I had the privilege and the honor to throw a fiftieth anniversary party for dear friends and clients of mine. Their story is a true example of the American Dream, and their party was one that their fifty closest friends will never forget.

They wanted a simple, elegant evening that they could share with their most cherished family and friends. We chose to host the party at The Bay Club in Mattapoiset, where the family has a membership. The Bay Club's sports and activities building is a great spot to host an elegant affair, but it takes a little creativity and some decor.

I was happy to contribute both. I brought in elegant linens in pale butter and china and gold-ware to compliment the celebratory theme. Everything was stunning, but the stars of the show were, of course, the flowers.

I wanted to display the floral bunches as if they were floating on air. I created a dozen European styled bouquets and suspended them over the table arrangements. I loved the air of whimsy that they brought, and the guest could not stop chattering.

I was honored to be included in the top fifty, although I was relegated to the kid's table. Actually, it was more of a young adults table, and my husband, Kevin, and I had a great time speaking to our seat mates in Spanish and inquiring about their educations.

I have known the family for many years and enjoyed working with them on this special event.It was so my pleasure to be in their company on such a lovely night. Thank you.

Many thanks to Laura McLean of the Standard Times for interviewing me for this article. It was great to see it locally and in the national paper, USA today.

As a floral designer and wedding planner, Chad Michael Peters has to be concerned with details. The same applies to his home. Whether it's a flashy affair for hundreds of guests, or a small corner of his living room, his strength is capturing emotion in the settings he creates.

I visited him earlier this week in his period Fairhaven home, which is soon to become the base of his business, finding myself wrapped in seasonally inspired surroundings with many personal touches. "Green" — a catch phrase for ecologically sound practices — is an ongoing theme of my column, so I asked Chad how to define it in the context of Christmastime. His response is not surprisingly something that hearkens back to his early boyhood.

"Being green means to use what we have around the home. Having the wonderful scent in the house (of natural greens) stirs memories. It's so much better than a flashy blow-up ornament for the front yard," he said.

"From the time I was six years old — growing up in a Rochester cottage with the bare minimum of conveniences — I remember going into the woods for a half hour's walk and coming to a holly tree laden with berries you dream about. My father and I would prune a few branches, being careful to keep the tree's shape, and would use the branches for planters, garlands and wreaths."

The following year, Chad set up his own stand at Lloyd's Market, selling homemade wreaths, garlands and yule logs made from materials gathered in the woods, and completely sold out on his first day of business, something of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This veneration of nature comes through in his home, shared with his mate Kevin Beaulieu. The living room is a place to unwind amid treasures collected in his travels near and far. It isn't overdone, as you might expect a decorator's domain would be. As in a well-designed garden, there are places for the eyes to rest and pleasant little "ditties" as he calls them, adding to the luscious overall picture.

"As decadent a world that I exist in for a half a year (weddings namely) "¦ there really is a humble aesthetic here. It conjures memories of family and friends." These are visually referenced in some way — through books, objects, heirlooms and in the colors and scents that nourished his early craving for the field of design.

Tea berry (gaultheria), a native plant whose berries he recalls chewing as a youngster, sits on a side table — a subtle touch of Christmas. And there are other lovely floral details set in amongst the furnishings — cut amaryllis blossoms; a bunch of "Star of Bethlehem" flowers; white and chartreuse roses; tuberoses — woven with the ubiquitous white pine of our local woods. Balsam in the form of a tree and a swag add fragrance and holiday patina, and candles and white lights give it glimmer.

He tells me that the candles are something he is developing for his own brand and this one is supposed to convey the smell of a walk through the woods, combining frankincense and patchouli, among other ingredients. The tree is tall and slender and adorned in earthy tones, bejeweled with antiques and dried pomegranates and orange slices. Family cards are displayed and lovely golden ribbons are an improved version of tinsel, adding gleam. The tree topper is a Nepalese temple finial — one of a number found in his travels. It's obvious all that he does is a labor of love.

"My heart tells me that I have to embrace my love of flowers and design. So many people go through life and ask the question, 'Why am I here?' My heart has spoken to me. I am fortunate that I get to live my dream," Chad said.

Chad is now preparing to move his business here from a Mattapoisett location opened three years ago. Despite the economy, his business has done well. In 2008 he planned 40 weddings and two major interior design projects, including a major period-inspired kitchen renovation project in Concord. Flowers are 35 percent of the business, used for floral productions for weddings, events and for day-to-day customers.

But he is venturing into associated areas, too. A transportation company resulted from the wedding work (getting people from one place to another). He devotes the same attention to detail in this realm as any other custom service. "There is a difference between a bunch of customers and a group of clients," he stated.

Another feather in his cap resulted from his contributions to charity this year. He used his multiple talents (he is also a wonderful photographer and chef) as a featured silent auction gift to host several themed dinner parties at his home. This raised $15,000 for local concerns including the New Bedford Art Museum, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and Nativity Preparatory School in New Bedford. As one might expect, his involvement is total.

"Creating is a complicated thing. It's hard to put your finger on it "¦ There are times when I'm in the midst of a project and I'm so completely over-stimulated by it that I wonder if I'm even human," he said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, another facet of his work is bringing him into television. He was chosen as the featured florist in WJAR Channel 10's Wedding Giveaway, a group of 12 vendors who give their expertise to a lucky bride and groom.

My last question seems superfluous:

"What is your appeal?"

"The end results certainly, but the passion in getting there," says Chad.