Modern, Bold, & Bright

Lara + Bryce

January 21, 2023

Venue: White Oak Estate & Gardens

Photographer: Les Petits Bijoux Photography- Whitney Stark

Videographer: Tim Hebert Productions

Baker: Sweet Stirrings

Dress: L Bridal Couture

Suit: Indochino

Makeup: Makeup by Alvndra + Laura Catherine Makeup

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Lara’s Bouquet

Lara’s custom garden style bouquet was delicately designed using Nina Roses, Pink Floyd Roses, and Magenta Phalaenopsis Orchids. The combination of these bold and full flower varieties created the most beautiful, modern bridal bouquet.

The Bridal Party

Lara’s bridesmaids held custom garden style bouquets filled with Nina and Pink Floyd Roses. Subtle hints of brightness + movement were precisely incorporated with gold-tinted Nandina.

Bryce and his groomsmen wore bright boutonnieres designed using Nina and Pink Floyd roses with a subtle hint of gold peacock feathers.

Ceremony Details

Lara & Bryce shared their vows between large ceremony arrangements on our acrylic columns. The Walton’s ceremony arrangements were lusciously filled with Nina, Rosita Vendela, and Pink Floyd Roses. Hot pink hydrangeas and phalaenopsis orchids were added for a lush, overgrown-feeling. Hints of gold-tinted nandina were incorporated to add elegance and shine to the arrangements creating a beautiful backdrop for the couple’s ceremony.

The Reception

Lara’s vision was brought to life in her reception space. The couple’s candlelit tables and mantel were adorned with Nina and Pink Floyd Roses. Our Candlestick Trios and Cristal Votives brought ambiance and warmth to the space.

Our team flipped Lara & Bryce’s large ceremony arrangements onto our Bespoke Vases for their reception. Our Regis Candelabras were embellished with shimmering pink candlesticks and accented with our Cristal Votives.

Nina and Pink Floyd Roses lined White Oak’s mantel creating the perfect backdrop for the couple’s cake. Their 5 tier glitter cake from Sweet Stirrings was delicately draped with Roses and Phalaenopsis Orchids.

The Lovely Couple

Congratulations Lara + Bryce! We wish you both all the best. This romantic, bold, and beautiful wedding was one that will never be forgotten. It’s a pleasure to work beside you everyday and an honor to be a part of your special day. - The Floral Cottage Team

Simple, classic, sophisticated, and modern

Rebecca + Steve

Photography- Peony Wedding Photo

Venue- New Orleans Museum of Art

Planner- Krystle Burger, Everly Event Planning

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The Detail Shots

We provided Peony Wedding Photo with an eclectic combination of blooms to liven Rebecca + Steve’s flat-lay photos . The couple’s stationary was delicately arranged with anemones, peonies, white majolica spray roses, blackberry scabiosa, hypericum berries, and anthurium leaves. These detail shots fully encompass the feel of Rebecca + Steve’s wedding day.

Rebecca’s Bouquet

Rebecca’s rounded garden style bouquet was delicately designed using white Ranunculus, Peonies, White Majolica spray roses, and Phalaenopsis Orchids. The combination of these fluffy and full flower varieties created the most beautiful, elegant bridal bouquet.

The Bridal Party

Rebecca’s bridesmaids held garden style bouquets filled with white ranunculus, playa blanca roses, white majolica spray roses. Subtle hints of depth + movement were precisely incorporated with anemones and veronica.

Steve and his groomsmen wore minimalistic boutonnieres designed using fluffy white ranunculus and a subtle hint of italian ruscus.

Ceremony Details

The Scandurro’s ceremony arrangements were lusciously filled with playa blanca roses, white majolica spray roses, and smilax + veronica for movement. Lush, overgrown-feeling arrangements lined the aisle creating a beautiful path to her groom, where they shared vows between large ceremony arrangements on our gold harlow stands.

The Reception

Rebecca’s vision was brought to life in her reception space. The couple’s candlelit dinner was accompanied by natural, burst-style arrangements that gave the illusion of blooming straight from the table.

Blackberry Scabiosa, Anemones, and Anthurium were incorporated into the reception florals for depth + edge.

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Column Installation

The custom column installation was created using smilax to give an overgrown, organic, garden feel to the entrance of Rebecca + Steve’s ceremony space.

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The Lovely Couple

Congratulations Rebecca + Steve! We wish you both all the best. This romantic, classic, and beautiful wedding was one that will never be forgotten & we appreciate the opportunity to design for you. - The Floral Cottage Team

Classic with touches of modern elements

Jenna + Manning

Photography - Bolgiano Media

LSU Lakes

Baker - Nanette Mayhall

Jenna’s Vision:

A picture of elegance, timeless & classic with touches of modern elements. This neutral color palette is made up of shades of mostly white and ivory with accents of cream/champagne small pops of blush & dusty pale blue.

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Garden bohemian bridal bouquet:

Delicately created using playa blanca roses, lisianthus, white majolica spray roses & white ranunculus giving Jenna a soft bouquet, with shades of mostly white, ivory and subtle hints of crème & champagne. Accents of blush brought in from quicksand roses & garden sprit blush roses, small hints of soft pale blue from belladonna delphinium. White veronica, cottage yarrow, & jasmine vine were added to enhance movement & fullness in addition to eucalyptus, italian ruscus & israeli ruscus.

Bridal Party & Groom:

The bridal party was flawless & cohesive from start to finish the bridesmaid’s champagne satin dresses enhanced the warmness of the Mondial cream roses in each bouquet allowing the eucalyptus, italian ruscus & israeli ruscus to provide movement & contrast. Manning & his groomsmen wore a minimalistic white majolica spray roses spray rose boutonniere enhanced with eucalyptus & italian ruscus.

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Ceremony Details

Jenna’s vision of a timeless, classic, elegant, wedding with touches of modern elements was brought to life in her ceremony. The aisle lined with lush floral and greenery arrangements lining each side of the aisle sitting flush on the ground against the chairs creating an angelic path to her groom where they said vows under a custom deconstructed arch made up of two asymmetrical freestanding pieces.

Freestanding arch floral insulation & medium arrangements lining the aisle consisted of white hydrangeas, mojito hydrangeas, mondial cream roses, white majolica spray roses, gypsophila, subtle blue hints from belladonna delphinium & greenery filler of smilax, eucalyptus, & israeli ruscus.

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Reception Details

During cocktail hour a team flipped all aisle markers they were placed on tables in compotes that were waiting on tables ready for the flip.

The deconstructed arch was reused for a cake table backdrop. Cake flowers were simple and organically placed. Remaining aisle arrangements lined below the groom’s minimalistic cake elevating the aesthetic.

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Smaller Details

Bar arrangements, Welcome sign swag, & tent chandler & ties.

Congratulations Jenna + Manning! We wish you both all the best. This romantic, beautiful, elegant wedding was one that will never be forgotten & we appreciate the opportunity to design for you.

-The Floral Cottage Team

Ceremony Arches

Types of Arches

A wedding arch can create a focal point for your vow exchange and even enhance or transform ceremony spaces. Plus, the statement-making piece makes a stunning backdrop for photos, too. Easily flipped from ceremony to reception the versatility & customizability of freestanding arches & moongates adds a new take on the standard trend with each wedding.

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Deconstructed Arch

Our deconstructed arches and moongates are perfect for an outdoor ceremony, & would also be lovely for an indoor ceremony or backdrop. Floral decor can be attached in a variety of ways and is not limited to the designs in the photos.

Our freestanding arch is constructed of 2 pieces measuring - Large -8.2’ Tall & Small -6.88’ Tall

Above deconstructed arch was custom designed for Morgan + Matt using her inspiration & budget.

Photographer: Tasha Rae Photography

Jenna’s wedding vision was for her wedding to be a picture of elegance, something that is timeless & classic yet touches on modern elements. Jenna’s elegant vision came to life with this custom deconstructed arch & aisle markers.

Photographer: Bolgiano Media

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Moongate

Measuring 6.5’ in diameter

Photographer: Calvin Gavion

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Copper Rectangle Arch

Measuring 7’ tall and 5’ wide.

Photography: September Company

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No matter which arch is chosen there are plenty of creative ways to match your wedding vision to any style arch.

Email for availability & rental details. Please note that rentals are only available to those with booked weddings and events.

Classic White Rose

Jamie + Brent

Krystal Troutt Photography

The Greenery - Amite City, LA

Baker - Sweet Stirrings

Simplistic, romantic, delicate, this southern influenced white rose wedding exceeded all expectations for a classic white rose wedding.

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Each bouquet delicately created with inspiration from playa blanca roses - these beautiful soft white roses boasts a double-hearted head that makes for a gorgeous wedding flower.

Groom & his groomsmen wore a simple snowflake spray rose boutonniere enhanced by the contrast of the natural greenery & Italian Ruscus.

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Ceremony + Reception Details

Ceremony aisle was lined with southern inspired aisle markers. Arranged in the center is a mixture of white & cream roses, carnations, & spray roses. The greenery added to create movement & natural contrast is a mix of magnolia, cedar, camellia & small accents of silver dollar eucalyptus.

Jamie & Adams cake was carefully decorated by our team with Tibet roses, spray roses, camellia greenery & eucalyptus.

Garlands handmade from a mix magnolia, cedar, eucalyptus greenery. Large arrangements on our gold harlow stands specifically designed to bring this classic wedding to the next level. A mixture of tibet roses, hydrangeas, white carnations, & snow flake spray roses all perfectly placed on a bed of magnolia leaves, camellia, cedar & some eucalyptus.

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Congratulations Jamie + Brent we wish you both all the happiness & hope that the classic, simplistic, romantic vision of your wedding carries on into your life together.

-The Floral Cottage Team

Meet the Team!

The Floral Cottage is bursting with creativity and talent! Meet the hard working ladies behind the flowers.

Randee Gagnon {Owner & Head Floral Designer}

Randee began her career as a speech-language pathologist, but eventually began working with her mother at The Floral Cottage. She found she enjoyed the creative outlet of floral design and ultimately took over ownership of the shop. Randee is a mother of two girls and a lover of travel.

Danielle Hutchinson {Client Liaison & Delivery Coordinator}

Danielle joined The Floral Cottage after Randee designed the florals for her wedding in 2019. Danielle is a mother to a little girl and enjoys spending time outdoors and camping with family. Her hobbies include coffee, houseplants and flowers.

Lara Clark {Shop Manager}

Lara has been working at The Floral Cottage for a year. She loves working for a small, woman-owned business. In her free time, Lara enjoys spending time with her family, friends and pets. She also enjoys traveling and seeing all the world has to offer.

Ashley Robinson Stevens {Junior Floral Designer}

Ashley met Randee when she purchased flowers from the At Home Collection. She loves all things creative and owns her own interior design business. Ashley enjoys working for a woman-owned business and loves being surrounded by beauty!

Jordan Langlois {Floral Design Assistant}

Jordan enjoys spending time with her family, doing hair and makeup, traveling, and anything artsy. She started working for The Floral Cottage this summer and is absolutely loving it! Jordan feels that working for a women based company/ local business is so refreshing and empowering!

Melanie Almond {Web Assistant}

Melanie is a mother to two boys, Mason and Cooper. She is currently getting her certification to teach elementary education. She recently joined The Floral Cottage in August, and her hobbies include crafting, reading and cooking.

Becky {

Founder}

Becky is the founder of The Floral Cottage Florist established in 1999. She loves to paint, cook, bake and spend time with her four grandchildren. She especially loves making sugar cookies for the holidays.

Joelle {

Designer}

Joelle is a fabulous floral designer, but can also cook like a pro! She loves to prepare delicious meals for her family and friends. She's an advocate for all the little animals out there, but has a special love for dogs as she fosters several a year and has many of her own at home.

Not Yet Photographed Team members

Emily

Emily is a student and will be starting her career as a Chemistry teacher in the fall. She's always up for a challenge at our events and ready to work through it with a smile.

Lauren

Lauren is a graphic designer and works part-time at the Floral Cottage on events and social media. She loves her pups, plants and photography.

Sarah

Sarah is the newest member of our team! She is a mother of two boys, enjoys painting, caring for her many houseplants, and spending time outdoors. Prioritizing even the smallest details she helps keep us organized!

Rebecca + Troy

Venue: White Oak Estate & Gardens

Photography: Bliss Photography

MR. & MRS. BASS:

THE VISION:

(in Rebecca’s words)

“The vision I had for my wedding flowers was bohemian chic. Because we were having a February wedding, I was in between the cold colors of winter and the warm colors of spring, so I went for muted taupes, lightest pinks, whites, and tan. I also chose to have mostly dried accent “greenery” with pampas grass to really add that airy, bohemian look to the arrangements. I had so many ideas put together in my head that I didn’t know how to put them into words. Luckily, my Pinterest vision board could explain it to Randee a lot better than I could! She perfectly nailed my dream wedding flowers! The orchids were something I wanted to be special. I wanted my bouquet to be bohemian but also elegant and glamorous and wanted to accent the rest of the wedding decorations with the orchids and pampas grass to put a touch of bohemian elegance into it all. I was so happy with how the orchids looked on and fit my cake. The word I kept using to describe my flowers was “airy”. Although they were not light in weight to carry, the light colors, fluff of the pampas grass, and delicate drape of the orchids made everything look so easy and blissful, which is what Troy and I wanted our wedding to be. The moon gate was what we wanted most. We wanted there to be something that drew ALL of the attention to the front and the moon gate ACCOMPLISHED that task! My photographer and all of my guests enjoyed using it as a backdrop for pictures after the ceremony as well! I was in awe of its beauty.”

THE CEREMONY:

Rebecca and Troy were married in front of The Floral Cottage’s moon gate in the courtyard. It was adorned with phalaenopsis orchids, pampas grass, eucalyptus, and other seasonal flowers and bleached and dried textures.

THE LADIES:

THE GUYS:

THE CAKE:

By: Amazing Cakes Prairieville

Rebecca + Troy {WHITE OAK}

Bliss Photography

Danaye + Bradley November 2020

Ceremony: Houmas House Front Lawn

Reception: Neptune Room

Photography: Taylor Hubbs Photography

MR. & MRS. ODOM:

THE VISION:

Danaye’s wedding vision was romantic/elegant with a bohemian twist featuring lots of greenery and some texture. The color palette was neutrals, cream, and champagne with a hint of blush. The same vibe was carried over to the reception with candle clusters paired with floral arrangements for the tables.

THE CEREMONY:

The front lawn of Houmas House

Traditional arrangements with a bohemian flair - placed on our glass trumpets on top of blanc columns. The chair markers were verticle bundles of greenery with flowers.

THE WEDDING PARTY:

THE RECEPTION:

The Neptune Room at Houmas House

Cake by Sweet Stirrings

Danaye chose glass cylinders, stemmed votives, and candles from our rental inventory to give the reception a romantic glow. After the ceremony, Floral Cottage staff transferred Danaye’s ceremony arrangements to the Neptune Room so that they could continue to be enjoyed by guests. Our staff returned at the end of the night to remove the rentals and any unwanted flowers.

Danaye + Bradley

Taylor Hubbs Photography

Sarah + John October 2020

Sarah + John October 2020

Ceremony + Reception: Mount Hope Plantation

Photography: Whitney Marie Photography

Our team designed large arrangements and aisle markers, centerpieces, and romantic banister swags for the front of the house. These contained bold and whimsical colors and textures of red tess garden roses, blushing bride protea, dahlias, and the prettiest upright amaranthus. Sarah and John chose to utilize our transfer services so they could enjoy their arrangements during both the ceremony and reception. This wedding was the epitome of romance and beauty.

Thoughts From Sarah:

When we started wedding planning, flowers were of course one of the top priorities. Initially, I wanted the typical “southern” aesthetic, you know the type, lots of ivories, whites, and greenery. That’s what I originally pitched to Randee, but the more I thought about it and as the rest of my wedding plans fell together, I decided to go bold! I wanted something magical and stunning. I gave the Floral Cottage little to go on, just bold reds and encouraged surprises. We didn’t have a bridal party so we wanted the floral arrangements to make a statement at our wedding. We received more compliments on flowers than anything else! I was in complete awe when I finally saw all of our arrangements. There were so many flowers we’ve never seen before! It was everything we wanted AND more. My husband and I still talk about how beautiful they were. They made our wedding photos pop! The best part was walking into our home the day after our wedding and seeing our flowers covering every surface. We enjoyed them for days afterward and family members begged to take some home! I can’t say enough good things about our experience. From beginning to end, nothing but utmost professionalism.

Mr. & Mrs. Noles:

The Details:

Sarah + John

Whitney Marie Photography

Madison + Peyton August 2020

Madison + Peyton August 2020

Madison & Peyton originally planned for a spring wedding, but, like so many of our lovely couples this year, a pandemic had other plans. They may have had to make changes here and there, but one thing remained the same - the elegance of it all!! The Gallup nuptials included bright, beautiful greenery, and always perfect Playa Blanca Roses.

Fun fact - Madison’s long-stemmed bouquet was the first of that style I had designed. Since August, many brides have chosen to use “The Madison” as their inspiration. It is a look that is classic, and so much fun to design.

Geauxgarcia Photography

Ceremony/Reception - Country Club of Louisiana

{THE BRIDE}

{THE GROOM}

{THE BRIDESMAIDS}

{THE GROOMSMEN}

{THE DETAILS}

{THE GALLUPS}

To view the entire gallery, click below:

FLOWER CARE: 5 Tips + Tricks to Keep Your Flowers Fresh!

Whether it’s for a wedding or for your home, flowers require

a little love so that they can have a long life!

Here are my top 5 tips for keeping flowers fresh longer:

1. WATER: This is the most important factor to flower care!

   • Water Level: Flowers drink water and need to have stems submerged in water. Make sure all stems are in water! Check water level daily.

   • Water Temperature: Most flowers like warm/hot water. That’s right…not cold!

   • Water Freshness: Just like you, flowers like clean water. As they decay, the water will get dirty. Change water every 1-2 days. Add flower preservatives or 1-3 drops of bleach to keep water clean longer. Remember, warm/hot water!

2. TEMPERATURE: Hot water + cool environments.

   • As mentioned above, flowers need the warmest tap water (not boiling) with every water change.

   • Keep out of direct sunlight or heat. Cool, shaded environments are best.

3. RE-CUT STEMS: Give them a trim!

   • The shorter the flower is, the longer it will last.

   • With every water change, cut flower stem about 1/4” at an angle!

4. PICK LONG LASTING FLOWERS: Every flower has a different life span.

   • Short Life: anemones, irises, stock

   • Long Life: daisies, carnations, greenery, filler flowers, lilies

   • Hydrangeas, roses and peonies are somewhere in the middle!

5. KNOW YOUR FLOWER: Every flower requires different care!

   • Hydrangea: These big beauties are temperamental. When they start to wilt, immediately re-cut and place in hot water to revive.

   • Roses: Short roses last very long! Strip the leaves and thorns and place in hot water.

   • Tulips: They grow! They will continue to grow and move as they blow open. Flower temperature should be warm and not hot.

   When in doubt, just ask me! Email me at thefloralcottageflorist@gmail.com for specific questions!

Lots of love,

Randee

Weddings & Flowers During COVID-19

What a week!!! The COVID-19 has definitely rocked our world and yours, too.

Nearly all of our weddings from now until early May have been postponed or modified in some way. This week should have been spent designing for a busy wedding weekend filled with lots of flowers for four fabulous couples. Instead, I’ve spent all of my time this week with these heartbroken brides to come up with solutions for their postponed dates.

Fortunately, most of these weddings have been postponed to our slow season in July-September. If there is a silver lining, this is it. Our slow summer season will now be our busy season and our busy spring season will now be our slow season. Hurricane season better chill out.

Unfortunately for those brides with weddings this weekend, I was unable to cancel their fresh flower order. Everything had already arrived on Monday. We worked together and came up with a game plan so that they could still enjoy their flowers this week.

Additionally, all in-person consultations have been canceled from now until mid-April. To replace in-person consultations, I am offering phone consultations. If you’d like to schedule a phone consultation, please click HERE and follow the prompts.

Personally, I was struggling a bit earlier in the week. My dog of 13 years passed away on Tuesday and my kids are now home 24/7. It’s hard going through personal grief and a crisis all in a couple of days. However, I’m a strong, driven person and I allowed myself to grieve for a little while and now I’m back to problem solving and getting the job done.

Professionally, I am surviving with ease. Sadly, my employees had to be temporarily laid off and my contract employees are not getting any work. Remember that silver lining I mentioned? My employees will get hours and work they would not normally get during the slow season to make up for the loss we are experiencing. I have a great support system from my husband and family…. that’s the plus side to a family business in my mom’s backyard that’s been going strong for 20+ years!

During this time, I will be working from home and filling small orders here and there. I will also be the primary caregiver and teacher to my daughters while my husband works. No rest for pharmacists or mommas! A few hours of each week day will be dedicated to assisting customers, creating proposals and all that other boring business stuff.  The rest of my time will be spent teaching kids and trying to stick to a routine to salvage all of our sanity.

If your in-person consultation was canceled and you would like to book our services, please let me know as soon as possible. We will have limited availability during the fall season and into the spring of 2021 as some of our events are being postponed to these dates. This applies to those that would like to book our services and haven’t met with me yet.

If you need anything, please email me at randeethefloralcottage@gmail.com or thefloralcottageflorist@gmail.com. For immediate assistance, please text me at 225-366-7415. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

My apologies in advance for the sound of screaming kids in the background of any phone call!

Be sure you are following us on Instagram @thefloralcottageflorist for daily flower photos and stories to brighten your day!

My team and I are here to help you! We will get through all of this together and come out of it even stronger.

Lots of love and gratitude,

Randee

Owner & Head Designer

The Floral Cottage Florist

Amanda + Brendan November 2019

Amanda + Brendan November 2019

Haley Elizabeth Photography

Amanda and Brendan’s wedding was a dream come true on one of the most perfect days in November, but I’ll let Amanda speak for herself,

“My (now) husband and I are not from the area but got married at a family property in French Settlement this past November, and happened to pass by The Floral Cottage Florist when visiting there several months prior to make preparations. I am so glad we decided to look into hiring them for our wedding day flowers! Randee was so wonderful to work with, from getting the quote where we needed it to be, to being awesome about communication, and completely delivering on all our wildest dreams and expectations. The amount of love and talent she puts into her craft is beyond compare. We would absolutely recommend her to anyone in the area (or passing through, like us!) I just wish I could have her ship arrangements to our house in Tennessee!”

PHOTOGRAPHY: Haley Elizabeth

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: Family Home in French Settlement, LA

{THE BRIDE}

{THE BRIDESMAIDS}

{THE DETAILS}

{THE HAPPY COUPLE}

To view the entire gallery, click below:

Amanda + Brendan {PRIVATE RESIDENCE}

Haley Elizabeth Photography

Meet the Staff

Meet Amy: Delivery Coordinator & Floral Assistant

<Kaylie Nicole Photography>

Amy has been married to her husband, Scott, for 7 years and together they have one fur baby, a cat named Joby. She graduated from Louisiana State University in Finance and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, after graduation to start a career in internal audit. After 7 years and working all over the world, she moved back home to Louisiana to be closer to family and for Scott to start his career.

She has been with The Floral Cottage since the Summer of 2018 and it is hard to give her a job title because she does so many different things!

Here are some more fun facts about Amy:

How would you describe what you do at the Floral Cottage?

I'm the dabler, lol! I recently started delivery coordinating and I'm also the Excel guru ;) Occasionally assist with flower processing during busy season. I'm more involved in the business side than creative side which fits for me, haha!

What part of your job is most rewarding?

I enjoy being able to contribute to a business and product I believe in and work with my friends. Also when all the formulas finally worked on the flower ordering Excel spreadsheet I created for Randee, lol! I also love hearing from friends who used FC for their wedding and how happy they were with the outcome.

What got you into this field?

Randee asked if I could help out with her business as I was interested in part-time work and I've enjoyed it my time with FC since!

What is a little known fact about you?

I'm also a part-time dance teacher and have been involved in dance since I was 3 years old.

What is your coffee drink order?

Skinny vanilla latte with almond milk

What is the last book you read?

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

What is the last Netflix show you binged?

GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling)

What is your favorite type of flower?

Stock! It's not only beautiful and comes in multiple colors, but it smells wonderful as well!

Goodbye 2019...Hello 2020!

2019. What a year! We’re celebrating some major milestones. I turned 35, took over the family business and we celebrated 20 years of business with 116 weddings!

LET’S TALK ABOUT 35. I’m exactly where I thought I’d be at this age. Sure, I have more fine lines and a few extra pounds than I’d want, but I’m more confident than ever, have two beautiful daughters and a wonderful husband. We’ve traveled the world with and without the kids. I’m not going to lie….I’m tired and super stressed on the daily between work and kids, but at least I’m doing what I love and I get to share my passion with all of you!

FAMILY BUSINESS. We are a family business filled with mothers, daughters, brothers, cousins and some pretty awesome friends and staff that have become family. Since taking over in January 2019, I’ve become the lady in charge. It took a little time to switch up our roles and adjust. But now, we are rocking it!

20 YEARS. That’s right! If you didn’t see our posts in October, we celebrated 20 years! My mom, Becky, started The Floral Cottage in 1999. We eventually evolved into the wedding and event florist you know today! We’ve grown and changed SO much over these 20 years. We hope you’ve been a part of the journey!

NEW SERVICES. This year we began offering transfer and teardown services, on-site floral cake decorating, and rentals! We have ceremony structures, several styles of urns and columns, multiple vases, glass ware, candles and lanterns for rental! We will continue to cultivate a fantastic rental collection so that all of you can have one stop shopping for your event. We’ve not only made improvements to our services, but to our space. We have more delivery vehicles, recently upgraded to a larger walk in floral cooler and are in the process of getting a brand-new storage space.

116 WEDDINGS. That’s right. It was our largest number of weddings to date! Yikes! We’ve created 117 bridal bouquets, over 500 bridesmaids’ bouquets, countless boutonnieres and corsages, rehearsal dinners and luncheons and loads of ceremony and reception décor all over Southern Louisiana from NOLA to St. Francisville and even a few in Mississippi. This couldn’t be done without my amazing staff! We pushed ourselves on designs and had LOTS of long hours in October-November. We’re still trying to recover!

2020 GOALS: Be disciplined BOTH personally and professionally. Since 2019 was the year to grow and expand, 2020 will be the year to be focus on budgets, even greater floral designs and customer relationships. Those are just work goals. Personal goals are more like more time with family and better self-care. I can do it all, right? I work better with routine and structure! How about you?

Drop me a DM or an email with your 2020 goals! I’d love to hear from you!

Love + gratitude,

Randee

Meet the Staff

Meet Joelle: Floral Designer

<Kaylie Nicole Photography>

Joelle is originally from Garyville, but has been in Ascension for over 20 years. She’s a mom of two humans and a mom of 5 rescue dogs. She has been a licensed florist for 21 years and originally worked for the Floral Cottage back in 2003 for six years. She started back to us earlier this year and boy are we glad to have her! She is an excellent cook and always so thoughtful with sweet gifts and tasty treats! She also has the best sense of humor that helps keep us going on those long days.

Here are some more fun facts about Joelle:

How would you describe what you do at The Floral Cottage?

I am a Jill of all trades and I am up for any challenge. I especially like to be challenged.

What part of your job is most rewarding?

Working with wonderful creative people. And satisfied customers.

What got you into this field?

I have been around this most of my life. It's fun and creative.

What is a little known fact about you?

I keep the humor going. I am the comedian of the group. And I don’t have a filter.

What is your coffee drink order?

Americano or double shot espresso straight up, like my personality. No sugar or cream.

What is the last book you read?

Gentlemen Jack

What is the last Netflix show you binged?

Gypsy. After watching 8 episodes in season 1 I decided to check when season 2 was coming out. It was the fastest cancelled show on netflix. P.S. If you know me, I dont bing watch anything!

What is your favorite type of flower?

I am simple when it comes to flowers. I like the good ole carnations. People don’t do them justice. But all flowers are beautiful.

Katherine + Dean April 2019

Katherine + Dean April 2019

<Whitney Marie Photography>

Katherine lives out of state, but when I finally got to meet with her and her mom we all bonded instantly! It truly was a wonderful collaboration from that moment on. When they told me about her color palette, I was absolutely thrilled! It was a dream come true and perfect for Spring. This is the time of year Spring Brides start to finalize details for their own weddings and this wedding would be a great inspiration! Again, these colors!

PHOTOGRAPHY: Whitney Marie Photography

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: Lucky Plantation

CAKE: Amazing Cakes

{THE BRIDE}

{THE GROOM}

{THE BRIDAL PARTY}

{THE CAKE}

To view entire photo gallery, click below:

Katherine + Dean {LUCKY PLANTATION}

Photographs courtesy of Whitney Marie Photography

Meet the Staff

Meet Becky: Floral Designer/Founder

<Kaylie Nicole Photography>

In honor of October being the 20th Anniversary of The Floral Cottage, who better to spotlight then the original founder? Becky was originally born in Garyville, Louisiana and graduated from Leon Godchaux in 1971. Shortly after graduating she began to work as a Floral Designer at a local florist. In 1995, she moved to St. Amant, LA with her family and quickly realized she wanted to start her own business. The Floral Cottage Florist officially opened on October 4, 1999 which interestingly enough is Randee’s birthday. Perhaps Becky knew when picking that date that Randee would take over the business 19 years later.

Since handing over the business to Randee, Becky has been enjoying more time with her husband of 47 years, Wayne, and her 5 rescue pups.

Here are some more fun facts about Becky:

How would you describe what you do at the Floral Cottage?

I am now a designer without the headaches of running the business anymore

What part of your job is most rewarding?

The completed product and knowing that we have a happy bride

What got you into this field?

I always had a love of floral design since childhood and the desire to be creative. Out of necessity, found a job at a friend's florist.

What is a little known fact about you?

I love to entertain especially for Christmas and filling up my home with homemade goodies and delicious meals.

What is your coffee drink order?

Black with cream and sugar

What is the last book that you read?

I am more of a magazine junky. Especially if it features floral and interior design, or food

What is the last Netflix show you binged?

Probably Outlander

What is your favorite type of flower?

Classic red roses. Black pearl or black baccara are also personal favorites

Alyssa + Davis New Year's Eve 2018

Alyssa + Davis New Year’s Eve 2018

<Kleinpeter Photography>

Starting a marriage at the start of a brand new year is a momentous and symbolic occasion. There is something truly special about tying the knot on the last night of the year surrounded by your close friends and family and that is exactly what Alyssa and Davis did.

We worked closely with Amy from Weddings Taylor Made to come up with Alyssa’s garden bohemian style arrangements. The flowers we used were ranunculus, roses, lisianthus accents with queen Anne’s lace, ivory hypericum, astilbe and multiple types of eucalyptus. Alyssa also wanted the blue thistles that Laura-Kate from Sweet Stirrings added to the cake, which really complimented everything.

This New Years Eve wedding was stunning and we wish Alyssa and Davis a lifetime of happiness! To learn more about the bride and groom’s love story check out the inRegister article.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Kleinpeter Photography

CEREMONY: St. Joseph Cathedral

RECEPTION: The Estuary at The Water Campus

COORDINATOR: Amy with Weddings Taylor Made

CAKE: Sweet Stirrings

{THE BRIDE}

{THE GROOM}

{THE BRIDAL PARTY}

{THE CAKE}

To view entire photo gallery, click below:

Meet the Staff

Meet Jacie: Floral Design Apprentice/Administrative Assistant

{Kaylie Nicole Photography}

Jacie is a local who graduated from St. Amant High School and has been with The Floral Cottage since December 2018. She is currently attending Southeastern Louisiana University and will graduate next year with a Bachelor of Arts in Management.

Jacie is always positive and up for anything we throw at her! She doesn’t realize how creative she is and is surprised each time she quickly achieves a floral design skill, but the rest of us aren’t. She is so easy to get along with and we are so lucky to have her as part of the team!

Here are some more fun facts about Jacie:

How would you describe what you do at floral cottage?

At The Floral Cottage I help with some administrative duties as well as basic floral design. I help assist the other floral designers in any way possible!

What part of your job is most rewarding?

The most rewarding part is when we have a busy week with 4 or more weddings and we all come together and get it done as a team. We look back at the week and it’s like, “wow we did that!” I also enjoy it when the bride loves all of it, and it just feels good to be a part of it even if my part isn’t a big one!

What got you into this field?

I love weddings and all the happiness and love that is in the air when attending or hearing about one. After attending a few myself, I just wanted to be a part of other people’s happiest day and what better way to do that than to help design the flowers for them. I mean what girl wouldn’t want to be around flowers all day!

What is a little known fact about you?

I have a cat named Luna. I would say a known fact about myself is that I laugh at just about anything, but then again when you work with Randee, Joelle, and Mrs. Becky, it’s hard not to laugh!

What is your coffee drink order?

As a beginner with drinking coffee, I like a lot more creamer, sugar and milk than actual coffee.

What is the last book you read?

Does my Finance 381 textbook count?

What is the last Netflix show you binged?

This wasn’t on Netflix, but on Hulu I binged watched this season of the Bachelorette! Honestly, I don’t know how people could wait a whole week between each episode!

What is your favorite type of flower?

I really love Dahlia’s!!!

{Kaylie Nicole Photography}