Photography: Tonic Blooms / Jillian Botting
If you had a chance to watch our live-streamed editorial meeting a few weeks ago (if not, here’s the link!), you may have spied some beautiful floral arrangements beautifying the boardroom table. Those were the handiwork of Tonic Blooms, an industry-disrupting “on demand” flower delivery service.
Along with knowing a thing or two about sourcing locally-grown flowers and getting them to where you need them ASAP, Tonic Blooms’ founders, Raphi Aronowicz and Michael Smaye make it their business to keep an eye on what’s new and exciting in the world of floral design. Since it’s June—a.k.a. wedding season—we thought we’d get them to weigh in on what’s trending in the world of bridal blooms.
Q: What’s the biggest trend you’re seeing in bridal flowers for 2017?
A: One of the biggest trends we’re seeing is greenery – lush tropical greens like monsteras and palms have been all the rage lately, which is quite ironic since they aren’t even flowers! This is a great option for couples who want to inject that tropical destination wedding feel into a city affair, and for those who are more budget-conscious as greens can be more affordable than flowers. Hanging/floating components and flower walls are also on trend, but these can be expensive. Rather than stuffing a big wall with blooms, we like to hang the entire flower—including the stem—with enough spacing so you can see its distinct shape. It’s a cost-effective installation that still makes a big impact.
As for colours, we know every couple has different tastes but we’ve been seeing a lot of deep and dusty colour palettes lately. The contrast of a dark purple dahlia with a dusty earl grey rose photographs beautifully and the colour combo is perfect all year round.
Q: Is there anything that is “over”?
A: Minimalism is currently trending and this of course applies to wedding decor as well. Gone are the days of big flower poof balls (you know the ones…) and elaborate, over-the-top arrangements. Less can often be more when it comes to floral design. The farmhouse style has also been very popular in wedding decor for the past couple years (thanks, Pinterest!) and while we love a good wildflower bouquet, we think the whole rustic look is getting a bit played out and may be over sooner than you think.
Photography: Tonic Blooms
Q: Do you have any favourite options for couples who want something a bit different?
For the bride and groom looking for something unconventional, we like to recommend succulents and cacti instead of flowers. Planted inside glass bowls or terrariums, these desert plants make for unique centrepieces and are great for guests to take home as they are very low-maintenance and long-lasting. We’re also big fans of bud vases with single stems – whether spread across the table or clustered together in groups, this look can elevate the room in such a way that can be more impactful than a
single vase bouquet. We like to incorporate ranunculus in this look as the wire-like stem twists and turns in all directions and looks really cool protruding out the glass vase.
Q: Which flowers are in season as the summer progresses (June – Sept)?
A: At Tonic Blooms, we do our best to source our flowers from local growers so the seasons often dictate our event design. Peonies are definitely a crowd favourite and are seasonal to late spring and early summer – we actually have clients who specifically select their wedding dates to coincide with peony season! We love our peonies too but there are lots of other beautiful summer options including dahlias, lilacs and sunflowers, which can work within a range of budgets.
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