Don’t Follow The Wedding Planning Crowd! Advice from A Palm Springs Florist

Brides look at the internet for inspiration. It’s out there for sure, but does the web also make you doubt yourself? Top ten lists, perfect photo shoots, it can be very overwhelming. But the thing that drives me batty is the emphasis on trends.  We seem obsessed with finding out what the “look” of the moment is, or what’s the latest greatest hottest dress, favor, appetizer, you name it.  But I want to get across something that, as a Palm Springs florist, is very important to us.  Follow your own vision.  In Palm Springs, wedding vendors want our brides to feel like they’ve gotten what they wanted all their lives.  It pains me to think of friends who’ve gotten married and their wedding florist has forced them into trying some “hot” new look that they are then stuck with in their wedding photos for the rest of their lives. So here’s the bottom line:

IGNORE TRENDS. BE YOURSELF. LOVE YOUR WEDDING

A simple centerpiece from Palm Springs Florist My Little Flower Shop
We love this arrangement in a mason jar. Are they in? Are they out? We don’t care! Photo by Alan’s Award Winning Photography

What Martha Stewart Doesn’t Want You To Know: Wedding Advice Books Exposed

I brought two wedding books to the store yesterday to add to our growing library. (Yes, My Little Flower Shop, top Palm Springs florist, is building a wedding book library)! Looking at books with our brides gives us a chance to prepare them for the inevitable moment of panic in the ‘Weddings” section at Barnes and Noble.

At any bookstore in America you’ll find glassy-eyed people in the wedding section, not knowing which way to turn. Seriously, it’s worse than the paper towel aisle at the grocery store. (What’s on sale? Is that the cheapo brand?  How may rolls in the pack? Are they Mega-Rolls?)

If you know what to expect, you won’t be discouraged by these experiences of book-overload.   So, knowing that the mountain of information you’ll face,  keep these tips in mind.

  • Wedding planning books are not required reading, and 99.9% of what’s in them probably doesn’t apply to you. (Are you inviting Norwegian royalty to your wedding? Didn’t think so).

    Reading Offbeat Bride
    Reading Offbeat Bride (Photo credit: Aron Meudt)
  •  Once you’ve got the books, (and this is the important part,) they do not need to be  followed obsessively to the letter. They are not written in stone. They were not given to us at Mount Sinai.
  • Books should be considered guidance, opinion and advice. From someone who doesn’t care if you ignore them.
  • How about looking in the library? If you find one you love, buy it. If not you’re not out $35.00 for a book you don’t need.

Bottom line? Talk to the vendors you’re working with! Their advice is the most valuable of all.  In terms of how they do weddings, and work with their clients, well, they wrote the book.

Be well, and love well.

-Dinah

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Gold Medal Wedding Advice

Ah the Olympics.  Young smiling athletes performing at their best representing us all.  In a way, we see the best in our country as we watch the competitions in London.

But what else do we see?  We see hear a lot from commentators about “the Olympic Ideals”  which seem like things we all ought to live up to.  Respect, friendship, education, world peace…etc.  As a wedding professional, and drawing from my experience at a top Palm Springs florist, I see lessons brides can take from these young athletes and apply to their planning.  Here are three:

  • Have a Positive Attitude.  From the moment they stepped out onto the track for opening ceremonies, the athletes were thrilled. They were full of energy,confidence, and smiles! Thinking positive changes your outlook, and makes you a happier bride.  Through it all this is a celebration you’re planning! What fun, right?

    LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Fireworks explode o...
    LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 27: Fireworks explode over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games on July 27, 2012 in London, England. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
  • Listen to your coach. The athletes (well, the smart ones, anyway,) know when it’s time to let someone else make a decision.  They have faith that they’re working with someone they trust to do what’s best for everyone involved.  This can be a hard one for brides, who frequently feel they need to direct every detail of their wedding.  Sometimes though, your vendor, or bridesmaid, or even (gasp) your mother knows better, so it’s important to listen, and learn to let go.
  • Live In The Moment. Listening to the athletes’ interviews, each one repeated that their overall Olympic experience was the most important thing to them. You could tell they were soaking in their time as Olympians, and relishing their time in London. Brides should keep that in mind.  Wedding planning can be a drag, for sure, but this is a time of your life that you’ll never get back.  Enjoy every minute.

Our Olympic athletes are kicking serious butt in London.  And it’s a delight to see the country rally around a group of bright, talented young people.  Be patient as you, or the bride in your life, move through the wedding planning process. In the end, everyone will rally to see you win something better than a gold medal: a happy married life.