Blooming hot trends for wedding flowers

Shay Rivera of Texas City with an organic hand-tied bouquet by Connie Dryden of Island Flowers in Galveston. Streaming ribbons in shades of pink complement the roses while the greenery gives the bouquet a garden feel. Hair by Rebecca Rivera of Total Technique Salon in Texas City. Makeup by Daya Gracia of The Beauty Box in Pearland. Dress from Nefertiti Bridal in the island’s downtown. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

From a fresh-from-the-garden-feel to wild exotics, bridal bouquets are straying from the tried and true for 2020. Connie Dryden, owner of Island Flowers, 2328 Market St. in Galveston, has helped compile a list of these top-blooming trends for bridal flowers this wedding season and beyond.

GOING ORGANIC

This year’s brides want more natural and organic-looking bouquets. To get it, they’re adding a lot of greenery to their bouquets.

“They’re still using the big, beautiful, important flowers like peonies, roses, hydrangeas, but they’re going for more of a garden look with a lot of greenery,” Dryden said. “And they’re opting for looser bouquets that aren’t as contrived as they used to be.”

Hand-tied bouquets held together with color-coordinated, streaming ribbons continue to be favored over old-fashioned ones that come in a bouquet holder, she said, adding that many brides want their bouquets to look like they might have gone to the garden and picked the flowers themselves.

ADDING COLOR

Wedding florists are excited to see more brides adding splashes of color to their bouquets, as well. Truly traditional brides will stick with can’t-miss cream and blush hues, but the more adventurous are adding pops of colors for a clean, fresh look.

“This year, the color is classic blue,” Dryden said. “There aren’t a whole lot of blue flowers, but they will add ribbons and other colorful things to their bouquets — and you’ll see a lot of blues throughout the wedding these days.”

Charli Tragni poses with a hand-tied bouquet by Connie Dryden of Island Flowers at Events @ The Tasting Room overlooking downtown Galveston. Brides are going for looser bouquets that are not as contrived as they used to be, Dryden said. Hair by Rebecca Rivera of Total Technique Salon in Texas City. Makeup by Daya Gracia of The Beauty Box in Pearland. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Adding blue to the basic creams also helps accomplish that natural, garden feel, she said. Other popular colors include yellows, peaches, bright pinks and corals.

“It’s a refreshing look for us in the business,” Dryden said.

OH BABY

The simple baby’s breath is starting to shed its reputation as a stalwart filler and take center stage — and sometimes is the only flower used in the bridal bouquet and men’s boutonnières, Dryden said.

GETTING WILD

Exotic flowers also are taking center stage in bridal bouquets, especially those from the varied and versatile protea family, which are native to South Africa. These unusual flowers can be mixed with garden flowers to make bouquets that suit just about any wedding feel, Dryden said. Orchids, too, continue to add a touch of the exotic — though they are more of a mainstay than a trend. Tropical leaves are making their way into bouquets, as well, for a fresh look, she said.

GETTING PERSONAL

Brides are opting more and more to include personal touches into their bouquets — anything from jewelry to handkerchiefs to special flowers that played a role in the couple’s courtship, Dryden said.

“I had one bride who wanted to add cilantro to her bouquet,” she said. “It was one of the couple’s favorite flavors. They obviously liked Mexican food.”

QUICK TIP: WHAT’S OUT?

Trends involving non-fresh-flower bouquets with things such as wooden flowers, broaches, balloons, dried flowers, etc. are short-lived and have fallen out of favor.