Something old, new, borrowed, and blue may be among the finest of bridal details, but today, a bride’s bouquet is the ultimate accessory, its importance secondary only to the dress. With a little imagination and creativity, wedding florals can make a memorable statement while setting the perfect mood for the special day.

Trends for wedding flowers have grown far beyond the tradition of tightly gathered, round nosegays. Wedding websites including The Knot, Chicago Style Weddings, and Wedding Window all raise a toast to looser shapes, movement, texture, and color, color, color!

Although white and pastels remain wedding standards, the altar is making room for hot pink and vibrant yellow married to chocolate brown and rich hues of orange, red, and green. Tumbling waterfalls of flowers of different shapes and colors have replaced the stiff, sometimes artificial appearance of the cascade styles of bygone weddings. Also getting a nod are bouquets of traditional and nontraditional blooms combined with other elements for shape and texture, creating something nearer to art. Brides are now embracing bouquets accented with berries and herbs, family-heirloom lockets, and simple crystal beading; natural, yet timelessly elegant.

All are trends about which designers like Laurie Ouellette, owner of Sweet Pea Designs of Lewiston, get excited. Interestingly, her design style has always been what today is considered trendy. “I love working with orchids and exotic tropicals,” said Ouellette. “And I like to work with colors you find in nature. If we need to match dresses, I’ll do it with ribbons, wraps, and beading. I’ve even used white, paper-birch bark and heirloom handkerchiefs as materials for wrapping handles.”

At Blais Flowers & Garden Center, designers Lily Doyon, Katie Gay, and Sue Cote keep their eyes on the trends of the day while working with each bride to help her create her dream flowers while staying true to any budget.

According to Gay, with today’s free-flowing, airy styles, wedding flowers needn’t be a budget buster. In fact, some of the more budget-friendly blooms lend themselves beautifully to today’s trends.

“This summer I’ve designed bouquets for at least four weddings using clusters of Stock, long-stemmed, brilliantly colored flowers that, when gathered together, have striking appeal. Alstromeria, another long-stemmed blossom, is also a current favorite for its color variations,” said Gay.

“Brides are incorporating more color into their bouquets,” confirmed Doyon. “We’ve worked a lot with Gerber daisies recently and they come in a variety of colors. Alstromeria comes in red, yellow, orange, lavender, purple, and pink. Hydrangeas are popular, too, for their shade of lime green.”

Some of Doyon’s recent designs have reflected the vintage trend, weaving glittering pins and jewels among the bouquets, some intended as gifts that can be worn by attendants long after the wedding. In Blais’ front lobby is a display of assorted keepsakes that can be used in their designs, but brides can also bring their own pieces if desired.

Depending on the wedding venue, centerpieces are also being given second consideration. Instead of an afterthought, these arrangements are being given more of the spotlight.

“After all,” said Ouellette, “wedding guests spend most of their time seated at their tables. Why not use the decorating budget to give them something to look at and enjoy?”

Baskets are no longer the only vessels for centerpieces. Look for antique pitchers, vintage containers, and glass cylinders filled with fruit or stones, or assortments of bottles with single stems of blossoms. All three designers are seeing taller centerpieces, commanding more of the space by being displayed in glass vases and set on pedestals.

One of Ouellette’s brides had her reception at the Ocean Gateway in Portland. The space was appointed with 26 oversized arrangements of curly willow and hydrangeas, peonies, and orchids, all in white.

“The venue was just breathtaking and the bride’s vision for the space was perfect,” said Ouellette.

Regardless of venue or budget, one thing is certain. Whether you follow the trends or you follow your heart, today’s wedding flowers are fresh for the picking. It’s all about self-expression through color and shape, where whimsy can meet romance and bold can be beautiful. So, if you love it, just say “I do!”

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