Last month, I wrote a lot about the importance of personalizing the wedding. There are many ways to do that but it is of course mainly by injecting the bride’s style and taste into the designs that create the special look for the ceremony and reception. Brides that come to us are as varied as you might expect. Some have done a lot of homework and come with pictures from bridal magazines or have seen just what they want in friends wedding pictures. It is also helpful to describe any of the things that are not acceptable and do not convey the look that is intended. One great tool is the internet. We have a wedding gallery with hundreds of pictures of our own work and ways in which we have decorated many local venues. We have communicated with many brides by e-mail, especially with price quotes, flower specifics and changes. However, as WeddingChannel.com editor-in-chief Rosanna McCollough says,”Email is good for giving facts and figures, but you don’t get the subtle meanings conveyed by tone of voice. I discourage it from being the only communication with the bride.” Designers really need to get to know the bride and her personality. Some are concerned about the fact that they do not know a lot about flower types and are concerned about how to order. When you go to someone you trust, you can have confidence in the fact that your florist is primarily interested in being sure that your special day meets your expectation and that includes the budget. A florist is designing every arrangement to your specifications and a good designer can help guide you to varieties that will meet budget requirements.
The first and most important element is color. It is number one and what will tie the whole wedding together. The bridal gown and bridesmaids’ dresses also dictate what flowers will be used. A good floral designer can help with the selection or suggest a way to design almost any desired flower to fit the dress style. TV personality Rebecca Cole, who wrote “Flower Power” and co-stars in Discovery Channel’s “Surprise by Design”, says, “Don’t worry about match-making. Bold and powerful arrangements dominate over the traditional romantic. Wedding flower trends in 2005 include diversity of choice, boldness of color and distinctiveness of design.” She also says flowers of all varieties may be used but most importantly, “find a well respected florist.
In the many articles that I have read and conversations that I have had with some of the best designers in the country, the main point all are making is color, a lot of color. Brides are using unexpected color palettes or one bold color for everything. Texture is important and added in ribbons, tablecloths, and containers. Fancy greens are being used to add a boldness and to help with the budget. The wonderful thing about our industry is that there are so many right ways to do things. In one of our industry’s magazine there was this quote, “if you ask five florists for their top five wedding flowers, you’ll get 25 different answers.” Here are a few of their observations from the Society of American Florists;
- Although brides are accenting their femininity with colors such as pinkand lavender, grooms are playing an increasing part in wedding planning, thosecolors are being paired with more masculine partners: browns, oranges, and greens.Browns and cinnamons are pretty big as are chartreuse and pink.
- Whites and creams are still mainstays at weddings but not all brides aregoing for these or soft colors. Browns such as mocha, chocolate, and rich creamare all popular. Red has become very popular paired with a rusty, deep red-orangeand then a hot pink fuchsia. Jade green also is capturing attention.
- Martha Stewart Weddings’ in its winter issue highlighted three color palettes: lavender, brown, taupe, and chartreuse; shell pink, blush, bubblegum pink and off white; and apple green, emerald green, light blue and white. They want us to think of color in a different way.
As you can see, there are some great combinations. To finish off the look you really need the help of a skilled designer to pick the right flower varieties. Here are some of today’s popular choices:
- According to InStyle Weddings, Callas, in “a variety of styles and colors” are a top pick.
- Lynn Lary McLean, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, a friend from Texas who helped on theInauguration selects Roses for such great colors, Stock fragrance and texture,Hydrangeas style and texture, Stephanotis for tradition, and alstromeria forcolor and that it is less costly.
- Ardith Beveridge, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, another longtime friend who also workedwith me on the Inauguration and teaches in Minneapolis, likes Gerberas for theyoung look they give and the visual impact of their colors, varieties, shapes,sizes and visual impact. Lilies, with their fragrance are another favorite. But,roses are the guaranteed winner especially with their association with romanceand love.
- In the past, some brides shunned fillers like carnations, chrysanthemums,and gypsophila. They are now being featured in the magazines.
We love it when brides come in with ideas torn out of wedding magazines. However, we are here with lots of ideas to help you reach that point when you see exactly what you want. Remember that our real job starts after the consultation and knowing exactly how to create the image that we have described. Weddings are costly and flowers can be a significant part of that cost. Our responsibility is to provide you with the value that you expect and the look that will produce great memories of a very special day.
