The Orchard's Longest Table with Food TV's Chef Ricardo
Posted August 23 2010 | 1 comment
This weekend, Ricardo Larrivée, star of Ricardo + Friends (Food TV Canada) came to Niagara on the Lake to host an elaborate celebrity event in the peach orchards on the Kurtz farm with local food writer and author Lynn Ogryzlo ... all in celebration of Niagara peaches and supporting Niagara’s local food movement.
Without a doubt, 2010 is one of Niagara’s best peach harvests in decades. In fact, this year’s harvest is so great that Ricardo decided to capture his entire Niagara peach experience on film and will be featuring it in an upcoming issue of his magazine.
Time for a little honesty here ... we'd never heard of Ricardo before we were contacted to design the tablescape out in the middle of the peach orchard. It's true ... sorry to disappoint.
He's been called Quebec's answer to Jaime Oliver ... there's a definite similarity about him. Funny story ... after installing our tablescape on Saturday and catching a bit of Ricardo's cooking demo from a distance, we randomly ran into him again the next day in lovely downtown Niagara on the Lake! There he was, family in tow, exiting the Stagecoach diner on Queen Street! We always wonder where Chefs like to eat when they're not 'on' ... always had a sneaking suspicion that greasy spoons are a favourite!
Cheers ... and remember to support your local farm-to-table market, wherever you are!!!
It's hard to capture the whole story from this photo, but the tablescape in the peach orchard was 135 feet long! We designed the table with long birch poles, full florals in glass and hollowed out cork logs, pillar candles in artichoke glass and even made use of the off-cutttings of peach branches right from the orchard (with peaches still on the branch!). I guess we can call this look 'upscale orchard'!
We found these super cool dried oversized leaves that had curled up into a trug-like formation ... perfect little peach holders!
Chef Ricardo doing his thing ...
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Kristin + Ryan at Queen's Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Posted August 16 2010 | 1 comment
We absolutely love working in Niagara on the Lake ... this little town is so full of interest and charm that it naturally enhances anything we do here!
This weekend, for Kristin + Ryan's wedding, we were excited again to work at two of our favourite venues ... Queen's Landing and St. Mark's Anglican Church. Two amazing venues for an equally amazing couple!!
We were working some fantastic late summer blooms to pull off a sophisticated, yet romantic and classic feel. The white chair covers with stem green bows and matching stationery were a perfect backdrop for the flowers.
Kristin + Ryan are two beautiful, genuine souls ... truly meant for each other and it was a pleasure to be a part of their wedding celebration! Best wishes to you!!
Kristin's gorgeous bride's bouquet …
The coordinating bridesmaid's bouquets ...
We simply adore St. Mark's Church ... this beautiful old-stone church dates back over 200 years ... a lot of history here. Not just a history of religion or love ... but of the founding of Canada!
We hope Ryan doesn't mind us posting this pic of him holding Kristin's bouquet ... he was busy assisting her into the car and walked off with her bouquet ... so cute!
We designed a mix of tall and short full-floral centerpieces for each of the guest tables in the Grand Georgian Ballroom ...
Kristin + Ryan's 'Sweet Heart' table ...
Our resident wedding stationery guy, Mark, created menus, place cards and seating plan for Kristin + Ryan ...
We're not sure who provided this scrumptious cupcake tree ... unfortunately (for us) we didn't get a sample ... but it sure looked amazing!
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Tara + Shawn say 'I Do' at Vineland Estates Winery
Posted August 16 2010 | Leave a Comment ...
Was that summer that just flew by? It's hard to believe it's already September in just a couple of weeks ... already beginning to look, feel and smell a bit like fall. Maybe we'll just call it 'late summer' for now ... no need to rush things!!!
Late summer happens to be my favourite time of year ... mostly because of all the saturated tones and rich, deep colours that come out! Tara + Shawn's Niagara winery wedding at Vineland Estates Winery is a great example of what I love about late summer.
Peach dahlias, majolica spray roses, pink cymbidium and red mokara orchids, pink garden roses, various hydrangeas (peegee, antique green, white), celosia ... all of these goregous blooms went into Tara + Shawn's florals. The colour palette could be described as watermelon with warm tones of burgundy, blush, salmon and champagne. Very relaxed and 'of the earth'. We even picked lots of the foliage from our own cutting gardens here at the studio ... peegee hydrangeas, antique green hydrangea, mint, fern fronds, clematis vine and more.
Our best wishes to Tara + Shawn ... and cheers to late summer weddings in Niagara's wine country!
This closeup of the bride's bouquet gives you a good idea of the colour palette we were working with ... watermelon with warm tones of burgundy, blush, salmon and champagne!
Tara's bridal bouquet ... delicious!
The colour matched bridesmaid's bouquets ...
The Vineland Estates Winery Carriage House at Vineland Estates Winery is an amazing stone room with a bank of windows across the east wall facing out over the vineyards with the Niagara Escarpment in the background ... one of our most favourite places to celebrate a Niagara wedding!
Tara + Shawn's wedding ceremony took place outside on the north deck ... we created twin oversized arrangements to flank the ceremony area. We're loving our giant earthy chocolate vessels for these florals!
These centerpieces were definitely our favourites this weekend ... lush, full florals ... they looked quite at home in the Carriage House!
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Stephanie + Danny's Vineyard Wedding
Posted August 09 2010 | 3 comments
Another first for us ... in ten years of designing flowers for weddings, we've never done one on a Monday ... until today!!
Stephanie + Danny's Jewish wedding ceremony was supposed to take place under the custom-made birch log chuppah we created for them ... but just 10 minutes before the ceremony, the skies opened up and the rain fell. Ever the optimists, Stephanie + Danny simply moved the ceremony indoors to the Vineyard Retreat at Cave Springs.
Suffice it to say, we were a little sad for our bride and groom ... that they weren't able to be wed in the vineyard under the chuppah ... but love knows no boundaries and come rain or come shine, Stephanie + Danny's love certainly weathered this little hurdle. :)
Cheers guys! We wish the newly weds blessings in their marriage.
Bliss was the colour palette for this smashing brides' bouquet ... how lovely!
Our Chuppah looked absolutely amazing out among the graperows in the vineyards ... lovin' it!!
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Andrea + Jeff: Wed in Niagara on the Lake Wine Country
Posted August 09 2010 | Leave a Comment ...
What a weekend for love!!! The weather was near perfect, the venues and vendors we worked with were amazing and, if you don't mind us saying, the flowers were fantastic as well!! ;)
Calgarians Andrea + Jeff were married in the Rose Garden at Pillar and Post and later that evening hosted a celebratory dinner reception in the Grand Georgian Ballroom at Queen's Landing in Niagara on the Lake ... two fine choices indeed!
Andrea's colour palette was a version of our Shade palette augmented with accents of grey/pewter and featuring hits of chocolate and deep purply burgundy ... cool, refreshing, upscale gardeny look with attitude!
Thanks to Andrea + Jeff for indulging our passion for their wedding flowers ... best wishes!!!
Andrea's bouquet featured some cascading Amaranthus and we hand-tied in the lace detailing on the stem. The bouquet also featured raspberry, mint, lavender and fern fronds from our organic cutting gardens here at the studio!
The wedding ceremony in the Rose Garden at Pillar and Post featured our Grapevine Arbour, Shepherd's Hooks lining the aisle (with rose petals!) and twin oversized floral arrangements flanking the altar area.
Lately we're loving how Parasols are showing up at the wedding ceremony ... form and function!
The wedding party looked totally amazing ... tried our best to get some good photos, but had to dance around both the official photographer and the cinematographers!!
And finally our modelicious bride Andrea and her father ... about to escort her down the aisle!!
In the Grand Georgian Ballroom, we created a birch and willow canopy under which the head table was placed ... all lit up with soft glowing lantern and flood lights, it was ammmmmazing ... wish we coulda dined under there!
The guest tables featured our full floral centerpieces with Simply Beautiful Décor providing the crystal globe lanterns, chargers, linens and chiavari chairs.
In the Atrium (which was the cocktail area) under the giant chandelier we created this big conversation piece from cork, large slabs of walnut tree, willow and a plethora of flowers and candlelight!
These absolutely delicious cupcakes and wedding cake were designed by the talented team at Vineyard Sweets ... as beautiful to taste as they are to look at!
Ceremony Location: Pillar and Post, Niagara on the Lake
Wedding Venue: Queen's Landing, Niagara on the Lake
Wedding Cake: Vineyard Sweets
Linens, Chiavari Chairs: Simply Beautiful Décor
Wedding Flowers: Vintage Design Co.
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Vintage Design Co.
We are an award-winning Niagara floral design studio specializing exclusively in weddings and events.
We are artists who take pride in creating specifically for our couples … to produce just exactly what it is that makes them gasp and say, “That’s it! That’s us!”.
Our rich, full centerpieces, venue décor and bridal bouquets inspire a natural yet contemporary presence – creating the ambience that makes your day extraordinary!
We live for styling flowers at Niagara’s finest wineries, event venues, hotels, restaurants and chapels!
Recent Entries
Jennifer + Robert at The Embassy Grand in Brampton
Caley + Richard at the Richmond Hill Country Club
Sarah + Sumit at The Good Earth Food and Wine Co.
Kendra + Miles at Riverbend Inn & Vineyard
Janice + Mike at The Grand Victorian in Niagara on the Lake
The Orchard’s Longest Table with Food TV’s Chef Ricardo
Kristin + Ryan at Queen’s Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Tara + Shawn say ‘I Do’ at Vineland Estates Winery
Stephanie + Danny’s Vineyard Wedding
Andrea + Jeff: Wed in Niagara on the Lake Wine Country
Resources
The Swish List - Niagara's Finest Wedding Professionals
Chateau des Charmes
Distinct Occasions
Good Earth Cooking School & Food Co.
The Grand Victorian
The Inn on the Twenty
Nataschia Wielink Photography
One Fine Day - Event Planning & Design
Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Pillar and Post
Queen's Landing
Riverbend Inn & Vineyard
Rockway Glen Golf Course & Estate Winery
Simply Beautiful Décor
Stec Photographers
Stephen Dominick Studio
Vineland Estates Winery
Vintage Hotels
Willow Cakes & Pastries
Vineyard Sweets - Wedding Cake Design
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Tags » Niagara on the Lake, Peach, Kurtz Orchards, Tablescape, Ricardo