Since Fountainview Mansion is also a full service florist for their client, we are usually asked to do the florals for most of the brides who marry here.  It’s an especially high honor when we’re selected as the florist of choice for a wedding held off site.  Such was the case when Emily Price married Caleb McElroy at the Event Center in Opelika on March 12, 2011 at 6:00 in the evening.  While we had worked with the family almost exactly a year ago for the family’s firstborn daughter, Abby, sister Emily did not wish to try to mimic her sister’s wedding or appear to be copying her sister’s dream wedding.  This is one of the most precious and loving families I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.  It made it very special for me to be a part of the second Price wedding.

Emily and Caleb McElroy share a memorable dance together.

The bride’s inspiration for floral decor came from two basic design elements; black and white damask and hot pink gerbera daisies.  While I had used quite a few gerbera in my daughter’s wedding back in May of 2008, I’ve never utilized so many in one event.  There were hundreds of them.  The biggest challenge for the floral design was the large scale of the room.  Normal sized arrangements would have just not worked in the space due to ceilings nearly 30′ high and a ballroom which can seat nearly 600 guests.  Our challenge was to bring color, warmth and intimacy to the space.  To achieve this, we utilized many “props” the family had been collecting for many months including plaster columns and black and white damask hat boxes to elevate arrangements, a lovely collection of mercury glass votive and candle holders, as well as numerous black picture frames holding engagement pictures of the bride and groom.  We developed 4 basic table scape designs and spaced them throughout the large room to provide as much height contrast and color impact as possible.  The room was further enhanced by soft pink uplighting on the walls, large holly trees trimmed with white lights, and a plethora of large and opulent buffet table arrangements for additional color.

All the arrangements featured the brides personal favorite, the hot pink gerbera daisy, hot pink peonies, freesia, snapdragons, larkspur, gladiolus, green amaranthus, green hypericum, hydrangeas, and hundreds of hot pink roses (Topaz), and pink oriental lilies and fuchsia stock which both provided fabulous fragrance.   

One of the most dramatic focal points was a huge hanging basket to create the look of a floral chandelier suspended over the bride’s cake.  Sonshine Wedding Cakes provided the unique design which reinforced the look of tone-on-tone damask.  

 The bride’s colorful bouquet featured white peonies, white and hot pink roses, white freesia for fragrance, and several hot pink gerbera daisies for color impact.  While gerbera daisies are often referred to as more “informal” flowers, when coupled with the peonies, roses and freesia, they still provided a look of elegance and formality to complement the brides stunning and formal gown.  Each of the bridesmaids was dressed in black and carried a custom hand-tied nosegay in vibrant shades of hot pink wrapped in black and silver damask ribbon.  Against the background of the black dresses the colors were truly dramatic and electric.

One of the many buffet station arrangements which provided color and elegance to the space.

Price family, thanks so much for the honor and privilege of working with you on your second daughter’s wedding.  How I wish you had 10 more daughters!  We cherish your friendship.