By: Kristen Castillo
What’s your wedding style? Modern? Classic? Hipster? Or something else?
Ask yourself about your overall big day style, including flowers and décor.
What’s your vision? Soft and romantic? Bold & breathtaking? Whimsical? Sophisticated?
No matter which approach you prefer, there’s a floral look for you. Read on as local florists tell San Diego Style Weddings their trend picks for a variety of floral styles.
Couture
The couture bride is “looking to stop hearts when she walks in,” says Christine Early of Flowers Forever, noting these weddings often feature striking black with many décor embellishments including sparkles, sequins, rhinestones, chandeliers, ribbons and pearls.
Haydee Dela Cruz of Haydee’s Creative Flowers agrees, noting couture brides like “bling bling.”
Centerpieces are often tall. Dela Cruz says bouquets are “full and lush” frequently in muted colors like white, nude and blush.
A metallic color scheme with lots of gold and silver details is very on point for couture weddings right now.
Boho
Combining a 60’s and 70’s vibe with medieval romance, the bohemian look is all about bringing nature into the wedding.
Penn Bryan of Flowers of Point Loma says boho couples are “more relaxed” and focus on what’s “simple and easy.” That often means loose, cascading blooms, not formal, structured designs.
There’s lots of greenery, garland and headpieces too.
Flowers for boho brides are “more natural, have more green texture and use succulents,” says Lisa Whitebread of Designworks, who incorporates lots of eucalyptus and David Austin roses into her floral designs.
She says boho centerpieces are displayed in antique-like containers and wooden boxes. It’s trendy for garland used for altarpieces to be repurposed into centerpieces.
While the color scheme for boho weddings is muted, there’s often a pop of color.
“The boho bride is lots of fun,” says Dela Cruz, who often crafts hair crowns and dream catchers for her boho clients. She calls the look “fun and a little rustic too.”
Modern
This sophisticated bride knows exactly what she wants: a tailored look. Think clean lines, geometric designs and symmetry.
“Colors are bold. Either all white or all red or yellow and black,” says Early, explaining modern brides like flowers to make a trendy statement. “Strong, striking color combos.”
Whitebread, who says a green and white color combo is trendy, explains modern brides, are about “making each ingredient count.” These couples are opting to use a few statement flowers, “like one giant amaryllis,” instead of many blooms.
Centerpieces are displayed in nontraditional containers with lots of greenery. The refined look often includes candles.
Destination
“Most destination weddings are not big,” says Bryan, who gets requests from destination couples for tropical flowers like plumeria, as well as succulents for desert I Do’s.
Many destination brides coming to San Diego are choosing a beachy, tropical vibe, like a blue color scheme with white and purple blooms. Florals and décor are typically minimal. For example, often the bride carries a bouquet and guests wear leis.
“The San Diego vibe is a little bit vintage, boho and innovative,” says Whitebread, who finds many destination brides love using orchids in their wedding flowers.
Classic
Classic couples embrace “grand tradition and romance, hand crafted details, lavish décor and simple color pallets, like white and navy with gold,” says Nadine Zines of Studio Fleurish.
Focused on tradition, classic brides tend to like a very coordinated, cohesive look.
They often choose “classic round or classic cascading bouquets with roses or orchids, usually based on their color scheme,” says Early.
Dela Cruz’ classic brides frequently use calla lilies. She says the look isn’t fussy or textured. Instead, it’s “soft and romantic.”
Hipster
“Expect the unexpected,” says Zines, describing hipster couples. “Anything Goes.”
Hipster couples tend to be young, creative, minimalistic and into art and music.
Early says the hipster look generally applies to the whole wedding, not just the couple. While the style has many interpretations, it’s always personal to the newlyweds.
“It’s all about individual style,” says Early. “The hipster is anti-traditional and tends to be theme-y.”
She’s seen a rockabilly approach with round flower bouquets popular decades ago; a barn wedding with sunflowers; and a retro wedding with pink carnations.
Bryan’s hipster weddings have featured daisies and roses, as well as herbs. She says the feeling of a hipster wedding is “a little more relaxed and free.”
Wrist corsages with jewelry, mixed metal and fabric are in vogue for Whitebread’s hipster brides, who she says often are “into more art, color and off the wall” designs.
Second Chances
When it’s not a first wedding, couples tend to be more laidback. The celebration often focuses on a shorter ceremony and a longer party.
Zines says second chance weddings are “nontraditional, uniquely styled” to reflect the couple’s lifestyle and blended family.
The current trend has many second chance couples choosing neutral colors in flowers like calla lilies and casa blanca, as well as greenery and plants that can be repurposed after the wedding day.
With second chance couples, “it’s not about the details of the day,” says Dela Cruz. “It’s about the meaning of the day and doing things on their own terms.”
