Petite bridal bouquets are having their moment in these last few years. 

If you are the type of person who appreciates less is more, simplicity, and not over-stuffing, a petite bouquet might be exactly what you've been looking for. Rather than disappearing into a sea of greenery and filler, each stem gets to be seen, appreciated, and celebrated for what it brings to the bouquet! I cannot help but think of a good Margherita pizza which accomplishes the same thing - few quality ingredients that can make you want to eat the whole pizza. You can see where my head is at after a wedding :) 

If you are having a wedding in Toronto, I also want to be clear and transparent about the pricing in this region. Petite bouquet does not necessarily mean cheaper bouquet. You are choosing artistry and quality over an abundance of cheaper blooms. It may result in a roughly cheaper price than a standard garden bouquet but depending on your choice of flowers it could be about the same. I say this not to deter you away from choosing this but to help you realize and appreciate the individual cost of more unique flowers. 

In my opinion, a petite bouquet actually requires more artistry from your florist. Your florist has to be deeply thoughtful about which varieties to pair, how the textures play off one another, and how the whole composition will sit in your hands as you walk down the aisle. It's a different kind of skill than building something lush and abundant. Both have their place, but the petite bouquet asks for precision and intention. 

These are all good thoughts to be thinking when considering your vendors and your overall vision. Being open and talking to your florist are always good ideas :) 

It seems like one of the popular wedding and décor trends for 2021 and 2022 is boho chic. Typically, boho chic describes an earthy, ethereal, effortless vibe that incorporates dried flowers. It often involves a neutral color palette with accents of terracotta, burnt orange, blush, peach, or darker tones. 

While this is becoming super popular, it is also pricy because dried flowers typically cost more than fresh flowers.

How do you create a boho chic look without breaking the bank? 
The key to a budget-friendly, boho chic look, is curating the perfect balance of dried and fresh flowers that has variation in shape, texture, and dimension. You do not have to get loads of pampas grass (which is expensive) to make your arrangement look full. Using something like dried sun palms, which has a large width and is less expensive than the large pampas grass can help you cut costs. Nailing down your focal flower is also important. This is the flower your eye is first drawn to. I like my focal flower to either have an accent color and/or be largest and most unique flower. 

To create this arrangement, I focused on an earthy and elegant aesthetic, with a pop of terracotta as my accent color. 

Focal Flower
I was super excited to use toffee roses as the star of this arrangement. Especially with a neutral color palette, your eye is immediately drawn to the toffee rose. Quite literally, the color is a toffee, caramel, terracotta color which pairs really well with dried flowers. 

Secondary Flowers
For a soft, romantic touch, I used quicksand roses, white ranunculus, and white freesia. For texture, I used white astilbe, chocolate queen anne's lace, dried sun palm, and dried bunny tail. For height, I used white snapdragon.

​Foliage 
Dusty miller was a perfect compliment to this arrangement. Its velvet texture and silver blue/green color was a great way to tie in everything! 

To add to this compote vase arrangement, you can pair it with an assortment of bud vases filled with a dried and fresh flower. 

You're getting married in the Summer! Congrats! You should feel like this couple getting swooped up in the air for one of the biggest moments of your lives! 

If you're thinking this carefree feeling is very idealistic, trust me, I have been there. We planned an outdoor wedding in July and basically did everything ourselves including booking the venue, catering, renting a tent, tables, chairs, and decorating. My flowers didn't last past the ceremony either :( Much was learned.

​While it can be nerve racking to plan, some careful thought around your location and flowers can make a world of a difference for a stress-free, truly enjoyable experience! 

Well friends, this actually happened and I interviewed the two masterminds who made this incredible event happen! Meet Kelsey Converse (Elopement Photographer), and Danielle Rand, Owner of Grandest Gatherings (Event Planner of Intimate and Adventure Weddings) who gave us the scoop on 2021 weddings. ​