2016 Wedding Flower Trends: Dufferin Asks the Expert
Photo credit: The Lou's, flowers by Flowers by Mee
Seen on centre pieces, in the bridal party’s hair, atop wedding cakes, and on the lapels of grooms and fathers of the bride, wedding flowers are an essential element to the big day. But what about the hands behind those fabulous floral arrangements? We caught up with leading County Down florist Gillian Mee from Flowers by Mee in Killyleagh to discover this season’s biggest floral trends, tips, and blossom inspirations.
Gillian tipped us off on the comeback of the cascading bouquet as the freshest hand-held bridal accessory. The draping style is ideal for rustic weddings where wild flowers can be gathered together to create an effortless but elegant look.
For decorating your venue, florists-in-the-know are falling in love with hanging floral installations for the upcoming wedding season. Ornate floral displays that dangle down transfer some of nature’s charm inside for a quirky secret garden backdrop. With the open rafters at Dufferin Hall, this floral feature would be a perfect addition to our rustic event space.
Flower artists like Gillian perform personal consultations with soon-to-be spouses to gain insight into their personalities and design arrangements that are an individual signature of both the bride and groom.
We asked Gillian about some quirky and creative new age ways couples are incorporating flowers into their special day. Here are some of our favourites:
Photo Credit: Jacquelyne Mae Photography
Floral headpieces: Diamonds aren’t always a girl’s best friend and more brides are using nature’s botanical gems to create bespoke tiaras out of stems, blooms, and twigs.
Photo credit: Dream Irish Wedding
Flower carpets and flower walls: Make even more of an entrance by strolling down the aisle with flower petals scattered at your feet or ask your florist to design a couture flower wall, taking inspiration from the likes of Dior, who have used this look for recent shoots and ad campaigns. A visual statement to your wedding will provide an excellent backdrop for guests’ photos.
Photo Credit: Bored Panda
Blooms in beards: Whoever said flowers weren’t manly? Some grooms are choosing to decorate their prized beards with daisies and other quaint decals to add some fun and flair to their photographs. For more traditional grooms, a simple, rustic boutonniere made with one or two blooms from the bride’s bouquet offers a masculine way to add flair to a wedding suit.
Photo credit: The Knot
Adam and Eve cakes: With the rise of naked wedding cakes, you’ll still want to add some embellishment to avoid the look of an ‘unfinished’ cake. Many brides are opting to decorate the un-iced sponge cakes simply with icing sugar and fresh fruit topped with casually placed emerald vines or scattered flower head bunches.
Photo Credit: Bridal Musings
Confetti: Many venues and churches have put restrictions in place on confetti due to its non-biodegradable qualities and the mess it can leave behind. Rekindle the old tradition in a modern, more eco-friendly way, and give guests small packets or cones of real flower petals to throw after the ceremony for a precious and pretty exit photo.
Finally Gillian’s last petal of advice on how wannabe fiancés can catch the bouquet: bribe the bride!
Photo Credit: The Lou's, flowers by Flowers by Mee
Flowers by Mee is one of Dufferin Hall's trusted vendors who has worked with us numerous times to create enchanting, rustic weddings. To arrange a wedding consultation with Gillian or to view the Flowers by Mee portfolio visit www.flowersbymee.com.