A wedding without flowers is like July 4th without fireworks. Sure, friends and family still get together; but the whole event feels like it’s missing something. Conversely, gorgeous floral arrangements take every wedding to the next level, injecting incredible natural beauty into an already special day.
Understanding how important flowers are to great weddings, we took the opportunity to speak with longtime friend to Crystal Plaza, Nada Khairullah – the Head Floral Designer at New Jersey/ New York based Wedded Events. An incredibly gifted professional, she imparted some fantastic wisdom that every bride and groom will want to read as they prepare for their own big day…
Consider the venue when choosing your wedding flowers
It is important to be mindful of the space. If a wedding venue has lower ceilings or has been decorated with bold colors and textures, then the floral designer is going to have less latitude to be creative. Venues like Crystal Plaza, on the other hand, have been carefully designed and decorated so as to give the engaged couple a relatively blank canvas for ornate displays and the colorful incorporation of flowers – from florals cascading along the staircase to complementing the splendor of the ballroom’s 30 glittering chandeliers.
Similarly, take a look at the outdoor environment to see if you want to make the inside a continuation of the outside. This is particularly important if you’re having a daytime or early-start wedding in spring or summer when the flowers are in full bloom. At a venue like Crystal Plaza, where the ceremony and festivities often move seamlessly between indoor and outdoor locations, you want to make sure the colors and flowers are all working cohesively throughout the day.
A great way to connect the inside with the outside is by incorporating elements like wisteria branches intertwined with roses. Of course, these must fit in with the overall aesthetic you are trying to achieve with your flower arrangements; but done right it can feel delightfully whimsical.
Supplement White Flowers with other colors
The pandemic forced many couples to push their weddings to a later date. This has not only resulted in higher demand for key vendors but has also seen many couples really dial up their floral displays – looking for increasingly expansive and creative ways to make their special day even more spectacular. However, this more abundant approach hasn’t necessarily translated to much experimentation with colors, with couples tending to stick with the tried-and-true white.
Nada recommends that while “white is certainly a safe option, the bride and groom might also consider adding some pink, blush or peach colors – because it actually accentuates the white by contrast”.
When choosing the type of flowers, roses are of course the most popular. But similar to adding different colors, the couple should consider the texture of their flower arrangements which can be improved through the addition of other flower varieties – for example anemones, lisianthuses, peonies, or spray roses.
Imagine sitting in front of a Wall of Flowers…
A trend that is becoming increasingly popular is for the bride and groom to sit on a dais during the wedding reception, surrounded by their adoring friends and family. To make it even more stunning, many couples elect to have a floral backdrop installation built behind them – giving them a lush floral halo for all the onlooking guests.
Long tables provide more creative freedom with your Floral Centerpieces
A key question often facing the bride and groom ahead of their wedding day is how to seat their bridal party, with the number of family members, bridesmaids and groomsmen usually exceeding the 8-10 places that can sit comfortably round a standard table. A fun solution is to have one or two long, rectangular “Estate Tables” which can seat 16-22 people, allowing everyone to sit together. These tables bring with them a really exciting opportunity for your floral designer to create something spectacular, with the added length giving more “blank canvas” on which to work some natural magic!
Don’t forget the Boutonnières!
There is also the question of the boutonnières. In days gone by, this might have been an afterthought with the groom and his groomsmen making do with whatever clippings didn’t make it into the bouquet or the centerpieces. However, today many grooms are looking for something highly customized and often very glitzy, with the floral designers including feathery items and rhinestones along with the wedding flowers.
Finally, Nada’s top tips when thinking about your wedding day floral arrangements:
1. Do not delay booking your floral designer
The best designers are getting booked a year in advance. Having locked in your wedding venue, work quickly to make sure your wedding floral designer is signed up too. Ideally, they will be familiar with the venue and already have some great ideas for how to take your wedding to the next level.
2. Make sure you have the budget
Beautiful flower designs take a lot of creativity, along with the cost of procuring the flowers (which mostly come from Ecuador and Columbia); and the results speak for themselves. While nothing will ever be as breathtakingly beautiful as the bride on her wedding day, oftentimes the floral arrangements come a close second!
3. Let your ideas marinade a bit
Having locked in your flower designer, Nada suggests creating a Pinterest board where you can collect all your visual references. Too often the couple go all-in on a color or flower type early on, only to change their minds multiple times before the big day – which can lead to unnecessary expenses.
Like Crystal Plaza, Nada takes a bespoke approach to each wedding – ensuring the bride and groom have the most incredible floral arrangements possible, reflecting the couple’s wishes and personalities.
Wedded Events can be followed on Instagram @WeddedEvents or found at WeddedEvents.com.
About Crystal Plaza
Crystal Plaza is widely regarded as one of the finest wedding and event venues in the US. Based in Livingston, NJ we offer impeccable white-glove service to meet the exacting needs of our guests.
Please contact us on info@crystalplaza.com to learn more.