Behind the Blooms
Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Fresh Flower Picks

You can find anything online these days, including flowers! We've got some new selections on our website for easy online ordering. Choose from eleven different arrangements or a beautiful phalaenopsis orchid. See them at http://www.tigerlilyflorist.com/Basket.asp?rcid=3584&scid=3585&curOrd=A

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Posted by Manny Gonzales
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Friday, September 7, 2012

Something Borrowed, Something Blue, 

and Something You've Never Seen Before

Tiger Lily has worked on many interesting and creative weddings over the years, but our designers are still finding ways to make each event unique and showcase the personalities of the bride and groom.

This weekend manager and designer at our Kiawah branch, Mr.Ty Leslie, contributed to the chuppah collection in a ceremony on Wild Dunes. This particular chuppah held a lot of meaning to the bride and her family, as the tallit it was adorned with belonged to her grandfather. But the most unique part of the ceremony decor was the isle. Rose petals covered the isle in twelve different colored stripes with the one closest to the altar in white, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. 
Here you can see the chuppah and the gorgeous isle covered in rose petals. How many roses did it take?  300!
Some of the rose petals

Our containers are unusual sometimes too. If it can hold water, we'll put flowers in it! Designer Robin used the largest Blue Sapphire gin bottles any one had ever seen in arrangements for an event this week. 

The unique 'vases' gave these arrangements something extra

More unique creations to come!







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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Tiger Lily goes Legally Blonde


Legally Blonde, the musical, is coming to Charleston Stage and Tiger Lily is glad to contribute to the production! In keeping with the musical, sassy and pink is the theme for the opening night Directors Circle party. Manny and Clara will be there and are looking forward to talking with all the great Directors Circle people who support local theater and everyone who has worked so hard to make the show a success. Our creative designers are beautifying the space with luscious pieces Elle Woods would surely approve of.
 
One of the centerpieces being worked on for the party


Vanessa Moyen and La Mein as Elle Woods and Bruiser!

 If you liked the movie, the Legally Blonde musical is right up your alley. Opening night is tomorrow, the 31st and the show will be playing until Sunday, September 23rd. Get your tickets before they sell out and find out more about the musical at http://www.charlestonstage.com/shows-and-tickets/the-shows/28-legally-blonde-the-musical.html

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Friday, August 24, 2012

Tiger Lily's 2012 Summer Staff Party


Creativity is always present at Tiger Lily. On Thursday the staff expressed themselves using a different medium than usual at the Tiger Lily 2012 Summer party. The team congregated at Wine and Design for food, drinks, and a step by step tutorial for painting a masterpiece. Wine and Designs art queen, Livy, gave detailed directions for a beach scene and let the vision of each individual artist come through. When every one was finished no two paintings looked alike and it was interesting to see how every one had made the painting their own. 

Thanks to Wine and Design for a great experience! You can check out their website at http://www.wineanddesignus.com/WestAshley.html

Stephanie shows off her 'Shark Week' inspired masterpiece



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It's a Small Town After All
Monday, July 9, 2012

Charleston is a bustling, growing city, but at its heart it's still just a small southern town, and we love it!  The picture you see here was taken about 15 years ago at our very first store front on King Street. The little girl with the bright smile is the daughter of our driver, Bennie.  We didn't even know Bennie at the time.  He just happened to snap this pic years ago while they were on a walk.  
Bennie's daughter is now grown and living in Atlanta, Georgia and is a student at Clark Atlanta University.  Tiger Lily has grown too, from a small shop on King Street to the largest florist in South Carolina.  Likewise, the city of Charleston has grown and flourished into a dynamic and culturally rich utopia. It was voted as the #3  best city in the world to visit by CNNGO.com in 2011, it is one of the top wedding destinations in the U.S., and ranks amongst the top 5 Best Places for a Job by Forbes in 2012. With all the recognition Charleston has received, it is very easy to forget that at the heart of all the accolades, is a charming small town that stays humble.

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Weekend Wedding at Lowndes Grove



Over half the Tiger Lily staff was involved in the setup for a gorgeous wedding this past weekend at Lowndes Grove, planned by our very own Lindsey Shanks.

A new chuppah was added to the growing collection, this one had a delicate lace fabric canopy and framed the couple with lithianthus, hydrangea, and white roses. Chuppah setup is usually an hour and a half long process, but thanks to every one who helped it only took about thirty minutes!
 

Gayla and Alphia decorating the Chuppah
 
 

The finished product
   





 

Lowndes Grove Plantation provided a scenic backdrop for both the ceremony and the reception. The historic main house was built in 1786 and is just as beautiful inside as out. With it behind them and the Ashley river infront, guests had almost stepped back in time.


Alphia scattering rose petals down the isle
  
Lowndes Grove is managed by Patrick Properties Hospitality Group, who also manage historic venues such as the William Aiken House, The River House, American Theater and Fish Restaurant. See some of their great work at http://www.pphgcharleston.com/
 

A reception right on the river, the dried lavender centerpieces smelled wonderful
  


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Weekend Wedding at Lowndes Grove



Over half the Tiger Lily staff was involved in the setup for a gorgeous wedding this past weekend at Lowndes Grove, planned by our very own Lindsey Shanks.

A new chuppah was added to the growing collection, this one had a delicate lace fabric canopy and framed the couple with lithianthus, hydrangea, and white roses. Chuppah setup is usually an hour and a half long process, but thanks to every one who helped it only took about thirty minutes!
 
Gayla and Alphia decorating the Chuppah

 
The finished product
  





 
Lowndes Grove Plantation provided a scenic backdrop for both the ceremony and the reception. The historic main house was built in 1786 and is just as beautiful inside as out. With it behind them and the Ashley river infront, guests had almost stepped back in time.


Alphia scattering rose petals down the isle
  Lowndes Grove is managed by Patrick Properties Hospitality Group, who also manage historic venues such as the William Aiken House, The River House, American Theater and Fish Restaurant. See some of their great work at http://www.pphgcharleston.com/
 
A reception right on the river, the dried lavender centerpieces smelled wonderful
 






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Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Flowers You Can Give to a Guy


Phalaenopsis, the scientific name for orchids, are our top pick for a contemporary or masculine vibe. Their crisp, clean, and simple lines add visual interest without the fluff. Especially unique is the yellow star orchid pictured below. The orchids we are known for are hand delivered from growers in North Carolina and Southern Florida. They deliver flowers to shops all over, but come here first, giving us the opportunity to offer greater size and variety than big box and hardware stores.

Though Orchids are usually equated with being high maintenance, they are actually rather simple to care for, as they are best watered twice a week and then left alone, making this low maintenance flower perfect for forgetful men, or any one who wants a beautiful plant that's easy to care for.




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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Some Exceptional Tiger Lily Requests


One of the most interesting aspects of life at Tiger Lily are the phenomenal requests we sometimes receive. Just this past weekend, we delivered over 1000 daisies to The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island for one romantic gentleman proposing to his girlfriend. The multitude of daisies went to a single room, twenty vases with fifty stems in each vase. Unfortunately, we were unable to get a picture but are sure the lucky lady must have been impressed with the grand display. The gesture reminded us of another time when we set up a romantic dinner for two on Kiawah island beach. Flower garlands lined the cozy tent and floated under the glass table. A soft glow really set the mood for the couples evening and we deemed the event a success!

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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Tiger Lily Chuppah: The Final Product




It was a windy beach side day on Sunday, as the Tiger Lily team worked setting up the anticipated chuppah on The Sanctuary's Grand Lawn, on Kiawah Island. With tropical storm Beryl's 30mph sustained wind and gusts of 45mph, this was no small challenge. Modifications had to be made to ensure that the structure would provide a beautiful backdrop for the couples vows. Roughly a hundred guests watched from their balconies as the Tiger Lily team put the piece together. Be redesigning on the fly the team was able to create an alternative to the original plan, that remained standing firm and provided the same aesthetic quality as the original. Everything went smoothly and the ceremony was perfect.

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Our wedding planner Gayla frequently receives thank you cards from happy brides. Way to go, Gayla!

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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Chuppah Project Update



The chuppah is coming together! Manny and Clara attatched the crossbeams this morning, making sure the entire structure is strong and steady.




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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Tiger Lily Chuppah: A  New Take On An Old Tradition





Tiger Lily weddings caters to couples of many different backgrounds. A traditional Jewish wedding is full of symbolism and rituals. The chuppah, a canopy under which the bride and groom stand as they say their vows, is an essential part of the ceremony. These large bamboo are the support for one Charleston couples chuppah. The bamboo comes all the way from northern California. While the bamboo only weighs about 8 or 10 pounds, for the first time we used concrete for the base. Forty pounds of concrete on each bamboo tree should help keep the chuppah from blowing away at the seaside nuptials. Moss, flowers and other camouflage will keep the concrete bases from being seen. We never want the mechanics behind the beautiful things we create to be visible. This chuppah will perform without revealing any secrets.

The bamboo it is made of is also great to work with. Bamboo is a great because it is light, strong, easy to cut, grows in many places, renewable, and of course, looks good. There are hundreds of arrangements and projects you can create with bamboo, see http://www.calibamboo.com/, for a few. We've certainly grown an appreciation for it at Tiger Lily. Keep an eye out for pictures of the completed chuppah!


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Thursday, May 17, 2012


Making Clients Happy

It means a lot to us that our clients are happy. We know we did our job well, when they take the time to let us know. Here are two cards we recently received, from Rachel at Planters Inn, and bride Lucy McEwen.







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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

How do you eat an elephant?



The answer is one bite at a time and this is exactly how our crew of eight saw the task of creating 898 rose bouquets and 444 boutonnieres for College of Charleston graduation. When the 7000 roses arrived the matter of business seemed daunting, but bit by bit the flowers came together. What contributed most to the completion of this task was the positive attitude exhibited by the eight people who worked on it. Not one person was without a smile all week and friendly banter and encouragement kept the pace. Though the work was tedious every one at Tiger Lily was proud when local news coverage of graduation was filled with smiling grad faces and perfectly placed bouquets and boutonnieres. A big thanks to every one who helped with the project!

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Tiger Lily Goes Global


It's a destination wedding! On May 20th lovely couple India and Matt will wed on the picturesque Paradisus Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic. Below is a picture of the resort, just look how blue that water is! Our wedding planner extraordinaire, Lindsey, will accompany the couple to make sure everything runs smoothly and India, Matt, family, and friends can relax and enjoy the three day event which will include plenty of salsa dancing and beach lounging.

http://www.paradisus-puntacana.com/photo-gallery.php#

Though the wedding takes place a little further from home, as always, local businesses were heavily used in the planning. Local paper goods and accessories boutique, mac & murphy, designed the custom wedding invitations, pictures to come!

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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Finding Inspiration Through Client J. Herman Blake



rothmanblakeoakestalk350.jpg
Don Rothman (left) and J. Herman Blake (right), image found on http://news.ucsc.edu/2012/04/herman-blake-don-rothman-2012.html
At Tiger Lily our goal is to be the Best In Charleston every day.   We definitely have The Best Customer's in Charleston!  We have a parade of great folks walking into our shops.  Some are well-know celebrities, some are under the radar, all are awesome.  We often find inspiration in our customers and their stories, but were particularly moved when MUSC professor J. Herman Blake (above, right) came in for a boutonniere last year. 

It was a Tuesday morning, a strange time for a boutonniere.  "Is it for a special occasion?" I asked.  He explained that he is a professor at MUSC, and wears a boutonniere everytime he makes a presentation.  He vaguely said that he does it as a salute to someone he admires.  He pinned it on and, you know, it really did add that special zing to his whole persona.
Since then, Dr. Blake comes in often for a boutonniere.  He gets the best rose we have, often in a unique color.  We have a brief conversation, and he always give me some things to think about.  He's just a real smart person with a wealth of life experiences.  Above all, he's an optimist with a natural ability to inspire.

Recently Dr. Blake mentioned he was on the west coast for a little presentation.  I could tell there was more to the story, asked him for more information.  He forwarded this link.  After doing a little research on the professor we discovered he has inspired many, many people over the years.  In the presentation above, several audience members were moved to tears when relaying what Dr. Blake meant to them.  Please click on the link  for an inspiring perspective of a man we are proud to call a customer and a friend.  You'll also discover just why Dr Blake wears a boutonniere.  Dr. Blake is the real deal. http://news.ucsc.edu/2012/04/herman-blake-don-rothman-2012.html.

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Monday, May 14, 2012

Mother's Day 2012

For the largest florist in South Carolina, Mother's day is no small affair! With an array of special Mother's Day arrangements on our floral menu and custom orders, the team had  their work cut out for them. We are happy to say Mother's Day was a success, with hundreds of bouquets delivered to Mom's all over the Charleston area.


Floral Designer, Beth, hard at work on a custom arrangement

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 College of Charleston Graduation



The Tiger Lily Graduation Team unpacking 7,000 roses
 The past week was the busiest in Tiger Lily history, preparing for Mother's Day and College of Charleston graduation. Graduation totals? 898 bouquets and 444 boutonnieres were created. While mayhem and madness was the expectation, the task was completed with positive attitude and lots of chatter. Busy hands unpacked and transformed more than 7,000 roses into the traditional College of Charleston red rose and baby's breath bouquets and boutonnieres. You can see pictures of the graduates and flowers on the College of Charleston Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/collegeofcharleston. One of the busiest weeks of the year, and it went great!


This is the first time Fed Ex has ever brought enough roses to need a pallet!






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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Shout Out to Charleston's Premier Cake Designer: Rock Star Cakes


Dinosaur Egg Birthday Cake
It's never a party without the cake, and cakes have become increasingly elaborate on television shows, such as Cake Boss or Ace of Cakes, and in real life too. We have our very own sculptured cake shop here in Charleston, Rock Star Cake. From 3D Spider Man to a custom nurses uniform you could practically wear, Rock Star Cake designs look like something straight out of a reality show contest. In fact, we're hoping some one here at Tiger Lily has a birthday coming up so we can get one.....

Find them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/RockStar-Cake/167226446643156

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