Spring 2010 Trends!

In the coming year the trends are going to bold, bright, and full of color. In regards to color 2010 is going to stray away from the traditional pastels. Bright oranges, yellows, and turquoise will be the primary colors for spring of 2010. These colors will be accompanied by jewel tones as well this season.

The combination of yellow and turquoise is a beautiful and playful addition to a spring wedding.

Bright orange and peach tones can add contrast to a bride’s simple cream or ivory gown.

In addition to all the bold and bright colors of the season, many people will opt to remain contemporary with a mixture of black, red and white. These colors will be used a different way for spring of 2010 such as black floral or black and red accents to a simple wedding gown.

The dress trends for spring 2010 are bigger and better than ever! Designers are creating dresses for the spring revolving around flowers, metallic fabrics, beading, lace, ruffled tiers, asymmetrical necklines, feathers, touches of black, color, and last but not least mini dresses.

All over lace is a huge trend for wedding dresses in the spring. It’s incredibly romantic and can be worn for a day or night wedding.

Ruffled tiers are a great way to add texture and movement to a wedding gown.

And when it comes to asymmetrical necklines, one shoulder wedding gowns are everywhere on the bridal runways and are giving strapless gowns a run for their money!

Going back to the basics is going to be a huge trend this coming spring. Events will focus on the attention to detail this season not the drama of the evening. Home weddings will be seen a lot in the spring 2010. Home weddings can be intimate with smaller guest lists and elegant, sophisticated details.

Buttercream on the big day will replace fondant this season. Tools and techniques now allow buttercream to look as smooth as fondant.

Spring 2010 is going to be a fun season for planning with all the bold and bright trends! So have fun and enjoy the planning!

Happy Planning!

Team Bella

Behind the Scenes with Bella: Concept to Design to Installation

Happy Holidays everyone! With Christmas right around the corner, we thought this would be the perfect time to feature one of our favorite holiday parties and show some behind the scene features in the development of such a grand fete.

The first step is to develop a concept; this year the client chose to go with a "Home for the Holidays" theme for a merry and spirited feel. We then began to research colors, flowers and textures that would embody the feel and allow us to work with some unique seasonal items.


We love texture and decided that rich chocolate and wine velvets, luminous golds, crab apple greens, ilex berry red and fragrant seasonal foliage would all contribute to the theme and add to the overall sensory appeal.

We then began to create renderings of what the centerpieces would look like. With such a traditional theme, we knew we needed a WOW factor to make a memorable impression. We like to create at least three designs for a nice varied look. Here are some renderings of the three designs we came up with.



Low Design



Tall Design



Super Tall Design :) ~ This one is over 8 feet tall!

Once the prototypes were approved and all lighting and linen selections were taken care of, it was time for the installation. One of our favorite venues, The Four Seasons Resort - Las Colinas,
was the location for the party. Here is an image of the ballroom early morning.



Tables were in the form of both squares and circles for a stylish and symmetric look.



Linens were a combination of Bella Flora and Posh Couture Rentals.



As the day progressed, so did the transformation of the room. Shown here is the velvet fabric treatment going up alongside crystal chandeliers from LITE Dallas.



...and the final product with washes of amber encompassing the room along with traditional and classic damask emblems. All the elements really came together beautifully!



The tall centerpiece complete with gorgeous ornaments, antique hydrangea, amaryllis, james story orchids, and ilex berry clusters.



I loved the low centerpieces laden with berries, rosettes, mini apples, amaryllis and fragrant cedar foliage. We then placed the arrangements (designed in mercury glass) atop these charming beveled mirrors for an updated twist on "hotel-mirror" decor.



The super tall centerpiece design in all it's holiday glory :)

The event was a huge success and really captured the spirit of the holidays. While it did take hours and hours of work to create, we couldn't have been more pleased with the end results. We want to thank our awesome clients for being open to creative ideas and the fabulous team of vendors who helped create this magical evening.

Happy Holidays!

Team Bella

Premium Wedding Playlist

One of the most difficult decisions for a couple to make is the choice of song for the first dance, father/ daughter dance, and mother/ son dance. So we are here to help! Here are some of our personal favorites for a variety of styles.

First Dance:

Photo Credit: Karlisch Photography (http://www.karlischphotography.com/)

Classic and Traditional
1. Someone Like You- Van Morrison
2. The Way You Look Tonight- Michael Buble
3. Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton
4. Crazy Love- Van Morrison
5. Let It Be Me- Ray LaMontagne

Trendy:
1. They Bring Me To You- Joshua Radin
2. This Years Love- David Gray
3. Somebody Loved- The Weepies
4. Today- Joshua Radin
5. Come Away With Me- Norah Jones

Country
1. Me and You- Kenny Chesney
2. Amazed- Lonestar
3. I Swear- John Michael Montgomery
4. Then- Brad Paisley
5. I Cross My Heart- George Strait

Father/ Daughter Dance:

Classic and Traditional:
1. Always Together- Dean Martin
2. Brown Eyed Girl- Van Morrison
3. My Girl- The Temptations
4. Isn’t She Lovely- Stevie Wonder
5. Every Breathe You Take- The Police

Trendy:
1. Sweet Pea- Amos Lee
2. Diamonds On The Inside- Ben Harper
3. If I Could- Ray Charles
4. Daughters- John Mayer
5. My Father’s Eyes- Eric Clapton

Country:
1. My Little Girl- Tim McGraw
2. She’s Everything- Brad Paisley
3. A Father’s Love- George Strait
4. I Wish I Could- Collin Raye
5. I Loved Her First- Heartland

Mother/ Son Dance:

Classic and Traditional:
1. Stand By Me- Ben E. King
2. Your Song- Elton John
3. What A Wonderful World- Louis Armstrong
4. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You- Van Morrison
5. I Wish You Love- Rod Stewart

Trendy:
1. A Wink And A Smile- Harry Connick Jr.
2. Closer- Joshua Radin
3. Lean On Me- Bill Withers
4. That’s Amore- Dean Martin
5. You Are- Lionel Richie

Country:
1. The Dance- Garth Brooks
2. Just To See You Smile- Tim McGraw
3. My Wish- Rascal Flatts
4. Don’t Blink- Kenny Chesney
5. There Goes My Life- Kenny Chesney

Enjoy the music! And remember the song that you choose should represent you so have fun with it!

Happy Planning!

Team Bella

Bella Bride: Regan & W.A. Landreth

A radiant spring wedding was created for Regan Cumming-Landreth and W.A. Landreth at the University Christian Church and the Fort Worth Club on March 21, 2009.

The bride looked stunning in an Oscar de la Renta gown paired with a lace veil. She was glowing as she walked down the aisle with her father. Her bouquet was a simple and elegant combination of all white lush peonies with a personal touch of an embroidered handkerchief.

The ceremony at the University Christian Church was designed with a romantic feel and palette of all white floral and accents of butter yellow and green.

In the essence of spring, the bridesmaid’s wore light yellow dresses with small bouquets filled with beautiful floral including green hydrangeas, green ranunculus, orchids, and a variety of sunny yellow toned seasonal flowers.

The corridor and cocktail hour were adorned with a collection of varying heights of candlelit pillars to create an intimate and romantic setting.

The Fort Worth Club was also stunning with lush arrangements of white and cream floral. The arrangements were filled with a gorgeous blend of all white floral with green and yellow accents. The floral selection included hydrangeas, bloomed roses, sweet stock, and dendrobium orchids.

The wedding was gorgeous and we loved creating a beautiful event for Reagan, a dear friend of ours for many years! We are so happy to have been a part of Regan and W.A.’s special day and we wish them the very best!

Team Bella

Credits
Wedding Planner: Mindy Rives, DFW Events

Photography: Karlisch Photography

Ceremony: University Christian Church

Reception: Fort Worth Club

Lighting: Absolute Entertainment

Floral & Linens: Bella Flora of Dallas

Band: Signed, Sealed, Delivered; Absolute Entertainment

String Quartet: Strings for All Seasons

Cake: Crème de la crème

Invitations: The Write Selection

Calligraphy: Boo Owens

Photo Booth: boothBooth

Gown: Waron Barron, Oscar de la Renta

Hair: Sonia Trevino

Make-Up: Mayra Rams-Sanabria

Rehearsal Dinner: Lonesome Dove

Happy Planning!

Proposal? Check. Groom? Check. Venue, flowers, cake, wedding planner, photographer? We've compiled a top 10 list to keep the busy bride on the right path. While the list seems simple, each item is extremely important when creating the wedding of your dreams! So have fun and enjoy the planning!

Photo Credit: Karlisch Photography (http://www.karlischphotography.com/)

10. Set a Date

It is important to set the date as soon as possible so that you can begin the wedding planning process and get your vendors lined up. Congratulations!

9. Compile Guest List

The guest list is the frame work for the wedding plans. In order to choose the perfect location you must have an estimate of the number of guests that may be attending the wedding to make sure your venues are adequate to accommodate your guests.

8. Choose Ceremony and Reception Location

The location of the ceremony and reception helps determine the direction and feel of the wedding. Whether it's traditional/formal, fun, modern, unique or contemporary. The venue also helps drive the style of wedding.

Photo Credit: Ku Photography (http://www.kuphotography.com/)

7. Hire a Wedding Planner/Coordinator

To ensure a stress-free and relaxing wedding day, a wedding planner is a necessity. The bride and groom and family can enjoy the wedding day without all the behind the scenes stress that often arise when it comes to a wedding. There is a wedding planner for every bride and budget.

6. Interview Floral Designers

Peonies, Roses, Hydrangra, Orchids, Calla Lillies, the list goes on and on! Floral decor can completely transform a venue! Have fun with colors, textures, and design to create a beautiful backdrop to your day.

5. Select Photographer

A picture can be worth a 1,000 words! Photographers have their own style when shooting weddings. Photogrpahers these days have more of a photojournalistic approach to their photography. Be sure to research their website to see styles of their work and meet with them in person to get a feel for their personality.

4. Select Entertainment

Make the reception the perfect celebration with entertainment that fits the style of the bride and groom! From a DJ to a Band, there are multiple options to make the evening fun!

3. Determine Style, Decor or Theme

Determine the style, decor or theme of the wedding to insure the proper vendors are chosen to create the wedding of your dreams!

2. Go Gown Shopping!

The day that every bride dreams about—Finding the perfect dress! Take a few key people to this appointment, as its such a special time for you and your Mom, Maid of Honor and/or Bridesmaids. Have fun and bring the tissues!

Photo Credit: Thisbe Grace Photography (http://www.thisbegrace.com/)

1. Relax and Enjoy the Planning! (p.s. A Wedding Planner will ensure that this happens, leave the details to the professional)

Happy Planning!

Team Bella

Deck The Halls With More Than Holly!

So it's a little early, but it's time to start thinking about Holidays already. With Thanksgiving and Black Friday right around the corner, Christmas and Hanukkah will be here before you know it!


Bella Flora of Dallas has already started on Holiday installations for existing clients and corporate parties are in the final decor stages. So this holiday season call us for all of your holiday needs. Enjoy the festivities with more than holly this year and add yule tide cheer with floral and decor!






Seasons Greetings!


Team Bella

Edible Trends for Any Palette

Food trends for weddings are much more creative than they used to be. These days many people are opting for unique hors d’oeuvres, buffet setups, and dessert ideas.

Buffets are becoming much more diverse than the traditional buffet setup. Some of the most popular are ceviche bars, sushi or raw bars, pasta bars and even bruschetta bars. This type of buffet setup allows the guests to add their own toppings of choice for an interactive way to create the perfect meal.

A delicious sushi bar that offers a variety of different rolls.

The cocktail hour is no longer remembered just for the cocktails but for the unique hors d’oeuvres served as well. Hors d’oeuvres can vary from mini grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of tomato soup to mini lettuce wraps with chicken in a Thai peanut sauce. It is so fun to add the bride and groom’s personal taste to the hors d’oeuvres selections.

Adorable mini grilled cheeses with tomato soup and mini beef sliders that Mom used to make are perfect for a bride and groom that want to incorporate their childhood favorites!

Mini lettuce wraps with chicken in a Thai peanut sauce adds a unique healthy option to the menu.

Even with all the food offered throughout the reception from dinner to hors d’oeuvres there is another unique touch that has been seen recently towards the end of receptions. Dessert bars with an assortment of sweets are the new trend over candy bars. These desserts vary from mini milkshakes with cookies, mini cupcakes, cake balls/bombs, brownies, and more. Espresso and champagne bars are also popular for the end of receptions to keep the party going!

Just the cure for that late-night sweet tooth--A dessert bar filled with mini milkshakes with cookies to dip, delectable cake balls covered in chocolate ganache, and mini cupcakes.

Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty (http://www.stylemepretty.com/)

So put your taste buds to the test and find a unique food trend for your wedding!

Happy Planning!

Team Bella

Style Me Pretty "Little Black Book"

Style Me Pretty is the ultimate wedding blog and Bella Flora of Dallas has been approved as one of the best wedding vendors by the Style Me Pretty “Little Black Book” committee. The process to be approved is very competitive wtih hundreds of submissions each day. Vendors are considered based on company history, experience and reputation within the industry. It is an honor to be accepted and we are extremely proud to be featured on such a prestigious wedding blog and Web site. Bella Flora will be featured in the Floral and Event Design category.

Please take a look at our submission at http://www.stylemepretty.com/little-black-book/texas/dallas/event-design/

As the “Little Black Book” says,

Bella Flora defines their style with an elegant blend of sophisticated color, textures and gorgeous floral. The Bella Team designs breathtaking decor to create cherished memories tailored to each client. The full service studio offers floral and event design, wedding planning and custom invitations.


Photo Credit: Karlisch Photography
http://www.karlischphotography.com/

Thank you for all of your support!

Happy Planning!

Team Bella

Be Our Guest!

Escort cards and wedding favors are always a tough decision for every bride and groom. There are a variety of choices but there is the sense of urgency to be unique. A few escort cards and wedding favors have stood out this past year from love note books to topiaries. Escort cards and favors are typically chosen to revolve around the theme of the wedding such as eco-friendly, fairytale, or beach to name a few.

The love note booklets are absolutely stunning. These booklets are mostly given as wedding favors and can come in a variety of colors. They are extremely romantic and add an elegant touch to any wedding. The love note booklets would be perfect for a formal, elegant, fairytale wedding.


Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty (www.stylemepretty.com)

Photo Credit: Grapevine Couture Paperie & Invitation Design Studio (www.grapevineweddings.com)

The eco-friendly topiaries are adorable and perfect for adding an earthy tone. The topiaries can work for both the escort cards and wedding favors. They are extremely unique and a perfect home decor for any guest attending the wedding.


Photo Credit: Creative Wedding Favors (www.creativeweddingfavors.com)

Candles and picture frames are very traditional but they can be transformed into a creative and unique addition to a wedding. For instance, if a candle was the escort card with a beautiful love note booklets attached as the guests’ wedding favor—it would be a sophisticated and elegant representation of the wedding. Candles can also be paired with a delicate box of personalized chocolate and candies. Picture frames come in a variety of colors and sizes which can give an escort table height and depth. Some couples have photo booths which can be incorporated with picture frames either as the escort card or wedding favor.



Photo Credit: Lux Candles (www.luxcandles.com)

There is also the traditional box of chocolates or other assorted candies that can be uniquely decorated with a theme from the wedding or the bride and groom monogram.




Happy Planning!!

Team Bella