What’s a wedding day without flowers? Kate Middleton reputedly had a bridal bouquet that cost over £1,000 and put Lily of the Valley blooms right back on trend.
So what lies ahead for floral décor in 2014? We asked some top florists and wedding designers for their thoughts on upcoming flower themes and trends.
Outdoors indoors
“Bring the outside inside,” advise floral designers Essential Couture. “No matter what venue you’re getting married in, we’re going to see a huge trend with couples wanting to create that outdoor feeling inside in 2014. This trend has been slowly growing since the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, when the couple had huge 20ft trees lining the aisle, transforming Westminster Abbey into an English country garden. It is going to be a key trend next year and our unique flower trees are really popular at the moment.”
Statement centrepieces
“Brides are getting more adventurous with their choice of wedding day flowers and décor – creating that wow factor is really important to couples now,” say Essential Couture. “They want their guests to be amazed from the moment they step into the wedding. With large statement table centrepiece trees, which can reach 9ft, it’s easy to create that instant dazzling effect.”
Lighten up
Keep in mind that lighting can be used to make your flowers look extra-special at night. “Technology is starting to play a key part when it comes to the flowers and décor,” say Essential Couture. “We’re getting asked to add specialist lighting to our floral displays, which can be remotely controlled to create amazing effects for when the lights go down and the dancing begins.”
“Creative lighting, be it with candles or different coloured lights, can create a dramatic effect with flowers,” agrees Fiona Pickles, director of Firenza Floral Design. “Lights add drama and and can be very cost-effective, especially for winter weddings with shorter, darker days.”
Pretty in pastel
Brides planning a vintage-themed wedding will be pleased to hear that the current vogue for beautiful pastel bouquets with a countryside feel is going nowhere for the new season. “Vintage flower bouquets are very popular right now thanks to the third season of Downton Abbey hitting our screens recently,” says The UK Academy of Wedding & Event Planners. “This series has had a huge effect on weddings in 2013 and is set to continue well into 2014.”
If you’re worried that your budget might not be able to stretch to Downton‘s lavish standards, why not consider silk flowers? Going faux is far more popular these days, as manufacturers up their game to create more and more realistic-looking blooms.
Classic roses are still a wedding favourite, but are being used in more innovative ways. “Rose petals in particular are making a big comeback and will be seen in many design elements within weddings from tabletops to floating cylinder vases,” says the Academy.
Blousy blooms
“Full ‘luxe’ style flowers such as peonies, blousy roses and hydrangeas are becoming more and more popular,” says Sabine Darrall of G Lily, who decorate weddings and events throughout the West Country as well as running a flower school. “I’m also noticing brides choosing cobalt blue for their blooms. Bouquets are getting bigger and I’m being asked for more floral headpieces.
“On the wedding tables brides are asking for collections of vases or containers with a single flower type – I think the jam jar trend is on the way out,” adds Sabine. You heard it here first!
English country garden style
One thing’s for sure – brides are more inspired by the great British countryside than ever. “Couples are becoming more creative, stepping away from tradition and expressing their personalities,” says Fiona. “There’s definitely a growing demand for the relaxed English country garden style, with a less structured feel.”
Garden-style bouquets aren’t just for spring and summer brides – if you’re getting married in the colder months, why not incorporate moss and branches to create natural-feeling flower arrangements? “We’re seeing more and more people taking inspiration from nature and bringing the outdoors in,” says Fiona. “Scented garden herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, lavender and mint, create an incredible aroma as soon as guests enter the room, which is always a great talking point as they guess the identity of the herbs!”
Kim Watson of The Flower House agrees. “I think the natural trend for flowers will continue into 2014, with wood, particularly birch, predominating as containers for table arrangements,” she says. “We’ll see lots of twigs, but perhaps not in such fussy arrangements, but rather more simple but bold designs.”
Mix and match
They say that variety is the spice of life, and this is particularly true for wedding flowers in 2014. “Brides’ bouquets are less of the structured rose domes we’re used to, and more a mix of large and small mismatched blooms with a gathered feel,” says Fiona.
For centrepieces, Fiona suggests using different sizes of vases, coupled together with freshly grown garden-style flowers, for an interesting and popular alternative to the more traditional one-vase centrepiece.
Trailing florals set to trend
According to Kim of The Flower House, soft greens and creams will be go-to colour choices for 2014 brides, with bouquet styles becoming looser. “The trend will definitely be towards more trailing designs rather than the massed, hand tied styles of previous years,” she says. “Soft flowing flowers such as clematis and jasmine suit this kind of bouquet beautifully. Succulents are also becoming popular and can make an unusual but striking display.”
With all these gorgeous wedding flower trends, brides-to-be will be spoiled for choice in 2014! If you’re still looking for inspiration, why not look at our Real Weddings section to see what floral décor other brides chose for their big day?
