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wedding
contest winners
picture-perfect weddings
by Kelsey E. Smith and Erin C. Wisdom
Since Florists’ Review’s premiere Picture-Perfect Weddings Contest in
1999, more than 400 weddings have graced the pages of our March issues.
This year, our much-anticipated annual contest drew more response than
ever as florists across the country submitted their best wedding work of
2005. Notable trends include larger bouquets, pomander bouquets, red
roses, lots of color, personalization/monograms, themed events,
celebrations of ethnicity and heritage, aisle décor doubling as table
centerpieces, tiered cupcakes in lieu of traditional cake, special
activities for children and décor for children’s tables. We present our
winners and offer a taste of the 208 weddings submitted this year below.
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 Best Wedding
Scott’s Floral, Gift, and Greenhouses
Scott Edwards, AIFD, AAF
Danville, PA
Date: May 28, 2005
Ceremony site: The Presbyterian Church; Eagles Mere, Pa.
Reception site: bride’s family home; Eagles Mere, Pa.
Number in wedding party: 14
Number of guests: 175
Approximate retail floral bill: $75,000
Photos by Gordon Wenzel of Impressions; Danville, Pa.
The national historic district of Eagles Mere, Pa., provided a backdrop
of natural beauty for this wedding, which was a family affair for
florist Scott Edwards, AIFD, AAF. The bride, his daughter Holly, manages
the Lewisburg, Pa., location of Scott’s Floral, Gift, and Greenhouses,
and her attendants included her two sisters, one of whom is Holly’s twin
and
the business’s marketing coordinator, Heather Edwards.
Mr. Edwards called on friends Alan Parkhurst, AIFD; Christine Fink, AIFD;
and Gerard Pfeiffer, AIFD, as well as full-time Scott’s Floral designer
Sheila Giglio, to help with his daughter’s special day. All flowers,
including Hydrangeas, roses, tulips,
 Stephanotises and Dendrobium
orchids, were in varying hues of white, making a simple yet elegant
statement throughout the entire event. The wedding colors, ivory and
champagne, enhanced the natural setting of the church as well as the
walkway to the Edwards residence, which is named “Wildflowers” in lieu
of a street address (a standard practice for homes in Eagles Mere).
Because the two venues are only one block apart, a white rose petal path
and lanterns guided the guests from the church to the reception. Despite
a light rain during this short walk, a true downpour waited until the
guests were safely inside the beautifully decorated reception tent.
Mr. Edwards says the day—nearly a year after he received a call from
Holly with her engagement news while at the 2004 AIFD National Symposium
in New York City—was a total success, from initial floral decisions to
the culmination of the ceremony and reception. “It was lots of fun, and
that was the goal from the beginning to the end,” he says.
Best Ceremony Setting
Colony Florist
Ken Norman Jr., AIFD
Franklin Lakes, NJ
Date: Sept. 17, 2005
Ceremony site: St. John the Baptist; Piermont, N.Y.
Reception site: New York Country Club, New Hempstead, N.Y.
Number in wedding party: 23
Number of guests: 265
Approximate retail floral bill: $15,000
Carnation spheres and cascading smilax created the playful, fun
atmosphere the bride and groom (brother to the florist) desired for
their wedding. Each colorful sphere contained about 50 pink, purple and
coral carnations and rested atop a fabric-wrapped cone. Inside the
church, each pew was draped with two garlands of smilax, and every other
pew was topped with a sphere. Nearly 30 spheres, along with smilax
garlands, lined the path into the church.
Best Reception Decorations
 Floral
Poetry Designs
Linda Seeger
Oceanside, CA.
Date: July 16, 2005
Ceremony site: Darlington House; La Jolla, Calif.
Reception site: Darlington House Rose Garden; La Jolla, Calif.
Number in wedding party: 12
Number of guests: 100
Approximate retail floral bill: $2,500
Photos by Corey Wright
Because the bride and groom met in Mexico, they wanted their wedding and
reception to exude a Mexican character and radiance. Reception
arrangements were vibrant with the colors and textures of Gerberas and
bells-of-Ireland. Lemons, limes and peppers filled the vases, and pink
and green ribbons graced tables and pillars for additional festive
flair.
Best Bouquets
On Occasions of Atlanta
 Carla
Duncan
Atlanta, GA.
Date: July 30, 2005
Ceremony site: Peachtree Road Baptist Church; Atlanta, Ga.
Reception site: Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta, Ga.
Number in wedding party: 23
Number of guests: 340
Approximate retail floral bill: $5,100
A simple bouquet of ‘Pekcoubo’ roses was the bride’s initial preference,
but the florist believed she would look striking with callas. The
combination of these ideas, in addition to the variegated Pittosporum
and green Hypericum berries at the arrangement’s base, resulted in this
Biedermeier-style bridal bouquet. The bridesmaids’ bouquets featured the
same roses as the bride’s and complemented the pink color scheme used
throughout the wedding.
Best Cake Decorations
 Shirley’s
Flowers and Gifts Inc.
Jo Buttram, AMF
Rogers, AR.
Date: July 2, 2005
Ceremony and reception site: Victory Theater, Rogers, AR.
Number in wedding party: 13
Number of guests: 250
Approximate retail floral bill: $39,500
Photo by Shawna Dotson Schreckhise
Nestled between the layers of this 3-foot-tall wedding cake were 250 red
roses. Strings of rhinestones wrapped each layer and complemented the
silver rhinestone monogram on top. The cake sat on the theater’s stage,
concealed behind the curtain until the time came for it to be revealed.
At this time the bride, who is the florist’s daughter, and the groom cut
the cake on stage, then received a toast there from the two best men and
maid of honor.
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