{"title":"Traditions Old and New","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhere do I even begin? My husband grew up in New England with Polish-Italian roots and I spent the better part of my first twenty years in Texas, a Vietnamese-born immigrant daughter of a single mother. We met in DC and wanted to get married in the area, settling on a lovely historic venue on 60 acres of land nearby in Northern Virginia. The venue embodied the perfect combination of quirks and values we hold dear: a love of the outdoors with the peaceful, serene, and majestic rolling hills,  a bit of comfort found in a home, and a penchant for a good story, learning that the manor's historic roots entailed hosting renowned leaders from our country's past. Although the grandeur and natural beauty of the venue could have easily persuaded any bride to go 'minimal' on the florals, my love of flowers, all things DIY, and planning a wedding on a budget meant that we were going to get creative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFirst of all, working with FiftyFlowers was an INCREDIBLE experience. Of all the stressors and details that can be thrown at a bride, this was one of the most stress-free, professional, timely, and EASY processes I experienced: every person I emailed, chatted, or texted with was prompt, helpful, and enthusiastic. The quality of the flowers was amazing, and the assistance they provide you with, no matter your level of expertise, was superb. I've shared this service with multiple friends and family members who are going the DIY route and I've yet to hear anything but positive feedback.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat said, we bought a lot of florals and we MADE SO MANY FLORALS. My great aunt used to be a florist and she and her daughter flew in to make my special bridal bouquet and 7 bridesmaids bouquets. I had help from friends and other family members two days before the wedding to make the rest. In making the wedding an experience for us both, I attempted to integrate Vietnamese wedding traditions into the mix. Not only that, but I had a few TEXAS wedding traditions as well: many brides in Texas will have a bridal party as well as a house party. The house party usually includes the ladies who are near and dear to the bride but for a number of reasons may not be available to be bridesmaids. This is a way for the bride to honor these important relationships without also potentially having 14 bridesmaids at the altar (trust me, that happens, too). House Party gals are wholly a part of the wedding party and can play various roles like passing out wedding programs and, in my case, helping pass out boutonnieres. They usually also walk down the aisle and are a part of all the wedding festivities\/photos\/etc. Some people may consider them the counterpart to Ushers on the Groom's side. Either way, we had a large wedding party, and I wanted to do something unique for the House Party florals - I decided to make floral rings for them to hold, and they were placed on the wedding arbor as decor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, all the bridesmaids and house party wore traditional Vietnamese custom outfits, called Ao Dais (ow z-eyes).  It was hectic, but overall, the hybrid tradition sharing was wonderful. I share this because it will make a little more sense as to why we made OVER 70 INDIVIDUAL BOUTONNIERES! In Vietnamese custom, nearly all the family members (immediate and extended) are invited to wear a boutonniere. Usually they have different colored flowers to denote which side (bride\/groom) you're on, and I went for using the beautiful tiny spray roses and wax flowers to make ours. We denoted the difference by changing the ribbon color (mauve\/sage green) and you'll see various guests in our pictures wearing them :)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere's the spread:\n\u003cbr\u003e1 Bridal Bouquet \n\u003cbr\u003e7 Bridesmaid Bouquets\n\u003cbr\u003e5 House Party Floral Hoops\n\u003cbr\u003e80+ Boutonnieres (white ribbon and 2 spray roses = 10 for the Groom + wedding party, 40 = green ribbon, 40 = pink ribbon)\n\u003cbr\u003e7 Corsages (grandmother of the groom, godmothers, stepmother, mother-in-law, etc)\n\u003cbr\u003e14 Eucalyptus Wreath Centerpieces measuring 14\" (to go around 3 clear vases with floating candles)\n\u003cbr\u003e3 Floral Garland Centerpieces for the King Table measuring 36\" each (Wedding Party + Spouses)\n\u003cbr\u003e2 Large Vases\/Bouquets for the Program Table near photos of loved ones who could not join (not included in pictures)\n\u003cbr\u003ePetals for 3 Flower Children (husband's triplet nephews\/niece)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCan you believe we still had flowers left over after all of that? Supplies (floral tape and metal hoops) were purchased elsewhere\/leftover from what I already owned. THANK YOU, FiftyFlowers, for being such a big part of our day. They were beautiful and I had so much fun making everything.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"gardenia-peony-for-april","title":"Gardenia Peony for April","description":"\u003cp\u003eAdd a timeless touch to romantic arrangements with Gardenia Blush Peony Flowers. Peonies have large, airy blooms with a dreamy cloud-like shape. They are densely packed with delicate, ruffled petals. The petals have a creamy white hue near the center of the bloom, and a blush pink hue near the outside. Use for classic-inspired arrangements by pairing with blooms like white ranunculus fresh cut flowers, sahara cream roses, white bulk tulips, and pink peony flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"FiftyFlowers","offers":[{"title":"20 Stems","offer_id":41579196285137,"sku":"34372","price":209.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 Stems","offer_id":41579196317905,"sku":"34373","price":329.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"60 Stems","offer_id":41579196350673,"sku":"34374","price":384.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"80 Stems","offer_id":41579196383441,"sku":"34375","price":489.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100 Stems","offer_id":41579196416209,"sku":"34376","price":599.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200 Stems","offer_id":41579196448977,"sku":"34377","price":1119.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0594\/8335\/7393\/files\/gardenia-blush-peony-online_pri_31_6383_l_0caa38a9-1e0f-4a48-b000-0df6644fbe94.jpg?v=1690819890"},{"product_id":"white-wax-flower-december-to-may-delivery","title":"White Wax Flower December to May Delivery","description":"\u003cp\u003eSymbolizing long-term success, love, and patience, White Wax Flower is perfect for fanciful and fun arrangements. Several lateral stems branch off from a central one, each covered in clusters of sweet, small white blooms. These blooms are larger than those of normal filler flower. To enhance that finesse, try pairing with Vendela Ivory Roses, Red Astilbe Flowers, Fruit Punch Red Enhanced Wax Flowers, and Ming Fern Green Filler.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"FiftyFlowers","offers":[{"title":"5 Bunches","offer_id":41579387453649,"sku":"39792","price":159.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Bunches","offer_id":41579387486417,"sku":"6975","price":214.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"15 Bunches","offer_id":41579387519185,"sku":"39798","price":289.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 Bunches","offer_id":41579387551953,"sku":"31083","price":389.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30 Bunches","offer_id":41579387584721,"sku":"39804","price":549.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0594\/8335\/7393\/files\/Strawberry_White_Close_Up_350_401d78c0_19273227-ed05-4c62-b90b-17bb9959633d.jpg?v=1690822347"},{"product_id":"creamy-pink-spray-roses","title":"Creamy Pink Spray Roses","description":"\u003cp\u003eFind our Creamy Pink Spray Roses at FiftyFlowers.com! Whether placed aside standard roses or arranged with other flowers, these light pink and cream spray roses will add a stunning touch to any wedding bouquet, table centerpiece or flower arrangement. Offered in packs of 6 and 10 bunches.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"FiftyFlowers","offers":[{"title":"2 Bunches","offer_id":41579446337745,"sku":"64236","price":99.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"5 Bunches","offer_id":41579446370513,"sku":"38878","price":144.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Bunches","offer_id":41579446403281,"sku":"38883","price":244.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0594\/8335\/7393\/files\/chablis-light-pink-spray-roses-online_pri_63_4397_l_e80de615-ee93-46de-af1f-6a4cee200fc3.jpg?v=1690823223"},{"product_id":"dusty-miller-leaf-greenery-combo","title":"Dusty Miller Leaf Greenery Combo","description":"\u003cp\u003eNestled between warm, colorful blooms, Dusty Miller Lacy and Flat Leaf Greens act like the silvery mist and dewdrops that make wilderness sunrises so serene. Its velvety, frosted sage green leaves add depth and drama to arrangements, gracefully accenting other colors with chicness greenery can’t normally achieve. Use this combo pack for truly romantic arrangements with flowers such as David Austin Roses Peach Juliet Ausgameson, Natural White Peonies, Scabiosa Pods Filler Flowers, and Veronica White Flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"FiftyFlowers","offers":[{"title":"5 Bunches","offer_id":41579471601873,"sku":"39826","price":104.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Bunches","offer_id":41579471634641,"sku":"29025","price":159.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"15 Bunches","offer_id":41579471667409,"sku":"39827","price":204.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 Bunches","offer_id":41579471700177,"sku":"29026","price":234.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30 Bunches","offer_id":41579471732945,"sku":"39828","price":344.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0594\/8335\/7393\/files\/greenery-dusty-miller-leaf-flowers-online_pri_25_5368_l_86d65b9f-58f3-4443-a4c7-1931f830d6ba.jpg?v=1690823591"},{"product_id":"eucalyptus-wedding-diy-greenery-box","title":"Eucalyptus Wedding DIY Greenery Box","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhether you’re looking to make your event strictly greenery themed, or add some greenery texture to your wedding or event, this Box is for you. Our Eucalyptus Wedding DIY Greenery Box comes with a mix of our most popular Eucalyptus. Together they are the perfect mixture of textures, shapes and colors to give any arrangement a beautiful touch of greenery. If you are looking to create an all greenery wedding or event theme, this box will feature Seeded, Silver Dollar, and Baby Eucalyptus. This pack can help you create \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/blog.fiftyflowers.com\/?utm_source=fiftyflowers\u0026amp;utm_medium=OfflineMagazineAd\u0026amp;utm_campaign=DIYSpecial_2010\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEucalyptus garlands\u003c\/a\u003e, centerpieces, and bouquets. If you are looking to add flowers, many of our combo and DIY boxes can be complemented by these fragrant and textured bunches of greenery. With a variety of packs, you can use this Eucalyptus combo to decorate chandeliers, aisles and backdrops for a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/fiftyflowers.com\/pages\/make-this-look-collections\"\u003emodern greenery wedding\u003c\/a\u003e, or combined with roses, peonies and hydrangeas for an elegant look. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"FiftyFlowers","offers":[{"title":"5 Bunches","offer_id":41579485331665,"sku":"31362","price":114.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Bunches","offer_id":41579485364433,"sku":"31363","price":169.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"15 Bunches","offer_id":41579485397201,"sku":"31364","price":224.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 Bunches","offer_id":41579485429969,"sku":"39579","price":279.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0594\/8335\/7393\/files\/eucalyptus-wedding-diy-greenery-box-5829-apron_c4217c57.jpg?v=1702991432"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0594\/8335\/7393\/collections\/traditions-old-and-new-009ad03-700_0d6a5e5f-f76c-4624-a0f7-0a914e3a624c.jpg?v=1702972468","url":"https:\/\/dev-fifty2.myshopify.com\/collections\/traditions-old-and-new.oembed","provider":"dev-fifty2","version":"1.0","type":"link"}