Spring Blossom

Came the spring with all it's splendor,
All it's birds and all it's blossoms,
All it's flowers and leaves and grasses...
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

Every one who knows me well, I mean knows me really well, knows I love poetry. They have known me to swoon over a well constructed sentence, a clever turn of a phrase, a metaphor that shines like the sun. They have known me to speak in rhyme for no reason and answer an email in prose. They say, it may be my affliction....like a weakness for musicians, or having to smell every rose I pass.
It is my firm belief that spring is the Earth's way of writing poetry. With every crocus, tulip and daffodil that pokes up from the wet earth, she says, "Look! Behold what beauty! Do you see?" With every cherry blossom that unfurls it's pink petals she whispers,
" Blossom. Go ahead. You can."
Every one who knows me well, I mean knows me really well knows I love spring. They say, it may be my affliction.....like a love for flowers and honey off the spoon.
Happy Spring! Blossom.Go ahead. You can.
~ Sarina xo~

The Art of Choosing Your Wedding Florist

Every now and then I receive an email or telephone call where a bride asks, "How much do you charge for one dozen red roses?"
I suppose this is one way for the bride to determine how expensive, or not a certain florist may be but it in no way takes into consideration the "art"of creating floral designs for a wedding.Usually, the bride does not only want a dozen red roses. She wants a dozen red roses with red berries,white feathers and crystal picks with folded leaves and a white satin wrap with a crystal buckle! Do you understand what I am getting at? Simply pricing one dozen red roses does not give an accurate representation of the cost.
Planning the flowers for a wedding involves: a complimentary consultation with the bride in person or through a series of emails,follow up consultations, many emails and phone calls, creating the floral designs, keeping track of all the bride's changes and requests, pricing the designs, preliminary quotes,secondary quotes and sometimes more, creating a contract, liaison with other wedding vendors working on the special day so that everything flows smoothly, compiling the types of flowers used and how many, ordering the flowers, conditioning the flowers, creating many individual works of art, delivering these works of art to a beautiful bridal party and wedding venues in a timely fashion! Please imagine the hours and hours of time involved in this creative process.So, simply pricing a dozen red roses does not "embrace the art."

These in my opinion are the best ways to choose your wedding florist:

• TRUST: Do you trust that the florist understands your vision? Do you trust that the florist can create and implement your vision? Does your florist listen to you? Give you ideas to work with and off? Do you like the florist? Can you see yourself able to work and communicate with the florist easily? Is the florist organized? Does the florist's reputation speak for itself?

• ART: Is the florist creative? Can the florist design in many different styles? Have you viewed the florist's actual portfolio? Do you like the florist's work? Do you feel confident that the florist can design in your style? Does the florist's art speak for itself?

• Budget: Last but not least budget. Be honest about your budget with your florist. Have a floral budget set before seeing your florist and a bottom line. For example: "I do not want to spend more than $2000.00 including taxes and deliveries."This gives the florist an accurate budget to work with and advise you on. Be realistic. If your budget is $500.00 and you have ten people in your bridal party, desire 20 centerpieces and your favourite flowers are orchids you may have to adjust your vision to accommodate your budget.Be flexible with your floral choices and open to suggestions.A good florist can work to any budget within perimeters. That being said, some good florists have budget minimums because they only accept one wedding on any given date . Read Testimonials ....Happy Brides speak for themselves!

So, as you can see choosing a good florist takes some consideration. I encourage all brides to "embrace the art" of their special day!

Embracing the Art

Well, here I am in the 21st century and who knew I would have a blog? Who knew I would end up being a floral designer and having the honor of sharing in my clients most beautiful and precious moments from births to deaths and all that falls between? I am truly blessed.
Recently, a client emailed me the most wonderful compliment. She wrote, "Love of Beauty is Taste. The Creation of Beauty is Art."~Ralph Waldo Emerson~ and you most definitely are an artist Sarina!"
It's funny, I never considered myself an artist. I thought painters, sculptors, and musicians were artists. I was taken aback, ".... Thank-you.... but really, me an artist, no way!"
She assured me that, "Every time I order flowers from Bella Fiore my breath is taken away. I have to step back to admire the beauty, the play of color and texture. You always convey in flowers just what I am trying to say so perfectly. THIS IS ART ! So get over it.YOU ARE AN ARTIST!"
"Gosh, well, O.K. since you put it that way."
I've been thinking about those series of emails for a while ..... and have since decided to "EMBRACE THE ART" and this blog is all about me doing that...so here goes!