Manzanita Speaks

Hi ya'll, I know, I know - it's been a while.  I won't go on with pathetic excuses, except just to say posts will probably be few and far between for the next few months.  Lots of new projects are happening over here at the little studio.

I am proud to announce our most recent project completion, the launch of our new website!  SOOO much new stuff, mosey on over there and check it out.  

Moments ago I was putting finishing touches on the galleries and realized how proud I have become of the Manzanita Designs team's body of work.  To all my special helpers - thank you.  You know who you are.  I couldn't have ever accomplished this much without you.

One of my floral design heroes, Nancy Liu Chin, wrote a very timely little post about how to maintain budget goals for wedding flowers.  I know most Brides would think the words "I trust you completely, please advise me on what YOU think I should have" would end up breaking their budget.  But Nancy outlines how this can end up being the biggest money saver in the long run: read here.

I've been having a ton of fun the past few days sifting through photos of the 2009 wedding season.  When I came across this little gem, I knew I had to share.

Jill absolutely knew what she wanted from day one - spring flowers in fuchsia, robin's egg blue, and apple green.  She squealed with joy when she saw her bouquet...a memory from this season that thrills me when I think of it.  

I love the flower choices we settled upon, too: anemone, peonies, ranunculus, snowball viburnum, with lots of texture from scented geranium and lady's mantle foliage.

Photog . Daniel Wilson
Venue . Holland Ranch
Event Coordinators . Events Redefined

Utterly Engaged, a rad Wedding E-Zine featured one of our summer weddings in their most recent issue.  Check it out here.

A little thank-you note that made me blush from the mother of one of our Brides...

"Thank you so much for the gorgeous flowers at Katherine's wedding. They were all she dreamed of....and more. We could not have been more pleased and everyone raved about your beautiful floral designs. So elegant, classy... simply perfection. We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It was a lovely, lovey wedding and we are so appreciative or your efforts and contributions to making it so. We send our love and gratitude..the Diefenderfer family."

The gang over @ StudioCastillero has a few teaser photos up of a wedding we had last weekend.  Marijke was such a cool girl - she wanted simple, gardeney bouquets without too much fuss (just the way I like 'em).  Not only that, but she chose to have her wedding at one of my favorite childhood haunts - David and Roxanne Foote's house (or should i call it "The Foote's Resort" since it's now a wedding destination?).  

Those of you who share my love of SOOOOOPER scary pitchblack hide-and-go-seek matches and running around in a pasture with a black (sorta mean) ram named Anthony @ the Footes' will recognize the backdrop in these precious photos.

(photo above by Rachel Joy of LePair Photography :)

Tomorrow is the semi-annual Central Coast Bride Bridal Faire @ Madonna Inn in SLO - and I am so excited and ready to knock our booth out of the park (a la Smalls' exasperation at Wendy Peffercorn, reference above.)

Since I just can't hide it any longer, here's a little sneak peek at what me and the ladies of Events Redefined have in store for tomorrow's booth.  Lollipops, dahlias, summery carnivalesque colors...it's gonna be eye candy!