Double duty day

I work a Tuesday through Saturday schedule, which was a surprise to my mom when we finally began talking again. I didn't tell her that I volunteered for the shift so that I could have the same schedule as Trinity - I don't think she's at that point of acceptance yet. I know I've mentioned before that I used to work for my mom, the florist. I never did much floral design myself, but became an expert of sorts in draping, which she uses for her various weddings and parties. Anyway, lately, she's been asking me for help with some of her bigger events. I actually did most of this work last night (I did, after all, have to work today) but went back to take pictures with her camera and my camera. (My mom seems to think that because I took a photography class, my taking the pictures is better.) Here are some of the photos:


The party was an 18th birthday debutante ball-type of deal. Filipinos tend to do these up really elaborate, and this is possibly one of the best examples of really elaborate. This scene here was just the entrance. I didn't include it, but there was actually another one of those tall arrangements at the flanking the other side of the room entrance.


This is, obviously, the main focal point of the room, what we call a head table and backdrop. For some Godforsaken reason my mom had shown these folks pictures of work done by another company that was gaudy, pre-done and dripping with silk flowers. The family wanted us to copy those pictures, for some odd reason, but whatever - I did it my own way anyway. Besides, I knew what they wanted - real gold, real flow-y, real elaborate. Most of the material used is organza, English netting, plus this really soft gold, glittery netting that I love to use. My mom makes her own knots and all the flowers are real. By the way, is that photo lopsided or what?


I just had to include a photo of the regular tables. The family rented the cream-colored, organza tablecloth overlays for each of the tables, plus white seat covers, from my mom. Of course, you couldn't really see the seat covers in these pictures. I just want to point out that each table had several votive candles, a program featuring that picture of the debutante that was blown up for the entrance, plus a glass rose as a giveaway. Dude, this is an 18th birthday party, not a wedding - remember that.


Ah yes, and this is the cake table. Also done up with that gold netting, organza, English netting and plenty of real flowers, mostly stargazer lilies, rose petals on the cake table and stephanotis in the cake. The cake was really tipsy, though - every time someone stepped on the riser (yes, the head table and cake table were on risers), the top layer would shiver.

So there's a quick rundown of some of the work I used to do on a regular basis. The designing is pretty cool - there's nothing better than working under deadline to finish something you can see and feel later on. I don't miss doing the grunt work - planning Saturday itineraries, being short, therefore being the one to load arrangements and equipment into the van, especially in really hot weather (why is it there are more weddings during the summer?!), looking up directions, especially for my mom who hates to take the freeway (somehow, she makes it work). But having woked on, say, an average of three of these type of weddings/parties a month over five years, you can see why I opted for the park near the ocean on the night of a blue moon in a simple, store-bought, white dress with a bouquet picked from a garden just 30 minutes prior when I got married. (P.S. I added the copyright watermarks and made the pictures as small as possible so that they won't get jacked. If you only knew how many times people have taken pictures without permission just to try to imitate.....man.)