As they envision their big day, couples think about the “wow factor” that will leave a lasting impression on their guests. Wedding flowers are often the key to creating a visually stunning celebration. When choosing wedding flowers and other floral elements, it can be difficult for couples to strike that delicate balance between trendy, timeless and meaningful to them. Experts in the field advise taking into account practical considerations that will make a couple’s dream bloom into reality.
Kim Starr Wise, owner of Kim Starr Wise Floral Events, notes that research is the first step toward choosing the right vendor to create floral arrangements. She encourages couples to “Make sure [the vendor’s] style aligns with yours so you have beautiful photos that will last a lifetime.” Along with research comes clear communication, as Susan O’Brien at The Plant Gallery emphasizes. The couple should help their florist completely understand their vision, from colors, to design, to layout, to the overall vibe of the day. Sketches and photos can help the florist visualize what the couple is thinking. In turn, the florist can help the couple manage expectations and avoid falling into the “Pinterest trap” of wanting to recreate what they see online, observes Wise.
One of the major factors that comes into play when managing expectations is a couple’s budget. Weddings are expensive, and a couple should anticipate the sticker price being more than they thought. That being said, Wise stresses that most vendors are willing to work with couples to bring their vision to life while staying within the budget. Furthermore, O’Brien recommends that couples check to see what other rental items the florist has available, as many offer items such as candles, arches, linens, furniture and lighting. Doing so can actually help a couple save money, as multiple vendors mean multiple deposits and delivery fees.
These deposits should be put down well in advance to ensure that the florist holds the date, especially if the wedding will take place during a popular time of the year, adds O’Brien. To ensure that a couple gets to work with the florist of their choice, placing the deposit at least a year in advance is encouraged, even if the couple doesn’t have all details finalized yet. These details should start firming up at least six months in advance, says Wise, as floral designs may require a significant amount of time to create.
An important detail to consider is whether anyone involved in the wedding—from members of the wedding party to the couple’s beloved grandparents—has allergies triggered by flowers. If so, a florist may recommend a lower-pollen flower similar in color and shape over the couple’s first choice. Fortunately, even if someone has an allergy so severe that it’s unbearable to be near any flower whatsoever, couples can still have a celebration bursting with florals thanks to an increasingly popular trend—paper flowers.
Jessica Kelly of Marais Paper lovingly crafts each of her paper flowers by hand after consulting with the couple about their vision. Her custom bridal bouquets typically take about a month to construct, and they bring her immense joy. “Any bridal bouquet I have created has been an honor and privilege to make. Knowing that a bride has chosen to carry my creation on her wedding day is such a treat,” she enthuses.
Not only does Kelly create bouquets, she also works with brides to create mementos: “Rather than preserving their fresh floral bouquet, some brides commission a paper replica of their bouquet to keep and display forever,” she explains. Should a couple want a botanical theme for the wedding, Kelly also fabricates paper flowers as wedding favors, giant backdrops, and more.
Whether paper or living flowers, most couples are gravitating toward vibrant colors in recent years. Wise has observed floral patterns and unique colors such as chartreuse or persimmon taking center stage. She predicts that peach, which is especially popular at the moment, will play a prominent role in upcoming weddings.
Continuing this thought, O’Brien has increasingly noticed couples using a single color to make a statement, embracing the beauty of simplicity with lush monochromatic arrangements using one floral type. Couples are also moving away from more traditional floral pieces such as wrist corsages and pinned boutonnieres. In their place are simple, hand-held posey bouquets for mothers and grandmothers, and “pocket boutonnieres” designed to slide into a suit pocket without the use of a pin.
Whether modern or traditional, grown from soil or made of paper, the couple should choose something meaningful that will be a symbol of their partnership. Each floral design is as unique as the couple who commissions it. On the most important day of their lives, wedding flowers create an atmosphere blossoming with the couple’s style and personality.
Kim Starr Wise Floral Events
@kimstarrwise
kimstarrwise.com
Marais Paper
@maraispaper
The Plant Gallery
@theplantgallery
theplantgallery.com
