Weddings 101; a weekend long symposium

This is an intensive weekend-long symposium for those interested in learning the advanced art of wedding floral production. Nicolette and Sarah will share their expertise and experiences in the wedding industry through a series of discussions and hands-on lessons.

Our goal is to share with pupils the lessons we’ve gleaned from the hundreds of weddings and events our studios have produced.

Topics covered include:

Planning
In a relaxed round table approach, we’ll discuss client relations, consultations, proposal writing, budgeting, and the art of working with wedding planners.

Preparing
We’ll share case studies of events and review our practices on flower budgeting and ordering. In addition, we’ll discuss in depth the advantages of working seasonally, share tips on flower conditioning, ideas for sourcing containers, and how to deal with props and rentals.

Making
A large portion of the weekend will be devoted to hands-on floral lessons. Our wedding designs are known for their loose, romantic and somewhat unstructured approach. Special emphasis will be placed on the nuances of layering color and texture.

Lessons included: The art of composing distinctive bridal bouquets (students should expect to make a bouquet, and then make it again) building centerpieces, crafting boutonnieres, tricks for constructing hair pieces and crowns, and techniques for talking clients out of wrist corsages. (Joking – we’ll make those too, but discuss alternatives that work for us.)

The weekend’s work will finish Sunday afternoon with a photo session aimed at capturing student’s hard work for their portfolios. And probably a cocktail.

Cost of workshop including all materials, lunches and coffee breaks is $2,400
This class is intended for those with some floral knowledge who are looking to expand further into the wedding market and fine-tune their technical skills.

Limited to 7 students.
SOLD OUT
Each day is 10-5pm.
Saturday we will meet at the Saipua studio; 147 Van Dyke Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Sunday we will meet at the Nicolette Camille studio; 50-52 Dobbin Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

REGISTER HERE.

NEW NYC CLASS: Dutch Masters April 7th

still life:Jan Van Huysum

DUTCH MASTERS II; An advanced study

Saturday, April 7th, 2012
1:00-4:00pm
$300
SOLD OUT

Taking inspiration from the studied floral still lives of the Dutch Masters, we'll create rambling, moody, bountiful arrangements with the finest Spring flowers. Using a low footed compote we'll investigate the techniques of working in shallow vessels to highlight flowers natural gestures and movement. We'll have flowering branches, vines, ranunculus, muscari, dianthus, frittillaria, garden roses, delphinium, berries, and of course some exquisite tulips.

This class is suited for students with some prior floral arranging knowledge.

All materials and refreshments provided.

This class will meet at the Nicolette Camille's Studio; 50-52 Dobbin Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

REGISTER HERE.

NEW CALIFORNIA CLASS: Wednesday May 9th

Spring Fever!: Best of the West

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012
5:00-8:00pm
$275

SOLD OUT

One could enter a heated debate as to what season yeilds the best flowers; but we'll put down our chips in May - thinking ahead to the first true warm weather beauties. From now till May we'll be thinking ahead to peonies, California poppies, field grown ranunculus, sweet peas, the first herbs, bearded iris, columbine and so many other spring blooms. In this basics class we'll discuss in detail how to effectively blend colors and textures, combining a myriad of blooms to build sprawling centerpieces fit to pay homage to the season.

All materials, clippers and refreshments provided.

Class limited to 25 students.

PLEASE NOTE: This class will take place in the San Francisco/Bay Area- the exact location is to be determined.

REGISTER HERE.

NEW NYC CLASS: May 20th

(Detail from a J.L. Provost watercolor)

Watercolor palettes: A study with bearded iris
Sunday May 20th, 2012

1:00-4:00pm

$275

SOLD OUT

In this introductory level class we'll celebrate the bearded iris, a flower which artists have reveared throughout history. (How lovely to think of the many fragile beauties which have been immortalized in the works of JL Prevost, Van Gogh and Georgia O'Keeffe.) We'll round up several species of this exotic bloom and learn the basics of color and texture layering along with other seasonal May flowers such as peonies, garden roses, lily of the valley, yarrow and perhaps a bit of the spring's last lilac. Students will each create a lush, gestural centerpiece in a soft watercolor inspired palette.

This class will take place at the Saipua Studio: 147 Van Dyke Street in the Red Hook Section of Brooklyn.

REGISTER HERE.

Watery blue; scenes from the studio this morning and memories of Italy...

This week we're back in Brooklyn at our studios planning things for valentines day and gearing up for our winter course offerings.

Jet lag has it's grip on me, and at 7am I found myself bleary eyed in the studio practicing with a rather pretty bunch of french anemones. The winter can be a tricky time of year for making arrangements as many of the winter seasonal flowers are small - anemones, ranunculus, sweet peas...

In our classes we often discuss the importance of having large flowers anchor the composition. In winter, those larger, more voluptuous blooms can be scarce. This morning I remembered that an effective way to offset a host of smaller flowers is to balance them with large foliage:



These giant Mullein leaves (often mistaken for lamb's ear, and supposedly a good remedy for bronchitis and other chest ailments when prepared in a tea) helped me to anchor the smaller flowers; a mix of tuberose, iceberg roses, queen anne's lace and anemones. It's been so warm in New York, I still have curry plant and some grape ivy (though discolored) in my cutting garden so they got thrown in the mix.

Did you know that anemones, like tulips, continue to grow once they are cut? This means they drink more water then most flowers, so I'll have to top off the water in this vase every day.

Still more spots available in our anemone class coming up in February at the New York Botanical Garden.

In Paris: wholesale market at Rungis

R

Bonne annee!

We are thinking about doing some classes in Paris in 2012; and so we came to do a little research and development. Since Friday we've been running around networking and visiting flower shops and atelier's.

This morning we rode out to Rungis; Europe's largest food and flower wholesale market. It is a Massive market full of mostly Dutch product; roses, ranunculus, tulips, hellebores, etc. all very very fresh but nothing especially unique. Are we spoiled in NYC by global imports? I think yes. Maybe Tuesday is not the best market day....more research needed....

Onward to Venice; follow us on instagram; usernames: nicamille, sarahryhanen