Interview with a Wedding Floral Designer: Tips for Choosing the Perfect Blooms

When planning your wedding, selecting the perfect flowers is essential to creating a beautiful and memorable atmosphere. To help you navigate the floral world, we spoke with a top wedding floral designer who shared valuable insights and tips.

JP Varvarigos, a third-generation florist and owner of Wellington Florist, is one of the top 50 in the United States and has been voted the best florist in Palm Beach County since 2021 (as of the time we are writing this article). He’s also an executive board member of the Florida State Florists Association, making him the person to share in-depth tips and tricks!

From popular flower choices to incorporating personal touches, here’s everything you need to know to make your wedding blooms truly special.

Popular Flowers for Weddings

Choosing the right flowers can set the tone for your entire wedding. JP shared his expertise on the most popular flowers and why they are such beloved choices for bridal bouquets and arrangements. “Our most requested flowers for weddings over the last several seasons have been peonies, ranunculus, anemones, and garden roses,” he said. “Peonies are now available most of the year as global transport makes it possible to ship them in from all corners of the globe. They do become scarce towards the end of summer and early fall, but they are still able to be found, but usually for higher prices and diminished quality as they are boxed and stored from the spring.”

JP continued, “Many varieties of garden roses now have that same peony look, are cheaper, and are available year-round. Anemones and ranunculus are visually stunning, have great availability, and prices are getting better as farms ramp up production.” These popular flowers are visually stunning and carry symbolic meanings that can add depth and significance to your wedding decor.

Matching Flowers with Your Theme and Colour Scheme

Selecting flowers that fit seamlessly with your wedding theme and colour scheme can be challenging. “I love Pinterest as a tool for compiling inspiration pictures. I love it when a bride comes to me with an inspiration board she has already curated; oftentimes, I can quote a look during the initial conversation. My advice is to choose colours and a style and leave the particular flower selection to the florist,” JP said.

It’s also important to note exactly the style and aesthetic you’re hoping to achieve. JP notes that newlyweds-to-be should consider the following questions: “Do you want Boho? Wild unstructured with lots of greenery? An elegant tapered cascading spray? A perfectly round ball of roses or peonies? Choose your style, go with the colours you love, maybe choose one or two key blooms you really like, and then allow the florist to shop the market for the best blooms available on days immediately preceding your big day. When you get too specific, it can often be limiting to the florist. They may have to pass up a particularly beautiful specimen for a poor quality one that was specifically requested.”

By aligning your flower choices with your overall theme and colours, you ensure a cohesive and harmonious look that enhances the beauty of your special day.

Considering Seasonal Flowers

Seasonal flowers often bring freshness and vibrancy to wedding arrangements. Offering advice on what couples should consider when selecting flowers based on their wedding season, JP suggested to “follow your florist's advice. They should be able to tell you what varieties they are comfortable within the month of your wedding. If you love peonies and have always dreamed of having them at your wedding, but you are getting married in July when they are very expensive and lower quality? Perhaps only include peonies in your bridal bouquet and use garden roses in the bridesmaid's bouquets and reception flowers.”

It goes beyond just this, though. He also noted that couples should “do some research about the most robust varieties in the month you are getting married and consider including a good amount of those into your selection. A good florist should have multiple sources and can often find flowers that may be out of season here in North America but are in peak season in South America.” Opting for seasonal flowers can also be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly, making it a practical and beautiful choice for your wedding.

Incorporating Unique or Exotic Flowers

Unique or exotic flowers can add a distinctive touch to your wedding arrangements. JP presented more tips on including these special blooms without breaking the budget. “Retail florists that do daily deliveries may be able to provide you with more variety at a lower cost since they can utilize excess flowers in their daily designs,” he told us, “whereas an event-only florist has to use everything they buy for you in your wedding. Often times flowers are sold in boxes of 100 stem cases, if you're having a small wedding and you only need 20 stems, the event florist would have to charge to pay for that whole box (whether they get used in your wedding or not) and a retail florist would only have to charge you for the 20 stems.”

It doesn’t just stop here, though. “Event florists often offer more services such as rentals and décor, which can make your life much easier by limiting your number of vendors. Event florists are often better at offering a more curated consultation experience. I recommend interviewing both to see which may be the best fit for you.”

Adding Personal Touches and Meaningful Elements

Personalizing your wedding flowers can make your day even more special. Sharing creative ways to incorporate personal touches and meaningful elements into your floral designs, JP told us he loves it when brides and grooms bring him heirlooms to incorporate into their personal flowers. “A piece of fabric from the Bride's grandmother's wedding dress, for example. I think it's sweet to add a personal touch, and I'm always honoured to accommodate such a request.”

Why is this the case? “Florists love breaking from the norm of typical wedding designs, so if you have a themed wedding, don't be shy about asking your florist to accommodate. We have done golf-themed weddings using golf tees for boutonnieres and hunting-themed weddings with shotgun shell boutonnieres. The sky's the limit when coming up with ideas! Watch for fees related to creative planning, though; it can be a lot of work, and some florists charge a separate fee for it.”

So, whether it’s a sentimental bloom or a uniquely crafted boutonniere, these personal touches add a layer of meaning and connection to your wedding celebration.

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Choosing the perfect wedding blooms involves thoughtful consideration and expert guidance. By following these tips from a professional wedding floral designer, you can create stunning floral arrangements that perfectly reflect your vision and enhance the beauty of your special day. Let these insights alleviate stress and help you enjoy planning your dream wedding.