Vote for Bastian+Skoog for the Diamond Awards, won't you please?

 

Bastian+Skoog is thrilled to be nominated by a national panel of judges for the first ever Mpls/St. Paul Weddings' Diamond Awards.

Look for us in the Outstanding Flower Design category, and cast your vote here in our favor. Voting begins now and ends November 15 at midnight. The People's Choice winners will be announced in the Spring/Summer issue of Mpls/St. Paul Weddings Magazine. It's based solely on popular vote, so vote early, vote often (Okay, we jest. But if you love us, please tell your friends, moms, etc.)

NEW AD. NEW AD. NEW AD.

 Last night we attended the Minnesota Bride Best of Bride party at which the Fall/Winter issue of the magazine AND OUR NEW AD were unveiled. Undying gratitude goes to Kern Nickerson and Emily Snyder of Queen Quills.

We've Done It Now.

A pat on the back and a raise of our glass to everyone who helped make our new ad happen (at the thirteenth hour.) We can't say enough good things about our partners in crime -- Kern Nickerson, Aaron Hansen, and Emily Snyder of Queen Quills Calligraphy. There's nothing hotter and more exhilarating than the freshness, urgency and synergy of seat of your pants design, and we certainly don't deserve the luxury of such great collaborators who share our vision and make things happen so effortlessly.

Here's a tease of our new ad. Because we're like that. You'll find it on page one of Minnesota Bride Magazine's Fall/Winter issue on newsstands at the beginning of July.

Frocktails Featured on Secrets of the City

 

Summer of Dresses, which I helped to start last year is back for it's second season of prettiness. The kick off Frocktail party is tonight from 5-8 at everyone's favorite, Aster Cafe. If you're someone who prefers 'dapper' to dresses (or just wants to surround yourself with scads of pretty ladies), you are cordially invited to join us! Follow Summer of Dresses on twitter to get your fix of eyecandy. More info can be found in Secrets of the City's feature, too.

Up Early for Mpls/St. Paul Magazine Weddings

We started the day early this morning, preparing bouquets for a photo shoot for Weddings | Mpls/St. Paul Magazine. They asked for hot and bright, and we gave them just that -- a vibrant yellow and a shocking fuchsia bridal bouquet. Were mohair and wax dipped succulents involved? Well, you'll just have to wait and see.

Bastian+Skoog is featured in the new South of Canada

There's a new weekly online magazine in town, South of Canada, and this week we are featured as part of their Valentine's Day edition. Read more of our Valentine's tips and general musings here.

Bastian+Skoog is featured on Stuff I ♥

We were just informed by our friend and sweet bride, Carla Fahden, that Bastian+Skoog is featured on Stuff I ♥, a blog by the super stylish Quinn Risdall. Thanks ladies, for keeping us in the know!

Valentine's Contest Revisited: Coco de Mer

A couple of years ago we ran a contest offering free flowers for the cheekiest Valentine's sentiment. This year we couldn't help but notice that Coco de Mer is continuing our great idea. We thought we'd take this opportunity to A.) introduce you to (or remind you of) one of our favorite skivvies stockists where you can get little ditties like this one that I'm longing for with the hotsy totsy zipper in the back (hint, hint) and B.) reinspire you for this Valentine's Day with the greatness that was received by a lucky one of our clients from her beau:

Tied up in knots
a bite on the shoulder
i tugged at her hair
e’re my heart ‘gan to smoulder

‘twixt sheets, silken black
lo! - a spank on the bum!
nervous.. am i naughty?
mayhaps too tame?
mayhaps ho-hum!!

then, a crash!$%
my friends,
- a cloud of smoke! -
i hung from the ceiling
prisoner,
to gravity’s heavy yoke

and in this moment she approacheth
e’re my moment of despair
kisses to my forehead
gentle strokes to my hair

she cackled with delight
bit hard on my lip.
candles and oils…
- hey-o! what’s with the whip? -

t’would kiss her
would i could
like a great prince of yore
be kama to her sutra
make her cry out “more! more!”

my situation you see, was desperate but not dire
distance it seemed, sparked my heart’s russian fire

and so, i waited,
bound but still brave
to plot Act II
self cast
as Handsome Knave

So it will go,
through months and years
the drama will unfold
many climaxes - few tears

and as I gaze to the West
I wait for a sign.
for the curtain to rise,
‘tween me and
my heart’s rowdy Valentine. 

Featured in Minnesota Bride: Museum Weddings

Our sweet bride and groom Jill and Mark who were wed at the Basilica and had their reception at the Walker Art Center were featured in the Spring/Summer 2011 issue of Minnesota Bride as part of an article on museum weddings. Lace/Hanky did such a stellar job capturing the sweetness and fun of this wedding. See more of their ceremony images here.

Our Words of Valentine's Wisdom on City's Best.

We got a foxy write up in a Valentine's Day article this week on City's Best. Oh Lord in heaven, did I really use the word 'harbinger'? Ugh, yes. Yes I did. Nonetheless, it's a lovely little blip of our tips for buying flowers on Valentine's Day and very kind words about our studio from Kristen Aeikens.

Bastian+Skoog is on the teevee

We escaped what could have been major public humiliation with this teevee appearance for Metromix on KARE 11. Big thanks to the charming Chris Kallal for making it (relatively) painless and easy and to Taylor Carik for his tireless promotion on our behalf.

B+S lands in the Secrets of the City Mother's Day Guide

Our favorite know-it-all Kate Iverson listed Bastian+Skoog in Secrets of the City's Secrets to Mom's Heart: Mother's Day Guide 2009. Check our her exhaustive list of fresh ideas on how to treat your mom. Whether it's a recipe for "Heart Attack Potatoes" or a field trip to secret local sanctuary, the amazing Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, she's got just the right idea for your mom.

Front Page News

A Bastian+Skoog winter wedding (photographed by Sally from LaVie Photography) was featured today on the front page of that bottomless pit of brilliant ideas, Style Me Pretty. Sweet words from the article:

The second wedding that we are featuring today is pure gorgeousness. Which is exactly what we’d expect from the amazing ladies at Bastian+Skoog.

Secrets of the Sweethearts

Our studio was mentioned by Kate Iverson for Secrets of the City's Valentine's guide. We liked it so much we're reprinting our writeup here, but do check out the entire article for other sweet finds including our cupcake dealer, Sheela, at Miel y Leche.

LOVE IN BLOOM

Forget the red roses this year -- that's been done. If you want your gesture to be original and memorable, we suggest thinking beyond the baby's breath!

Bastian + Skoog Urban Flower Studio

Liz Bastian and Heidi Skoog are green-thumbed art stars. As owners of the hottest floral design studio in the Twin Cities, these ladies share some very key ideals that include "a hunger for good design and culture (and shoes), modern aesthetic sensibilities, and most importantly, discriminating taste." And these qualities are definitely evident in their unusual, custom floral designs, and their long, impressive roster of high-end clients. For those who hold art close to their heart, an arrangement from the contemporary perfectionists at Bastian + Skoog is equally satisfying to give and to get. But, beware. You'll likely become a regular, scheduling artsy arrangements for business, special occasions, and special people.

Vote for Bastian+Skoog (again). Pretty please?

We, the ladies of Bastian+Skoog, kindly ask you to vote for our studio in the MN Bride Best of Bride contest in the categories of "best overall vendor" and "florist". Note: this is different than the Downtown Journal contest we asked for your help with recently.

Bastian+Skoog won "best florist" the first two years of this competition when it was voted on by wedding vendors. The rules have changed and voting is now done by brides (and the general public), thus favoring the bigger businesses who work with piles of brides. As such, we, who have exponentially fewer wedding clients, rely on you (you, with the impeccable taste) to prettyplease follow the link and fill out the ballot to show your support for our studio.

VOTE HERE: http://www.mnbride.com
for Bastian+Skoog in the categories of "best overall vendor" and "florist".

FINE PRINT:
Voting closes March 1st, 2009.
At least six categories must be completed for your vote to count (not too difficult -- you can vote for your favorite DJ, caterer, spa, restaurant, hotel, jeweler, photographer, etc.)
Only one vote per individual, and you must fill out the starred personal information for your vote to count.

If you really, really like us, please post or forward this note along to other B+S allies.

Eternal gratitude and big kisses from your B+S girls,

Liz and Heidi

Vote for B+S!

Downtown Journal is having their Reader Raves contest. If you happen to have time and you happen to like us, would you be so kind as to fill out their ballot and vote for Bastian+Skoog as your favorite florist? It's a great opportunity to support and promote your other neighborhood businesses, as well. The deadline for the contest is this Friday, the 13th of February, so be quick about it!

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?&story=13178&page=65&category=105

Big thanks from your girls at Bastian+Skoog,
Liz and Heidi

Almost Famous

Our flowers are going to be pimped out by the effervescent know it all Alexis Walsko of Lola Red PR. Check her out as she offers tips on foxy Valentine's Day gifts on Kare11 at 4pm today. Image by Dane Cree (danecree@hotmail.com).

A Literary Bride

Bastian+Skoog's flowers were featured today in Style Me Pretty's blog, in a post titled, "A Literary Bride". A good book, sultry tropical flowers, a most handsome reading chair...perfect recipe for a cold day like today.

Style Me Pretty Blog Appearance

We were pleased (okay, thrilled) to find that one of our images was used recently on Style Me Pretty's new Little Black Book blog. We were fortunate to be asked to be in their Little Black Book, a handpicked directory of an elite group of wedding vendors. The wedding obsessed among you, of course already know about this resource, but in case you are just starting on your wedding planning -- do not pass go, Style Me Pretty is a bottomless pit of brilliant wedding ideas and life styling ideas.

Thanks Metro Mag, we'll try to sound less dumb moving forward...

Lovely to find an unexpected mention of us in the December 2008 Metro Magazine's Ultimate, Expert-Recommended Party Resource Guide. Much to our horror, here is what it said:

Bastian Skoog—Hand-picked blooms from owners Liz Bastian, who holds a BS in biology and has done graduate work in plant pathology, and Heidi Skoog, who has experience in all media from pottery to paper, set this floral-design studio apart. 310 N. 2nd St., Mpls.; 612.333.6450.

To our double horror we soon discovered that the ninnies who wrote this were none other than ourselves -- it was taken directly off our our website. Ugh.

At least we were in good company -- many of our favorite peeps were included: Jake Rudh, Corazon, Give My Regards To, Fabulous Catering, Create Catering, Chow Girls, MartinPatrick3, The Soap Factory and Yum.