Bouquet by Cherryhill Flowers; Photograph by Chris Vaccaro
Susan Falso of Cherryhill Flowers dishes on the the latest bridal bouquet tips and trends.
The Trends
“More recently, we’ve been seeing a lot of organic designs, which often involve soft, lush greenery — like dusty miller and field pennycress — as well as a looser structure to the overall bouquet. This season we’ve also been using a lot of anemones, lithianthus, veronica, heather and, of course, garden roses, which are available year-round. But, it’s funny because there’s a very distinct divide: half of our brides come in knowing that they want that organic look, while the other half have a more traditional vision. They are the ones who want a structured bouquet filled with roses and hydrangeas. For color trends, there’s a whole spectrum; it really depends on the wedding. We’ve seen a lot of blue and peach pairings, a lot of blush tones and lavenders and then, as wedding season has begun to shift more towards fall, a lot of burgundies and deep reds.”
The Tips
“I’m actually not a big fan of Pinterest because I find it very overwhelming; there’s almost too many designs to choose from, and often the flowers shown on there are very high-end. You might see a pretty garland and think, “Oh, it’s only made of greens, it can’t be that expensive.” But the costs of the individual greens add up and you have to factor in the labor that goes into making that garland. I like to have couples look at local examples because then they can get a better idea of what’s more realistic and what’s more budget-friendly. When you’re ready to start thinking about your flowers, browse through local wedding magazines and tag your favorite floral designs, whether they’re in a photoshoot, an ad, an article or a real wedding picture. Next, put the magazines away and work on other wedding projects for a few days. When you eventually look back through, you will be able to narrow down your favorites and focus on the ones that you really want. Show those few to your florist for inspiration. But remember, in the end, it should be your bouquet, not the bouquet in the pictures.”