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I’ve been writing several posts in this “Suggestions” series now, but this time “Sarah’s Suggestions for…” exquisite centerpieces, artfully placed greenery and the making of eye-popping bouquets aren’t really my suggestions at all. I suggest you go directly to an expert on such, and that’s what I did recently to get some insight for this post. I’m sharing highlights from an interview I had with a favorite vendor of mine – The Pearl Petal’s pundit, Stephanie O’Quin. After all, who better to ask than someone who has had her Floral License (yes, that’s a thing) from the Texas State Floral Association since the age of 16?!

You may have seen us collaborate at different events, including my launch party, and probably gawked at her beautiful floral arrangements in some of my previous blog posts and photos. Now you’re getting some fantastic guidance straight from the sage floral designer herself!

Here are some great tips I wanted to pass along from our recent conversation:

What is your inspiration for creating eloquent flower arrangements and knowing what colors, shapes and textures or fillers go together?

As cheesy as it seems, to me floral design is something that always has to be “felt” with the heart. The inspiration, design eye and capturing of what a client needs, stem from this inner knowing. Over time, my knowledge and understanding of what elements flow together for bouquets or what textures to incorporate have grown naturally. As the floral designer, realizing that each client is different in what he/she deems beautiful and then creating with that freedom of his/her vision allows for beautiful and unique designs to happen organically each time.

What are some common misconceptions about what you do that you wish people understood better?

Design takes TIME. People always seem to think it’s just a simple “bouquet” or a matter of putting this or that together. While what I do is extremely rewarding, it’s rewarding because it is work – and a lot of it. Flowers are what we call a “crunch” industry. You cannot prep weeks in advance or get it done early. You are constantly under pressure to get the most done with the best products Mother Nature provides in the shortest timeframe possible! It’s not for everyone, but it’s nice when it is appreciated.

Can you tell us what is in season right now for in-home décor, festive fall parties or could be accent pieces for say, the Thanksgiving dinner table? And what should folks not expect/use at this time of year?

My disclaimer: peonies are not perpetually in season! I feel like many look on Pinterest and just expect that vision to be executed every time without realizing that everything in Mother Nature is seasonal. We can only achieve so much in that regard. One concept, being in the flower world, I have grown to LOVE is, “Embrace the season you are in!” That goes for the season of life, relationship, home, job, and of course, the season of flowers you’re in! If you look through the right lenses every season is beautiful, not just the one you see a snap shot of on a Pinterest board. Be your own kind of beautiful in the ever-changing seasons of life! Spend time looking up best options for the time of year you are in rather than just looking at a bunch of Pinterest boards.

My list of floral favorites for fall includes dahlias [So pretty!], sunflowers, calla lilies, freesia, allium, amaranthus, agonis, foxglove, astilbe, scabiosa, coffee break roses, ranunculus, protea… I could go on! Fall is truly a sensational time of year for all your floral feels and colors!

How do certain flowers and ornate greenery almost convey a message or express an emotion? Can you give some examples that people should know for specific occasions or seasons in life?

Flowers & greenery do all convey their own message. It’s pretty crazy how styles change over the years and how people find each one so beautiful based upon society’s eye. There is no right or wrong view of this, nor is there a correct view of what emotions should be attached to each one. Flowers truly are, and hopefully always will be, left to their own interpretation.

That being said, some examples of current “styles” that people are loving include:

• Botanical Feels – all greenery with pops of flowers for the earthy vibe, more of a natural style.
• Shabby Chic-  a Country girl who is really from the City – your “easy & simple” feels; all baby’s breath or just a few roses here and there. This style is so cute and accurately named as it exudes easy-living feels!
• Romantic – gives off all the moody feels; rich colors that embrace its season. It usually involves imperfectly placed flowers and creates more of a luxury handheld garden. I find this offers the most diversity for each bride to find her own personal style.

Is there any type of flower that is a timeless favorite and acceptable all year-round besides the rose?

One that comes to mind is the hydrangea. It’s big and beautiful and most excitingly universal! It’s timeless and can be paired with virtually anything. Hydrangeas come in all different colors, and they last forever making them truly a divine flower. Cymbidium Orchids are another. They are so detailed and can be paired with just about anything as well. They can be found in various colors and styles. Plus, they can be taken independently as a modern look or paired with a garden of other flowers and still stand out due to their unique design.

Main advice or take-away?
The best thing about working with flowers: there is no wrong way to design. Everyone has his/her own unique style and embracing that as it comes together is what makes each piece unique and beautiful. It pains me to see people try to replicate things exactly. You are not that person, and the flowers are not the exact same flowers. The elements involved – the day, style and time are all different as well. Accept where you are. When people try to fight the product and force it to do exactly what they want they’re often left dissatisfied.

The first time we worked together was for a wedding rehearsal dinner in July this year, but it certainly has not been the last time. I love that Stephanie is so professional but also so passionate and genuine in all she does. She takes great pride in her work, and that is why we get along so well together!

Keep up with her floral journey on her website http://www.ThePearlPetal.com and her social media channels (@thepearlpetal)!

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My degree may have been in specifically graphic design, but my passion has always been in design as a whole. That means designing layouts for an event venue as well as the detailed aspects of designing a particular backdrop or table setting. It’s about knowing what looks good where and realizing every little element must fit together in a certain way to make it all flow.

To see the perfect example of meticulously thoughtful placement at an event, look no further than the cutlery and cuisine.

Before you can set the table, you must first set the menu. The type of mouth-watering refreshments you serve will determine the type of eye-catching design you incorporate because your tablescape will depend on what dishware you must use.

Let’s be honest, one does not simply throw on any tablecloth and distribute some silverware with a stack of plates and cups. You’re dressing a table; treat it with some respect. Most likely you’re setting a tone and integrating a theme, and perhaps, providing a picturesque background for guests to take photos of the ambiance. Consider what vibes you want to exude, and be purposeful in how you exude those vibes.

As a timely example, let’s focus on the upcoming holiday season and that special dinner you’re prepping to host for family and/or friends. For that vignette, consider layering on the table. Creating depth for a tablescape is always a prodigious goal! It will allow for great design elements, without looking too cluttered. Remember: you never want your guests to feel like they can’t sit down comfortably or they have no room to eat.

To do that, try to keep décor in the center of the table. Some outflowing areas can be acceptable, but make sure it’s not too overpowering. A tablescape should always be inviting and not intimidating to the guests. I always like to add a main centerpiece and then work around that. Having the simplest decorative pieces such as a good color napkin that coordinates with your tablecloth can automatically bring a table to life.

Speaking of which… the tablecloth is probably the most important aspect! Having a good cloth really is what you build the rest of your tablescape upon. Let’s just say, with tablecloths, size does matter. Seriously, make sure that you don’t buy a cloth that doesn’t fit your table. Having a cloth that is too short can look painfully tacky! I personally prefer floor length cloths when available as I think that style brings the table together well and makes everything look more cohesive. Wrinkles are also tacky. Get the iron or steamer out when necessary.

When it comes to name cards, consider the level of formality and literally who’s coming to dinner. Name cards are excellent to use when you want the table to appear more formal, or if you need to have the guests’ seats decided beforehand. Sometimes for a formal dinner at which guests don’t know each other, having name labels is helpful to take away the stress of indecisive people scanning for where to sit. Plus, it makes the table look elegant too.

Finally, what to do with the serviette? I always like to use a simple fold technique with the napkin that will add a bit of finesse to any table. You just fold over the napkin either way so there are three folds, and it looks superb! It’s very simple but really can add to the décor.

Hopefully you avoid some faux pas at this year’s holiday dinner parties and this insight helps you master the art of tablescapes!

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I tapped into some of my fanciful forestry decorating skills for this most recent event. A mom came to me with the theme idea of creating a woodland setting for her son’s first birthday party incorporating cute frogs and other similar props, and immediately, my mind went to a picturesque lily pond design with an enchanted forest vibe to craft a truly unique and fun celebration.

I made the backdrop a dusky nighttime scene in order to radiate feelings of warmth and whimsicality with a hint of mystery. I built the lily pond to be the main focus of the set, placed right in the front, and included some charming woodland cottages with lots of moss. Other forest creatures made an appearance in addition to the frogs such as fox and deer.

I worked with a favorite vendor of mine, Sweet Bri’s Bakery, to get the perfectly fitting cake. Bri impressively made the cake to look like a lily pond based on my décor design and the direction we took this theme – less cartoonish and more of a cultured enchantment ambiance.

When most think of a basic frog and forest theme, cute simplistic cartoon-like frogs come to mind. I, instead, wanted to do something different – a whimsical woodland design, a magical fairytale setting. Doing this as a little boy’s party, I kept things masculine with a “frog prince” type of theme as my inspiration. If it had been a girl’s party, I likely would have had pixies and glitter throughout the setting and would have drawn on the femininity of flowers and fairies or other dainty aspects of a forest. Either way, this was a fabulous time and made for really great pictures and memories!

Photography by Chasing After Dear

Cheers!

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To continue with some tips surrounding RSVP etiquette and build upon my last post as promised, let me remind you that no matter how great the invitation looks, how creatively designed the RSVP card or online form is, or even how perfectly timed it is sent/received, the devil is in the details – the wording.

So here are some additional FAQs about such particulars and my suggestions on what works best…

• How do I avoid confusion about whom I’m inviting and whom I should expect to RSVP and attend my event?

It is the responsibility of the hostess/coordinator to use appropriate phrases in order to convey expectations most accurately. My background experience and degree in graphic design knits my work seamlessly together. I can create a cohesive theme/tone/feeling that interconnects the physical paper (or electronically designed) invitation to the actual set design of the décor that’s represented at the event. However, the truly crucial part on the invite is the text itself.

I suggest being specific about whom you’re addressing.

Speaking to only one individual conveys: this is an exclusive event invitation for that individual.

Use “To Mr. John Smith” in order to imply that John, and only John, is invited.
In this case, John should not assume that he may bring someone with him.*
Use “To Mr. John Smith and Guest” indicating that both John and a guest of his are invited. Here, John may choose to bring someone with him and denote his intention to do so when he responds through the provided RSVP channel about his attendance.
Typically, a blank on the RSVP insert card or form created online is provided to put a total number attending.
You also could use “To the Family of John Smith” and include a blank for number of people attending as a helpful way to account for children or unknowns, who may be uncertain how to RSVP.

• Is it terrible if I really don’t want a bunch of young kids running around or causing distractions at my event? How do I tell people that?

You don’t have to feel guilty for enforcing the “no children” preference at your event, as not all occasions are kid-friendly. Some simply are geared specifically for adults. My advice – be bold and outright include that stipulation: “Adults Only” is the best way to phrase it. That way it’s very tactful but also very direct. It doesn’t focus on negative wording like, “No Children” or “Do not Bring Kids.” It merely suggests that this affair is best enjoyed by adults. If kids of a certain age or maturity level are allowed, express that through phrasing such as “Ages 10+ welcome.”

• Is it cool to include other details of importance, like style of dress, on the RSVP insert card or with the link when the invitation goes out?

Yes – Describing the preferred attire you’d like guests to follow is best to include here. Otherwise you will leave guests questioning what they should wear and what’s expected.

Quick Reminders on that language:

• “Black tie” signifies a very formal event, often requiring tuxedos.
• “Black tie optional” implies a tux is preferred, but not
• “Business Casual” means dressy, professional attire; think typically what you’d wear to work.
• “Casual” indicates a dress code is not really enforced; basically anything is acceptable.
  *For a wedding, it’s best to dress up more than go casual.

• Is it appropriate to make follow-up calls to those who have not responded, or is that just oppressive?

Sure – Having an accurate guest count is important to know how to plan. Making follow-up calls, particularly to close personal friends, the ones whose presence is really important to you, is fine.

This leads to my final piece of advice, which goes out to the guests rather than the host/coordinators to whom I’ve been addressing…. If you have disregarded the RSVP request and show up at a wedding/event anyway, that is considered tacky and inconsiderate. The hosts likely were not expecting you and therefore may not have food, space or other accommodations. So be courteous and “répondez, s’il vous plaît.”

Once again those are my suggestions – what are yours? Any extra pointers or other  considerations?