Last month, Nona was invited to participate in the deYoung Museum's Bouquet to Arts exhibit! Here is an article in the San Francisco Sentinel that features a picture of her work, and highlights the event.
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=70218
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
April Showers Bring May Flowers
As the end of May approaches, we're moving from our busy spring season to our even busier early summer season! Keep your eyes out on the blog for an upcoming photo-tour of our cooler, showing recent flower selections by other brides. Also, see the post below for pictures of one of our recent brides' lavender/purple themed wedding.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Floral Design Studio's Pricing
In light of another FAQ, we're listing some of our prices on the blog so prospective brides can see how their wedding needs line up with our pricing. The following is an A La Carte menu to Nona's prices. Remember: these are estimates, not exact numbers. Prices are adjusted in consultation based on the following questions:
-What do I need?
-Where do I want the focus of my money to go? (personal flowers, ceremony decorations, reception decorations) To answer this question, think: what will my photographer spend the most time photographing? Am I filling a large or small venue space (smaller spaces need less arrangements to look cozy).
-Is my photographer taking a lot of shots of the dress and bouquet, or more focused on the reception?
-Is my wedding outdoors or indoors? What is the color palette of the space? (neutral, empty spaces need more decoration than diverse, brightly colored, or outdoor spaces)
-How many family members and wedding party members am I involving? Guests? Does my family expect corsages and boutonnieres as well as my wedding party?
*Nona's A La Carte Pricing Menu*
To have a realistic idea of how much your wedding will cost, place the quantities you need into this form. All prices on bouquets, centerpieces, ceremony arrangements, etc. are on a sliding scale and can be reviewed in a consultation with Nona to gain a more accurate idea.
Personal Flowers: prices vary based on flowers used, size of arrangement, etc. *Prices are not final and scale can slide according to bride's needs or an altered design.
___ Bridal Bouquet ($180-240)
(free) Complementary Toss Bouquet (with a full wedding package)
___ Bridesmaid Bouquets ($70-120 each)
___Groom's Boutonniere ($15)
___Groomsmen Boutonnieres ($15 each)
___Petals for Flower Girl ($10 to 50 depending on quantity)
___Ring-bearer boutonniere ($5 to 10 each, depending on size)
___Corsages for Family ($25 each)
___Boutonnieres for Family ($15 each)
Ceremony Flowers: commonly priced items are listed; many more custom items are available
___ Altar arrangements ($150-300 depending on size, material used, rental items, etc)
___ Gazebo or arch decorations ($200-400)
___ Petal coating on aisles ($150-400 depending on magnitude of petals)
___ Pomanders (flower balls); either tied with satin ribbon or on hook stands ($60 +, each)
Reception Flowers
___Centerpieces (range from DIY with rental vase costs to $35 -$200 per arrangement)
___Cake flowers (typically $20 a tier)
___Guest-book, sign-in, place-card table, or cake table arrangements available (based on the arrangement design for centerpieces)
___Photo back drops (custom pricing, typically in the $200 + range)
-What do I need?
-Where do I want the focus of my money to go? (personal flowers, ceremony decorations, reception decorations) To answer this question, think: what will my photographer spend the most time photographing? Am I filling a large or small venue space (smaller spaces need less arrangements to look cozy).
-Is my photographer taking a lot of shots of the dress and bouquet, or more focused on the reception?
-Is my wedding outdoors or indoors? What is the color palette of the space? (neutral, empty spaces need more decoration than diverse, brightly colored, or outdoor spaces)
-How many family members and wedding party members am I involving? Guests? Does my family expect corsages and boutonnieres as well as my wedding party?
*Nona's A La Carte Pricing Menu*
To have a realistic idea of how much your wedding will cost, place the quantities you need into this form. All prices on bouquets, centerpieces, ceremony arrangements, etc. are on a sliding scale and can be reviewed in a consultation with Nona to gain a more accurate idea.
Personal Flowers: prices vary based on flowers used, size of arrangement, etc. *Prices are not final and scale can slide according to bride's needs or an altered design.
___ Bridal Bouquet ($180-240)
(free) Complementary Toss Bouquet (with a full wedding package)
___ Bridesmaid Bouquets ($70-120 each)
___Groom's Boutonniere ($15)
___Groomsmen Boutonnieres ($15 each)
___Petals for Flower Girl ($10 to 50 depending on quantity)
___Ring-bearer boutonniere ($5 to 10 each, depending on size)
___Corsages for Family ($25 each)
___Boutonnieres for Family ($15 each)
Ceremony Flowers: commonly priced items are listed; many more custom items are available
___ Altar arrangements ($150-300 depending on size, material used, rental items, etc)
___ Gazebo or arch decorations ($200-400)
___ Petal coating on aisles ($150-400 depending on magnitude of petals)
___ Pomanders (flower balls); either tied with satin ribbon or on hook stands ($60 +, each)
Reception Flowers
___Centerpieces (range from DIY with rental vase costs to $35 -$200 per arrangement)
___Cake flowers (typically $20 a tier)
___Guest-book, sign-in, place-card table, or cake table arrangements available (based on the arrangement design for centerpieces)
___Photo back drops (custom pricing, typically in the $200 + range)
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday Update
Hello, all, it's Mollie here in the office at FDS. Monday has arrived again, and things are very quiet here in the studio. After all the bustle of weddings on Saturdays and Sundays, we all take a deep breath and relax into cleaning, paperwork, and consultations before the new rush of flowers comes in.
I've had the pleasure this past week of working with some of our new brides one on one. I met with some of our brides to do a preliminary consultation for Nona, and it was a blast! I love the enthusiasm and ideas that our brides have, from color palettes of fuschia to lemon yellow and slate grey. Every bride seems to have a flower designed just for her. :)
From the office (and with a quick look at the back!), I'm definitely seeing some trends this season. Our brides have been love-love-loving fuschia! Every week, Nona's massive walk-in cooler fills to the brim with fuschia flowers. Equally popular this year are the presence of arches and gazebos. We had countless requests for gazebos this year, each beautiful and ornate, with different flower garlands, crystals, fabric, and ribbons worked into the design. We did several weddings this past weekend, one in shades of pink, one in lavender shades, and another in gentle vibrant peach tones. Spring has brought out tulips, an amazing variety of roses, hydrangeas in all petal sizes and colors, and orchids of all varieties.
I've had the pleasure this past week of working with some of our new brides one on one. I met with some of our brides to do a preliminary consultation for Nona, and it was a blast! I love the enthusiasm and ideas that our brides have, from color palettes of fuschia to lemon yellow and slate grey. Every bride seems to have a flower designed just for her. :)
From the office (and with a quick look at the back!), I'm definitely seeing some trends this season. Our brides have been love-love-loving fuschia! Every week, Nona's massive walk-in cooler fills to the brim with fuschia flowers. Equally popular this year are the presence of arches and gazebos. We had countless requests for gazebos this year, each beautiful and ornate, with different flower garlands, crystals, fabric, and ribbons worked into the design. We did several weddings this past weekend, one in shades of pink, one in lavender shades, and another in gentle vibrant peach tones. Spring has brought out tulips, an amazing variety of roses, hydrangeas in all petal sizes and colors, and orchids of all varieties.
Friday, April 23, 2010
For Prospective Brides
This post is for all our newly engaged brides who are looking to learn more about Nona's work!
Having answered many inquiries that arrive in Nona's inbox, I have compiled some information to help answer the FAQs that arise in the wedding planning process.
How Nona Creates Her Designs:
Nona creates individual designs for each bride based on many factors, including the following:
-venue location
-indoor/outdoor
-time of day of the wedding
-guest count
-feel of the wedding: intimate? silly? serious? fun? couture? relaxed?
-the wedding's theme colors
-the bride and bridesmaids' gowns, including color, texture, and tone of the dresses (romantic, whimsical, elegant, flirty, etc.)
-the brides' favorite flowers
-seasonal availability and seasonal touches to the wedding colors and theme
-budget*
Floral Design and Your Budget *
In any wedding or event planning process, budgeting is always a looming thought. "How much can I spend on flowers?" a bride will ask at one point or another. Budgets are of course a reality for every bride, and often the main concern when choosing wedding vendors. Nona extensively works to find creative solutions to budgeting limitations. While each wedding vision has a realistic price tag, Nona aims to help brides succeed in their floral vision while maintaining a feasible price tag by working with elements such as seasonal flowers that complement the brides' favorites, items available for rental to cut the cost, suggestions for areas brides could do easy DIY tasks to narrow the budget, and more. Floral Design Studio has worked with weddings from the mid hundreds to sky-is-the-limit events. We welcome all inquiries, no matter what the size- our goal is to help you find the look that you are seeking!
Wedding Planning Tip from Mollie: In the process of planning my own wedding, expenses seemed to add up faster than I could keep track! To keep my budget on track, I used the budgeting calculator on www.theknot.com. It has a tool that allows you to put in your ideal budget. The budget calculator estimates out a cost for each vendor/expense. If you have already purchased items, you can plug those expenses in and it re-adjusts the remaining unspent balances. It was a *lifesaver* in staying on track for me! I highly recommend it.
Our Timeline For Weddings
Here at the studio, we schedule each wedding so that our brides have the freedom to make maximum changes. Our typical schedule for a wedding is as follows:
-A bride comes in for her hour-long consultation with Nona and discusses her initial ideas and budget. Nona creates a proposal for her that is converted to an electronic copy and sent to her in an easy to read spreadsheet, including details and pricing.
-The bride reads over her proposal, discusses any immediate revisions with Nona, and decides whether or not she would like to book*. (*Booking is a term we use synonymously with "saving the date". A bride pays a $300 deposit to save the date on her wedding and secure her calendar space with Nona. After "booking", a bride still has up until 2 weeks before her wedding to make as many changes as she wants, altering flowers, colors, and price.)
-After booking, Nona remains in active communication with the bride. Changes can be made any time via e-mail, a phone call, or an additional consultation in person.
-A month before the wedding, a consultation is set up to begin to finalize the process.
-2 weeks before the wedding, changes are solidified and the remaining balance is due in full.
Delivery and Set-Up:
Delivery and set-up is not guaranteed with every wedding and event florist. Nona makes delivery and set-up available to all brides. Nona has a team of designers who assist with set-up and delivery and have extensive experience in the wedding and event floral business. Nona's talented team allows high-volume wedding weekends to be possible.
On the day of our brides' wedding, if they prefer not to pick up their flowers at the studio, Nona offers delivery and set-up for the event. A delivery and set-up fee applies for every wedding, on a sliding scale based on mileage to the event, amount of work, and number of stops. Nona's services can include dropping bouquets and boutonnieres off at the hotel or residence of the bride for pre-wedding photos, setting up the ceremony site, setting up the reception site, and taking down the ceremony and reception site.
While fees are not applied for returning of rental vases if done by family and friends, delivery and set-up to an event will include a fee on a sliding scale to compensate for time and energy used.
To Book a Consultation with Floral Design Studio, contact the office at (510) 656- 3010 and we will get you on our calendar at the next available consultation! We do evening consultations in the after-work hour (between 5-8pm) to fit our brides' needs.
Having answered many inquiries that arrive in Nona's inbox, I have compiled some information to help answer the FAQs that arise in the wedding planning process.
How Nona Creates Her Designs:
Nona creates individual designs for each bride based on many factors, including the following:
-venue location
-indoor/outdoor
-time of day of the wedding
-guest count
-feel of the wedding: intimate? silly? serious? fun? couture? relaxed?
-the wedding's theme colors
-the bride and bridesmaids' gowns, including color, texture, and tone of the dresses (romantic, whimsical, elegant, flirty, etc.)
-the brides' favorite flowers
-seasonal availability and seasonal touches to the wedding colors and theme
-budget*
Floral Design and Your Budget *
In any wedding or event planning process, budgeting is always a looming thought. "How much can I spend on flowers?" a bride will ask at one point or another. Budgets are of course a reality for every bride, and often the main concern when choosing wedding vendors. Nona extensively works to find creative solutions to budgeting limitations. While each wedding vision has a realistic price tag, Nona aims to help brides succeed in their floral vision while maintaining a feasible price tag by working with elements such as seasonal flowers that complement the brides' favorites, items available for rental to cut the cost, suggestions for areas brides could do easy DIY tasks to narrow the budget, and more. Floral Design Studio has worked with weddings from the mid hundreds to sky-is-the-limit events. We welcome all inquiries, no matter what the size- our goal is to help you find the look that you are seeking!
Wedding Planning Tip from Mollie: In the process of planning my own wedding, expenses seemed to add up faster than I could keep track! To keep my budget on track, I used the budgeting calculator on www.theknot.com. It has a tool that allows you to put in your ideal budget. The budget calculator estimates out a cost for each vendor/expense. If you have already purchased items, you can plug those expenses in and it re-adjusts the remaining unspent balances. It was a *lifesaver* in staying on track for me! I highly recommend it.
Our Timeline For Weddings
Here at the studio, we schedule each wedding so that our brides have the freedom to make maximum changes. Our typical schedule for a wedding is as follows:
-A bride comes in for her hour-long consultation with Nona and discusses her initial ideas and budget. Nona creates a proposal for her that is converted to an electronic copy and sent to her in an easy to read spreadsheet, including details and pricing.
-The bride reads over her proposal, discusses any immediate revisions with Nona, and decides whether or not she would like to book*. (*Booking is a term we use synonymously with "saving the date". A bride pays a $300 deposit to save the date on her wedding and secure her calendar space with Nona. After "booking", a bride still has up until 2 weeks before her wedding to make as many changes as she wants, altering flowers, colors, and price.)
-After booking, Nona remains in active communication with the bride. Changes can be made any time via e-mail, a phone call, or an additional consultation in person.
-A month before the wedding, a consultation is set up to begin to finalize the process.
-2 weeks before the wedding, changes are solidified and the remaining balance is due in full.
Delivery and Set-Up:
Delivery and set-up is not guaranteed with every wedding and event florist. Nona makes delivery and set-up available to all brides. Nona has a team of designers who assist with set-up and delivery and have extensive experience in the wedding and event floral business. Nona's talented team allows high-volume wedding weekends to be possible.
On the day of our brides' wedding, if they prefer not to pick up their flowers at the studio, Nona offers delivery and set-up for the event. A delivery and set-up fee applies for every wedding, on a sliding scale based on mileage to the event, amount of work, and number of stops. Nona's services can include dropping bouquets and boutonnieres off at the hotel or residence of the bride for pre-wedding photos, setting up the ceremony site, setting up the reception site, and taking down the ceremony and reception site.
While fees are not applied for returning of rental vases if done by family and friends, delivery and set-up to an event will include a fee on a sliding scale to compensate for time and energy used.
To Book a Consultation with Floral Design Studio, contact the office at (510) 656- 3010 and we will get you on our calendar at the next available consultation! We do evening consultations in the after-work hour (between 5-8pm) to fit our brides' needs.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
April Events
It's late April, and updates are back on the blog. We've had a busy season-13 weddings and events in the last two weekends! Nona's work went on display at the Bouquet to Arts exhibit in the De Young Museum and is showing through Saturday the 24th. Nona created a beautiful floral wall to accompany Sean Scully's Wall of Light Horizon piece. She took 10,000 empty CD cases and created a wall structure, filled with leaves and orchids to make a living creation of Scully's work. Nona's piece is inspired by nature's resilience over human creation.
In recent weddings and events, Nona created the flowers for Cal State's Gala on the 16th. She created tulip and tea light centerpieces, as well as large pillar decorations.
For the Fore Runner Church in Fremont on the 17th, Nona created beautiful flower ball arrangements hanging from the ceiling of the church, as well as submerged orchid centerpieces on mirrors.
On the 18th, Nona created this cake decoration and centerpiece for the Farmer wedding. We are hoping to get a link to the photographer soon so that pictures of the bouquets can be put on the blog as well!
Here at the office, Mollie has been working on compiling a slideshow of photos that show examples of Nona's work for prospective brides. While the entire gallery of photos is still under edit, here is a brief sample of some of Nona's work ranging from 2008 to the present.
In recent weddings and events, Nona created the flowers for Cal State's Gala on the 16th. She created tulip and tea light centerpieces, as well as large pillar decorations.
For the Fore Runner Church in Fremont on the 17th, Nona created beautiful flower ball arrangements hanging from the ceiling of the church, as well as submerged orchid centerpieces on mirrors.
On the 18th, Nona created this cake decoration and centerpiece for the Farmer wedding. We are hoping to get a link to the photographer soon so that pictures of the bouquets can be put on the blog as well!
Here at the office, Mollie has been working on compiling a slideshow of photos that show examples of Nona's work for prospective brides. While the entire gallery of photos is still under edit, here is a brief sample of some of Nona's work ranging from 2008 to the present.
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