Thoughts of Warmer Days...and a Beautiful Bride!

Brrrrr...it's cold out there today! What's our favorite thing at Bank of Memories & Flowers to do during these all-too-dark winter days? Reminisce about warm wedding days, of course! Carrie and Al's wedding day could not have come closer to perfect. It took place on an absolutely gorgeous September day at the beautifully picturesque Seven Seas Restaurant on Nagawicka Lake in Hartland. Krista (our Menomonee Falls shop manager) and I had the distinct honor of servicing this wedding and help calm the bride's nerves prior to her walk down the aisle -- we love that part!!

 

The wedding ceremony as well as the reception took place on the outdoor terrace with the lake creating a perfect backdrop to the ceremony. The outdoor feel to the day could not have been more appropriate for the couple who share a great love for fishing, as was mentioned multiple times throughout the event. Adorably trendy chalkboards provided guests clear direction and notes for each part of the event and completed the charm of the outdoor venue.

 Brilliant sunflowers, deep red roses, yellow billy balls, orange calla lilies and accents of wheat made up the bouquets and other flower arrangements. This blend of elegance and country charm complemented the eggplant tea-length dresses offset with rustic cowboy boots which each of the girls wore.

Photo credit: Megan Ramminger Photography

Photo credit: Megan Ramminger Photography

Photo credit: Megan Ramminger Photography

After the ceremony, the celebrating continued on the terrace with a lovely outdoor reception. Each table was adorned with a variety of vases, each containing some of the same flowers used in the arrangements. The couple also had prepared framed engagement photos, many of which included the groom's handsome young son. 

Once again, the day could not have been more perfect -- you could literally feel the love radiating from the new family of three as they walked down the aisle and we returned to the shop with warm hearts. The bride, Carrie, returned a week or two later to personally drop off a thank you and an amazingly personalized bottle of wine -- we were truly touched by her thoughtfulness.

Thank YOU, Carrie & Al, for giving us the incredible opportunity to take part in such an important and special day. We hope you've enjoyed your first Christmas as husband and wife and that the future holds many more wonderful days to come!

Violet, Florist and Social Media Coordinator

P.S. We all want to thank Megan of Megan Ramminger Photography for some of the great shots she got of the flowers in a few of the photos above! Carrie was kind enough to email these to us as well :)

Make Your Table Sparkle!

Hello dear friends and a Merry Ho Ho Ho to you!

Well, it's that time of the year to deck the halls and this includes your table! Stumped on what to do this year to add festive charm to your holiday meal? We wanted to share with you some gorgeous holiday centerpiece ideas. Don't worry...you still have some time to order your decor if you haven't already. Get inspired by our favorite work that is sure to impress your guests and put a smile on your face long after they've gone!

"Gift of Blooms" Bouquet -  $42.98

This lovely, petite arrangement is perfect for smaller tables or when used in pairs at opposite ends of a larger one. The adorable glass cube is reminiscent of a classy Christmas gift and is decked out with ornaments and a decorative bow to match.

"Elegant Wishes" Bouquet - $62.98
This arrangement is just as classy as it is shiny! The silver goblet-style vase is truly unique and will be the talk of your table. Pure white lilies, sprigs of fresh pine and classic red roses are among the beauties which make this arrangement perfect for your holiday dinner.

 "A Pop of Cranberries" Bouquet - $64.98
Classicaly unique, this arrangement combines numerous textures as well as the element of seasonal cranberries floating in the vase. The ornaments and bow add the perfect festive touch while the tulips and hydrangea will put a smile on your guests' faces as they think of warmer days gone by!

 "Island Christmas" Arrangement - $74.98

 This arrangement is the perfect blend of classy elegance and fun, unique elements. The protea and curly willow add a tropical feel while the traditional greenery and red roses echo the colors of the season. This arrangement is done in a green wooden container which can be used again and again.

The possibilities are endless -- if none of these seem to be right for your table, give us a call or stop in and we'll happily create a custom centerpiece for you. We'd love to be a part of your celebration!

Krista, Menomonee Falls manager

Bridal Show - Save the Date!

This Christmas she peers into the small velvet box to find the one thing she has been wishing for all year.  As she looks up, she finds her prince charming on bended knee.  'Tis the season for so many happy ladies as they begin to plan their dream wedding!

If you are lucky enough to fall into this group of happy ladies, save the date for the Wonderful World of Weddings at the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair on January 10th and 11th, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Bank of Memories & Flowers is one of the 175 professionals that can help you plan everything leading up to your big day...and all under one roof!

Be sure to stop by our booth to meet our team of top wedding floral designers!  We will have an array of real wedding bouquets that you can actually hold and touch.  Our bouquets will be inspired by the latest trending colors and styles. 

 

A few tips to prepare you before the Bridal Show:

•  After walking away from a vendor, take notes that will help you distinguish him or her (when you get home everything will blend together!)

• Bring address labels -- many vendors will have you fill out information about yourself and this will save you lots of time (and writing!)

• Bring your calendar to book consultations on the spot (they fill up fast!)

• Make sure to plan enough time -- sitting down halfway through will help you regroup 

• Wear comfortable walking shoes

• Bring one or two friends or family members (an entourage is just going to slow you down)

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Melissa, Bank of Memories & Flowers Owner

Christmas at our Pewaukee Shop!

Believe it or not, we only have a little more than two weeks left to go before Christmas is here. Is it catching you by surprise this year? Or do you find yourself pleasantly ahead of schedule? Here at the Pewaukee location of Bank of Memories & Flowers, we began preparing long before Thanksgiving. After all, it's not an easy task transforming the floor shop to a winter wonderland so we might as well enjoy it as long as we can!

Perhaps one of the most time-consuming and difficult parts of preparing for the holiday season is those "hard to shop for" people on your list. Just what DO you give the person who has everything? Or the parent who says "Don't bother"? If this struggle sounds all too familiar to you, then we think you should stop by our Pewaukee location!

We pride ourselves on offering gifts for everyone on your list from Christmas flower arrangements for Aunt Sue and Grandma Jean, wonderful caramels or a gourmet food basket for Grandpa Joe, or fun garden gifts for the sister who is always digging in the dirt.

For the out of state cousins we carry book about Christmas in Wisconsin or 

gifts for the Up North cabin!

We also offer a fine selection of wine-inspired products including hand soap in scents of Chardonnay & Apple or Merlot & Oak.

And if you simply can't decide, we have lots of fun putting together some premade gift baskets or we would be glad to help you put one together! 

Regardless of where you are at with your shopping list, everyone here at 

Bank of Memories & Flowers wishes all a very

and

Luan, Pewaukee Shop Manager

Air Plant Inspiration

Lately I've been incorporating more and more plants into my decor at home. There is always something about bringing green life into a space that automatically brightens up any room. What is my new obsession lately?!  Air plants. Tillandsia are nicknamed air plants because of their soil-free culture.  I love to elevate air plants to give them more of a modern display. Coming in many different colors and forms, no two plants are alike!

For guaranteed success, place air plants where they'll receive bright, indirect sunlight.  Too much sun can dry them out. They also will thrive on a counter or desk under fluorescent lights.  Once a week, simply submerge them for 20 minutes in water.  That's pretty much it for caring for these cool little guys!

The fun thing about air plants is that they look amazing when hanging or sitting in just about anything!  What a neat Christmas gift idea!  Stop in today at Bank of Memories & Flowers to see our beautiful air plant displays.

Krista Roskopf, Menomonee Falls manager

P.S. For more information and additional photos of various types of air plants, check out the article written by Better Homes & Gardens here.

A Bride Returns to Say "Thanks"

One of the best parts of what we get to do each day is hearing from past brides. This particular newlywed emailed us this fall to tell us just how grateful she was for the flowers we provided for her wedding day (and also attached some amazing photos!). Here are her comments and some of the images her photographer, Jessica Quist, snapped of the wedding day blooms:

I wanted to thank you for the beautiful flowers for our wedding on June 7th.  I was speechless when I saw our flowers after they were delivered to the church, better than I could have ever imagined!  The colors were perfectly matched and perfect complements.  You were also so kind to create such a large unity candle flower arrangement for us after I had changed our order at the last minute.  I would had never expected such a breath taking arrangement from simply changing a few boutonnieres and corsages for our readers and Godparents to a unity candle arrangement.

Alyssa and Josh

All photo credits: Jessica Quist Photography

Once again, Alyssa and Josh, thank YOU for allowing us the incredible opportunity to be a part of one of the most memorable days of your lives! And thank you for returning to say "thanks" -- your words make all of the work oh-so worth it ;)
   
Violet, Social Media Coordinator 

Samantha + Anthony = Beautiful Fall Wedding

Ceremony: St. James Catholic Church in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Reception: Silver Spring Country Club in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Month: October

I had the pleasure of servicing Samantha and Anthony's wedding last month at St. James's historic chapel located in Menomonee Falls. The day could not have been more picture perfect for the fall season and the flowers were a beautiful echo to the fall colored leaves on the trees.

 

For Samantha's bouquet, we blended red, orange and yellow gerbera daisies wrapped in an ivory satin ribbon to match her beautiful gown.  For an added sparkle, we added rhinestones to the centers of the flowers. The girls carried a lush bouquet of all roses in the same colors wrapped in royal blue ribbon to complement their dresses.

 

As Samantha walked down the aisle, she passed lovely mason jars filled with white hydrangeas - just the perfect touch!

Other than flowers, the cake is always one of my favorite details in a wedding. Everyone loved their trendy, ribbon inspired wedding cake and we were thrilled to add our flowers for a pop of color in between the layers.

The Bank of Memories & Flowers team wishes Samantha and Anthony many congratulations and lots of happiness!!!

Krista Roskopf, Menomonee Falls Manager

Kate + Jordan = Natural Bliss

Ceremony and Reception: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Month: August

Kate and Jordan have been long time customers of ours at Bank of Memories & Flowers which always makes preparing the flowers for a wedding even more rewarding for us!  Jordan has been buying all of his flowers for his sweet heart, Kate, here long before they were marred this August.

Their incredibly natural yet elegant ceremony took place in the middle of the forest at the Schlitz Audubon Center, complete with 30-40 massive trees towering over them as they exchanged their vows.

The bouquets consisted of an organic mixture of Queen Anne's lace, purple stock, white hydrangeas, purple gladiolas, green hypericum berries, lavender roses, purple lisianthus and touches of fresh herbs (mint, basal, and rosemary)!  Her bridesmaids' dresses were an incredibly elegant shade of deep plum, each with a different style.

 
Kate's hair was weaved back with large curls -- a large purple gladiola blossom was nestled off to the side to complete the look. After just a quick walk down a wooded path, the bride and groom were able to pose for some amazing photos of them out over Lake Michigan from the beach. What a venue!

After the ceremony, the guests made the easy walk through the gardens to the Schlitz Audubon reception area.  This area is so unique -- its large wood pillars and windows give it a rustic feel while still providing elegance and class -- truly a perfect venue for all lovers of nature and the outdoors!

Kate and Jordan's table centerpieces had a collection of different sized vintage bottles, each filled with purple stock, Queen Anne's Lace, fresh mint and blossoming basil.

Thank you, Jordan and Kate for letting us be part of so many incredible memories -- we look forward to continuing to do so for many, many years to come!

Melissa Maas, Owner