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GRACE FLORA JOURNAL

An inside look at creating something beautiful

Beautiful, Country Estate for the Perfect Wedding Venue

1/17/2024

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The Lyman Estate - Why Your Wedding Should Be Here

bride groom estate wedding waltham bouquet
All photos by Nicole Joy Fanel Photography
I recently had the honor of being the florist for K&R at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, MA. This was my first estate wedding and I immediately fell in love. For starters, it is nestled in my hometown, Waltham, MA and second, the architecture and grounds speak for itself (if you don't believe me, Little Women was filmed here!). 
Lyman estate waltham ma wedding venue

Architecture that Gives your Venue an Extra Edge

If architecture is important to you, it is a National Historic Landmark and one of the finest U.S. examples of a country estate following 18th century English naturalistic design. It was built in 1793 commissioned by Theodore Lyman to design and build a federal style house for his family.

​Even if you don't care that much about architecture, anyone can appreciate the detailing and style of the staircase and Palladian window (bottom right image) as well as the library (bottom left image). 
bridal bouquet soft flowers
groom library estate wedding venue
bride getting ready estate wedding bouquet

The Grounds

bride walking down aisle outdoor garden wedding estate Boston
bride groom wedding couple happy
bridal bouquet natural organic soft waltham Boston ma wedding
If you are getting married in the Summer, you can really benefit from the natural beauty at the Lyman Estate. The Peach Wall Garden is this 400ft wall that separates the formal garden from the woods outside the property and makes for an awesome backdrop! 
bridesmaids bouquet flowers soft peach
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Something that makes the Lyman Estate so fun are the greenhouses! I loved the photos here and how it adds something different and special to your typical wedding venue.
greenhouse wedding couple Lyman estate waltham ma
greenhouse wedding couple Lyman estate waltham ma

Whimsical, Backyard Summer, Romantic Flowers

K&R wanted flowers that were light, airy, white, cream white a pop of peach and toffee. Cannot describe how much I love K's bouquet. I used Juliet Garden Rose, Icelandic Poppy, Lisianthus, and Butterfly Ranunculus as the main features of her bouquet. 
bridal bouquet natural organic soft waltham Boston ma wedding
bridal bouquet natural organic soft waltham Boston ma wedding

Minimal but Elegant, Mixed Reception Centerpiece

K&R wanted a combination of different centerpieces using a traditional compote vase as well as bud vases. I've noticed this trend becoming more popular and it's a great way to be more cost effective and had variation while keeping things cohesive. 
outdoor wedding reception centerpiece pink peach flowers organic
outdoor wedding reception centerpiece pink peach flowers organic
outdoor wedding reception centerpiece pink peach flowers organic
outdoor wedding reception centerpiece pink peach flowers organic
outdoor wedding reception centerpiece pink peach flowers organic
Happy wedding day to the beautiful K&R! 

Vendors:

Flowers: Grace Flora Studio
Venue: Lyman Estate
Photographer: Nicole Joy Fandel Photography
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Romantic Fireplace Summer Wedding

10/11/2023

2 Comments

 

Historic, Charming, Intimate Wedding Venue near Boston

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Photography: Nina Weinstein Photography
I had the honor of designing flowers at The Groton Inn in Groton, MA. For me, it was a hidden gem with 3 top qualities a wedding venue should possess - historic, charming, and intimate. 
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Once "America's oldest inn," the Groton Inn was destroyed by a fire in 2011 and only reopened in 2018. It's quite hard to believe that has happened, considering the way they still kept the historic charm, have maintained its world-class amenities and incredible customer service.

The Fireplace and Courtyard

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The outdoor fireplace in the courtyard was such a unique and captivating backdrop. I love how it was part of the exterior wall of the Inn and provided such a great contrast to the white wall. It fit Kayla and David's theme of "Summer meets Fall" quite perfectly with the color palette: mauve, gold, deep purple and peach tones. 

My Favorite Bouquet of All Time!

Let's talk about the bridal bouquet. The colors, textures and deep richness of the privett berry came so naturally and blended so easily -- and it wasn't all whites and creams. The pop of the golden ranunculus tied really well with the fireplace. Using mauve in such an elegant, romantic, soft arrangement was such a joy. I would make this bouquet over and over if I could!   
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The Porch

I love the charming detailing of this Inn to make it really feel like a home. The porch helped bring that intimate, romantic feeling to life and was a great spot for first looks!  
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The Vintage Car

All I can say is cue Taylor Swift's Getaway Car.
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The Reception

The reception was clean, bright, elegant and made you feel at home. Perfect for any wedding day! 
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Congratulations to the beautiful Kayla and David! 
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Like what you see? Let's chat!

Vendors:

Flowers: Grace Flora Studio
Venue: The Groton Inn
Photographer: Nina Weinstein Photography
2 Comments

Stunning Neutral Wedding Flowers without Using all White

5/1/2023

1 Comment

 

Nailing a Neutral Color Palette with Pops of Color

Boho chic wedding flowers neutral bouquet dried flowers
Stephanie and Roderick had a vision for their wedding - Boho chic meets Crazy Rich Asians in the most perfect venue, Roger Williams Park Botanical Center in Providence, RI (if you've seen the movie, you will get why!). 

Dried and Fresh Flowers

Boho chic wedding flowers neutral bouquet dried flowers
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral boutonniere dried flowers
The inspiration for a neutral color palette without using all white, came down to combining fresh and dried flowers with zero greenery.
My recommendation on how to add pops of color to a neutral color palette: use muted pink or dusty rose, toffee or terracotta, and light sandy colors against your whites and creams.  
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral bridal bouquet dried flowers
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral bouquet dried flowers
Happy asian couple wedding carousel Rhode Island flowers
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral bouquet dried natural
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral bouquet dried natural
Without overkilling "boho," we used a healthy, moderate amount of dried pampas grass, dried sun palm, dried bunny tail with some of my favorites - quicksand roses, toffee roses, cremons, and white strawflower. 
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried natural ceremony arch
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried natural ceremony arch
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried natural ceremony arch
If you can believe it, this arch was built by the bride's father and designed exactly to my requests so that the flowers could be secured and placed exactly where I want them. Couples ... this is how you use your close resources! 
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried natural reception centerpiece
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried natural reception centerpiece
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried greenhouse New England reception centerpiece
Inside the greenhouse was where the reception took place. Let me tell you, the tropical flowers, ivy and beautiful greenery that surrounded the place made everything truly magical. 

We got to repurpose the ceremony arch as the backdrop for the sweetheart table and it was perfect! 
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried greenhouse New England reception centerpiece
Boho chic wedding flowers neutral dried greenhouse New England reception centerpiece
Congratulations to Stephanie and Roderick for bringing their vision, entrusting me, and ending up with an incredible and beautiful wedding I will never forget. 
Are you looking for something similar? Let's chat!

Vendors:

Flowers: Grace Flora Studio
Venue: Roger Williams Park Botanical Center
Catering: Pranzi Catering
Photographer: Indigo & Ivory
Videographer: Earth + Sun Co
Entertainment: MadLove LLC
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Elevating an Intimate, Backyard Wedding

9/29/2022

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How to Elevate an Intimate, Backyard Wedding

Backyard intimate wedding chuppah bright natural flowers simple elevated
Photography: Jemima Richards
Danielle and Jason wanted an intimate, backyard wedding with the theme, "simple, but elevated." 

We focused on a bright, vibrant color palette with a sophisticated, clean look to take this wedding to the next level. 

​Here's how we did it. 

Elevating the Chuppah - Focus on CONTRAST

Backyard intimate wedding chuppah bright natural flowers simple elevated
Photography: Jemima Richards

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Top Wedding Venue in Boston

4/25/2022

4 Comments

 

Getting the best of both worlds at this Boston wedding venue

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Photography: Lensy Michelle Photo
When I first stepped foot at Misselwood Events at Endicott College, I knew this was going to my favorite Boston venue and I wasn't even the one getting married! 

To me, it was the best of both worlds - the ocean and historical architecture. 

Allow me to take you through a little walk through of Melissa and Mark's dream wedding. ​

Misselwood Estate

Bride groom Boston venue historic estate wedding flowers summer
The Misselwood estate is the perfect backdrop for photos, including a balcony (Aladdin vibes anyone?), a gorgeous library with classic black and white checkered tiles (Beauty and the Beast!), and a sunroom filled with ceiling to floor windows. It's definitely got the Disney magical touch. 

Talk about plenty of photo ops just around this charming estate! 
Bride getting ready library Boston wedding
Boston wedding venue historic building ceremony
Bride groom wedding flowers bouquet estate venue windows
Vintage library Boston wedding venue estate
Bride groom Boston wedding estate outdoor balcony romantic
First look Boston wedding venue estate red brick balcony

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Best Flowers to Use for a Boho Chic Wedding

3/2/2022

6 Comments

 

Top Flowers for a Boho Chic Wedding

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It seems like one of the popular wedding and décor trends for 2021 and 2022 is boho chic. Typically, boho chic describes an earthy, ethereal, effortless vibe that incorporates dried flowers. It often involves a neutral color palette with accents of terracotta, burnt orange, blush, peach, or darker tones. 

While this is becoming super popular, it is also pricy because dried flowers typically cost more than fresh flowers.

How do you create a boho chic look without breaking the bank? 
The key to a budget-friendly, boho chic look, is curating the perfect balance of dried and fresh flowers that has variation in shape, texture, and dimension. You do not have to get loads of pampas grass (which is expensive) to make your arrangement look full. Using something like dried sun palms, which has a large width and is less expensive than the large pampas grass can help you cut costs. Nailing down your focal flower is also important. This is the flower your eye is first drawn to. I like my focal flower to either have an accent color and/or be largest and most unique flower. 
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What Flowers to Use

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To create this arrangement, I focused on an earthy and elegant aesthetic, with a pop of terracotta as my accent color. 

Focal Flower
I was super excited to use toffee roses as the star of this arrangement. Especially with a neutral color palette, your eye is immediately drawn to the toffee rose. Quite literally, the color is a toffee, caramel, terracotta color which pairs really well with dried flowers. 

Secondary Flowers
For a soft, romantic touch, I used quicksand roses, white ranunculus, and white freesia. For texture, I used white astilbe, chocolate queen anne's lace, dried sun palm, and dried bunny tail. For height, I used white snapdragon.

​Foliage 
Dusty miller was a perfect compliment to this arrangement. Its velvet texture and silver blue/green color was a great way to tie in everything! 
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To add to this compote vase arrangement, you can pair it with an assortment of bud vases filled with a dried and fresh flower. 
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I hope this flower breakdown can give you a starting point for your next boho chic event!
Curious to learn more? Let's connect!

Florist: Grace Flora Studio
Event Planner/Designer: Krissy Campbell Celebrations
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How to Make a $10 Quick and Easy Fall Wreath

10/28/2021

2 Comments

 

DIY $10 Quick and Easy Fall Wreath

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Fall is here! I love this time of the year for the same reason everyone else does - the Fall colors.

Around October, our front lawn has Little Quickfire Hydrangeas that start to become an ombré reddish purple, beige, and faded lime green (see right). This type of hydrangea dries really well, making it perfect for dried flower bouquets, house décor, and wreaths!  

I quickly whipped up a Fall wreath using everything foraged from my front lawn. My goal was to make it quick, easy, and affordable (just paying for the cost of the wreath!) 
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How to make a Quick and Easy Fall Wreath

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Materials
  • 24" grapevine wreath (I got mine from Michael's here which was $9.99) 
  • Little Quickfire Hydrangeas, grasses, pods, lavender, any foraged flowers that dry well (see list below)
  • Scissors
Best Flowers to Dry 
  • Eucalyptus 
  • Strawflowers
  • Hydrangeas
  • Lavender
  • Gomphrena
  • Statice
  • Yarrow 
  • ​Rose
If you decide to dry these yourself, cut the stem, remove the leaves, and hang upside down in a bundle in a dark, well ventilated area. 

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Summer Weddings 101: Planning Guide

7/19/2021

4 Comments

 

Planning your Summer Wedding with Confidence

Summer wedding city flowers
Photographer: Kyra Jean
You're getting married in the Summer! Congrats! You should feel like this couple getting swooped up in the air for one of the biggest moments of your lives! 

If you're thinking this carefree feeling is very idealistic, trust me, I have been there. We planned an outdoor wedding in July and basically did everything ourselves including booking the venue, catering, renting a tent, tables, chairs, and decorating. My flowers didn't last past the ceremony either :( Much was learned.

​While it can be nerve racking to plan, some careful thought around your location and flowers can make a world of a difference for a stress-free, truly enjoyable experience! 

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Stunning Seasonal Flowers to use for your Spring Wedding

4/19/2021

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Stunning Flowers to use for Spring Weddings

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Spring in Boston (and Ontario when I used to live there) is probably my favorite time of year. It's actually the transition into Spring that excites me the most. Coming out of the long, cold months of hibernation and barren trees really makes you appreciate the first sign of tiny buds. Talk about slowing down and appreciating the moment, right?! 
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It's also an exciting time for weddings because gorgeous blooms are now available and in season. Why is seasonal valuable?

Seasonal Flowers = Better value for your money and they last longer!

Out of season flowers have to be shipped from far away so they lose freshness and are usually more expensive. So what's in season at this time of the year? 

I've created a list of top seasonal flowers to use for Spring weddings from incredibly talented local florists in Boston, MA! 

Of course, there are so many more flowers to choose from but this list narrows down the best of the best :) 

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Jewel Tone Outdoor Wedding Inspiration

3/12/2021

3 Comments

 

Creating a Woodland Jewel Tone Wedding

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If you're going for a bold, rich, outdoor aesthetic, think emerald green, ruby red, plum, burgundy and royal blue. Aka in food colors, figs, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, and plums. It's passionate, it's deep, and it works. 
After this styled shoot, I seriously recommend everyone consider a jewel tone palette especially with a woodland, outdoor venue. Let's me tell you why and remind you of the "why" for getting married! 
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Remembering the "Why" in a Pandemic Wedding

It's 2021 and we are coming out hot from a very disappointing, restricted, pandemic wedding year. While we have gotten a much better grasp on how to do weddings now, it's good to pause and remember why you are getting married in the first place!

My "why" for designing florals is to express the beauty of something greater. I.e., your wedding and what that represents. This is the union of two people, the love for another over oneself, and creating something beautiful to celebrate this commitment. 

If you keep this in mind, all the planning and pivoting will be way less stressful and more meaningful for you. 

So, let's dive into how to incorporate jewel tone colors into your wedding!

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