VENUE NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2015
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 3 Letter From the Bellagala Team 4 Featured Event Sites 10 Tips & Tricks | Floral 12 Featured Artist Reviews
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The dog days of summer are in the rear view mirror, and we have officially passed the first day of fall. The daily temperatures are beginning to dip. There is a crispness in the air that tells us that autumn is here. It won’t be long until we are forced to use those darn scrapers that we have stashed deep under the front seat of the car to remove the thin layer of ice from our windshield in the mornings. But despite the indicators of what is to come, many of us look forward to the one thing that only comes with autumn in Minnesota – the burst of fall colors. In the weeks ahead we’ll see neighborhoods transformed by reds and oranges and yellows and browns, giving us a new look at our everyday surroundings. For many Minnesotans, this is their favorite time of year. Many of those Minnesotans whose favorite season is fall also identify themselves in another way – florist. Florists see everyday what most of us see more clearly in fall – a world full of color. It is this characteristic that makes them so accomplished at what they do. They see the colors in the world, everyday, in everything they do, not just in the fall. In 2015, Bellagala florists have seen that color twice as much. Bellagala served 92 floral clients in 2014. That number for 2015 is 181! And 2016 is looking even bigger! The colors of fall will be in full bloom (sorry, couldn’t resist that pun) in many of the arrangements that our floral team will be creating in the weeks ahead. Like any other time of the year, they will be taking full advantage of the seasonal blooms to enhance the creations for their clients. At the same time, it is clear to see that Bellagala florists are busy far beyond the fall months. Be it winter, spring, summer or fall, Bellagala florists are being chosen by more and more engaged couples in Minnesota. We’d encourage you to check out their work on our website. Simply put, there is a ton of talent in this team, and we’d love for you to get to know them. Their creations have probably already adorned your venue whether you were aware of it or not. Enjoy the colors of fall this year, and be on the lookout for Bellagala florists. Should you ever have a need for floral arrangements of any kind, we hope you’ll think of us. We’d love the opportunity to serve you and help bring a little color to your venue!
The Bellagala Team
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featured event site
HARVEST GRILL EVENT CENTER A N N I E & M AT T | N OV E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 4
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Located about 20 minutes north of Minneapolis in Coon Rapids, MN on the Bunker Hills Golf Course, the Harvest Grill Event Center is perfect for weddings and can accommodate up to 400 guests. The banquet room, elegant décor, and fabulous food will make your special day one to treasure forever. Annie and Matt’s autumn wedding will have you smitten with fall in Minnesota. From the coziness of candlelight to deep red and orange florals, the pair incorporated every detail that we adore about the season perfectly. One feature we especially loved? A cigar bar at their reception! Armed with expert wedding organizers and chefs, the Harvest Grill Event Center brought warmth and color to Annie and Matt’s crisp, fall wedding and made it a truly memorable day.
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featured event site
MINNEAPOLIS DEPOT E L I N O R & J O Z E F | O C TO B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 4
For nearly seven decades, the Minneapolis Depot was a prosperous hub of business and personal travel. Although the last train left in 1971, the atrium is still just as lively as it is now a highly sought after wedding venue by couples looking for both history as well as beauty for their special day. The Depot’s unique architecture, with stately columns and high ceilings filled Elinor and Jozef’s wedding with an air of elegance. For an additional touch, tall gold candelabras and lush, bold florals were added to each long banquet table that complemented the historic venue’s impressive charm.
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With a large enough space to hold up to 1,100 guests, the Minneapolis Depot can truly customize your reception to meet any of your wishes and can create an unforgettable setting for your big day.
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featured event site
SEMPLE MANSION LY N D S I E & M AT T H E W | N OV E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 4
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It’s not hard to be blown away by Semple Mansion. Restored to its original 16th century glory, this Italian Renaissance style estate is the perfect setting for any celebration. The venue’s Swarovski crystal chandeliers, mahogany woodwork and restored fresco paintings will provide the perfect nod to tradition that will impress both you and your guests. Lyndsie and Matthew’s November nuptials were nothing short of enchanting. It was a type of wedding that little girls dream of—tiara and all. From her jaw-dropping ballgown to his sharp, white bowtie we couldn’t help but swoon over these two. Keeping the ballroom’s vibrant stained glass windows and painted ceilings as the focal point, the pair chose to keep their décor and florals in creams and whites. Lyndsie and Matthew’s chic details complimented the mansion perfectly and created the most elegant environment for their special day that we were lucky enough to capture.
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FLORAL The sky’s the limit when it comes to flowers, and couples typically spend 7-10% of their total budget on florals for their big day. However, flowers can also be one of the most frustrating items that couples contemplate paying for, as the cost can be surprising at first glance. One of the greatest cost-cutting tips to help maximize your floral budget is to choose in-season blooms. To make things easier, we’ve compiled a list of wedding flowers by season.
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flowers by sesason
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Calla Lily Daffodil Gerbera Daisy Hyacinth Orchid Ranunculus Rose Stephanotis Tulip
Calla Lily Daffodil Gerbera Daisy Hyacinth Lily of the Valley Lilac Lavendar Peony Ranunculus Rose Tulip
Dahlia Gardenia Peony Poppy Rose Stephanotis Hydrangea Cosmos Lily
Garden Rose Ranunculus Carnation Sunflower Rose Fressia Dahlia Chrysanthemum Marigold Juniper
more money saving tips When it comes to romance, nothing feels more fitting than a rose, which is why it continues to be the most popular wedding flower to decorate your wedding. But since these go-to flowers can cost anywhere from $2-$4 a stem, it may be smart to consider alternative blooms that look just as gorgeous and keep your costs down. Here are five flowers that give the rose a run for its money:
carnations
Lisianthus
Ranunculus
Peonies
63 cents per stem. Great filler flower for a bouquet
Each stem comes with three 3-inch blooms that costs about $1.15 per stem
Can cost as little as $1.15 - $2.40 each
Similar cabbage roses can cost $4.16 each while a peony can cost a round $3.30
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FLORAL
A RT I S T R E V I E W S
ABBIE F | STUDIO FLORIST “From the moment Abbie first reached out to me via phone and email, I knew she would be a great fit for our wedding day. I had little to no experience planning an event, and was quite overwhelmed by the floral aspect. Abbie put my mind at ease from the very beginning. I could not be more pleased with the experience of working with hershe is a lovely, genuine person with tremendous passion and talent!”
JENNIFER M | ECHELON FLORIST “My florist had such a wonderful eye! I had a difficult time explaining what I wanted but somehow she managed to manifest my scrambled ideas into a beautiful arrangement of flowers. She did so much with so little and the colors and flower combinations were so simple but outstanding. She matched my colors perfectly and exceeded even my own imagination. Thank you Jennifer!”
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TIFFANY B | STUDIO FLORIST “Tiffany provided the flowers for our wedding reception. She has this amazing ability to see flowers in a beautifully artful way, helping to decorate any space; turning it into something full of color and life. She was also very in tune with what we were looking and hoping for. She went out of her way to make the floral decorations extra special for our day.”
CAROL K | STUDIO FLORIST “From start to finish, Carol was wonderful. We live out of state so a lot of our planning had to be done via email and she did a great job responding to my emails. We met a few months before the wedding and planned out everything. During that meeting, she was very helpful and provided guidance and suggestions without being overbearing. I was absolutely blown away when I saw what she put together for our wedding. The flowers were incredible. It was amazing to walk into the venue and see everything she had done. The flowers were fresh and beautiful and she did an impeccable job arranging them to really fit my theme. I would recommend her to all my friends and family.”
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We love working with our local venues! Have you had a Bellagala Wedding Photographer at your venue recently? Let us know—we’d love to share the images with you! All image requests can be sent directly to our Marketing Coordinator, Darac Moua. You can contact her via email at darac.moua@bellagala.com or call 651.227.1202.
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255 E 6th Street St. Paul, MN 55101 bellagala.com | 651.227.1202