Sunday, May 6, 2012

How We Got Started: Happy Anniversary Jen and Dave

Back before LoCoFlo started, my friends and I did flower arranging as a hobby. We fondly call this time “back when we didn’t know what we were doing”. What we lacked in know how we made up for in enthusiasm (which is still with us today!) Six years ago today, LoCoFlo co-founder Jen Reese married our friend Dave Bryant on a beautiful May afternoon.

In planning for the wedding flowers, we were ambitious and brimming with creativity. We decided shortly after the engagement, that we would grow all the flowers (tulips) ourselves. Of course, we waited until it was snowing (it was literally snowing) to put in the last bulbs. We chose early and late blooming bulbs figuring we’d hit the jackpot and they would all bloom at once.

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No such luck! Here’s a glimpse of some of the tulips we planted at my house blooming about 6 weeks early! (they all bloomed WAY early)

Since this was long before we knew any flower farmers that had early Spring local flowers, we decided as a last minute plan, we would order flowers from the wholesaler. Carla, Marina, Dave’s sister Amy and I loaded up Marina’s station wagon with hydrangeas and roses and headed over to the reception spot to put the flowers together.

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We also cut Carla’s peonies from her house and found a few bunches of local tulips from a farmer we all used to work for.

Chalk it up to extreme naiveté, but Marina and I were in way over our heads with the timing of things! We totally underestimated the amount of time it would take to make 7 bouquets, 7 boutonnieres, loads of tables arrangements and decorate the reception site…not to mention deliver everything AND get to the ceremony on-time to see Jen and Dave get married!

Good thing Jen’s family was staying at the bed and breakfast at the reception site. We went around and knocked on doors trying to enlist help!

Jen’s dad and cousins helped hang the tulle (they didn’t quite understand the concept of “draping” but at least it was up!)

More cousins helped with the “kissing balls” and table arrangements.

Oh yeah…and Marina was pregnant!

We gave ourselves about 5-6 hours for everything!

Despite everything…we made it to the church on time. More importantly-everyone looked beautiful, the flowers looked beautiful and it was a WONDERFUL day!

And we are STILL laughing about how we pulled it all together!

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Happy 6th Anniversary Jen and Dave!

6 comments:

  1. Thank you Ellen, this is so nice :-) I'm so glad it happened exactly like this!!!

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  2. Me too! I love remembering that day! Fun from start to finish!

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  3. LOVE it! Maybe my favorite blog post yet. I love all the pictures too! - Carla

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  4. What a lovely and inspiring story. Jen, you and your flowers look beautiful. Happy anniversary!!

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  5. This was great! I love the behind the scenes story. Nice job, Ellen. Awesome couple, Jen!!!

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  6. That was one of the best days! WE had tons of fun, and the flowers were an inspiration to more to come!
    Love!

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