Aiken, SC Florists

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Open Studios to spotlight 145 local artists at 93 locations around Greenville this weekend - Greenville News

Exhibit, spotlighting participating artists from 2017, runs through Dec. 15 at MAC headquarters.Greenville Open Studios will be Nov. 11-12. (Photo: File)Artists by medium:PaintingLaura Kennedy AikenMichael E. AllenKent Ambler  Barbel H. Amos  Melissa AndersonYvonne Herd ArrowoodKiah BellowsEric BenjaminNathan Bertling  Lisa Marlo BetheaJeanne BlinkoffHans-Peter BolzAlexia Timberlake Boyd  Patti Brady  Pamela Esteppe BrockRoger W. Bruckner  Cece  BurnettJane Todd Butcher  Jim Campbell  Diane Kilgore Condon  Drew ConleySteve CourchaineJamie DavisDarryl Debruhl  Vladimir DemidovichTessha Zimmerman DickeyJane DoyleShannon K. Dudar  Jaidra Duran  Janina Tukarski EllisSarah Farrar  Drew Fields  Tom Flowers  Linda Q. Furman  Ron GillenLynn GreerSigne and Genna GrushovenkoCindy HammondStarr Haney  Kim Hassold  Michelle JardinesBrad Johnson  Deborah Morrow Johnson  Diarmuid KellyMarsha R. Kennedy  Patricia Kilburg  J. Ashley KirbyLouisa Pyle Kirk  Cathy Zaden LeaCham Little  Laura Lynn LuceDabney Mahanes  Garland MattoxGretta McCallSunny Mullarkey McGowan  Susannah Mele  Glen MillerDumah MorganLaura NanceJacki NewellTeri PenaJulia PetersMeredith Piper  Melanie PuchBetsy PowellCraig RagsdaleJim ReelTeresa Roche  Cindy RoddeyHolly RollinsMarie ScottJulie Hughes ShabkieTim SpeakerBarbara St. Denis  Katy StanberryBarbara Stitt  Jess Stone  Jo Ann TaylorGrey ThompsonCarole Knudson Tinsley  Katie WalkerKristin WencDan WilliamsLu WixonGerry Wubben  Marcy Connors YerkesMatthew Zedler  ClayDavid YoungPhotographyPolly GaillardPhilip GarciaDiane Hopkins-Hug... http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/entertainment/2017/11/08/greenville-open-studios-spotlights-145-artists-93-locations/843700001/

Couples save by celebrating belated Valentine's Day - One America News Network (press release)

Married to her husband for 33 years, she is not hung up on the actual date. Feb. 14 may come and go, but the post-holiday bargains are just too good to pass up.“For us, it’s fiscally smart,” said the Aiken, South Carolina, financial planner. “As a gal who loves the after-holiday sales, I’m all for scooping up deals for my husband.”Plenty of other people are following suit, according to a new survey by financial comparison site Finder.com. Almost two in five Americans, or 39 percent, have celebrated their love after Valentine’s Day.What markups are they avoiding? Americans are slated to spend $2 billion on flowers this Valentine’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation, with 35 percent of us ponying up for a bouquet. Florists themselves pay more for stems during the mad scramble, and they pass the higher prices on to consumers.Hotel rooms cost an average of 25 percent more on Valentine’s Day than the same day a week prior, according to a study by travel site Hipmunk.com. In popular spots like New York City, rates are more like 70 percent higher.And when it comes to that romantic dinner for two, 71 percent of Americans plan to go out on Valentine’s Day, and 44 percent order pricier menu selections than they normally would, according to a survey by reservation website OpenTable.com. On that day, reservations skyrocket by 520 percent, compared with a more typical day on the calendar.Younger Americans in particular are more amenable to a delayed Valentine’s Day, according to the Finder.com survey. Almost half... http://www.oann.com/couples-save-by-celebrating-belated-valentines-day/

Tips for holiday table decorations | Home & Garden | Journal Gazette - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Not only are they going to smell good,” she says, “but they're going to last almost a month.”Go nontraditionalDon't worry about tradition, Stuart says. Her design firm and retail store are in South Carolina, where it's warm year-round. So while she loves using holly and pine in her Christmas decorating, sometimes she uses palm fronds from her yard.She also uses shades of pink and plum, rather than sticking only to red and green. Embrace whatever delights you, she says. Or go beautifully neutral. All three designers say silver and white are great choices.Silver and white can brighten up dark winter nights, especially if they'll be reflecting candlelight. (Candles are a key to creating a beautiful table, says Schuneman: “Candlelight mixed in glass votives, tall candlesticks and pillars will make any table glow and feel special.”)Yip also encourages creative centerpieces: “Sometimes I'll ask people to print their favorite photo from their past year. It could be a photo of a breathtaking vacation they went on or it could be a picture of their kid going back to school,” he says. “And I'll frame those photos and kind of have them scattered down the center of the table.”Another creative option: Ask each guest to bring a favorite book they've read in the past year. Arrange them on the table as decorations and conversation starters. At the end of the night, each guest can leave the party with a different book than they brought.– Melissa Rayworth, Associated Press ... https://www.journalgazette.net/features/home-garden/20191118/tips-for-holiday-table-decorations

If the poinsettias are ready, can Christmas be far behind? - Montreal Gazette

Roberts Poinsett, United States ambassador to Mexico from 1825 to 1829. An avid amateur botanist, he saw euphorbias with red bracts growing wild in the hills around Taxco and had samples sent to his South Carolina home. There he propagated them in his greenhouses and gave them to friends and botanical gardens. Photos: Seasonal sea of red poinsettias at Quebec's La Ferme Grover Guillaume Grover, director of production at La Ferme Grover in the Ste-Dorothée area of Laval north of Montreal, Quebec's largest grower of poinsettias.   John Kenney /Montreal Gazette Inside a sprawling greenhouse at La Ferme Grover in Ste-Dorothée, nearly 300,000 potted poinsettias have been watered and fed for months.   John Kenney /Montreal Gazette The plant owes its English name to Joel Roberts Poinsett, United States ambassador to Mexico from 1825 to 1829.   John Kenney /Montreal Gazette An avid amateur botanist, Poinsett saw euphorbias with red bracts and had samples sent to his South Carolina home, where he grew and gave them to friends and botanical gardens.   John Kenney /Montreal Gazette But what about the Christmas connection? Legend has it that a Mexican girl was walking to church on Christm... https://montrealgazette.com/news/if-ferme-grovers-poinsettias-are-ready-can-christmas-be-far-behind

Jackie Lacey, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, Is Named National President of American Institute of Floral Designers - Yahoo Finance

Tournament of Roses Parade, and many celebrities have also called upon his expertise." data-reactid="15" During his distinguished career, Mr. Lacey has owned flower shops in Tennessee, Texas and South Carolina and he is one of the nation’s leading authorities on retail floral operations and best practices. He has also won numerous awards and earned many accolades through floral design competitions at the national, state and local levels. He is also renowned internationally for his leading-edge approaches to design and his imaginative floral creations. In addition, he has shared the principles, elements and artistry of his craft during memorable stage presentations, wowing audiences around the world. His floral designs and educational insights have been featured in many magazines, including Floriology®, Flowers &, Modern Bride and Inside Weddings. He has provided his talents to such notable events as the Tournament of Roses Parade, and many celebrities have also called upon his expertise.“I am honored at being named President of such a prestigious industry organization as the American Institute of Floral Designers,” said Mr. Lacey. “The journey to becoming President has been educational, enlightening, and filled with years of hard work. I thank each and every member of AIFD for the trust and confidence they have placed in me.” Dinesh Popat, President of BloomNet, Napco and 1-800-Flowers Franchising, added: “BloomNet is a proud sponsor of AIFD, an esteemed organization that works tirelessly on behalf of floral designers nationwide. We are thrilled that AIFD has chosen Jackie Lacey as its president.” Prior to being named National President of AIFD, Mr. Lacey had served the organization in several capacities, including nearly a decade on AIFD’s membership committee and eight years on the board of directors. He has also served and chaired several teams in developing many of AIFD’s educational courses and programs.About BloomNet®" data-reactid="17" About BloomNet®As the floral industry’s most innovative service provider, BloomNet, Inc. (bloomnet.net), a wholly-owned subsi... https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jackie-lacey-aaf-aifd-cfd-141900919.html

Five Couples Escape the Familiar for Destination Weddings - Louisville.com

Louisville. Although several were used, we wanted to support more.”Brooke Wethington & Scott MorrisonWed on June 7, 2018?Lowndes Grove Plantation, Charleston, South CarolinaPhotographer: Firm AnchorFlowers: Out of the Garden, CharlestonHair and makeup: Meg Workman, CharlestonAttire: Dress from Robert Bullock. Suit from JoS. A. Bank.“The lifesaver to planning my wedding was Instagram,” Brooke says. “I would search hashtags of Charleston weddings. When you plan a destination wedding, you can cut costs by getting married on a weekday — venues are almost half the cost on a Thursday! I was under the impression that planning a destination wedding can be a way to cut costs — less people? — and that is false. I went significantly over my budget due to traveling and adding small details to make my guests more comfortable. And I came home with too many personalized koozies and ChapSticks, so that’s a detail I may have left out. It was the best time having all of my favorite people on the beach just relaxing for days before and after. I strongly suggest having a large area for people to hang out. We rented a large house with a pool. So fun!”Hannah Sells & Geoff LyversWed on July 21, 2018Lost River Cave, Bowling GreenPhotographer: Zoe DannenmuellerHairstylist: Kimberly Spears (and helping hand throughout the day)Attire: Ivory and stone Galina tank ball gown with layered tulle skirt from David’s Bridal and white high-top Converse. Khaki Tommy Hilfiger blazer, khaki Calvin Klein slim-fit pants, navy Roundtree and Yorke leather suspenders, chestnut Crevo Camden leather boots.Makeup: Maggie Bellamy with Makeup by Maggie and the Browtique“You don’t have to have a destination elopement to elope,” Hannah says. “You can elope somewhere cool in public in the town that you live in and skip the cost of a venue and save an incredible amount of money. If you choose somewhere in nature, you don’t even need to buy decorations. If you’re worried about celebrating with or including friends and family, just have a reception after the elopement. Your wedding day and wedding planning are both as hard and as stressful as you make them be.”Kaitlan Bondurant & Robin HerringtonWed on October 20, 2018?Cliffview Lodge, Red River Gorge, Campton, KentuckyPhotographer: Mickie WintersFlowers: Bel-Air Florist, Versailles, KentuckyAttire: Dress from Madison James. Suit from Wildfang.?Hair: Lavish Looks, Sparkle BeelerKaitlan is from Cincinnati and Robin is from Louisville, so Red River Gorge was a good meeting point between the two locations. “Standing in front of the beautiful gorge with all of our friends and family was magical,” Robin says. “We had 60 guests and it was the perfect amount for us. We were able to give all of our guests personal attention, and by the end of the weekend everybody felt like one big family.“(Instagram is) great for initial inspiration, but we started to second-guess our planning decisions after seeing a gorgeous escort card table or fun food station. Trust your instincts and believe in your vision. And get a wedding planner. For real. Jeannie Smith, our planner and coordinator (AshBy Wedding & Event Planning), knew what vendors would be appropriate for what we wanted and, more importantly, knew the vendors that would be willing to trek out into the ... https://www.louisville.com/content/five-couples-escape-familiar-destination-weddings