Behind The Scenes

So! It’s that time of year here in Florida. It’s time for weddings… lot’s of them. All over the Tampa Bay Area.

We’ve had our fair share too and I thought it might be fun to share some of the funny and touching things that happened behind the scenes during a few of the events we’ve done design work for recently.

We had a delivery to a hotel down in St. Pete recently. I was a nervous wreck about this one because I had heard from the bride that the pillars we were putting some tall pieces on have a small rise in the center that comes to a point. All I could imagine was these pieces tumbling backwards off the pillars if a sudden wind came up. (It can be the constant nightmare of  an event florist that something unlikely could happen after you set up). The whole day before was spent making these pieces look so pretty and just right. When we got there to deliver, the first thing we did is run up to a pillar and look. After which we both started laughing and saying to each other.. YAY! this is no problem whatsoever! There was a rise of maybe one inch in the center, not enough to create an imbalance with the flat bottomed pieces we had made. And it looked beautiful!

We work with the Yacht Starship in Tampa on a regular basis. We really love this venue. They have two ships, one that holds approximately 100 people and one that holds approximately 600 people.  We’ve done many events at this venue over the last few years.  This particular wedding, was for a young lady who’s mother had recently and suddenly become very ill. Bedridden and in a full time care facility, she could not be there to watch her daughter walk down the aisle. The family did an amazing job of making sure there would be a video feed so her Mom could see the wedding, and bought a lovely dress for her to wear.  They wanted her to wear a corsage as well. It was the corsage delivery that was so bitter sweet. Now I have a daughter who was married some years back. I know what it feels like to be a ‘Mother of the Bride’. I cannot fathom how this would be if I had to trade places even for one moment with this young lady’s mother…but there I was in her room, talking with the nurses and figuring out how to make sure all went well. After we got everything organized I took a picture to send to the bride so she could see her mom with the corsage before the ceremony. It seemed so surreal to me to discussing things with everyone in the room, but not having direct conversation with the most important person in that room! I leaned in to say to her mom how beautiful everything was and congratulations. All she could do was mouth thank you. I left that room with tears in my eyes.

The other wedding on the boat… now that was a challenge! The bride wanted a garland hung from the mast of the ship. I am all of 5 ft. tall. The mast is about 8 ft. high. So there I am, up on a step ladder, working like the dickens to get this garland of flowers up and fastened.  I have flowers in my hands, waterpicks in my pocket, zipties in my mouth and Brides N Blooms other half  looking up from below, helplessly hoping she can assist me at the very least, from not falling backwards off the step ladder! Looking back now, it was pretty amusing, but at the time, We were praying to every deity in the universe to make this garland hold and look pretty!! (We think it turned out very well, don’t you?)

The last one is the one that became an odyssey. We had a dinner we had to create 50 identical centerpieces for. Doesn’t sound like it should be hard, and really it’s not, but after about 20 were done…. well, we started wondering if we’d ever be done. By the time 40 of them were finished it was slap happy, giggly time,and thinking this was the never ending design challenge. By 50, our cold storage room was a sea of hydrangea, but…. we were finished!! And they looked awesome!  We love it when a plan comes together, even if it takes longer than expected.

Sometimes when we are working silly things happen. Sometimes when we are working difficulties arise. Always though, when we’re working, we two girls are very happy we do what we do.

Now go out and have yourself a silly and sweet, wholesale, flower-filled day.