Finding your Perfect Match
It’s common to strive for a particular wedding style but one element that will either make or break the vision is your flowers. Floral arrangements can shift the atmosphere of a wedding for better or worse, but how do you ensure it’s for the better? Join Melbourne Wedding and Bride’s Alice O’Brien as she discovers the floral secrets to success with Lilly Mance, owner and head wedding florist at Lillypad Flowers Melbourne.
Written by Alice O’Brien
It would be impossible to categorise all weddings under the same umbrella of style as a wedding is unique to the couple at its centre. Each wedding has a distinct theme to it, deliberate or not, as it’s a natural reflection of the couples’ own style. A boho inspired wedding filled with wooden accents and scattered wildflowers, or a more traditional wedding held within an elegant church featuring a clean bouquet; themes dictate choices. Decisions about the venue, colour palette, even the type of food served are influenced, and this influence does not escape the flowers. So, your florals, down to the last petal, should match your wedding theme.
Knowing is one thing, enacting the pairing is another. But, luckily for us, florists know how. With more than twenty-five years of experience, Mance says the team at Lillypad Flowers Melbourne “don’t just see flowers as decorations, we see them as a way to create atmosphere, emotion and memories.” By looking at flowers through a creative lens, Mance says the “wedding style is the starting point of our creative journey” as “it helps guide the flowers, colours, textures and overall mood we create.”
Matching Flowers To Styles
There are countless wedding themes to choose from, and with so many, every page of this magazine could be dedicated to a different one. But couples don’t have time for that. Instead, to make the process a little easier, this article explores five of the most popular themes and the best florals to match, all explained by Mance:
Luxury Wedding Theme
“Luxury is all about creating impact. We love using premium flowers, layered textures, generous arrangements and statement pieces that make guests stop and admire. Big, beautiful blooms, elegant colour palettes and that ‘wow’ moment when you walk into the room.”
Garden Wedding Theme
“Garden weddings are some of our favourites because they allow flowers to feel natural and effortless. We love soft seasonal blooms, flowing greenery, delicate textures and arrangements that look like they have been gathered straight from a beautiful garden.”
Warehouse Weddings
“Warehouse weddings are exciting because they allow creativity to run wild. We love contrasting industrial spaces with lush florals, using interesting textures, modern designs and statement installations that completely transform the space.”
Cultural Weddings
“Cultural weddings are incredibly special because flowers often hold so much meaning. We love learning about traditions, colours and symbolism to create something that honours heritage while still feeling personal to the couple.”
Romantic Wedding Theme
“Romantic weddings are timeless. Soft colours, beautiful roses, flowing arrangements and delicate flowers help create that dreamy, love-filled atmosphere couples imagine for their wedding day.”
Secrets To Create The Perfect Match
However, there are a few key considerations to think about before settling on the perfect petal, and all have been explained by Mance, once again:
The Actual Flower: Each carry a certain appeal
“Roses feel classic and timeless, orchids feel modern and luxurious, natives feel relaxed and rustic, and delicate garden flowers create that dreamy romantic feeling.”
Venue: Is it important?
“The venue definitely plays a part, but the feeling is always the most important thing.”
Floral Arrangement: Each have an impact
“The ceremony flowers often create that big emotional moment because it’s where the couple says, ‘I do’ … but the bridal bouquet is incredibly special because it is such a personal piece.”
The true secret behind florals that successfully match a theme come down to the deliberate effort to create wedding day cohesion. Mance says “everything works together; the flowers, colours, shapes, texture and how the arrangements are place.” That is why working with a florist from the very beginning of your planning journey is so important – it is easier to create cohesion from the start rather than halfway through the process.
Florists Bring It All Together
Lillypad Flowers Melbourne has a team of dedicated wedding specific florists who all understand seasons, flowers, styling and logistics. With an open approach, Mance says the team “loves hearing a bride say, ‘I don’t know exactly what I want, but I know how I want it to feel,’” as that’s where a wedding style starts to form.
“One of our favourite weddings was a celebration that embraced a vibrant palette of pinks, magentas and rich reds … the bold colour palette made an incredible impact, completely changing the atmosphere of the room and creating a romantic, immersive experience,” Mance reminisces.
Wedding florals are an extension of a couple’s style, becoming the petals that welcome them into this new shared chapter of life. No matter the style, from “classic elegance, wild garden romance, bold modern designs or something completely unique,” Mance and the team “love creating flowers that feel like you.”
Image courtesy of Lillypad Flowers