Whether you are planning a wedding or working every day, or planning a wedding and working every day, life keeps going on. Here we are in 2020. Weddings have changed so much in the last few years. There are so many vendors to choose from, and so many ideas and budgets. 

      Greenery became so popular that now it is pricier, but if you are on a budget, you can purchase it by the bunch and do it yourself. Most of the cost (the greenery too) is in the design at the venue. That takes time, and time can be expensive. I can show you how to do it so you can stay in your budget. 

      Candles are still so popular, but more venues are requiring battery operated lights. I love them! There's nothing prettier than fairy lights within a vase. They look like little fireflies. I also still love mercury votives in gold or silver. I don't currently carry rose gold, but that is becoming a color that is really popular.

      Deep jewel tones are still trending, but slate blues, and pearl pinks are taking over for spring. Peach and cream tones are blending with champagne and rose golds. Muted palettes are mixed with pops of hot pinks and purple.

      The hydrangeas is still the go-to flower because they offer you a large bang for your buck, but roses are coming in strong. Hopefully, the weather in South America and California will stabilize and give us back those beautiful full blooms. Garden roses are very trendy, but they come with a hefty price tag. Ranunculus make me happy, and calla lilies remain one of the most elegant flowers.

      I'd probably advise every bride to check who or what she needs flowers for, and then find a realistic budget. With many brides choosing over five bridesmaids, and over twenty guest tables, a low budget will make you very disappointed. Yes, you can use your maids' flowers, but keep in mind the more maids, the more the cost. Maybe you forget corsages and boutonnieres. Maybe you don't decorate at the church. That will help the budget. Maybe you do candles or hurricanes on the tables. Maybe you skip guest gifts and offer them a great meal...it is all up to you.

      Just like everyone else you talk to, I am available for free advice! While you plan a wedding, you'll get plenty of ideas and advice, all free of charge. Depending on what you think of that advice, it may be worth it to talk to a tried and true professional to get a better idea on a realistic budget and flowers that are available. Oh, and make sure all of your vendors have a business license, charge sales tax, and have their own insurance. Most venues require all of that. And by the way, yes, I have all those lovely govenement documents.

      My words of wisdom, ENJOY! Enjoy the planning, the time with family, and your future spouse. Above all, enjoy the wedding day and try to hold all of those moments in your heart! #goweddings!

It's been awhile since I've posted on this page.  Going into 2019 the trends are still lots of greenery but I can see it changing.  Whites and creams are still the number one color scheme but color is making a comeback, especially with all the soft colors of bridesmaids' dresses returning.  Don't be afraid to go bold with those hot colors...have you thought about hot pink and shades of deep, rich burgundies and reds?  If you like the pastels, there's nothing prettier than adding in a hint of hot pink or deep purple to spice up your palette.  If you are on a budget, don't be afraid to sacrifice some flowers to have the look you really want.  If you want those flowers at the reception, then do it.  Maybe you downplay your bouquets or don't do boutonnieres and corsages at all.  Just something to think about!

So can there possibly be anything new this year?  Of course there can be and if not we just take something old and make it new again!  Florists do that all the time.  Many of our original ideas are loosely taken from something we've already seen.  Then we put our own touch on it.  For colors this year, violet and purple with greens are still popular.  That can be difficult if you are looking for that just right color of purple.  You may want to look into adding other colors up against eggplant or lavender dresses.  As far as style, the hand-tied is still the favorite.  Cascades are popping up here and there to compliment some of the 1960/70's influences.  Keep in mind that cascades are heavier and more expensive.  We keep seeing new flowers on the market so that part of my job is always new....and every week, each wedding is unique and totally new.  That's the best part of my job!

Well, not much to say except the fall in Kansas City IS the busiest time of the year for my wedding business.  I have had the loveliest brides and some of the most beautiful weddings I have ever done this fall.  You will start to see these photos on the web site, the Facebook page of Clara's Flowers, and now on....TWITTER!  Yes, I bit the bullet and added one more social media so that my brides and future ones can see immediate photos....OK, well, not so immediate, but in a timely manner....so enjoy.  This internet stuff is hurting my head, but it is so great when it all goes as planned.  Besides, its a great history on-line!

I travel all over the Kansas City area and I see a lot of cakes, but there is one venue that provides the most unique groom's cake ever....Boulevard Brewery on Southwest Boulevard.

Our hometown brewery offers a groom's cake that has 6 spun-sugar bottles popping out of a "cake" cooler.  Upon seeing this artistry most guests ask....can you eat all of it, or do you drink some of it?  And then.....they laugh out loud.

To view this special cake, take a look at our Facebook page....Clara's Flowers.  You'll either get hungry for cake or want to search for a cold one!

Well, we'll see how long this lasts!  When I get really busy,this will be the first thing that goes, but here we go....

One of the hottest summers in history since the early 1900's is finally closing.  I have finally seen a little rain and felt one or two cool breezes.  I want to applaud my brides who managed to look fantastic despite 100 degree temperature.  For all of you who took photos hours early (and I worried about the freshness of the flowers), would you do it all over again?  I have some brides who would and others who wouldn't.

I know many of you who did do the hours of artistic expressions had to reapply makeup, redo hairstyles, dab kleenex and towels at various parts of your body, cleaned dirt off your dresses (the shot at Loose Park in the grass near the goose poop that the photographer just had to get), hydrated and cooled off before taking that walk down the aisle.

We photograph our entire lives now, and of course, your wedding day is no exception.  On Good Morning America the other day they were showing another new trend...photographing the night of your wedding or the morning after.  I have nothing to say, except, are you kidding me?  I think we've been reading too many celebrity magazines.  Some things need to be left to the imagination.

I'm just asking you to think about the photos you really want and the ones you really are going to purchase, and actually look at once in awhile.  Does the World War 1 Memorial really say something about your relationship...does standing under a bridge in the West Bottoms(have you been there before?) really express how you are feeling?  Think about the loved ones you want in those photos and how you want to capture the day for your memory.

Don't ever let anyone tell you what you want is stupid or old-fashioned.  Some things just don't go out of style....you and your groom kissing, your friends and family surrounding you, the ring bearer stealing a kiss from the flower girl, your mom fixing your veil.....