NEW BLOG!

Hi friends and our Blog Followers!

We are excited to announce that our blog has a new look and a new page! Please head over to our website to start following our NEW BLOG!

Click HERE to see it!

Now, not only will you see our new blog here, but anytime we update our website with new images you'll also see them here!

Samantha and Thomas' Gasparilla Inn Wedding

This past Spring we were fortunate enough to have so many fabulous weddings. As much as we love weddings in the Tampa Bay area, we also LOVE weddings down in Boca Grande and this past Spring, was FILLED with them!

We had such a wonderful time being apart of Samantha and Thomas' big day! We enjoyed the planning process and of course loved seeing all of the elements brought together. We're romantics at heart and loved this dreamy affair complete with all of the amazing details!  From the soft pink, champagne, ivory and pale yellow color scheme, to the bridal party attire, we couldn't help but love it all and hope you do too!

Thank you Samantha and Thomas for allowing us to be a part of your big day!

Enjoy the pics! Images courtesy of Binaryflips Photography

XO- Zoë

Mixed Prints - What Do You Think?

Mixed Prints. I was inspired by this new fashion trend, and after finding some inspiration via blogs and fashion magazines, I was still torn on this new concept. But after successfully attempting this new look this week myself (or so I was told I was successful) it's starting to grow on me. I really think the originator of this idea is on to something.

Now before you start mixing plaid and polka dots, there are a couple rules to keep in mind to guide you into a trendy risk taker rather than most wanted on Fashion Police.

Sarah Beth, the blogista behind the Style Philosopher has some great insight on this trend and I couldn't help but gain a wealth of knowledge from her post regarding the mixed prints. Check the post out HERE!

Here are the key mixed print rules that you should NEVER leave home without:

1. When mixing prints, you need to pick a dominant and less dominant pattern. This always comes in handy with men when mixing dress shirts and ties. This week, I picked a wide pin stripe pant, mixed with a small detailed polka dot pattern. Today, I'm sporting a large floral print dress, mixed with coordinating seersucker-esque jacket. So a no-no would be mixing a polka dot dress with a equally detailed striped jacket, etc. So just think, one pattern needs to be larger and the other one small.

2. Also, keep in mind the color palette, as mentioned in Sarah's blog sticking with a simple or coordinating color palette will also help make the look work better.

I fell in love with some images from her website and just had to share. Even though we are discussing fashion, I think this trend would be translated perfectly in home decor, and yes, even in weddings! We always love to use a variety of table linens with different textures and patterns that coordinate, but perhaps we might start seeing this trend also brought through in paper goods, bridesmaids dresses, groomsmen attire and beyond! Who knows, but in the meantime, I'm lovin' it!

What do you think about this new trend?!

XOXO- Zoë

Kind Words from a Past Mother of the Bride!

Last week we had the pleasure of being a part of the Sisterhen Family wedding at the Dali Museum of Art in St. Petersburg, FL.

We loved their simple and understated look - we thought the flowers selected created a beautiful design throughout the room that was then accentuated by amber uplighting. In this design we used a combination of antique green hydrangeas, calla lilies, green fuji mums, champagne sahara roses and assorted foliages.

We couldn't help but share this wonderful email we received today from the Mother of the Bride:

Zoe, I want to tell you how pleased we were with the flowers for Katie’s wedding.  The bouquets and boutonnieres were beautiful and the table arrangements were gorgeous!  I got so many compliments on the flowers.  Several people wanted to know what the roses (the champagne or Sahara roses) were called.  The lighting really added to the atmosphere.  I would highly recommend Botanica for both design and service.  Thank you again!

Christa Sisterhen

Thank you Christa and Katie for allowing Botanica to be a part of your special day!

XO- Zoë

What We're Up To!

This weekend our entire crew will be down in Miami for the AIFD National Symposium. What is AIFD and the National Symposium? AIFD is the American Institute of Floral Design, the Symposium is a gathering of the leading floral designers in the world. From hot floral design, to new trends, through education and events, it's truly an inspirational and innovative experience!

Ian is honored to be one of this year's presenters, partnering with Grace Ormonde of Wedding Style Magazine to present, "Les Saisons des fleur de Mariage"(The Seasons of Wedding Flowers).

Their Floral Fashion show will feature couture wedding gowns from local Miami based leading Bridal Boutique, Chic Parisien. Presented will be Grace's iconic Fantasy Tables, over 90 fashionable bridal bouquets and chic floral hats. Parisian inspired, the show will marry high fashion and world renowned floral designs.

We will be live tweeting from the event and hope you can join us Monday, starting at 11am as we share photos from backstage and during the show!

We can't wait to share and showcase this spectacular event!

XO - Zoë

Photos Courtesy of WeddingStyleMagazine.com - Last picture featured is an image from a fantasy table design by Ian and featured in a recent issue of Wedding Style Magazine.

Wedding Sneak Peek {Lindsay and Eric}!

We love the bright summer color scheme of Lindsay and Eric's May Clearwater Hyatt Wedding! From their ceremony on the Sky Terrace through the Ballroom reception, to even the men's ties, the color was brought through in every way possible! The hot pink and chartreuse green color scheme is perfect for summer!

Lindsay loved pink and bling - and what girl doesn't?! For Lindsay's wedding we provided not only all of the floral, but also the table linens, napkins, chargers and chivari chairs.

We used antique and lime green hydrangeas, peonies, roses, garden roses, pink ranunculus, pink beronia and lilies throughout her floral designs.

Shortly after the wedding, we received this sweet email:


I just wanted to take a few minutes and thank all of you at Botanica for bringing our vision to life! Everything was so beautiful, I could not have pictured it any other way. I absolutely loved the reception centerpieces and bouquets! Our wedding would not have been the same without you! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication in making our day perfect! I can't wait to see pictures of everything! You guys are awesome!!



It was so perfect! I wish I could have thanked everyone in person! 

- Eric and Lindsay Bridges :)


Thank YOU Lindsay and Eric for being such an amazing couple to work with and for allowing us to be a part of your big day! We wish you a lifetime filled with happiness!

These beautiful images are courtesy of Kellie Day Photography.

XO- Zoë

The Grand Hyatt Chef's Table

This past May we had the pleasure of partnering with The Grand Hyatt of Tampa Bay to design their Chef's Table Event. At this event they showcased their beautiful hotel to the top wedding planners from Tampa Bay and Orlando.

It was a delightful day and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of the beautiful venues and locations that the hotel has to offer. The day started with a tour of their new wedding meeting space that was design and decorated by our very own, Ian Prosser. 

The tour continued to their ballrooms, out through their nature preserve and to their intimate wedding ceremony gazebo.

We ended the day with a delicious meal at their onsite restaurant, Oystercatchers. The meal was incredible, but more than anything, we loved chatting with some of our favorite wedding planners! For the design of this room, we embraced the burnt orange and mahogany color of the restaurant's chairs and paired them with a bright chartreuse green patterned linen. We incorporated monobotanical designs and wheat grass, including flowers in burnt orange housed in mahogany containers.

A special thank you to Josh Walther of Inspire Entertainment and Busted Blues for providing the wonderful entertainment! And of course, Weber Photography for these beautiful images!

XO- Zoë

Our New Website

It's not secret that out new website is live. But unfortunately, it's still under construction. We hated to launch the site without it being 100% in tip top shape, but unfortunately it needed to be launched in order for some of the kinks and bugs to be worked out.

As we are excited to share the new look, but we want to let you know that it is still a work in progress. There is still additional content to be included as well as MANY more photos. We'll continue to update you as the progress continues, but in the meantime, what do you think?

Happy Friday!

XO- Zoë

The Importance of Teamwork and Hiring Great Event Professionals!

With every client we meet, we always love to know who your team of event professionals are. Why, you might ask? Because to us, there is nothing more important in creating an event than hiring stellar event professionals.

If a client has yet to complete their roster of professionals, we always LOVE to make recommendations! Why? No, we don't get commissions from referring other vendors and it doesn't mean they'll treat us to dinner, what it DOES mean and does give us? Peace of mind. Your vendors appreciate other professionals just as much as you, the client should.

Event day with a rockstar team of event professionals is like Christmas morning. Your vendors go into your event day excited and relaxed, knowing that regardless of what the day brings, they are working with a team that works well together and will do anything for each other.

So what does this mean for you? A stress-free event day and the peace of mind knowing that your vendors care as much about your event day as you do. That the quality of service and product they provide is fabulous and that you and your guests will be taken care of.

When creating your perfect team of event professionals ask other vendors. Ask them who they would choose if it was their big day and most likely you'll find, the more vendors you ask, the more certain names will continue to be presented. And if that's the case, you can't go wrong. Getting references from vendors that have the experience of working together will only result in a positive experience for you.

We stumbled upon this video from the fabulous Voila Cinematic of a wedding we were a part of last July. I think it's the perfect example of a group of event professionals working together to create a spectacular event. It was a big production, but the day could not have been more seamless and stress-free. This is the perfect example of event professionals providing an outstanding product and experience for their client.


Vendors Cut: Sandy Rule Events from Voila Cinematic on Vimeo.


So next time you're looking for a certain vendor, just ask! We're more than happy to help!

XO- Zoë

Website {SNEAK PEEK}

We can hardly wait for the launch of our new website/blog! The ETA is set for sometime next week and we're counting down the minutes!

In the meantime, we thought we'd give you a snippet of our new home page... this was in the earlier in the designing stages so the real one will be slightly different. But in the meantime, we hope you enjoy this sneak peek!

Let us know what you think about our new website facelift! ;) Comments welcome. :)

XO - Zoë

{Coming Soon!} The Republican National Convention

We couldn't be more excited about the fast approaching, Republican National Convention that will be taking over Tampa Bay, August 27th-30th!

The excitement is certainly start to build around here regarding the convention and all that it can do to boost the economy for the small businesses in and around Tampa Bay. The Republican National Convention Committee on Arrangements and the Tampa Bay Host Committee are BIG small business advocates and we couldn't be more grateful!

“Having the Convention in Tampa Bay is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we are committed to ensuring the event is a major success and exceeds everyone’s expectations,” said Host Committee President and CEO Ken Jones. “Tampa Bay is one of the best kept secrets in America, and we will demonstrate that our region can compete and shine on a global stage as well as any major city in the world.”

We were thrilled to have been selected as one of three official florists in the Tampa Bay area as the official florists of the Republican National Convention. Additionally, we have also been selected as one of the florists for the Small Business Network with The Tampa Bay Host Committee!

We look forward to showcasing Tampa Bay and all that it has to offer! We could not be more proud of our city and we know all of the Convention visitors will love this place as much as we do!

Xo - Zoë

Kids Birthday Party Inspiration!

In search of some inspiration of my own for today's blog post, I stumbled upon a fun article on HGTV.com that I had to share.

The article gave inspiration for kids' birthday parties. Along with the fun themes, they provided several great DIY projects to add additional layers of details to the party.

Below are a few of our favorites from the article:

Baby's Sunshine Party

Campfire Treat

Mystical Mermaid

Pink Nutcracker Party

Such fun and cute ideas, a unique twist on the typical Princess or Cowboy Party. Click HERE to read the article. Happy Party Planning!!

XO- Zoë

Wedding Sneak Peek! {Taylor and Wesley - Boca Grande, FL}

We're so excited to share these beautiful images from Taylor and Wesley's Boca Grande April Wedding. The Ceremony was held at the Lighthouse United Methodist Church, followed by a tent on the croquet lawn at The Gasparilla Inn.

The forecast was rather ominous for the weekend, but a little early afternoon showers didn't rain on their parade! After the ceremony finished the weather completely cleared!

For Taylor and Wesley's wedding they embraced the vibrance of color that is ever-so present down in Boca Grande and went with a bright chartreuse green and hot pink/fuchsia color scheme, accented with touches of bling. We used a variety of gorgeous spring flowers including; tulips, peonies, roses, hydrangeas, cymbidium orchids and ranunculus. Other design elements included hot pink bougainvillea trees around the dance floor, off white leather couches accented with the brides patterned chartreuse green pillows complete with a floral chandelier over the center of the dance floor. We loved the added details of the bride including the straws, personalized drink flags and the sparkler signs.

We love this beautiful wedding! Thank you Taylor and Wesley for allowing us to be a part of your special day!!

A huge thank you to Lauren Pauline Photography for these beautiful photos!

XO - Zoë

Monogram Mania!

Whether you're newly married, single, or have been married for years, monogramming your personal items is a trend I don't will think ever go out of style. (And to be honest, I hope it doesn't!)

From stationary, to purses, to iPhone cases! Monogramming is all the craze! Check out a few of our favorite items below and get personalizing!

Images courtesy of DKM Accessories, The Palm Accessories and  The Stationary Studio

Kind Words!

Hello Zoe,

I wanted to take the time to thank you, Ian, and your fabulous staff once again for all their hard work on my beautiful flowers. It was truly a pleasure working with you all, as everyone was very warm and friendly as well as amazingly talented, and that makes all the difference in the world! Our guests repeatedly told us that our wedding flowers were "like something out of a movie!" and "magazine-worthy." 

I wish you all much future success and happiness.

Thank you all so much!

Sincerely,
Laura Bellar (Cooper!) 

Thank you Damon and Laura for letting us be a part of your fabulous day!! 

A Unique Option for Your Guests!

I recently had the pleasure of being a GUEST at a wedding! Hard to believe, right?! :) We get 'married' multiple times in a weekend, but don't always get the opportunity to be a guest.

I love going to weddings and who wouldn't?! With the recent wedding, as I looked at the Bride's registry trying to think of the perfect gift, I stumbled upon something BRILLIANT!

On her website, the bride offered a link to Traveler's Joy. This website was incredible and I wished it would have been around when I got married. Pretty much, it allows your guests to contribute to your honeymoon. Before you judge, no, it's not one of those tacky websites that's like, please contribute money here! BUT what it allows your guests to do is pay for different excursions, dinners, spa treatments, etc. My husband and I had a fun time looking at the website thinking of what we would want to do and would be a fun addition to what was to surely be an unforgettable vacation. What did we select? Their private tour of Venice, Italy.

I thought this was such a cool idea and just had to share. It was fun knowing that we were a part of making their honeymoon experience an incredible one. Don't get me wrong, I know the joys of receiving items off of your registry, but rather than just writing a check or getting a gift card, this is a fun alternative that the newlyweds will surely always remember!

Take a peek at their website I included above - you can look at what other couples have planned, and create a website of your own with the click of a button! 

Happy Honeymooning!

XO - Zoë