Brocade Designs Nashville » …& etc

Brocade Designs Featured by Phindy Studios

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:20:05 +0000

What can I say that isn’t glowing and wonderful about Phindy Studios– absolutely nothing. This amazing husband and wife team are awesome and you know it. They came out to capture some shots around the store, and I’m so glad they did!

A random fact– I went to high school with both of the Phindys. The lovely Mindy was in my class, and we even had a few classes together & actually knew each other. I don’t stay in touch with many of my H.S friends, and I didn’t even know she was still in town and married to Phil until I “met” the Phindy’s last year. Phil was in the class below mine and I didn’t know him, but I still think that’s a super small-world coincidence.

Phindy & Phil on their wedding day, courtesy Angela Bynum

Now, be sure to go check out their beautiful blog & website, and stay tuned for a Phindy wedding on the blog next week!

I love old things & creating new things out of the old. The frame was a fun art project, the mason jars are from 1920-1932

The studio exterior. The Arcade was built in 1903, so there’s a lot of charm in the architecture & big huge windows that let in light

Me & all my lovely flowers behind me– yay

Oh so cool Craspedia.

Studio Wed Nashville Open House

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:01:11 +0000

Brides, don’t miss tonight’s Studio Wed Open House! This fun and engaging Open House event will introduce you to the Studio Wed concept as well as Nashville’s finest wedding vendors. Brocade will be providing floral decor– be sure to check out the lovely.

Learn more about the Studio Here, and click to read the new Studio Wed Nashville blog here

You can register to attend at http://studiowedopenhouse.eventbrite.com/

Can’t make it this time? No worries– a new open house is scheduled for every second Tuesday!

Fabulous Fall

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:34:42 +0000

Fall– ahh, we could all use a few brisk breezes, a bit of a rusty color scheme, with splashes of orange & yellow & red right now in Nashville, with average temperatures soaring into the mid to upper nineties. I decided to give a little bit of a visual cool breeze–thanks to some lovely florals Held last October at Walker Baptist Church in Franklin, this fall wedding embraces traditional autumnal colors with a bit of fall flair: leaves, berries, gourds & more, for a delightful wedding celebration.

A little backstory: To start the design process, I came up with a little bit of a fall flavored inspiration board that incorporated some of the key design elements Lindsay, the bride, was looking for– pumpkins, classic autumn shades (deep reds, oranges, chocolate browns), berries, leaves, and branches.

You’ll notice the abundance of gourds & pumpkins in the inspiration board above. Fall makes all sorts of beautiful gourds available. We kept our gourds local, purchasing the gourds & all of the Pumpkins from the farmers market. I helped the Bride & her family carve out the monogram “C”s using a drimmel tool.

Kristin Kaplan of Simply Stunning Events was the amazing planner for the celebration, and Gregory Byerline captured the images from the day (thank you so much!),

Without further adieu, Lindsay & Mike:

The bride carried a beautiful, lush, and textured bouquet of red sox calla lilies, mango callas, pincushion protea, and mokara orchids. Delicious, no?

Fall boutonnieres & corsages with calla lilies & strawflower, and a single-stemmed calla:

The bridesmaids carried callas and circus roses:

The moms had a corsage full of fall color:

Sweet & simple fall pew markers with mums & eucalyptus

The altar was decorated with various fall flowers, gourds, & leaves:

A closer look at the unity candle we decorated:

A medly of the fall-themed centerpieces featured at the reception at Embassy Suites Cool Springs:

A delicious cake by Cakes By Rebecca– in white fondant with orange ribbon accents– was embellished with mokara orchids & a monogrammed “C” cake topper we commissioned for the bride, carved from wood and a keepsake forever:

What a beautiful celebration to honor the sights & sounds of the fall season and a beautiful couple!

Give a Little Bit

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:28:17 +0000

This past weekend, the state of Tennessee and Nashville received an historic amount of rain, resulting in as much rainfall as we normally see in 4 months in 48 hours. The surrounding Cumberland river– along with other tributaries, rivers, streams, creeks, and ponds overflowed and flooded our fair city, leaving countless without homes, places of business, vehicles, and to some– the most precious thing of all: their lives.

In the hours since, Nashville and our nearby neighbors in other counties and cities have banded together to help, with gifts of kindness to a stranger in need, a dry roof, or a bottle of water. We encourage you to support these efforts by researching some of the links below and finding your best way to give.

For a first step, Brocade has decided to limit our business to ONLY pre-booked weddings and events indefinitely in effort to conserve water and limit our usage in this time of need! We feel this is the most socially responsible and environmentally conscious decision we can make as we all band together in support of our local community.

If you would like to help, please reference the links below:
Hands on Nashville: looking for local volunteers to help in the aftermath of the flooding
You can text ‘REDCROSS’ to 90999 to donate $10 to disaster relief; or visit www.redcross.org
Many pets were displaced in the flooding, so the Nashville Humane Association is in need of food, toys, blankets, and volunteers: (615) 352-1010, www.nashvillehumane.org
You can also always reach out to your local churches & community centers to help

Image Credit: The Boston Globe

Up in the Air: The effect of the Icelandic volcano ash cloud on global flower availability

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:54:55 +0000

Given the current situation at hand with the ash cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland, I thought it may be a good time to provide an informative post on where flowers come from and how global weather and natural phenomenon can effect availability. As we enter into the 6th day of stalled airplane travel, many can sympathize with stranded travelers in airports worldwide. The problem is that the ash cloud is depositing directly into the jet stream, creating murky-fog like conditions that make it unsafe to fly. According to the Wall Street Journal:

“This eruption is a perfect storm, a combination of wind and ice conditions that has turned an ordinary eruption into a crisis. Last month, the same volcano erupted harmlessly. But last week, magma found a second pathway to the surface, this time beneath a glacier. When hot magma touched ice, it instantly created a burst of steam and produced glassified silicates. The sudden expansion of steam created a colossal explosion that sent billowing clouds of glassified silica ash three to five miles into the air over Europe. The ongoing eruptions of the volcano, which continue unabated, are caused by a series of steam explosions as magma continues to encounter glacial ice.”

The London airports remain closed today, and it is from London that a majority of dutch flowers are shipped to the US. Sometimes, it’s easy to think that the products we take advantage of– from food to clothes to flowers– are readily available on home soil. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Dutch export blooms include Cymbidium Orchids, mini cymbidium orchids, peonies, some shades of dutch hydrangea (like deep emerald green, rich purple, and raspberry,etc.), amaryllis, muscari, gloriosa lilies, some variety of rannunculas, some varieties of hyacinth, tulips, dutch master daffodils, and dutch calla lilies, to name a few– the list extends far beyond that.

The most joy-dampering news about the volcano is not only the fact that many of these flowers will not make their way to the US this week, which will impact both exporter and importer business, but also the bridal and event business. This is the time of “reasonable substitution” that you read on your contract and wonder at what it means– it’s when by act of God, nature intervenes and we must do what we must to make your day as beautiful and special, but perhaps not quite with the flowers you’d initially imagined.

Experts feel that there’s a possibility that the Icelandic volcano may continue to erupt for several months, effecting the jet stream with every eruption. Let’s hope that’s not the case and that we get through this week unscathed. At present, we’re hoping that flights may resume out of London today– but right now it’s looking dubious. Keep those dutch-loving brides in your thoughts over the coming days!!

Ultimate Girls Night Out: Sex and the City 2!

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:18:01 +0000

Ladies– isn’t it time for a girl’s night out? One where you can feel pampered & pretty, hang with your girls, enjoy yummy food & drinks, and all in all have a great time in celebration of the forthcoming Sex and the City 2 movie!

Ashley’s Bride Guide is sponsoring this awesome party and here’s some info from the ABG site on the deets for this amazing party:

This is the ultimate bridal/party showcase. It will be fun for all but it is designed to introduce you to great wedding/event pros in a fun, non-bridal show atmosphere that your bridesmaids will LOVE too:).

Swag – All attendees will receive great goodies to take home! Our party sponsor, StudioWed, is offering VIP bride swag just for you but you must register before the tickets are gone.

Food – We have two incredible catering companies (Down South Delights and A Catered Affair) and we’re challenging them to a Nashville vs NYC food throwdown! Come out and taste the best of both cities – think BBQ vs bagels:). If you are a bride, this will be a great way to sample and get great ideas for your wedding reception.

Shopping – Once we announced the party, shopping vendors started pouring in! Jewelry, clothes, shoes, stationery, gifts, purses – we’ll have a something for everyone. Great thing – all of the businesses are locally owned and operated, all by females. Girl power!

Pampering – Service providers will range from massages and mini-manicures to eyebrow/lash, hair and makeup art! Services will be “sample size aka $1 per minute) or complimentary! You can indulge, sample, find your favorites for your wedding day…or you can make any day special:).

Entertainment & giveaways – The DJ will be spinning; the photo booth will be snapping fun pictures and we’ll offer awesome prizes, gift cards to the most fabulous, women!

Tickets are only $15 and are selling out fast!

Brocade shared in the celebration during the first party– providing floral decor in fun things, like shoes! We’ll be sure to bust out the pretty and innovative styles for this party too (and believe me, while I’m in NYC I’ll be taking style notes for all things NYC flavored & inspired– so be prepared for some new, innovative, and FUN looks for this fab party). A look at the last party:

So what are you waiting for? Get your tickets NOW for this not-to-miss night of FUN! Keep on top of the deets with ABG

Chelsea & Jordan: Tiffany Blue, Palest Pink, Ivory and chocolate brown

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:33:11 +0000

Last September, I had the distinct pleasure of working with the lovely Chelsea & Jordan– check out her blog, The Adventures of Mrs. Smith, always a delightful read.

Chelsea had so many wonderful ideas for her September wedding: she wanted a beautiful affair with touches of tiffany blue, pink, and ivories– with luscious flowers like hydrangea, roses, and orchids. She invisioned a spectacular aisle with lots of pale pink petals ending with a rustic arch embellished with flowers. The result, I think, was beyond lovely.

All images by Paul Wharton Photography; event planning by Latrice with Opulent Couturier, venue: the Hermitage Golf Course ; delightful deliciousness by Chef Penelope , rockin tunes (that kept the party going all night) The Mad Dog Company, and a killer Tiffany Box cake by Cakes by Rebecca

Now, onto the pretty!

Chelsea had some lovely unique touches: one, we designed her bouquet that each flower in it was one that she shared with a bridesmaid. Secondly, she had a lovely handkerchief that she wrapped around her bouquet:

The bouquet was comprised of cymbidum, phalaenopsis, dendrobium orchids; palest pink roses; white calla lilies, sweet white freesia, white dahlia, and pale pink sweetheart roses.
The entire bridal party and bride:

The flowergirls were so cute in darling floral headdresses:

This beautiful stone fountain was embellished with cylinders filled with Tiffany shaded water and floating candles:

At the end of the aisle– a rustic arch: embellished with Grapevine, orchids, and other blossoms:

Pew markers were made with ivory baskets filled with moss and then embellished with pale pink roses and ribbon streamers:

Tall centerpieces were made with sea glass cylinders with a submerged Sorbonne lily in Tiffany colored water, topped with a manzanita tree surrounded by fluffy white hydrangea, roses, and orchids– then embellished with palest pink dendrobium orchid blooms:

A few details– “blooming” manzanita; another look at the tall centerpiece

It was such a delight working with Chelsea & Jordan on their day– they are truly a wonderful, loving couple and have an amazing life ahead of them, full of love, laughter, great food, friends & fun. Thank you for letting me share in your celebration!

Brides, Grooms, Vendors: Come out for the Studio Wed Open House

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:38:07 +0000

With great pleasure, I extend to everyone an invitation to join me and other Studio Wed Nashville vendors, brides, and friends at the Studio Wed Nashville open House tonight!!

To quote the website, “Welcome to StudioWed, an exclusive collection of Nashville wedding vendors representing the finest wedding professionals in Middle Tennessee. This is a hip and revolutionary concept in local and destination weddings in Nashville: a stylish and sophisticated planning studio where the area’s best vendors come to you.”

At the open house– today from 5-9, you can chat with studio wed vendors , meet other brides & grooms, and be introduced to the innovative Studio Wed concept. As always, the SW blog is an awesome resource for news & inspiration

So, join us tonight at 1200 Villa Place, Suite 402, Nashville, TN 37212 :: 615.739.5477
For detailed directions, visit this link

I look forward to seeing you tonight!

Fabulousness Abounds at Ashley’s Bride Guide

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:55:25 +0000

If you’ve not had a chance to check out the brand new look of Ashley’s Bride Guide, then you totally need to stop what you are doing right now and take a look. It’s stellar-awesome!

There’s a new lovely color scheme and look on the front page, with a rotating banner reflecting new content & updates:

Some of the cool stuff I love:

The inspiration gallery: a visually organized compendium of all things wonderful and wedding– from details, to flowers, to diy projects– love it!

If you’re like me and love to follow the blogs of vendors & brides, Ashley’s made it simple to find your old & new faves with a graphical blog directory:

Of course, ABG is still your best resource to find fab Nashville Wedding vendors organized by category.

So what are you waiting for: check out the new ABG!

Get Ready for Valentine’s Day!

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:58:49 +0000

Are you ready for the ultimate day of love? It’s this Sunday, and we’re here to help! Check out our complete Valentine’s Day ordering menu: Valentines Day Flier or visit our valentine’s day section on our website

A few of the highlights:

+ Treat your love to a dozen long stemmed roses or a contemporary compact vase arrangement
+ A variety of fresh cuts, including tulips, gerber daisies, iris, daffodils, lilies and more
+ arrangements starting at $12.99
+ We will deliver on Sunday, so you can surprise your love!

Have dinner plans for the perfect date night this weekend? We can have a fresh bouquet awaiting your arrival– just give us a call to schedule.

For the total romantic, we offer hand-calligrapied love letters (we can help you convey your sentiments into the perfect words, too), romance packages with chocolate covered strawberries, floating candles, and rose petals, and we have a variety of handmade v-day gifts, including handmade frames, cards, and much more.

Give us a call to wow your valentine: 615.244.4926 or 615.748.1241 or visit us online for more info