Bridal Fashion at the Hotel Maya

Bridal Event-

Bridal show at the Hotel Maya Joie of Weddings event!

Wedding Events-

This weekend, The Woods were invited to design floral decor for a room at the Hotel Maya's Joie of Weddings event. They have these amazing fushia windows and touches of deep, hot pink everywhere- from vines of bougainvilla to gorgeous accent walls framing giant mirrors. Event planner, Michael Willms, from Entertainment Design Events collaborated with The Woods to find a look that would compliment the Maya's strong color theme and fit the wedding setting as well as the tones of the room representing the Hotel Angeleno.

The Woods decided to pick up on the deep, rich pink roses and bright lemon yellows of Michael Willm's linens on a backdrop of gentle pink lilies and yellow acacia using tall cherry blossom branches to add height and a flare of dramatic elegance to the centerpiece. Most brides were pleasantly surprised to learn that an arrangement of that size (approximately 4 feet high) would usually cost $500-600, but because we substituted a few of the more costly stems with larger, opened lilies that take up more real estate within the arrangement, we were able to use fewer. While the look was a stunning, grand centerpiece, the cost was closer to $350 because of the substitutions.

Because flowers allow for so much variety in substitutions, size and cost, it really is possible to create a dream wedding environment you've envisioned! Just speak with your designer about what you want, and we'll love to make it happen! To speak to a designer at The Woods, call 310.559.6711

More photos of the Joie of Weddings event to come!

Joie of Weddings!

The Woods LA have been asked to represent at the Joie Of Weddings at the Hotel Maya in Long Beach this Sunday, March 14th. We're excited and flattered to be chosen by creative event guru, Michael Willms of Entertainment Design Events. With a couple of swatches and a colourful description of the atmosphere he's creating, this is what we're coming up with so far...

Rather than a giant auditorium of Wedding-Mart style vendors, each ballroom within The Maya will represent each of the Joie de Vivre hotels in Southern California. Each room will have it's own designer, catering and florist, so you'll experience a unique, comprehensive vision in every room.

See you on Sunday!

Spring Luncheon

Who says a simple luncheon must be simple? When one of our best clients called to let us know she'd be hosting a light lunch with the concept of keeping their event breezy and light- this coming from the hostess that thinks of everything from customized, designer beach towels for her pool party guests to take home gift baskets of croissants and jam so her dinner guests would have a delicious breakfast as well! This time, the only description she gave our lead designer was, "make it something spring-y!"

Even the owner, Evonne Woods herself, gets excited to help our clients realize their most dreamy requests with an array of whimsical mini-bud vases.

Other conceptual words used amongst our designers were "bubbly and overflowing," "low and luscious," with a lot of use of antique hydrangeas for the woman who usually requests all-white designs ventured out with bold and daring use of colour to celebrate the emergence of Spring.

Birthday Party.

Leave it to The Woods to transform a birthday party into a magical wonderland of brilliantly yellow forsythia, rich blue hydrangeas and crimson amaryllis. This is no basic centerpiece; The Woods LA is creating a fantasyland of bright, bold, joyful bursts of flora. I feel like Alice, transported where the forest's flowers come alive to celebrate the golden afternoon.

And to think that it all begins with a simple sketch. 

 

And now you see Team Jacob (as I call him) working on mossing up the base of the urns. 

A bold idea that is tradition in The Woods is creating new designs to fit every season. Our lead designer, George Woods, credits his foundation as a fashion designer for his inspiration and dedication to producing new concepts in design and colour every season, every year. In the designer's meeting, I overheard words being shouted out such as, "happy!" "vibrant!" "bouncy!" "springy!" and it made me only MORE excited when I saw the base designs forming into multitudes of bubble vases like this:

A VERY Happy Birthday, indeed.

Flowers for Anyone

Working in a flower shop is like being the bridesmaid, never a bride. You're super happy for all the cute couples and all these sweet boys doing thoughtful things for their girlfriends, but no matter how nice the arrangement or how sweet the guy, it's always for someone else.

One Valentine's Day during college, I was working in our local flower shop. The place was slammed with college boys crammed in, wall-to-wall, out the door and around the corner, clamouring for roses and gerbera daisies. Harried and disheveled, I made my way one-by-one through the line, taking orders like a shorthand cook in a hot, sweaty diner. One sandy-haired boy stood aside, quietly.
"Can I help you choose some flowers?" I asked.
"No," he said, "I don't have anyone to give any flowers to. I'm just here to help my buddy."
This boy was so adorable.
"Aw, come on! I'm sure that anyone would love to get flowers from you!" I insisted. He shook his head, "no, no...I wouldn't know who to give them to."
I started listing opportunities for him, "A neighbour? A friend? Your study partner? A crush? Anybody?..."
He smiled and said, "I could get some for you."
I laughed. "No, no. You don't have to do that. You don't even know me!"
He sighed. "Well," he said, "What's YOUR favourite flower? What would be something YOU'd like to get?"
I didn't even need to think. "Lillies," I said. "Everyone gets roses, but I think lilies are so much more exotic and pretty- they're way cheaper and they last FOREVER. And look-" I said, taking a stem out of the cooler, "See how great they smell?!?"
He smiled. "I'll take one of those."
I handed him the stem and directed him to our designer so it could be wrapped, "Happy Valentine's Day!" I shouted, "Good luck!"
Hours later, when the hustle slowed down, I saw the most beautiful casablanca lillies arranged on the counter. "Wow," I breathed, "Who's that for? That's amazing!"
"O!" My coworker said, "That's for you. Some guy said to give them to you."

I still remember you, blonde Stephen. Thanks for the flowers.