Tag Archive | parkway florist

8-28-20 Morgan and Josh

When Morgan and Josh began planning the wedding of their dreams in 2019, never did they imagine the incredible challenges that 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic would throw their way.

Their dream wedding was originally scheduled for 5-9-20 – Mother’s Day weekend. Near the end of the April, the wedding had to be postponed because the State of Pennsylvania was locked down – and all gatherings were prohibited.

The wedding was re-scheduled for 8-28-20. (The pandemic should be over by then …….right?) But no – that became questionable, as our Allegheny County Executive & The Allegheny County Dept of Health imposed even stricter rules than the State of Pennsylvania. So, in mid- August when the venue scheduled to host their wedding could not host it, with all the things they wanted, Morgan and Josh moved their wedding – to Montour Heights Country Club.

The ceremony was to take place in the grove, next to the golf course, while the reception would be held on the grand patio, underneath a very large tent.

Everything was moving in the right direction. Then at 1pm on Friday, the rain hit. a heavy, blowing, torrential downpour….that did not stop.

The wedding ceremony & reception was moved inside the club. So, Josh and Morgan got married under our white fabric draped & decorated arch. After the ceremony & a few pictures, the Arch was quickly dismantled and the reception continued.

Pictured below is our arch, Morgan’s bouquet and her bridesmaids bouquets.

Centerpieces included both short and tall flowers using white hydrangea and soft pink Mondial roses, similar to these centerpieces. Flowers for the arch were re- purposed as decor for the head table.

Eve though the rain continued all evening, spirits were high… and in the end Morgan and Josh were finally Married! Wow! What a tale to tell their children some day!

Blessings to you both! Thanks for allowing Parkway Florist to be part of your special day!

8-8-20 Teresa and Bryan

When we started planning wedding flowers for Teresa and Bryan last December, about 260 people were anticipated for their Westin Convention Center reception.

Covid-19 changed all of that. The Westin reception was cancelled, and a smaller reception was held at a private residence East of the city.

However, the beautiful ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral was not cancelled.

Our bride carried a round bouquet of light pink garden roses, white playa blanca roses, white lisanthsis and light pink spray roses. Her bridesmaids carried simple clutch bouquets of white roses with pink wax flower accents.

Congratulations Teresa and Bryan! We hope that the rest of your life is smooth and without craziness.

Thank you for choosing Parkway Florist to be part of your day.

8-8-20 Saira and Renato

Saira and Renato were originally scheduled to get married in Heinz Chapel. When the Chapel finally re-opened in July, with very strict guest limits, our bride and groom said no, and sought other space.

The Hyatt House Hotel on the South Side has a wonderful outdoor terrace, with a tent that can hold about 150 people (normally) for a reception. There is beautiful space for a ceremony.

Our fabric draped white arch served as a focal point for their ceremony.

Saira carried a lush bouquet of star gazer lilies, white Eskimo and light pink roses.

The bridesmaids, in navy dresses, carried clutch bouquets of light pink and white open roses.

As you can see in this final picture, Saira and Renatto did finally get to say I do! Saira’s beautiful gown sparkled in the late afternoon sun.

Congratulations to you both! May it be smooth sailing from here on out. Thank you for allowing Parkway Florist to be part of your special day.

Life cut short too soon…

Thursday we were honored to help Mrs. Danielle Brown, mother of Marquis Jaylen Brown, with large sympathy designs for the living funeral service that began at 5 pm at Freedom Corner on Crawford St, across from St. Benedict the Moor church.

Danielle has been on a 34 day hunger strike, while she attempts to get better, more complete answers regarding her son’s very tragic death. Marquis fell from the 16th floor of a Duquesne University dorm room in 2018 and died. He died on his 21st birthday.

We hope that the flowers provided a measure of comfort to Danielle. We sincerely hope and pray that she gets the answers she is seeking because no Mom should ever have to bury their child.

R.I.P. Marquis.

7-18-20 Brookside Farm- Our Adventures Continue

Alexa and Chad, Our star – crossed wedding couple, had a confusing journey to their wedding day on 7-18-20.

They were first scheduled to get married in North Carolina. Covid-19 squashed those plans and a Pittsburgh, Pa wedding was  then quickly arranged. On 7-3-20,  Allegheny County imposed more new “rules”- and our wedding  couple had had enough at that point.  They quickly  sought an out of state location for their wedding. In less then 2 weeks, the Brookside Farm Barn in Louisville, Ohio was secured, Vendors switched gears, a new caterer and baker was secured and we were having a wedding in Ohio!!

You first enter Brookside Farm thru a covered bridge (cool – right?), arriving at a fully renovated and air conditioned Barn. Across the parking lot is another building that serves as the chapel.  Beautiful grounds all around the barn and farm will make for awesome pictures.

Alexa and her 8 bridesmaids all wore white dresses and carried all white roses bouquets.  The gentlemen wore shirts, bow ties and leather suspenders!  (Very cool).

Simple floating candles centerpieces decorated half of the guest tables while tall tropical centerpieces decorated the alternating tables.  (The candles were battery operated, in compliance with the Farms rules).  Mercury glass candleholders  also adorned the guest tables, with seating approximately 6 people per table.  Our Pittsburgh Cookie Table made its way to Ohio also.  Cookies were pre-boxed & placed at each guest plate on the table.

On the way up and back we saw lots of fields of corn, beans and tomatoes…… and healthy looking horses. Social distancing was practiced and masks were worn. In spite of this these “rules” a great time was had by all!

Congratulations Alexa and Chad! May your ensuing years together  be less stressful than these past 4 weeks have been.   Thank you for allowing Parkway Florist to be part of your special day!

Elizabeth and Justin 6-27-20

Elizabeth and Justin exchanged vows on 6-27-20 at the historic #Old St.  Luke’s Church in Carnegie, Pa. This church dates from the early 1700’s.

The preserved historic nature of this church and the cemetery that surrounds it always reminds me of all that our ancestors sacrificed, which I think is an important reminder in today’s world.

Elizabeth carried a loose bouquet of ivory and faith roses with lots of seasonal greenery, shown on the left above. Her bridesmaids, dressed in a mauve color, carried the same color combination of flowers in a smaller size.

The Wedding reception and after- party, held in the #Pittsburgh Airport Marriott’s Grand Ballroom and Courtyard, was tasteful and understated. The guest tables had alternating centerpieces of lanterns and the latest in hoop designs.

The wedding cake was decorated with ivory and light pink spray roses.

The most important part of the day was that Elizabeth and Justin were officially married! …Because Love Never Fails

(PS…. It Feels really good to be making Wedding Flowers Again!!!)

Can we help you with your Micro Wedding?

Our World and the Wedding Industry changed dramatically, beginning on March 16th and continues to evolve daily.

Many of our 2020  brides and grooms have chosen to postpone their large celebrations in 2020, opting for a much smaller, more intimate ceremony this year,   with a Renewal of vows and large reception to follow later this year or next.

We are honored to help all of our couples who choose this route enjoy flowers on their special day.  Sometimes it is just a Bride & Groom — alone in a quiet, special place, exchanging vows that are meaningful to them alone.  Sometimes, parents & special friends are part of this  joyful union.  In any case, whatever the size, and often on short notice, we are here to help in any way that we can.

Shown here are bridal bouquets from some of our recent micro weddings.

Lindsay and Alex- A love Affair 8-31-19

Sometimes planning a wedding is challenging and often stressful. It is solved when all the people involved  find creative ways to come together and make things happen.

Lindsay and Alex actually got married twice on 8-31-19. First,  in a Russian  Orthodox ceremony in the North Hills. Following pictures at the church, everyone headed to Unity Presbyterian Church in Green Tree, Pa for a 3pm ceremony,……. more guests and more   pictures!!   Different dresses,  hair & make-up refreshed, etc…. Wow….

IMG_0086

Lindsay carried an all white bouquet, including Stephanosis,  while her bridesmaids carried flowers in whites and blush pink.

IMG_0088

Then…….. A beautiful evening reception took place at the Westin Convention Center Hotel. The ballroom was dressed in classic whites and golds.

The Reception decor began  with a showy  white & light pink  arrangement in the foyer, at the top of the escalator. Guests were also greeted by a mirrored sign.

Gold framed acrylic table numbers guided guests to their tables. The table  decor included lots of  floating and votive candles and stunning all white / cream centerpieces.

The cake, supplied by Bethel Bakery,  was displayed on a gold stand and trimmed simply with white, blush  and cream flowers.IMG_0095

And…. while it was a crazy busy, jam-packed day, it  all somehow  worked!  In the end, two people who love each other very much  were united, and family members were beaming.

The thank you note we received from Lindsay’s mom says it all! “Cheryl, Thank you again for the most wonderful event this past Saturday. People are still commenting on the beauty of the room, the churches, the wedding party and the flowers. Thank you for everything – stay well and blessings!”

This is why we do what we do…every day, all day!

Thank you to Lindsay & Alex and the families for allowing  Parkway Florist to play a small part in The Best Day of Your Life!  Congratulations again!!

 

 

Our Fall 2019 End of the Year Review

September through December always seem to bring crazy busy times here at Parkway Florist. We’ve been producing flowers for so many weddings that we often don’t take the time necessary to show you the finished work. Here are a two trends we noticed in 2019…

Cascades are back!

 

Brides are loving a more organic, greenery, flowing aesthetic!

If you’re getting married in 2020, we would love to speak with you about your wedding flowers. Call us soon to schedule a free consultation – (412) 937-1100.

The (Good) Luck of the Irish Prevailed on 3.17.18

The weather in March can be unpredictable, but St. Patrick’s Day this year proved to be sunny and bright, just a little cool.  Perfect conditions for an early (almost) Spring Wedding!

Parkway Florist created the flowers for three beautiful weddings this holiday weekend.

Megan’s bouquet of light peach garden roses, white spray roses, and Eskimo roses, accented with dusty miller and silver dollar eucy.  was  her perfect dream bouquet.  Megan & her fiance got married in a small, quiet ceremony,  with a private dinner for family and friends held at the Walnut Grill in Bridgeville.

Continue reading