Each year as the holidays draw to a close, wedding planners brace for the influx of new business, created by an abundance of proposals that happen every year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. If you find yourself planning a wedding for the New Year, congratulations on your new engagement!

In the spirit of the New Year, here are a few resolutions to keep in mind as you plan your special day.

Do: Take it step by step. Checklists will help you to organize your thoughts and keep your sanity.

Do: Follow your own personality and unique flair..

Don’t: Feel pressured to follow a formula.

Do: Research top wedding trends, colors and tips on wedding sites for awesome ideas.

Do: Decide on the guest list first, then pick a venue that will work. Your décor will naturally follow.

Don’t: Stress too much. Wedding planning is a celebration, not a chore.

The same rules apply when it comes to choosing your wedding floral arrangements and bouquets. Whether you love the idea of a traditional wedding, are wistful for the nostalgia of a vintage wedding, or prefer to spice things up with dramatic contemporary elements; Gainan’s Flowers has the expert advice and floral selection you are looking for.

Tip: This year’s hottest style trends include the 2016 Pantone colors of Quartz Rose and Serenity Blue, which are soft shades of pink and blue. The colors create a warm, country ambiance with an antique touch, and are a great starting point for anyone looking to utilize trending style while not sacrificing tradition.

Gainan’s Flowers stands ready to help you to plan your 2016 Billings area wedding. Whatever your style, preferences or budget – we can assist with wedding planning that never loses sight of the fact that your day is just for you. Congratulations again on your engagement – we hope you will allow Gainan’s Flowers to help create your perfect wedding day.

You’re a trend-setter and a free spirit. You’ve always done things your own way. And when it comes to choosing a time of year for your wedding, it might be slightly nontraditional to select winter – but it is just your style.

One of the more popular color palettes of the season is ivory and gray. So starting there as inspiration, here are some helpful tips to keep everyone warm and happy, even on a cold winter day.

• Acquire gray and white fur lined boots for the bridesmaids to wear between the ceremony and the venue; or for outdoor photos. Pair dark gray gowns with light gray or white fur lined capes; or an ivory woolen coat that complements the dress.
• A little cold is no excuse to dispense with the romance. A horse drawn carriage – or if snowy enough, a sleigh – is made possible by cozy white and gray down blankets to keep the bride and groom warm as they travel in style.
• Consider portable space heaters to warm walkways, from parking lots to sidewalks if there is not valet parking at the venue.
• Create the warmth immediately; provide a gathering place complete with roaring fireplace, hot white chocolate mocha and silver-gray ornaments, baubles and accents.
• Line interior walkways with large winter branches adorned with white snowflakes and pewter stars. Icicle lights can create a starry or snowy indoor scene.
• The elegance of gray can turn simple place cards and table numbers into works of art; choose an opaque ivory card, embossed with charcoal calligraphy worthy of framing.

Although gray flowers are fairly rare, ivory roses, hydrangeas and spider mums look elegantly frosty when air brushed with a gray tint – the same floral scheme can be used in bridal bouquets, place settings accents, centerpieces and cake details. The gray and ivory perfectly reflect the steely beauty of the winter months, and your winter wedding celebration.

For all your wedding floral arrangements, call Gainan’s. We love proving that winter weddings are as beautiful as any other time of the year and are here to help you create a winter wonderland all your own.

Is there anything more romantic than a rose? Roses are the quintessential flower of love, and therefore of weddings. From deep and passionate red roses, to pure white – roses bring drama and eloquence to any wedding bouquet or centerpiece.

Tea roses originally came from China, and are so named because their light aroma resembles that of tea leaves. Tea roses are grown as bushy shrubs with many flowers, known to have some of the most beautifully delicate naturally occurring hues in the floral world. The blooms are known as “weak-necked”, and the blossoms often droop, with the flowers looking downward; they also are quite susceptible to weather damage and can have their petals “ball up” or spot.

Because of these attributes, hybrid tea roses were cultivated. The hybrids retain the full, lush head of the tea rose, but stand straight up on long stems; their popularity caused extensive continued hybridization into more colors. Hybrid tea roses are actually the flowers you will find in flower shops; their “stiff necks” are more appropriate for bouquets and arrangements.

With a full spectrum of colors to choose from, and a decidedly elegant aura, roses can fit into nearly any wedding motif. From vibrant purples and oranges, to more traditional reds, whites and pinks; roses are used for the bridal bouquet; for striking ceremony flowers, or as décor for the reception. The classic rose can be quite prolific, showing up as lapel boutonnieres and as stunning garnish for the wedding cake itself.

Some things just never go out of style. Tea roses are likely to enjoy a long tenure as the flower of choice for every special occasion, but most certainly for weddings. Come into any of our locations to see the varieties and colors of tea roses best for your bouquets, altar flowers and venue décor; your wedding roses are sure to be almost as beautiful as you on your wedding day.

Vintage weddings have always been popular, but it seems they are becoming even more so with every passing season. Perhaps with the world getting ever more fast paced and complex, people yearn for a simpler moment in time to celebrate. Whatever the reason, there is no denying the popularity. The word vintage evokes images of anything from our past. From the whimsical and extroverted fun of the Roaring 20’s, to the sophistication and elegance of the first Hollywood starlets; or even the rustic vintage setting of an old barn with bunting, homemade desserts and an old fashioned tea party; vintage is here to stay.

The venue obviously goes a long way to contributing to the mood of the day, and couples are choosing such unique settings as old movie theaters and railroad depots – which incidentally make for stunning photo shoots. Be creative when looking for a space. If the perfect location doesn’t advertise rentals, don’t be shy! Ask about the possibility of holding your celebration in the space; it will make your wedding even more memorable and unique. Strings of old lights, mismatched furniture and do-it-yourself decorations are all popular trends in these venues.

Vintage dresses can come in the form of old fashioned lace with high necks, or daring, sleek gowns inspired by the red carpet. Pearls and old jewelry are popular accent details, and the flowers are instrumental in defining your style. Classic romantic blooms include tea roses or lavish peonies reminiscent of the garden; graceful, elegant lilies give off a more cultured and upscale vibe. Whatever your theme, the floral arrangements from the aisle to the head table; from the bridal bouquet to the place settings – will go a long way to creating the ambiance you desire. Create a nostalgic walk in the country or an exciting walk down the red carpet, all with flowers. Gainan’s Flowers of Billings has the expertise, experience and inspiration you need to create a beautifully vintage wedding from start to finish. Call us today, and create the journey into the past that will be the perfect beginning to your new life.

If you are looking for unique floral bouquets and decorations for your wedding, foliage and greenery provide a lush option. Herbs such as rosemary and mint, ferns and ivy are all popular ways this year to create striking looks that depart from the ordinary. There are many ways that you can infuse greenery into your wedding with a fresh and basic design.

From graceful ivy headbands to herbal bouquets, weddings in 2015 are celebrating nature like never before. Rustic outdoor venues are gorgeously complemented with moss runners on the tables. When strewn with wildflowers, and accented with candles in glass vases, you will create a romantic woodland effect. Hanging lanterns or antique chandeliers look hauntingly beautiful draped in trailing vines, and whimsical centerpieces can be easily and affordably made by utilizing natural containers, ferns and leaves surrounding a single candle.

Green accents can be utilized to decorate place settings, create a verdant backdrop for photos or adorn the bride and groom’s chairs. Ideas are limited only to your vivid imagination and your personal vision for your wedding day. Send your guests home with a lasting reminder of the day; tiny terrariums with succulent blossoms make lasting keepsakes for your guests that will last long after the celebration of the day.

However you choose to infuse greenery into your wedding décor and flowers, you can be assured it will lend a classic effect reminiscent of natural beauty. The wedding experts at Gainan’s Flowers look forward to assisting you with selecting the perfect flowers, arrangements and greenery to make your day as special as you want it to be. Visit us at any of our three  Billings locations for inspiration.

The wedding colors you choose will decide the ambiance for the event. The colors tie together all of the other details and elements—from the flower girls sashes to the ambient lighting. When choosing your palette, it’s best to go with what you love – your style and personality are sure to shine through. If your home and your wardrobe are saturated with a specific color, that may be a color to consider. Doing so will ensure that your wedding is a true reflection of you. Of course, we have plenty of inspiration online as well; wedding sites such as the The Knot and social media sites like Pinterest are fantastic sources of ideas.

And what you are likely to find on these sites is pink – lots of pinks. From blushes to fuchsias, the color remains one of the most popular choices that brides make.

Maybe pink is so sought after because it is known to be the color of romance. Maybe it is because there are so many shades to choose from, or that the colors match with so many color palettes. Or maybe it is because some of the most gorgeous and elegant blooms available come in shades of pinks – luscious peonies, sophisticated roses, whimsical tulips and carefree hydrangeas. These flowers create beautiful bouquets, whether the arrangements are all one type of flower, or if you mix and match numerous varieties.

Pink represents romance, demure affection and purity. Choosing a coral or hot pink brings in a bit more excitement and passion, but the romance remains. To plan your pink – or any other color – weddings, call Gainan’s Flowers (delete the word Shop) in Billings to help you get started with the bouquets, centerpieces and floral arrangements. We have the flowers – you bring the passion and personality.

When it comes to creating floral designs for weddings, our flower designers here at Gainan’s Weddings are always busy. The summer wedding season is barely getting started and we’re already gearing up for fall weddings. It’s always exciting to learn all the newest wedding trends of the season. The trends that are very hot for Fall of 2015 are quite different than anything we’ve seen before.

Colors

Wedding trend experts from The Knot explain that color diversity is very trendy this fall. Red in wine-colored hues is the season’s hottest color, and other colors are playing off of that. What makes this season’s colors so special is the combination of pastels – which are cool colors, with warm, earthy colors like burgundy red. Consider a palette of a rich wine colored red with a grayish-blue heather, lavender, or even blush. We see these colors in the clothing the bridal party wears, and in the flowers that they carry. It’s different from any color scheme we’ve seen in the past, but it really brightens up the look, and it doesn’t detract from the seasonal feel at all.

Copper is another big color trend this fall. We’re seeing copper chargers under plates, and copper Moscow mules for cocktails. Instead of the usual silver-colored flatware, this year, gold is replacing silver. The gold flatware is sure to look fantastic with copper accents in the form of candleholders or industrial metal planters.

Reception Décor and Table Settings

The biggest trend in centerpieces and floral arrangements is the use of foliage – and lots of it. We’re seeing a reversal in the ratio of leaves to flowers. We are also seeing a trend that favors rustic centerpieces – especially for weddings where guests are seated at long farm-style tables. Instead of formal vases, planter boxes are the season’s hit. We’re seeing those boxes in several materials, including wood and metal in very rustic settings, and ceramic for more sophisticated or formal events.

Eucalyptus leaves are very popular in planter boxes that are used as centerpieces. So are ferns and ornamental grasses. The contrast between the grayish green of eucalyptus leaves, and the red, brown and oat color of grasses, works well with different hues of deep red. The use of foliage isn’t restricted to planter boxes. It’s the biggest trend in floral design for fall weddings of the year. We’re also seeing twigs and raffia, a combination that is perfect for wreaths – depending on the wedding theme and setting. Once again, rich red flowers will contrast with the leaves. With this look, you really want people to see the twigs and raffia.

If you’re planning a fall wedding, and you want to incorporate the season’s trends into your wedding theme, flowers, and colors, look to the rich colors of the season. And for lighting, things go retro – with lighting that uses Edison bulbs. You won’t have to worry about whether the lighting will work with your table décor or flowers.