by Nicola Adam | Jan 22, 2015 | Uncategorized
So I am fully aware that January has nearly come to an end, but I figured it wasn’t too late to do a bit of a re-cap of 2014. It was definitely a big year in my world. Some of my very best friends got married, including my life long BFF, who I was so proud to stand beside as her one and only bridesmaid. And now some of those same friends are expecting babies in the next few months, which is sure to make 2015 full of adorableness. I should apologize in advance, as my instagram feed will probably be littered with chubby baby cheeks in the near future.
And of course 2014 was the year I started this little business of mine. It’s been a dream of mine for quite some time, however I wouldn’t be the floral designer I am today without the years spent in my last job with the great team at Garden Party Flowers. I was there for 4 years before I took the leap and decided to go out on my own. I learned so much from my time spent there. Special shout outs definitely go to Amy, Lisa and Tina. These 3 lovely ladies were a big part of my life, and my evolution as a designer. I am forever grateful for all 3 of them, and would not be where I am without them!
So I thought maybe I would dig through my photos and find a few favourites from the last 12 months. Some were taken while I was still at Garden Party, some from side projects I did, and some from the last few months that I’ve been out on my own. That being said some were snapped with my phone so please excuse the quality. So without further ado let’s get to the pretty stuff…
Photo by: Wonderlust photography
Ellie, best helper ever
Photo by: Brellow
Photo by: Melissa Gidney
by Nicola Adam | Dec 24, 2014 | Uncategorized
One of my favourite things about the holiday season is making wreaths. I really love to make them any time of year actually, there are so many variations using seasonal materials that they don’t just have to be for Christmas.
That being said, there is nothing like the smell of freshly cut evergreen branches to get you into the Christmas spirit! This year I taught a few different workshops and thought I would share a few photos from each one. Please excuse the image quality as they were all snapped with my iphone which is in serious need of an upgrade! Hmmm actually maybe that’s what I should have asked Santa for….
The first one this year was extra special as it was for a few of my very dear friends and their mamas. My mom joined in as well so it was a real mother-daughter kick off to the holiday season this year.
They all were great students and we had a fantastic time. A big thanks to Daphne for hosting the event at her lovely home. And here are some of the finished products.
Next up was a series I did with the gang at Old Faithful, if you haven’t visited their shop in Gastown you must! Or pop by their website as they have everything online as well. I teamed up with them last year to host this event and it was a great success so we did it again this year for 2 nights. The wreaths we did at these workshops were succulent based and are constructed a little differently than the more traditional evergreen wreaths.
There seems to be a running mother-daughter theme here, as we had moms and their daughters both nights!
The girls that run the super cute blog Treasures & Travels attended one of the workshops at Old Faithful and they did a great post on it here. Their photos are MUCH better than mine, so you might want to check it out.
And last but not least yet another mother-daughter team! The lovely Jen from Dames and Dolls Makeup wanted to surprise her mom with a workshop for her birthday. So I headed out to Maple Ridge to Jen’s adorable abode to teach another group of ladies how to make wreaths.
So there you have it, time to put the evergreen aside and relax for a few days. I hope you all have a very Happy Holiday season! I’ll leave you with one last photo. See you in 2015!!!
by Nicola Adam | Nov 25, 2014 | Uncategorized
Just about a month ago on a beautifully crisp fall day, Ashely and Steve got married. When I first met this couple back in the spring I knew it was going to be fun to work on this wedding. After a parade of pastels through the spring and summer their warm autumnal palette felt like a breath of fresh fall air. Not to mention the bride and groom were a dream, so sweet and down to earth. They knew what they wanted but at the same time trusted me to have quite a bit of creative licence, which in this business = dream client.
They made a very wise choice in working with the incomparable Corinne at Filosophi to make sure their big day was all they could have imagined, and that it went off without a hitch.
I think most people forget that fall can have some of the most beautiful blooms, and foliage. I used fluffy dahlias, bright calla lilies, deep blue privet berries, and soft blue thistle, mixed with roses, hypericum berries, ninebark, ferns, some succulents and a few ranunculus that I was lucky enough to get at this time of year!
This is a moment I love getting to see, when a bride receives her bouquet. Corinne delivered Ashely’s bouquet to her so I tucked in a little note to say congrats.
Now I should mention the phenomenal photographer before I get too far along here. Melissa Gideny did such a wonderful job capturing the day and all of the details. I am so gratful she shared these images with me.
Here are a few shots of the beautiful bride and handsome groom, along with the bridal party. I loved that the bridesmaids all wore different colours, the combination of the warm tones with the deep blue was so stunning.
The ceremony and reception were both held at the Vancouver Rowing Club in Stanley Park. With the majestic trees bursting with fall colours, I couldn’t think of a more perfect backdrop! The previous day, and the morning of were rather dull and rainy, but as you can see the sun decided to peek out just in time.
Look at these two cuties!!
The reception featured beautiful decor by the lovely girls at Sweet Beginnings. The shantung linens, the wood charger plates, along with the glassware and about a million candles made for a warm, elegant yet rustic feel. Topped off by whimsical globe lights, it truly made for a magical party setting.
Below is a wonderful moment captured by Melissa of Ashley and Steve getting their first peek at the room all done for the reception! I love it! No matter how much planning and vision goes into their big day I think most brides still don’t really know how it’s all going to come together. It’s a wonderful moment (for them and for all the vendors who worked so hard!) to see them so happy with the finished product.
And this is what they were looking at…
And last but not least, I think this is my favourite image of the whole lot. The two big alter arrangements were moved into the reception after the ceremony, they sat just behind the head table, and as you can see from the greenery framing this shot, it must have been taken peeking through them. I just think it so perfectly captures the essence of a wedding. The bride and groom side by side, surrounded by friends and family, in a beautiful setting with one really great party going on.
Congratulations Ashley and Steve!!
by Nicola Adam | Sep 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
And it came true! This is me writing my first blog post (hopefully first of many) on my very own website, of my very own floral studio!
I have to say that this little dream of mine would not have come true if it weren’t for the support of my family and friends, both new and old who have been steadily encouraging me, and telling me I have the talent to make this dream a reality. So this first post is dedicated to you all. I don’t know if I can ever possibly convey how grateful I am for each and every one of you and how your kind words of encouragement have truly made a difference. I hope to live up to all the accolades that have come my way.
So that’s it for now, just one big gigantic THANK YOU, you all know who you are.
And because what kind of flower blog would this be without a photo here’s a little something pretty for you:
