Image credit: Darren Burnett Film & Photography
Flowers bring a whole look together, creating romantic vibes, adding pops of colour, and setting a mood, but these types of stunning scenes often come with a hefty price. Kineta Booker asked Nicole Harris from Life in Bloom for her tips on creating a floral statement without going into a burdensome debt.
What is it about statement florals that make people swoon?
There’s something special about flowers at a wedding. They set the mood of celebration and love, and the colours and textures reflect the couple and their personality. Florals create an atmosphere of love, luxury and delicacy, while also bringing a theme together.
When it comes to statement florals, I think people love LUSH, especially this season. When I’ve finished making a big arch arrangement or some plinths I stand back and think, okay – if I was the bride, I would be so happy with this, or if I was a guest I would think, ‘Wow!’.
What are the current floral trends?
It’s quite varied at the moment. This season saw a lot of floral-heavy arrangements, minimal greenery and bigger blooms, flexed roses and orchids. It varied from all white blooms to the comeback of the bright bouquets – where the peach, violet, pink and lemon made a beautiful combination, which was so good to see! I have appreciation for both, and again that’s where the florals really reflect a couple.
As per previous years the classic burgundy, blush pink and cream remained popular, although the style changed – the colours probably still remain just as popular as the burnt oranges and neutrals (especially when it comes to dried florals).
I saw a big increase in artificial florals this year – I think that stigma around faux florals is starting to really slip away, and people are learning more about them and if they’re done right, you can have any colour, any flower, any time of year, and couples love that – especially if they’re set on a specific flower.
Dried florals are still popular, but as the quality of artificial flowers increases I’m finding that quite often the two are mixed together to create beautiful textured, antique looks.
Couples seem to be loving gypsophila at the moment, which is a beautiful addition to a floral heavy display, and plinths. I decorated a lot of plinths this season. Bouquets have been more on the asymmetrical side – bouncy blooms with long trailing fabric ribbons, rather than an upright bouquet with greenery and a traditional ribbon tied around the handle.
I didn’t do as many flower crowns as previous years, but I definitely saw an increase in dried flower confetti and buttonholes, more grandparents, father/mother of the bride and groom, page boys, bridesmen etc. all getting gorgeous individualised buttonholes that differ to the groom – which I think is really fun and a really cool way to showcase them as some of your favourite people on the day.
Is it possible for an everyday couple to go big on florals at their wedding without the hefty price tag?
Yes, I think so, but I also think that most people don’t know the cost of florals in general at the moment, and when they get a quote they’re quite surprised at how much their dream look is going to cost.
This is why I love offering mixed media floral arrangements. A big archway arrangement in fresh florals could be anywhere between $1,000–3,000, whereas an archway design using artificial florals can sometimes halve the cost, and even in my case I’ll often hire them out at an even lower cost.
Some high-quality artificial blooms are the same or more expensive than fresh, it just takes research really. Over the years I’ve looked into so many wholesalers and feel I have really found which ones are best, while also being cost effective. Some couples are set on having fresh, but realise that the big plinth arrangements, archway and tables in fresh will be too costly, so we will do the bouquets and buttonholes in fresh and the rest in artificial to match.
How can a couple make the most of their floral arrangements throughout the entire day?
Some ideas would be to have the archway floral arrangement detached after the ceremony and moved inside to the head table (usually a guest can do this for you) – but don’t forget to tell your florist that’s what you plan to do, as I personally make it differently if I know it’s going to be moved.
Another way to keep using your florals throughout the day is having vases ready on your cake table, signing table and bar for the bridal bouquets to go into after photos. Plinths can also be great at a ceremony and can easily be lifted up and taken inside next to the head table to be utilised again.
