trends have been on my mind lately, thanks to a spot on the local news and lots of chatting with flower friends in the area. in a lot of ways, it’s such a crapshoot to try and predict these things, but i do actually see some patterns emerging locally and in a broader sense as well.

i think the word “trend” gets a bad reputation. just because something is trendy and current, doesn’t make it less beautiful. similarly, being off-beat has no more or less value than going with the mainstream flow. as ever, do what you like! design things and choose things that speak to you and make your heart sing!

all that said, here are my top six predictions for where wedding flowers are heading. i’m going to step outside my usual habit and show you some of my favorite designs from my favorite designers. so here’s the necessary disclaimer, i didn’t make these!

palette: go bright or go white, just make sure you accent with some shade of teal.

left: twig and twine, image by annie mcelwain | right: sam franklin, image by watson studios

it seems like every wedding inquiry that comes my way has shades of blue-green, from dark classic teals to more muted mints. contrast is king when paired with warm brights like orange, hot pink, and coral. on the flip side, the other popular request is all white and fluffy with a spot of cool eucalyptus and succulents to add that minty freshness. speaking of succulents, this color trend is keeping them going strong in a huge way. shades of aqua and teal are basically non-existent for flowers, so this is one of the only ways to add those hues naturally.

bouquets: focal and wild.

bouquet by studio choo, image by leo patrone

the cascade continues to make its triumphant return, but in a wildly different form than the trailing orchid constructions of the eighties. the new cascades are all natural, using flowing vines, curvaceous stems, and draping inflorescences. contrast in color, size, and texture guides the eye through a deliberate focal hierarchy, further highlighting the sense of movement. this would also be a great time to mention layered ribbon streamers: they’re gorgeous and positively romantic.

texture: foliage and greenery throughout.

urn arrangement by amy osaba, image by jeremy harwell

i tell clients to think of green as a neutral. as the natural background color for flowers, featuring leaves in designs just makes sense. it’s another way to play with visual movement and it certainly drives home a garden or woodland impression better than a tightly packed dome of blooms. there are also so many more varieties of greenery available these days, so there’s really something for every style.

fragrance: the key to all the best memories.

lilac and jasmine bouquet by leaf & honey, image by greta kenyon

another thing that using foliage has going for it is the ability to incorporate fragrance into your flowers. fresh herbs and scented geranium are suitable for bouquets and table flowers, since the scent is crisp and not cloying or overpowering. in bouquets, fragrance is coming back into flowers through the ever-increasing popularity of garden roses and peonies, along with jasmine, sweet peas, stock, and tuberose. there’s something of a slow flower movement happening, with small local farms embracing heirloom varieties that are more wild and fragrant than their factory farm counterparts. this is good news.

go big: sell out on a really memorable part of your decor.

backdrop installation by sullivan owen, image by designlovefest

if my talk of focal hierarchy above really captivated you (obviously it totally did), let’s take that concept outside of a single bouquet and apply it to an entire event. there are so many opportunities to create a really strong focal point to highlight an important part of an event. think floral installations as backdrops for displaying escort cards or the ever-popular photo booth. hang a floral chandelier over the head table, dance floor, or cake. going really big on one cool element like that will be so much more memorable than dozens of centerpieces, thanks solely to the fact that there’s only one of them.