The New Floral

While most brides begin imagining their wedding dress long before they’ve set the date, or even met the man, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of simply matching the flowers to the bridesmaid dresses rather than thinking imaginatively.Flowers should ideally frame your event, whether it’s a wedding or otherwise, as they’re what will transform the venue into your own personal location, designed exactly to your taste with the help of a professional florist. To help you get started, we’ve rounded up a few of the top floral trends for 2011, which used together, or alone, can add polish and creativity to the day.

The bud of the moment has got to be cherry blossom, which flowers oh-too-briefly from late March to mid-April, but more than makes up for its short lifespan with its delicate, exotic beauty. Grouped together in stunning shades of ivory to blush pink, cherry blossom bears a striking contrast between its fragile petals and the graphic wood branches, creating a very sophisticated arrangement for any event. 


If you’re using glass vases, a little goes a long way when your florist adds a few drops of food colouring to the water. As well as keeping your flowers fresh, water that’s been dyed to compliment your choice of flowers will add an extra, unexpected element to creative centrepieces.

For brides, arm sheaf bouquets are making a comeback thanks to their long, elaborate shape. Cradled by the bride in her arm, they were originally inspired by the presentation bouquets given to actresses after a performance. Arm sheaves can be traditional, with flowers at one end and the stems showing at the other, or they can be designed with flowers at both ends for a more extravagant style. Long-stemmed roses, calla lilies, delphiniums, orchids and larkspur are perfect for this kind of bouquet, making full use of their long, slender shapes.