Spring lilac is in bloom and we can't get enough of it! I've been thinking of planting a lilac bush in the garden, but I'm not sure that I know how to care for it- I feel like lilac plants can be a bit persnickety. Do you grow lilacs? Have any lilac-care secrets to share???
Images | Floral Design | Styling by Lauryl Lane.
This is literally one of the best times of year for botanical foraging. If you live in a more suburban or remote area, it's likely that you'll have a lot more variety when you head out to forage for botanical elements-- but seeing as I'm in Los Angeles, the second most densely-populated city in the United States of America, I think these pictures are proof enough that botanical foraging can be highly successful even in the most urban of settings. A few blossoming branches, a handful of fresh lavender from the plants by my front door, some purple-hued foliage from a potted plant, and a few more bits of foliage from neighborhood bushes, and I have everything I need to create some sweet little super-springy arrangements for my home. Perhaps next week I'll venture further afield: I saw jasmine vine growing over a fence in a parking lot the other day, and there's masses of bougainvillea in the alley behind my housing complex. What have you found in your botanical-foraging expeditions???
Images | Styling | Floral Design by Lauryl Lane.
Erin and Brad are Chicago natives who decided to wed in the Vail Valley, one of their favorite vacation destinations. They were high school sweethearts and have been together for over ten years, so they had a well-defined personal "couple" style, and it was such fun to translate their style into a wedding that was distinctly them. From the birch archway I constructed and decorated as a backdrop as they said their vows, to the carpet of delicate petals on their aisle way, to the whimsical bouquets and boutonnieres, to the highly textural tablescapes, no two alike, this wedding was infused with mountain-elegance from beginning to end. Working with Erin and Brad and Erin's parents along the way was easy and enjoyable, despite the distance separating us, because truly, these are some of the kindest people I've ever met. Wishing great joy and many more decades of love and togetherness for Erin and Brad!
CREDITS | Photography: Sara Hasstedt | Planning: Frosted Pink Weddings | Floral & Decor Design: Lauryl Lane | Venue + Catering: The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, Colorado | Invitations: Elizabeth Grace | Band: The Fever | Furniture Rentals + Lighting: Colorado Tents & Events | Linen Rentals: BBJ | Bride's Dress: Mikaella / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Hair & Makeup: Weemala Wedding Hair & Makeup.
FEATURED | Style Me Pretty
When I lived in Los Feliz Village in East Los Angeles, my girlfriends and I had a favorite afternoon haunt just around the corner from my apartment. It was called Mes Amis, and it was a charming French restaurant right in the middle of all the action on Vermont. They had a brilliant happy hour menu, and as we were all struggling artists at the time, $5 drinks and small plates were heaven to us. It was at Mes Amis that I first tried a lavender martini, and I fell head over heels in love! Unfortunately, one day Mes Amis was there, and the next day, it wasn't. I was devastated when it closed, with no warning, and even more devastated to realize that I had no idea how to make a lavender martini. I spent several years researching, trying to find lavender liqueurs, searching the internet, asking every bartender I came across if they knew how to make this drink... and all to no avail. In the meantime, I fortified my love-affair with lavender any way I could. I learned how to make lavender scones, I bought lavender soda in bulk from Galco's in Eagle Rock, I burnt lavender-scented candles.
Finally, last year, I was doing a wedding installation at Highland Springs Resort in Cherry Creek, and what should I see on the chalkboard at the lodge but the offering of a lavender martini! I approached the chef, and he informed me that the lavender martini was concocted using simple syrup made from the fresh lavender growing on the property. I was stunned, I'd never even considered a lavender simple syrup, and this revelation changed my life! I found quickly how incredibly easy it was to make lavender simple syrup (or any infused simple syrup, for that matter!), and my weekends were again filled with lavender martinis! Since moving to Denver, however, I've been suffering withdrawal from the Dry Lavender Soda that I could access so easily in Los Angeles. The other day, it hit me, I learned to make lavender martinis, why not lavender soda? So I employed the good old lavender simple syrup, and voila! I simply cannot get enough of this refreshing and ridiculously simple drink, and I hope you'll enjoy it, too!
Lavender Simple Syrup
Combine in a saucepan over low heat 1 cup water 1 cup sugar
Bring to a boil so that the sugar dissolves, then add 1/2 cup organic lavender buds (cultivated for culinary use!)
Let the lavender buds simmer in the syrup for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let sit until cool. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Drain the syrup through a sieve to remove all the lavender buds, and use within a week.
Images | Styling by Lauryl Lane.
I recently had the opportunity to design and style the florals for a product shoot at a stunning private residence in Malibu. The star of the show was the custom fragrance bar created by Courtney of Ka-Mil-Yin. After our shoot wrapped, Courtney demonstrated how she conducts private parties providing custom fragrances for the guests, by designing fragrances for each of the ladies on set. I ended up with a scent that I just can't get enough of- my own "signature" fragrance of orange, fig, sandalwood and white tea. I can hardly wait until I have the opportunity to hire Courtney for my own fête! As always, it was a pleasure to work with Summer Watkins, my favorite fellow-stylist by far, and I cannot rave enough about Jen Huang, who creates total magic with her camera. I don't know that my floral designs have ever looked more ethereal!
CREDITS | Photography: Jen Huang | Custom Perfume Bar: Ka-Mil-Yin | Styling: Summer Watkins | Botanical Styling: Lauryl Lane | Hair & Makeup: Amy Clarke | Calligraphy Labels: Cherish Paperie.
Flowers are one of the first gifts that come to mind when we think of our mothers on Mother's Day, just as we know to give flowers to our lovers on Valentine's Day or to smooth things over after an argument. The giving of flowers is ingrained into modern culture, and we know that flowers can say "I love you" or "I'm sorry," but did you know that there is a long tradition of individual flowers holding very specific meanings? Red roses are widely known to say "I love you," but they can also stand for respect, courage and even embarrassment! Different flowers can have a variety of meanings, both positive and negative, so it's important to know which flowers to pair together in order to get your true message across.
First published in Paris in 1818, Charlotte de La Tour's classic Le langage des fleurs first brought floral meanings to the masses. Although meanings had long been associated with different floral specimens, the Victorians, in particular their poets and artists, used the meanings of flowers to convey messages in art, literature, and even in day-to-day settings. de La Tour's book gathered known floral meanings rooted in ancient history and laid those meanings out, creating a reference guide that we still draw from today. While we no longer attend balls carrying nosegays that can indicate if we are unattached or not, we can definitely use the lost language of flowers to convey meaning through a simple gift.
There are many resources online for discovering the meanings behind various flowers, so next time you're shopping for a floral gift, do some research first! Choose a color scheme (colors matter- in many cases, different colored flowers even of the same variety can have vastly different connotations!), find out what various flowers in that color scheme mean, and then visit your local flower shop and ask the floral designer if you can choose individual flowers to have made up into a special bouquet.
For a mother's day gift, you could choose lavender, for devotion. Alstroemeria stands for prosperity- and who doesn't wish prosperity for their loved ones? Ivy stands for dependance and endurance, both qualities that mothers have in plenty. The pink pixie (or mini) carnation reveals the meaning of a mother's love, and gratitude, again very apt for such an occasion. And the ranunculus demonstrates radiant charm. While your mother probably won't know these meanings outright, you can include the meanings on your enclosure card, and it's a given that she'll be delighted by the thought and detail you put into such a heartfelt, personalized gift.
Let's bring back the lost art of using the language of flowers!
CREDITS | Photography
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Floral Styling + Text
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Graphic Design
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Floral meaning resources
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Victoria's Dictionary of Flowers
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Lindsey & Chris are wine aficionados, and chose to have their wedding at the gorgeous LaFond Winery and Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley. Their wedding day was truly a hand-crafted affair with fabric bunting and napkins made by Lindsay and Chris and Lindsay's mother. I brought in twinkle lights, paper lanterns, TONS of two-toned purple confetti, and of course all of the floral decor. We created a loose, wild, rustic look with wildflowers, seasonal blooms, and fresh herbs. Tablescapes included potted plants such as lavender, hyacinth and assorted herbs, small arrangements and bud vases of iris, mint, and lilac, and collections of antique books and cork "confetti." Lindsey & Chris' ceremony was one of the most personal, meaningful services I've ever witnessed. Instead of a traditional unity candle or a sand or tea ceremony, they chose to plant a grapevine from the vineyard together! And because they care deeply about the environment, their wedding was entirely "green." It was truly a magical weekend, and I was honored to be a part of it. Lindsey & Chris, I know you have an amazing life ahead of you, together, and I'm so glad that I get to continue watching it unfold!
CREDITS | Photography:Lauryl Lane | Floral & Event Design, Styling:Lauryl Lane (Die-cut stickers on vases: Brenda Walton's Flora & Fauna scrapbooking collection)| Planning: The Bride & Groom | Day of Coordination: withGrace Productions | Venue: LaFond Winery & Vineyards | Catering:Events by Pierre LaFond | Desserts: Enjoy Cupcakes | Wedding Dress: Designed by the Bride, Constructed by Laura's Bridal in Burbank | Makeup: Brittany Williams, The Perfect Face | Hair: Ashley Bule, Trichology Salon | Invitations: The Bride & Jordan Kolasinski | BridalJewelry: Beyond the Rockz | Special thanks also to my assistants on this event, Samuel Threadgill & Kelsey Sillerud.