Here comes the bride…
Spring wedding season is just beginning to bud like the soft delicate blossoms of spring; delicate ranunculus, substantial peony, and lovely lilac are all just coming into their season, but what if you’re bored with the same old spring blooms? Making unlikely pairings of unique blooms can help to elevate the traditional spring bouquet or centerpiece and turn it into a unique statement that will keep your clients engaged and you breathing a fresh breath of spring style.
In this week’s recipe I wanted to take traditional centerpiece staples and blend them with the unusual shapes of some robust tropical products that add interest but won’t break the bank. Starting with the foundation for the centerpiece I used the S25555; black Abby compote in a 6.5”, this vessel holds about 2/3 of a brick of oasis and I used the other 1/3 of the brick to wedge the foam in on either side so it doesn’t turn into a slip-n-slide when the arrangement is transported. One of the best features of this vessel is that it is made of a high grade plastic so it is extremely cost effective but at the same time it still looks really high end. I lightly pre greened using a mixture of variegated pittosporum, salal, willow seeded eucalyptus, and a touch or silvery large leafed dusty miller; since these greens are on the lighter side they reflect more light than they absorb keeping the feeling light and springy.
To anchor your eye (and to fill in a large portion of the negative space) I used white select hydrangeas layered with playfully wispy alchemilla and astrantia to lighten the weight put on your eye. Roses are always a big influence in wedding and event design work, this centerpiece is featuring 2 types of garden roses; white O’Hara and Purity, the only thing to rival their beautiful open faces is their intoxicating aroma that just fills all of your senses. A combination of spray roses created a diverse balance of color; bashful pink Bombastic spray roses from Africa paired perfectly with the bright open faces of white majolica sprays from Elite to bring some color and life into the design. To extend some added depth I used white ranunculus from California that hover just above the rest of the design to add some movement and flow while tying in a quintessential spring wedding flower.
Tropical flowers are such a great way to add a unique dimension to your design; rainbow Obake anthurium take center stage in this centerpiece, and their color is astounding, they start out a creamy white on the tip then that bleeds into a medium pink, which then bleeds into a fresh bright green. Their funky shape creates interest and keeps your attention while drawing you in closer to get a better look while all of their exquisite details unfold in front of you. To pull their pink color throughout the design, dark pink cymbidiums were added, their waxy texture and distinctly patterned lips make these classic orchids a distinct focal that lends a bit of robust structure to an otherwise delicate design. To pull these two tropical staples together sarracenia were added, these unusual pitcher shaped blooms from Louisiana have shades of white, burgundy, and green making them the perfect bridge between the anthurium and cymbidium blooms.
Adding exotic blooms to an otherwise traditional centerpiece is a great way to shake things up a bit and to get your client’s guests talking. Unusual blooms make great conversation points for your clients and at the same time they also help to break up the monotony of repetitive centerpiece styles when designing. Whether you like tropical arrangements or not, blending classic traditional florals and tropicals are a great way to set yourself apart and allow you to breathe a breath of fresh spring air.
View ingredients below:
