LILLIE'S flower blog

bride alex

2012-01-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

January is anniversary month for Alex Petelos Vakakes. Alex married on a beautiful sunny January day at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Birmingham. http://www.holytrinity-holycross.org/ Thank you Amber Ford for sharing images of the day.

Alex carried a hand tied garden bouquet of Amelia roses and thistle with touches of seeded eucalyptus and fragrant freesia.

Alex requested slate blue thistle with Akito roses for her bridesmaids.

a girl and her daddy . . .

~ father daughter dance ~

If you look closely at the boutonnieres the men are wearing you will notice a tie of tartan plaid in honor of Alex's Mother and Grandparents from Scotland. Of course the blue thistle was also a nod to her European heritage.

AK Brides http://www.akbrides.com/ ~ Anita and her team kept the wedding day running on schedule and we were happy to be on the wedding team.

~ happy anniversary Alex Petelos Vakakes ~

Lillie's on the cover of Alabama Weddings

2012-01-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

I hardly thought there could be a bigger thrill than seeing our Lillie's wedding shot by Terri Bruno of Fotowerks on the cover of Alabama Weddings Magazine in 2011...

but then, up comes a shipment of the 2012 edition to my doorstep, and lo and behold, there is Lillie's again!

Many thanks to Michelle at Alabama Weddings Mag and to the oh-so talented Frank Carnaggio who shot this cover, which hit the newsstands in January.

I have to say, I'm partial to a blue cover, and apparently I'm not alone. My dear friend and publishing guru, Phyllis Hoffman of Hoffman Media told me once that blue covers are among the most popular. Certainly, we folks in the flower business know just how much blue flowers are in high demand.

Who knows, maybe someday blue delphinium bouquets will overtake red rose bouquets at Valentine's.........Nah.

Behind The Scenes: A Tuscan Wedding Dinner for Southern Bride Magazine

2011-12-30T09:27:00.000-08:00

I was kicking back after a busy holiday season with my latest guilty pleasure -- Pinterest

(Lillie's has its very own board here) -- just searching around, and what should pop up but this photo shoot of a Tuscan themed wedding dinner...a photo shoot that I had done with Southern Bride Magazine! So, I thought I should share more of it here.

Oh how I wish we'd been in Tuscany, but alas, we were not. Instead I set up the shoot at an old Spanish Colonial home tucked away in an unlikely part of Birmingham. Gabrella Manor, as it is now called, had the right bone structure to give us our night in Tuscany.

Here (above) is wedding planner Anita Kanellis of AK Brides who worked with me to pull the look together with wonderfully rustic place settings from Peter’s Pottery, linens and chairs from Aztec, and beautiful invitations by The Invitation Place.

Diane Olexa of Olexa's Cakes baked this stunning gold wedding cake - almost too pretty to eat....almost. Bridesmaids dresses by Dalia McPhee, and of course, to set the mood, Andy Tolar of Design Productions hung strings of cafe lighting.

Natural light was provided by the Alabama sun, which refused to dim for most of the very balmy evening. I suppose this should have helped me get into character, but in my dreams Tuscany has less humidity.

The folks at Southen Bride Magazine brought in The Foto Altelier to shoot stills and these shots are straight from the video made by the always fun, John and Angela Deaver of Main Street Productions who documented the event on video here on Vimeo. Enjoy - Ciao!

Weddings 2011: Fall leaves and wood slices

2011-12-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

Fearless color isn't the only fearless thing about Ryan and Whitney's wedding. After all, this is the groom who chose to pop the question in one of the most daring ways I've heard (And I've heard a bunch!) He sent his beloved, Whitney, high into the air aboard a skydiving plane and then stood at the target landing sight with a giant sign:

"I Love You Whit. Will You Marry Me?" 

Come to think of it, Whitney is the real firecracker! How many girls would jump from a plane into the arms of her man?

And so it was appropriate that Whitney's wedding at The Sonnet House was a riot of fall's brightest colors: firecracker red, tangerine, and fearless yellows.

I love how photographer Frank Carnaggio captured the intensity of Whitney's bouquet of tulips, freesia, rosehips, and billy balls.

The rustic mantle at the Sonnet House was the ideal foil for a swath of fall foliage and vines.

To round out the rustic theme,Whitney's precious parents brought in these wonderfully aromatic slabs of cedar from a fallen tree.

Weddings 2011: Fall Dahlias and a Charm Bouquet

2011-11-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

From the first few minutes into meeting Betsy I knew it was a match make in heaven...sure, Jonathan and Betsy make a great pair too, but I'm talking about me and Betsy. All the things she wanted to bring to her special day were second nature for me. A love for soft, natural elements and a romantic, garden aesthetic.

Looking at these wonderful images shot by Amanda Pair and her equally talented friend, Wynter Pate, it's easy to see how Betsy's vision was perfectly matched for the venue she chose, The Sonnet House.in Leeds, Alabama. The historic home and grounds are a balanced blend of pristine and patina. Just look how russet dahlias and delphinium sing against that blue gate and rusted roof! And, oh, that kiss!


Love for family was the golden thread that ran throughout Betsy and Jonathan's wedding day. Betsy's charm bouquet wrap suited her charmed wedding

I wanted to share my favorite shot last. Betsy and her mother, no flowers necessary. Just an honest and lovely depiction of the wonderful bond between mother and daughter.

I want to call my mom....

fern and wedding flowers: a perfect combination

2011-11-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

~ apple green fronds of Southern Shield fern and tiny buds of freesia add wonderful, natural architecture and texture to a Lillie's bouquet ~

I love fashioning boutonnieres with fern for Lillie's grooms! So artful and masculine. This wonderful close-up by Amanda Pair captures how the tips have begun to bronze in the cool autumn weather. Here I've added in bits of lamb's ear and seed heads. Yum! See Jonathan & and Betsy's wedding here.

For a pop of color I worked in bright red rosehips to tiny stems of resurrection fern. For more of Whitney and Ryan's wedding, photographed by talented Birmingham photographer Frank Carnaggio, check the full blog post here.

Weddings: tulip bouquets and Historic Rucker Place

2011-08-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking...that picture of the blonde bride with the perfect smile and perfect yellow tulips is an ad for Lillie's, right? Could be, but no. Victoria is a real-life bride who married lucky fella Chris at the beautiful Rucker Place overlooking Birmingham, Alabama.

The afternoon of our first meeting together Victoria told me about her groom Chris and his landscape design business. Loving the outdoors as I do, this completely intrigued me. Chris joined us at our next meeting and and the three of us worked together on a plan to give the wedding a natural outdoorsy feel using Alabama greenery and honeysuckle vine.

The sunny yellow of tulips and freesia, everything about this wedding makes me want to smile.The tulips were a happy surprise for a HOT August wedding. Tulips are cool season, spring flowers. We honestly just "Hoped" for tulips. I ordered the tulips and "Begged" my suppliers to search. We were all excited to see Victoria carry a bouquet of her favorite blossom.

Thanks to Daniel Taylor for capturing the essence of spring in a glass (even in August).

Bird's nest centerpieces on pintucked linens and a pair of kissing canaries atop a scrumptious cake by Dreamcakes gave the reception a decidedly aviary theme.

I guess I will forever think of Victoria and her yellow bouquet when a newly engaged girl asks me for tulips in a hot Alabama Summer.

Weddings 2011: spring showers and blue hydrangea garland

2011-06-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

On wedding days sometimes we have an unexpected rain shower ~ this was the case the day bride Calley married her sweetheart Brian in Homewood, Alabama at Trinity Methodist on Oxmoor Road.

The rain shower that surprised us was a summer shower that drenched us completely in a period of 3 or 4 minutes.

That's me on the ladder, mere moments before the deluge, wrestling a garland of hydrangeas under the magnificent stone arch.

Fortunately, flowers (especially hydrangeas - hence the name "hydra") relish a generous soaking, and a flower junkie like me is used to playing in the water....but photo equipment is not so resilient. Leave it to gifted veteran photographer Jerrod Brown to not run from the soaker, but transform the moment into magic.

Serendipity! Jerrod found an unclaimed umbrella and quickly handed it to Brian just as he stepped outside the church doors with his new Bride, Calley. The leaves on the trees dripping a bit and the sidewalks still wet, everything glistened like a Hollywood set...like it had been planned that way!

Check out the full article on Calley and Brian in Alabama Weddings Magazine for more images from the wedding.

Weddings 2011: Spring Lenten roses and historic Altadena Presbyterian Church

2011-03-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

March Weddings in Alabama have such a unique look. Our trees are still gray and bare from the winter and I find myself urging spring to hurry up by adding brightly colored flowers to Lillie's bouquets and boutonnieres.

Beverly Andrews and her team at Engaging Celebrations knew this when working with Sarah to plan her wedding day. From the perfect weather with an aqua sky looking like it was ordered to match the wedding (how did Beverly do that?), to the popsicle truck that delighted wedding guests late in the afternoon, John and Sarah's wedding could not have been more delightful.

To help John and Sarah welcome their guests to the historic Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church we added a pair vibrant spring wreaths blooming with lenten roses and spiky purple veronica to the whitewashed church doors. This wood frame church oozes with charm and made for a picture perfect wedding!.

Sarah's bridesmid's carried jonquills, lenten roses, veronica, gerber daiseys and kermit mums in apple green.

The evening celebration was anchored by Geoff Carlisle of JAMM playing dance tunes that kept everyone on the dance floor.
A big thanks to photographer Emily Kicklighter for these beautiful wedding images.

flower day with kelli

2011-01-19T05:22:00.001-08:00

January is the month to do things that I never seem to have time for during the height of Lillie's wedding season and a perfect time for a fun little "Field Trip!"

Last week Kelli Taylor of Daniel Taylor Photography and I took a little field trip to downtown Birmingham to the large floral supply houses. Take a peek at the fun we had . . .

http://www.danieltaylorphotoblog.com/wedding-florals-behind-the-scenes-with-carol-riley-of-lillies-flowers/

bouquet trends

2011-01-10T18:22:00.000-08:00

Matt Jones Gallery played host this weekend to "A Whirlwind of Wedding Wisdom" sponsored by the Alabama State Florists Association. Darla Pawlak spoke on the new bouquet trends sweeping the nation. It was very interesting. She said bride's all across the nation are looking for texture and "Green" in their bouquets.
I would like to say, my dear brides are trend setters! Lillie's brides have been asking for green bouquets for years. I have lost count of the number of brides requesting lambs ear and garden perennials in their bouquets.

It is always a joy to include a unique wildflower native to the state of Alabama, in a bride's bouquet. In Summer and Fall we often tie perennial blossoms in the bridesmaid's bouquets. We remember the groomsmen too when we incorporate a tiny piece of fern or rosemary in the men's boutonnieres.

The softness of lamb's ear, the elegance of dark green camelia or the feminine fronds of maiden hair fern are wonderful options to add texture to Alabama Bride's Bouquets.

boutonnieres

2010-12-31T05:46:00.000-08:00

~ boutonniere also boutonnière ( ) n. A flower or small bunch of flowers worn in a buttonhole. [French boutonnière , from Old French ~

Rosebuds are always available for men to wear on a wedding day. This boutonniere is an Orange Unique rose and hypericum berry.

. . . why not think out of the box when planning a boutonniere for your groom. This groom wore a mini calla lily with stephanotis and varigated ivy when he married at the Sonnet House in Leeds, Alabama. http://www.thesonnethouse.com/

or, go green . . .

this groom wears a bouttoniere of boxwood, hypericum berry, seeded eucalyptus and wax flower for and afternoon wedding ceremony at Aldridge Gardens in Birmingham, Alabama. http://www.aldridgegardens.com/

thank you jason wallis, frank carnaggio and jim little for sharing the boutonniere images with Lillie's

brides and grooms

2010-12-28T06:21:00.000-08:00

Alabama has so many beautiful places to marry and Lillie's gets to experience them all! I so enjoyed my weekend at beautiful Lake Martin with the Owen's family.

Bride Lauren married in the chapel at Children's Harbor carrying a hand tied bouquet of Anna roses, Eskimo roses, white calla and freesia.

Frank Carnaggio of Birmingham was Lauren's wedding photographer and kind to share these images.

Queen Anne's Lace

2010-12-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

A wedding ceremony under large oak trees on the edge of a pasture

the bride carried the most feminine of all the field flowers . . .

Queen Anne's Lace.

Thank you Frank Carnaggio for the images. http://www.carnaggio.com/

bouquets for brides

2010-12-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

A bride's bouquet is unique and personal.

Many bride's carry sweet mementos down the aisle to meet their grooms.

. . . treasured family heirlooms are nestled between blossoms, pinned onto bouquet handles or tied on with ribbons.

When bride Jessica married in May she pinned a locket onto her bouquet of white peonies.

Thank you Jerrod Brown Photography for these images.
http://www.jerrodbrown.com/

little girls

2010-11-22T04:44:00.001-08:00

~ a row of covered buttons, double back satin ribbon, love knots ~

a bride that remembers the little details for her day is rewarded with beautiful images.

thank you to Jerrod Brown for this sweet picture ~ www.jerrodbrown.com/

the blossoms in the flower girl halos are majolica ivory roses and white kalanchoe.

bouquet day

2010-07-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

Engaged Wedding Library http://www.engagedbirmingham.com/ invited Birmingham Brides last week to "Bouquet Day."

Engaged girls were able to see all shapes, sizes and flavors of flowers gathered together in bouquets and nosegays.

~ the maids carried wildflowers ~

This French bouquet my favorite. The little pink spray roses were baby pink majolicas, the snapdragons were also a soft pink, but the lavender veronica upstaged them both. A lambs ear collar of soft silvery green completed the look.

~ the bride carried pink peonies ~

bridesmaid's in the fall

2010-07-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

Bride Amy married on a beautiful Fall afternoon at South Highland Presbyterian.

The windows in the sanctuary are bright and colorful. Amy wanted a fall look incorporating seeds and berries but requested an ivory color palette so as not to distract from the church's windows.

When we gathered for her bouquets we kept this in mind using thistle, seeded eucalyptus, wheat, chamomile and champagne roses.

sisters

2010-07-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

Happy news came today ~ the sister of one of my favorite brides is engaged and planning a wedding in early February. I have always loved this image of sweet sisters blonde and brunette.

Can't wait to get to know the little sis!

~ baby blue ~

2010-06-21T05:39:00.000-07:00

Bride Allison loved baby blue. After a wedding ceremony inside Samford University's Reid Chapel, Allison sashed her wedding dress with baby blue satin ribbon and danced the night away at the Avon Theater in Lakeview. She asked to have sap buckets of flower to greet guests as they entered the reception. We enjoyed working with the Happy Catering Company (see their van peeking through the slats of the fence?) The wedding cake by Julie Hendricks of Sweet Magnolia was beautiful and delicious. And thanks to the staff of GoPro Event Soulutions the entire event ran smoothly. Best Wishes to the bride and groom!

welcome

2010-05-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

From out of town guests to bridesmaids, people pour through the front doors of the Bride's parents.

The mother of this May bride asked for fresh flowers on her door welcoming guests to the wedding weekend.

This wreath is made of hydrangea, casa blancas, white snap dragons and Virginia alstromaria. The hosta leaves fern and illeagnus are from the bride's mother's garden.

Ask an expert . . .

2010-05-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Birmingham Party Planning for including Lillie's on their web site. They were even kind enough to call us "Experts!"

QUESTION:
Should you ask for references before deciding on a floral designer?

ANSWER:
Carol says that it is very acceptable to ask for references. She also suggests that you talk to other wedding or event vendors such as your caterer, photographer or venue about the floral designer you are considering. "Have you worked with ...?" There is a lot of coordination between vendors and most of them know each other. A "thumbs up" from someone else in a related industry will surely help you feel confident in your choice.

Follow the link below to read the full interview.

http://www.birminghampartyplanning.com/ask-the-expert--choosing-a-florist.php

Happy flower planning!

Evie and Lee's Wedding Reception

2010-04-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

http://www.vimeo.com/8981196

Evie and Lee were married on a cold winter night in January of 2010. The Bride and Groom celebrated with family and friends at Vestavia Country Club. Thank you to Main Street Productions for the video.

a wedding's happiest moment

2010-04-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

~ giving the bride her bouquet ~ the happiest moment in my work day!

Kim asked for an apple green and white bouquet. We gathered and hand tied Virginia roses, Fragrant freesia, Casa Blanca and Calla Lilies. The apple green fern in the bouquet was snipped from my front yard. Southern Shield fern is native to Alabama and so fresh and pretty during the month of May.

Morning Sunshine on the Church Doors

2010-04-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

Girls, remember to consider where the Sun will be shining on your wedding day. Your Photographer will be able to help place you and your groom in just the right light. I encourage my brides to visit the wedding venue four weeks out at the exact time of their ceremony. This gives the girls a good idea of what the light will look like on the doors and how the sunshine will be streaming in the church windows.

creating

2010-03-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

~ My snips, ribbon, pictures and pretty are spread all over the table this rainy morning ~

I am happy to be working on inspiration boards for new 2010 Brides. Often girls come to me with bits and pieces of a dream . . . a fabric swatch, a word, a page torn from a magazine. It is fun for me to pull all of this together and begin creating the vision for a Wedding.

This is the happiest job in the world!

I have lost count of the number of times a bride says to me, "I am not sure how to describe exactly what I want." The wedding inspiration boards are wonderful to give just that, "Inspiration!"

My job is just to figure out what is in the head of the Bride. After all this is the Bride's day. Above all I want my bride to have her heart's desire.

It is my goal for the guests at the wedding to say . . . "This looks just like the Bride!"

Dresses

2010-03-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

Spring and Summer Brides ~ great event at Engaged coming March 26th & 27th

Looking for dresses for your Bridal Shower, Tea, Engagement Party, Engagement Portraits, Bachelorette Party, and Rehearsal Dinner?
Don't miss your chance to receive 25% off Couture Dresses!

Stop by Engaged, A Wedding Library, Friday March 25th 10:00am to 5:00pm & Saturday, March 26th 10:00am to 2:00pm

Sugar Britches Design Trunk Show

Bring your bridesmaids

Pop Champagne

Taste yummy sweets

Find the perfect outfit for each occasion

Call 205.637.0735 for more details

Engaged A Wedding Library ~ 1807 Oxmoor Road, Homewood AL

Vacation Time

2010-03-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

Summer Haven Beach on Anastasia Island ~ Yesterday morning we watched a whale right off the beach for an hour. The dolphins and pelicans were in a frenzy all around the whale in the ocean. Mr. Whale was even slapping his tail on the sea. Yesterday afternoon after a short shower a complete rainbow crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Two "Firsts" for me ~ perfect holiday.

early spring flowers

2010-03-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

My March brides are enjoying the earliest Spring blossoms.

~ fragrant winter honeysuckle and flowering quince blooming now ~ romantic wisteria and eager tulips can't be far behind.

Hurry up Springtime!

lindsey and trip

2010-02-22T19:48:00.000-08:00

Lindsey and Tripp ~ It is hard to believe you have been married over a year! Here's to Spring, romance and the opening day of baseball season.

http://www.jasonwallisphotography.com/thomas/

thank you jason for the memories.

bride rachel

2010-02-19T06:55:00.001-08:00

Bride Rachel dreamed of a wedding with feminine pink flowers and a ballroom bathed in soft candelight. http://vimeo.com/7418781 Thank you Rush Video for the memories.
Anita Kanellis headed a strong team of wedding professionals. Rachel's gown was designed by Heidi Elnora, Barbara Sullivan baked the delicious cakes and Design Productions lit the new ballroom at American Village.

the white wedding

2010-02-15T09:33:00.000-08:00

Brides and Bridesmaids don't miss the introduction of Heidi's new gowns.

Visit www.thewhitewedding.org

Follow on twitter @ theWHITEwedding.

Birmingham's own Heidi Elnora www.heidielnora.com will introduce her Spring line.
She has gathered together the top wedding professionals in the city, 0ne team for each Bride.
The girls will be beautiful, The gowns fabulous, The band is Red Halo and . . .

most importantly we are going to raise so much money for the kids!

Every penny from ticket sales and silent auction items goes to Camp Smile a Mile!

new home

2008-09-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Lillie's has a new home ~ ribbons, snips, candles, clippers, pearls, and crystals have all found their place on the shelf. Come for a visit soon at 1807 Oxmoor Road in Homewood.

flower girl

2007-04-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

Day after day I get to be the "flower girl." A job shouldn't be this happy. I absolutely love what I do. Yes, the weekends are hard work ~ loading and unloading, cutting fresh green, rinsing out buckets and up and down on ladders ~ but how fun that I get to be with the bride and her flowers on her happiest day!