Trends in floral design are always evolving. What seems fresh and exciting one year, can seem old-fashioned the next. I only have to picture my own wedding bouquet (a tight, rigid posey of antique roses) next to today’s wildly abundant asymmetric styles, to see how quickly “classic and timeless” is reinvented, season after season. In Summer 2018, I enjoyed a lively lunch with Sally Murray of Halo Blossom Floral Design. Sally described how she’s seen so much change in the world of wedding flowers in the last decade, but if she were to list the questions she is asked the most, her 2019 couples have identical concerns to those of 2009. We discussed the tricky business of what to do with the bouquet following the wedding and how her brides are always looking for fresh ideas. Naturally, I signposted my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service as a chic and modern way to answer that familiar enquiry “How Do I Preserve my Bouquet?”
Sally Murray of Halo Blossom Floral Design
Here though, are the three other questions Sally is always asked by happy couples in preparation for their Big Day:
1. “I really don’t know much about flowers. Does that matter?”
“Clients say, “I really don’t know exactly what I want, I just like these pictures”.
To me, that’s perfect.” – Sally Murray, Halo Blossom
“Absolutely not, that’s my job. Just be sure about what catches your eye. I’ll be honest, it flaws me if a couple know the exact flowers they want. Some can name a couple and some have looked up a few flower varieties, but most have absolutely no idea. Don’t worry — why would you? I often get couples apologising for their lack of knowledge, and meet me with a Pinterest board that’s greeted with “I really don’t know exactly what I want, I just like these pictures”. To me, that’s perfect.
The best Pinterest boards to work with are those that show your style and taste, the images that make your heart sing. So pin these rather than images from just your venue, or just in the colour scheme you like. Chances are, there will be a definite common theme running through and it’s your florist’s job to identify these themes, and make recommendations that work just for you. It’s one of my favourite parts of my job!”
Bouquet by Halo Blossom
2. Can you tell me how much wedding flowers cost?
“decide how important flowers are to you for your wedding and allocate budget accordingly” – Sally Murray, Halo Blossom
When I exhibit at a wedding show, the most common question I get asked is how much do wedding flowers cost? This is always such a tricky one to answer, as it varies so much depending on what you choose. Photographers and DJs for example normally have a flat fee structure, but we need to cost per stem and your wedding flowers can cost from hundreds to thousands.
What I would say though, is decide how important flowers are to you for your wedding and allocate budget accordingly. If they mean a lot to you, budget around ten per cent of your overall spend to them. I can advise depending on the style and venue, and don’t always go with the cheapest. You really do get what you pay for. You should go with a florist who you get on with, trust, and you really feel has captured your style and taste.
Flowers by Halo Blossom. Photo by Milk Bottle Photography
3. Can I have peonies please?
“these flowers are cheeky little monkeys – they show up when they feel ready, and are only around for four-to-six weeks a year” – Sally Murray, Halo Blossom
Having said that most couples don’t know the names of flowers, the peony is one exception to that rule. During wedding planning, once a peony has been spotted and it’s pulled at the heart strings, it often features on every single Pinterest image on a couple’s board. But these flowers are cheeky little monkeys – they show up when they feel ready, and are only around for four-to-six weeks a year. June is the month to get married if you have your heart set on them. But there are alternatives – some flouncy old English roses have a very similar look and, again, I’ll go back to the style of images that catch your eye to work out the best alternative for you.
Flowers by Halo Blossom. Photo by Paul Joseph Photography
If you are looking for an answer to the question “How Do I Preserve My Bouquet?”, please read about my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service here
About Sally Murray
Sally Murray has been running Halo Blossom Floral Design for 13 years. Her style is very much romantic, elegant and natural, using seasonal flowers and foliages with plenty of shape and texture. During this time, Halo Blossom has been asked to work on some truly incredible weddings and has created flowers for royalty. She has also been shortlisted for several top industry awards, regularly makes displays for national wedding magazines and is now a preferred supplier at several top wedding venues across the Herts, Cambridgeshire and Essex area.
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