HB 989 - Governor Perry Signs - Protecting "Real" Local Florists

Texas has passed the Deceptive Floral Listing Bill (H.B. 989).  Governor signed the bill into law on June 17, 2011 and it takes effect September 1, 2011. 

Here's the lowdown:  When you want to order flowers to send to your aunt in, let's say, Bastrop, Texas, you would do a search for "Bastrop florist".  Now, Brenda Abbott Floral Design's website might pop up, but also, there might be other "florists" who appear to be able to deliver to Bastrop, and their ad might even say, "same day delivery to Bastrop".  Weelllll, those are not necessarily truthful ads.  They are deceptive.  Those florists are not even florists at all...they are "order gatherers", a room full of telephone order takers somewhere in a metal building, who have no knowledge of flowers, no florist license, and are probably not even in your state.  They take the order, claim they can fill it, and take your money.  Then they start calling real florists in, for instance, Bastrop to fill the order, on short notice, and for less than you paid for the flowers!  "That ought to be illegal" we scream!  Well, thanks to the Texas State Florists Association and many many complaints from real florists and real consumers, Texas has taken steps to stop this scam!  Wahoo!  Beginning September 1, 2011, these floral scammers can no longer misrepresent their geographical location in a telephone directory, other print directory or on an internet website.  But still be mindful of who you're ordering from!  Best practice:  don't order from the online flower superstores...google real florists in real towns, talk with them on the phone, ask what's in their cooler, don't order by a stock photo!

Brenda Abbott Floral Design....a real family-owned, local florist
1902 Chestnut
Bastrop, Texas 78602
512-985-5359
http://www.brendaabbott.net/

It's Bound to Rain Soon!

I know you're thinking it's never going to rain again here in central Texas, but be PREPARED, and in STYLE!  (Or perhaps, you need shade on the golf course!)  To assist you, we have a great selection of gorgeous umbrellas!  Pink Gerbers, Purple Dahlias, and of course one of the crowd favorites "Raining Cats & Dogs"....You just have to see that one!  Matching tote bags make these unique and unforgettable gifts. 

Red Gerber

Blue Morpho Butterfly

Sunflower

Purple Daisy

Raining Cats & Dogs

Matching Totes: W 19.5" x L 14.5" x D 6"

The umbrellas come in a full size with nice wooden handle or a compact version with a very nice push-button automatic opening and closing feature. 

Most have matching tote bags.

Umbrellas are $25 and the totes are $30 + tax.

Brenda Abbott Floral Design
1902 Chestnut
Bastrop, Texas 78602
512-985-5359
http://www.brendaabbott.net/

Texas Country Wedding

We had the pleasure of working with Robyn and Randy for their March 2011 wedding at Randy's family's farm near Winchester, Texas. So many great details made for a delightful, laid back and fun wedding.
Robyn's bridal bouquet featured sunflowers, white waxflower, goldenrod and fiddle head ferns. We especially loved that the Groom hand painted on barn wood oh so cute directional signs all along the the country drive to the family farm as well as on-site. Ceremony this way, reception, that way...beer this way, etc. These fabulous photos were provided courtesy of Third Coast Photography. http://www.thirdcoastphotography.com/

Bride's cake was by A Wedding Cake Moment in Smithville.
http://www.aweddingcakemoment.com/
What a majestic old oak tree to provide a backdrop for this beautiful sunset ceremony!
Sweet and sassy bridesmaids sported tiffany blue dresses and cowboy boots.

Bride and groom seal the deal. That's daisies on the ground beneath them. We created a scattered daisy trail all the way from the gate, down the aisle and ending in a puddle at the altar. Sweet sweet little flower girls carried wooden berry buckets full of daisy heads.
Gentlemen's bouts featured goldenrod, delicate oncidium orchids and a fiddle head accent. A raffia knot provided just the right touch of casual detail.

Wish I could take credit for these great hay bale sofas! What fun! The throw pillows feature the couple's 'brand' (Robyn & Randy).
One of our many rental pieces, we provided a whimsical directional 'wedding' sign.
Here comes the bride! We attached daisy heads to ribbon to dress up an existing arch and mark the entrance to the 'wedding field'.
Iron trees held single sunflower heads and hanging votive candles.
Among the many cute details, bride & groom provided dyed popcorn and wrapped utensils in sunshine yellow bandanas.

Brenda Abbott Floral Design
1902 Chestnut
Bastrop, Texas 78602
http://www.brendaabbott.net
512-985-5359

Brenda Abbott, a fine Bastrop Wedding Florist Serves Discriminating Brides

As you drive up Highway 21 in historic Bastrop, perhaps you've noticed the great old white church building?  This is the home of Brenda Abbott Floral Design.  The soaring ceilings of this fabulous old church building gives the room needed for displaying some of the beautiful altar backdrops and props available for your wedding.  An ever-changing display of inspiration awaits you from colorful and elegant linens and china to rustic and fun ideas for your country-themed celebration. 

Not only do we plan and design the most exquisite events, we also deliver custom floral arrangements for birthdays, special life celebrations and memorial tributes.  Drive on out from Austin to historic Bastrop and visit this unique trendsetting florist shop.  You'll be glad you did!

You'll find Brenda Abbott Floral Design
at 1902 Chestnut, Bastrop, Texas 78602.

http://www.brendaabbott.net/

512-985-5359

Specializing in Weddings and Life's Breathtaking Moments!

Austin's Shoreline Grill Wedding

We had the honor or designing a fabulous wedding ceremony for Paige's wedding at the Shoreline Grill.  The existing pergola structure gave us a headstart, so it was a fairly simple matter (tell that to my crew that hoisted these heavy pieces up for me!).  Orchids and greenery sets the stage for this tropical visual delight in fuchsia, pink and acid green!

 Rather than lighting unity candles, we assisted our couple in designing an elegant sand ceremony.  The table was one of our all glass creations so it wouldn't obstruct the Shoreline Grill's beautiful scenery.

 Corsages and bouts were luxe green cymbidium orchids with accents of pink calla lilies.

 Bride's bouquet was a ruffly beauty with white peonies, fuchsia peonies, fuchsia mokara orchids and white cymbidium orchids.

 Beautiful altar arrangements featured submerged cymbidium orchids, hundreds of roses, phalaenopsis orchids and soaring white calla lilies with bells of Ireland.

 A heat tolerant choice for the Shoreline's dramatic stone steps included pave'd carnations and submerged Bells of Ireland. 

 We designed a collection of blooms for the guest tables.  A profusion of fuchsia mokara orchids in one vase complemented the lower lush arrangements of hydrangea and cymbidium orchids.

We orchestrate exceptional events all over the state and are available for travel! 
Visit our showroom in Bastrop at 1902 Chestnut, in the white church building atop the hill!
http://www.brendaabbott.net/
512-985-5359

Kelly and Craig's wedding was between two ponds situated at the edge of the golf course at Hyatt Lost Pines. October 2010. See more at www.brendaabbott.net

January 2010 Bridal Show

We wanted to showcase one of our trademark art pieces (a deer created from pave'd white blooms), so for his bridal show we created a winter woodland scene just for him. We went eco-friendly with a minimum number of blooms and opted to cover our table in fresh shag moss. A few cloches on the table protected sweet bird nests and a white phalaenopsis orchid bloom.
\In keeping with the natural theme, we also created a bridal bouquet (featured on K-EYE) with a bit of a bohemian twist by covering the handle in shag moss. The fragrant bouquet consisted of pinnk and white peonies, heather, sweet peas and astilbe.

Crystals hung from the trees and show covered the ground, a bit magical and ethereal.
Hope you enjoy!

Brenda Abbott Floral Design
www.brendaabbott.net