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V E N U E N E W S L E T T E R

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

3Letter From the Bellagala Team

4Featured Event Sites

10Tips & Tricks | Floral

12Featured Artist Reviews

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The dog days of summer are in the rear view mirror, and we have officially passed the first day of

fall. The daily temperatures are beginning to dip. There is a crispness in the air that tells us that au-

tumn is here. It won’t be long until we are forced to use those darn scrapers that we have stashed

deep under the front seat of the car to remove the thin layer of ice from our windshield in the

mornings. But despite the indicators of what is to come, many of us look forward to the one thing

that only comes with autumn in Minnesota – the burst of fall colors.

In the weeks ahead we’ll see neighborhoods transformed by reds and oranges and yellows and

browns, giving us a new look at our everyday surroundings. For many Minnesotans, this is their

favorite time of year. Many of those Minnesotans whose favorite season is fall also identify them-

selves in another way – florist.

Florists see everyday what most of us see more clearly in fall – a world full of color. It is this char-

acteristic that makes them so accomplished at what they do. They see the colors in the world,

everyday, in everything they do, not just in the fall. In 2015, Bellagala florists have seen that color

twice as much. Bellagala served 92 floral clients in 2014. That number for 2015 is 181! And 2016

is looking even bigger!

The colors of fall will be in full bloom (sorry, couldn’t resist that pun) in many of the arrangements

that our floral team will be creating in the weeks ahead. Like any other time of the year, they will

be taking full advantage of the seasonal blooms to enhance the creations for their clients. At the

same time, it is clear to see that Bellagala florists are busy far beyond the fall months.

Be it winter, spring, summer or fall, Bellagala florists are being chosen by more and more engaged

couples in Minnesota. We’d encourage you to check out their work on our website. Simply put,

there is a ton of talent in this team, and we’d love for you to get to know them. Their creations have

probably already adorned your venue whether you were aware of it or not.

Enjoy the colors of fall this year, and be on the lookout for Bellagala florists. Should you ever have

a need for floral arrangements of any kind, we hope you’ll think of us. We’d love the opportunity to

serve you and help bring a little color to your venue!

The Bellagala Team

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featured event si te

HARVEST GRILL EVENT CENTERANNIE & MATT | NOVEMBER 8 , 2014

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Located about 20 minutes north of Minneapolis in Coon Rapids, MN on the Bunker Hills Golf

Course, the Harvest Grill Event Center is perfect for weddings and can accommodate up to

400 guests. The banquet room, elegant décor, and fabulous food will make your special day

one to treasure forever.

Annie and Matt’s autumn wedding will have you smitten with fall in Minnesota. From the co-

ziness of candlelight to deep red and orange florals, the pair incorporated every detail that

we adore about the season perfectly. One feature we especially loved? A cigar bar at their

reception!

Armed with expert wedding organizers and chefs, the Harvest Grill Event Center brought

warmth and color to Annie and Matt’s crisp, fall wedding and made it a truly memorable day.

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For nearly seven decades, the Minneapolis Depot was a prosperous hub of business

and personal travel. Although the last train left in 1971, the atrium is still just as lively as

it is now a highly sought after wedding venue by couples looking for both history as well

as beauty for their special day.

The Depot’s unique architecture, with stately columns and high ceilings filled Elinor and

Jozef’s wedding with an air of elegance. For an additional touch, tall gold candelabras

and lush, bold florals were added to each long banquet table that complemented the

historic venue’s impressive charm.

featured event si te

M I N N E A P O L I S D E P OTELINOR & JOZEF | OCTOBER 18 , 2014

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With a large enough space to hold up to 1,100 guests, the Minneapolis Depot can truly

customize your reception to meet any of your wishes and can create an unforgettable

setting for your big day.

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featured event si te

S E M P L E M A N S I O N

LYNDSIE & MATTHEW | NOVEMBER 8 , 2014

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It’s not hard to be blown away by Semple Mansion. Restored to its original 16th century

glory, this Italian Renaissance style estate is the perfect setting for any celebration. The ven-

ue’s Swarovski crystal chandeliers, mahogany woodwork and restored fresco paintings will

provide the perfect nod to tradition that will impress both you and your guests.

Lyndsie and Matthew’s November nuptials were nothing short of enchanting. It was a type

of wedding that little girls dream of—tiara and all. From her jaw-dropping ballgown to his

sharp, white bowtie we couldn’t help but swoon over these two.

Keeping the ballroom’s vibrant stained glass windows and painted ceilings as the focal

point, the pair chose to keep their décor and florals in creams and whites. Lyndsie and

Matthew’s chic details complimented the mansion perfectly and created the most elegant

environment for their special day that we were lucky enough to capture.

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F L O R A LThe sky’s the limit when it comes to flowers, and couples typically spend 7-10% of

their total budget on florals for their big day. However, flowers can also be one of the most frustrating items that couples contemplate paying for, as the cost can be

surprising at first glance.

One of the greatest cost-cutting tips to help maximize your floral budget is to choose in-season blooms. To make things easier, we’ve compiled a list

of wedding flowers by season.

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When it comes to romance, nothing feels more fitting than a rose, which is why it continues to be the most popular wedding flower to decorate your wedding. But since these go-to flowers can cost anywhere from $2-$4 a stem, it may be smart to consider alternative blooms that look just as gorgeous and keep your costs down. Here are five

flowers that give the rose a run for its money:

WinterCalla LilyDaffodil

Gerbera DaisyHyacinthOrchid

RanunculusRose

StephanotisTulip

SpringCalla LilyDaffodil

Gerbera DaisyHyacinth

Lily of the ValleyLilac

LavendarPeony

Ranunculus RoseTulip

SummerDahlia

GardeniaPeonyPoppyRose

Stephanotis Hydrangea

CosmosLily

FallGarden RoseRanunculusCarnationSunflower

RoseFressiaDahlia

ChrysanthemumMarigoldJuniper

f l o w e r s b y s e s a s o n

m o r e m o n e y s a v i n g t i p s

carnations Lisianthus Ranunculus Peonies63 cents per stem.

Great filler flower for a bouquet

Each stem comes with three 3-inch blooms that

costs about $1.15 per stem

Can cost as little as $1.15 - $2.40 each

Similar cabbage roses can cost $4.16 each while

a peony can cost around $3.30

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ABBIE F | STUDIO FLORIST“From the moment Abbie first reached out to me via phone and

email, I knew she would be a great fit for our wedding day. I had little

to no experience planning an event, and was quite overwhelmed by

the floral aspect. Abbie put my mind at ease from the very beginning.

I could not be more pleased with the experience of working with her-

she is a lovely, genuine person with tremendous passion and talent!”

JENNIFER M | ECHELON FLORIST“My florist had such a wonderful eye! I had a difficult time explaining

what I wanted but somehow she managed to manifest my scrambled

ideas into a beautiful arrangement of flowers. She did so much with so

little and the colors and flower combinations were so simple but out-

standing. She matched my colors perfectly and exceeded even my own

imagination. Thank you Jennifer!”

F LO R A L

ARTIST REVIEWS

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TIFFANY B | STUDIO FLORIST“Tiffany provided the flowers for our wedding reception. She has this

amazing ability to see flowers in a beautifully artful way, helping to

decorate any space; turning it into something full of color and life.

She was also very in tune with what we were looking and hoping for.

She went out of her way to make the floral decorations extra special

for our day.”

CAROL K | STUDIO FLORIST“From start to finish, Carol was wonderful. We live out of state so a

lot of our planning had to be done via email and she did a great job

responding to my emails. We met a few months before the wedding

and planned out everything. During that meeting, she was very helpful

and provided guidance and suggestions without being overbearing.

I was absolutely blown away when I saw what she put together for our

wedding. The flowers were incredible. It was amazing to walk into the

venue and see everything she had done. The flowers were fresh and

beautiful and she did an impeccable job arranging them to really fit my

theme. I would recommend her to all my friends and family.”

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We love working with our local venues!

Have you had a Bellagala Wedding Photographer at your venue recently?

Let us know—we’d love to share the images with you!

All image requests can be sent directly to our Marketing

Coordinator, Darac Moua. You can contact her via email at

darac.moua@bellagala.com or call 651.227.1202.

255 E 6th StreetSt. Paul, MN 55101

bellagala.com | 651.227.1202