{vendor appreciation} Vintage Florals.

i know i promised details and the dress, but i'm pretty sure y'all are tired of looking at me and would much rather look at these beautiful flowers vintage florals arranged for the day...

photos by daniel meigs

i actually found melissa thru a wholesale flower shop that i used to frequent when i lived in nashville..i emailed the shop, asking if he had any recommendations for a floral designer..and luckily..he knew melissa.

the moment i spoke to her on the phone, i knew she was going to be fantastic. she seemed to know exactly what i was looking for and was just as excited to arrange them, as i was to have them there on the big day.

Do: be prepared. do some research as to what is in season on or around your wedding date. if you must have a flower that isn't readily available..be prepared to pay. try the wedding flower finder on real simple.

Don't: expect her to read your mind. bring pictures of designs/colors you like to your floral designer so you are clear about what it is you do and do not want. try the color image finder on google.com.

Do: check out your options. there are many ladies (and guys!) out there who do this sort of thing for a living out of their own home while trying to raise a family. you might get a better price and fresher flowers than if you use a florist. (but not always..there are good florists out there who won't charge extra just because the word "wedding" comes out your mouth).

{vendor appreciation} nashville wins in the service department

wow. it's good to be back...i've missed you guys! my weekend in nashville was a whirlwind! we spent the entire day saturday running errands and it really paid off and i don't know what i would have done without my crew (thanks mom, holly, kerry, and fh!).

my mom drove from knoxville early saturday morning to help with the decision making, here we are at traveller's rest (the reception site):

(we are going to hang a large wreath filled with natural herbs right above our heads..where the spotlight is...and fill the fireplace with ivory candles. it's going to be gorgeous..)

but our first and one of the most important stops that morning was at southern events with jill cole in franklin, tn. this woman was a-freaking-mazing. she knew what she was talking about and helped me pick out so many things that i would have forgotten. let me start out by saying that back when i was looking for rental companies on the internet, i emailed and called several. jill was the only one to return my messages and followed up promptly with price sheets and invoices. when i told her i would be coming in town, she didn't hesitate to pencil me in at a convenient time on valentines day. she helped me pick out place settings, linen, easels, etc. she even had photos to show of previous events so i could imagine what my chairs would look like with my ivory tablecloths. and at moments when i was in a near panic, she was so calm...and she never forced me into what she thought would look best...she always waiting for me to make my decision. it was an absolute pleasure. i highly recommend this vendor if you are looking for a rental company for your wedding or event that has top notch customer service and beautiful inventory to choose from, please contact jill. you will not regret it.

next up..the cake!

{superstar} it's me!

it was so weird to open my google reader this morning and see a big ole picture of my face. :)

i'm a guest blogger on "adventures in wedding planning" today...melissa will also be featuring a story of mine next week, so be sure to stop by often for updates. also, check out her masterpiece weddings website to get more information about wedding consultation and other notes of inspiration.

thanks melissa!

{vendor appreciation} food at its best

i love good food. seriously. if you are as passionate as i am about deliciousness, read on..

i had worked with kristen at a popular restaurant in nashville a few years ago...i would love to listen to her talk during line-up about the different cheeses we would be presenting that evening, or listen to her explain her wild mushroom bread pudding, or let me sample some of her homemade preserves. it's no wonder why i gained a few pounds during that year...i was like a moth to a flame when kristen was in the kitchen.

sadly, that beautiful restaurant no longer exists, but kristen has found a more casual, down to earth home, firefly grille. i visit every time i go home to nashville, and my mouth waters just thinking about her lovely fare. her cheeseboard is hands down the best cheeseboard i have ever had the pleasure of enjoying - and that's saying a lot after trying some of the best restaurants right here in san francisco. currently she's including the last pick of the summer peach jam on the cheese plate and is making homemade garlic dill pickles that takes 3 weeks to cure for the burger and will be ready this week at firefly.

not only does kristen find time to create a menu for firefly grille, she, and her partner in crime Amy Willis, cater all types & sizes of events from weddings to business meetings, from showers to private dinners, and everything in between. best of all, everything is completely customizable.

when i asked kristen about where she likes to get her ingredients she was excited to tell me about the different organic farms nearby, thus stimulating local economy and decreasing her carbon footprint: "In the summer months, we get a lot of produce from Amish country near Lawrenceberg, TN.. It's about an hour and a half travel southwest of Nashville. We also get a few things from the Menonites in KY. Both of these groups mentioned are usually organic. Each community has various families within their culture that are serious farmers. With each item we get from there, you will usually see a tag with the farmers' names written in pencil, sometimes pen. (This is because the Amish culture sells their produce via auction.) I also, believe it or not, like K and S for odd things. They have various produce that you don't always see in regular markets and of course the dry goods are always unique and there are many regions of the world represented there. And since I like to cook so many different cuisines, it helps me."

eggplant roll ups with fresh basil, roasted pepper, goat cheese and balsamic syrup

one of the many treats that accompany a cheese plate: marinated picholine olives

and finally...cheese!

i am so excited that kristen will be catering our wedding! she has been keeping track of my blog, and is already in tune with my style..more details to come on what she will be serving at our reception...

in the meantime, if you are curious about kristens deliciousness, check her out:

Firefly Grille
2201 Bandywood Dr
Nashville, TN 37215
(615) 383-0042

or catered events (book now for your 2009 event):
Daffodils Catering
Kristen Gregory & Amy Willis
316 Camille Ct
Cane Ridge, TN
615-268-0424

"I love what I do, I couldn't do anything else as a career. I want my clients to feel they've been given the best quality every time, to also be excited about their menu choices." ~ Kristen Gregory