life and other complications: spring has sprung (finding a florist)*

the weather is warmer, baseball season has begun, and my ability to breathe freely has been greatly compromised. so it's only appropriate that we now begin our florist search, allergies be damned.

to recap, so far we've got a wedding planner, a venue, a lighting designer**, a band, a photographer and a dress (no details on that one. a girl's got to have at least one secret...) just as everything else is important, so too is the florist. just to clarify, a florist is about more than flowers. way more. table coverings, stemware, china, silver, candles, napkin rings--all of these fall within the florist's domain. florists we are currently thinking about:

DeJuan Stroud thus far, we've met with DeJuan and loved his portfolio. importantly, he has worked in the Metropolitan Club plenty of times. when my mom and i met with him, he had immediate ideas about the shape and height of arrangements that was 100% in line with my taste. although "low and tight" has been my flowers mantra, i am starting to rethink that. looking at DeJuan's book, there were many fluid arrangements with which i was entirely enamored.

DeJuan was also completely charming, easy to talk to and easy to understand. i know little about flowers and/or tabletop decor, but he made a lot of sense and took time to explain anything i was unfamiliar with. since he's the first (and only) florist we have yet met, we are going to have other appointments. but as it stands now, i really liked him a lot and would feel confident working with him. (his ideas for my bouquet were spectacular!) yes, the alliterations are painful-- they hurt me too! but i'm hopped up on my Singulair/Zyrtec/Nasocort prescription cocktail and to my drug-addled brain, they seemed, for a moment, inspired.** happily, our venue has an exclusive lighting contract with Bentley Meeker, so that's one decision off of our plate. apparently he did Eddie Murphy's wedding. what's good enough for Eddie is good enough for Thurston! (after all, like Eddie's, T's girl likes to party all the time, party all the time, party all the time.)