In my next life (or maybe when I’m retired), I will live by the beach and spend my days in the sweetest little flower shop on the coast. Blooms are by far my kryptonite when it comes to weddings (I could have blown half my budget on flowers). And I don’t doubt that many of you in the planning process are probably placing heavy importance on florals for your Big Day. But how do you achieve a truly personalized look with those pretty petals? We’re sharing a few tips below, alongside this insanely beautiful workshop shoot from Fleuropean and The Blue Carrot, all captured by Anna Doshina.
Embrace Movement
Gone are the days of perfectly packed and rounded rose bouquets. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not bashing that very classic style—but we’re loving seeing movement in florals. Rather than forcing the shape of a bouquet or centerpiece, the key is to embrace the natural direction of each bloom, stem and branch for an overall look that is modernly organic and incredibly beautiful.
Creating Dimension & Depth with Color
In most cases, blooms are really the focal point when it comes to a wedding color palette. Giving your floral designer color inspiration is always helpful, but remember—dimension and depth is key. That may mean being open to incorporating hues you might not have envisioned including. Maybe you’re not a fan of yellow, but a touch of buttercup yellow can elevate a peach, coral and burgundy melody like shown above. Putting trust in your floral designer is always key!
A 360 Degree View
Whether you’re taking this inspiration to your floral designer or hoping to go the DIY route (or simply want to create beautiful arrangements in your own home), this tip is one you might not think about when approaching the design of a bouquet or centerpiece—take care in making sure that your arrangements are equally full and complete at every angle. This means turning your centerpiece or bouquet as your work. You might not realize that floral designers do this! Being mindful of this creates a gorgeous finished product that will be stunning from every view.
From Anna Doshina… Last fall Emily (Fleuropean) and Susanne (The Blue Carrot) organised an exquisite flower retreat in the Belgian countryside entitled “Movement” that I had the pleasure to document.
Everything about this workshop was like a breath of fresh air: refined dinner table settings, pleasant walks along the fields, unceasing conversations about the rarest species of roses, dahlias, vines, etc. and passionate floral art lectures. This retreat is a great opportunity to slow down, disconnect from your everyday problems, resuscitate your bonds with nature and let your inner voice speak. It also allows one to take a moment to relax, make new discoveries, savour delicious meals prepared by a Belgian chef and create bonds with remarkable florists from all around the globe. From a practical side, the retreat lasts four days and includes multiple activities like a foraging excursion, floral arrangement demonstrations from the talented organisers, a tour of Emily’s unconventional flower garden, styled shoot with a professional model and a silk dying class using natural dyes. The setting is soothing and picturesque: rolling green hills strewn with fields, small groves of trees, farms and historic sites. What also strikes is that despite being based in different countries, Emily and Susanne, have that special kind of chemistry between them that makes you feel comfortable and cheerful at their side. Moreover, their knowledge and talent are incomparable making this workshop outstanding and enriching. Even if one has very poor expertise in flowers, taking part in this experience and soaking up the special atmosphere that reigns in this floral sanctuary is a pure pleasure.
For those interested in this retreat, Emily and Susanne organise floral workshops on a regular basis so you can follow along their social media to get a chance to unearth/improve your floral talent together with them.
Photographer: Anna Doshina | Wedding Dress: Leanne Marshall | Film Lab: Carmencita Film Lab | Florist (Organiser): Fleuropean | Florist (Organiser): The Blue Carrot | Hair and Make-Up: Sabine Peeters | Model: Nandi Macalou
