Right there at the end of May I got to decorate a charter boat for a tiny wedding celebration. Every once in a while a wedding will have a cozy, serene, warm kind of vibe about it that feels particularly special and charged with greatness. I've found the special charge is most likely to show up in small weddings but come to think of it, maybe that's just the sensation of a small wedding. It's just the lot of you, all there looking each other right in the eyes. It makes sense that would feel more cozy than being part of an audience. Well now I'm rethinking everything.
Anywho, Carter and Liz are friends of Ari and Nate so we've spent time with them at get-togethers over the years and we've voted them "a great pair".
Well, the pandemic cancelled their original plans of a Memphis wedding in May. They scrambled to replan and then had a family atrocity take place just weeks before the postponed day. It became a strange time for Liz's family to celebrate. So with full support from their families in Tennessee, they rented boat, picked up Ari and Nate as witnesses and got married on the Folly River.
This was the best time I've ever had setting up a wedding. While I typically work with a bride for about year and let them change their minds over and over and make sure I write "marsala" instead of burgundy or maroon because they get "like, really anxious when people say burgundy. My wedding is NOT burgundy!", Liz called up about two weeks out and said, "Could you whip up a bouquet and boutonniere for us?" To which I said,
"Of course. Anything else?" and then she said,
"Well, we're getting married on a boat. What do you think? Garlands maybe?"
"Great! What kinds of blooms do you like."
"I like weird things."
"I got you."
I wish it was always this easy. For Liz I went bright and cheerful, just like her. She has brilliant smile. I tucked in weird things, made boutonnieres for the whole gang, and then picked up Sweet Mama for setup.
We pulled up to the most amazing rental property that we never knew was on Folly Beach. It was a boy's camp in the 70's, eighteen hidden acres of tropical woods along the Folly River. It had a clearing for a little bungalow with old pine walls and creaky floors.
Ari came out of the house. "Is this not the best place you've ever seen?" And indeed, it is the landscape I have only dreamed of here in front of my eyes. In the best kind of way, I was bummed out for the rest of that weekend. I was elated to see it and then crushed to leave it behind. I spent several hours the next day looking at land on Wadmalaw. My dream of waterfront land for my farm animal rescue and gardening efforts seems so urgent now.
Anywho. Ari helped us carry my flower buckets down the dock where we met the boat captain who said "Do whatever you like, just take off your shoes." I was inordinately excited to get to work without shoes on. There was breeze and plenty of time to get my work done. I kicked back on the bow and acknowledged living the good life. Mom and I concurred that no wedding setup will ever beat this one.
That is one happy florist.
So we strung up our garlands, dotted them with colorful blooms, and strategically placed two tiny centerpieces. Just as we were wrapping things up a big grey raincloud rolled in so we ran back down the dock towards the house. Carter and Liz were having their pictures taken so we got to see them all dressed up and ready -that's a real thrill for me. I rarely get to see the couple on the day. We said our goodbyes and then anxiously awaited updates from Ari.
The storm passed and the show went on just one hour behind schedule. They even got a little rainbow and I just think their photos are gorgeous.
No comments:
Post a Comment