What are the floral arrangements gracing your wedding going to say about you to all of your friends and family in attendance? You have pinned your favorite bouquets, taken notes in the silk flower aisles of Hobby Lobby, and ranked the bouquets you’ve held as a bridesmaid. Choosing floral for your wedding is more than picking flowers in a color pallet, it is a creative extension of you!

Bringing flower and bride together is an honor and a treat for me.Her arrangements speak to who she is. Therefore, I seek to design and bring to life unique and one of a kind arrangements that emulate a bride. Floral designs set the mood for the entire celebration. They communicate the tone of the day, may it be light and airy or rich and moody. As a result, they let those in attendance become a part of the love story.

The Love Story

The highlight for me when meeting new clients is hearing their love story. Every bride I meet with I want to hear her love story and understand her creative vision. These stories are better than any romance novel or Hallmark movie during Christmas time. They are from the heart, maybe the greatest non-fiction, and the opening chapter to the story of a couple’s life. As soon as I hear a story, my creative muscle starts flexing. Because of this story, I am inspired to bring their bouquet to life, pairing my savvy of flowers with the one in love. I want to convey who they are in the arrangements. A couple with a true prince charming story getting married in an old castle may lend to a whimsical look. In contrast, a Flagstaff elopement in spring could call for a bouquet teaming with wildflowers.

Desert Bloom Beauties

Now don’t get me wrong, I love working with flowers from every nook and cranny of this world.  But finding romance in desert blooms is a challenge I say heck yes to! Desert flowers are strong and resilient, rugged and beautiful, not lacking in charm and they know who they are, in order to embrace the elements.

I have embraced the desert since I was just a wee one. I literally grabbed a cactus with all my might once, after my sister warned me not to touch.  How’s that for embracing?! Growing up, I had an ocotillo plant right out my bedroom window that would put the sun to shame with its brilliance when in bloom. The red clay dirt covering my shoes after a hike was not a nuisance, but a reminder of the vibrant habitat we live in.

One of my favorite desert plants is the bougainvillea. They line major streets and climb over criss crossed patterned walls throughout the valley. For that reason, we choose the alternate route in our central Phoenix neighborhood when my husband Justin and I walk our playful pup, Brookie, just so I can check in on my favorite bougs’, as I affectionately call them. Most often, the flowers are white and are actually hidden in the papery leaves called bracts which hold the color. Armed with my sidekick snips, I headed out to forage this past May. I wanted to turn this sidewalk staple into a celebratory spray, to accent a bride on the day she made her vow to love her groom forever.

Bougainvillea at Bella Rose Estate

Simple accents of desert bougainvillea made for an elegant statement along the aisles at Bella Rose Estate in Chandler. The way Ryann Lindsey Photography captured these cheery, bright blooms is one for the books. The bright colors elicited a light and fun feel.  Pairing non-native florals with the bougainvillea was a piece of cake (mmm, cake) because of the hue it provided. The bride was glowing with her bouquet, doing the same right next to her. Don’t be afraid to embrace the desert! Even mixing in desert foliage highlights can be fun and refreshing.

Now the desert challenge I took on was a blast. But I know desert components are not every bride’s story.  We are blessed with the ability to have access to flowers from all over the world, and I always love mixing exotic and unique blooms in my one of a kind designs. Shoot me a message of your love story, and let me dream up some beautiful designs, from near or far, that you can use to show your love to the world!

Photography | Ryann Lindsey Photography – Design | Darling Found – Venue | Bella Rose Estate – Cocktails  | Couple of Bartenders – Hair & Make Up | Pearls Makeup – Dessert | Amour de Sucre – Tabletop & Chair Rentals | Event Rents AZ – Urn & Cake Stand Rentals | The Confetti Studio – Wedding Dress | Luv Bridal