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Advice on Wedding Flowers

by Donna O’Brien, owner and creative director of Beautiful Blooms

I think Brides just don’t want flowers. Brides want style, innovation and romance and they want beautiful photographs to capture the beauty. My job is to give them the flowers, table design and décor they’ve dreamed of, and the photographer shoots our work and gives them the memories that last forever.” When selecting your florist the most important thing to keep in mind is to find someone whose work you like and who listens to what your dreams are. Make sure you connect or it will be a difficult working relationship. After an initial design meeting for a wedding, I like to present the bride with options. From there we create the over all aesthetic look that is exactly what she imagined. A significant aspect of Beautiful Blooms’ signature style is the incorporation of non-traditional items into décor that has, in the past, typically been only about flowers. We like to incorporate all different types of elements such as pebbles, moss, branches lanterns, linens, vegetables and candles---lots of candles.

We have found that today’s bride is also looking for dramatic elegance and that may or may not include flowers. We love the look of the chandelier cluster. Mixing chandeliers of different sizes, colors, and materials as well as hanging them at different lengths give events a Soho chic quality that guest want to replicate at home. Once bride even brought in her deceased grandmother’s antique crystal chandelier so that Donna could incorporate it into the décor---a special touch on a special day.

When our brides want something completely different than a typical centerpiece we create mini table gardens. A mix of true potted mixes create a unique ambiance and avoid the height issue that often blocks guests from seeing one another at a table. I happen to love candles and incorporate them into table décor whenever I can---but it’s not your standard pillar candle. I use wire (silver, gold and colors) to wrap around the pillars and containers. For a more modern look, I use large glass or plexi glass containers and hang them over the tables and filled with pillars and floral accents. Again, the choices are the brides, so if you are going for a traditional look we can present options that incorporate more traditional pieces.

Brides often ask me what my favorite elements are and I have to say that I love it all! But if I had to chose there are several: Using French vintage ribbon and lace to wrap the stems of the bouquets.--I have a collection that I have built over the ears and brides can select the pattern they like best. I can also wrap vases in silk shantung to compliment the table décor. My other favorite thing to do is we make vintage floral pins that can be used as a corsage for the special people in your wedding. We can even incorporate a special piece of jewelry into these so that it becomes a meaningful gift. But my ultimate favorite element is my own butterfly symbol, which symbolizes “new beginnings”. I created a signature silver butterfly charm that is attached to all of our bridal bouquets as a gift to the bride. The charm can then be worn as a necklace as the bride starts her life of “new beginnings”. Because after all, isn’t that what its all about?

For more information and to view images please visit: www.beautifulblooms.com.