Friday, January 29, 2010

Sneak Peek: Valentine's Day

Take a look at some of the arrangements that our designers are creating for Valentines Day.

For more ideas what to order that special someone, take a look at our website where we will be updating new designs for the 2010 Valentine's Day Holiday.

It's not too early to place your order. Let us re-create one of the designs you see here or we can customize a special arrangement for your loved one.



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Thursday, January 28, 2010

New Blog Post For Inside Weddings; A White Wedding!

For the bride that wants to look at her wedding album in twenty years and not have a single regret - this post is for you! Choosing all white flowers for your bridal bouquet is a classic choice that will never go out of style, but depending on what flowers you choose your all white bouquet can be anything from modern to vintage. In this post for Inside Weddings I give an overview of my favorite white blooms, which will help you and your florist design a white bouquet that will make you happy for years to come!



Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Valentine's Day Can Bring Joy & Disappointment - So Let's Celebrate Both!

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Have you always dreamed of receiving the most beautiful arrangement on Valentine's Day only to be disappointed? Or, have you enjoyed such an over-the-top Valentine's Day with your sweetie it could not possibly be topped?

Tell us your story! Become a fan of Hidden Garden on Facebook and post your story - the good, the bad & the ugly - and you could win a huge arrangement this Valentine's Day, that is sure to make all your friends jealous! And, it could possibly teach your sweetie how to order flowers :)

Become a fan on Facebook, tell us your story and you could receive a very romantic surprise on Friday, February 12th! (please note, this only applies to entrants in our service area.)

Can't wait to read your stories!

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Amethyst, Purple and Deep Magenta...oh my!


A popular "color theme" seems to be consistent request amongst the brides right now and it all stems from the fashion world....Ameythst/Magenta tones! Shades of purple, rich amethyst and deep magenta are leading the charge on a color pallette for weddings. I am so excited to see this color come into play more and more in the planning stages. Its rich vibrant tone creates a sense of drama for any wedding.





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Ceremony Magazine-Fashion

One of our favorite weddings last year was just featured in Ceremony Magazine! I know we had a previous post of this wedding http://hiddengardenfloral.blogspot.com/2009/07/chic-in-pink-white-black.html but we were so excited to see it in print !









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Monday, January 25, 2010

Beverly Hills Hotel Wedding



Take a sneak peak at some pictures of our most recent wedding this weekend at The Beverly Hills Hotel. Beth & Ben wanted a chic, elegant, and glamorous wedding that incorporated subtle hints of black to create a Coco Chanel feeling. The ceremony Chuppah was a romantic structure of sheer chiffon fabric, an abundance of white hanging orchids, and accents of sparkling crystals. The aisle was lined with illuminated candles and dramatic arrangements of lush roses & hydrangea.

The reception was filled with centerpieces in tall glass vases with submerged tall white cala lilies, with full and dramatic arrangements of a variety of roses, hydrangea, berries, and amaranthus. The table was adorned with a vignette of illuminated pillar candles and votive candles with layers & layers of rose petals. Each guest was greeted by a custom menu tied off with a satin ribbon tie and a full rose bloom. The room would not have been complete without the ambient lighting of Images by Lighting, and all the added rentals from Royal Events. The room looked breathtaking!!!

Thank you to Maryam of Delicate Details, the coordinator of the event, who helped create the vision. We can't wait to see the professional images taken by the wonderful David Michael Photography!


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Friday, January 22, 2010

Fashion Bat Mitzvah at The Beverly Hills Hotel

Arielle's Bat Mitzvah at the Beverly Hills Hotel was quite the hit, with a most memorable Fashion theme. The sketches that were seen throughout the party where hand drawn by the honoree, and used for added decor in her place cards, invitations, centerpieces, and accent decor. It was a super special touch that didn't go unnoticed!

The candle lighting table was adorned with a lush display of roses and hydrangea that complimented the centerpieces. It created a beautiful backdrop for all the guests, as Arielle lit her Bat Mitzvah candles. Behind the stage, you can see the custom stage banner that was created just for the party!



The place card table lined with custom cards for each guest, also displayed a fashion form decorated to look like it was in the works of a design studio. Lush flowers covered the base of the form to create beautiful and abundant display. Arielle took the fashion form home to save as a momento.



Each centerpiece was packed full of vibrant magenta & tangerine roses, a color scheme that was chosen by Arielle. The custom drawing of the fashion models that Arielle created were placed in each centerpiece to match the fashion theme throughout the party. We custom created the boxes that held the flowers from couture magazine clippings to compliment the theme.


Thank you Curtis Dahl for the beautiful pictures!!






Thursday, January 21, 2010

Baseball Time...and it's almost the Superbowl







I know we are in the playoff for the Superbowl but over here at The Hidden Garden....some of our clients are gearing up for Spring Training! Here's a peak an adorable baseball theme party that's heading out the door!

Stay tuned for Superbowl details....did you know we are the florist for the NFL Superbowl Party! Off to Miami in just a couple weeks!
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Passion for Purple at The Four Seasons




This past weekend we were happy to help Lisa and Andrew's wedding vision become a reality. As you can see from the photos, they love rich amethyst tone and wanted to incorporate it into their wedding decor. We have seen so many hues of purple in fashion lately that it is only fitting to find it hit the wedding scene!

In order to accomplish this, we used a bold hue of purple in subtle ways throughout the ceremony and reception areas. The ceremony was done in all white flowers, a white aisle runner strewn with rose petals. The chuppah was decorated with clusters of white hydrangea and white roses admidst an array of white blossoming branches . The purple was introduced only in the lighting, which created a dramatic ambiance in the all white room.

A similar concept was used in the reception area where the flowers were primarily white and it was the decor around them that brought in the purple accents. The couple chose to do a combination of both low and tall arrangements with the lower arrangements being placed in a vase wrapped in deep amethyst dupioni silk fabric. The tall arrangements were large clusters of white roses with hanging phaleonopsis that were surrounded by small purple arrangements at the base. Throughout all the tables in the reception area there were small bold purple votive candle holders that added to the ambiance.

No matter what your favorite color is, it can always be incorporated into your event in a tasteful and bold manner.

Thanks to Pete at The Four Seasons Los Angeles & Nicole Hirsty from Cobalt Events
Can't wait to see the photos from Michael Branigan @ David Michael Photography.

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Friday, January 15, 2010

Indian Elegance in Ceremony Magazine

We are thrilled to be featured with several of our weddings in one of our favorite Wedding Resource Magazines this Winter. Ceremony Magazine (out in stands now!) is featuring FOUR weddings that we did the flowers and décor for this past year. We also have a two page spread in their "Table Talk" section which features some avant-garde table top designs by some of Los Angeles' most talented floral designers.


One of our more popular designs of the bold & vibrant Indian colors is the "Indian Elegance" that you will see on page 130 & 132. It is a table rich with colors and textures. We used bold colors in the flowers and the fabrics that draped the table. Aside from the classic marigolds used in Indian Celebrations, we also incorporated the use of Roses, Hydrangea, Cymbidium Orchids, Spider Mums, Dahlias, Amaranthus and Kermit Mums.
We look forward to blogging about the weddings featured in Ceremony. Until then, pick up a copy to get a sneak peek of blogs to come.


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Thursday, January 14, 2010

New Blog Post For Inside Weddings; Texture In 2010!

Texture, texture, texture is a huge floral trend for 2010! I always like to give a new year's flower forecast and that's just what I did in my latest post on InsideWeddings.com. Whether you're incorporating texture to go bold, or adding touches of it for shabby chic perfection, you can't go wrong with wheat, lavender and berry elements. For my complete forecast on texture and color click here. As always, feel free to share your picks for 2010 in the comment section.

*picture top right by Olivia Leigh photography.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Hidden Garden in the Classroom












































As many of you know, we offer floral classes throughout the year at the shop. Many times a group of ladies will get together and celebrate a special occasion while making a beautiful floral arrangement. Often before Mother's Day we host a group of dads and their kids making arrangements for their beloved mommy's.

Just a few days ago however, we had the unique opportunity to go into an actual classroom at BelAir Presbyterian Preschool. As you can see the children enjoyed being floral designers for a day. Rather than place limits and ideas of what the finished product should look like we let their creativity take the lead. When it come's to children, the process is what's important. As you can see our budding designers enjoyed the process very much as did we inspiring them and guiding them.


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Monday, January 11, 2010

In Style Weddings Cover
























We were so honored to be asked to create the bridal bouquet for the front cover issue In Style Weddings (Winter 2010) now in stands. You will see the lovely actress Jamie Pressly gracing the cover with one of our very own custom made bridal bouquets in hand.

We made this bouquet using Jade Roses that are primarily white but have a hint of green on the edges of the petals. To compliment the subtlety of the green on the roses we incorporated the use of green mini-hydrangea, cymbidium orchids, green cocks comb and viburnum. The bouquet was finished off with begonia leaves for texture around the cuff.

This was a farewell issue for Instyle Weddings but we feel so lucky to have been a part of such an amazing magazine!


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Friday, January 8, 2010

Inside Weddings Article


We are proud to have one of the weddings featured in the latest issue of Inside Weddings. Thea Sheinberg & Daniel Chirprut's beautiful wedding was featured in a 10 page spread that showcased their spectacular wedding. Until you have a chance to pick up the Winter 2010 issue (in stands now!), let us provide you with a sneak peak of some of the impeccable details.

The couple wed under an incredible Chuppah that was bursting with hundreds of roses, hydrangeas and snapgragons in hues of lavender, pink and ivory. The aisle was flanked by two large antique-style planters that mimicked the decor on the Chuppah. The Bride's bouquet was an all white arrangement made of crisp white roses, and spray roses and lily of the valley adorned with small pearl in the center of each flower.

Guests were welcomed into the reception tent by two tall arrangements similar to the ones in the ceremony area filled with hydrangea, snapdragons and roses. In between layers of the cake were roses popping out to compliment the romantic feel of the all white cake with a subtle romantic bronze design. The tables were adorned with both high and low arrangements in the same color palette of ivories, pinks, and lavenders. Ivory colored guest napkins were tied with a pale coral satin ribbon and topped off with a soft pink rose in the middle.

For more pictures and a more details go pick up the latest Winter Issue of Inside Weddings.

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Thursday, January 7, 2010

New Blog Post For Inside Weddings; Tips For Picking Your Florist!

Earlier this week we were lucky to receive valuable expert advice for brides and grooms-to-be from Sr. Editor of Inside Weddings Marilyn Oliveira "The First Three Steps for the Freshly Engaged". Her post got me thinking about steps for choosing your florist and inspired my latest blog post for Inside Weddings. You can read it here and if it leaves you craving more you can find more tips on this Secret Life of Flowers classic here. If you have a tip that would be helpful for the recently engaged please leave it as a comment.

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Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Il Cielo Wedding to Start 2010

We honored our very first wedding of 2010 at Il Cielo Restaurant in Beverly Hills for a most romantic wedding. Il Cielo is a great location for an intimate and warm wedding celebration. To match the Tuscan feeling of the restaurant, the bride & groom chose a soft palette of ivory, celedone green, and an antique lavender. With the variety of roses & hydrangea with all the lush textured greens, the flowers fit right in to the natural feel of the wedding. Enjoy some of the pictures we snapped on our way out- we'll patiently wait for more beautiful images from the photographer, Couture Foto by Brandon Humes. Happy 2010!


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Tuesday, January 5, 2010

New Year's Eve {Bel-Air Bay Club} Wedding

New Year's Eve was a special day for Susan & Robert, as they celebrated their wedding at the strike of 2010. The beautiful wedding was held at the breath-taking Bel Air Bay Club in Pacific Palisades.

The Pacific Ocean served as a stunning backdrop for the ceremony area, where Susan and Robert opted for a neutral color scheme that wouldn't compete with the beauty of their guest's view. The chuppah was overflowing with ivory roses, green hydrangea, hanging amaranthus and textured greenery - the aisle was lined with hanging floating candles for thick satin ribbon.

Once you entered the reception area the bride & groom chose a rich color scheme of chocolate brown and magenta tones with subtle splashes of lime green as an accent. Chocolate brown colored napkins were tied with a magenta ribbon and topped with a cluster of green dendrobium orchids, to complimentthe orchids that were used on the delicious & beautiful cake baked & designed by Jamaica's Cakes. The feasting tables were adorned with both high and low arrangements that incorporated deep fuchsia hydrangea and magenta roses & tulips. We loved working with coordinator Erin Sweeney on this event.

After taking a short break this past week, we are back at the shop in full force getting ready for the many events we have coming up. We look forward to updating you with more images of what we have been working on. Happy New Year!

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Monday, January 4, 2010

Guest Blogger: Marilyn Oliveira, Sr. Editor of Inside Weddings Magazine

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The First Three Steps for the Freshly Engaged
By Marilyn Oliveira

If you became betrothed over the holiday season, you are definitely not alone. More proposals happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day than any other time of year -- so many, in fact, that the industry calls it “engagement season.” And now that the ring is on your finger and the congratulations have been accepted, the advice is going to pour in from every direction. Before you become inundated with outlines, timelines, traditions, and tips, here are the three initial steps I recommend you tackle before anything else.

1. Choose a wedding style. Deciding upon the type of wedding you want will lay the groundwork for the rest of your decision-making process. An intimate, outdoor ceremony in the spring will have completely different requirements than a formal winter wedding in a cathedral. Be forewarned: You may discover that you and your fiancé don’t share the same vision, opening the door wide for many an argument. Discuss expectations and negotiate the key points: geographical area; time of year; size; level of formality; and religious component(s) if any. Once the basics are in place, you can hammer out the rest of the details later.

2. Set a spending limit. When the general style of the wedding has been agreed upon, you’ll be in a better position to consider the overall expense. Set what you feel is a realistic spending limit for the size and scope of the event you want, and then begin allocating funds to different components of the wedding. When you start breaking things down, it will quickly become clear if your limit will need to be adjusted. When and if the ceiling of your spending can’t move any higher, rework the style of your wedding to accommodate it. Changing the day of the week and even the time of day of your wedding can affect the costs, but the easiest way to reduce your spending is to limit the number of guests you’re going to invite.

3. Make a guest list. Once your wedding style has been reconciled with your spending limit, you’ll have a clear idea of how many people you can invite. This information will be invaluable when navigating the arguments and drama that are likely to ensue as you attempt to create your guest list. When your mother wants to invite her third cousins twice removed, you can remind her of the guest limit. When your future father-in-law hands you a list of business associates he plans to invite, you (or better yet, your fiancé) can remind him of the guest limit. (You get the picture.) Even armed with a specific number of guests, the odds are very, very good that tears will be shed before the guest list is finalized; but having a solid number to which to refer based on style and financial considerations will help.

You may need to adjust the final number of guests in order to keep the peace, in which case amending your spending limit and/or altering the style of your wedding may be necessary. But once all three steps are completed, your planning will be focused and easier to handle, allowing you to enjoy one of the most exciting times of your life: your engagement season.

Special thanks to Marilyn Oliveira for a great blog. You can subscribe to her blog at Inside Weddings online.

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