I always find the bride bouquet to be the most personal piece of wedding flowers. And this time I got to make one for a girl I’ve known her whole life.
It isn't the flashiest of stories. But like the first drink of a good cup of coffee, it is one of the best of the normal stories:
We went driving on the San Juan Islands on the way home from Cyan’s senior photo shoot and I stopped to pick some flowers as we waited for the ferry. And she said “could you do that for my wedding?”
And I was all “yeah. sure.”
And then she said “No really. Would you do the flowers for my wedding?”
And I looked into her completely serious face... And I said yes, in my van, with a handful of lavender from the field we were just at and Queen Anne’s Lace from the side of the road in my hand.
If only she knew how close to bittersweet tears she took me in that moment... (it’s not hard to do. I’m a sap.)
So when I said yes, I was in. Dedicated. All completely in.
In this bouquet are dahlias from @connellsdahlias, flowers I got through @teressajohnson, and even a few from @larchefarm, who was so wonderful in helping me find the last few bits I needed for this event... but many, many of these flowers were from my garden, planted and cultivated with this exact bride in mind.
She asked for crazy. She asked for fun, and wild, and muted rainbow. And I did everything in my power to give her just what she asked for and a tiny bit more.
See, hidden in this bouquet was her first kiss as a bride. A thimble to give her Peter Pan (her favorite book, which has a subtle theme throughout my flower-work for the wedding).
Can you see the thimble?
The thimble was 100 years old, gotten from my great aunt’s sewing table my mother left to me. It is a tiny treasure, meant to be given away. The first of many tiny treasures you give away to your partner to create a life together. ❤️ Because it really is all about the little things. Those little things make a life (and a damn good story).