Check out this video -Blue Daffodil Flowers

Thank you Captured Memories Videography for creating this awesome video about my business! Stephanie at Captured Memories is amazing to work with and can create a video for your wedding/event that you'll love!
Captured Memories Video of Blue Daffodil Flowers in Bend, OR.

Love this wedding.....it was at Five Pines Lodge and we really made the all baby breath theme work......it was perfect with the rustic feel and decor here.

 

 

Where will your Central Oregon Wedding Be? Bend Wedding Venues

I am trying hard to focus my blogs around Central Oregon Weddings and information that will be helpful to brides while showcasing my work and other local vendors........so, this week it will be venues! Central Oregon has quite a few but they are all quite different. I will try to give you a list of all of them with my own personal thoughts and of courses, my favorites!

• River Run Event Center at Eagle Crest: This facility is spotless. I like it because you can bring in all your own vendors, except food-this facility now requires you to cater through Eagle Crest. There is a beautiful view and deck over the river, a fireplace and tons of windows.
• Faith, Hope and Charity: This venue is a ways out (between Terrebonne and Sisters)...but worth the drive. FH&C and just gorgeous for your outside wedding. There are lawns, pavered areas, a huge pond, views of the cascades and an amazing house that is yours to use when booking this venue. The house is big enough for the whole wedding party and Cindy, the facilitator here is awesome. You do have to have a wedding planner to book here. I like tent weddings here because it can be windy and sunny but either way it will be a hit. Again, you will bring all your own vendors to this venue.
• Hollinshead Barn & Aspen Hall: These are booked via Bend Park and Rec and are for smaller weddings. I tend to favor Aspen Hall as Hollinshead is smaller and right next to a dog park. Aspen Hall has a pond, bridge, beautiful views and a deck and lawn great for ceremonies. Both of these venues do remain open to the public as "parks" during your event. You would bring in all your own vendors to both of these spaces.
• Longhollow Ranch: Longhollow is a huge barn with a deck front and grass area. Also on the property are horses, a large flower garden, original homestead-now a gift shop, a small house for use by the bride and wedding party, lots of grassy areas. If you want an indoor wedding it will need to be smaller, otherwise you can spread out everywhere! The barn makes a great space for dancing. Longhollow is located between Sisters and Redmond and you would bring your own vendors. **porta pottie required here.
• Five Pines Lodge: This venue is great for indoor and outdoor, big or small. The style here is rich and touch rustic. Indoors there are fireplaces, a beautiful entry way and gorgeous bathrooms. Any style wedding would work here and the outdoor space is great with grassy areas, bridge, wildflowers and pavered areas. The spa here is fabulous and the food is really good!
• Black Butte Ranch: Every wedding I have ever done here has been outside. The ceremony usually in front of the aspens and lake with the reception following on the decks. This is a nice venue and I have heard that the food is really good. I can vouch that the wait staff is great- Amy is the contact. This is a great destination spot as there is rental homes available, pools, golf and lots for kids to do.
• Sunriver Resort: The great hall is fabulous and can house a very large wedding! But, you don't have to be inside here. There are two lawns for ceremonies and two different tent areas. There are also lots of smaller rooms and locations for intimate weddings and groups. The staff here is top notch- Kelli or Todd are the event coordinators here and are so great to work with! I have heard the food is great. Again, a great destination wedding spot. There is golf, pools, bike rentals, kids clubhouse. I like best that this venue is just easy...it is so beautiful, you can't go wrong.
• Inn of the 7th Mt. Resort: A great destination wedding spot also- love that there are both winter and summer family activities here including golf, pools, trails, mini market on site, restaurant on site, mini golf or ice skating. There are several options here for large to small weddings from the large ballroom to a tent in the summer. The style here is elegant with a rustic  accent. The food is good here and the guests find it easy to maneuver around. Sabrina is the Director of Events here and is there from start to finish!
• Brasada Ranch: I love this venue also because it is more on the elegant side but with rustic touches.  There is  a lovely building (the Barn), with gorgeous views and a lot of local landscape elements.  It is a ways from town but again worth the drive (between Bend and Prineville). You can use the areas outside too for the ceremony and/or reception. There are pavered areas, grassy areas and an overall high end feel-fabulous!
• Pronghorn: This venue just makes things easy! A very rich and elegant decor here doesn't require alot of decor. There are decks, grass or pavered areas here but most of the wedding I have done here are smaller-100 or so people. But, I know you can do larger weddings here also. The food and staff here are great. Carrie is the Event Coordinator here and is great to work with. Also, a ways from town....about 8 miles from the Bend Airport, beautiful views and drive.

Longhollow Ranch

Sunriver Resort

Brasada Ranch

River Run Event Center

Black Butte Ranch

Faith Hope and Charity

Rentals in Central Oregon

You can rent a wide array of items: tables, chairs, linens, tents etc....BUT, you can also rental a lot of the detail items like: candles, candelabras, lanterns, vases, mason jars, shepherd hooks, tiki torches, lighting, solar powered lights for lawns, trees, shrubs and vintage furniture. The list goes on and on, when I meet with brides I often hear " I bought votive holders and vases". Don't do that! It is so much more cost effective to rent these items because really, what are you going to do with those 30 vases after the wedding? I know I myself try to work green-I rent out all my vases and containers (amongst other things). After they are used and then they come back to me, get washed and used again!

There are several business here that carry rentals:
Set in your way rentals
Obrien Events
Incredible Events
Feather and Flea Vintage Rentals
Cascade Gardens
Central Event Rentals

Some rental chairs from Blue Daffodil Flowers and Styling

Wedding Boutonnieres-Central Oregon Weddings

I love making boutonnieres for weddings.........besides the bridal bouquet, of course. They are one of my favorite things to make, I try to encourage my brides to let the bouts be a surprise. Not only is it fun to wrap the stems with different items like leather, twine, grasses, fabric, burlap, wire etc, I love to use unique flowers and embellishments. Some great flowers for bouts that hold up well and won't wilt are: succulents, billy balls, thistle, berries, anenome, ranuncula, freesia etc. My favorite embellishments are paper flowers, buttons, feathers, bear grass and jewels.

These are just a few I have done, photography by Kimberly Kay Photography, Heirloom Images Photography, Kimberly Teichrow Photography-all in Central Oregon:

Hair Accessories for Weddings and Events

Buttons n Blossoms is a local business that makes artful and awesome wedding hair pieces, garters and a future baby line.  The owner is Sara Harris and you can see the talent in her handmade blossoms. I have done the flowers for many weddings where the bridal party have worn Sara's creations and like my last blog, it really is all in the details! The photo below is actually Sara! We did a photo shoot together at Brasada Ranch here in Central Oregon. Check her out at http://www.buttonsnblossoms.com/ she has a great blog also!

Buttons n Blossoms-Bend, Oregon

Buttons n Blossoms-Bend, Oregon

I'm a little bit country.........

I love to do western, country, rustic or country chic weddings! I recently received a horse for Valentines Day (yes- a horse), I love riding and have wanted to get back into it for years. So, my very thoughtful significant other leased me a horse. So, I have been riding at least once a week and am loving  it! It has also renewed my interest in the western themed wedding.

Below is a photo of flowers in cowboy boots, taken at Brasada Ranch in Central Oregon. The other items on the tables were wood boxes with fresh flowers, candles, red bandanna's as napkins,  plates, flatware and stemware rented from Set in Your Way Rentals and of course what kind of favor is appropriate for a western wedding? S'mores of course! The s'mores were done by Ceylon Blu and were really packaged cute.

It's all in the details! Detail ideas for your Central Oregon Wedding

I love the details! I really think that when your having an event it is the details that make it look finished, personalized, polished and planned. There are so many little things you can do:

• Personalize your favors.
• Do themed tables with what you love.
• Display photos of the couple in frames, hanging, on tables etc...
• Guest book ideas-out with the old and in with new ideas.
• Place setting name cards.
• Printed materials and menus.
• Linens!
• Dishes and flatware.

It really is the little things and you don't have to have a gigantic budget. When it comes to your table tops for the reception-add linens! It is not expensive and a great way to add texture or color with either tablecloths to the floor, napkins or runners. This is a small effort that makes a huge impact.

For themed tables - pick what you love! I have a bride this upcoming summer who loves to play games with her fiancee. So, each table will have a game as part of the decor. Each place setting will have a bingo ink stamp-all the guest will play bingo with the DJ calling out the numbers....I love that idea!

Instead of boring numbers to label your tables for seating, use old photos of the bride and groom or postcards from favorite places. A lot of brides name the tables, ie: Mt. Bachelor, Three Sisters, Mt. Hood.

Having a modern wedding or simple-clean lines? Rent white square plates instead of the typical rounds. What a difference this makes for your guest and the presentation of your food.

Rent fancy chairs (these
are from Central Event
Rentals), add candles in
candelabras.

Do a bench or chair for your guests
to sign instead of the typical guest
book!

Flowers in birch containers with
trendy square plates.

Wedding Photography in Central Oregon

There are so many talented photographers in Bend. You'll find that each one offers a special artistic style from ultra romantic, playful, traditional, ultra artistic, out of the box, creatively staged or not staged at all. Here are the ones I have worked with personally and some samples of their work (and mine...).

Kimberly Kay Photography

Heirloom Photography

ByronRoe Photography

Benjamin Edwards Photography

Stott Shots Photography

Tullis Photography

Michelle Cross Photography

Cascade Photography

Decision making made easy for your Central Oregon Wedding

There is a Wedding and Event Design Studio in Bend. It is called Ceylon Blu and is located in downtown Bend in the Franklin Crossing building on the corner of Bond St. and Franklin St. The studio is owned by Melissa Vandenbrouke and houses a variety of vendors: cakes, flowers, bands, dj's, limo and carriage services, rentals, caterers, bridal gowns and photographers.

 The idea here is that you can visit one place, see the vendors work, meet with the vendors in the conference room, see ideas-which are set up for viewing of the vendors works and style. Of course, the plan is to not "just"refer those vendors...it would be to refer who we know would suit your needs best. Sometimes that means a referral of someone not part of the studio.

Ceylon Blu has a beautiful facility with lots to look at. If your planning your destination wedding and want to keep it simple-come check it out.

Ceylon Blu Wedding and Event Design Studio
http://www.ceylonblu.com/
541-388-0314

Blogging in Central Oregon

I own a floral design studio in beautiful Central Oregon! This new blog will be about everything from different C.O. venues to cakes, decor and flowers! I hope it helps those destination brides who choose Central Oregon as their wedding location. I know it's not easy to plan things from afar........I know most of my brides live out of state.

I will be featuring a lot of different ideas-but try to keep it local. I am so very lucky to do what I do....I work from my home and have a quickly thriving floral business and will be moving into also doing styling in 2013. I have been in the industry for 20+years and pride myself on using unique flowers and creatively making each wedding to fit my brides personal style. I work from my garage, which has been transformed into an awesome workplace where my dogs can both be with me during the day. In C.O. we have a different flower vendor that comes every day of the week! This means fresh flowers daily.

I guess I would say my niche is the destination bride who I sometimes don't get to meet until the wedding. I am good at getting to know people and "getting in their head" so to speak, thus-creating a wedding better than they imagined. My preference is to pack the tables with a variety of things depending on the wedding theme or style. For instance a vintage wedding could have flowers in vintage tins, candles in mason jars, personalized hankies as napkins, old books, fans, old photos etc...that's what makes it fun and unique!

So, check out the future blogs about local wedding info! Photo by ByonRoe Photography. www.studio-br.com

Sara/Blue Daffodil Flowers
Bend, Oregon
www.bluedaffodilflowers.com
541-678-4531