A Bar Above

There’s the bar, barre and now…flower bar? 

That’s right, flower bar! So what’s the scoop? Flower Bar is retail shop 

Branches newest take on a fun girls’ outing. “Design • Sip • Take Home” is their mantra, and ladies are going to love it. I did!

Bar takes on a couple meanings with this floral soiree: Owners and sisters Lauren McAvoy and Sarah Perry cover a bar with exquisite silk flowers to choose from as participants design their masterpieces. Guests bring along their favorite beverage to help get the creative juices flowing during class. It’s a perfect gathering for gals; there’s no experience needed and no wrong way to create a beautiful arrangement for your home or office. Imagine receiving compliments on your beautiful table centerpiece and being able to say, “I designed it myself!”  Okay, I’m sold...when’s the next class? 

On May 12, I joined a fabulous group of ladies, who were visiting from Ohio for Branches’ Little Black Dress Workshop. The friends—Debbie Callahan, Faye Geidner, Dianne Meyer and Diane Naylor—were celebrating one last hoorah before they headed back north. We broke out the wine and got to know one another with a bit of cocktail time, and then it was on to the real fun. First, we studied the “inspiration.” Lauren and Sarah picked out a wide variety of iconic women decked out in their little black dresses and hung the photos for us to decide who we were going to channel for our arrangements. Featured were greats like Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, plus many women who also made their mark in history. 

Once we had our dose of inspiration, Lauren, Sarah and Floral Design Assistant Jaden Colella guided us to our stations primed for creativity. First up was to choose a vessel, we had a couple different options, but we all went for the shabby chic mercury glass look—creative right? This particular class featured faux florals, so we started with cutting down our foam and dipping it into hot glue to create a secure base. Next up was the greenery base and learning to use the pick machine (my nemesis), which helps to secure the florals into the foam. The girls helped guide us to a beautiful start for our arrangements and then offered up the fun “pops” of floral to make them into showstoppers. As I began to put together my favorites, I figured out I was channeling Annie Oakley, complete with a southern motif of cotton bolls, hydrangeas and feathers. Each of us created an incredible showpiece with unique designs, yet they all flowed with similar color schemes. “I would be proud to showcase any of these in the store!” Sarah exclaimed. 

After many pictures were taken, our fun came to an end. Workshop attendee Debbie Callahan said, “My worries about not being creative wasn’t a problem. Lauren and Sarah are great teachers and I had a fabulous time.” They create an unforgettable experience with their exuberant personalities and incredible talents. Not to mention the beautiful atmosphere their store provides is perfect for revving up creativity. What a wonderful way to spend a Friday evening. And, I can’t wait to show off my arrangement!

Schedule Your Own Experience: Stop by Branches in Village at Wexford (Suite E-6) or log onto www.branchesdesigns.com to check out what’s on the menu for upcoming workshops, and make your reservations today. Classes are on Fridays and feature both fresh and faux classes—no experience is needed! Participants are encouraged to bring refreshments and light snacks. Branches provides wine glasses, ice, bottle opener, florals, vessel and the tools needed to create a magical night.  Costs vary based on the workshop theme. Private and onsite classes are available, including baby and bridal showers and they love with partnering with different venues and restaurants. For more information, give them a call at 843-785-2535.