Bells & Whistles at the Flower Field

tles at the Flower Field. I cannot put into words how happy my husband and I were with the services we received from Dorothy and her husband for our wedding. We got married at the Sanderling Resort in the Pavilion, and Dorothy and her husband completely transformed the space by hanging lights and drapery throughout, as well as decorating all of our guest tables and our head table. Everything that they touched was absolutely breathtaking and exactly what we had envisioned. Dorothy was wonderful to work with, and I would highly recommend her for any wedding or event! Her flowers are phenomenal as well as her creative ideas/visions!

ved. Everything was perfect. I had to plan my wedding out of state and she made it much easier on me. Definitely recommend!

the bank. Dorothy took my lack of ideas and ran with it, coming up with a bouquet that received countless compliments on the big day! She did boutineers for all the guys, and the corsages for the mothers and grandmothers were SO elegant. The centerpieces were magazine-worthy and my hairpiece - the only thing that I was very specific on - turned out perfectly!! They were responsive during the planning process and were prompt with delivery the day of! I was so pleased with everything they did for us and cannot thank them enough! :)

what I wanted. My guests were in awe of the amazing flower installation above the dance floor and the gorgeous arbor. You and your team did an incredible job!

as well!

planned our wedding long-distance and never got to meet Dorothy until the day of, she took a great deal of time speaking with us both on conference calls, to really get a “feel” for who we are and what our style is. She pulled up my Pinterest account to better acquaint herself with what we liked, when I was unable to articulate verbally exactly what we were looking for. A last-minute purchase of statement earrings changed my vision on the flower crown, and I gave Dorothy full liberty to decide on the final product for me. I cried when I saw my crown and the bouquet, it was perfect! Also, she was great at working with us to stay within our budget and working to ensure we had the most important elements for our venue décor. Dorothy was so detail oriented, when we decided last-minute to add Duck donuts in addition to our cake, she offered platters and even offered to call Duck Donuts to find out what assortment they were making for us so she could make signs so our guests knew what donuts we offered. (I did not have time the day before the wedding!). We would highly recommend Dorothy for her professionalism, quality of products (flowers, ribbon, plants and greenery, china, platters, décor, vases, candles, etc.). If you are fortunate to see her shop, you will see all of the lovely items she has to offer, and I’m sure we didn’t even scratch the surface. Thank you Dorothy!

have been more pleased with how the room presented. I would highly recommend Dorothy to anyone planning an event.

making our dream wedding come true. The greenery chandelier was stunning, and all the centerpieces were killer! My bridal bouquet was incredible, and exactly what I'd hoped for. I would highly recommend Bells and Whistles- we were so pleased with the way everything turned out!!!

added that extra little "pop" to the overall decor. They were timely and efficient in both set up and take down, which helped my husband and I to stay stress free on the big day! Thank you Bells and Whistles!

to use their skills and I couldn't of asked for more beautiful decor!

on. Choosing Dorothy and her team to create our dream wedding was a no-brainer - Dorothy is so talented and makes your wedding her priority. This may sound a bit hokey, but Bells and Whistles did not just decorate our space, they created an experience for our guests that matched exactly with our vision for the wedding - only better! The flowers for my bouquet were so fresh - because Dorothy picked them from her own garden! We had so many compliments on how beautiful, classic, and romantic the design was - I highly recommend Dorothy and her team to any bride getting married in the Outer Banks!

t the Flower Field. From our very first phone consultation, she basically articulated my vision of the perfect wedding day (almost as if she was clairvoyant!) It’s important to note that although the "Flower Field" evokes images of bouquets and centerpieces (which were truly unique and absolutely stunning) this company also manages to exceed expectations with the "Bells & Whistles" aspect of design; essentially creating the theme/décor beginning with the outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour and culminating with an elegant reception; white lights, farm tables, hanging lanterns/branches, floating candles, plus a variety of props personally tailored and expressive towards my husband and I. From that initial phone call forward, I felt incredibly secure and optimistic that I was entrusting one of the most critical components of our wedding day to the right person. Again, this peace of mind is invaluable when planning a wedding from 400+ miles away. Dorothy was flexible, insightful and I cannot compliment her enough on her creativity. Quite simply, I am convinced that there is no better option than Bells & Whistles in the Outer Banks. Thank you, Dorothy!

ing Inn in Duck, NC in mid October. We had the most gorgeous day you could imagine (75 sunny, not a cloud in the sky), but there was a hurricane off the coast. The swell was so high, we weren't able to have our wedding on the beach like we planned, but the back-up plan was even better. Dorothy's husband was able to put our driftwood arch in the dunes behind the observation deck, so we could get married overlooking the beach. It was picture perfect. What I loved most about Bells and Whistles was the organic flowers. I wanted a bouquet with in-season flowers, very organic with greens and whites. Dorothy brought my dream to life. She has her own flower field, so she was able to pick her own flowers and put together the exact vision I had. Our reception was nautical themed (my husband and I met while sailing). Bells and Whistles was able to create our nautical theme without being tacky. The decorations were subtle and gorgeous. Many of my friends and family asked if they could take home the centerpieces so they could use them again. In the end Dorothy was professional, artistic, and extremely friendly. She was able to work with us on a theme which would fit our budget and give us piece of mind during the whole crazy planning process. I would recommend Bells and Whistles to anyone getting married in the Outer Banks.

of flowers and decor we were looking for. She had a ton of awesome ideas, and she instantly understood the type of event we wanted, and ran with it. When we had our final consultation six weeks out, we discussed the original design and both decided to go in a slightly different direction, and I couldn't be happier that we did. We had a family style dinner, and so we needed to consider downsizing the table decor to make space for the platters of food. She had lots of great ideas and after brainstorming, she came up with a perfect design plan. Our reception was at Jennette's Pier, and she did a great job of making that huge room feel a little smaller and more like home. We used some of her farm house tables, with a mix of round tables, and all of her mix matched rustic chairs, which really made the space feel rustic but classy. I'm so happy we did that. All of the little details her and her team incorporated really were the perfect mix of rustic and beachy with a touch of preppy complementing our navy and yellow colors. My bouquet was an absolutely stunning bright yellow mix of gorgeous blooms. I could go on and on, but overall I'm so happy I trusted her to do what she does best and make the space glow. Our guests are still raving, and I can't wait to see all the photos! Thanks Dorothy and the entire Bells and Whistles Team!

ntative tone when we tried to rein in a proposal that nearly doubled our budget were among the many challenges we faced in the months leading up to our wedding. Working with owner Dorothy proved to be the most stressful part of our wedding planning process. Unfortunately, we also had several issues with the quality and safety of Bells & Whistle's work. 1) While the wedding bouquets were beautiful, they didn't match what we had requested - the main type of flowers that were supposed to make up the bouquets were simply not there. Our contract indicated that they reserved the right to adjust the bouquets based on flower availability. This would have made sense except for the fact that the missing flowers were plentiful in the arrangements at the reception. 2) The corsages for the mothers arrived wilted and one of them started to fall apart during the cocktail hour. 3) Several elements of the reception ceiling decor were poorly installed (taped with duck tape) and fell during the evening. This was particularly dangerous as the tables were filled with candles. 4) Many of the design elements of our wedding (e.g., altar decor, cocktail hour furniture arrangement) were not installed as described and sketched during the planning process. 5) Dorothy's team was still installing some of the cocktail hour decor as guests walked by on their way to the ceremony. 6) On the day of our wedding we were surprised that we never saw Dorothy. This didn't match the months of "the best part of my job is seeing the excitement on your face when you see the pavilion for the first time" that we had heard from her repeatedly for many months. Just before our final payment... when we only stood to lose $500 we discussed terminating our work with Dorothy and scrambling to work with another designer. To avoid craziness in the month before our big day, we decided not to do this. This was a mistake. We had a wonderful, joyous day celebrating with family and friends. EVERY other Outer Banks vendor exceeded our expectations which made working with Dorothy and Bells & Whistle's all the more difficult and disappointing.

to look like. We discussed them during a phone consultation and I sent a few small Pinterest pictures – she created centerpieces and bouquets that exactly matched what I envisioned (but probably didn’t do the best job describing). The flowers were absolutely beautiful, and the tables looked amazing. I couldn’t have asked for anything better! Thanks Bells and Whistles!

asn't sure how everything was going to shake out. But when I walked down the gazebo at my ceremony and saw the incredible driftwood arch and then in to the reception and saw the tent decor with hanging chandeliers and fabric and each table with its individualized, creative, gorgeous centerpieces, I realized what pros Dorothy and her team are. And the flowers! I asked Dorothy to use a lot of succulents and blues with a beach-y, natural vibe. I almost started crying when I saw my bouquet. Even better than what I had imagined despite me only giving Dorothy some vague direction! She really took my vision and ran with it. Could not have been happier with the outcome. My only negative is that it was difficult to stay in budget. I wish Dorothy had been a bit more upfront with costs when we were throwing around ideas. (She had suggested extra lighting and tent decorations that I only found out after our conversation would add $1000 extra dollars. I had to then cut back). In the end, though, I was thrilled with the results and felt the prices were generally fair.

not even hired her yet! Needless to say we did and were so happy with the result. She did funky centerpieces for our rehearsal dinner and gorgeous flowers and decor for the wedding ceremony and reception. We probably met with her 3-4 times more after the initial meeting to iron out all the details. She has a great vision and is able to see it through to the end.

their decor, ideas, flowers, centerpieces, you name it! Some ideas didnt seem like what I would have thought, but putting my trust in her and going with her word was the best decision. Once we had our first convo, I knew to search no further. After just a few pictures and key words, she totally knew what we wanted and how to do it. From the guys flowers to the table centerpieces and the details on the boquets for the bridesmaids, she made flowers look more than picture perfect. Specialty linens were found and a chandelier hung, she truly made the night unforgettable!!

or!

ior to the wedding to go over details and add finishing touches. I was so excited to see the final results. When we walked into our reception it was beautiful. Couldn't have asked for more- Dorothy and her team were great and I would highly recommend them!

On the day of the wedding she couldn't be there, but her awesome team showed up. They put together the most amazing centerpieces of flowers, shells and candles. The centerpieces were soft and beautiful which is exactly what I wanted. The bouquets were extremely pretty and exceeded my expectations. Dorothy and her team helped make my dream a reality. My experience with Bells & Whistles was wonderful and I would recommend Dorothy and her team to any bride!

l some lighting at the reception space, and it created to perfect romantic ambiance. Dorothy and her husband were helpful and professional! Thanks for everything!

or flowers and I love the memories of working with my mother, MIL, and sisters in law to create the centerpieces for our wedding! Dorothy made the boutineer for the groom and it was 100% perfect! We had a few pictures of things we liked, and then gave her a few descriptors of what we were looking for and we had the most perfect flowers ever! She is definitely a creative mind and not a business major! I had to make sure I called and emailed and confirmed and reconfirmed as there were a few lapses in communication, but everything happened as discussed and promised!

made the most perfect bouquets! Everyone loved them and your work is amazing!

sages, bouts, two small arrangements for the church altar, & fourteen centerpieces of varying composition. As my local wedding planner had planned, I contracted with the florist fifteen days before the wedding as she had assured me that was standard for the outer banks. Upon signing the contract, I paid Bells & Whistles in full and therefore had not had a "deposit." Three days before the wedding the mandatory evacuation was announced because of Hurricane Irene and our wedding was cancelled. Our wedding planner contacted all our vendors on our behalf. A week later, I contacted Bells & Whistles to find out what refund we would be getting from our contract. Our contract I signed noted "the contract is automatically void in case of ... Hurricanes.. and mandatory evacuations... Deposits will not be refunded." so I was hopeful that everything except a "deposit" would be returned. When I asked, I was told in writing that, "In reference to our contract you will note "deposits" is plural and refers to all deposits made to bring your balance paid in full." I was told we would not be getting a dime. So, I don't know if it was the fact that we didn't contract with them early enough to have a "deposit" or if they should just amend the contract to saying "whatever you've paid us you won't be getting back" but I was told I was out of luck. I understand the costs involved and that Bells & Whistles had bought the flowers and rented items, they had put in some time and should be paid for their work; I was not expecting anything close to a full refund. But I received nothing. No centerpieces were made, no bouts made, no corsages, and I received no refund; I wasn't refunded the $50 delivery charge, or the $180 "set up and breakdown" charge. They kept my money and I didn't have a single stem of a flower to show for it. When contracting for wedding flowers, it isn't a time you want to necessarily be pinching pennies, but if I ever have to deal with Bells & Whistles again, you can be sure I will have a much tighter hold on all my pennies.

ay!

the money.

bon.