LESS IS MORE

from California Wedding Day Spring/Summer 2023

by Iron Diamond Media

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

THREE DESIGNS SHOWCASE HOW DAINTY FLORALS CAN HAVE A DRAMATIC EFFECT ON YOUR DESIGN SCHEME

Photography by BYC Photography

Design by Leta Verbena Floral Design

Text by Chelsea Gibson

Oversize bouquets and extravagant arrangements have reigned in the wedding world for years. While grandiose floral installations have their place in wedding design, a daintier style can be equally stunning while also being budget friendly. And don’t think that choosing a more understated approach has to sacrifice style or luxury. Using a range of items, from mixed containers to luxury blooms, Leta Verbena Floral Design created three stunning designs based on the principle that less can be more and just as beautiful. “All of these setups are easier on the wallets,” says Leta Verbena owner Emma Lee Seitz, “and celebrate a wide variety of color palettes and styles for a spring wedding.”

This bold ceremony and tablescape features Pink Floyd roses and white phalaenopsis orchids, demonstrating dramatic luxury done on a minimal scale. The vivid tones of reds and pinks pack a punch, so you don’t need as many stems to make a statement. Garden roses and orchids (phalaenopsis, cymbidium and dendrobium are featured here), along with dinner plate dahlias, anthurium and ranunculus, all bring major heft, volume and drama. Towering bud vases on the tables also allow the flowers to take center stage without being intrusive.

Going beyond traditional greenery on the table, this design presents a “living garden” on a base of deer moss. A mix of delicate springtime blooms, including sweet pea, nigella, garden roses, reflexed tulips, Icelandic poppies and tree peonies, is nestled in the earthy foundation to bring a sense of the natural world directly to the dinner table. For the ceremony installation—inspired by the idea of a beloved ceremony tree being brought indoors—Seitz wanted to highlight how much color you can introduce with foliage. The stems of ninebark, willow and cotinus plants pulled in shades of burgundy and black, and pinks and reds were represented by ti leaves.

“Blended with traditional emerald (huckleberry and salal) and delicate baby’s breath, this tree is perfect for a secluded corner or an intimate ceremony that brings the dark and moody side of greenery to life,” notes Seitz.

Sometimes it’s not about the blooms, but what holds the blooms. Bowing to the on-trend blue-and-white wedding color palette, this design features mismatched vases in a Delft blue print with citrus-hued florals to make the blue pattern pop. The monochromatic floral design is a mix of low-profile arrangements of garden spray roses, tulips, ranunculus, Icelandic poppies and orange cosmos—all nice options for a spring soiree. “This cluster would also be great for a welcome table, the start of an aisle or any corner that needs some cheering up,” says Seitz.