It’s flower time. To understand what this means to us as a couple, it’s good to know a few things about Mike and me and our relationship to plants. If there was a reality television show about people who mindlessly mistreat plants (and why wouldn’t there be, if there isn’t one already?), I would be on it. I own several plants, and I continually bring more home. I don’t know what any of their names are. I don’t know how much sunlight they require or how often I should water them. I once saw a Starbucks barista giving a gardener some coffee grounds to fertilize her garden, so now I water my collection of barely alive plants exclusively with with leftover coffee. If we drink all the coffee on any given day, the plants just go hungry.
Summary: I like plants, but really should really not be in charge of them.
Mike’s entire philosophy regarding the flowers for our wedding is somewhere between disinterest and extreme disintrest. Collective summary: we need some serious help in this department.
In keeping with our commitment to Michigan, we at least know a few things. We want locally grown, Michigan flowers, and they should fit into our color palette. We’d also like to do something fun and creative with the flowers that shows off their Michigan-ness. Though the last one might be a little abstract, the first requirement, apparently, is doable. I was speaking with a florist recently (at a bar, mind you, not a flower shop) who listed off about a dozen Michigan flowers that would be in bloom in August. I retained none of the names, and have no idea what they look like. But I’m sure they’ll be fine.
What we’re really looking for is some unique, creative energy with the flowers. Fortunately, in the last year I happen to have met a couple of people who are more than up to the challenge. Here are two of the cool flower geniuses we’re considering:
Pot & Box, Ann Arbor
I was working on a story about creatives in Ann Arbor who left their jobs to start their own businesses when I was introduced to Lisa Waud, owner of Pot & Box. Not only was she a delightful person with a delightful story, but visiting her website was honestly the first time in my life that I thought, “Ooo! Flowers are cool!”
Here are some of the lovely magic Lisa does:
I love the use of the non-flowery flowers. I bet that's not their real name.
Something is so charming about the squarish-ness of this, no? And the purpley flower are super.
Our colors are bright and splashy. I like how this arrangement balances the bright colors and the whites and greens.
Carriage House Designs, Howell
I was falling in love with a lot of things in the fall of 2010. There was Mike, yes, but I was also head over heels with the place Mike introduced me to – Downtown Howell. Mike had just moved here when we met, and now we’re both downtown residents who couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. The Carriage House is one of the reasons why. If you’re anywhere near Howell and have even a few minutes to spare, it’s worth it to stop into this amazing store. It sparkles. Everything in the store is just begging to be squealed at with glee. Never have I seen a gift shop with such engaging, wonderful merchandising. When you walk into the store, you just want to burst into applause. It’s that cool.
And they do wedding flowers. Here are just a few of the beautiful arrangements owner Kim Wilson has designed:
It's just "wow" isn't it?
Now that's a boutonniere.
This centerpiece is almost the right colors. We could practically pick it up and put it in our wedding as is. Though, that one is probably dead by now.
Any other suggestions? Fun florists we should explore?
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