Michael Daigian Design a San Francisco Floral and Event Design Studio

Press: Farmhouse Chic Wedding on Style Me Pretty

2012-01-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to see one of our wedding's on the main blog of Style Me Pretty once again! The wedding of Christine and Kevin was so wonderful to be a part of and the venue, The Carneros Inn, was as beautiful as always.

Image provided by Tiny Dot Photography

The color palette felt so effortless and chic with soft pinks, cream, white and grey with pops of cranberry red throughout the wedding. The use of hanging glass bubbles filled with orchids or ranunculas from thin sheer ribbons, different shaped vases for the cocktail hour decor with cranberry red ribbon ties, birch lined vases in the reception and a custom made 3 tiered birch cake complimented the contemporary yet rustic design aesthetic of the Carneros Inn.

Image provided by Tiny Dot Photography

Please take a look at the gallery of beautiful images from this Farmhouse Chic wedding on Style Me Pretty and tell us what you think.

Inspiration: Escort Card Table

2012-01-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

It is all in the details...I bet you have heard that one before and it is true.The perfect place to start is the Escort Card table display. This is one of the places for your wedding that you can be really creative and go all out with your wedding theme. Getting really creative and being original with your Escort Card table display has become the trend and here are a few examples to give you some inspiration for what to do on your special day.

Contemporary Chic Wedding:

Fuchsia and Wine Carnation Monogram Escort Card Display

Frame filled with burgundy carnations and yellow carnation pomander balls with framed escort cards

Crisp wheat grass filled white boxes to display the escort cards. Copper curled wire served as the escort card holder adding a pop of color against the fresh green.

Elegant City Wedding:

Olive tree with hanging cards from ribbon and sandblasted manzanita branches with hanging glass bubbles of orange and yellow poppies

Vibrant orange, yellow and fuchsia rose petals covered the entire table with the escort cards placed on top of the bed of petals. Each card was accented with a small orange marigold to add another texture to the display.

Rustic Wine Country Wedding:

Custom made boxes lined with moss and adorned with grapes, grape vines and white dahlias. Escort cards were secured in custom wine corks with the couple's names.


Custom designed easel and board made with birch, mossy branches and wrought iron. The base of the display is adorned with moss, pine, birch and local greenery for this wedding.

Escort cards were placed in corks that were pinned into moss, that filled the custom made boxes. The boxes were wrapped with birch bark and adorned with wine grapes and champagne grapes

Rustic Garden Wedding:

Sweet white pales each filled with one type of flower in the colors of the wedding, these then became the centerpieces.

Small mason jars with either a fuchsia peony or fuchsia bloom of hydrangea and the cards were attached by a navy, chartreuse green or light pink ribbon to show the caterer what they will be eating. These mason jars were placed on the guests tables once they sat to enhance the centerpiece that was already placed.

Escort cards were hung from sandblasted manzanita branches with satin ribbons. The base of the branches were covered with a lush arrangement of peonies, stock, freesia, garden roses and orchids. To make it easier for your guests if you wedding is large use multiple branches and separate the alphabet in sections like we did for this wedding.

Whimsical Wedding:


Fun and unexpected! Fashion themed wedding where we custom built this structure to look like stacked spools of thread. Yarn was used to represent enlarged thread and to give the spools color and texture.


If you don't have a theme for your wedding you could do a original display with something that you love. This couple loved chocolate so chocolate chips seemed only fitting and a fun touch to add to the table. The chocolate chips offered a contrast between the white cards and the white table cloth. Make sure it is not too hot on your wedding to do something like this otherwise you will have a chocolate brown table cloth!

Real Weddings: Anderson Ranch, Kenwood, CA

2012-01-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

Juli and Conor were married on June 17th 2011 at the gorgeous and eclectically decorated Anderson Ranch in Kenwood, CA. We had not met Juli and Conor before delivering the flowers on their wedding day, we only spoke on the phone and through email to discuss the floral designs for their intimate wedding. That can be a little nerve-racking but we were on the same page of what the designs should be from the get go. We love it when there is that instant connection...even when it's over the phone.

When we arrived to the Ranch it was about 85 degrees, quite warm when you are used to San Francisco climate in the summer. With the great weather and relaxed atmosphere it felt like a mini vacation. The ranch was absolutely breathtaking, you couldn't help but feel at peace there and in awe of the views. Juli was one of the sweetest and calmest brides we have met, she said "The bouquets and flowers were exactly what I was envisioning and then some", always great to hear from a pleased client, especially when you just met her face to face hours from her walk down the aisle.

Film provided by LoveSpun Handmade Wedding Films

Juli and Conor had hand picked a stellar group of vendors with Scott Andrew taking awe inspiring shots, Jessica from LoveSpun filming each special moment of the day, Ramekins Catering with their drool worthy creations and of course Michael Daigian Design designing delicate vintage inspired arrangements.

Please view the entire album on Facebook.

Real Weddings: Burlingame Country Club

2011-12-30T13:49:00.000-08:00

This wedding might be familiar to a few of you, we did a post about having a Plan B with an outdoor wedding in May after we worked on this wedding. We now have elegant shots from the wonderful Anna Kuperberg to show off the Modern Classic designs we created for Eloise and Ryans wedding and the nice weather that held up through the ceremony. Thank you to Stacy from Stacy McCain Events for making everything run smoothly and working out a Plan B just in case of rain. Thank goodness we got to go with Plan A but it's best to always be prepared for the worst.

The bride kept her bouquet classic with all white peonies but we added modern twists to the reception with wheat grass, Kermit mums and moss balls. One of our favorite pieces of the wedding was an iron birdcage that we adorned with flowers, moss and greenery to look as if the flowers had grown there naturally, it was enchanting.

Eloise and Ryan's story of how they met re-instills the belief in fate. It all started when Ryan left a note on Eloise's father's car to see if he would be interested to sell it...he didn't get the car but he got the girl. Every couple has a funny or cute story about how they met, incorporate it in the wedding somehow to share the story with your guests and use it to add personal touches throughout the wedding.

Please view the full gallery Here

What do you do with all those extra cords from electronics and outdated electronic devices?

2011-12-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity to really step out of the box for a clients event this past October with a tech theme. When we got the call for this event we immediately went through a few boxes labeled "Random Parts" ,that were stashed in the back of our supply closet, to see what we had in the way of electronics that could give us some inspiration. We found old floppy disks, CD's, Ethernet cables, phone lines, old cell phones, key boards and for some reason circuit boards and old computer replacement parts. The design process started off great thanks to our plethora of random electronic parts and forgotten dated technology, good thing we pretty much keep everything over here at MDD.

In light of the Holidays we call these our "Where past Christmas presents end up" centerpieces. We have you intrigued, right? Click here to see the full album on our Facebook page.

Let us know what you think!

Real Weddings: Viansa Winery, Sonoma

2011-12-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

Jessica and Mike were such a laid-back and cool couple to work with from the first time we met to the wedding day. Their vintage inspired wedding took place at the beautiful Viansa Winery in Sonoma, CA. The views were breathtaking, the sun was out and everyone was relaxed, it was perfect!

We also got the chance to work with the wonderful vendors that the couple chose to be apart of their wedding.Jessica from LoveSpun Films created a beautiful film for the couple that highlights their touching personal vows and the unique details of their wedding.

Provided by LoveSpun Films

Photographers Jason & Anna captured the essence of this Wine Country Vintage Inspired wedding with softened images of the blissful couple and their DIY creations.

Check out more images of the wedding on the Jason & Anna Photography blog.

Jessica & Mike’s Exceptional Vendors

Real Weddings: Treasure Island

2011-12-19T11:11:00.000-08:00

We had the pleasure of working with Joyce from Events of Distinction this past October who created this "Fashionably Ever After" wedding design concept and with the beautiful images from Meg Perotti Photography we are able to share it with you. We had a really great time designing fashion inspired arrangements for this fun couple, especially in the cocktail area with the food station, cocktail table arrangements and escort card display. We hope these images will inspire you to personalize your wedding with a theme and really go for it!

To view the entire album please click here.
After you view the album let us know what you think here or on our Facebook page.

Holiday wreath making tips from MDD

2011-12-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

When buying your wreath ring make sure you buy a double wire ring. This will prevent the wreath from becoming an oval.
Pick greenery that does not drop needles when it dries. Avoid Douglas fir. The best evergreens to use are pine, cedar and juniper.
To make your wreath unique and contemporary add interesting accents such as eucalyptus pods, tallow berries, succulents, bromeliads, birch bark strips and mossy branches.
Cut all your materials first into shorter pieces, length depends on the size of the wreath.
Make little bundles of your materials before you start and wrap them with rubber bands, wire or twine. You will need about 30-40 small bundles of material for an 18”-24” ring.
Use spool wire to wrap the materials to the ring and pull tight so when you let go of the spool it does not unravel. 20 gauge wire works the best.
To begin your wreath start with one of the bundles of material that has some longer pieces in it. This will cover the empty space that the end piece will leave.
If you end up with a blank space where your wreath ends place your bow there and you will not have to worry about filling it with greenery.
If you want to your wreath to be lit I would recommend using a 35 light strand for a standard 18”-24” wreath. Start wrapping the lights from one side of the top or bow and continue all the way around. Make sure you tuck the strand into the wreath as you go this way you will just see the glow of the lights when you are finished not the wiring.
You can add in the larger accents like ornaments, pine cones or acorns after the wreath is complete with a hot glue gun.

For more inspirational images and please visit us on Facebook

Inspiration: Holiday Centerpiece

2011-12-13T14:17:00.000-08:00


Textural Holiday arrangement with succulents, tallow berries, cedar, eucalyptus, dusty miller, pine and pumpkins from Halloween sprayed gold to give them a festive Holiday look.

Back in the posting spirit!

2011-12-05T15:43:00.000-08:00

Phew!.....It has been such a busy wedding season that we have not kept up with our posts and now we are into full on Holiday mode!! To get back into the posting spirit we are going to start off with something fun and crafty.....

The Holidays can be pretty hectic so we have put together 10 quick tips to easily add some spirit and cheer into your home this Holiday season.

Michael Daigian's
Top 10 Holiday Decorating Tips

Do you still have pumpkins from Halloween? Instead of throwing them away, spray paint them gold and they become a perfect holiday decoration.
Antique Pomegranates by sprinkling them with water and spraying them with gold spray paint. Arrange them in a decorative bowl-instant centerpiece!
If you couldn’t tell already gold spray paint is a must on hand item for decorating for the holidays.
When decorating your home with holiday greenery use Juniper or Cedar branches, they don’t drop needles.
Lighting your Christmas tree can be hard work. To make sure you have an even pattern stand back and squint at the tree, I know it sounds odd. It will blur everything else out but the lights and you will see if your glowing lights are evenly spaced out.
To stretch your holiday decorating budget mix artificial and real floral elements to adorn your home.
Want a custom wreath that represents your design aesthetic? Purchase a cedar wreath already made and wire on your own personal touches. It could be berries, special ornaments, fruit, ribbon or cording.
When decorating your home or tree with bows always make your own. A homemade bow has more personality than a store bought machine made bow, because they look machine made.
Take twigs or branches from around your property, spray paint them red or gold and you have a modern holiday element to add to your home. Arrange in a vase alone or add to your wreath or holiday garland.
If you are re-using holiday candles from last year, take an old iron and renew the tops of the candles. Hold the iron flat on the top for a few moments and it will make the candle look like new.

Always Be Prepared When Planning Outdoor Weddings!

2011-05-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago I had the opportunity to do a beautiful wedding that took place at the Burlingame Country Club in the Hillsborough Hills. Everything was in place. The flowers were ordered. Nothing could go wrong, except for maybe the weather! The forecast was calling for rain and their ceremony and cocktail hour was mostly planned for outdoors.
I met with the bride's mother two days before the wedding and we planned how we would move things indoors if the weather turned bad.
This made me realize that every bride and groom should have a plan B if they are having an outdoor wedding. Living in the bay area we are accustomed to having sunny weather in the month of May-September. Unfortunately mother nature doesn't always cooperate!
Well in the case of my clients, they were lucky. Their outdoor ceremony was a complete success with the sun even making an appearance for a couple of hours.

Then as the guests moved into the tented candlelight reception area, the rain started. The pitter-patter of rain completed the romantic feel of this garden wedding. It was nature's way of setting the mood!

Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed working on this wedding!

Michael Daigian

California Growers highlighted in this month's Martha Stewart Living Magazine

2011-05-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

Flying back from the Midwest to California during late winter/early spring you notice the hues of brown and white that dot the barren landscape. Not much grows this time of year in this part of the Midwest. Growers have to wait until the winter snow has melted away and the summer rains have returned. Once you pass the Sierra Mountain range you come upon the beautiful shores of the west coast, with it's mild Mediterranean climate and it's rich fertile soils. Perfect conditions for growing crops!

I realized how lucky I am to live in such a diverse eco-system that is found here in California. With a growing season that is virtually year round, I can find many different plants, flowers, veggies and fruits that sustain us and much of the country as well. California is often referred to as the breadbasket of the world and is the world's fifth largest supplier of food and agriculture commodities. CA growers also account for 75% of all domestically grown cut flowers!

In this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine there is an outstanding editorial featuring California's growers and the S.F. Flower Market. It takes you through several different nurseries and it gives you a glimpse into the life of a grower, their challenges and their rewards.

A big thank you for the hard work that California growers endure to bring us our fresh produce and flowers to market everyday. They certainly make my life easier by producing a high quality product that eventually become my inspiration for my floral designs!

Michael Daigian

Michael Daigian will be lecturing at Macy's anuual Spring Flower Show this Thursday April 7th!

2011-04-05T22:12:00.000-07:00

Michael will be at Macy's this Thursday giving his annual lecture on how to create beautiful tablescapes for this spring season. He will also be demonstrating the current trends in the floral industry and how you can recreate them at home! This is a must see for anyone who is a fan or just wants to learn a little more about what Michael does on a daily basis. He will be on the 6th floor and his demonstration starts at 2pm.

We have pictures that were taken during last years lecture that we hope inspire you to come out and see Michael this Thursday!

Hartmann's "An Evening of Inspiration" was a phenomenal event!

2011-03-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

Last night Michael Daigian and team attended Hartmann's client appreciation party, "An Evening of Inspiration" and it did not disappoint! The florals....amazing, the food...incredible, the drinks....delectable, and the venue was spectacular! A big thank you to Hartmann and team for holding such an incredible party for it's clients.

Room with a view!

Nixon and Marisa enjoying a drink!

Michael and Jennifer hanging out at the Hartmann Party!

Nixon, Marisa and Jennifer lounging on Hartmann's velvety couches!

The blue lounge decked out in crystals!

Michael Daigian also provided flowers for the Mediterranean vignette that was one of the featured rooms that Hartmann provided to it's preferred florists.

How do I keep up with the Industry Trends.

2011-03-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

The floral and event industry is constantly evolving. Every day there seems to be a new trend that just popped out of nowhere, whats new is old whats old is new again. How does one keep up? Well, by attending Open Houses like the one Classic Party Rental held last week.
As I walked through the party there were amazing table displays that were promoting Classic's newest lines of rental items. They were right on target with the trends that are forecasted for the coming years. It was an impressive display that left inspirational ideas with my team that attended the event. Florists from the Bay Area were invited to do a display for one of the four "element " themed rooms. I had chosen the fire room and sure enough our piece was red hot with hues of oranges, reds and fuchsias that complemented the room.

A big thank you to Classic Party Rentals for holding this amazing event. Please check out the photos from Doorstep Photography!

I will be attending Hartmann's open house this Wednesday and can't wait to see what they have in store for us!

MDDesign team was featured in SF Gate and ABC7 news!

2011-03-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Our Bouquets to Art piece done by our design team of Nixon Tran and Jennifer Lato was featured in SF Gate and ABC7 news this week! Their gorgeous arrangement was inspired by John Vanderlyn's painting Caius Marius amid the Ruins of Carthage, 1807. You can view their piece on the second level in gallery 22 (B). Great job to our talented designers. Michael Daigian Design is honored to have them on the team!

Michael Daigian of course had his own entry this year as well. His fabulous design was inspired by Michael Light's photo, Mono Craters 07.17.06 #10:Burned Jeffery Pine Forest and Tephra Flow Looking Southeast, Highway120 at Right, Mono Basin, California 2006. His floral display is in Gallery 12 (E).

Come check out these wonderful displays of floral artistry that are now on view at the De Young Museum. This will only last until Saturday the 19th. Tonight is Members only night and the museum is open until 8pm. Also on Friday the 18th the museum will be open until 8:45pm. Please come and support the museum and the floral designers that made all this happen. This is all voluntary and the floral artists do it for the love of their craft!

Bouquets to Art inspired Floral Displays at Gumps and Wells Fargo!

2011-03-07T22:51:00.000-08:00

Exciting news from Michael Daigian Designs! Our floral creations promoting the upcoming Bouquets to Art are now on display at Gumps and at the main S.F. branch of Wells Fargo!

Gumps Hallway on Maiden Lane entrance

Our talented team of Nixon Tran and Jennifer Lato have done it once again and have created these dramatic floral works of art for public viewing.


S.F. Main Wells Fargo Branch on Montgomery and California

We hope that this inspires you to attend Bouquets to Art which will be at the De Young museum starting with the opening night gala on March 14th. Michael Daigian, and the team of Nixon Tran and Jennifer Lato will have two pieces on display at the De Young.

Come and support the museum and all of the talented floral designers that will be showing off their works of art!

Monday's with Michael

2011-02-28T23:44:00.000-08:00

Flora Grubb: Beauty in the Bayview

I stumbled upon Flora Grubb about four years ago and have been a big fan ever since. This unique garden store in the Bayview district of S.F is one of the hidden gems that many locals don't know about. The gardens here at Flora Grubb promote the use of recycled materials, Eco-friendly succulents and sustainable horticulture that I can take back and apply to my floral designs back at the shop. I come here to find inspirational ideas and buy one of a kind metal artwork. Not to mention I get my afternoon pick me up from Ritual Coffee. The staff is super helpful and are great at finding rare and exotic plants as well as cool metal artwork from local artists. Come by and take a look. You won't be disappointed that you made the trip out here!

Mondays with Michael

2011-02-07T21:54:00.000-08:00

We here at MDD decided that a great way to start the week off was to have Michael share with you the in's and out's of the floral industry. With Michael having over 25 years of experience and being a third generation San Francisco Floral Designer he has a unique perspective on both the floral industry and the history of it here in S.F! Every other Monday Michael will write his own piece about what it takes to be a floral artist; the challenges, the designs, the drama! This will be your sneak peak of what really goes on behind the scenes of a successful floral studio.

To kick off this series, here's a few words from Michael about two recent industry events he participated in:

The floral world never stops moving and neither does it's designers....

I had envisioned January to be a slow month like it always is but I was mistaken this year. After we had packed up all of our holiday decor I thought we could breathe a little before Feb. 14th. Boy, was I wrong! Mid way through the month we were at the Four Seasons Wedding Fair. The next day we had to designed a table-scape for ISES for their semiannual Designer Showcase when 5 days later I had to delve into another creation for The Special Event's Wedding Luncheon in Phoenix, Arizona. When I got back from Phoenix I was bombarded with Superbowl parties that needed attention. The MDD team and I designed, executed and delivered the centerpieces just in time for kickoff!

To come up with something new and innovative was a challenge for both events. To say 'Hey I was the first who started that trend' is not easy. This is a constant challenge in this industry and my team of designers and I have to overcome it week after week. Now the next thing that's coming our way is Valentine's Day and what struck me was the preparation that is already going on at the S.F. Floral Market. We as designers never stop thinking, creating and executing. We never stop moving!

The S.F. Flower Market getting boxes ready for all of their orders next week.

The Special Event 2011 - The Wedding Luncheon Program

2011-02-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

How does Michael stay current with the future trends in the floral and event industry? One way he does it is by attending industry related trade shows such as The Special Event 2011 in Phoenix Arizona. The highlight of the event was "The Wedding Luncheon", the theme, "In Love With Metallics". The women responsible for this unique event was Heather Crabtree and Jennifer Thinnes of Outstanding Occasions. The guest speaker was the one and only Sasha Souza, Master Bridal Consultant. Visit Brett Culp to see a video of the before and after!

During the luncheon seven designers were asked to make vignettes inspired by the theme " In Love with Metallics". Michael along with Joyce Scardina Becker of Events of Distinction and Sharon Dexmier of Napa Valley Linens collaborated on this wonderful vignette inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. Vibrant hues of red, orange and mauve flowers are interspersed amongst the opulent candelabras and rich fabrics that dominate this table-scape. Don't you wish you could be a guest that this party?

A big thanks to Mellisa Jill Photography who provided us with these amazing pictures!

ISES Semi Annual Designer Showcase at the S.F. Design Center

2011-02-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

On January 18th we were honored to partner with Classic Party Rentals in a Vignette for the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Northern California. It was ISESs' Semi Annual Designer Showcase - Trends in Design and Decor. There were 5 designers that were asked to design and create a table-scape that incorporated their vision of future trends for the event industry. For event and floral designers it's a way to exercise their creativity! In the end the table looked absolutely fabulous and we were proud to be collaborating with Marisa Canoles and Susan Kidwell of Classic Party Rentals. Also Michele Papineau of Papineau Calligraphy did a stellar job on the place cards. A big thank you to Myleen Hollero of Orange Photography for providing us with the pictures that we hope inspire you to create your own fabulous party scape!

Michael Daigian Design to attend San Francisco Wedding Show at the Four Seasons!

2011-01-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

Planning a wedding? Wouldn't you just love to get every vendor chosen in just one day? May we recommend that you attend the upcoming San Francisco Wedding Fair at the Four Seasons this Sunday. We will be showcasing our one of kind signature bouquets and centerpieces. We will have our designers on hand in case you have any questions or just need advice in choosing the right florals for that special day. As an added incentive to book with us this weekend you will receive a coupon worth $200 off your bridal day flowers. Come by the Four Seasons this Sunday from 11am-4pm. There will be over 70 exceptional vendors that will be showcased at the fair. This wedding fair is sure not to be missed! Check out what 7X7 magazine had to say about the fair! Hope to see you there!

photo by Traci Griffin Photography


photo by Deanna Graham photography

The Holidays are in full swing here at Michael Daigian Design!

2010-12-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

We have been extremely busy here at MDD designing one of a kind holiday arrangements and decor for our corporate and private clients. We started in mid November with Tiffany & Co. and haven't stopped since! If you find that you need florals for an upcoming corporate party or need some holiday cheer for your home, MDD is still available for certain dates.

Seasonally inspired arrangement using hues of red and white.

Dramatic whites are always appropriate for any holiday centerpiece!

A Fiery red wreath adds a touch of the holiday spirit to any door.

Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you can't be green!

Ozumo S.F., with it's architecturally clean lines needed something more modern for their holiday decor. We decided to use eco-friendly red stained bamboo that is back light using low watt lights. The result: a stunning display of holiday cheer with a twist.

Red stained bamboo back light with white string lights

Holiday inspired arrangement using banksia, bamboo, magnolia, pine and blue thistle

Ozumo's larger wall arrangement using red stained bamboo.

10% Off on Your Next Holiday Arrangement

2010-11-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

We are offering 10% off on your next holiday arrangement order. Mention this post for a discount!

Bouquet

2010-10-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous fall colors!

Real Weddings: Erin & Patrick

2010-10-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Janae Shields Photography

Halloween Vignette

2010-10-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Weekend~~

Bouquet

2010-10-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

We created this bold and daring bouquet with black baccara roses, black cosmos, black dahlias, and black cala lilies adorned with black satin ribbons. This is not for a traditional white and pink wedding, but it is definitely sexy, sophisticated, fashionable, and provocative. If you are planning a non-conventional and memorable wedding, choose black!

Real Wedding: Lisa & John

2010-10-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Sunny and bright end of summer wedding at the Villagio Inn & Spa in Yountville Napa Valley.

Escape to Tuscany in Napa Valley!

Aubergine orange, eggplant, chartreuse green, and fuchsia for bridesmaids.

Photo Credit: Greg Lato photography, Jennifer Graham Photography

Bright Pops of Color

2010-09-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sneek Peek: French Parlor, Palace Hotel

2010-09-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

It was an absolutely stunning evening... Can't wait to share more pictures with you soon!

Fall Inspirations

2010-09-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Where did summer go? We have a very busy weekend ahead of us working on two gorgeous weddings. In the mean time, here are some inspirational pictures for fall from MDD.

Happy weekend~

Sneek Peek: All in the Details

2010-09-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

Details make a huge difference when putting together an event. Our bride provided us with these adorable ribbons for her wedding day: an ivory ribbon with a delicate lace trim & a preppy polka dot ribbon to wrap the bridal bouquet, fuchsia and navy ribbons for the groom and grooms men, and navy & white ribbons for the bridesmaids. It really added that special touch to this vibrant end-of-summer wedding.

Event: City Hall

2010-09-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

Sneek Peek: Wine Country Chic

2010-09-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

The wedding at the Bardessono Hotel & Spa in downtown Yontville was chic and modern. To complement the clean, peaceful, and luxurious feel of the hotel, we used a color palette of white and green with a touch of yellow, using hydrangeas, calla lilies, roses, white tulips with yellow center, brazilia berries, phalaenopsis orchids, bear grass, and green bamboo. Votives and floating candles were placed to add warmth and romance to the setting. The wedding cake that was made to look like the newlywed's house was a one-of-a-kind design.

Event Coordinator at Bardessono: Hedy Macferran
Cake: Sara Lime

Photoshoot: Martha Stewart Weddings

2010-09-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

When Martha Stewart weddings wanted Michael's head shot to be featured in the 'Expert Advice' section on their blog, The Bride's Guide, we called Larissa Cleveland Photography. It is a great treat to work with Larissa, who produces fabulous images and is so much fun collaborate with. Some of the wedding projects we worked with Larissa include 'Equestrian Elegance' and 'Elegant Picnic'. Here are some cool and fun pictures that Larissa took at our studio.

Happy labor day weekend!

Ozumo

2010-09-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

Artful weekly account works at a stunning restaurant Ozumo.

pictures via ozumo.com

Wedding: Shila & Curt's Vow Renewal, Terra Gallery

2010-08-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

The vow renewal wedding at the Terra Gallery was a one-of-a-kind gorgeous event. The centerpieces were created by using silver painted manzanita branches adorned with six votive candles with a display of purple, fuchsia, and orange flowers. And of course lots of crystals were hung on each branch. The bride didn't want her bouquet to be a typical round-shaped bouquet, so we created a cascade bouquet with purple phalaenopsis orchids dripping down. Cascade bouquet is a teardrop-shaped bouquet, somewhat rounded at the top and falling to a point at the bottom. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Annett Kevranian, event producer and a co-founder of Method42, to create bride's dream look. The night was truly romantic and spectacular.

Press: Martha Stewart Weddings

2010-08-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

Q & A Session with Michal Daigian in The Bride's Guide.

Sneek Peek

2010-08-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

Few pictures from a wedding in Napa just to wet your appetite...

Event of the Month: Audi A8 Launch

2010-08-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Press: Martha Stewart Weddings

2010-08-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

Expert Advice: Ask Michael Daigian anything you want!

We are delighted to announce that Michael is featured in the Martha Stewart Wedding blog, The Bride's Guide. This is a great opportunity to ask Michael questions about your upcoming wedding.

Trend: Eco Chic-Fabulously Green

2010-08-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Green is the new white. From weddings, to interior design to fashion, being green is becoming one of the most important aspects to modern life. We have listed some of our favorite examples in green design.

Michael Daigian Design recently constructed this vignette out of birch, hanging amaranthus, succulants, and green cymbidium orchids, for an Eco-themed ISES (International Special Events Society) event.
This Green Fusion installation was by renowned floral artist Jenny Tabaracci, AIFD. Jenny says that her "Green Fusion" vignette was inspired by the global movement toward saving the planet. After the event, apples were donated to local farms and succulents were reused and replanted. She suggests to use locally grown flowers and LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lighting, which consumes less power, lasts longer, and contains no toxins. Not only Jenny is known for her innovative floral designs but she is also known as one of the most 'eco conscious' designers. Please visit jennytabarracci.com for more info.

We are very excited to write about b(Earth), organic baby clothing company based in Seattle. They use only 100% organic, sweatshop-free cotton in their products. Even their labels are made from 100% organic cotton. You can receive updates and discount offers regularly on http://www.facebook.com/bearthclothing. The founder of the company, Luke Wilson, says that their mission is to provide clothing that is equally hip, comfortable, functional, and most importantly - as safe for your baby as it is for the environment. We can't wait to see their future products!

If you are dreaming of a fabulous vacation in eco chic style, check out Soneva Resort's zero- carbon-emission pool villa in Thailand, recently featured in Vogue Living Australia.

Green Wedding by Mireya Navarro will guide you in planning a eco friendly wedding.

Wedding: Rebecca & Steve, Nicasio

2010-08-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to be a part of Rebecca & Steve's wedding. Rebecca has always been an equestrian so it was fitting to celebrate their wedding surrounded by beautiful horses at a wonderful family ranch in Nicasio. The overall look was rustic yet very chic. How gorgeous were the fuchsia garden roses and peonies against the black bridesmaid dresses! Black cosmos on the cascading bridal bouquet were a stylish way to accentuate the whole look. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day.

This Week's Favorite

2010-08-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

This lush arrangement, full of fragrance from garden roses and geranium leaves, was for one of our best clients. Using herbs in the arrangement such as geranium, mint, and lemon balm adds a fresh look as well as a wonderful fragrance and beautiful texture.

Wedding: Sarah & Ron, Bently Reserve

2010-08-08T17:16:00.001-07:00

Sarah and Ron said "I do" at the Bently Reserve, one of the most glamorous and opulent venues, located in the heart of downtown San Francisco. The wedding planner, Morgan Doan of Events by Morgan, put together a fabulous wedding, as always. Bride chose simple presentation bouquets using Cala lilies adorned with crystal pins. It was a stunning red carpet event!

Photography: Irja Elisa Photography

Wedding Invitations

2010-08-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

When you order the Cameo letterpress wedding invitation design from Belle Figura, they create silhouettes of you and your fiance from your profile photographs (at no additional cost) to use in the invitation design. The muted color palette of cream, blueberry blue and burgundy rose would look great with the creamy phalaenopsis orchid centerpiece we created for a recent wedding (shown above).

Here is a botanical themed wedding invitation Ceci New York created for Carter and Fred. The theme would be great to match with the altar flower piece designed by Michael Daigian, using pink cherry blossom branches.

Volta Press, one of our favorite custom letterpress stores located in East Bay, creates beautiful weddings/events invitations. Their customer service is excellent, and they will satisfy all of your printing and invitation needs. Check out their Etsy Shop for high quality letterpress cards and invitations. These earthy tone invitations remind me of the wristlet we created using Cattleya orchids.

Sneak Peek: Ranch Wedding, Nicasio

2010-08-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

More amazing pictures to come soon! Can't wait to share them with you all...

Wedding: Vibrant Summer Garden, Piedmont

2010-07-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Picturesque, magical, and casually elegant. These are some of the words to describe the wedding at the Piedmont Community Center. The venue, Mediterranean in style, is absolutely elegant, chic, and thoughtfully designed. If you are looking for an indoor/outdoor venue, this place is not to be missed. We created a colorful 'summer garden look' to compliment the natural setting of the venue, using delphinium, snap dragon, dahlia, brodia, garden rose, hydrangea, lisianthus, and sweet pea.
Guests talked about how magical and beautiful the setting was, surrounded with tall redwood trees. Near by passers kindly kept commenting on how pretty the flowers looked and asked who the florist was :) Most importantly, Missy, the bride, enthusiastically told us that the setting was exactly what she had envisioned. All the hard work that goes into a wedding is worth it when we see the bride's face light up with joy. The fabulous Paula LeDuc did the catering.

party favors

2010-07-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

eBeans-to-bar chocolate perfection, divinely fresh cream puffs, and out of this world organic maple honey caramel... These are some of our favorite sweet treats to share with you. They would all make great party favors for your guest.

Mast brothers chocolate is created from their bean-to-bar chocolate factory in Brooklyn - one of only a handful of artisan chocolate makers in the U.S. Their chocolate is handmade by the mast brothers themselves in small batches, just from cocoa bean and sugar, so it is as pure as it can get. It comes in a beautifully detailed packaging. It is sold around the country including Miette Confiserie in San Francisco. Click here to read the New York Times article featuring Mast brothers chocolate.

On recently celebrating their 1 year anniversary, Pacific Puffs continues to make the most delicious and freshest cream puffs in San Francisco. Created from an old family recipe, Pacific Puffs have perfected these little treats! We strongly urge you to visit their store on union street in pacific heights and try these amazing creations if you haven't done so already. Their "mini puffs" are guaranteed to be a hit at your next party.

Certified organic sea salt and caramel sauce made with pure maple and honey in San Francisco! Sweet Revolution makes the best organic caramel treats, and it comes in a beautifully designed packaging. Besides using the best organic ingredients without corn syrup or cane sugar, they are also nut-free, gluten-free, and their packaging is compostable.

Bridal Bouquet

2010-07-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

There are endless design possibilities for a bridal bouquet. Lately we've had more brides requesting cascade bouquets for their wedding day. Here is a bouquet we created for a bride over the weekend, using phalaenopsis orchids, peonies, blushing brides, garden roses, spray roses, and dendrobium orchids. The cascade bouquet is the most traditional of bouquets. It is designed to fall gracefully for a sophisticated look.

Originally referred to as shower bouquets, cascading bouquets are also known as 'teardrop' bouquet or 'trail' bouquet. By 1920, this style of bouquet became exaggerated. The bouquet was so large that it almost concealed the bride. They reached their peak from 1920 till the 1930's, up until World War II. This style of bouquet was subsequently renamed 'the princess,' in honour of the late Princess Diana, who, during her wedding, showed the world an impressive bridal bouquet. The new, smaller shower bouquet regained top position about thirty years ago. The shower then gave rise to the popularity of the similar teardrop, trail and cascade bouquets. The most contemporary is the cascade bouquet, featuring waterfall-shaped dimensions.

Press: Southern Weddings Magazine

2010-07-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

Michael Daigian Design is featured in the southern weddings magazine blog. This inspirational photo shoot was a collaboration between amazingly talented people, including Shannon Leahy, for planning, and Hello!Lucky, for invitation design. We were very pleased to be part of it. Please click here to read more and view all the details beautifully captured by Larissa Cleveland.

Wedding: Vow Renewal

2010-07-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Black & White Glamor

2010-06-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

Black and white is very chic. Having an abundance of white Phalaenopsis orchids in contrast to the black vases created a dramatic look for this black-and-white themed event. Guest were dressed in 'chanel-esque' black and white, adding the finishing touch to this glamorous gala.

Press: Equestrian Elegance, Snippet and Ink

2010-06-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

We are extremely excited to be featured on the blog, Snippet and Ink! This wedding was rustic, casual, and fun, yet elegant and very "Ralph Lauren Polo-esque." There were so many thoughtful details that were put into this wedding to create this truly beautiful set up. Just to name a few-- the use of the plaid pattern, tractor wheel chandelier, butterfly favor, and the riding boots for the bride. The orange parrot tulips used in the bridal bouquet and the centerpieces were perfect to accentuate this summer wedding. We'd like to thank the phenomenal wedding planner, Shannon Leahy for designing this look, and Larissa Cleveland for producing the gorgeous images.

Press: YWD Magazine Release Party

2010-06-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

Thank you YWD (Your Wedding Day) Magazine for featuring us on your blog. Michael Daigian Design sponsored YWD magazine's spring/summer 2009 Release party at the Wildflower Linen Showroom. What a great party it was, with fabulous food and wine. The zucchini centerpiece by Michael Daigian, illuminated expertly, was the perfect idea for such a fun party. Click here to read more about the party.

Wedding: Ferry Building

2010-06-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

We are very pleased with the overall look of this wedding that we just did at the Ferry Building. Although yellow isn't usually the normal color choice for a wedding, it looked great in the airy space of the building, in combination with the gold fixtures and the sunlight entering through the ceiling. The second story of the building is open and airy, with a high ceiling. To create the perceptions of both depth and height, we intermixed tall and low centerpieces. The gilded structures and metallic arches reveal the unique architecture of this landmark, and the open vista to the bustling artisan food vendors below, with a view of a striking mosaic of the Great Seal of the State of California on the walkway's tiled floor, makes the location a unique niche for special events.

Press: Capture the Moment, Fusion Flowers Magazine

2010-06-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

The MDD team constructed this spectacular floral sculpture for the annual flower festival at St Mary's Cathedral last year. Internationally renowned floral design photographer Pamela J shot this beautiful image, and it is featured in 'Fusion Flowers' magazine. Fusion Flowers magazine is known for its content being the most innovative contemporary floral designs in the world. We are very honored to be featured in the magazine. Click here to read more about the article. To see the larger version of the image, click on the images.

Pretty in: Pink

2010-05-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an inspiration board for all of you dreaming of a pink wedding. Of all the colors, pink has the largest variety of shades, giving you the greatest selection of possible flowers for your dream wedding.

1. Cherry Blossoms and pink macaroons; 2. Bouquet by Michael Daigian Design: Cala lilies and Cymbidium Orchids; 3. Flowers + Garters: March ‘10 Vogue Italia; 4. Barely-pink dress with ruffle underskirt: dress by Carolina Herrera; 5. Perfect for outdoor spring event with glorious peonies and fern vines; 6. Bundle of pale pink and peach peonies

images via fashioning, martha stewart

Sneak Peek: Wedding Preparation

2010-05-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy preparing a wedding at the ferry building. Colors are pastel soft in light yellow, cream, and peach. We promise we'll post more fabulous pictures from the set up soon.

Bouquets to Art 2010 Floral Couture Show

2010-05-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Our Designers Jennifer Lato, Sunghi sonia Morsella, and Nixon Tran were entered to compete at the Bouquets to Art 2010 floral fashion show, De Young Museum. Wouldn’t these dresses be great for a one-of-a kind bridesmaid or flower girl dress?

Dress by Jennifer & Sonia: cherry blossom, angel vine, tweedia, phalaenopsis orchid, eucalyptus.

Dress by Nixon: carnation petals, lily petals. salal, leucodendrum

Q: How long did it take from start to finish?
Jennifer: Sonia and I wanted our dress to have the feel of a spring garden. We have been brainstorming for weeks, but the dress had to be made at the last minute a day and half before the show to keep the flowers fresh. We were very lucky to have these gorgeous cherry blossoms from Michael’s garden.

Q: What was the most challenging part of the process?
Nixon: I purchased fabric to make the dress form from scratch, and the flowers were glued to the fabric. It is always challenging to figure out the best mechanics to support the creation. Right before the show, I ended up gluing lily petals directly to my model’s shoulder.

Q: What was the best part of this experience?
Sonia: We got such positive reactions from the audiance at the gala. It was worth going through some pain, including accidently spraying glue all over my hair, and a last minute trip to the
market at 5:30am.

Peonies are in Season!

2010-05-10T00:29:00.001-07:00

We are excited that the next several months fall into ‘peony’ season. This week, our studio has been filled with hundreds of gorgeous fuchsia peonies we brought in for various spring events and bridal consultations. Peonies vary in colors from white to burgundy. They are all originally from Nepal. Here is a sneak peek of the centerpieces.

Press: Nob Hill wedding featured in The Bride's Cafe

2010-05-09T23:13:00.000-07:00

We want to thank The Bride's Café for featuring Divina & Tyler's wedding. We are so delighted to see such a happy and beautiful day recognized on this great wedding blog, and we invite you to read about their elegant Nob Hill wedding. The photographer, Kate Webber, always produces stunning images. Please don’t forget to also check out Kate’s blog for additional pictures.

Bouquets to Art 2010

2010-04-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

This year's Bouquets to Art was absolutely stunning. It was so great to see everyone again this year and the designs were absolutely amazing and ingenious. We have a lot of great pictures that we will be posting in the coming days. Until then, enjoy a few from Michael Daigian and our designers, Jennifer Ortega-Lato, Nixon Tran, and Sonia Morsella.

Breaking News!! Gump's San Francisco MDD window display!!

2010-04-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

Here is an exciting piece of Michael Daigian Design news. In anticipation of Bouquets to Art, starting April 19th, Michael Daigian Design was requested to do a display window installation at Gump's on Post Street.

The display was installed this morning, and although it was tough to take pictures with the reflections in the window, some still turned out good enough to post. MDD will be taking more pictures in the evening when reflections will not be an Issue. MDD would like to invite you to view the installation on Post Street at Gump's and hopes everyone can make it to Bouquets to Art next week!

We hope you enjoy the pictures...

Macy's 'Bouquet of the Day' Pictures

2010-04-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Michael Daigian Design's Macy's Flower Show 'Bouquet of the Day' was a enormous success. We would like to thank all the enthusiasts who made their way to Macy's in Union Square for the Flower Show. Michael Daigain Design's 'Bouquet of the Day' was taken down this morning so here are some photos in case you missed the piece in person.

The photographs are courtesy of talented photographer, Irja Elisa.

We would also like to remind you that Michael Daigian will be lecturing tomorrow at 2pm. Following this link for more information.

Macy's 'Spring Is In The Air"

2010-03-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Michael Daigian Design would like to remind everyone that Macy's Flower Show "Spring is In The Air" has begun. Michael Daigian Design will be unveiling the "Bouquet of the Day" on Tuesday, March 30th and we could not be more excited. Michael Daigian is also participating in a Macy's Flower Show lecture. Click through on the image for more information.

La Mar

2010-03-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

This week Michael Daigian Design is featuring one of our favorite floral accounts. La Mar has a wonderful space that is both exciting and challenging for a designer. On top of that, La Mar requests the most cutting edge account design work and Michael Daigian Design loves the weekly innovation. Here are some images from recent La Mar account work.

Spring, Summer, and Fall Weddings!

2010-03-04T15:07:00.001-08:00

Hello all,

Wedding planning season is here and Michael Daigian Design wants to thank all the brides (and couples) that have come in to discuss their future dream weddings. We have been booking lots of weddings through the Spring, Summer, and into the Fall. We are so excited to be a part of your wedding decor and can't wait for all the spectacular event design and parties to come.

We would like to remind everyone that while we do events of all kinds and sizes, nothing is more exciting and rewarding than watching a happy couple celebrate their love. We would also like to add that Michael Daigian Design provides free wedding consultation meetings with Michael Daigian, our head designer, and an event planner. We look forward to discussing your future wedding!

cheers,

Michael Daigian Design

ps. here are a few images to wet your appetite.

Wedding: Bently Reserve

2010-02-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

The Bently Reserve is a venue with a classic sense of beauty. Timeless architecture corresponds wonderfully with simple and elegant decor. But you can also dress it up for that exciting lounge feel. Either way, the Bently Reserve is a very special San Francisco Wedding Venue where exquisite events are held.

Here are some images from a recent Michael Daigian Design wedding at the Bently Reserve. The images are courtesy of wedding photography Geoff White.

Macy's Bouquet of the Day

2010-01-13T15:25:00.000-08:00

Michael Daigian Design would like to announce that head designer, Michael Daigian has been invited to participate in Macy's flower show event, Bouquet of the Day. This prestigous event includes noteworthy floral designers that present elaborate design pieces for several days and one the Macy's store locations.

Past exhibitors include Preston Baily and David Tutera to name a few. The following images are from previous Macy's Flower Shows. Michael Daigian is extremely proud to have been invited to this years Macy's Flower Show. That's all the information we can release for now; stay tuned for lots of news in the coming months.

2009 Special Events GALA Awards!! Nomination for Method 42 and Michael Daigian Design

2010-01-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

Method 42 and Michael Daigian Design have been nominated for the Special Events 2009 GALA Awards in the category, Best Decor!!

The event, Una Notte d'Amore is up for one of the most prestigious GALA awards. The fundraising event for Eden Medical Center Foundation took place at Casa Real and Ruby Hill Winery. Florals by Michael Daigian Design (of course) and photography by Orange.

wedding: Kristin & Rick, Julia Morgan Ballroom

2010-01-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

This wedding flower feature is from Kristin and Rick's recent wedding at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco.

The wedding photography from Dane Sanders is truly excellent, his work can be seen here in this online portfolio. Dane Sanders specializes in destination wedding photography and is a very interesting creative professional.

Michael Daigian Design loves working at the Julia Morgan Ballroom, the space is spectacular and one of San Francisco's best wedding venues. Contact Lynda Hylen for more information on the Julia Morgan Ballroom.

We hope you enjoy this wedding flower feature,

Regards,

Michael Daigian Design

Miniature Christmas Trees!!

2009-12-17T17:34:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos from a recent party at the Balboa Cafe. San Francisco regulars all know the Balboa Cafe for its timeless style and fantastic hamburger! One of our favorite clients has a Christmas party at the Balboa Cafe every year. This year decor and favors were miniature Christmas trees. Let's just say the trees were a huge hit.

Merry Christmas!!

Wedding Wording Wizard

2009-12-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun internet utility for wedding wording. It was emailed to us by one of our readers planning her wedding. Its a great place for brides to start putting ideas together.

A little bit about the Wedding Wording Wizard (that's what it's called).

* mini questionnaire about bridal style, personality, reception plans etc.

* it allows you to customize the invite. it makes sure you don't leave out any

one or any important details (woops!)

* then it gives u the most fitting invitation wording to match the bride

Michael Daigian Design loves contributions from readers and helping spread the joy of planning your wedding. Or at least we hope we make it just a little bit less overwhelming. Thanks for reading and we hope you're having a wonderful holiday season.

PS. Stay tuned for a wedding feature from a recent event!

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE WEDDING WORDING WIZARD

Holiday Decorations!

2009-11-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Hello Loyal MDD fans, we apologize for being tardy with our updates recently. As most floral enthusiasts know, the fall into the holiday season is every florists rush. And since Thanksgiving is only a few days away, you can bet we have been installing holiday decorations in our important accounts. Here are few pictures from Bistro Boudin to wet your appetite...

New Review From a Recent Bride and a New Tile Logo!

2009-11-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

Glowing review from recent Michael Daigian Design bride Jill S. Thanks Jill, we hope you enjoyed your wedding experience and are pleased that we were able to meet your expectations.

Review

My expectations were far exceeded.

A professional event planner recommended Michael Daigian when I inquired about a florist for my wedding (I was married on October 10th at the Mark Hopkins hotel). My mom was in the corporate events industry for 25 years and we took this recommendation rather seriously.

I was absolutely thrilled with the amount of attention I received from Michael and Jana throughout the entire process. Their company is held in very high regard in the SF Bay area. They do not (as far as I understand) deliver flowers to consumers. As a B2B business, their focus on on events of great scale. Unlike other florists, they do not get bogged down with individual residential orders.

Not only did they provide the florals (which far exceeded my expectations) but they constructed a wedding canopy, topped with flowers, that was the most beautiful I have ever seen. It was stunning. They also provided up-lighting, which transformed the room into an elegant, ambient ballroom. Last, they decorated each table with candles and set up table luminaries.

They are more of a private events company rather than just a florist. No florist could possible compete with Daigian.

Jill S.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

We would also like to introduce our new Michael Daigian Design tile logo!

Here Comes the Guide - San Francisco

2009-11-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

Here Come the Guide is one of the premier wedding listing sites and services. Vendors go through a rigorous acceptance process that includes photo selection and verifying reviews from past clients. That way when you choose a vendor from Here Comes the Guide they are certified so to speak. Michael Daigian Design is proud to be back on Here Comes the Guide after a brief hiatus.

Please visit our Here Come the Guide listing where you will be able to read more testimonials and get an insight into Michael Daigian's design and work ethic. Please click through on the Here Comes the Guide image in the wedding section of the Michael Daigian Design San Francisco Flower Blog!

Michael Daigian Design Wedding Feature!

2009-10-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Michael Daigian Design wedding flowers have been featured on Geoff White's photography blog. Geoff White is an extremely talented wedding photographer that comes highly recommended. Check out his website here and thanks for looking!

Michael Daigian Design team invited to Bouquets to Art 2010

2009-10-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

Michael Daigian Design is pleased to announce that part of our design team, Jennifer Ortega-Lato, Nixon Tran, and Sonja Morsella have been invited to the 2010 Bouquets to Art show. Michael Daigian Design always looks forward to Bouquets to Art because of all the creative designs showcasing talented Bay Area Florists. Stay tuned for Bouquets to Art updates through the new year!

FireFly Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties

2009-10-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Michael Daigian Design has been featured on the FireFly Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties blog. Thanks so much to the team at FireFly events for their posting. We look forward to working with you in the near future. And anyone who needs help with amazing themes bachelor and bachelorette parties should really check out their website!

Thanks,

Michael Daigian

Flowers Everywhere; A Beautiful Event!

2009-10-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, we'll produce an event where creativity trumps budgeting. And on those occasions, it would be a travesty to not document and display the work for our loyal clients and fans. Here are a few images from a beautiful function from September.

This fall has been extremely busy but as exciting events continue rolling in, we will be documenting them and posting a healthy amount of pictures on our blog. We also hope to be featured on other sites in the near future so keep posted. Thanks, Michael Daigian.

Flowers in the Shop Part II

2009-09-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

We have been really busy with events this week with a private party and another event for the new NBC show Trauma. I was able to find some time to snap some photos of the studio and all the fresh flowers waiting to become floral arrangements. Hope you enjoy!

Picking Flowers, MD doing what he does best...

In the Shop...

More Flowers...

The Studio from Above...

Accounts

2009-09-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

We love our accounts! Not only do they serve delicious food or provide great hair cuts and colorings, they also allow our designers to come up with beautiful and creative pieces every week! Here are a few examples of our account work this past week. Hope you enjoy!

La Mar

Ozumo

diPietro Todd

Harris'

Harris'

Wedding Flower Advice

2009-08-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

The second installment of Michael Daigian Design wedding planning articles…

There have been requests for a wedding planning article specific to wedding flowers, and since that is our expertise, here is your guide…

Wedding flowers can be an especially tricky part of planning a wedding. There are so many uncertainties from flower availability to scheduling issues and florist or design choices that options may seem overwhelming. There is also the do-it-yourself ethos that has become especially popular though often associated with anxiety and disaster.

As we discussed in our initial wedding guide, planning is the most important step. Collect ideas and images that relate to your expectations about wedding flowers. Compare your ideas with potential vendors and start to compile a list of florists to request quotes or proposals from, and even set up consultations with.

Since weddings are so important and particular, your vendor should be working with you and your budget to assure that the floral décor is what you hope for and deserve. As finances are tight these days, Michael Daigian Design event planners regularly spend hours working on proposals for our clients so that the decor is what our clients dream of on their special day.

Often wedding parties have higher expectations that what budgets will ultimately allow. Michael Daigian Design dedicates extra time to working with our clients to assure that each item is absolutely necessary. The right vendor will work with you on your event and cut out extraneous items so that your budget will be focused on the important design elements that leave lasting impressions.

Sadly an increasingly consistent clientele has been the ‘save our wedding’ parties. Many individuals are choosing to rely on friends or garage floral enthusiast for their wedding floral décor. While we certainly do not suggest these ideas be ignored, having to bail your friend out on your wedding day is an awkward and usually costly experience.

Weddings are typically one of the most important days of a person’s life. We do no recommend leaving anything up to chance, especially something as important as wedding décor. Most individuals and some wedding planners do not realize how important floral décor is in event design and flowers are often the first item to be cut. Fortunately, many excellent florists, including Michael Daigian Design have flexible pricing options to assure that professional floral décor for your dream wedding is available at a reasonable price.

Ideas to Shave Costs on Wedding Flowers:

-Pickup and setup on your own: Eliminate delivery and installations fees by having a friend of family member pick up the floral décor.

-Work with florist to choose seasonal flowers to cut supply costs.

-Consider locations that need less additional décor to enhance the ambience. Outdoor wedding generally need less floral décor than a sterile banquet hall.

-Consider options for table centerpieces that will accommodate smaller arrangements. Florists are great with additional décor that is not costly fresh cut flowers.

-Opt for sustainable designs and materials that are reused or recycled.

-Work with your florist endlessly on the look and style of your wedding. At this point, florists are experts at shaving costs so rely on their experience and expertise.

“Play With Your Own Marbles”

2009-08-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

UPDATE

Last night was the art opening and it was a huge success! The pieces are beautiful, especially those by Karl Haendel who happened to be at the show last night. Here are images from a few pieces in the gallery. The show runs until October 3rd and is wonderfully put together.

Walead Beshty

Karl Haendel

A friend is curating a show at Noma Gallery in San Francisco!!!

Walead Beshty, Karl Haendel & Patrick Hill

Opens September 3, 2009

At NOMA GALLERY, San Francisco

San Francisco, CA, August 24th 2009: Curated by Betty Nguyen, Creative Director of First Person Magazine, NOMA GALLERY's “Play With Your Own Marbles” is a bold attempt to challenge the viewer's usual access points into an artwork. In “Play With Your Own Marbles,” Nguyen brings together three contemporary Los Angeles-based artists who examine the finite moment when a work becomes defined as finished or in progress. In their common concerns and motifs, these artists exemplify a shift from the indulgence of art back to a more humble, raw approach to conceptualizing and crafting art. The narratives of artistic and curatorial process are not only foregrounded in the content of the works – crafted with raw materials, portraying utilitarian tools, and addressing everyday apparatus – but additionally, the temporality, disposability, and pervasiveness of “art” is addressed. Whether it be a piece purposefully conceived as art or an everyday commodity that, through its re-contextualization, incites appreciation of craftsmanship, and triggers some form of critical evaluation, the works chosen are in a continuous state of flux. Decoding the artist’s surfaces and content, the participant begins to process the sublimation of art as a part of life, one that is as rich in semiotics as it is in aesthetics.

Image by Patrick Hill, "Fabric and Piss"

First Person Magazine

Noma Gallery

A few pictures to hold you over for the weekend!!

2009-08-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

Small sustainable arrangement...

Michael Daigian Design: Sustainable Floral Art

2009-08-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sustainability and low carbon footprints are one the topics of intense discussion. In small business, individuals are constantly working on ways to increase the use of sustainable materials and reduce our carbon footprint. They are also working to find ways to market and introduce these ideas to the consumer.

MD Design has implemented quite a few steps to reduce our carbon footprint. We have stopped sending paper invoices to our clients, unless they specifically request one. We find that emailing invoices not only saves paper and costs, our clients welcome the ideas as it keeps their desks from becoming cluttered! We have also stopped sending out paper marketing materials in exchange for customizable emailed documents and our wonderful blog!

But some business practices have carbon footprints that are much harder to reduce or contain. MD Design is still waiting for the first hybrid delivery van. In exchange, we improve efficiency by carefully planning our delivery routes and constantly checking the mechanics of our vans and air pressure in the tires.

In the argument regarding sustainability, carbon footprint, global warming, eco-conscoiusness and all the other nomenclature surrounding the global warming debate, too little importance is placed on reduction. This video from National Geographic demonstrates the impacts of small changes on a national or global level.

If all automobiles increased efficiency by 5 mpg, the reduction of fossil fuel emissions would be tremendous. (examples) Cutting our impact on the environment and carbon dioxide drastically. Small changes on massive scale might be our only chance in having a profound impact in cutting our carbon footprint. While a lot of this is wishful thinking, MD Design is considering bringing these ideas into our floral design ethics.

MD Design would like to introduce our slant on the sustainable floral arrangement.

This arrangement features sustainably grown Dahlias and Curly Willow. Both relatively low impact floral goods, grown using minimal watering and no heat.

The succulents are hybrid Echeverias. These are quite common and when the flowers in our arrangement have died (we are still working on this one) pull the Echeverias out and plant them in your garden, planter, or pot on a windowsill.

Last but not least, the square vase is made from recycled glass and can be reused for other flower arrangements, potpourri, or any other eco-conscious idea...

Bouquets to Art 2010!!

2009-07-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

This post might be more than a little in advance, but Bouquets to Art is one of the most important San Francisco floral functions. San Francisco designers are given the chance to interpret works of art at the de Young Museum using their arrangements.

MD Design would like to announce that three of our designers, Nixon Tran, Jennifer Ortega-Lato, and Sunghi sonia Morsella have applied to show their work along side MD design owner and head designer, Michael Daigian.

MD Design strongly supports and hopes that Nixon, Jennifer, and Sonia are accepted into the 2010 Bouquets to Art show. Nixon, Jennifer, and Sonia are all extremely strong designers with wonderful vision and creativity. Their floral fashion accessory pieces for the 2009 Bouquets to Art Yves saint Laurent show was a huge sensation!!!

Needless to say, MD design is extremely excited for Bouquets to Art 2010, even though it may be in the distant future.

Here are some examples of the designs Nixon Tran and Jennifer Ortega-Lato created...

"Wow Factor" AIFD 2009 Symposium

2009-07-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

"Wow Factor" program by Jenny Tabarracci (AIFD and CCSF faculty) and Leighsa Montrose (AIFD and Branch Out Floral and Event Design) was a resounding success. Design support staff included students and alumni from CCSF (City College of San Francisco) Floristry Department. Designers from Michael Daigian Design include Jennifer Lato (AES candidate) and Nixon Tran (student competition 2nd place overall)...

Michael Daigian Design would like to thank the designers and AIFD for all the hard work and woderful ideas that were discussed during the Symposium.

Here is a picture of the "Wow Factor" demonstration...

AIFD Kansas City Floral Symposium

2009-07-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

Michael Daigian, Nixon Tran, Jennifer Lato of Michael Daigian Design recently returned from the AIFD annual floral symposium. The AIFD gathering is a collection of floral designers from across the United States for educational and training purposes. The designers are granted certification and certain designers, like Nixon Tran of Michael Daigian Design, win awards for their unique and beautiful floral arrangements.

This year, the Kansas City Star posted a video interview of Michael Daigian and close friend Jenny Tabarracci. There is also a shot of Nixon Tran working on a lovely dark red arrangement. Then Michael Daigian is interviewed followed by another shot of Michael Daigian and Jenny Tabarracci working together. Follow the link bellow to view the video from the Kansas City Star.

AIFD SYMPOSIUM VIDEO

Floral Fashion

2009-07-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

To all floral enthusiasts,

Flowers give off a wonderful aroma and arrangements ought to appeal to your more architectural sensibilities; but COLOR is without a doubt the most intriguing aspect of floral design.

Color is a wonderful but often confusing and challenging aspect or tool in design work. Here are a couple insights on how color trends shift and evolve as our world quickly changes. I am, and suspect most are, heavily influenced by seasonal changes. This is an entirely personal sensibility. Some do not shift their pallets as much as others with the cycles of the seasons.

Certainly there are colors that are beyond seasonal trends; white, black, certain grays.

And in that same vein, color requests cannot and should not be ignored...after all, this is the service industry.

But keeping an eye out, suspecting and trying to gauge changes while attempting to be unique and individual is why designers are constantly drawn to this variable. In the past few years there has been an interesting shift towards muted and earthy, skin like, blended, or washed out colors.

The digital revolution has shifted the color palette trends from the sharp contrast of bold colors and put a very tangible and real feel on images and creations. The attempt to actualize or bring to life digital images has lead to the toning down of colors in the interest of believability.

This is not meant at all as a dismissal of digital media. Rather a beautiful and very neutral pallet of fashionable colors have perpetrated the market. Art, fashion, and floral design reimburses this trend and our work looks wonderful and blends easily.

Trends in color we employ are washed out acid neon. Muted grays and blacks are a personal favorite. Earthy and tonal primary colors (yellow, red, blue).

Light browns and skin tones are a huge plus. They blend so well and are so tangible. While muted colors are the trend do not forget to throw a little color in to break things up.

Following the trends is not an easy process. It takes time, dedication, and a general interest. Keeping in touch with fashion and art is extremely important. Fashion moe than any other design process establishes and develops the tones that are so important but subtle in the development.

Thanks for reading...

keep posted of images or other visual samples

Written by Michael Daigian and Adam Iscoff - Daigian

Wedding Planning Advice

2009-07-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

12 to 24 Month Prior

The most important part of the wedding process is. Be sure to give yourself more than a full year. Planning without that having to rush and being able to work out every last detail will provide peace of mind. Start by choosing a wedding date and announce your engagement to close friends and family (don’t be afraid to ask for help and some might offer)

• Choose a wedding date
• Scout and choose a location for the ceremony and reception
• Consider hiring a wedding planner or consultant
• Establish a budget for the wedding and start compiling a to do list

At this point, consider and compile thoughts about your upcoming wedding. Having the ideas down on paper will help you keep focus as you plan your occasion. Once you have settled on a location, book the venues. Remember that popular sites and vendors might book up to two years ahead. So if you plan on holding the engagement at a popular location, make the reservation at least 18 month ahead of time.

Once the ceremony and reception sites have been booked, seek out potential vendors. This is where having some of your thoughts compiled will come in handy. It will be easier to sort through the vendors if you have some of our own concepts already outlined. Consider which vendors understand your mentality and will help realize your concepts and wishes within your budget. Remember that wedding vendors are there to help you secure and realize your dream wedding. They should be helpful, flexible, reliable, and engaging.

• Book ceremony and reception locations
• Start compiling ideas, examples, thoughts, and desires for your wedding day
• Compile a list of potential vendors and contact them inquiring about their services
• Begin shopping wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses

6-12 Month Prior

Once your vendors have been secured, its time to start sorting out the details. This is where the real work begins. We suggest starting by developing a rough guest a. The next step is to shop wedding accessories like invitations, dresses, or wedding favors.

This part of the process can be especially overwhelming so it pays off to allow plenty of time and stay organized.

Another excellent tip for staying on top of planning the wedding and keeping your friends and family in the loop is to set up a wedding website. Blogging is a free and easy way to host a site with plenty of options and no obligations.

• Compile guest list
• Create wedding website if desired
• Order wedding invitations, envelopes and thank you cards
• Register at one or more bridal gift centers
• Start planning the honeymoon!!
• Purchase wedding favors if desired
• Book accommodations for out-of-town guests and compile a list of things to do
• Finalize guest list and send out save the date cards
• Reserve transportation for wedding party or guests
• Book officiant for ceremony

2 – 6 Months Prior

Hopefully by now, much of your wedding has been planned and your vendors are in the process of guiding you through the final steps. Now you can get ready to send out invitations! Most send invites 8 – 12 weeks before the date. Depending on the time of year, you might want to give your guests a little extra time to plan for the event. Especially if it’s a destination wedding or there are lots of out of town guests.

Other important tasks are ordering the wedding cake from your selected bakery and reserving any tables or chairs from your desired party rental company.

• Send out invitations
• Order wedding cake
• Reserve party rental items
• Select wedding readings
• Meet with officiant to discuss ceremony details
• Meet with caterer to discuss menu and wine list
• Organize rehearsal dinner details

2 Weeks – 2 Months prior

Congratulations, you are now in the home stretch of planning your wedding. Pretty soon you will be able to enjoy all your hard work. Now is the time for sorting out last minute details, purchase wedding accessories and put together your seating list.

These tasks may seem overwhelming but remember to stay calm and ask for help when needed. Your vendors, family, and close friends are wonderful resources not to be overlooked.

• Put together seating arrangements
• Create place or name cards
• Purchase wedding accessories like guest book, toasting glasses, cake knife, wedding ring pillow
• Continue to update wedding website if necessary
• Choose stylist
• Book final gown, tux, and bridesmaid fitting
• Meet with all vendors to finalize details
• Pick up wedding bands and any other made to order accessories
• Confirm ALL reservations from ceremony sites to accommodations and transportation services

1-Week Prior

Try to relax and prepare for your big day. Hopefully everything will have come together smoothly since the whole process was planned perfectly from the begging! Tie up any last minute details or changes.

One day Prior

Greet guests or family that have arrived in town for the wedding. Most importantly make sure to get ample rest for your big day. And finally, enjoy it, your wedding day is here and everything is perfect; congratulations…

Thanks for reading. We hope you found this helpful.

Best wishes,

Michael Daigian Design

Stay tuned for updates including more advice, ideas, vendors and more

Bonjour events

2009-07-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

Bounjour Events is a great website for meeting and event planners or anyone looking to plan an event. There is tons of helpful information without all the invasive spam normally associated with the internet.

We are proud to have been added to their Hot Vendor list

check out some of these great articles...

charity events

weddings

Bonjour events is also featured on the Martha Stewart blog list.

Testimonials

2009-07-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

“Michael Daigian Design is phenomenal, creative, responsible, on the ball, and reasonably priced. I planned my wedding long-distance and was so impressed by the great communication and fast email responses. The floral arrangements on my wedding day were beyond expectation. I think they are the best.”

“They completely understood what I wanted despite the fact that I couldn’t really articulate it. My bouquet was EXACTLY what I had envisioned. They fit the design of space so perfectly and the little creative touches they provided were beautiful.”

“Michael’s work was a major part of the magic and beauty of our wedding. I had a clear idea of what I wanted but Michael took my clarity to a higher level than I could have imagined.”

“Michael is extraordinarily creative PLUS he does not have a big ego that gets in the way. He listens very carefully (because he is not a prima donna) and then makes a budget AND sticks to it.”

“Michael Daigian Design constructed a wedding canopy topped with flowers that was the most beautiful I have ever seen. It was stunning. They also provided up-lighting, which transformed the room into an elegant, ambient ballroom. They are more of a private events company rather than just a florist.”

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San Francisco Chronicle article on Southern Food and Pican...

2009-07-06T13:19:00.001-07:00

I previously posted about the San Francisco restaurant Pican. As the article you're about to read mentions, southern food is not only delicious, it is also making a mark in San Francisco! We no longer have to travel to Texas or my favorite, Louisiana to partake in delicious recipes from our southern brethren.

"There's something exciting happening with Southern food in the Bay Area, and a lot of that excitement is encapsulated at Picán in Oakland. Dean Dupuis, who was chef at South City Kitchen in Atlanta for many years, has relocated west and is giving a California twist to traditional dishes."

read article at SF Gate...

If you eat at Pican, let us know what you think of the Michael Daigian Design flowers!

Cocktails at Spruce Restaurant

2009-06-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Spruce is a delicious restaurant on Sacramento street in San Francisco. Though we do not have the flower account at Spruce, we recently did flowers for their wonderful front cocktail room. This was a college graduation party. Here are some pictures, enjoy!

Fresh Flowers

2009-06-18T12:18:00.001-07:00

by Jesse Leake

"The Golden Ticket" Exclusive Engagement for Metting and Event Planners

2009-06-16T12:45:00.000-07:00

Sandy Cha and 5A5 Steak Lounge are hosting and Meeting and Event planners function at their new restaurant. 5A5 is a unique location that makes a perfect event space. Sandy Cha is the event manager at the location and she is wonderful to work with. Hope to see you there.

Wholesale Floral Supplies

2009-06-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

MD Design is clearing some if its used floral supply inventory. If you are working an event, making your own arrangements, or need inexpensive floral supplies, we are clearing our old inventory at garage sale prices. Fell free to give us a call 821-7710 or come on by.

Coming Soon, MD Design Floral Supplies Internet Store...