Borgo di Tragliata

Borgo di Tragliata

The Borgo remains one of my favorite places to work.  The possibility to have all aspects of the wedding day at one location makes it easier for not only the floral designer to manage but also for Couples to have their destination wedding.  The Borgo has a staff that speaks English and German which creates an ease for those couples organizing from outside Italy.   DebraFlower is one of the florists on the suggested list of suppliers for English speaking clients at the Borgo.

The bridal bouquet

 The Bridesmaids

 The Pews

 The kneeling bench

 The communion table

The Top table

 The Guest tables

 

Bridal bouquet and Bridesmaid bouquets are all delivered about two hours prior to the ceremony.  Afterwards we take just a short walk on over to Saint Isidore's Church to set up all of the decorations so the Church will be completed before the arrival of the guests and more importantly the Groom.  We personally make sure that the buttonholes have put on each Groomsman correctly.  Our staff is always on hand as the bride arrives to enter the Church just in case she has some special last minute need.  Finally after the ceremony we remove all of the deocrations, ensure that the Church is in order and the we walk to the reception to set up, often using flowers from the Church to save on expenses and show kindness to the environment by reusing flowers whenever possible.  All of this is done with minimal use of cars or trucks.

 

Oh how I love to work at the Borgo!!!

 

See you soon,

 

Debra

Bridal Bouquet

 

 

 

The easiest choice for your wedding day is of course the formal round shape bouquet in cream or white. What you may not realize is that there are literally hundreds of styles to choose from.  I’m a traditional girl so if I was getting married today I would probably opt for that simple bouquet. However my job is to realize the dreams of other ladies on their wedding day and for this reason I have attended a number of specialization courses to learn how to create various different styles of bouquets.

 

One of the latest trends is the brooch bouquet. Although many people produce this kind of bouquet, a trained florist is the best person to design a brooch bouquet since we have been trained in how to construct a bouquet regardless of the material.

 

One of the latest trends is the brooch bouquet. Although many people produce this kind of bouquet, a trained florist is the best person to design a brooch bouquet since we have been trained in how to construct a bouquet regardless of the material.

 

Remember that any bouquet that you have seen on my website can also be constructed with silk flowers.

 You can email me, skype, facebook, Facetime or make a phonecall and we can discuss your dream wedding.  It's my hope to make your dreams come true.

All the best,

Debra

Thank You!!

Thank you all!

 

It’s been far too long since I sent in a blog.  You are probably asking, “where has she gone?”. The answer is simple. This wedding season has been very busy for me.  I am so grateful to all of my clients who have sent me new business. 

 

You may have seen DebraFlower in the Irish version of the VIP Magazine.  Lynn and Nolliag’s wedding at the Borgo di Tragliata was one of my favorites with the vibrant lemon yellow.  DebraFlower was a major part of the team who worked on Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty’s wedding.  We all signed a promise note not to publish any photos from their wedding so I will respect that promise.

DebraFlower designed 62 weddings during 2012.  Most of these weddings came to us from referrals from previous brides.  This makes us all very proud since it means that we made a lot of couples very happy on their wedding day. I am particularly grateful to my Irish customers who really show such gratitude for my personal efforts and the overall production from DebraFlower.

It’s for this reason that every year DebraFlower is a sponsor at the local Celtic Ball that raffles items and collects funds for an Irish charity.  It’s one way to show our appreciation.

So, now that the season is basically over, I will be writing often to share the photos from this seasons weddings and give ideas to help you plan your upcoming wedding.

Enjoy,

Debra  

Floral Materials

Gerber (inverted)
Taking classes, visiting floral demonstrations or just playing in my store with various materials are various ways that I get inspiration and keep my creativity alive. When a customer comes in to plan an event I want them to see creativity in motion in my work environment.


Aspidistra
The rich color and long lasting character make this a very interesting greenery to work with. It can be cut or twisted of rolled and will still last for weeks….yes, weeks.


Lemons (fruit)

Fruit doesn’t have to be in the middle of an arrangement in order to be part of it. I try to create new ways to use common items.

Bells of Ireland

Bells of Ireland (Molucella) This “flower” is normally used in its long upright position. Knowing it lasts longer when cut short I decided to see how long it would last when cut really short.

Recently various customers after looking around were shocked to learn that a type of flower existed or that I use a common flower in a very uncommon way. These customers are the catalyst for sharing some of my recent designs with you.

Just sharing,

Debra

Professional Florist

Decorated Rice Holder

In these times of economic challenges it is even more important than ever to carefully select the suppliers you need for your special events. How much something costs should be reviewed based on what you will receive from the floristin terms of product but also customer service. As a professional florist I’m often asked about my pricing. I carefully explain to the client the importance of evaluating more than the price. Dedicated service is also a part of the price that cannot always be measured.

Recently I was booked for a wedding in the center of Rome. During our designing session we decided that the trees outside the church looked fine as they were. On the actual day of the wedding I noticed that the tree vases were damaged. In a case like this there is no time to consult the client. It is the responsibility of the professional florist to make an intelligent decision without worrying about payment. We were prepared with the materials necessary to decorate the unsightly vase.

Choose a prfessional you can trust. Your special day can't be repeated.

all the best,

Debra

Floral Designer

Abiti "Gattinoni Couture"

When I first received the telephone call that the high fashion house of “Gattinoni” wanted me to design bridal bouquets for their fashion show and their customers I was elated. After a few hours the reality that I would be working for Guillermo Mariotto set in and I was terrified. Terrified that I would not be able to create for such a demanding artist. Fortunately, those feelings lasted long enough to motivate me to grow professionally and create some of my best work. Guillermo was so encouraging. He reminded me to design from heart and use my skill as a floral designer to execute my designs. These are the words that repeat like a mantra in my head whenever I am designing whether it be for an email customer or a client in my shop. What a wonderful opportunity it has been to work with Guillermo Mariotto at “Gattinoni”.

Working in this profession continues to give me many rewards. I'm so blessed.

Debra

Irish Brides

The Bride and groom The bridesmaids
Over the past two years I have been contacted by a number of irish ladies who are planning their destination wedding in Rome, home of the Pope. Although this is a very romantic idea for any catholic, planning at a distance with people who don't necessarily speak your language is not easy. I've learned recently that so many irish ladies come to me not only because I am a trained florist but also because of my attention to the needs of a bride trying to design and plan from a distance. When a bride sends me a request I immediately begin to create a file that contains photos of the bride, her bridal gown and the style and color of bouquets that she likes. I make an effort to ask questions that I know will help in chosing the florals that reflect her style. The brides that chose to work with me are usually interested in doing most of the planning themselves as opposed to using a formal wedding planner but may need a local person to assist with certain wedding details or language barriers. I always offer to assist in any way necessary to ladies who have chosen to have me design their wedding flowers. Some brides send their wedding favors directly to me and I make sure that they are delivered on time to the reception or contact a local vendor for information. Other brides have asked me to assist with the coordination of the reception activities.

Questions brides usually ask me:

Can you (DebraFlower)do a particular design?The answer is always "YES". I am a trained florist. I have been trained in all of the basic as well as advanced techniques in floral design.

When do you (DebraFlower) deliver the bridal flowers? Always 3 hours prior to the ceremony. I believe that a bride should have her flowers for the first picture she takes. I do not ever deliver flowers in front of the church. My flowers will easily last for days so there is no need to worry about them wilting.

How much does a bridal bouquet cost? Normally the cost of a basic handtied bridal bouquet starts at about 80euro.

Why does a bridal bouquet cost more than an ordinary bouquet? A regular bouquet is normally constructed from whatever flowers the florist has in the shop. The flowers for my bridal bouquets are purchased specifically for each bridal bouquet and carefully selected for perfection. Normal bouquets don't require matching ribbons or "Bling" treatments.

Which flowers are in season at the time of my wedding? I make a point of suggesting flowers that are in season at the time of the wedding. My reason is because I know that the flowers in season last longer and look nicer throughout the wedding day.

If you have any question at all about planning your wedding in Rome, please feel free to contact me. I'm always available to help my irish brides.....

Cheers, Debra

P.S. Come back on March 15th to see photos of the Celtic Ball here in Rome.