Diary of a Bridal Bouquet

Generic BouquetHave you ever wondered what goes into creating a beautiful bridal bouquet?  We recently followed one bouquet designed by Tipton Hurst’s Chris Norwood, AIFD, from the cooler to the photoshoot.

“It’s great to give your florist guidelines and inspiration photos, but let the experts be the designers so that you get the freshest flowers arranged in the most artful way for your special day,” suggests Chris.  “Our bride wanted all white flowers with one caveat, no roses.  Those are perimeters I can certainly work with!”

Chris peruses the assorted white flowers available, looking for the right textures and color contrasts.  Lilies, carnations, mums, daisies… so much to choose from!  That’s be beauty of the Tipton Hurst cooler.  Our wonderful Ms. Freda keeps it stocked with all the good stuff.  Chris selects creamy white hydrangeas, peonies, lisianthus, and white orchids.

Cooler white

Hydrangea BaseIf you’ve never seen Chris work, try to catch him on one of his live TV segments on KATV or KATV.com or one of his great video blogs here at tiptonhurst.com.  He is fast!  Quickly assembling a base of hydrangeas into a round mound, he has the form for his bouquet.

“I like to start with a hydrangea base on round, clutch style bouquets because it gives you a structure for supporting the rest of the blooms,” Chris explains as he works away bringing the bouquet to life.

The designer then adds in peonies, a favorite of our bride.  These peonies are in various stages of bloom so the ones that are fully blown out are frilly and show faint hints of pink inside while the ones that are still tight look more ball-like, giving a completely different contrast to the white hydrangeas.

inserting bloom

Opening DoorThe lisianthus also benefits various stages of bloom.  The tighter the bloom the more green you can see in the flower, but the more open ones have an ivory tone to them that’s charming.  Bright white orchids are plucked individually off the stems and wired and wrapped.  Orchids are long lasting blooms and are lovely in an arrangement such as this white-on-white textural mix.

Chris finishes with a collar of greenery and an ivory ribbon wrap before the bouquet is loaded in the delivery truck and taken to the salon where the bride is having her hair done before her photoshoot.

Moved to tears, the bride receives the bouquet and expresses her delight.  Thumbs up!Thumbs Up!

Then it’s off to the photoshoot (and no, we’re not giving the dress style away).

Only a few days left until this young lady’s big day and Tipton Hurst is so proud to be a part of her wedding.

 

Bouquet Photoshoot

Flowers as art

Flowers as Art. Photo Courtesy Society of American Florists, aboutflowers.com
Flowers as Art. Photo Courtesy Society of American Florists, aboutflowers.com

Most people would agree that flowers are pretty to look at. Countless artists have used flowers in art, Monet’s paintings of flowers perhaps being the most famous and recognizable. But have you considered the flowers themselves as art? You can bet your florist has.

When you look at art, whether it is an abstract painting, a photorealistic drawing, a sculpture, or any other form of artistic expression, it is meant to evoke an emotion. The same is true of floral arrangements. A talented florist uses color, texture, and form to to evoke an emotional response from those who see her work.

Unlike what you might think of as traditional art, however, the art of flowers is fleeting. The florist knows his masterpiece will only last for a few days to a couple of weeks at best. How frustrating that must be!

You don’t have to be an art scholar to enjoy a painting and you don’t have to be a a florist to appreciate the beauty of an arrangement. The next time you see a floral arrangement, stop and consider how the florist’s choice materials and shapes makes you feel. And the next time you buy an arrangement, remember what you are really buying a piece of art.

Rose colors and their meanings

June is National Rose Month, a month dedicated to celebrating the beauty and charm of this illustrious flower. Throughout history the rose has been used as a symbol of everything from war and politics to love and friendship, often depending on the color of its petals.

While the meanings may change over time—yellow roses symbolized jealously in Victorian times, for instance—the table below shows the generally accepted contemporary meaning of the various rose colors. Whether its a gift from a secret admirer or appreciation for a job well done, there’s a rose for every occasion.

Color Meaning Image
Red Roses Romance, Love, Beauty, Perfection, Passionate Love Red roses
Pink Roses Admiration, Appreciation, Elegance, more subtle than red Pink roses
White Roses Purity, Innocence, Secrecy, Reverence, Honor, popular for weddings White roses
Yellow Roses Friendship, Joy, Congratulations Yellow roses
Orange Roses Desire, Enthusiasm, Passion Orange roses
Lavender Roses Love at first sight, Enchantment Lavender roses