The
Flowers of ye Futurk
By Sandra Trethewey, Farmgirl Flowers
The Coronavirus pandemic's impact will influence many wedding trends for 2021. I think there will be two clear directions when it comes to pla postpone their wedding until bigger weddings are allowed. Others will opt for elopement or micro-weddings, scaling back their guest list, and c will have much more sentiment and meaning, where personalisation and presentation will be a focal point. Creating an experience from the min So, what wedding flower trends can we expect to see in 2021/2022? There will undoubtedly be a carryover from 2020 due to the postponements, as brides will keep their original style and ideas. I think that the floral wedding buzzwords will be light, natural, ethereal, delicate, and sustainable. Couples are making a conscious choice to use locally grown and sourced flowers to cut down on their carbon footprint. They want sustainable floral arrangements. There is a 'back to nature’ trend, a real organic feel to florals, big open garden roses, naturally styled, with lots of texture and unstructured, wild, and loose arrangements. Styling sees earthier, more neutral tones created with a mix of bleached dried flowers and grasses such as pampas grass, bunny tails or wheat sheaves, and seed pods—all sustainable and eco-friendly. Expect to see nude, muted colour schemes with neutral shades, golds, creams, and muted florals with subtle colour variations. We will see less bold colours and more subtle undertones such as peach and soft
pastels. Green and whites are timeless and will always have their place, but I think that white might stand aside for buttery tones. The use of natural textures, fabrics, and pairings used cleverly will complete the look. Just because your wedding may be small, your flowers certainly don't need to be!
Words of wisdom for the DIY Bride My advice – do not try and do it all yourself. Round up a team, as flowers take time, effort, and energy. Get all your flowers done the day before your wedding.
You will need to find a flower farm or florist to supply the stems. Planning is paramount. Contact your supplier 8-12 weeks before your wedding date to check what is in season. You will need to calculate all the stems you need and place your order. Take note of payment procedures and request confirmation. Aim to collect your flowers a day or two before the wedding. Collect them in a closed vehicle with an air conditioner, especially in our South African summers. At the venue: make sure you have lots of buckets, half-filled with clean water, and add a flower preservative. Flowers need to be kept in a cool place. Create a working area and place a large canvas or plastic sheet on the ground under your work tables. You will need oasis or chicken wire to add structure and support to your vases, tape to secure it, a few pairs of sharp garden secateurs, and a team of people to help you. Always have a toolbox of pins, cable ties, wire, pliers, florists’ glue, tape, a hammer and some nails. Encourage your team to work neatly. Otherwise, when they're all tired, you're going to be left cleaning up a huge mess. A clean-up team is always a win and worth every cent.
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Photos: Farmgirl Flowers by African Bear
