Statement Florals Stealing the Show
By Emily Mook
When it comes to wedding checklists, florals are almost always a priority item. Nearly all weddings incorporate florals in some capacity to echo and enhance the beauty and emotion of the occasion and to express the distinct style and personality of the couple at hand. That said, the overarching concept of wedding florals is steeped in tradition and can thus tend toward convention; some couples may feel compelled to curtail their floral curiosity and creativity in an effort to “follow the rules” set forth by previous weddings in their families, the purview of popular culture, and beyond.
If you are thus tempted to prune your wildest wedding floral dreams, let this article serve as a sign to put down your shears: just as some of nature’s most stunning flowers grow free and untamed, so too should your ideas. These days, bold and unconventional wedding floral practices—from unexpected flower choices and color palettes to innovations in installation pieces and sustainability practices—are becoming increasingly prevalent, giving you more options than ever before to fully express your unique love story through floriography.
Composition
The path to cultivating your own personal garden of wedding florals begins with selecting which types of flowers you’d like to use. More traditional and frequently used flowers like roses, peonies, ranunculuses, calla lilies, and gardenias are beautiful and timeless, but bolder blooms beckon. Proteas, anthuriums, and anemones are just a few standout focal florals with a lot of personality, and there are also a myriad of unique accent flower options to frame and punch up your focals.
Color
Daring and unexpected color palettes can also help you create a floral story that’s more personal and less Pinterest-persuaded. For instance, palettes that include multiple rainbow hues or gothic shades–or that feature more than five colors generally–and palettes that combine high-contrast colors can give your wedding a distinctive and dynamic edge.
Another outlying option is an all-green color palette for a sleep, minimalistic, yet luxurious feel. Prioritize different eucalyptuses, ferns, and other types of greenery alongside green flowers.
Configuration
Of course, composition and color aren’t the only aesthetics you can customize creatively for your wedding; you can also think outside the box—or rather, the bouquet—when it comes to configuration. Beyond the fairly standard floral placements of bridal party bouquets and boutonnieres, corsages for select family members, compact end-of-aisle and reception table arrangements, and the occasional arbor featuring a corner or two draped in flowers, an exciting world of wearable and installation floral options awaits. Flowers incorporated into hair, jewelry, and gowns–and even woven into shawls–allow one to act as a living canvas and to take self-expression to dramatic new heights. Speaking of dramatic heights, towering floral installations—along with sculptural pieces in eye-catching shapes and/or placed in unconventional locations—are additional configuration options that you and your guests will never forget.
Sustainability
Although sustainability isn’t as glamorous as the other components in this list, it is the most significant aspect of telling a floral story that is as natural and enduring as your love story. Working with a florist who prioritizes sustainable practices such as composting, using preserved flowers, and sourcing organic and/or locally-grown flowers—practices that are fortunately on the rise—is sure to elevate your senses of ownership and pride in your wedding long after the event occurs.
No matter how you decide to make a statement with your wedding florals, try to be sure that your collective voice as a couple rings loud and clear and that your authenticity outweighs an allegiance to tradition. ⁄
