The Devil is in the Detail - Bespoke Dried Wedding Flowers

This summer has been a colour challenge. I have worked closely with many of my brides on colour and gosh was it worth the extra effort. That is why I have titled this post The Devil is in the Detail. I looked this common saying up just in case and yes, the origin behind it is on the button.

"Meaning that things seem simple at first but are more complex or require more time and effort than expected. The earlier idea is that details are important; whatever one does should be done thoroughly."

Gustave Flaubert

Alice bought this stunning floral dress and wanted to pick up all the colours of the embroidered flowers. She chose red for her bridesmaids, which complemented her wedding dress beautifully. So off I went with photos on my phone to pick out the best flower matches. The only trouble with dried flowers is that certain flowers only come in certain colours. You can buy dyed ones, but they don't always look natural and the colours can appear artificial. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't use the odd dyed grass like bunny tails and fillers like broom. I just prefer to use naturally dried materials in their natural colours when I can.

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Alice was creating the venue decoration so decided to come along to the studio to see all the flowers in person. This is a fantastic idea because colours are always more vibrant in daylight. The camera doesn't always give a true representation of colours with dried flowers. Fresh flower petals have a reflective mesophyll beneath the outer skin which scatter all the visible wavelengths of light back out toward the camera lens. As flowers dry out the cells deflate and collapse unevenly so when light hits this highly uneven, rough surface it undergoes diffuse scattering. This turns the petal's texture flat, matte, and papery. Sorry if I went a bit botanist on you there. In simple terms dried flowers look better in person.

 

I was blown away when Alice sent me the link to her gallery, big thanks to their photographer Olivia Whittaker. The dried flower bouquets matched perfectly. Absolutely stunning, it was hard to choose which images to add to this blog. 

Alice and Tom sent me this lovely handwritten card a few days ago. There really is nothing like a thank you card written by hand. It shows real thought and appreciation. 

The Colour Consultation Process

Kirsty got in touch wanting a bespoke colour combination. She sent me a few images that had been her inspiration and I replied with a few images of bouquets in her colour theme. Kirsty then returned the images and chose the flowers and foliage she liked.

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I contacted her as I started to make her bouquet to check if we had the correct colour balance. We decided to add a touch more red. At first I tried hair tails but they had a slight pink tinge and didn't sit well with the copper. I decided on using some red foxtails I had received from Holland only the week before.

 

We both agreed that we had nailed the colour combination. It is difficult when I have never met the bride or seen what other accessories she has included in her theme. That is why communication is paramount; that's what a bespoke service is all about. I was so pleased when I hand delivered her dried wedding flowers, bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, a dried flower hair comb and dried flower buttonhole for the groom and guests. The colours we chose suited Kirsty's colouring so well. She looked stunning in the preview pictures she sent.    

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This year marks my 37th year as a florist and I still love helping brides make their ideas come to life. I must be almost an expert.......lol