Sunday, March 26th ~ 2 to 4pm ~ Garden Fairy Flower Crown
This workshop is for all ages. Learn how to make the sweetest flower crown to help
bring out your inner garden fairy and hopefully inspire spring to come even earlier this year. We are sooo over winter!
All materials included, a delectable beverage and a light snack
Cost ~ $85 plus HST
Sunday, April 2nd ~ 2 to 4pm ~ Spring Wreath Making
Wreath making isn't just for the Fall season, springtime is perfect for wreath making and bringing the
outdoors in.
All materials included as well as a delicious bevy and light snack
Cost ~ $125 plus HST
Sunday, April 23rd ~ 2 to 4pm ~ Spring Garden Plant Arrangement
There is no better way to kick off the Spring season than to get your hands dirty, smell the fresh
earth and make something beautiful.
All materials included, a beverage and light snack.
Cost ~ $100 plus HST
To register please email us at workshops@coriandergirl.com or call 416 532 3333
We can't wait to see you!
The Coriander Girls xo
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Friday, March 3, 2017
Another Blog takeover from our friends at Mango Studios!
New Year’s Eve Wedding: Marta and Mike
Let me tell you that the moment I met Marta and Mike, I knew it was love at first sight. They are really fun and adventurous spirits that I just loved hanging out with! As a wedding photographer, it is really important for me to get along with my couples and it was so easy with these two! Photographing their fun-filled New Year’s Eve wedding was a breeze! I used Mango’s signature candid approach in their first look and ceremony because I wanted to document raw, genuine emotions between them. Our photojournalistic style was a great choice for their reception as well as it was filled with laughter, tears of joy, and hilarious jokes.
Marta and Mike met in Guelph where they both grew up. Mike works as a business analyst, while Marta is a successful interior designer, both in Toronto. Mike is an avid sports fan, and plays recreational softball and golf with his buddies any chance he gets. Marta loves all things design, fashion and food. She loves to cook and Mike loves to eat. Isn’t it a perfect match?
Marta and Mike told me that they wanted their wedding to be a non-serious, super fun party that everyone has a blast at! They decided to throw a New Year’s Eve wedding bash that would be party focused as opposed to more traditional in theme. Marta designed all of the bad-ass stationery and black and white paper decor that incorporated many witty quips and quotes throughout the space (“Trust me, you can dance - Vodka”). Cocktail offerings were a traditional Old Fashioned (our favourite!) and a bubbly French 75 in keeping with the festivities of New Year’s Eve. The bride’s gals each received a heart-shaped pendant necklace engraved with a rap lyric, and the groom’s dudes all got Blue Jay caps in various colours (reflecting the groom’s passionate love for baseball, of course). A full 4-course dinner played off of the groom's maternal italian side, who insisted on a plate of pasta before their meat!
What I loved the most was Marta and her girlfriends burgundy flowers designed by the talented Coriander Girl! Deep, merlot red with loose greenery – they looked so organic and flattering against their leather jackets and gold sequin dresses. Continuing the theme, Coriander Girl also worked her magic and transformed the reception space at Archeo into a winter wonderland garden, filled with romantic hanging greenery and lush floral arrangements. The reds in the flowers complemented the space’s rustic vibe, while the greenery gave it a modern spin!
Looking back at this wedding, I feel grateful for being a part of such an awesome New Year’s Eve wedding bash. Not going to lie, I spent the rest of the night dancing away with Marta and Mike and sipping on the bubbly French 75.
~Mango Studios
Photography ~ Mango Studios
Flowers ~ Coriander Girl
Location ~ Archeo in the Distillery District
Monday, January 30, 2017
Special Guest blogger today:: Mango Studios!!
From Mango Studios:
To be honest, we fell in love with Lauren and Sacha the first time they came into our studio. Both with an amazing sense of humour, contagious laughter and impeccable style, we weren’t surprised when these two had an unforgettable, Casa Loma wedding filled with love and warmth!
Lauren and Sacha had a clear vision of their perfect, Casa Loma wedding from the start – a day surrounded by friends and family sharing good stories, over great food, and amazing wine. We really wanted to capture the essence of Lauren and Sacha’s dazzling personalities and tell a natural, seamless story of their big day. That’s why we took our signature candid approach to their wedding photography. By incorporating storytelling and editorial elements, we strived to capture their emotions and the warmth they shared with their family and friends in every shot.
Planned by Bisous Events, this wedding was filled with golden details, elegant decor and featured custom, white and blush florals by our friends, Coriander Girl. To say that we swooned over her bridal bouquet is an understatement! Delicate, yet lush, it was a perfect mirror to Lauren’s femininity and soft, kind personality.
What was one of the most memorable moments? The couple’s happy faces when they saw each other for the first time during the ceremony! The bride kept her Kleinfeld gown a secret from soon-to-be husband (as many brides do) but the groom also kept his custom suit a surprise for his bride. Paired with amazing music and their happy tears, I couldn’t help but tear up myself!
Wedding planner :: Bisous Events
Photographer :: Mango Studios
Dress :: Kleinfeld
Flowers :: Coriander Girl (You're here!)
As seen recently on Style Me Pretty
Sunday, January 1, 2017
2016 ~ You sure did a number on some of us monkey.
Hi friends,
Like many of you, I'm happy to see 2016 in my rear view. I've never seen such a collective hate on for a year gone by. The monkey was relentless. Yet despite the crappy bits, there were actually some incredible triumphs and discoveries. We moved into our dream farmhouse with a wedding venue, what could be wrong?! For me it was a year of extremes. Great successes mixed in with monumental challenges and a slice of anguish on the side. I watched my friends struggling too, not everyone, but some of us took a wild ride through the spin cycle. I learned that without the tribulations this past year, I'd have no chance for future success. Sometimes you have to burn it all down to see what's salvageable. I fear my business and my personal life could have suffered greatly had I not been forced to dig deeper than I ever have before. Taking stock of what is working in your life is quite a thing, but to actually unearth the shit that is catastrophic, to shine a light on the darkest parts, that is something entirely different. It feels like an actual page has turned, or rather an entire chapter has ended and I'm so hopeful and excited about 2017. I've always been transparent with my readers, sometimes I fear being too honest but I don't know how else to be. This blog started out as a way for my Mom to catch up on the goings on in my life and business and so I wrote it as though we were having an intimate phone conversation. Over the years a few thousand or so of you started reading but I couldn't change the way I wrote, every time I edited myself it became inauthentic, pinched. So here it is, my heart on my sleeve, authentic me, this one's for you... and my Mom.
(a few highlights from the year)
Since moving to the County full time after Hattie was born, I took a huge leap of faith prepping the business for my TO team to manage. Over the last 7 years we've seen some major growth but particularly the last 2.5 years. There is some serious truth behind the idea that it's impossible to grow your business from 'behind the counter.' The best decision I've ever made was to hire a manager. I've always been blessed with landing crazy talented human beings who help the business evolve, challenge me, challenge themselves and create beauty on a daily basis. If you follow Coriander Girl then you are well aware of our "all star" cast. You know who the people are who've helped make this company great. I make it a point to credit my designers, as I believe everyone deserves acknowledgement. Sure it gives people a platform to go off on their own but heck, it's a new world and I'm not sure the old rules apply. Most recently we shared the news that Tellie Hunt would be leaving us to pursue her own business. This decision didn't come easy for me. For those of you who own businesses, you understand it's a constant juggling act. No matter how successful you get, the juggling never stops, the balls just get bigger. So while attempting to juggle my increasingly large lady balls, I realized the task wasn't getting easier and the stakes just kept getting higher. From the County, I was observing my TO team crushing it but still feeling the impossible weight of responsibility. It's one thing to carry the weight when it's your own baby but it's quite another to expect your employees to do it. Inarguably I've always been fair to my people, and in that fairness, I knew it was time for Tellie to pursue her own endeavours and fortunately she agreed. Without question, she did an amazing job, gave her heart to my company and you all know the caliber of beauty that came out of the wedding studio over the last couple of years. The thing that needs to be addressed however, and with total respect for Tellie, is that she wasn't an army of one. On any given day, we had upwards of 3 to 5 employees in the wedding department. We've heard a few rumours that because our weddings manager is leaving, this is the end of our wedding team, but that's quite an insult to the incredibly talented people who still remain. Deanna Balmer is a wildly talented designer and deserves an award for the endless hours and heart she's given this company. Elena as well as Alexandra and Mal all worked tirelessly to help get the job done and of course the unwavering support of Coriander Dad/contractor/wedding set up guy/caterer/delivery dude extraordinaire. Recently we've welcomed another lovely crew member, Marilou, her designs are cray-zy. These talented, inspired women, are led by the incomparable Amira Shabason (who has been with the company for three years, two of which were spent as Tellie's right hand at the wedding studio.) They've earned their cred and are nothing short of amazing. Together we all wish Tellie well as she embarks on the wildest most exciting ride of her life in business ownership, she deserves every success.
I've made the choice to close our retail location in Toronto because the reality is I'm not there, 90% of our sales are now by phone or email and our wedding department is all consuming. The shop front tends to steal so much time from the pile of orders accumulating throughout the day, our staff ends up having to stay hours after close because they can't get to the work. I have struggled with this decision, lay awake contemplating reasons why it's a good or bad idea but remember the part above about "employees feeling the impossible weight of responsibility..." it's time to secure the foundation properly before adding another floor. Undeniably though, it was the local love and support from our favourite neighbourhood walk ins that put us on the map long before Instagram likes and we're forever grateful. The thing is, moving into the expansive studio space on Florence allows us so many more options. We'll still be accessible on certain days, we're planning regular shop and pop-up events to satisfy the folks who need to touch and feel the produce. And we aren't going far, just a couple of blocks away from 1604. The amalgamation of the two spaces will alleviate a myriad of issues that have developed over the years and will create an even stronger opportunity for efficiency and growth. We'll be able to focus on providing a broader selection of locally grown blooms from our favourite local farmers and bring you the very best of our talents. In the words of the great Martha Stewart, "It's a good thing."
So please, if you still have questions we welcome your emails to hello@coriandergirl.com or pec@coriandergirl.com We want to help you understand the changes and leave no question unanswered. We're making the transition over to the studio this month. All month long we'll be having shop sales at 1604 to lighten the load before we do our final move. We'll also be unveiling a more user friendly website with online shopping! I never thought I'd say those words! I remember when I first left the TO location and moved to the county. My girls would call and say, "customers are asking for you." And then those same customers quickly realized talented people were there in my place and happy to serve them. Perhaps I need to add an "s" on the end of Coriander Girl because it's never been one person alone, not EVER. It's the collected efforts of many who make this company great and in it's continuing evolution my sole responsibility is to remain consistent in beauty, that's what I can promise you. I believe Now Magazine called us "Best Florist" this year for a reason, we're not going anywhere;)
From my deepest truth, I have never been more grounded or more clear headed about the direction of my business. I've never been happier or more stable feeling in my personal life. Tyler and I will welcome our second babe this summer and we are over the moon for Hattie to have a sister or a brother. Thank you dear friends, your kindness, love and support is felt from all over this incredible world. I get your messages! I love reading about your experiences in this crazy business and although I can't always respond promptly, I will try harder this year. I'm always amazed that anyone wants my advice, half the time I feel like I'm dangling off the edge of a cliff! We're all flailing at some point or another and once in awhile, for a minute, we might make it look effortless.
(to the new world)
If you or someone you know is looking to rent a beautiful space on Queen St. Please send your inquiries to pec@coriandergirl.com and tell me all about yourself. The space is available as of February 1st.
2017 here we come with hope and love blazing strong in our hearts.
Alison xo
Like many of you, I'm happy to see 2016 in my rear view. I've never seen such a collective hate on for a year gone by. The monkey was relentless. Yet despite the crappy bits, there were actually some incredible triumphs and discoveries. We moved into our dream farmhouse with a wedding venue, what could be wrong?! For me it was a year of extremes. Great successes mixed in with monumental challenges and a slice of anguish on the side. I watched my friends struggling too, not everyone, but some of us took a wild ride through the spin cycle. I learned that without the tribulations this past year, I'd have no chance for future success. Sometimes you have to burn it all down to see what's salvageable. I fear my business and my personal life could have suffered greatly had I not been forced to dig deeper than I ever have before. Taking stock of what is working in your life is quite a thing, but to actually unearth the shit that is catastrophic, to shine a light on the darkest parts, that is something entirely different. It feels like an actual page has turned, or rather an entire chapter has ended and I'm so hopeful and excited about 2017. I've always been transparent with my readers, sometimes I fear being too honest but I don't know how else to be. This blog started out as a way for my Mom to catch up on the goings on in my life and business and so I wrote it as though we were having an intimate phone conversation. Over the years a few thousand or so of you started reading but I couldn't change the way I wrote, every time I edited myself it became inauthentic, pinched. So here it is, my heart on my sleeve, authentic me, this one's for you... and my Mom.
Since moving to the County full time after Hattie was born, I took a huge leap of faith prepping the business for my TO team to manage. Over the last 7 years we've seen some major growth but particularly the last 2.5 years. There is some serious truth behind the idea that it's impossible to grow your business from 'behind the counter.' The best decision I've ever made was to hire a manager. I've always been blessed with landing crazy talented human beings who help the business evolve, challenge me, challenge themselves and create beauty on a daily basis. If you follow Coriander Girl then you are well aware of our "all star" cast. You know who the people are who've helped make this company great. I make it a point to credit my designers, as I believe everyone deserves acknowledgement. Sure it gives people a platform to go off on their own but heck, it's a new world and I'm not sure the old rules apply. Most recently we shared the news that Tellie Hunt would be leaving us to pursue her own business. This decision didn't come easy for me. For those of you who own businesses, you understand it's a constant juggling act. No matter how successful you get, the juggling never stops, the balls just get bigger. So while attempting to juggle my increasingly large lady balls, I realized the task wasn't getting easier and the stakes just kept getting higher. From the County, I was observing my TO team crushing it but still feeling the impossible weight of responsibility. It's one thing to carry the weight when it's your own baby but it's quite another to expect your employees to do it. Inarguably I've always been fair to my people, and in that fairness, I knew it was time for Tellie to pursue her own endeavours and fortunately she agreed. Without question, she did an amazing job, gave her heart to my company and you all know the caliber of beauty that came out of the wedding studio over the last couple of years. The thing that needs to be addressed however, and with total respect for Tellie, is that she wasn't an army of one. On any given day, we had upwards of 3 to 5 employees in the wedding department. We've heard a few rumours that because our weddings manager is leaving, this is the end of our wedding team, but that's quite an insult to the incredibly talented people who still remain. Deanna Balmer is a wildly talented designer and deserves an award for the endless hours and heart she's given this company. Elena as well as Alexandra and Mal all worked tirelessly to help get the job done and of course the unwavering support of Coriander Dad/contractor/wedding set up guy/caterer/delivery dude extraordinaire. Recently we've welcomed another lovely crew member, Marilou, her designs are cray-zy. These talented, inspired women, are led by the incomparable Amira Shabason (who has been with the company for three years, two of which were spent as Tellie's right hand at the wedding studio.) They've earned their cred and are nothing short of amazing. Together we all wish Tellie well as she embarks on the wildest most exciting ride of her life in business ownership, she deserves every success.
I've made the choice to close our retail location in Toronto because the reality is I'm not there, 90% of our sales are now by phone or email and our wedding department is all consuming. The shop front tends to steal so much time from the pile of orders accumulating throughout the day, our staff ends up having to stay hours after close because they can't get to the work. I have struggled with this decision, lay awake contemplating reasons why it's a good or bad idea but remember the part above about "employees feeling the impossible weight of responsibility..." it's time to secure the foundation properly before adding another floor. Undeniably though, it was the local love and support from our favourite neighbourhood walk ins that put us on the map long before Instagram likes and we're forever grateful. The thing is, moving into the expansive studio space on Florence allows us so many more options. We'll still be accessible on certain days, we're planning regular shop and pop-up events to satisfy the folks who need to touch and feel the produce. And we aren't going far, just a couple of blocks away from 1604. The amalgamation of the two spaces will alleviate a myriad of issues that have developed over the years and will create an even stronger opportunity for efficiency and growth. We'll be able to focus on providing a broader selection of locally grown blooms from our favourite local farmers and bring you the very best of our talents. In the words of the great Martha Stewart, "It's a good thing."
So please, if you still have questions we welcome your emails to hello@coriandergirl.com or pec@coriandergirl.com We want to help you understand the changes and leave no question unanswered. We're making the transition over to the studio this month. All month long we'll be having shop sales at 1604 to lighten the load before we do our final move. We'll also be unveiling a more user friendly website with online shopping! I never thought I'd say those words! I remember when I first left the TO location and moved to the county. My girls would call and say, "customers are asking for you." And then those same customers quickly realized talented people were there in my place and happy to serve them. Perhaps I need to add an "s" on the end of Coriander Girl because it's never been one person alone, not EVER. It's the collected efforts of many who make this company great and in it's continuing evolution my sole responsibility is to remain consistent in beauty, that's what I can promise you. I believe Now Magazine called us "Best Florist" this year for a reason, we're not going anywhere;)
From my deepest truth, I have never been more grounded or more clear headed about the direction of my business. I've never been happier or more stable feeling in my personal life. Tyler and I will welcome our second babe this summer and we are over the moon for Hattie to have a sister or a brother. Thank you dear friends, your kindness, love and support is felt from all over this incredible world. I get your messages! I love reading about your experiences in this crazy business and although I can't always respond promptly, I will try harder this year. I'm always amazed that anyone wants my advice, half the time I feel like I'm dangling off the edge of a cliff! We're all flailing at some point or another and once in awhile, for a minute, we might make it look effortless.
If you or someone you know is looking to rent a beautiful space on Queen St. Please send your inquiries to pec@coriandergirl.com and tell me all about yourself. The space is available as of February 1st.
2017 here we come with hope and love blazing strong in our hearts.
Alison xo
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
NOW Magazine ~ Best Florist in TO!!!
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Let's get down with some moody blooms for fall
We just got back some insanely beautiful photos from the oh so talented Purple Tree Photography of a styled shoot we did earlier this year. Although this arrangement is packed full of spring blooms I just could not resist sharing as it makes me want to put on a nice smokey toned sweater and have a chai tea latte. Agree?
Stay cozy - Tellie
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Ethereal Silk Styled Shoot
We are so proud of this shoot and to be a part of such an incredible theme. When Alex of Blush and Bowties came to us with this magical idea for a styled shoot we just could not resist. This is what our dreams are made of and we couldn't have done it without such an amazing team.
Ethereal Styled Shoot at District 28 from Outside In Studio on Vimeo.
Planner/Designer/Calligraphy: Blush + Bowties
Instagram: @blushandbowties
Twitter @blushandbowties
Photographer: Artiese Studios
Instagram: artiesestudios
Cinematography: Outside In
Instagram: @outsideinstudio
Twitter @outsideinstudio
Venue: District 28
Instagram: @d28events
Twitter: @district28TO
Cakes: Amanda Foong Cakes
Instagram: @amandafoongcakes
Twitter: @afcakes
Dress: LoversLand
Instagram: @loversland
Twitter: @shoploversland
Dress Designer: Dan Jones Unbridaled
Instagram: @unbridaledbydanjones
Flowers: Coriander Girl
Instagram: @coriandergirl @thelittleflorist
Twitter: @coriandergirl
Chairs/Linens: Simply Beautiful Decor
Instagram: @simplybeautifuldecor
Twitter: @district28TO
Napkins/Runners/Ribbon: Silk and Willow
Instagram: @silkandwillow
Twitter: @silkandwillow
Plates, cutlery, candlesticks, goblets, trays: Plate Occasions
Instagram: @plateoccasions
Twitter: @plateoccasions
Hair and Makeup: Bespoke Beauty
Instagram: @bespokebeautyinc
Twitter: @bespokebeautyto
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