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The Art In Bloom Room

210-723-5605 www.theartinbloomroom.com

For these San Antonio floral designers, creating works of art with flowers means setting the stage for a fabulous first act.

"If in the first 30 seconds we have not created conversation for the rest of the night, then we have not done our jobs. Because for the first 30 seconds, if we wow them, then all night long, everytime the bride walks to a new table and she greets a new guest they are going to say, 'Your flowers are gorgeous!'", said Martin Alvarez.

Alvarez uses a refined sense of design to make that instant impression. A floral designer who has spent 17 years perfecting his craft and 10 years specializing in event design, he is the primary designer for The Art In Bloom Room. "I like to say that after five minutes of being at the venue you're at, you've forgotten where you drove to," he said, "Because we have transformed the room, whether it be with columns or lighting or the backdrop on the stage. We definitely transform a room."

Owner and artist, Michael Ray Vandervort, stands behind Martin's view of flowers as art, "What makes it art?", he asks, "Using color, structure, technique - it's a medium. It's absolutely the same as oil painting on canvas."

When you look at photographs of their work, it's not hard to see that it is art. From hugely extravagant weddings with boughs of flowers wrapped around columns to centerpiece topiaries intertwined with roses and ribbon, their decorations are breathtaking. They are, in a word, staggering. And just as they hope, the only word that comes to mind is "wow."

The skill that this caliber of design requires is something Alvarez has developed over many years. Always working with flowers, he studied at the Texas School of Floral Design before traveling around the country, apprenticing with numerous top-level designers. Now that he's returned to his hometown, he's brought his own ideas and his own flair to the craft.

His personality makes it obvious that he loves a little - or a lot - of drama. But he also uses a measure of good taste and plenty of expertise to give brides a stellar wedding. "I am, at the bottom of my heart, a florist," he said. What Alvarez means by this is that he has the education to make flowers do nearly anything he wants. From making flowers last for days to using a bloom enhancer to make them open quickly, he knows how to make flowers stand out. "I know the mechanics that are required as a florist. They're paying for what I know. And that's why people trust me. A tulip is a tulip. But what i do with it is what makes it a tulip."

Of course, deciding what to do with it is an interesting process. Alvarez personally meets every bride. "Every one of our events is definitely their idea. They definitely have the initial idea of what the overall ambience should be. So they come in with the theme, the idea and the budget, and I go from there. And sometimes you have to say, "That's not going to work, but if we do it like this, we can pull it off. That comes from experience."

The Art In Bloom Room's workshop is stocked with candelabra, columns, floral urns and chuppahs. "I am very proud of our resources. I can pick up a phone and find exactly what we're looking for," Alvarez said. He chooses the best quality and freshest flowers for each wedding. They don't keep any flowers in stock, instead they order flowers specifically for the wedding so that they are pristine, and exactly what is wanted.

Since Martin is a master designer with undeniable expertise, opulent events are flawless. "But I am not afraid of the B-word: budget. Brides come in and they start throwing all these ideas up in the air, and I come out and openly ask, "What is your budget?" he said. "I don't want to throw her ideas that are way out of line with her budget, because I don't want her to be disappointed. If you tell me a realistic budget, we will get as close to your overall idea of a perfect wedding as we can."

Once retained, The Art In Bloom Room delivers. They're so popular, in fact, that brides from Houston. Laredo, and Boerne demand the staff to travel to design their weddings. But it's not just the name that you're hiring, he insists, it's what they do.

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