Tre Bella, Inc

Carolina Inn Wedding Show.

2012-01-25T20:08:00.001-08:00

This Sunday (Jan 29th) we'll be at The Carolina Inn Wedding Show. We are super excited to display our flowers and dresses. Also, we donated an amazing Jenny Packham dress that is being raffled away - be sure to register for a chance to win it! The show begins at 11am for Carolina Inn couples and is then open to everyone from 1pm to 4pm. If you still need tickets please send us an email - we still have a few free tickets we can give/mail you :).

In the spirit of the show at the Carolina Inn, below is our floral spread from the Southern Bride and Groom 2012 issue that was staged in the Bryan Courtyard at the Carolina Inn. Walters & Walters were the photographers for the photo shoot. The wedding dress shown is from our bridal salon, Tre Bella Bridal.

Thanks!

Wedding of the Week!

2012-01-22T22:30:00.000-08:00

Below are images from a January wedding at the Duke Chapel and the Washington Duke Inn. The white/ivory flowers with accent of green look so pretty and wintery with the navy blue. The bridal bouquet included hydrangeas, roses, spray roses, mini calla lilies and stephanotis and the broach (from the bride’s grandmother) looks beautiful on the wrap. Craig from Luster Studios was the photographer and I love the image he sent of the Duke Blue Devil – a surprise guest at the wedding.
:)

Thank you to Craig Carpenter from Luster Studios for the beautiful images!

Southern Bride & Groom.

2012-01-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

Check it out! We are very excited to have one of our weddings from last year featured on the Southern Bride & Groom website.

Follow this link: http://www.southernbrideandgroom.com/pretty-in-pink

Thanks!!

Wedding of the Week!

2012-01-13T22:02:00.000-08:00

Below are images from a July wedding at The Proximity, a really cool hotel in Greensboro, NC. The very sweet bride chose purple as the dominant flower color for her reception and an all white bouquet for herself.

The bridal dress is from our bridal salon (www.trebellabridal.com).

Thank you to Sadie Higs Phogtography for the awesome photographs.

Upcoming Events!

2012-01-08T20:55:00.000-08:00

Here at Tre Bella we are so excited about 2012! There are a lot of fabulous events we have planned in the upcoming months and can’t wait to see you at them. Here is a quick rundown...keep posted for more details on each!

January 13th – 15th

Modern Trousseau Trunk Show – see the newest collection of gowns from this great designer! Known for their combination of modern style and sophistication, you’ll be sure to fall in love with their gowns. Call us today to schedule your appointment - limited number spaces left!

January 29th

Carolina Inn Wedding Show – come out to the Carolina Inn and meet with some of the area’s best professionals. Be sure to stop by both our Bridal and Flower booth! Also enter the Carolina Inn’s raffle for your chance to win a Jenny Packham Wedding Gown provided by Tre Bella Bridal.

March 8th – 11th

Jenny Packham Trunk Show – see the newest collection of gowns from famed British Designer Jenny Packham. Her beautiful gowns are famous with celebrities and the newest royal, Duchess Kate. Call us today to schedule your appointment.

March 31st

Altar Ego: An Event All About You – Join us for an evening of fashion, fun, food and amazing design ideas. This incredible night will be hosted at the Washington Duke Inn and will benefit Girls on the Run! Tickets can be purchased here. Stay tuned for more details on this event!

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-04T22:52:00.000-08:00

We are so grateful to all the wonderful brides, grooms, families, coordinators and vendors we were able to work with last year. And we are looking forward to a new year of beautiful flowers, fantastic details, and most importantly amazing people. Rachael and I were reviewing the calendar last week and were giddy while going through all the fun and gorgeous flowers each wedding is going to have. We have a few new fun elements to introduce and are excited to show them on the blog through this year. A bunch of weekends are already filled up, especially in April, May and June. In addition to weddings we are also very excited about upcoming shows (the Carolina Inn bridal show on January 29th and Altar Ego - the fashion show extravaganza that we are hosting with the Washington Duke Inn on March 31st) and super cool photo shoots.

We had a great holiday with our family, enjoyed a little break and are now super charged for the year ahead.

Wedding of the Week!

2011-12-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

Below are images from a July wedding at St Paul’s Lutheran Church and Bay 7. The bouquets and altar flowers were fairly traditional in style and the reception flowers were more modern. Tall glass vases with large calla lilies, submerged glass vases with calla lilies, orchids and tulips, and lots of glass vases with floating candles complimented the exposed brick & openness of Bay 7.

Elizabeth from Sweet Life Photo was the photographer for this wedding; she is super sweet. Thank you to her for the beautiful images.

Wedding of the Week!

2011-12-03T21:28:00.000-08:00

Robin from Robin Lin Photography recently emailed us these images from an October wedding at Angus Barn and I think the images are beautiful! Megan from A Southern Soiree was the wedding coordinator for this lovely bride. The greens, ivories, and purples flowers with birch vases, tall curly willow, and silver lanterns created an elegant and natural overall look.

Thank you to Robin Lin Photography for these beautiful images!

Altar Ego: An Event All About You

2011-11-29T20:58:00.000-08:00

Tre Bella Inc. and the Washington Duke Inn are so excited to announce the next Altar Ego Event! We have joined forces to create a bigger and better Altar Ego for you. On Saturday, March 31, 2012, Altar Ego will be held at the Washington Duke Inn. As with past years, we will have an evening full of fashion, food, music and fun! This year we are adding another element to the evening’s excitement - local event professionals will be participating in a “design challenge”!

In addition to the challenge, we are excited to tell you that the amazing Sharon Delaney of “My Carolina Today” is going to the emcee for Altar Ego! Becky, Rachael and I are huge fans of hers and the show so we are ecstatic that she will be joining us for the evening! Becky got the chance to meet with Sharon the other week and happily reported back that she is just as wonderful in person as she appears on the show.

Stay tuned in for the next couple of weeks, I’ll be blogging about more updates on our exciting event!

Until Next Time,

Kate

Wedding of the Week!

2011-11-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

In July Rachael worked with a super cute couple who got married at Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery. Christine Landry sent me a link to her delightful blog about the couple and their wedding. The images (by Lauren Mann at Lauren Mann Photography) are really great and showcase all the fun and unique details of the wedding – a few of the flower images are shown below.

To see more go to the Bridal Banter from dexknows Weddings site.
Images by: Lauren Mann at Lauren Mann Photography – check out her great website!

Wedding of the Week!

2011-11-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

We were very lucky to be involved in many awesome photo shoots last year and the images below are from a gorgeous shoot designed by Viva L’Event. Hilton Pittman was the photographer and his images are amazing, so stunning. The beautiful venue for the shoot was The Oaks at Salem.

The bridal dress and bridesmaid dresses are from our bridal salon.

Thank you to Hilton Pittman Photography for the lovely images. They are amazing photographers – check out their website and blog to see more of their work.

:)

Dining at the Ritz.

2011-11-08T22:29:00.000-08:00

One of the perks of our jobs is that we get to visit with the vendors and venues in the area. This past week, Rachael and I took a drive down to Charlotte to meet with Kim Werner at the Ritz Carlton. The Ritz, which opened in 2009, is stunning! Kim took us on a tour of the hotel - I think I said “this is so amazing” at least 10 times before trying to think of other adjectives that would accurately describe it. If you’re looking of a destination wedding - but don’t want to travel far - give Kim a call!

Also not to miss while you are there is the spa – Rachael and I did not want to leave. It is up on one of the top floors so just about every room has stunning views of downtown Charlotte. There’s an exercise area up there that most gyms would be jealous of and up one more level is the indoor pool. It’s the perfect urban oasis. If that’s not enough of a reason to go, Kim took us to lunch at their BLT Steak restaurant, which as their website claims “has redefined steakhouse dining with its modern décor and infusion of classic French elements….” The food is delicious – even for two vegetarians!

San Patrick Trunk Show!

2011-11-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

Join us this weekend for our San Patrick Trunk Show! Starting Saturday, November 5th at 10am we will have the 2012 collection of beautiful gowns from San Patrick. You can either walk-in or call to make an appointment for this Trunk Show. For more information or any questions you have, please give us a call at 919.323.7167.

Almost forgot to mention - if you purchase your gown this weekend, you'll get 15% off!

Until next time,
-Kate.

Wedding of the Week, Pt. 2!

2011-10-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

Below are images from two weddings that were on the last weekend in July this past summer. Neil Boyd from Neil Boyd Photography was the photographer for both weddings and very kindly sent me these beautiful images last week.

The first wedding below is a blue and purple themed wedding at the Carolina Inn. Rachael met with the bride and her mother and gushed about them whole time (from the first meeting all the way to the wedding and actually is still gushing) – and rightly so, both the bride and her mother are really nice, super sweet, tons of fun and have an amazing mother/daughter relationship. For flowers the focus was on hydrangeas (blues and purples) and calla lilies (white). The bride emailed us engagement photos that we printed out and used as accents on her vases – a nice personal touch.

The second wedding below was a yellow and white themed wedding at Wakefield Plantation. This was another awesome bride and mother of the bride pair (we are so lucky that we get such amazing brides/grooms/families) that chose hydrangeas and roses for their main flowers. We also personalized these reception flowers with a monogram on the vases.

Thank you to Neil for the wonderful photographs.

-Becky

Wedding of the Week!

2011-10-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect October day (the first Saturday of the month) for this wedding at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh and the Greystone Inn in Durham. I really liked working with this couple – they were so sweet (happy, relaxed, super nice). The bridal bouquet had an awesome mix of flowers including dahlias, grey berries, astible, roses, calla lilies, stock, orchids herbs, fiddlehead ferns, & greenery. I also love the flower colors for the altar arrangements (see the image below) – you cannot beat hydrangeas for giving a great presence in altar arrangements (in these altar arrangements were a nice, more traditional blend of flowers including hydrangeas, roses, spray roses, stock, and greenery).

Thank you to Joe Payne from Joe Payne Photography for the beautiful images!

-Becky.

Pinterest!

2011-10-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

I’m obsessed! Now if you know me at all, you’ll know that I’m obsessed with a great many things - this is why my new obsession is so wonderful! At this point you’re probably wondering, ‘what in the world is she going on about?'

My newest obsession is Pinterest! As some of you have experienced, heard or seen, it is the hottest thing on the internet right now. You can create design boards for all the different things you are obsessed with! Have a favorite color – create a board and pin all of the images you find that work with that color! Have a favorite designer – do the same thing! There is no end to my obsessions now!

Interested in my boards? Follow me at http://pinterest.com/trebellainc/

-Kate

Wedding of the Week!

2011-10-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Robin from Robin Lin Photography recently emailed us these images from a June wedding at The Carolina Inn and I love them! The colors are so bold and remind me of this year’s fun and warm summer (I can not believe we are now almost at Halloween).

For the ceremony we hung seven flower orbs in the big and beautiful Bryan Courtyard tree. The couple selected seven orbs to honor seven family members who could not be at the wedding.

For the reception the tall arrangements of pinks, purples, reds, greens, yellows, and oranges were a great contrast to the champagne table linens, black chairs, and trademark black and white tiled Old Well floor. Table 12 (seen in the image below) is the sweetheart table and we placed a vase in the center of the table for the bridal bouquet (a great way to incorporate your bouquet into the reception décor).

Thank you to Robin Lin Photography for these amazing images!

Wedding of the Week!

2011-10-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

Below are images from a May wedding at The Carolina Inn. Kevin at Kevin Milz Photography took these amazing photographs and I love all the details he captured. Below are a few of my favorites, from the just married sign to the cake topper to the couple with mustaches to, of course, the flowers . The bridal bouquet was white peonies and off white spray roses (hands down the off white spray roses are a must – the are so pretty and have an amazing scent). The bridesmaid bouquets are white hydrangeas and the centerpieces are hydrangeas, roses and peonies.

Thank you to Kevin for the awesome photographs!

-Becky.

Cotton Room Photo Shoot.

2011-10-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

I love doing photo shoots! They are so much fun and we are lucky enough to work with a great planner and photographers who bring amazing ideas to life. About two months ago, we did a shoot with Jessi Blakely from Tamara Lackey at the Cotton Room. The photos came out beautiful! Take a look!!!

Until next time,

Kate.

Wedding of the Week!

2011-09-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

Below are images from a June wedding at The Carolina Inn – the ceremony was held in the courtyard and the reception in their Old Well room. Martha Manning at Martha Manning Photography took these beautiful photographs. Pinks dominate the color palette with accents of greens and ivory. The bouquet had some of our favorite flowers – peonies, astible, lily of the valley and spray roses. The bride’s hair flowers are white dendrobium orchids.

Thank you to Martha for the stunning photographs.

-Becky.

Life At Four.

2011-09-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Emily’s 4th birthday! (For those of you who are new to our blog, Emily is Becky’s youngest daughter.) It was a very exciting weekend – there was the family birthday dinner on Saturday followed by the kids’ party on Sunday. Thinking about the weekend, I was trying to remember what life was like when I was four…

Here is what I can remember: I wanted to be a vet. I loved to play dress up. I spent every day with my sisters. I wanted to be really tall. I loved having tea parties with my mom. My biggest accomplishment was leading my class around the gym walking backwards.

Huh. I still love to play dress up, spend every day with my sisters, love having tea parties with my mom and want to be really tall. While I didn’t end up being a vet and my biggest accomplishment has changed – life is just as good as when I was four.

Until next time,

Kate

Wedding of the Week!

2011-09-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Below are images from a June wedding at the Duke Chapel and the Cotton Room. We love when we can come combine dendrobium orchids, succulents, a little moss, lots of candles and a few Anthropologie mugs (monogram + Anthropologie = super cool) to create an elegant, unique, and slightly organic feel. The bouquets and Chapel flowers were a little more traditional and included oriental lilies, orchids, roses, delphinium, stock and calla lilies. At the Cotton Room we had tall fluted vases with white dendrobium orchids, milk glass vases with purple, blue, green, white flowers, and glass cylinders with floating candles. And I love, love the cake – I had so much fun positioning the fiddlehead ferns on the top and succulents on the layers. On each of her napkins, with the menu cards, we added rosemary and lavender – depending on the wedding style/budget, napkin flowers are a really nice extra touch.

Thank you to James and Meridith from Walters & Walters for the beautiful images below and included below is an awesome image they took of Duke Chapel’s chandeliers.

Prince Charming.

2011-09-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

I’m a sucker for a good romance story and I have learned from all of the countless romances I’ve read that you never know when or where you’ll find Prince Charming. Because of my love, of well, love I have to ask all of my brides how they met their Prince and how he asked the “big question.” There are some stories that are more romantic than others, some that are sweeter and some that are funnier – but all are unique. The look of each bride's face as she recounts her story is the best part. That look is full of happiness and hopefulness for the future.

As you can see by my picture, Becky, Rachael and I recently found our Prince Charming – the real one no less! It was a magical evening at Disney. Ella and Emily were so excited about meeting Cinderella that we didn’t even think about the chance of meeting Prince Charming. The trumpets sounded and out he came. Clearly we are beside ourselves!

I would love to hear about your story and if you have a picture – post that too!!

Until next time,

Kate

Wedding of the Week!

2011-09-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

Below are images from an April wedding at The Kings Daughter Inn (an awesome venue in Durham for wedding ceremonies, receptions, events or for an overnight stay). Penny at Penny Noell photography took these beautiful photographs. The bouquet is mostly white and ivory with a touch of green with peonies (my personal favorite), roses, spray roses, sweet peas, mini calla lilies and hypericum berries. The couple was married in the Parlor Room and we set up branches with hanging votives and crystals as a backdrop for the ceremony.

Thank you to Penny for the stunning photographs.

-Becky

Sample Sale!

2011-09-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

With summer coming to an end, we have a lot to look forward to – amazing fall weather, great holidays, and best of all the Tre Bella Bridal Annual Fall Sample Sale!! On Saturday, September 24th Tre Bella Bridal will be opening our doors for an amazing sale. There will be a great selection of sample sale gowns marked down from 50% to 80% off their retail prices! The sale will start at 10am and end at 6pm. The designers include Lela Rose, Angel Sanchez, Junko Yoshioka, Manuel Mota, Priscilla of Boston, Melissa Sweet and San Patrick. Make sure to get there early so you don’t miss the chance to get your dream gown for an amazing price!

No appointments are needed – just stop in anytime between 10am & 6pm. As a teaser to get you excited, here are three gowns that will be on sample sale...

Give me a call (919.323.7167) or send me an email (info@trebellabridal.com) if you have any questions about the sale!

Until Next Time,

Kate

Wedding of the Week!

2011-09-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

In March Rachael got to work with the amazing crew from Grace Leisure Events, Cindy from Cuppa Photography, MacKenzie and Philip from Inkspot Crow, David from Get Lit Special Event Lighting and Durham Catering for this wonderful tented wedding in Chapel Hill. We had done the flowers for the bride’s daughter the year before so Rachael was so excited to work with them again. The bride and groom where married under a large tree with a live edge board and hanging lanterns. It started to rain right before the ceremony began (Cindy took a beautiful photograph of the bride walking down the aisle in the rain, see below) and there were UNC umbrellas everywhere. The bridal bouquet was a mix of roses, hydrangeas, thistle, scabosia, freesia, hanging amaranthus, delphinium, orchids and lily of the valley.

Some of our favorite flower details were the pond flowers, the flowers on the live edge board and the tall arrangements in the tent. We also loved the huge puppets and hanging paper lanterns.
Thank you to Cindy at Cuppa Photography for the beautiful images above.

-Becky

Modern Trousseau.

2011-09-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

All play and no work – gets Kate in trouble with her sisters! To make sure I wouldn’t get in any trouble, I combined a little work and pleasure on my weekend trip to NYC. We have decided on picking up a new line and after a lot of searching for the perfect collection, we decided on Modern Trousseau. (As a side note, if you ask Becky, she’ll tell you that for the last couple of years she has been telling us to pick up that line!) Since I was going to be up there with a couple of hours to spare, I thought I would give April at Modern Trousseau a call and see if I could stop by. April, who is the nicest person, let me come by and see their beautiful showroom.

In pictures the gowns from Modern Trousseau are beautiful. In person they are stunning. They are more than just great looking however - each gown is made in the USA and each is made custom, so anything you want to change can be done. When you order your gown, you know it will be exactly what you have dreamed of since you were a little girl.

As a little preview, I’ve include a picture from a recent photo shoot we did with the Kendra gown that April had sent down for us to check out. We’ll be receiving our gowns starting at the beginning of August. I can’t wait – I’ve been like a kid counting down to Christmas!!

Until next time,
Kate

Wedding of the Week!

2011-09-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

Below are images from a May wedding at The Umstead in Cary. Kevin at Kevin Milz Photography took these amazing photographs and hands down my favorite is the one of the boy holding the bridal bouquet (see below). The photography makes me smile and laugh but also really showcases the bouquet. The bouquet is mostly pink with ‘blocks’ of green and white - I feel like color blocking is super popular in fashion these days (from Project Runway to the Wall Street Journal I see/read about it) and that is what we were doing in this bouquet. The flowers in the bouquet are roses, peonies, hydrangeas and orchids (the 4 favorite flowers of the bride). For the ceremony we added topiaries (the ones on the aisle are rosemary) and potted plants and the reception was a combination of potted herbs, orchids and succulents mixed with small glass square vases with flowers - each table had a different combination.

Thank you to Kevin for the wonderful photographs (had to include the last one he sent me of the kids in the photo booth because it just makes me giggle too – Kevin also provided the photo booth at this wedding).

-Becky.

Family Vacation

2011-08-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

Rachael likes to joke that we are co-dependently independent. While we all have our separate lives, we like to make sure we’re involved in what the others are doing. So going on vacation is, of course, a family thing. At the beginning of July we went on our annual trip up to New York to our childhood home. (If you’re a follower of our blog, you might remember me mentioning it before.) I have to say, I think this might have been one of my favorite trips home. We did a lot of things that I haven’t done since we were kids. There were trips out to farms to go raspberry & cherry picking, then a picnic at Bond Lake, complete with the little girls exploring for butterflies, bugs, fish and frogs. As you could expect, by the end of the day both were soaking wet from falling into the lake!

One of the unfortunate side effects of a vacation is you eventually have to go home - and the better the vacation, the less you want to leave. But if it’s a great vacation (relaxing and stress-free), then you’ll come home refreshed and ready to tackle all those pesky tasks you’ve put off. After a couple of days treading water, I feel exactly like that! Watch out to-do list, here I come!

Until next time,

Kate

Nothing Says Spring like Color

2011-05-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

It seems that I have gotten in the routine of Monday blogs. Today as I sat down to write this post I realized a common thread - how awesome our bride's are - and this bride and her entire family were no exception! They all were so fun to work with and I think this definitely came through in their flowers and all the wedding details!

Thanks to Bret Arthur Weddings for the images - AWESOME! If you want to check out more fun detail images from this wedding check out his website/blog at www.brettarthurweddings.com.

We had a great selection of flowers to work with - hyacinth, peonies, anemones, gerber daisies, stock, lily of the valley, sweet pea, grape hyacinth, billy balls, freesia, garden roses, roses, and herbs - LOVE IT :).

thanks, rachael!

A March Wedding

2011-05-02T04:45:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to share the images we received from Courtney Gray Photography (www.courtneygrayphotography.com) - beautiful job Courtney.

This wedding was in March (ceremony at The Chapel and reception at The Carolina Inn) and I loved, loved, loved the bouquets - so soft, feminine and gardeny. The bridal bouquet included garden roses (which smell incredible), sweet peas, veronica, stock, roses.

Just had to share the image of the favor as well - how cute are the bird's nests :)

thanks, rachael

PEONIES

2011-04-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that peony season is here :) They truly are one of my all time favorite flowers. I think it is because they remind me of growing up in Lewiston, our gardens, and watching all the ants enjoy the sticky peony buds!

Below is a recent wedding that we did at the lovely Duke Gardens!

We are so lucky that there are so many great photographers in this area that are so sweet to share their images. AND Robin Lin just so happens to be one of our favorites :) Thanks so much to her for sharing her beautiful work (be sure to check out her website http://www.robinlin.com/)!!!

thanks, rachael

Recent Durham Wedding

2011-04-23T05:48:00.001-07:00

I LOVE when our bride's share the wedding day images with us :) Below are a couple of GREAT images from a wedding at the beginning of the month shot by Mark Schuleler (http://www.markschuelerphoto.com/).

Jessica, the bride, not only got her dress from us but we also had the pleasure of working with her at the flower shop! She really was one of the most laid back brides we have ever worked with and she just had a great perspective on the whole affair :)

ENJOY!
(don't miss the image of her wedding day shoes - AWESOME!!)

for the cocktail tables she used vintage bud vases and for the reception tables her parents collected all different color/shape/size vases and we mounded white and blue hydrangeas!!

Last Weekend!

2011-04-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

Below are two weddings that we did this past weekend - more camera shots with my phone :)

The first set of images is from our Sunday wedding at one of my very very favorite locations in Durham, the Duke Gardens.

Below is our Saturday wedding! If you don't reconized the location for the ceremony it is the field of the Bulls Stadium (awesome right?!). Thanks to Sally (from Sally Oakley Personalized Wedding Design) for thinking of us for this wedding - it was so much FUN :)

Check out Sally's blog for images of a wedding we worked on last month :) www.sallyoakley.blogspot.com.

Chapel Hill Wedding

2011-04-12T04:35:00.000-07:00

I had such an amazing time this weekend working on this Chapel Hill wedding. It was out at the bride's beautiful family farm! The fantastic Grace, Grace Leisure Events, was the coordinator and as also every detail was perfect :) We also got to work with Dave Watson, Get Lit Special Event Lighting, which is always a pleasure! Below are a couple of images I took with my phone - I can't wait until the professional photos are done! -the bride had a live edge board made and installed between the two trees which created such a beautiful backdrop for the ceremony. we also hung lanterns and ribbons with flowers pinned to them from the tree branches :) -from dave's light structures in the tent we hung lanterns and more ribbons with flowers pinned to them - loved it :) -when we were cleaning up the next day this butterfly had found a happy home in our arrangement.

THANKS!

RACHAEL

Spring Fever Sample Sale

2011-04-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

Spring Cleaning - Tre Bella Style As my dad will agree I rarely get the itch to clean, but occasionally it happens and when I do, I like to do major cleaning - with a touch of remodeling. When I was a kid and the crazy urge took over my mom would find me in the room moving everything to a new location.

As I look around Tre Bella Bridal, I can feel the urge to do major spring cleaning. I have the new vision of where everything needs to go, but to move everything were I want it I need to sell some our sample gowns.

So Friday, April 22nd from 10am - 7pm we will be having a Special Spring Fever Sample Sale! On this one day, our sample gowns will reduced even lower. All Melissa Sweet, Priscilla of Boston, Manuel Mota, Angel Sanchez and Lela Rose sample sale gowns will be priced between $500 and $1,000!!!

Until next time,
Kate

Ask the Experts

2011-03-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share some updates and information on the upcoming "Ask the Experts" seminar at The King's Daughters Inn.

Date: Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
Time: 6:30 to 9:00pm
Contact: 919.847.6546

The Experts:

Kristine Dittmer of Kristine Dittmer Photography ~ award-winning photographers whose work has been featured in Town & Country, National Geographic, The New York Times, The Knot and Weddings Unveiled!

Barbara Clark ~ accredited bridal consultant and owner of An Elegant Affair and certified by The Emily Post Institute in wedding etiquette will answer your etiquette questions. Barbara has been in business over 14 years and during that time has successfully planned and executed of 250 weddings & events.

Donna Ford ~ Sweet Memories Bakery (who will also be providing some incredibly tasty treats for the evening)

Both Kate (representing Tre Bella Bridal) and myself - we are super excited to be participating!

AND . . . the event also included a tour of the historic King's Daughter Inn - AWESOME :)

Space is limited so make sure you call and get your ticket!

Photoshoot

2011-03-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

I know I am so behind in my blogging -- considering I am just posting this Valentine's Day photoshoot!!

We were so excited when Erin McLean (http://www.erinmcleanevents.com/) called us to ask if we would be a part of her vintage valentine's day inspired photoshoot. The shoot was at the super cool Stock Room in downtown Raleigh! I loved all the details that Erin brought to the shoot from the candy buffet, to the LOVE mugs, and the vintage mirror complete with heart!! I also am completely obsessed with the linen that she picked from CE Rental in Raleigh - I want to wear it :)

We also got to work with the very talent Kevin Milz (http://www.kevinmilz.com/). I love the way he made all the images have that very vintage color and feel :) Below is a collage of images from the day that he put together!

The shoot was also picked up by a couple of other blogs - be sure to check them out!

http://www.lucydylanweddings.com/2011/02/14/vintage-valentine-inspired-shoot/
and
http://www.projectwedding.com/blog/2011/02/14/a-vintage-valentine/

Thanks to Erin and Kevin - we had such a great time with you all :)

ps - the dress was from Tre Bella Bridal and is a beautiful lace beaded gown by San Patrick!! - Love it ;)

-Rachael

2011-03-07T05:21:00.001-08:00

Hey All :)

I am heading out this morning to a planning session for this year's Ask the Experts Seminar! I will be keeping everyone posted on the details as they unfold but below are the need to knows!

What it is:
A great way to get tips on how to plan your wedding - from what questions to ask your vendors, to the who to bring with you to your meetings and so much more!

When:
Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Where:
The incredible King's Daughters Inn (durham)

The Host:
The wonderful Barbara from An Elegant Affair

The "experts":
Kristine Dittmer Photography
Sweet Memories
An Elegant Affair
Tre Bella - for flowers and gowns

To Pre-register:
919.847.6546 or email eaffair@aol.com

Mother & Daughter Tea This Weekend

2011-02-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

When I was in elementary school, I would come home and my mom would have tea waiting for me. We would sit and talk about my day. This ritual became something I looked forwarded and to this day, drinking tea has become a comfort to me.

Planning your wedding can be a stressful time so treat yourself to a Mother – Daughter afternoon tea at the The King’s Daughters Inn. While enjoying your hot tea, freshly baked scones and muffins in the elegant dining room, you will have the opportunity to view some of the beautiful gowns from Tre Bella Bridal, which specializes in high-end bridal fashion.

For the brides, Tre Bella Bridal will handpick their favorite gowns to showcase. The gowns will also be accessorized, so brides that have already chosen their gown, can get ideas on how to make their gown unique. For the mothers, Tre Bella Bridal will have on display the latest fashions from the Siri Collection.

To make this a relaxed setting, all of the Bridal gowns and Mother of the Bride outfits will be on mannequins to view at your leisure. One of the Tre Bella owners will be on hand to answer any questions about the collections.

Contact Samantha (919.354.7000) at the King's Daughters Inn to resever your spot today!

The King’s Daughters Inn is a 17 room luxury Inn located in the historic Trinity Park neighborhood of Durham. The Dining Room as well as the Parlor and Brodie Duke Hall make a wonderful venue for rehearsal dinners, bridal luncheons and farewell brunches.

Until next time,

Kate

Jenny Packham Trunk Show

2011-01-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

The Jenny Packham gowns have arrived and they are amazing!! They even sent down the stunning Miley gown that Miley Cyrus wore to the last year Oscar’s. There are gowns for every type of bride, but the style that stands out the most is Jenny Packham’s signature vintage look.

The Details –

The Jenny Packham Trunk Show begins this Friday, January 28th and will run through Sunday, January 30th. We will be taking appointments on Friday & Saturday. Saturday afternoon starting at 2pm, we will begin open hours until 5pm. On Sunday, we will be taking the Trunk Show on the road and heading up to Chapel Hill for the Carolina Inn Wedding Showcase.

For an appointment or more information, give us a call at 919.323.7167 or send an email to info@trebellabridal.com.

Check back tomorrow for information on the Carolina Inn Wedding Showcase!

Till next time,
Kate

Jenny Packham Trunk Show

2011-01-25T09:54:00.000-08:00

I recently wrote about my obsession with all things British, including our new designer Jenny Packham. Having her gowns in the boutique has done nothing but add fuel to the ﬁre. Her gowns are the perfect mixture of sophistication, elegance, sexiness and class.

My parents recently gave Becky’s 5 year old daughter, Ella, what she calls her “big girl heels”. They are a pair of gold wedge sandals but every time Ella wears them, she gets so excited - there is just something magical about them! She constantly has to show them off, tell you how beautiful they how and how grown-up she is wearing them.

Brides, the Jenny Packham gowns are just like those gold wedges. On its own, each gown is a piece of art – simply beautiful. But when you put it on, sometime happens, and it becomes that missing piece that makes you suddenly feel –“yes, I am getting married, I am the bride”.

Luckily for all of you fans, this is going to be a big weekend. We are having a Jenny Packham Trunk Show!!! The Trunk Show will begin this Friday, Jan 28th and go through Sunday, Jan 30th. Check back tomorrow for more information!

Till Next Time,
Kate

San Patrick Trunk Show

2011-01-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

This year we brought in two new designers. I blogged the other day about our one new designer, Jenny Packham, but today, I'll tell you about our other - San Patrick. We got our gowns from San Patrick back in November and I have been loving them! They are everything a true Southern Belle could want in her dream gown!

Well this weekend, the brides of the Triangle are in for a special treat. We will be having a San Patrick Trunk Show at our Bridal Boutique. No appointments are needed - we are having open hours from 10am until 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Just stop in and enjoy the beautiful gowns!! Pricing starting at $1800 and don't miss out on the Trunk Show Promotion.

The San Patrick collection is part of the Spanish powerhouse Pronovias. Pronovias is known for being one of the oldest Spanish bridal companies. Their gowns tend to be classic and romantic.

As always, if you have questions - email (info@trebellabridal.com) or call me (919.323.7167).

Till next time,

Kate

All Hail the Queen

2011-01-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

All Hail the Queen

My obsession with all things British started back in 5th grade. We were taught to write a proper letter and were told to write that letter to a famous person we admired. We were warned that we might not receive a letter back. Now most of the kids in my class were writing to their favorite movie and sports stars. Several wrote to politicians. But me, I went big...I decided to write the Queen of England.

About a month or so went by and, all of a sudden, there it was in the mail. A letter from Buckingham Palace!! Now before you get too excited, it wasn’t from the Queen herself but from one of her Ladies in Waiting. Still for a young girl like myself, it was a big day and the moment my obsession started.

Recently, I got to live out a dream and visit London. It was there that I first saw Jenny Packham in person. My parents and I were walking down a street and there it was, a beautiful gown in a brilliant window display. The luxuriant fabric combined with unique detail and vintage feel of her design is pure magic. I stopped in my tracks, took a picture and told myself that one day we would carry Jenny Packham in the bridal store.

As it often happens, the real world interferes with grand plans and my hope of obtaining Jenny Packham gowns fell to the side while I worked on other projects. But luckily for me, fate was on my side. A different label’s rep that we worked with switched to Jenny Packham and contacted us.

So we are now very pleased to announce that we carry Jenny Packham Bridal!! Jenny Packham was honored as British Bridal Dress Designer of Year in 2008 and she’s rumored to be in the running to design Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. SJP, Jennifer Aniston, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, & Keira Knightley are just a few of the celebrities that wear her beautiful gowns. And for those of you that are big Harry Potter fans like me, the beautiful red gown worn by Emma Watson in the newest movie is a Jenny Packham. So sneak a peek at her beautiful designs on her website at http://www.jennypackham.com/. Then call and let me show you how beautiful you’ll are in one of her gowns.

Till next time,
Kate

Technology is our friend…Technology is our friend…

2010-12-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

Technology is our friend…Technology is our friend…

For a couple of months, I felt like that was our mantra at Tre Bella. We needed to re-vamp our websites, create a separate Tre Bella page on facebook, set up a twitter account, be better at blogging…in general catching up with the rest of the world and using the computer for more than email.

Becky took on the task of the websites, and not that I am biased, but she did a GREAT job! We have had the good fortune of working with several talented photographers and there was no shortage of images to use on both of the new sites. Check them out: http://www.trebellaflorist.com/ & http://www.trebellabridal.com/.

And don't forget to become our friend on our new facebook page! That will be where you can find out the latest and greatest things going on with us. You’ll also get updates with the newest blog and twitter posts!

(photos by kristine dittmer photography - check out more amazing photos on our websites!!)

Till Next Time,
Kate

Southern Bride and Groom Part 1

2010-12-27T06:13:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already picked up your copy of the latest Southern Bride and Groom make sure grab one soon!!

Below is an image of our flower spread. Thanks to Donna from Southern Bride and Groom for sharing the images and to Walters & Walters Photography for making our tablescape look so awesome.

Check back for part 2 - our bridal gown shoot!

THANKS.
Rachael

A Renaissance Wedding

2010-12-22T05:59:00.000-08:00

Below is a gorgeous wedding that we did at the Renaissance Hotel in Raleigh! It was simple, elegant, and I loved the subtle accent of the purple.

Since the ceremony and reception were in the same ballroom we had to transform the room during their cocktail hour - challenge right :) Not for the staff at the Renaissance Hotel, we couldn't believe how smoothly they had everything orchestrated!

Thank you so much to the very talented Shane Snider for the images - (http://www.shanesnider.com/) - as always they are so incredible! And thanks to the always organized Grace of Grace Leisure Events for her coordination (http://www.graceleisureevents.com/).

Sample Sale Success!

2010-12-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the brides who braved the cold and snow to attend Day 1 of our sample sale!

Many of you found some great deals and there are still some great dresses at great prices left!

Day 2 will start tomorrow at 12:00 until 5pm - don't miss it :)

thanks,
rachael

Sample Sale Saturday the 18th!

2010-12-17T06:55:00.000-08:00

We stepped off the plane yesterday to an ice cold winter reception. Luckily for me, I love winter wonderlands! A perfect day to curl up on the couch and plot the weekend ahead. After a quick look at weather.com, I knew the cold weather would continue. Contemplating the Tre Bella Sample Sale this weekend got me thinking, what besides a great deal, would get me out of the house?

Well, what about going somewhere that reminds you of going home for the holidays? You know - a fire roaring in the fireplace, holiday music playing, cookies? Plus the chance to try on wedding gowns and get amazing deals…. A little cold weather won’t keep me away!

The sale will start Saturday December 18th at 10am and will end Sunday December 19th at 5pm. These great deals will only be valid this weekend. (There are no appointments necessary for this sale only. Hours are Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday Noon – 5pm.)

A Washington Duke Inn Wedding

2010-12-14T18:25:00.000-08:00

We were so lucky to work with Barbara at An Elegant Affair on this incredible wedding at the Duke Chapel and Washington Duke Inn in the spring. This was one of my ABSOLUTE favorites - 32 tables with beautiful tall, full arrangements and lots of candles. Birds of paradise, peonies, tulips, roses, dendrobium orchids, stock, spray roses, astible, and lisianthus.

A special thank you to Dara Blakeley Photography (www.darablakeley.com) for these beautiful images.

Sample Sale Preview

2010-12-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Sunny Florida!

The tre bella girls (plus the tre bella little ones - ella & emily, our parents & neal) have taken a break from cold North Carolina. But just because we're not there, doesn't mean that we can't continue to blog!

Here are three AMAZING gowns that will be on Sample Sale starting on Saturday, December 18th at 10am at our Bridal Location. (And will end Sunday, December 19th at 5pm.)

The first gown we have previewed today is the Silaba Gown from Manuel Mota. This stunning strapless lace gown retails for $2,300. It will be on sample sale for $920 - that's 60% off!!! A savings of $1,380!

Our Second Gown is also from Manuel Mota. This stunning gown with beaded detailing would be perfect for a bride looking for a gown with straps! Also for the bride that does not want to wear a heavy gown on her wedding day, this sheath style with a detachable train is a great option. Normally retailing for $2,300, this gown is on Sample Sale for $690!!! That's 70% off its reatil price - a savings of $1,610!

Our last gown for today is the Sensacion - those of you that love Southern Bride and Groom Magazine as much as we do might recognize it from the Umstead Hotel & Spa Ad on the back cover. This beautiful gown retails for $3,600. It will be on Sample Sale for $720...Yes, that right 80% off the retail price. A savings of $2,880!

If you have any questions about the Sample Sale, just send me an email at info@trebellabridal.com!

Till next time,

Kate

A Treyburn Wedding

2010-12-08T05:13:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed my wonderful sister Kate has taken over as head writer for our blog :) I will still be contributing - adding in a wedding every now in then with my favorite part of blogs - lots of pictures :)
Below is a wedding we did the fall at Treyburn Country Club. I loved working with both the bride and her mom who had FABULOUS taste. They designed a fresh and unique look, really paid attention to all the details, and most importantly they had FUN!

Tis the season for sales

2010-12-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves a sale...especially our family. We grew up going to sales – big sales...the ones where you would wait for hours in a line, often in the freezing cold. There was the Boxing Day sale at the Polo outlet where everything was at least 75% off. There was also the Thanksgiving Day sale at the Christmas Mouse were most things were under a dollar. After the sale, the fun wasn't over...in fact, most times the best part was after the sale. We would go home and have “show & tell”. We would each take a turn showing our prizes and the best part, telling everyone how much money was saved. For example, if something was originally $25, and you got it for $5, that was a great deal...it didn't matter what it was or if you needed it but saving $20 on it makes it amazing!! This process could take hours with breaks only for meals. And of course at the end, there was a clear winner of saves.

So in the spirit of these sales, we want our brides to be the winners! On Saturday, December 18th starting at 10am we will be having a huge sample sale. Gowns will be 60% – 80% off there retail prices. We're talking thousands of dollars in savings! These deals will last until Sunday, December 19th at 5pm.

From now until then, I'll be previewing the gowns we'll be having on sale, but remember, these deals start on the 18th!

Today's gown is from Melissa Sweet. This beautiful Cosimma is a silk razmir a-line gown with hand constructed ruffle flowers on the bodice. Normally retailing for $4,200 – its sample sale price is $1,680…a savings of more than $2,500.

Till next time,
Kate

The Bride Wars

2010-12-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

I'm betting that most of you have seen the recent Kate Hudson & Anne Hathaway movie The Bride Wars. And after watching most any of the reality bridal shows, you would think that two friends planning a wedding would come to blows over who gets blush and who gets bashful as their wedding colors. But, I am happy to report that I have recently met two pairs of friends that have dispelled this notion!

My first pair of happy friends came in a couple of months ago. One wedding was coming up sometime this year, and other wasn't until the following year. This particular pair couldn't be happier for each other. I met my second pair of happy friends the other day. These brides were not only friends, but they were actually roommates. Both sets of friends were as happy and excited for the other person's wedding as their own. Rather than fighting over ideas, they were coming up with ideas for each other. Each wedding was as unique as the individual. Good friends that they were, they celebrated the differences that made the weddings (& the brides) unique.

In a world of reality TV, it's nice to see at it's not always actually reality.

Till Next Time,

Kate

Families

2010-11-30T07:23:00.000-08:00

Becky, Rachael & I recently took a trip to our childhood home in upstate New York. While we were there we decided to have one of our Tre Bella meetings. In this particular meeting, it was decided that I would take over writing the blog. When I started thinking about the blog, weddings and what in the world I would write about, my mind kept going back to family. So I decided to go back to the beginning and start there.

For those of you that know us, you know that we, Becky, Rachael and I, are sisters. As I mentioned before we grew in upstate New York and we like to jokingly refer to our home as a museum to our childhood. Our wonderful parents (who I'll get to later) have kept most of the house the same as when we were younger, so you can imagine why it's easy to get lost in memories. Now before you get the idea that we were a modern version of the Brady Brunch, the three of us had our share of fights, bickering and groundings. Rachael always said we each went through the terrible years - she claims my was the longest, but of course I have to disagree. Like any siblings, we had the moments were we couldn't stand each other (I think at some meetings, we sometimes still have those moments!) but my parents always reminded us that you can always count on your family to be there for you. And after we calmed down a little bit later - well sometime a bit longer - we would be able to remember that as we made up.

Often I get asked why we got into this particular field and I think a large part of it was about wanting to be in an industry that values family. Weddings are all about families...the creation of new, the bringing together of old and the blending of two separate. Each day, we are lucky enough to experience this both within our own family and with the brides we meet each day. Who wouldn't want our jobs?

Till next time,
Kate

A Carolina Inn Wedding

2010-11-23T04:45:00.000-08:00

Check out this slideshow from a recent wedding at the Carolina Inn!

www.docuvitae.com/slideshow/KimandButch (white you are on the site don't miss checking our the rest of the photographer's work!).

Thinking of Summer

2010-11-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

We are so lucky to have had an incredible season! We have so many great images to share with everyone - we can't wait!

Below is a wedding from the Washington Duke Chapel and Marbles in Raleigh. I loved the green bridesmaids dresses that the bride chose they looked great with the ivories, pinks and peaches.
She chose simple but elegant centerpieces for the reception - 3 cylinders of varied heights w/ tropical leaves, floating candles and rose petals.

For the cocktail tables we used small cylinder vases with bear grass wrapped inside and a floating gerber. I also think flowers on cocktail tables are a nice touch and they don't have to be large just a detail to coordinate with the overall look.

Tre Bella Bridal Sample Sale

2010-09-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Attention all brides!! Are you looking for a designer gown, but don't want to pay designer prices? We have the solution for you!

Tre Bella Bridal is having a HUGE sample sale with gowns up to 60% off!

Join us at the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill in their newly remodeled ballroom on September 18th from 1:00pm to 5:30pm and get your dream gown for a fraction of the cost! Members of the Siena Hotel will be on hand to give tours and talk about the new renovations as well.

There is no fee to get into the sample sale, and you don't need to make an appointment. Just show up! The sizing of the gowns will range from sizes 8 to 14, and the designers include Melissa Sweet, Priscilla of Boston, Lela Rose, Angel Sanchez, Manuel Mota and Junko Yoshioka. We will also have some Jim Hjelm and Siri bridesmaid dresses on sale! You definitely don't want to miss this event.

If you have questions about the event, email or call us at info@trebellabridal.com or 919.323.7167.

We will be accepting credit cards, cash and checks!

An Angus Barn Wedding

2010-07-27T07:13:00.001-07:00

We recently had the pleasure of working on a wedding at the Angus Barn! I always love when a bride and I have similar tastes and sense of style! For this outdoor wedding I got to use some unique textures and an awesome color pallete. The bouquets included berries, rosemary, dusty miller, fern leaves, parsley (yes, parsley) and that was just the filler :)

Enjoy the images below!

It's been awhile . . .

2010-05-31T09:11:00.001-07:00

Oh our poor blog it has been so long so we have posted anything - SORRY!

Life has been in crazy with wedding season. We have been lucky this year with some really incredible weddings and events!

I can't wait to start posting new pictures from our work this spring and summer (I promise to get back on track!).

Below are two awesome images from a Bay 7 wedding we did a couple of months ago - LOVED IT. Thanks to Dave at Get it Lighting and Photography who gave us the images. And if you need lighting for your event you definitely need to talk with him!

Win a Wedding Dress - WHAT?!

2010-05-03T04:19:00.000-07:00

WIN THIS DRESS AT ALTAR EGO (this Thursday night)!

Tre Bella Bridal will be raffling off the Manuel Mota Salisbury Gown. A stunning and amazing dress that is made of crystal beaded re-embroidered lace. The gown features a pleated tulle underskirt and a built in corset. The scalloped edging at the neckline really completes this dress. The skirt is fit to flair and has a semi cathedral train. The gown is a size 8 and retails for $2,300. Tickets for this are $5 and must be purchased before the event!

New Raffle Details!!

2010-04-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

AMAZING new Raffle Items!!

If the night's stay package at the O'Henry Hotel in Greensboro isn't enticing enough I have the

details on the other 2 raffle prizes :)

Dinner Around the Triangle (includes gift certificates for the following restaurants):

Fairview Restaurant at the Washington Duke Inn, Durham

Herons Restaurant at the Umstead Hotel & Spa, Cary

Il Palio at the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill

Theater and Drinks!

Two Tickets to the Color Purple at DPAC and enjoy a night cap at Downtown Durham's swanky restaurant Revolution!

We are so excited about all of our incredible raffle items . . . remember all of the proceeds from the raffle goes to the Triangle Chapter of Dress for Success. If you would like to find out more information on Dress for Success you will be able to during the reception portion of Altar Ego! Also, DFS founder, Pat Nathan, will be our MC again this year. She did an amazing job last year and we can't wait to see her up on stage again this year!

AND don't forget to get your additional raffle tickets to win the Manuel Mota wedding gown! The additional raffle tickets are only $5.00/ticket - available when you buy your tickets to the show!!!!

Meet Carol Hannah (of Project Runway) at Altar Ego

2010-04-28T04:44:00.001-07:00

We are SO excited to announce that we are not only going to start carrying Carol Hannah's newest bridal collection at our boutique but we will be featuring the collection at Altar Ego AND she will be attending Altar Ego (May 6th). Check out the press release below for more details :)

Carol Hannah Whitfield of Project Runway fame is coming to the Triangle – May 6^th – 8^th! Carol Hannah has recently launched her fabulous new bridal line and Tre Bella, Inc will be carrying the collection. To launch her line in North Carolina, she will be attending Altar Ego…an event all about you at the North Carolina Museum of Art on May 6^th, www.trebellabridal.com/altarego. This will be your chance to meet Carol Hannah during the reception and her amazing collection will be included in the fashion show portion of the night! If you’re getting married soon, book an appointment either Friday (May 7^th) or Saturday (May 8^th) to try on the Carol Hannah Collection during our featured trunk show. Her website is http://carol-hannah.com/.

Martha Steward, Daily Candy & The Knot have all recently featured her new wedding collection!! Plus, we met her at bridal week while we were in NYC and she is the sweetest - you all are going to LOVE her!

We can't wait! This year's Altar Ego is going to be the best yet!!!
Don't forget to get your tickets http://www.trebellabridal.com/fashionshowindex.htm.

2010-04-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate to organize a photo shoot at the North Carolina Museum of Art in promotion of our upcoming event - Altar Ego (May 6th)! Follow our fictitious couple from their engagement to the reception.

At this years event we are introducing several new exciting elements including five featured design tables. These tablescapes will be inspired by the new building, art, an exhibits at the museum. You don't want to miss them!

*******

Let our story begin!

Once upon a time a girl who loved art went on a date with a boy who had a secret. The stopped in front of her favorite El Anatsui piece . . .

he got on one knee . . . she said yes . . . the romance began . . .

engagement photos were taken in the gorgeous Rodin Garden to announce the news . . .
and Kristine captured the perfect image for their save the date . . .

the bride enjoyed a magical bridal portrait session . . .

the happy day finally arrived . . .

The story continues May 6th at the North Carolina Museum of Art . . .

visit http://trebellabridal.com/altarego.htm to purchase your tickets.

We would like to thank Hadley Emerson Boutique for allowing us to use the blue cocktail gown and Magpie Boutique for the pink dress. Both boutiques will be featuring their ready to wear collections during the fashion show portion of the event - don't miss it.

We would also like to thank Bernard's Formal Wear for the stunning Tuxedo.

IT'S TIME FOR ALTAR EGO!!!

2010-04-04T04:18:00.000-07:00

GET READY FOR OUR FASHION SHOW!!!

We are so excited - it is time for our annual fashion show at the NCMA in Raleigh! For those of you who did not attend last year check out the website for information on what you missed and why you want to attend this year!

www.trebellabridal.com/altarego.htm

I will be posting through out this month with updates and highlights of the event!

One of the many different and great additions to this year's event is the raffle! Included in every ticket purchase are 5 raffle tickets which give you a change to win 1 of 3 AWESOME prizes!

TODAY'S RAFFLE HIGHLIGHT - A TRIP TO THE O.HENRY HOTEL IN GREENSBORO!!

We are so fortunate to receive the below package plus a $50.00 gift certificate to their restaurant!

Mirandolin Amore

Includes: one night's gracious accommodations with deluxe turndown service, handcrafted Belgian Truffles, O.Henry Cheese Trio, flowers, champagne, bubble bath, romantic music, full hot breakfast buffet!!

be sure to check out their website at http://www.ohenryhotel.com/!

And best yet, all of the proceeds from the raffle go to Dress for Success!! So come and win a great prize, enjoy the food, the clothes, the new museum AND support a great cause!!

A State Club Wedding

2010-03-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

We recently received these images from Warren McCormack Photography (www.warrenmcormack.com). Thank you so much!

what an incredible shot!

Ask The Experts Seminar

2010-03-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

Ask The Experts Seminar

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

6:30 to 9:30pm

The Umstead Hotel & Spa

The wonderful and talented Barbara Clark from an Elegant Affair asked us to participate in her 2nd annual Ask the Experts Seminar.

This is a unique opportunity to talk directly with wedding professionals from the Triangle.

We will answer all your questions on how to plan your wedding, to the do's and don's of planning, to pulling off a unified wedding "look".

Presenters:

Barbara Clark

Accredited Bridal Consultant

Kristin Dittmer

Kristine Dittmer Photography

Kate Price

Tre Bella {bridal}

Rachael Price

Tre Bella {flowers}

Don't miss it!!

Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Cost $35.00 per person.

Please email eaffair@aol.com or call 847.6546.

for more information visit http://blog.an-elegant-affair.com

May 1st at The Duke Gardens

2010-03-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

Last year Triangle Catering and Tre Bella won an evening at the Duke Gardens.

We are giving away the space and date to anyone interested in having their wedding, rehearsal dinner, party, or next event at the BEAUTIFUL Duke Gardens.

For more information please call us at 919.620.6187.

Details:
the space - both the amphitheater and the Doris Duke Center are free - yes you read that correctly FREE!
the catch - you must use Triangle Catering and Tre Bella {flowers} for the event (we are not free and come with very reasonable minimums
the bonus - Penny Noel Photography is also offering a discounted rate for her services !!!

CALL TODAY :)

Love, Love Love!!

2010-03-09T06:12:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to get these images from Photography by Walters & Walters - aren't they so incredible. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

We did this wedding this past summer at Barclay Villa - and I LOVED it!
(check out the candy bar at the bottom and cake by Cinda's Creative Cakes).

JOIN US THIS WEEKEND IN GREENSBORO

2010-03-01T05:06:00.000-08:00

Bridal Symposium

presented by the O'Henry Hotel in conjunction with Proximity Hotel

March 6-7, 2010 at O'Henry Hotel

Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming time for bride-to-be. A bride's dream come true is a swiftly designed and stress fee wedding planning experience. Think this is too good to be true? At the O'Henry Hotel, we have designed a weekend Bridal Symposium to help you do just that.

This in not a bridal wedding show with endless rows of books!

The Symposium includes:

Saturday, March

6PM: Welcome reception with wine and hors do'oeuvres in the Pavilion and Cloister Garden

Sunday, March 7

8 AM: Pilate's class for overnight guests

9-11 AM: Drop-in Breakfast for overnight guests

11:30 AM: Registration

Noon: Seminar with three course lunch, including wedding cake tasting

2:45 PM: Afternoon tea with displays by vendors

3PM: Tours of O'Hendry & Proximity Hotels

4:30 Concludes with gift bags

Seating is limited, so please call the O'Henry at 336-344-9615 for reservations today!

More from our Bohemenian Shoot

2010-02-26T06:04:00.001-08:00

I recently posted about a photo shoot that we did with wedding planner Elissa Keno (http://www.elissakeno.com/) and Kellie Kano! Well, the real photos are in and they are INCREDIBLE!! Below are two images from Kellie that we love, love, love. Be sure to check out more images from the shoot on her blog www.kelliekanophotography.com/blog/ and add it to the must read regularly list - I loved all of her work.

I also heard rumors that the shoot will be featured on http://www.ruffledblog.com/ and maybe Weddings Unveiled's blog :)

THANKS ELISSA AND KELLIE!

Memory Lane

2010-02-23T05:02:00.000-08:00

Kate and I attended the King's Daughter Inn's open house last week. They did such an incredible job renovating this historic Durham Building (I highly recommend staying at the Inn for a night or planning your next event there).
After chatting with the owners about their renovation stories it got us reminiscing about 903 Broad Street (our flower shop). It is hard to image that for 2 years we dedicated every free moment (not working on building our business) to tearing down and then rebuilding our shop. We are so lucky to have a family that supports our crazy endeavors. Below is a picture of the three of us, Neal (Becky's husband), our dad, and in the stroller Ella (who is now 4 and 1/2)!!
(Our dad always said growing up "the family that builds together, stays together!).

A Recent Photo Shoot

2010-02-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

We recently had the opportunity to do a photo shoot with Elissa Keno (wedding planner) and Kelli Kano (photographer). We had a great time with the Bohemian themed shoot.

Elissa's house (which she is renovating and doing an awesome job) was the head quarters for the shoot. We used her neighbor's backyards and gardens as the backdrop!

Liz (from Fox 50) was our perfect bohemian model. She wore the Christina by Junko Yoshioka and turquoise jewelry by the fabulous Kate Price.

Elissa looking on at this adorable shot.

Our table scape.

The Carolina Inn Show

2010-02-11T03:20:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had a wonderful time at the Carolina Inn Wedding Show in Chapel Hill. Below are some quick pictures I took of our flower and bridal display. I also took some quick shots of the some of the other great vendors involved in this years show!

Tre Bella {flowers}

Tre Bella {bridal}

One of the Carolina Inn ballrooms.

We always enjoy working with the ladies of An Elegant Affair!

The always funny Mel of Kristine Dittmer Photography!

A great team at work - Cinda from Cinda's Creative Cakes and her daughter!

Our show neighbors - the girls from The Green Kangaroo.

What's Going On the weekend

2010-02-05T05:34:00.000-08:00

I know the weather is looking bad again this weekend but don't let it stop you from getting out! We are participating in 3 great events this weekend and all the information is below.

*********************

The Carolina Inn

Bridal Fair 2010

Sunday, February 7, 2010
1:00 - 4:00 PM
$10 per person
Tickets sold at the door

Join The Carolina Inn's staff and the top wedding professionals in the Triangle for the region's most exclusive bridal showcase. An elegant afternoon for all things wedding!

Click here to view our 2010 Bridal Fair Vendor List
Registered Vendors - click here for event information.

*************************************

Getting Married?

Join us for a unique opportunity to find the gown of your dreams at a remarkable price while helping make wishes and memory-making events come true.

Attend our special VIP Night and Preview Sale, which includes a Mother/Daughter dinner and special bridal show. Be among the first brides in the Raleigh area to browse through nearly 1,000 exquisite name brand and designer wedding gowns. Your VIP Night admission entitles you to an early shopping spree where you can choose, try on and purchase your dress ahead of the crowds.

When you purchase your special dress at a 'Making Memories, Brides Against Breast Cancer™' charity wedding gown sale, you not only save hundreds -- even thousands of dollars -- you help make a difference in the lives of stage IV breast patients.

Friday, February 5th, Downtown Sheraton, Raleigh

6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/393540089

***********************

Mi Fine Purse Gala

http://mefinefoundation.org/wp/

As Me Fine Foundation’s strongest annual fundraiser, the Purse
Gala is an afternoon event, featuring a live auction of unique,
one-of-a-kind and designer purses, including items donated by
celebrities and designers nationwide. Me Fine’s 4th annual Purse Gala
will be held on Sunday, Feb. 7 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at The Cotton Room
at Golden Belt in Durham.

Purchasing tickets is easy! Simply visit on the 'Ticket Information' link above or click here.

The Cotton Room's Wedding Show

2010-01-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we were lucky enough to be invited to Durham's newest venue, The Cotton Rooms, wedding show! Thanks to my brand new camera (yeah) I was able to take some quick shots of the event and our table set up - hope you enjoy!

AN INCREDIBLE CAROLINA INN WEDDING

2010-01-22T04:08:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while all the ingredients come together and they make for an incredible wedding. We were very lucky to work on this Carolina Inn wedding with such a talented group of vendors and such a unique couple!

The fabulous Kristine and Mel of Kristine Dittmer Photography shot the wedding and of course the images speak for themselves. We always feel privilege when working with them both!!

(check out their website: http://www.kristinedittmer.com/).

The Team:
Sally (event coordinator) with An Elegant Affair
Greg with Art of Cake
Carolina Inn for ceremony and Reception
Kristine Dittmer Photography

THANK YOU!!!

Bubbles and Bling

2010-01-11T06:18:00.001-08:00

The pics are in!!! Thank you so much to Martha Manning for coming to our event and taking these incredible images :) We had such a great time at Bubbles and Bling and just want to say a couple of quick thank yous to the people involved:

Solas Raleigh - what an incredible venue (call them about your upcoming wedding or rehearsal dinner)!
Dina Holland and White Thread - who designed an incredible mock room for the event!
Cinda's Creative Cake - check out the cake it looked beautiful and tasted even better!

Bailey's - who set a great display of their gorgeous jewelry

and

all of our beautiful MODELS!!!!

and of course Becky's beautiful daughters were in attendance :)

A Durham Wedding

2009-12-26T14:00:00.001-08:00

The fantastic and talented Penny Noel of Penny Noel Photography recently emailed me images from this fall wedding. Thank you !!!

Enjoy!

Location: Duke Gardens and Rue Cler

Flowers: Mokara Orchids, Roses, Hypericum Berries, Spray Roses, Calla Lilies

Cake: Cinda's Creative Cakes

A Chapel Wedding

2009-12-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

Our new friend Craig over at Luster Studios (www.lusterstudios.com) sent us these great images from a wedding we did this summer at the Duke Chapel. I love the first image - it looks like a shot out of a movie :)

An Umstead Wedding

2009-12-20T06:07:00.001-08:00

Recently a bride emailed us some images of her wedding at the Umstead - thank you!

Her photographer was Kevin Milz (we always love his images) and check out the last picture of the cake (by Sweet Memories!)

The bouquet: peonies, tweedia, roses, freesia, stephanotis.

The maid's bouquets: roses, hydrangeas, freesia.

The guys: tweedia and stephanotis.

The centerpieces: we did 2 different shape vases (the bowl above and also a pedestal vase) both were wrapped with tropical leaves and contained hydrangeas, roses, freesia, tulips.

The cake: roses, freesia, delphinium.

Tre Bella Holiday Party/Open House

2009-12-07T04:40:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday we hosted a holiday party/open house at our bridal boutique in Durham. We are so lucky that the very talented Robin Lin not only attended but brought her camera! Below are some BEAUTIFUL photos that she took. Go to her blog http://blog.robinlin.com/for more images of the party - I am sure it will end up on your check weekly list - I always love looking at her latest photographs :)

We also want to thank Triangle Catering and Sweet Memories - they both did such an incredible job for us!

In addition to the delicious platters below Triangle Catering also brought a shrimp and grits station (which was a huge hit) and a bar!

www.trianglecatering.com

The Sweet Memories goodies were decadent! The chocolate mouse cups - seriously were incredible!

www.sweetmemoriesbakery.com

Thanks to everyone who came!

A Chapel & Bay 7 Wedding

2009-12-05T15:09:00.000-08:00

Below are some great images from a wedding that we did a couple of months ago at The Duke Chapel and Bay 7, Durham. I am always extra excited when the bride uses us not only for the flowers but when she also gets her dress from us! She looked stunning in the Manuel Mota gown!

Thanks to Neil Boyd Photography (www.neilboydphotography.com) for the incredible images!

Winter Design Board

2009-11-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

I know that for those of you in the North it has felt like winter for a couple of months now but it just getting cold down south and we only now starting to think about our winter themed weddings and events :) Lucky us!

I am loving the winter white, ivory, silver and black color theme this year - always a classic look.

The Design Board/Ideas:

I found the ornament placecard image online and thought it was a great idea for not only a placecard holder but also a favor - a idea that works for both weddings and holiday parties (personal and corporate).

Of course the wedding dress is from the newest line available at Tre Bella Bridal - Melissa Sweet. It is actually one of my favorite new dresses. It has beautifully appliqued flowers with crystal details. The bridesmaid dress is by Siri Bridesmaids - how cute right :)

We have really been into the ribbon wrapped vase look for the holidays. We particularly suggest using velvet ribbon - it gives a great soft texture and an almost snowy look. My recommendation for winter white/ivory flowers: roses, amaryllis, freeisa, ranunculus, peonies if you can get them (there is now a winter growing season - yeah), dusty miller (a cool silver accent), cream hypericum berries!

Check out the cake image I found online - another great way to work ribbon into the theme of the event.

DIY Invitations

2009-11-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

Printable Invitations are now available at Tre Bella {flowers}. Stop by to discuss your wedding flowers and also browse our newest collection of printable by Snow & Graham and Smudge Ink.

The Invitations are great for:

Rehearsal Dinners

Engagement Parties

Bridal Showers/Luncheons

Wedding Invitations

Don't forget to say thank you!

We also have a great selection of Thank you cards :)

Call for your appointment: 919.620.6187

Bubbles & Bling

2009-11-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

Bubbles & Bling

November 22nd, 2009

(this Sunday)

4:30-6:30

Solas Raleigh

We are so excited to be presenting this event with Solas Raleigh.

Please join us for an evening of champagne, appetizers, cake, jewels,

great event ideas, fashion and so much more!

We would like to THANKS our sponsors for helping with the event:

Bailey's Jewelers

Cinda's Creative Cakes

Primp

White Thread

Please click below for event details and to purchase tickets:

http://bubblesandbling.eventbrite.com

Big Tre Bella Bridal News!!

2009-11-15T04:57:00.001-08:00

Introducing Melissa Sweet and Priscilla of Boston!

We are very excited to be carrying these two new collections at our bridal salon! The dresses have already started to arrive and they are stunning.

Call to schedule your appointment at 919.323-7167 (appointment times are filling up fast).

UPCOMING EVENTS

2009-11-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

We are involved in some great events and wedding shows this year - the listing is below!

Stop by and see us!

We are so excited to be presenting this event with Solas Raleigh. Bubbles & Bling will be an evening of champagne, appetizers, cake, fashion, great event tips and so much more.

(check back for full blog entry on this event later this week).

please contact info@solasraleigh.com for more information/tickets.

November 22, 2009
Solas Raleigh

4:30-6:30

*******************

A Holiday Party & Open House

Tre Bella, Inc.

December 3rd, 2009

invitations to be mailed out soon :)

********************

Once In a Lifetime

Wedding Workshop and Designers Boutique

The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club

January 10th, 2010

12pm - 4pm

http://www.washingtondukeinn.com/Weddings/weddings.asp

******************

The Bridal Fair

The Carolina Inn

January 31st, 2010

1-4pm

http://www.carolinainn.com/

A Preview

2009-10-31T15:55:00.001-07:00

I can't wait until we get the photos from David and Elizabeth's wedding. Above is a pic that Becky took with her camera - it turned out pretty well so I can't wait to see how the professional ones look. It was the most elaborate chuppa that we have ever done - and I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

The wedding was at the new Cotton Room in the Golden Belt Complex, Durham. If you haven't checked out this new venue I highly recommend it. The fantastic Michelle, owner of Triangle Catering, opened the doors about a month ago and we know she is going to be super successful :)

It's Been A While

2009-10-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

As many of you know September/October is a busy time of year for weddings in the south and this has definitely been true for Tre Bella!

We have done some truly amazing weddings over the past two months and I can't wait to get back on track with the blog to share some of them with you :)

THANKS!

Amber & Magnus at The Umstead

2009-09-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

Below are some great images from a wedding that we did recently at the Umstead hotel (I always love going there - what a fabulous hotel).

We recently had the pleasure of working with Craig, owner of Luster Studios(www.lusterstudios.com), on this wedding and we want to thank him for letting us use his awesome images :).

The cake below was by Donna at Sweet Memories - her cakes always look incredible :)

NACE - top of the table

2009-09-27T06:26:00.001-07:00

Every year NACE (the National Association of Catering Executives) hosts the Top of the Table Design challenge to raise money for the Food Shuttle. As members we team up and design a table to fit one of the year's categories. This year we partnered with Cleveland Plant and Flower and Grace Leisure Events, participating in the "Green with Envy" category! CE Rentals also provided the linens, chairs, plates, my most favorite gold stemmed glasses and Party Tables provided the awesome green overlay linen! THANKS team :)In the center of our table we spelled out the word ENVY with jade roses and green hypericum berries. This was Becky's fab idea and I think it is easily applied to a corporate event or wedding - spelling out the company name or the monogram of the bride and groom on their head table !!

Placed on gold napkins where our awesome menu cards created by Grace (perfectly bedazzled) and we accented them with a green cymbidium orchid!

At each corner of the space we had columns draped in green linens with an a very green arrangement on top!

We had a GREAT time and there were definitely some great tables this year! It is always fun to design outside of the box and create something over the top - it helps you come up with ideas for the next client :)

Welcome Gifts

2009-09-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

Some of your guests may be traveling a long distance to your come to your wedding. It is always a really nice touch if you have "welcome" gifts waiting in their room when the arrive!

Welcome gifts are an opportunity to express your personality. A really great welcome basket will get you guests excited for what is yet to come the rest of the weekend!

This is also one part of your wedding that is easy to put together yourself if you need to cut some costs. Or if you don't have the time this is also something a wedding planner often offers or a local gift store or often florist will offer as a service.

Below is the following recipe for a great welcome gift:

1. maps and brochures - include things that you and your fiance enjoy doing in the town/city

2. snacks - everyone loves snacks! (I had one bride who had Krispy Kreme donuts with icing in her wedding colors waiting for her guests)

3. drinks - include a bottle of water or your favorite bottle soda (like an Izzy)

4. personal - include something that represents a quirky/fun part of your and your fiance's personality

5. A PERSONALIZED THANK YOU NOTE - this is a way to really thank each of your guests individually and an opportunity to let them know how much they mean to you
6. come up with a really cute package to put all of these items in - it is all in presentation! At a friends wedding they had customized eco-friendly totes made with a cartoon of both of them on the front - I still have and use mine :)

FINALLY, have fun with it and get creative!!!

A Truely Tre Bella Wedding

2009-09-09T04:59:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to post these AWESOME images from a wedding that we did this summer at Brier Creek Country Club. This was one of those wedding that we were so lucky to love everyone involved in the process. The bride and her sister were so much fun to work with and they spoiled us - she not only used us for the wedding flowers but the bride also bought her veil and dress from our salon and had custom jewelery from Kate for both herself and her bridesmaids !!!

We also got to work with the incredible Rachel from Bliss by Sam and the fabulous Samantha Dockery - owner of Bliss by Sam. (www.blissbysam.com) Thanks for including us on this event ladies :)

AND of course I have to thank the super sweet and talented Kristin from KPO photography for the photos below! (www.kpophoto.com)

A Raleigh Wedding

2009-09-01T04:35:00.001-07:00

Below are a couple of images from a wedding we did this past summer in Raleigh at the Marble's Kids Museum. It is a awesome place for a reception and actually ceremony too. It is definitely a unique location that will entertain your guests! Check out their website for more information: (www.marbleskidsmuseum.org).

Meredith Perdue sent us these awesome images - THANKS! She is actually a photography based out of New England who travels to North Carolina - check out her website for more gorgeous photos: (www.andunlimited.com)

Wedding Favors

2009-08-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

Are they in or are they out??

There is always great debate in the wedding world about favors - should a bride spend the money on a silly favor that will inevitably end up in the trash or will the guest be upset if the traditional favor is missing???

Our opinion in the great favor debate is - go for it but think of them in a different way. We recommend spending a little more on your favors and using them twice in the wedding. Below are a couple of great ideas on how to multi-purpose wedding favors.

Favors & Placecards!

Above are super cute terracotta pots that that have been planted with an array of herbs. Theses favors are a great gift that your guests will actually be able to plant and use after your wedding. They also are being used as the placecard display. (available at Tre Bella Florist. http://www.trebellaflorist.com/ $$$)

As your centerpiece you can combine an eclectic mix of bud vases with thank you tags for the guest to take at the end of the night. You can also use them as additional decoration on the table with placecard assignments as shown above. (available at Tre Bella Florist $$$) Also, check out the post on our bride Youn's wedding, featured on Style Me Pretty. She bought awesome mugs from anthropologie and we mixed them into the centerpieces.

Cupcakes!!
Dessert tables in addition to wedding cakes seems to be a new trend. Skip the extra dessert and use them as your wedding favors. Have preset cupcakes at each seat with a thank you note. These awesome cupcakes are available at Daisy Cakes ( www.eatdaisycakes.com $$).

Be an environmentalist!
I love the plant a tree favors which can also be used on display as your place card. (available at http://www.nurserymen.com/ $$). We also offer a version at Tre Bella Florist.

Be Original!

We haven't seen this anywhere yet but we think it would be an awesome favor :) Use these super cute dry erase boards as your placecard/favor. What we think is cool about this placecard/favor is that you can really personalize them for your guests. Include a handwritten note thanking them or include individualized pictures of you with the guest or of you and your finance. (available at shop.threebythree.com$$$) We have a chalkboad version available at Tre Bella Florist.

Heirlooms - Pass it down

2009-08-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

As a bride (or a groom) you spend so much time planning every detail of your wedding. Then the wedding day comes and it is over before you even realize it! Make your wedding last longer than just that one day. We suggest having a couple of unique details from your wedding become heirlooms - you may spend a little more on them but you can pass them down to your future children and grandchildren.

Below are unique ring bearer plates that you can monogram with your names, initials, or with a saying (check out their website at http://www.palomasnest.com/). I love them - what an original and unique element to add to a wedding.

Buy nice champagne flutes for you and your finance. We suggest finding flutes that reflect your personal style. I love the modern look of these monogrammed flutes available at http://www.westelm.com/.

And don't forget the cake!

You have to check out www.rogersgardens.com for these awesome cake toppers - they are so detailed and vintage looking!

I wish I could tell you were to get the toppers below because they are the coolest toppers I have ever seen! But alas I found them on another blog and they did not list the web address :(

Happy hunting - if you fin them let us know!

Yellow in the Fall

2009-08-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Most brides associate yellow with the summer or the spring . . . we say yellow is an undervalued color for all year! The trend has been to match yellow with chocolate brown or black but we suggest trying something new. Pair bridesmaid's bouquets in shades of yellow with dresses that are navy or plum.

We also love having separate looks from the reception to the ceremony - keep some elements the same but mix in a new detail or color to make the venue feel more interested. If you keep the ceremony flowers in shades of yellow, green, white then add darker shades of burgundy, rust or even dark pink at the reception (the darker colors will also help keep the yellow from looking to springy).

Instead of the traditional white cake try a cake with yellow flower details - or even a very pale yellow icing.

Below are some yellow flowers we love (clockwise from top to bottom):

dahlia, cymbidium orchid, tulip, rose, mokara orchid, freesia.

2009-08-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

What's in our toolbox???

We LOVE looking at other florists blogs and websites. Becky recently forwarded me the following link to a really cute florist in California (http://thetreasuredpetal.wordpress.com/). You should definitely check it out!

Anyway, she did a blog post called "what's in your toolbox", I thought it was a great idea and so I want to share what is in our toolbox!

When you are out on site setting up a wedding you never know what might happen and you need to be prepared! Our mom actually went out and bought our actually "toolbox" at Home Depot - they are heavy duty carpenter style man bags :)

In our bag:

floral tape

wire

Windex/paper towels

extra ribbon (coordinating with the wedding colors)

pearl pins (white and black)

extra floating candles

corsage bracelets

wrench set (for our chuppa)

fishing line

thread

clippers/sizzors

snacks & water (sometimes we are out all day)

ALSO:

we always bring extra vases

extra loose flowers

Recent Wedding at the Gardens

2009-08-16T10:34:00.001-07:00

We recently had the chance to work with Lashelle Chappell on a Duke Gardens wedding. She was sweet enough to share some of the images from the wedding ~(http://www.chappellphoto.com/) ~ thanks!

During my first meeting with this bride and groom we got to chatting about where we all were from . . . long story short after a while of describing Richmond (where the groom and my partner are from) we discovered that his grandfather lived next to Chaz AND they knew each other as kids! It is such a small world.