Todich Floral Design Blog

Winter is a very romantic season - just think of snow covered streets, the fireplace, a little champagne, and your loved one cuddled up next to you. Winter is also a great season for having a wedding. We have been getting a lot of inquiries about decorating weddings this winter, so here are just a few ideas of how you can make your winter wedding unforgettable.

Colours

White colour imposes itself upon the event not only as the colour of winter, but also as a symbol of elegance. It reminds of freshness and futurism, but also of esteem and purity.

Secondary colours you may want to consider this season are purple and violet, in various tones. They are strong and represent a great contrast with the overall white presence of winter, and also give of a feeling of freshness and vitality.

Decorations

Decorative elements for a winter wedding are sparkling, glamourous, crystalline, glossy. If roses are used, they should be more open, and seem foamy or sugar sprayed and have the visual effect of natural ice gloss.

Buttonholes made from (fake) fur in pastels are very trendy, and really go well with the winter season.

Bags and muffs are simple, without too much detail, but can be with small bouquets for those who like the natural look.

Tables are decorated with glass like bowls with high stems or with square shaped or cylindrical jars, which are very decorative, filled with gel and coloured pebbles.

Use candles to give the whole event a touch of glamour. Not too many, just enough to bring a little extravagance to the festivity.

Flowers

Bridal bouquets are made from a single flower – a rose, calla lily or amaryllis. If the bridal bouquet is made as a hanging floral arrangement, then it is very long, maybe even a few yards, touching the floor, with attached dendrobium or stephanotis flowers.

Decorative flowers at the venue should closely follow the colour theme you chose for the bridal bouquet. In this case, purple and violet, maybe a bit lighter tones, just enough to help emphasize the bridal bouquet and the bride and groom as the centre of this festive occasion.

The whole decorative design and service must be well executed to convey an image of perfect balance and harmony on your wedding day this winter. We understand this all to well, and always go the extra mile to ensure nothing is left to chance.

This is just an example of what your winter wedding could be, and we hope we have at least helped you a little bit. Depending on your inspiration, you may come up with a very different vision. Whatever you choose to do, we at Todich Floral Design always work with you to provide the design and service that is coherent with your vision of a perfect wedding.

Getting married this winter? Get in touch with us and find out how we can make your dream wedding come true.

It’s a jungle out there! Long hours, working weekends, endlessly increasing expectations and pressure - you have to unwind and blow off some steam. Ah, the office Christmas party, let’s go wild and party like there’s no tomorrow. Sounds good, right? Well, wrong. This is not an occasion that should be taken too lightly.

Depending on the working environment, we will all have a different experience at office parties. Some will enjoy a relaxed, informal atmosphere in which a little loose behaviour may be tolerated, but some will end up in the unemployed waiting line if they are not careful. Here’s a list with a couple of pointers on how to survive the office Christmas party season.

Don’t drink too much

This may seem obvious enough, but it is very important. It’s easy to get carried away and drink too much. More booze means more potential trouble as the party progresses. Almost all problems at these parties are a direct consequence of individuals not being able to control themselves having had too much to drink. Try to avoid standing to close to the Christmas trees, the last thing you need is a close encounter with it.

Make an effort to attend

Do whatever you can to show up at the party. This way, you will not only make sure you are there to meet everyone, but also you will show that you see yourself as part of the “family”, and the rest should see you that way as well. Additionally, if you’ve already told someone from your company you will attend, than you really should.

Control your emotions

No, this doesn’t mean you should withhold, but don’t overdo it either. Crying and emotional outbursts are not something you want to happen on an occasion like this. You will be exposed to everyone’s eyes and judgment, especially from senior employees, many of whom can significantly impact your future with the company. Many of us have problems in our professional and private life. Added to every day stress and pressure, these problems are time bombs waiting for a relaxed, alcohol catalysed situation, to come out. Don’t forget, it’s a party, you should relax and unwind, but not turn the whole experience into a therapy session. Problems should be solved elsewhere. If you are very troubled, make a proper excuse for not showing up at the party at all, and have some quality time for yourself.

Keep your private life to yourself

This is in direct relationship with the previous point. Keep your private life to yourself. This will not only protect your integrity in the long run, but it will also help you listen to other people, engage in relaxed chit chat, and present yourself to your colleagues as a fun and enjoyable person that you are.

Be attractive, but don’t show too much

Wardrobe is an important part of your appearance anywhere. Even though no one should be judged by the clothes they wear, in the corporate world, visual appearance is an important part in the grand scheme of things. Many of us will be eager to leave a strong impression on everyone attending the party, but things shouldn’t go too far. Keep it simple, elegant, and moderate. Don’t show too much, and you will be fine. And guys, this goes for you as well.

Relax, mingle, chat, stay connected

Ok, everything said so far may have put some pressure on you, but they are just things to keep in mind before you go to the company Christmas party. In the end, it’s still just a party. You should have fun, mingle, chat and make new connections. Don’t just spend time with people you know from your department, but try and meet some of the other people working at the company. There may be opportunities you are not even aware of right now, that you may learn of from others. Take a little, but also share a little, and most of all enjoy yourself!

With all the office and home decorations ahead, we at Todich Floral Design will probably be working during the holidays, but that’s okay - we love to help people enjoy themselves. We will have a little office party of our own, but ready to take orders from our clients at any time. C’est la vie!

By the way, if you are organising an office party, take a look at what we can do for you.

We are always happy to help people organise an event. It makes us feel as though we are a part of something bigger than us, something that will inspire a whole lot of people, and bring a little joy to everyday life.

This year the borough of Newham is home to a special Christmas event called Lithuanian Christmas. In cooperation with the Lithuanian Embassy, this fair is to take place on Meridian Square, starting on December 13. The Lithuanian Embassy has donated to Newham a huge Christmas tree, provided through Todich Floral Design. The tree has been placed in the middle of Meridian Square, to be part of the three day fair.

Newham has one of the most culturally diverse populations in the UK, and the Lithuanian community plays an important role in contributing to the vibrant atmosphere of the borough. This is a formidable opportunity to bring closer Lithuanian culture and tradition to the residents of London. If you are in the neighbourhood, stop by and enjoy the festivities. We are only too happy to have taken a small part in preparing this event.

When there has been a bereavement we all want to show our sympathy to the family and to commemorate the deceased. Flowers are a great way to do this, but what are the right flowers to send?

Here at flowers24hours we recently became aware of how easily a misunderstanding can arise. We delivered a tribute of a Funeral Flower Cushion (ID:922) to a bereaved family in England, ordered by someone in the United Arab Emirates. The family were taken aback when a funeral tribute arrived at their house on the day after the death of their husband and father. The date for the funeral had not yet been set and would be at least a week away.

They were upset and confused and almost did not look at the card. When they did all became clear. The sender was from a Muslim country where funerals take place within 24 hours. They accepted that the flowers were to show sympathy with the family, although not entirely appropriate in a home setting.

So care has to be taken what to send and to where. A simple rule is that wreaths and other funeral flower arrangements such as crosses, prayer books, hearts, initials are to accompany the coffin on its last journey and should mostly be sent to the undertakers or funeral parlour. Bouquets or vase arrangements are usually sent in sympathy to the family. It’s best to choose subdued tones such white, cream or lilac for these.

Just yesterday we received an unusual request for flowers to be delivered to a service at the Emirates Stadium in memory of a lifelong Arsenal fan. The design chosen was Eternity - white lilies, which in most cases I would recommend as a very suitable flower for the occasion but they are perhaps more closely matched to the Gunners’ great rivals, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club - also known to their supporters as the Lilywhites!

There are many traditions in Theatreland and giving flowers to wish good luck is only one of them, but it is our contact with the glittering celebrity scene. We get quite a thrill sometimes from seeing the orders go out into the glamorous world of London’s West End. We have twice in recent months taken flowers to Orlando Bloom appearing in In Celebration at the Duke of York’s Theatre.. We also delivered 30 red roses to Turkish pop singer Sezen Aksu at the Albert Hall. Only this week we had to prepare Diva , a bouquet of white roses, for Denise Van Outen on her first night in Rent also at the Duke of York’s Theatre. Once the driver was on his way there a new order arrived with us for a delivery to Ashley Wallen the dancer and choreographer who is also with the same show.

Our driver Mariusz was pleased to go back to the Duke of York’s again as he had not managed to see Denise on his first trip and hoped to catch a glimpse of her dressed in black leather and fishnet stockings for her role as the bisexual Maureen. Alas he was disappointed again. Please send more flowers to glamorous celebrities and satisfy his longing to meet his idols!

The mainstay of Christmas wreaths and flower decorations is European Holly, or ilex aquifolium in Latin, with its evergreen spiky leaves, spreading branches and shiny red berries. Holly are flowering shrubs and trees from 2 to 25 meters tall, widespread in Europe, Asia and the Americas. There are 400 species of flowering plants in the Ilex family.

The seasonal practice of decorating with holly is not an idea developed in modern times. Going back to the ancient Celtic religion , the druids believed that the true meaning of holly was that the red berries stand for female vital powers, while the white berries of the mistletoe plant symbolise the male force. Both species played an important role at midwinter celebrations as the mystical parents who would bring new life at springtime. The druids worshipped holly, as a holy tree, thus the word “holly”.

Even the old Romans thought that holly brought health and joy. A popular belief was that holly could banish evil powers. This is the root of the custom of placing holly on the chimney breast during Christmas time - to prevent evil ghosts entering the house through the chimney. Door wreaths guarded the entrances.

What better way is there to keep a serene and happy family party than by protecting your house from evil influences with Christmas holly wreaths?

Have a Happy Christmas and a Joyful New Year!

So many offices have a dull uniform work space. Why not spread some sunshine around with office flowers? We can supply weekly ever changing displays and help to reignite your workers’ enthusiasm for office life.

And in Reception, too, a display of beautiful blooms can demonstrate the success of your company to potential clients before you even speak to them. Flowers can give a whole new aspect to your marketing.

Both workplace and reception can benefit from bright ever-changing floral displays.

We hope to be able to use these blog pages to talk about what is new and exciting in the world of flowers … or even what is old and exciting - I heard recently that orchids have been discovered to have been around since the days of the dinosaurs. Ancient pollen on a fossilised bee was found to be from an early orchid.

Hello, and welcome to our wonderful world of flowers! We hope to be able to use this blog to talk with you about what is new and exciting in the world of flowers.

But first - about us. We are able to supply flowers for every occasion. Our trained florists make up floral arrangements and hand tied bouquets to order in our workshops. See our website at www.todichfloraldesign.co.uk for images of all of our many products. We can even work to your design, or advise you on which flowers will match your decor or dress.

Remember that the earlier you speak to us about your event the more choice of blooms you will have and the better the decoration will be.

We specialise in weddings, office flowers and corporate events. Just call us and give us some idea of what you want, when you want it and your budget and we will lead you through the planning stages to ensure your event is a floral feast to be remembered.