Many thanks to Hana Laurie Photography for allowing us to share these special moments, and congratulations to Lucy and Ben!

[Show slideshow]

Vendors:

Planner and Floral Designer: Flourishing Art

Photographer: Hana Laurie Photography

Venue: Clock Barn

Barn-Style Birthday Soiree

July 2, 2019

There are birthday celebrations, and then there is Barbara’s birthday celebration! Her soiree was outfitted in rose gold, lace, and mercury glass details that ooze eloquence in a barn venue setting. Did we mention that she gifted each of her sweet guests a box of champagne gummy bears? Oh, yes!

We were able to design the understated, graceful arrangements in the form of sherbet-colored ranunculus, blue sea holly, daring white rose, and silky Dusty Miller. Our entire team cannot tell you enough how much we adore textured colonial blue and lace linens at the dining table paired with the life-like bloom-filled linens that cascaded the seating outside of All Seated in a Barn. Could this be the ultimate #BirthdayGoals? We think so!

Thank you to April & Co. Photography for sharing these ultra-fun photos with us!