Maggie's Farm Current Events

Little River Bridal Extravaganza

2009-01-25T21:47:00.002-05:00

The Bridal show at Little River on Sunday was one huge wedding party. The club and every vendor went all out to create a wonderful showcase . Beautiful setting and the folks at Little River should be very proud. I had a great time talking to people, hearing their plans or dreams and looking at the brides-to-be engagement rings!

Snowbound

2009-01-21T08:15:00.003-05:00

What to do on a snowy day? The roads are impassable. The temperatures are impossible. The prospects for work are highly improbable. We might as well play.

We love the contrast of bouquets in snow. It makes for a striking backdrop and us that warmer weather and warmer interludes are not so far.

While Margaret and I indulged our hobbies, Kalie bravely endured the cold and wind and looked beautiful doing it.
Maggie and I give our sincere thanks to Kalie for posing with the bouquets along with our hopes that when it is time for her to carry her very own bouquet, it won't be wearing a slip, a mink and her mother's Uggs in our back yard in a snow storm. - Kevin

Cold Weather and Planning

2009-01-17T12:09:00.008-05:00

It is 20 degrees here and sunny. Not as cold as some places but cold enough to keep this girl inside working on future projects! Next Sunday, Jan 25th we are participating in a new Bridal Fair taking place at a Little River Golf Resort right outside of Pinehurst. We had several happy brides have their receptions there last season so I am looking forward to participating in this inagural event. speaking of inagural I bet the floral and event companies in Washington are working 24/7! I can't wait to see pictures. Yes We Can - that is a beautiful mantra.

Katherine Belk Morris and Trevor Marshall Stanley

2008-08-24T10:50:00.003-04:00

Katherine (Kate) Belk Morris was wed betrothed to Trevor Marshall Stanley on the picture perfect afternoon of Saturday, August 9, 2008. Maggie was honored to serve as florist, planner and coordinator.

Kate Carried a bouquet of white roses, freesia and orchids down the aisle of Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines.

The Reception was held at The Country Club Of North Carolina in the ballroom...

...and spilling out onto the terrace...

...where arrangements of green and blush hydrangea with pink roses around pillars with floating candles over colorful linens gave the night a dreamlike quality.

Maggie and her staff would like to extend their best wishes to Kate and Trevor along with our thanks for allowing us to help.

Teague/Petry Wedding

2008-06-29T16:18:00.004-04:00

Julie Teague and Dustin Petry were wed on the steamy afternoon of June 28th at The Village Chapel in Pinehurst. Maggie's Farm was proud to provide flowers and coordination for the event.

Julie chose a classic white wedding. Her bouquet featured an assortment of white roses, hydrangea and fressia wrapped in white ribbon. Her bridesmaids wore seafoam green dresses and carried bouquets of white roses and fressia tied with seafoam green ribbon. The groomsmen wore white dinner jackest that were perfect for a summer afternoon.

Three adorable flower girls carried pomander of roses in shades of white.

Village Chapel never looked more elegant.

The reception was held at The Country Club of North Carolina which couldn't have been more lovely in the sea foam linens and centerpieces by Maggie.

The Marriage Celebration of Adrian Lee Pierce and Billy Mark Stutts

2008-05-17T21:15:00.003-04:00

Adrian and Billy were wed on the stunningly beautiful afternoon of Saturday, May seventeenth, two thousand and eight.

Adrian carried a bouquet of peonies, hydrangea and pink roses.

They exchanged their vows at the altar of The West End Community Presbyterian Church...

Ant the reception was held at The Little River Farm Golf Club and Resort in Carthage, North Carolina.

Wooley/Rudovsky Nuptials

2008-05-17T20:17:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, May 3, Pat Wooley of Boston Massachusetts became Mrs. Paul Rudovsky in a ceremony at The Village Chapel of Pinehurst.

This wedding was special to us as Mr. Rudovsky is a long time client and one we hold in especially high regard. The queen and I extend our very best wishes to the newlyweds.

2008-04-28T21:05:00.002-04:00

Amy Shealy became Mrs. Tripp Loyd on a warm afternoon of Saturday, April 26, 2008 in a ceremony held at The Village Chapel in Pinehurst North Carolina.
Amy carried a beautiful traditional white bouquet of white and cream roses, white lisianthus, white hydrangea with white orchids and light greenery.

The Reception, held at The Country Club of North Carolina, featured centeroieces of live orchids or arringements of showy arrangements in white, cream and green tones of roses, snapdragons,bells of ireland, lilies and orchids on mirrors with votive candles.

Amy and Tripp wisked away on a long honeymoon immediately after their reception so we were left to have som fun with the bouquet. You can find the shots here on page 4. I hope you enjoy.

Lam/Kuehnle: Sandhills Spring Wedding

2008-04-28T19:54:00.007-04:00

Early April is the great equalizer. For two weeks everybody lives in a yellow house and drives a yellow car down yellow roads. When Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote "nature's first green is gold", I guess he was talking about pollen.
Ans so it was that Juliet Lamm and Edward Kuehnle, III were wed, providing a visual feast for weary eyes longing for something besides yellow.
Juliet Melbourne Lam became Edward Charles Kuehnle, III at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines on the overcast afternoon of April 5th.

For a bouquet, Juliet carried a double pomander of roses in shades of pink

The bridesmaids carried bouquets of white nad blush roses.

The wedding featured striking pew markers of mixed roses and baby's breath.

The reception at the always elegant Fair Barn in Pinehurst featured a variety of centerpieces from the understated bowl of hydrangea blooms...

...to colorful arrangements on tower vases filled with orchid sprays.

We at Maggie's Farm wish, albeit belatedly, all the best to the new Mr. & Mrs. Deward Kuehnle.

More photos of Maggies work on our zenfolio page.

Valentines Day

2008-02-05T19:21:00.001-05:00

It's almost Valentines Day and your Valentine deserves nothing but the very best. Take them to dinner. Treat them to the spa. Buy them a Ferrari. But, for heaven's sake, give flowers! Nothing says love like flowers from Maggie's Farm.

New Ads

2008-02-05T19:09:00.000-05:00

It's ad time. We're running ads in a couple of local publications. Hopefully they'll look some thing like these.

Sandhills Wedding guide.

Southern Weddings.

Blessings, Curses And Buck

2007-12-30T08:42:00.000-05:00

It's the last Sunday before the end of the year. It's a natural time to take stock of the year gone by, a time to celebrate our wins and take a critical look at the situations that didn't go our way in order to apply the lessons learned in the new year.
Most of that accounting is pretty straightforward. Another year of waking up next to the woman I love - blessing. Another year unencumbered by the pitfalls of materialism and the idle trappings of wealth - big curse.

And then there's Buck.

We call Maggie "The Queen" but this unbalanced fowl who might be all of 2 pounds (I say "might" because I'm as likely to farm the soil of Neptune as I am to hold Buck when he's healthy) is the unquestioned master of all he surveys. You can tell whether Buck is in the front yard or the back yard because our cats will only go out which ever door he's farthest from. I've heard our youngest daughter, now 22, cry out for an escort from the shop out of fear of the crazed bird. Even Satchel, our ten year old lab mix, must heroically endure the unchecked aggression of this young frail, and yet foolishly cocky...cock.
I should like for the sake of balance to point out Buck's redeeming qualities...could I but think of one. His first crowing seems entirely unrelated to the rising of the sun, occurring as it does anywhere from three in the morning to noon and randomly throughout his waking hours. He makes us nervous when family, guests and brides come to visit because we know first hand the unwelcome surprise of an attack by the deranged fowl when we are caught preoccupied or unaware. We would like to credit him with the attributes that anyone hopes to see in those under their care. But if we're really honest, then as with the Raven in the poem by Edgar Allen Poe, we have to admit to the possibility that he's just pure evil.

And yet we love Buck. We've saved him from hawks. We worry when we don't see him. We give him cookies when we have them and he makes the sweetest sounds when he gets his treats or just the time and attention that he craves. I look froward to the sound of his crowing and running to the front of the house if I get home before the sun is too far down. I enjoy his company and curious, oddly social if slightly distrustful nature when I have a few minutes to spare with him. He doesn't want to be touched, but he likes having us close.

For all his irascibility, we like having him to close, too.

So as we look back on the year that passed and count up our wins and losses, let's give special consideration to our "mixed blessings". Maybe how we find the value in them actually helps define we are.

Here's to Mixed blessings!

And a blessed and happy New Year to all!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2007-12-14T21:12:00.000-05:00

...if you Christmas in Beunos Aires.

This week has been unbelievable. On Tuesday I saw butterflies at a property we take care of - butterflies, two weeks before Christmas!

The knock out roses are knockin' it out all over the place.

As lovely as these blooms are, they scare the hell out of me.

I know that a warm snap here or there does not a crisis make. But maybe the worst drought in the region's recorded history followed four years later by the worst drought in the region's recorded history is cause for some concern.

We've all heard the old joke, "Everyone complains about the weather but nobody ever does anything about it." I think we have to do something about it.

It's A Fine Day For A Wiggs Wedding!

2007-11-25T10:02:00.000-05:00

Centerpiece in Private Dining Room at CCNC

"It's a fine day to start again!"
Billy Idol from "White Wedding"
OK, I'm guessing that the obscure Billy Idol reference might be lost on our newlyweds but it's not altogether inappropriate. The Wiggs first dated in Greensboro some time ago ago but their paths separated and they went on with their lives eventually marrying other people before finding each other again and discovering in a wealth of common interest and experience more fertile ground for love to thrive and bloom.
Here's wishing the best to the Wiggs in their new endeavour!

Bridal bouquet and Maid of Honor bouquet

Cake!

Bridal bouquet (Not the actual bride)

Wine Tasting at CCNC

2007-11-25T09:02:00.000-05:00

(Chef's Assistant at Asian cuisine table.)

On Saturday, November 17th, the Country Club of North Carolina presented a wine tasting for its members in the club ballroom. The eveining featured local wines and wines from all over the world. Chef Joe Diprima prepared food tables featuring cuisine from Italy and Asia.

(Flowers for Italian Table)

The Todd/Lynch Wedding

2007-10-21T20:44:00.000-04:00

On the weekend of September 29th the Village of Pinehurst surrendered to the wedding party for Amanda Claire Todd and Remmington Barclay Lynch. Festivities included a golf tournament, rehearsal dinner, after dinner drinks, a bridesmaid's luncheon and a Sunday brunch...and, oh yeah, and somewhere in all that two people got married.

That part actually took part at 5:00 on the afternoon of September 29th at the stately Village Chapel of Pinehurst. The Former Miss. Todd carried a bouquet of white orchid sprays and gardenia blooms.

The bridesmaids dressed suspiciously like the lovely woman above (either a bridesmaid or the best wedding crasher I've ever seen) carried bouquets of white parrot tulips, esperance roses, white nerine lilies, freesia and boxwood.

Here's a real courtesy for a destination wedding. Guests leaving the wedding and unsure of how to get to the reception needed only to follow the sound of bagpipes.

The reception was held at The Country Club of North Carolina. Maggie provided centerpieces and floral accents that were a feast for the eyes. Betty Ferguson, The Cake Lady, and Chef Joseph Diprima provided...well, a feast.

It would seem like a lot to do the all floral design and to coordinate a weekend with so many events and so much activity - and it might be for a mere mortal. For me it was a joy to watch Maggie doing what she loves...and for people she was happy to be doing it for. Our best wishes go out to Amanda and Barclay and our sincerest thanks to Joanie Todd and Becky Lynch for allowing us to help.

Tom McCall photographed the wedding so you can see real photographs here.

More of our images from the event can be found at our portfolio page.

Dinner For The Nasher Museum

2007-10-21T19:56:00.000-04:00

On the rainy evening of September 20th (remember rain?) Marilyn Arthur hosted a party to introduce local people to The Nasher Museum on the campus of Duke University in Durham, NC. The event was held at Mrs. Arthur's lovely Pinehurst home and Margaret was happy to help with planning and coordination as well as providing flowers. Chef Joseph DiPrima and his staff from The Country Club of North Carolina served a creative hors doeuvres to prospective patrons to the museum.

We encourage you to learn more about The Nasher Museum of Art by visiting their website here.

Why Be Uncoordinated?

2007-10-21T18:12:00.000-04:00

Weddings are a big deal. They're half pageant and half party. They're a production in which things need to proceed in a timely fashion. There are venues, chefs or caterers, florists, entertainers, photographers, videographers, transportation, rentals, bridesmaids, groomsmen two families and friends to contend with.

Maybe you you thrive under that kind of pressure but is that really the best use of your time? Because it's true that weddings are pageants, parties and productions, but most of all, they're celebrations. They celebrate the joining of two lives, two destinies, two families and the creation of a new family. Whether you're bride or the mother of the bride, you should be a celebrant. Better by far to let a professional, someone who's helped with hundreds of weddings, sweat the details.

Maggie and her assistants were happy to provide that service for the wedding of Jolin Elise Henry to Mathew Scott Conine on September 15th. They were married at The Cypress Presbyterian Church In Vass, NC and the Reception was held at the clubhouse in Woodlake.

More recently, Maggie's Farm was pleased to assist with the wedding of Constance Louise Flemming and Andrew McNaughton Wright. The Ceremony was held at Community Presbyterian Church in Pinehurst, NC at 5:30 on the afternoon of October 13th.

The reception was held at The Country Club of North Carolina and featured music by the Black and Blue Band.

Maggie's Farm was built on Margaret's original floral designs and we continue to take great pride in that, but we've always been about service as well. Even if you choose another florist, we'll still put that same pride, professionalism and experience into making your wedding or event the absolute best it can be.

Pollworth/Rector at Country Club of North Carolina

2007-10-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

The Terrace of The Country Club of North Carolina proved and ideal backdrop for the wedding of Lani Pollworth to Dustin Rector on the afternoon of September 22nd. This was a destination for the young couple who hail from Minnetonka, Minnesota. Maggie was happy to provide flowers for the event.

More images from the Pollworth/Rector wedding are available at our portfolio page.

Long Time Gone

2007-10-20T16:40:00.000-04:00

It has been almost two months since I've updated this blog and that is inexcusable. The whole idea behind current events is to keep current, to give clients a quick recap of events that are important to them. I apologize for not getting that done.

The time I would ordinarily have put into the blog went into rebuilding the website, http://www.maggiesfarm4flowers.com/. Margaret always thought the old site was too big and hard to navigate. I didn't like that the gallery section was slow and I didn't care for the magnification and scrolling versus simply enlarging. Finally, as much as we might have enjoyed the music, there was no guarantee that you would. Maggie thought the music player wasn't intuitive enough. On the new site you have to click on the music player on the top right of the site to play music and you have your choice of three songs.

Anyhow, I think we've corrected the problems and streamlined the site. We're happy with it. We hope it will be useful to you, as well.

Kristin Kuhn and Chad Gilligan

2007-08-26T15:59:00.000-04:00

Ms. Kristin Kuhn became Mrs. Chad Gilligan at The Sir Walter Raleigh Gardens on the campus of Sandhills Community College at 5:30 yesterday on an afternoon that might be described as...well, just a little warm.

Kristin's bouquet

Attendant's bouquet
Family section marker at the gardens

We know Kristin well. She handles events at The Country Club of North Carolina and Margaret has had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Kristin on a lot of receptions. None of them meant more to Kristin or to Maggie than this one. We were pleased and honored to be a part of her most special day.

Table setting at CCNC.

Candy table at reception at CCNC.

Our groom, Chad Gilligan is a golf pro at Pinehurst #7. We hadn't met Chad until recently but our landscape clients who are members at #7 can't stop singing his praises. Our encounters with him have only served to reinforce the positive impressions of people who have known him longer.

Best of luck for a long and happy marriage to two very special people!

More images from Kristin and Chad's special day can be found here.

A Celebration of the Gruenhagen/ Giorgi Wedding

2007-08-19T17:30:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd change up the font a little for this one just to emphasize a point which is, I love color. I mean I can appreciate the elegant understated beauty of a white wedding. I can appreciate the passion of classic red roses. Give me clolor. Color says clebrate.

If a white bouquet is a waltz and a red bouquet is modern dance, this bouquet is a lambada!

The very lovely Mary Ayres Gruenhagen became Mrs. James Marcus Giorgi in a ceremony at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Southern Pines at a little after five thirty yesterday. Maggie was proud to serve as both florist and , with very professional assistance from our good friend Debbie Beard, event coordinator.

All weddings are part pageant and part celebration. A lot of weddings attempt to balance those aspects. This one was unabashedly a celebration. The bouquets, the altar flowers, even the flower girl's baskets...

and pew markers suggested that this was the start of a very good time.
I happened to be outside the church taking down the church rail decorations when the bride and her entourage emerged from having portraits done. My first instinct was to jump and grab my camera (which was only a few feet away) because I almost never get a shot of a bride with a bouquet. But the newly minted Mrs. Giorgi was striding so purposefully towards the waiting limousine that I knew she had better things to do than wait for another picture. I've no doubt that Mary will cherish the pageant portion of her wedding for all of her days, but I am equally sure that at the moment I happened to catch her she was done with that part and ready for the celebration.

I left my camera where it was and kept working.

When Mary and James arrived at the reception at Little river farms, they found every table in the lobby decorated with colorful arrangements lie this one. The rail toppers on the staircase going up to the ballroom were like miniature reproductions of her bouquet.

The centerpieces were a celebration of color on sheer gold and white striped tablecloths with gold underlays that Maggie had ordered for the event.

The band "Egypt" entertained revelers until late into the night. To say that it was a lovely event is not to do it justice. It was a party. It was a celebration.

My hope for Mary and James is that in the uneven progression that is life, that their marriage will always be a celebration of the possibilities and of the joy to be had in seeing life through with the one that you love.

More images from this wedding can soon be found on our galleries page.

Bridal Fair 2007

2007-08-19T16:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the day for the second annual Bridal Fair at National Golf Club in Pinehurst. Intrepid brides and brides to be from around the Sandhills braved the swelter of another afternoon of what's sure to be the hottest August on record in order to see and sample the wares of local vendors in the wedding industry. We were happy to once again make our case from a space near the center of National's beautiful ballroom.

Not in attendance at this year's show was The Queen herself, Maggie. She was busy with flowers and coordination for the Gruenhagen/Giorgi wedding. In her stead we had a doctor and a princess. Pictured above are our good friend Joella Hardee, DMP (Doctor of Manicure and Pedicure) at The Nail Boutique, and The Queen's younger daughter (and therefore a princess), Kalie Hairston.

Brides who stopped by were able to check out a variety of bouquets, like the traditional red rose bouquet that this bride is holding,...

see a photo album of Maggie's work,...
and take home a cd slideshow of some of the best of Maggie's wedding work.

I knew that a crowded ballroom would be a tough place to get good images so I kidnapped a couple of Maggie's Bridal Fair bouquets early yesterday morning and shot them at a fountain.

Pictured above is the bouquet Kalie is holding in the photo at the top of the page and just below is the bouquet Jo Ella was holding.

Below is a colorful design with a simple tropical centerpiece, tropical colored linens, a lovely and colorful bouquet and our lovely and colorful daughter standing next to it all.

Below is a less traditional take on a bouquet. Maggie used bright red roses and red protea wrapped in red ribbon with a large beautiful jeweled broach on the wrapping.

Always original, always beautiful, always just for you...designs by Margaret Smith at Maggie's Farm.

More from the Bridal show soon at the gallery page.

Beach Bum Bouquet

2007-08-13T20:07:00.000-04:00

We made it to the beach...finally!
Everybody needs a change of scenery once in a while and The Queen (Maggie) and I have been looking at the same scenery for a long, long time. So Friday night we finished our deliveries and headed east to Wilmington to visit my sister and enjoy a little sun and fun, some food and a little shopping.
But the first thing we did Saturday morning was to go to the beach to take some pictures that I had been thinking about for a while. I had asked Maggie to do a bouquet I could shoot on the beach and she is always so kind to indulge me.

I caught three breaks on Saturday morning.

First, the rain stopped. Friday night Wilmington was getting all the rainfall the rest of the state so desperately needs. I had thought I would shoot at sunrise but at 5:00 a.m. the thunder was still banging so I didn't rush. By seven, the rain had seemed to pass so by 7:30 we were on our way to the beach.
Second, Maggie came with me. It's not unusual for me to take the camera out early in the morning when we're on vacation, but usually The Queen sleeps in. I was delighted when she came along. I thought I had some good ideas about what I wanted to shoot but Maggie did for me the same thing she does for her clients, she makes your good ideas better.
Third, I ran into this little girl.

I'd had an idea that an photo of a little girl holding a bouquet under her chin might make for an interesting image of Maggie's work. I really wasn't expecting to do that, though, on this particular morning because it was still overcast and we were going to the least crowded part of the beach. But we had no sooner parked the van and tried to pay at the parking kiosk, than this young family - a big red headed guy, his petite wife, a very young son and their daughter, a pretty little girl with flaming red hair - walked up behind us. The little girl couldn't have been more perfect for the shot I'd had in mind. I walked up to the father, gave him one of Maggie's cards and told him who we were and what we had in mind to do and asked him if it would be OK. He said he thought so and checked with his wife, who was also OK with the idea.

About thirty feet away was a spot where the dunes and sea oats kind of framed the shot nicely so we all walked over there and I took three snaps. To their credit, Maggie, the mom and the dad tried valiantly to get the young girl to smile, but to no avail. I actually think that worked out for the best. It made the shots look less like something off a greeting card. It made the young girl look enigmatic. It made the shot more interesting.

I never asked the family's name but they were so nice and I really appreciate their help. I'm very happy with the shots. I hope they will be, too.

I only took three shots of the little girl but I took about thirty shots altogether. I mentioned before about Maggie taking your ideas and making them better. I had the idea of the bouquet and champagne bottle and glasses at the edge of the water. Maggie took it a step further and actually put them in the surf which made for a much more interesting photo.

Maybe I should have called this the Blanche Dubois Bouquet because of the way it depended upon the kindness of strangers. We met another nice family on Johnny Mercer's Pier. The woman holding the bouquet couldn't have been more delightful. I know flowers bring out the best in people but I really don't think that woman had anything else, just the best.

Reminds me a little of someone else I know...

A couple more shots from this series can be found here. They're in the "Beaucoup Bouquets" section.

Bridal Fair at National Golf Club

2007-08-04T17:36:00.001-04:00

We are pleased to be showing again at The Bridal Fair at The National Golf Club in Pinehurst on August 18th. Maggie will not be there as she has a wedding that day. Gracing the booth instead will be our good friend Valerie Stratta who owns Audley Enough, the dress boutique on Main Street in Southern Pines, and Maggie's youngest daughter, Kalie. We're looking forward to it.

I've had a hard time putting my hands on the cd with all the shots from last year's show but I did find these three.

I love this rich and colorful bouquet with the sunflowers and the roses with the chocolate colored wrap and the gold beading.
I also like this bridesmaid's bouquet, simple but vibrant.

This is another simple but lovely idea Maggie had, putting this green cymbidium nosegay in a black sequined purse.

You can get more information about the Bridal Fair at http://www.nationalgolfclub.com/Special_Events.htm

Towning/Miller Wedding - A Hero's Wedding

2007-07-28T17:57:00.000-04:00

Today Maggie was pleased to do the floral work for the wedding of Joanna Clare Towning to Robert Michael Miller, III.

I'm personally grateful that Maggie had the opportunity to be involved.

As I listened to the news this week about athletes running afoul of the law, generals covering up friendly fire incidents and drunk astronauts going into outer space, it occurred to me that there are no heroes anymore. Who's left? Who do we look to to remind us that there's still hope - that there's still goodness and decency in the world?
It was fortuitous that I knocked on a door to get a business card from this week's wedding photographer and recognized the groom.

On the far right in the image above is your groom, Robert Michael Miller, III. "Mike", as I've known him, is a nurse. About eighteen months ago, I was in a bad spot. My father was in the hospital for the fifth time in a year and my mother was in need of a level of care that my sister and I were unqualified to provide and unable to sustain even if we we could. I was suddenly confronted with the necessity of making new living arrangements for the people who had given and done so much for me all of my life. Nothing matters more than family so nothing matters more than the people providing care for the people you love - and while you appreciate every one's efforts, a few are naturally going to stand out. Michael stood out.

Michael never failed to demonstrate the kindness to work effectively with a woman who was disoriented, frustrated and sometimes angry and combative. He instinctively showed the compassion that gave comfort to a successful military officer and businessman without injuring his dignity. I felt better about my parents when Michael was working with them.

My parents are doing well now. Dad is driving and self-sufficient and Mom is doing as well as she can. Michael has moved on from that facility. But I am so grateful that he was there for that critical transition period. I didn't ask where he had gone. Wherever it is, they got a good man.

I had to make sure I got a shot of Michael to show my Dad and Dad was excited for him. At least in that small way he is able to share the event with someone who had shown so much kindness to him and my mom.

I fret for the world we live in sometimes...OK, often. People make good livings by being confrontational. An "In your face" attitude is considered a virtue. We celebrate people who "tell it like it is" with little regard for whether what they're telling bears any resemblence to reality. It seems like folks want the instant intimacy of a label so they can know whether to shake your hand or throw rocks at you.

Michael is the antithesis of all that. Michael is kindness, decency and compassion. He was a hero for the people I care about when they needed it so much. He's a hero to me. It was good to run to him today. It's important to see and remember what's good and right in the world.

I do that a little bit every morning when I wake up next to the woman I love. I wish the same and more for Joanna and Michael.

The very top photo in this post was of the bridal bouquet. The image above is of a bridesmaid's bouquet and a mother's nosegay.

Pictured above are centerpieces from the bridal party table.

Here is a table setting from the reception at The Little River Resort and Golf Club.

More photos from the Towning/Miller wedding are available here, http://maggiesfarm.zenfolio.com/p363915185/.

Copper/Black Nuptials

2007-07-22T09:40:00.000-04:00

Congratulations Dr. & Mrs. Kenney! It's a boy!
On Saturday at the Presbyterian Church in West End Dr. & Mrs. Kenney became the proud parents of a brand new son-in-law when their lovely daughter, Teresa Jo Copper, wed Joseph Mark Black.

The wedding was held at The West End Presbyterian Church. I believe Maggie's only done three weddings there in all he time as a florist so it's a little strange to have two in the space of about six weeks. We're happy for it though because it really is a beautiful church. The above images is of the guest-book set up in the narthex .

The four floral pew markers for this wedding were exceptional.

The reception was held at Pinehurst Members' Club where our old friend Stan Stegall and Sound Express entertained the wedding party. In addition to to playing with Sound Express, Stan books several other bands like The Tams through his company Much Moore Entertainment.

Pictured above is an arrangement of red roses with whit lilies and freesia with a tower vase base.

Above is another centerpiece from the reception, again using white lilies and freesia with red roses. For this centerpiece, Margaret used a tall glass vase with a rose in the bottom for a lift.

Many more images from the Copper/Black wedding are available at the current events section of http://maggiesfarm.zenfolio.com/.

Best laid plans...

2007-07-22T08:42:00.000-04:00

I saw Margaret working on the bouquets for the Copper/Black wedding the other night - Red roses, white freesia and star of Bethlehem - really beautiful bouquets. I saw that bright red and white and thought, "Wouldn't that look great with a flag?" So Saturday morning I took a bouquet, a table and a flag out to a field and tried to get my shots. As I was setting up the wind began to pick up so I rushed through it a little bit and finally the wind got to a point where I couldn't trust the bouquet to stand up on the table so I had to quit. When I got home I was unhappy with the composition - the tree that's close and to the right and the shadow behind table. Maggie made the more obvious comment and when I put it up on the computer screen I saw that she was right - the photograph looks like it might have been taken from the edge of Arlington National Cemetery. Not exactly the way you want to photograph a wedding bouquet.

Sorry.

Maggie's Farm Slideshow

2007-07-15T16:44:00.000-04:00

Click to play Make your own Smilebox

Phelps/O'Connor Nuptials

2007-07-07T19:04:00.000-04:00

It's that day. It's the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of this century. Today it's OK to walk under a ladder. It's no problem if a black cat crosses your path. Today's the day to take chances. Today everyone's playing the lottery...of love.

Our winners are the former Ms. Jenny Phelps and Mr. Jeremy O'Connor. They were wed today at Community Presbyterian Church in Pinehurst . Maggie was pleased to be the florist for the event.

Bridal bouquet on a church window sill (imagine that).

Bridal bouquet not on window sill.

Flower girl's purse.

Mother's nosegay.

Bridesmaid's Bouquet.

Altar.

The reception was held at the very elegant Country Club of North Carolina.

Table setting.

Simple elegant centerpiece.

We are now accepting bookings for weddings for the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventy seventh year of this century.

Bouquets Gone Wild

2007-07-07T17:21:00.000-04:00

I am not a professional photographer ("No! Really?). Yeah it's true.

Actually not earning a living with (or not being competent to earn a living with) a camera has an upside - like, I don't have to work that hard. I don't have to lug a camera around for eight hours for wedding prep photos, pre ceremony portraits, ceremony photos, post ceremony portraits and reception photos. I don't have to comb through and process hundreds of images while wedding party and family members anxiously await. No pressure, no expectations, no aching back - I get to enjoy my hobby as a hobby.

The downside is that I don't get to shoot Maggie's work in context - I never get an image of the alter with the bride and groom exchanging vows. I never get the table setting and centerpiece with candles lit and guests enjoying the event, I rarely get the bouquet in the hands of the bride while she's being the bride. What I get is a lot of images of bouquets in church window sills like this.

No shame in that. It's good light. Pros do it, too.

But they get to do all the other stuff. The challenge for me is to try to present something fresh, something imaginative, something that you might not get from an event (real) photographer. Maggie understands and indulges me.

This winter, for instance, we had one of our very rare snows - not a lot, just enough to cover the ground for a few hours. Still, Maggie seized the opportunity, ran down to the shop, got busy and we were able to get a different perspective of Maggie's work with images like this one.

The thing is, there's a limit to how adventurous you want to get with a bouquet for someone else's most special day.
Last night, the eternally kind and patient Maggie, made a bouquet with flowers left over from a wedding she's doing today and let me go play. We got these.

There's this really large open field not far from where we live.

Maggie didn't like the pillow.

Bouquet hits the road.

Admit it, we've all been there.

No?

Just me?...

Yeah, whatever.

Out of town on a rail.

Happy 4th!

2007-07-04T14:59:00.001-04:00

Here's wishing everyone a safe and happy celebration of our nation's independence!

Kickoff To Summer

2007-06-23T19:04:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the Farm that never sleeps.

Thursday, of course, was Summer Solstice and what better way to celebrate the longest day of the year than to party all night. It's exactly that kind of spirit that lead Bill and Mary Rammes to throw their Kickoff To Summer!

Maggie was pleased to help plan and coordinate this party on an absolutely perfect evening at the Rammes's beautiful home.

The Mckenzie Brothers entertained the guests with witty and danceable tunes.

The party was catered by the staff at The Country Club of North Carolina...

...and featured a pig picking served up by Darol Roberts.

In all, what better way to kickoff the summer than with a little food,...

...a little refreshment,...

...a little friendship,...

...a little dance,...

...And maybe even a little romance.

More images from Kickoff To Summer can be found in the "current events" section of our galleries page, http://maggiesfarm.zenfolio.com

Pro Photos from The Allen/Scott Wedding

2007-06-19T16:50:00.000-04:00

This image from the Allen/Scott wedding comes courtesy of Elizabeth Russell of Ellys Photography. The Allen/Scott wedding was June second and Maggie was florist and coordinator for the event. Young and talented Elizabeth Russell from Winston Salem handled the photography. You can see more of her work on this wedding at https://www.collages.net/consumersite/ConsumerStore.aspx (Username Laura_Dan, Password 10515).
You can see more of Elizabeth's work and get contact information here http://www.ellysphotography.com/.

Going To Pot

2007-06-16T16:47:00.000-04:00

Welcome back my friends
to the show that never ends.
We're so glad you could attend.
Come inside, come inside.

If you're old enough to remember that lyric, I sincerely hope we can help you with your daughter's upcoming wedding.

I mentioned Maggie doing pots for our clients. That's what she's doing right now.

I actually remembered to take my camera out with me last week so I was able to capture a few images of her work to share here.

I think the image above might show as well as anything what makes Maggie, Maggie. We had this spot on a front porch. It was going to be a major pain to get irrigation to it and the owners travel a bit so we couldn't be sure about the pots getting water. Maggie came up with this solution that adds interest and structure. It fits well with the landscape and the house. It's the kind of imagination that sets Maggie apart.

From the same property, Maggie used hibiscus and plumbago in this low iron pot at the end of the pool.

Maggie chose pink verbena, pink petunias and red geraniums to add color to this terrace.

Hosta, pink geraniums and white petunias work for this pot against a wall on the same terrace.

Miscanthus "morning light", lantana and fan flower add color and interest to this large pot on a balcony overlooking a sloping lawn and stream.

For those less in tune with the landscaper lexicon, this is Not an "ornamental pot". This comes from the same property as the last pot I showed. When the new owner took possession from the previous owner, he inherited this sandbox for the previous owner's young children. The new owner has no use for a sandbox so we had to figure out what to do with this space.

We immediately saw a zen garden - which kind of brings us back to the first pot in this post. It just goes to show that, as much as we love flowers and plants, sometimes the best plant isn't a plant.

2007-06-09T20:51:00.000-04:00

Greetings from down on the farm. Not a lot going on this weekend. We get a chance to rest and catch up a little bit. I was going to post some pic's of some of Maggie's pots this week but the landscaping is still jumping so I never made it out the door with a camera.

Instead, I think I'll go back a couple of weeks and share some images of some of Maggie's work for the Allen - Scott wedding.

Laura Leigh Scott and Daniel Alan Scott were wed at five o'clock on Saturday, May 26, at The West End Presbyterian Church with the reception held at The Crawford Center behind the church. Maggie was proud to serve as both florist and coordinator for the event.

The image above is one of a kind of unusual request. Our bride, Laura, wanted a silk bouquet for her wedding portrait and Maggie was happy to oblige. I don't know that I saw the portrait but it photographed nicely in Maggie's sun room.

This is the bouquet Laura was carrying when she became Mrs. Daniel Alan Scott.

This is an Image of a bridesmaid's bouquet being carried by three cherubs in a fountain on Maggie's terrace.

Here's an image of the bridal bouquet, a bridesmaid's bouquet and a mother's nosegay together.

The West End Presbyterian Church is a truly beautiful place for a wedding. Rather than a single alter arrangement for this wedding there was an arrangement on a pedestal to the right and and left of the wedding party.

The reception was held at The Crawford Center behind the church. Below is an image of a centerpiece from the reception.

Here's a tall centerpiece in a table setting for the Allen - Scott wedding.

One of the benefits of working with Maggie is that sometimes the day after a reception you get to take home a centerpiece, drop it into a holly and get an image like this.

2nd Annual Sterling Transport Safety Day

2007-06-03T13:05:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a busy day down on The Farm. There was floral work for The Country Club of North Carolina's Member/Guest Tournament, floral work for a party for General Motors executives at The Holly Inn and Sterling Transport's Second Annual Safety Day.
Sterling Transport is a trucking company that transports propane and natural gas up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Under the leadership of President and co-owner, Hugh Hinton, Jr., Sterling has set up a system to reward safety in the workplace and, in particular, amongst it's drivers. On Safety Day drivers draw for prizes in drawings weighted to reward the safest drivers.
For the second time in as many years, Maggie was pleased to help the employees and families of Sterling Transport enjoy great food by White Rabbit Catering, live music by The McKenzie Brothers and lots and lots of prizes.

More pictures from Safety Day are here http://maggiesfarm.zenfolio.com/

Prize winner pictures have been posted.

Welcome to Maggie's Farm Current Events

2007-06-03T08:36:00.000-04:00

Anybody who's reading this probably got here through the links page at our main site, www.maggiesfarm4flowers.com. We've been thinking about a doing a blog for some time but if you know Maggie, you know how precious her time is. Maggie's floral, planning and landscaping work preclude her spending a lot of time writing on a web log. What we hope to do with this space is to give people who are curious about Maggie's work another place to get an idea of the range of what she does and to give clients one place to share memories of Maggie's work and events.

So welcome again to Maggie's Farm Current Events. We hope you enjoy it.