Behind the Blooms
A Break From The Flowers
Tuesday, January 27, 2009


January is time for a break for the Tiger Lily staff. The holidays are over, it's not yet wedding season, and Valentine's Day is still a couple weeks away. Valentines Day is on the same weekend as the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, one of Charleston's biggest tourism draws of the year. That weekend has always marked the kick-off of our busy season, and we'll stay rocking until Thanksgiving, with just a couple slow weeks (4th of July) mixed in.


I decided to take the down time and go fishing in the NC mountains last weekend. Clara was home with the kids, planning to make her famous lasagna and a new hardcore chocolate cake recipe. So I dropped the kids off at school Friday morning, grabbed a quick workout, and busted tail at 80mph towards Pisgah National Forest. Just Me, Myself, and I.


It was a perfect "timeout" weekend to think about things, and there was a LOT to think about. President Obama, layoffs, the wars, bailouts and trying to run a small business in that environment. Heck, trying to raise a family in that environment! And what about the environment? Global warming, alternate energy sources, and much more. Well, the bad news is I didn't solve any of the problems during the four hour ride. But I did arrive in Brevard with a resolve that we will overcome all of these challenges, eventually. As a business owner, I hope that following solid business principles and pursuing quality will see us through. I'm confident it will.


But to more important matters, the Davidson River and the East Fork of the French Broad looked prime. So I spent the next day and a half flyfishing and wading these two rivers. It was chilly, with remnants of ice and snow still hanging on in the shady patches. Even with two pairs of socks, long johns and insulated waders, feeling in my feet left after about an hour of wading. The fish were willing though, and that kept me going for 6 hours straight on Saturday. At the end of the session, I caught 18, including the big brown trout pictured. Not bad for a guy who is not a very good fly fisherman. That brown was a day maker, along with the crystal clear water, cascading waterfalls, riffles and pools


As I headed back on Sunday, everything seemed a little more in order. Yes, we have our problems but things eventually will be OK. The wars will end, the economy will come around, and we will even figure out the whole energy thing. We all just have to work hard, be smart and have faith. Bring on Valentine's Day!

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Posted by Manny Gonzales
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When "Disaster" Strikes
Friday, January 9, 2009










It's not always fairies and unicorns, even the "glamorous" life of a florist! Folks in love, love to get married in Charleston. Often, they plan outdoor weddings beachside, at a plantation, country club or even rooftop. The vision is perfect, but the lingering thought is "What if the weather turns bad?"




Relax. In the 13 years we've been in the floral and wedding biz, we've only had two weekends lost because of hurricanes. On one of those cancelled weekends the weather turned out to be terrific. We've had rain, but it doesn't ruin the event unless you let it. It may sound easy for us to say...let's face it we're not the ones getting married. Believe me, we live and die with every event as if it were ours. Let me tell you about a secret dynamic I've observed over the years: Bad weather MAKES a great party!




I've seen it happen many times, going back to my hotel career. Something special happens when a storm comes rolling in during an event. People get excited, there's electricity in the air (no, not lightening). Folks go into disaster mode and pitch in moving furniture, gathering the kids, saving the cake. Heroes are made! If the bride and groom can keep their poise and go with the flow, all goes great.




Now I'm not saying to stand on the beach and exchange your vows during a torrential downpour. That would be silly and dangerous. Tweek your event around the storm. Wait 30 minutes for the rain to pass. Or exchange your vows in the tent and have your first dance on the beach. Relax, react, and enjoy.
The photos above are from an event on Kiawah Island that was planned to be on the Sanctuary's Grand Lawn. 30 minutes before the event, a storm blew in out of nowhere and we moved everything inside. The hydrangea topiary on top was one of two used to frame the bride and groom during thier vows. The rose petal aisle was moved from the lawn to a ballroom. The dining tables were as well. Now, we took those photos in a hurry, soaking wet, just before we left. Admittedly, they are not going to be on the cover of Modern Bride Magazine. But use your imagination for a minute, because this turned out to be a great wedding ceremony and event.
Look closely at the photo of the rose petal aisle and the dining table. You'll see clear vases with candles. A lot of candles.
Now imagine the rain beating down on the roof, thunder shaking the walls and lightning flashing through the windows showing the surf pounding on the beach. The bride and groom, family, and guests are safe and snug in the ballroom. The lights are dimmed, candle light flickering and the soft music of a harpist playing "Here Comes the Bride". Later, the bar opens, the dining is extraordinary, and the power of the storm seems to have energized the entire event. I've seen it happen many times.
A couple years ago this happened on a private plantation in Mt Pleasant. It was an awesome event, took a LOT of planning. The fine event planners at WED did a great job. It was 300 people in a tent. Since it was a private plantation there was no indoor alternative; they were committed to the tent. It rained as hard as it possibly could. Part of the tent began to collapse and when the lightning fried an amp, enough was enough. The wedding reception was cancelled just a few dances after the dinner. The entire party squeezed into the rambling old home, in the kitchen, the garage, anywhere they could fit.
I went the next morning to pick up our rental items. I never saw anything like it. Tables were flipped over, half the dance floor floated away, champagne glasses were filled to the rim with rain water. As I was gathering our rental items, feeling terrible for the event gone bad, an elderly couple crossed the lawn. I think they were the aunt and uncle of the groom. They walked over to me and I said something about feeling bad about the weather and all. The woman said "Child, that was the best wedding I ever went to! So much excitement!" The man agreed, and then a few more guests showed up to survey the storm damage. They all had a great time, and said they wouldn't have changed a thing. They all mentioned how nothing seemed to fluster the bride, and when they saw she was having fun they just joined in. That was the important lesson for me.
If you're planning an outdoor event, I hope it is exactly what you envision. But remember, if it starts to blow hard or rain, stay flexible, relax, react and enjoy!



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Posted by Manny Gonzales
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