Historic Church Wedding

Old Zion Church in Brickerville-  I could hardly wait for the doors to be unlocked, and the shutters pushed open so I could find the treasures inside.  I love, love, love old churches and believe me,  this one did not disappoint !

Built in 1813 this church no longer has a congregation, but is maintained by a Board of Directors which lovingly cares for this pristine  historic property. They happily open it's doors for weddings and other special gatherings.  It has no electricity, heat or air conditioning. I'm told that sitting atop the hill in Brickerville overlooking the beautiful Brubaker Valley with all of the doors and windows open there is always a lovely breeze blowing thru.

The original gas chandelier hangs on the balcony level.  These benches will correct even the worst posture!

View from the balcony.

A window box full of garden flowers seems the most appropriate in this space.

Fans were provided to keep guests cool.  The paper appeared to me to be hand-made, antique quality.

Never saw such fun directions!  Hand-made, the old fashioned way. 

The Bride's bouquet made of Baby's Breath, Monte Casino Asters and Majolika Spray Roses.  There were no attendants.  The bride wore a hand-made tea length dress with a light-blue sash, that she designed herself. I'm hoping to obtain some pictures for a follow up post.)
   I would love to be a guest at a wedding at this historic church.  The rental fee is a low, low $250.; though I'm told it may increase a bit in the future. I forgot to mention it has a working organ too.
  For vintage styled weddings- it doesn't get any better than this!
      Contact:  http://www.oldzionchurch.org/

Sunny Yellow and Aluminum

  So I ask every bride,  "So, tell me what your favorite flowers are". Answer: " I love white Daisies"; said Marita. She is the picture of beauty and grace.  Born in Albania, a dentist, serving in the military, best friend of Martine Cajas, and totally and completely in love with Justin.  This couple stole my heart.  The pure love, their sincerity, and the true beauty on the inside and out connected  me to them in a very special way.
  I love flowers, I love weddings and I love working with couples like Marita and Justin.  There are so many couples that have become very dear to me.  Doing their flowers is simply icing on the cake of my job.

  When they told me that Kris and John McElligott were their photographers I wanted to do my happy dance. Luckily, I saved that for later:)  They are such a gorgeous couple and with my good friends behind the lens, their pictures will be indescribably beautiful.
  Jessie took these pictures for me before we set up the wedding.

Her Maid of Honor wore an aluminum color dress with a yellow waistband.  She had button accents in her bouquet.

The bridesmaids wore beautiful yellow dresses with an aluminum waist.

I had just been hoping and hoping to get to work on a wedding with gray and yellow, and this was it.

I love the color combo with all yellow flowers!

Yellow Daisies, Yellow Roses, Silver Dollar Eucalyptus and Craspedia aka: Billy Balls

Head Table

                                                                Guest table centerpieces

And naturally, Martine's  House of Clarendon provided the wedding cake. We'll have to wait to see that later. Thoughfully designed for a bride who he calls his 'best friend'. 

To Marita and Justin:  I hope and pray all your dreams come true.  Thank you for touching my life.

Liz & Vince

Love Liz & Vince!

.......and love their handmade look-alike cake top!

Liz and Vince had a beautiful wedding at Leola Village last weekend.  A very attractive couple; long -distance clients that I will really miss working with. They  choose  Lancaster County for their wedding because it's such a beautiful place to bring their family and friends from far-scattered places to relax and celebrate their wedding.

When talking about their wedding cake they asked if I had any ideas for how to finish it off without using any of those not-so-great boxed cake toppers- I had just the thing!  Showing them January's  blogpost of my 'Wedding of the Year' with the handmade paper cake top they said " We NEED that for our cake!".

This is the result. How fabulous, huh??

If you want one too, contact:   alissa.johnson@gmail.com

We forgot to take a picture of the bride's bouquet but did get one of the bridesmaids.  They wore cobalt blue and carried these:

Free Spirit Roses, Craspedia, Spider Mums, Ranunculus and Peonies.

It was such a busy wedding weekend we neglected to take pictures.  

Some centerpieces had Blue Vanda Orchids in tall footed vases.

And beautiful pink and white Peonies floating in compotes for some tables.  More pictures to come when available from their photographer,  Isabel March. isabelmarchphotography.com

  What a blog-slacker I have been!  If only there were more than 24hrs. in each day, if only blogging didn't take me so long,  if only I  had a little' me-time'.....if only- if only.  It's wedding season and I will have the cold dreary months of winter to wish:  ' if only it were spring and wedding season again!'

Spring's Beauties

A fully opened Ranunculus.  I could look at this beautiful flower all day.

Pink Charming Unique Roses, pink Hyacinths and pink & white Majolika Spray Roses.

The tulip Magnolia that grows in our patio area.  Nature's perfection.

Spring Weddings

Yesterday we had our first outdoor wedding of the season at Regent's Glen in York.  It's a beautiful formal garden setting with a reflecting pond in the center.  It was a gloomy day and threatened rain at ceremony time, but Michelle and Robby seemed so happy and stress-free, as though the weather really didn't matter-they were getting married! 

 The colors of the day were black, white and chartruese.

The bride's bouquet was white Freesia, white Tulips and white Lisianthus. A heavenly fragrance.

 Bridesmaids wore beautiful black dresses and carried chartruese bouquets of

                                          Green Tea Roses and mini green Hydrangea.

Centerpieces in black tulip vases with white Hydrangea, green Spider Mums and green Athos poms.

                             Green paper lanterns were strung like pearls and hung from the tent ceiling.

Head table centerpiece with Bells of Ireland, Hydrangea, Freesia, Tulips, Poms and varigated Lily Grass and Aspidestra.

                                                     Wheat Grass for the Escort Cards

Freesia and Lilies of the Valley from my own garden.

Love these Free Spirit Roses with pink Ranunculus, yellow Tulips and white Freesia.

Next week:  Hershey Country Club.

Don't Eat This Easter Egg!

 Can you believe the couple from this week's wedding told me to give away all their reception flowers?   So friends and neighbors will have beautiful flowers on their Easter dinner tables. What can I do with all the fragrant light pink Hyacinths?......hmmm.....Here's what I came up with.  Smells delicious -without the fat or calories.
                                                       Have a Happy, Hope-full Easter.

Design Show Favorites

To flower lovers this is breathtaking!  At first glance I thought it was a Begonia. With a  closer look I knew it was a Hydrangea. It's a' Japanese' Hydrangea. Yes, they're really grown in Japan and shipped to the US.  They're only available for about two weeks a year and are very, very expensive; but if I were a bride again I would have to have at least one of them in my bouquet.

                                         .........and some of these Helleborus

                                                 and a few of these gorgeous Dutch Peonies

                                                       and definitely these Coral Double Tulips

                                                                  some of these  Lisianthus

                                                      and lots of purple Fringed Tulips

                                          a few more of these Coral Double Tulips- they're just so amazing,

         Oh my! It might just end up as big as this bride's bouquet ~  I wouldn't be able to carry it!  Good thing I'm already married :). 
                                Wedding season is about to begin.  Happy Easter everyone!