Midwest Wedding 2022

Dresses through the ages look at how fashion has changed over the years

Florists are in high demand amid a flower shortage

If you are looking for clean, sanitary portable restroom facilities in Southwest Minnesota… LOOK NO FURTHER than CLEAN SITE LLC!

We offer a full line of mobile and portable restrooms from basic one stall units to mobile trailers with multiple facilities. Whatever your needs are, we have the perfect solution. Weddings and other Large Events: Choose our multi-stall mobile trailer, available in two sizes. Our 22 foot mobile trailer has 4 women’s stalls, porcelain flush toilets, a sink, mirror and lighting. The men’s side has a 3 urinals, 1 stall, a sink, mirror and lights. This unit is perfect for weddings and special occasions. Our 14 foot mobile trailer has 3 women’s stalls, flush toilets, a sink, mirror and outdoor lighting. The men’s side has a urinal, 1 stall, a sink, mirror and outdoor lighting.

CONTENTS

FEATURES

Wedding dresses through the ages

Shelby Lindrud | West Central Tribune

Minnesota brides are looking at “buying now”

By Connie Nelson | Star Tribune

Dressing the wedding party

Shelby Lindrud | West Central Tribune

Florists are in high demand

By Tatyana Turner | Chicago Tribune

Midwest Weddings is an annual publication of the West Central Tribune.

PUBLISHER STEVE AMMERMANN

ADVERTISING MANAGER CHRISTIE STEFFEL

FEATURES & SECTIONS EDITOR KIT GRODE PAGE DESIGNER MOLLIE BURLINGAME

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND STORY SUGGESTIONS: 320-235-1150 800-450-1150 csteffel@wctrib.com

ATTN: Midwest Weddings West Central Tribune PO Box 839, Willmar, MN 56201-0839

ADVERTISING IS KEY

TOP 10 REASONS to advertise frequently

1. People may not need your product or service today, but they may need it tomorrow.

2. Frequency builds trust.

3. Frequent advertising adds credibility to your message.

4. When an ad is seen frequently, it gets the consumer yearning for your service and they will take action to buy it.

5. Advertising frequently helps put your name out in front of the competition’s.

6. Frequency is the best way to get lower advertising rates.

7. Advertising frequently is a lot like repeatedly inviting a friend to come see you. One day, they are bound to visit!

8. Frequent advertising helps you build a steady source of incoming sales.

9. Out of sight, out of mind.

10. You make more money when you do! It’s plain and simple.

The rise of the

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been far-reaching. People from all walks of life have had to confront the pandemic and the changes it wrought, and many of those changes could have some staying power.

Wedding industry experts note that one of the more noticeable and potentially long-lasting effects of the pandemic has been the rise of microweddings. The 2020 Real Weddings Study (COVID-19 Edition) found that 58% of couples who planned to get married in 2020 ended up reducing their guest list by a significant percentage. The average reduction was 41%, and some suspect small ceremonies may be the new normal in the years ahead.

Microweddings

Microweddings are not necessarily a new trend, as couples have always had the option of getting married with only a small number of family and friends in attendance. However, microweddings could be an emerging trend, and cost may have a lot to do with that. The Wedding Planner Institute notes that microweddings cost anywhere from $1,600 to $10,000, though the group notes that most microweddings fall somewhere in the middle of that range.

CREATIVE

A 2020 survey from TD Ameritrade found that 47% of respondents felt that cost of living was the biggest threat to their financial security and longterm investments. Engaged couples confronting the well-documented postpandemic increase in cost of living, including an unprecedented rise in housing costs, could see expensive weddings as luxuries they simply can’t afford.

Microweddings could be viewed as a cost-effective way to combat the rising cost of living that still allows couples to share their big day with their closest friends and family members.

The WPI has urged wedding planners to offer microwedding packages in an effort to capitalize on this emerging trend. Data from The Wedding Report indicated that the total number of weddings would rise to 2.77 million in 2021, an increase of roughly 650,000 over the yearly average. Even if only a fraction of couples who tie the knot in 2022 opt for a microwedding, a preexisting microwedding package can help wedding planners secure their business. Couples who opt for microweddings may

do so to save money, but also to avoid the effort and save the time required to plan more lavish affairs. Such couples may be especially excited to work with wedding planners who can plan their weddings regardless of how small the affair may be.

What goes into a microwedding

Nothing should be off the table when planning a microwedding. The fewer the people who will be there, the more freedom planners and couples may have. The WPI notes that microweddings afford planners and couples the chance to get personal in ways that may not be possible when organizing larger affairs. Planners can focus on small details and allow couples to make their ceremonies and receptions as personal as they would like. Couples who prefer microweddings tend to emphasize minimalism, so keeping things simple is something to keep in mind when planning microweddings.

Microweddings are an emerging trend that make for a realistic option for couples and the people they hire to help them plan their big day.

Keep your Wedding Gown Forever Young in our Preservation Box.

For the past 70 years, Schwegman’s Cleaners has been the leader in wedding gown cleaning and preservation.

Here comes the bride

140 years of wedding fashion on display at Renville County Historical Society

BY SHELBY LINDRUD | WEST CENTRAL TRIBUNE

MORTON — One might be forgiven for thinking the museum at the Renville County Historical Society in Morton had entered the wedding dress business in 2022. For several months, the museum had been overrun with satin, lace and tulle as RCHS director Nicole Elzenga put together a special exhibit on bridal fashion through the years.

“It has been an interesting project, to say the least,” Elzenga said.

It started with a single dress brought in by a woman who had saved the garment from being thrown away after an auction. The dress also came with the wedding veil, a boutonniere from the groom and a wedding invitation with the names of the couple. Elzenga

was able to make contact with the descendants of the couple and, from that, an idea was formed.

“It would be nice to have a wedding dress from every decade,” of the 20th century, Elzenga said. “So you can see the different styles through the years.”

RCHS already had a handful of dresses in its collection, so Elzenga

Renville County Historical Society Executive Director Nicole Elzenga is surrounded by wedding dresses at the museum in Morton on Aug. 3.

Photos by Shelby Lindrud / West Central Tribune

put out a request for other dresses in the society’s newsletter and published an article in the local newspaper. The response was more than Elzenga had anticipated.

“That is when the craziness started,” Elzenga said. The museum ended up with approximately 45 dresses, both from its own collection and donations from the public.

In addition to the dresses, Elzenga also wanted as much information about the dress, the wedding and the people involved. This included wedding invitations, newspaper write-ups and photos.

“If we don’t have the information, how do we tell the story?” Elzenga said.

Through the project, RCHS collected around 140 years of bridal fashion — ranging from the late 1800s to 2020. The oldest dress actually isn’t white, but black. That isn’t unheard of and, famously, Laura Ingalls Wilder wore a black dress for her wedding back in 1885.

The youngest dresses are from 2020 and are an illustration of how the coronavirus pandemic impacted wedding celebrations. The couple, Shanda Lindahl

It would be nice to have a wedding dress from every decade. So you can see the different styles through the years.

- Nicole Elzenga

and Jared Krause, were supposed to have gotten married in late March 2020 but then the pandemic shut everything down. Instead, the couple held a smaller ceremony with 10 people in May and the bride wore a blush dress. Then, in September, they held their bigger fall wedding and Lindahl wore a more elaborate gown.

“They all tell a story,” Elzenga said of the dresses.

Despite a few dresses of different colors — including pink, gray and a Victorian number with a red and gold top — shades of white remained the color of choice for most of the wedding dresses in the RCHS exhibit. Though some of the dresses have yellowed with age, the exhibit was full of gowns of different variations of white, cream and ivory.

Lace has remained a popular trim for wedding dresses through the decades, though how much was used has changed. Other types of trim used included bows, flowers, beads and ribbon.

“You can tell the decade by the front,” Elzenga said, as the style of the neckline has changed a lot over the years.

What has also changed includes the dress silhouette, the length and how much trim was used. Some of the dresses are very simple, while others practically shout Disney princess — or the 1980s.

Probably the biggest change is the amount of skin that brides show. For decades, even when skin could be seen, it was still covered in see through material. Today, it is common for brides to wear sleeveless and strapless dresses.

“It has been pretty exciting,” to see all the different types of dresses, Elzenga said.

During the Renville County Fair, most of the wedding dresses were exhibited at the RCHS building on the fairgrounds. Several were hung from the ceiling, while many more were placed on dress forms or hangers to give viewers a good idea of what the dresses would have looked like while worn by their respective brides.

Following the fair, Elzenga’s plan is to box up all the dresses — most of them were donated to the museum — and store them. The museum doesn’t have the space for a permanent display, though there is the chance they’ll be used in other exhibits. While the dresses won’t be on display, they will be protected, stored away in acid-free archive boxes. And the backgrounds of the dresses will be protected as well, so the happiest day of those brides’ lives won’t be forgotten.

“It is gathering all those stories, writing them down,” Elzenga said. n

You may contact the author at slindrud@ wctrib.com

There are some similarities in wedding dresses that have stayed the same through the years, including the white color and the use of embroidered flowers, as seen in this trio of dresses photographed Aug. 3.

The wedding dress exhibit from the Renville County Historical Society was displayed at the Renville County Fair from Aug. 10 to Aug. 12. Dresses were displayed on dress forms and hangers, and also hung from the ceiling.

This exhibit shows Victorian-era wedding dresses on display at the Renville County Fair on Aug. 11.

Navigating an interfaith wedding

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Celebrating family histories and traditions is a major component of weddings. During a wedding, two families come together and begin to merge their unique takes on life.

When couples tying the knot come from the same cultural or religious backgrounds, fitting the pieces together may be relatively easy. However, when a wedding must incorporate two different religions — each with its specific traditions and requirements — a couple may not know where to start. These tips may help the process along.

Communication

It is important to open a dialogue with all involved parties at the onset to be able to craft a ceremony and subsequent celebration that aligns with the faiths of the couple and their families. This dialogue shares what everyone expects. Ask everyone to rank the rituals they would like to be included by order of importance, and then use this as a guide when planning the ceremony.

Discuss options

Certain houses of worship may be strict in regard to what they allow during interfaith ceremonies. Conservative congregations may even frown upon marrying outside of one’s religion. That may spark an entirely

new conversation about converting so couples can be married in the eyes of the church, temple or mosque. More reformed places may be open to blending certain traditions from both faiths. Couples often lean toward having one officiant from each faith at the ceremony to incorporate key rites into the wedding.

Neutral ground

Interfaith couples may opt to have the ceremony at a neutral location so they do not appear to be paying favor to one faith over another. Determine if religious officiants can oversee the ceremony outside of a place of worship and still have the marriage recognized by the tenets of that faith.

Secular officiant

In instances when it may seem like there are too many obstacles to having faith-guided ceremonies for interfaith weddings, wedding planners may suggest some creative solutions, including working with a secular officiant. Traditions such as lighting a unity candle or blending two different sands together to signify the blending of two faiths and families can be part of the ceremony, suggests the lifestyle company Sheerluxe.

Give others tasks

Couples may be unfamiliar with each other’s religious traditions. Sharing faith-specific wedding planning tasks can help couples and their families become more familiar with these customs.

Interfaith weddings require extra planning and finesse, but millions of couples get married in such ceremonies every year.

Lisa & Phil Quam, Owners

Those whose weddings are planned for 2023 or 2024 may not mind the wait for a couture gown, custom design or a right-off-the-runway dress. Others want their dresses and they want them now. That has led to a surge in buying off-the-rack or opting for vintage or rental dresses.

Dreamstime/TNS

Alternative sources

More Minnesota brides buy off-the-rack, shop vintage or rent dresses for the big day

BY CONNIE NELSON | STAR TRIBUNE

MINNEAPOLIS — Asymmetrical hemlines, daring slits, puffy sleeves, flowery fabrics.

Those are just a few of the trends in wedding dresses. But whether a brideto-be opts for minimal and modern or vintage-inspired, one of the biggest shifts in wedding dresses may not be the style, but how they’re being purchased.

Supply chain issues, rising inflation and a surge in weddings caused by pandemic-related delays have combined to alter how some brides are saying yes to the dress.

Custom dresses are now requiring longer lead times. Instead of allowing the typical four to six months for special orders, “We like to play it safe and say six to eight months,” said Colby Tredway, CEO and creative director of Ivory Bridal in St. Louis Park and Flutter in Minneapolis.

Those whose weddings are planned for 2023 or 2024 may not mind the wait for a couture gown, custom design or a right-off-the-runway dress.

Others are frustrated that fallout from the pandemic has made wedding planning a contradiction in terms. They

want their dresses and they want them now. That has led to a surge in buying off-the-rack or opting for vintage or rental dresses.

Marie Suchy, the owner of Posh Bridal, has witnessed the change firsthand.

Before COVID-19, the Hopkins, Minnesota-based boutique sold both special-order as well as off-the-rack dresses. But the lockdowns that shuttered shops, churches and most venues caused some couples to cancel and reschedule their weddings once, twice or even three times.

When the world — and the wedding shops — opened up again, Suchy realized that some brides were shopping for certainty as well as style.

“I noticed women were coming in and wanting to buy dresses off the rack,” she said. “Brides weren’t necessarily set on dates and places now. They wanted to have the dresses with them so they could get married in a year — or in a month.”

Malia Henschel was one of them. The Minnetonka, Minnesota, woman got engaged in May. Her wedding is set for October. She knew it would be hard to get the dress of her dreams with a six-month turnaround. She was right. She visited four bridal stores, which had wait times ranging from nine to 11 months.

The fifth store she tried was Posh Bridal.

“I walked in and I walked out with a dress that same day,” she said. “I loved the process. It was so easy.

After 12 years in business, Posh Bridal shifted to selling primarily new sample dresses from designers or other stores, Business, said Suchy, is good.

TO HAVE AND TO SHARE

Business isn’t just good at Freya Wilde, a Minneapolis wedding dress rental shop.

“It’s been crazy,” said co-owner Andrea Collins.

The 300-plus gowns at Freya Wilde (which Collins describes as “the Airbnb of wedding dresses”) are privately owned. In the matrimonial version of the sharing economy, owners get a percentage of the “booking fee” for a dress, which can run from $350 to $750 depending on its design and retail value.

Collins said her clients — both the owners who offer their dresses and the brides who rent them — are not a part of the “old mentality around wedding dresses, the ‘Oh, I’m going to keep it and I’m going to give it to my daughter.’ “

Whether driven by a desire to be sustainable, cost-conscious or to outsmart supply chain issues, rentals are finding their place in the wedding market.

“Somebody can come in with a month’s notice and walk out with a designer dress,” she said. “There’s no hesitation about rental whatsoever.”

TIMELESS APPEAL

Finding a dress at Andrea’s Vintage Bridal is a “very curated experience,” said proprietor Nikolina Erickson-Gunther.

“I prefer booking through e-mail

I walked in and I walked out with a dress that same day. I loved the process. It was so easy.

- Malia Henschel

because I barrage our brides with a laundry list of questions,” she said. Then, she pulls 10 to 20 dresses for each bride to try on.

The dresses, which range in price from $700 to $1,800, date from the 1930s through the 1990s (“Yes,” she said, “ ‘90s dresses are considered vintage”). In addition to being cleaned and restored, many of the dresses are updated — with long sleeves, high collars and “fluffy bows” removed.

Like most wedding dresses, vintage dresses often need to be adjusted to fit modern brides. Those alterations, which are fairly standard, are done by a seamstress who specializes in vintage clothing and construction.

“We’re a fully sustainable bridal studio,” said Erickson-Gunther of the family-owned Minneapolis shop.

SIMPLER AND SMALLER

Dress shopping isn’t the only aspect of weddings that has changed, of course. With churches and reception venues booked, many celebrations have become smaller and simpler. Some couples have taken a two-stage approach.

Instead of a large, lavish affair, some couples are sharing their vows in backyard or courthouse ceremonies, then holding one or more receptions later.

“I’ve never had so many requests for dresses that can be flexible” to be worn to more than one event, daytime or nighttime, even in different seasons, said EricksonGunther.

While the upheaval in the wedding industry has undoubtedly created stress for some engaged couples, not all of the changes are for the worse.

“It’s shifted away from those huge weddings to what it’s really about,” said Suchy. “The dress is still important, but it’s about marrying your partner.” n

©2022 StarTribune. Visit at startribune. com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Experienced StaffSeating up to 320

Beautiful Atmosphere, Brand New and Updated!

Call Tammy at direct 320.796.5542 • cell 320.894.9702

155 Lake Ave S, Spicer

Easy to work with to plan event because it’s all about “You” Post 545

“Let us make your day special with a meal that your guests will talk about for months”

Weddings are among the most complex events many people will ever plan. Couples often try to go the extra mile in an effort to make the day memorable for themselves and their guests. That pressure can make a wedding day feel a little frenzied. Thankfully, there are various ways to ensure the vibe of the big day is happy and not hectic.

Hire a wedding planner/coordinator

Leaving the nitty gritty to a professional wedding planner takes a lot of pressure off of couples. The renowned

wedding day

of

wedding resource The Knot says wedding planners are clued into everything there is to know about a wedding and they can be tapped to take care of just about anything on couples’ to-do list.

Consider a package deal

All-inclusive resorts are popular vacation spots because variables like entertainment, lodging, food, drinks, and more is all taken care of, leaving vacationers with little to do other than show up and relax. Couples can apply that same approach on their wedding

day. Host the ceremony and reception at the same site, which takes the potentially problematic issue of getting guests to and fro out of the equation. Some venues may even provide in-house vendors like photographers and florists. Such vendors’ familiarity with the venue reduces the risk of surprises that can derail wedding day schedules.

Pick your priorities

Avoid getting bogged down on a million details by making a list of your priorities when planning. Couples can revisit this list a couple of

days before their wedding so they remember what’s most important to them on the big day. This refresher can ensure couples don’t get too concerned if minor issues arise during their big day, helping them remain calm and keeping a focus on all the fun to be had during the day.

It’s easy for couples to feel a little overwhelmed on their wedding day. Some simple strategies can take the hectic out of couples’ wedding day and ensure they keep their focus on one another and their loved ones.

Dress for success

Ushering in the wedding party for fashionable flair down the aisle

BY SHELBY LINDRUD | WEST CENTRAL TRIBUNE

RICHMOND — While white remains the most popular color for wedding gowns, when one moves over to the racks of bridesmaid dresses there is a rainbow of colors, a variety of textures and an assortment of styles from which to choose.

All the wedding couple and their party needs is a vision and an open mind to all the possibilities available.

“It is pretty much everything goes now,” said Jennifer Morrison, who co-owns Wedding & Tuxedo Connection in Richmond with Sue

Spanier. “There really isn’t a norm.”

For bridesmaid dresses, gone are the days of a row of matched dresses which may or may not fit all the women in the same way. Instead, couples may just have a color theme and fabric choice in mind, allowing each bridesmaid to find a dress style that flatters them.

“Whatever fits their own body types,” Morrison said, “which I really like.”

Styles of bridesmaid dresses are as varied as the women wearing them. There are short dresses and long

dresses, dresses with lace and dresses with sequins. There are dresses that would be perfect on a beach, or in a barn or in the middle of a big city. It all just depends on what type of wedding the bridal couple is going for.

Current trends have seen the return of both the long dress and gowns with a more bohemian style. And while chiffon remains a very popular fabric choice, other fabric types have also made a reappearance.

“Satin is starting to come back — and velvet,” Spanier said.

Sue Spanier and Jennifer Morrison, co-owners of Wedding & Tuxedo Connection in Richmond.

Photos by Shelby Lindrud / West Central Tribune

They don’t want to look like the grandma of the bride.

- Jennifer Morrison “

Colors are also a category where couples can show their style. They might go with different shades of a single color — or focus on a color family or theme, like autumnal shades. Recently popular colors have been more muted color schemes instead of bright shades, though it all depends on the wedding vision.

“They (couples) go with every color,” Spanier said.

Bridesmaids are just one part of the overall bridal party, which Morrison said is back to being on the larger side. It is common now for couples to have six to eight bridesmaids and just as many groomsmen.

For groomsmen, the suit or tuxedo still reign supreme, but there are ways to show the couple’s and the groomsmen’s own styles. Items such as the ties or pocket squares are a great way to bring in a pop of color or pattern.

“A lot of blue options,” are popular, Morrison said. “Everything is fitted.”

Even though bridesmaids — and even groomsmen — might have more of a say in the style of dress they are wearing, it is still necessary for the couple to give some sort of direction,

to make sure the final choices all look good together.

“Talk them through the process,” Morrison said. “How do you want your pictures to look like?”

When it comes to mothers of the bride or groom, they can have just as many choices available to them as a bridesmaid. Some mothers actually choose to wear a bridesmaid dress, though there are still styles of dresses made with the mother in mind.

“We’ve got a good range,” of styles, Morrison said, ranging from simple to elaborately decorated with beads and sequins. It just all depends on a person’s personal style, budget and comfort.

“They don’t want to look like the grandma of the bride,” Morrison said.

Then you can’t forget the flower girls and ring bearers.

For those important members of the party, the outfits are again moving more toward the comfortable instead of just being child-size versions of the clothes being worn by the adults. The outfits for the children in the wedding are also a place that many couples decide to try to be a bit more budget-conscious.

Photo credit: Ali Hormann Photography at Little Crow

Photo credit: Ali Hormann Photography

Photo credit: Ali Hormann Photography

No matter the style of dress or suit that is chosen, there are a few pieces of advice Morrison and Spanier would give all couples planning their wedding. The first is to have an open mind to all the possibilities. Staying within budget is important as well.

“Everything is going up in price,” Spanier said, though so far wedding budgets haven’t taken a hit even though the health of the economy is a bit uncertain.

But just as important is to not leave choosing and ordering the clothes for the wedding party too late. Just like with a wedding dress, it can take months for bridesmaid dresses, groomsmen suits and other outfits for members of the party to come in.

“They take three to four months to get in,” Morrison said, so it’s important to start making decisions at least six months prior to the wedding. That way there is enough time to deal with potential issues regarding fit or

supply delays.

The clothes for the couple and wedding party aren’t the only part of a wedding with which Spanier and Morrison can help.

Wedding & Tuxedo Connection is nearly a one-stop shop for weddings, offering not only the clothes, but providing florist and decorating services as well. The store has been open for 11 years and, by early September, will have started a brand-new chapter. The store has moved to a larger building just across the street from its original location on Main Street in downtown Richmond.

No matter the wedding couple’s vision, budget or schedule, Spanier and Morrison are on hand to help make the wedding great and to try and relieve some of the stress from what can be an overwhelming time.

“It can work,” Spanier said. “We’ll make it work.” n

You may contact the author at slindrud@wctrib.com

Published every Saturday this section

readers the news of family “milestones” such as engagements, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, new babies and more!

your Milestone to

Place

GIFT

West Central

Explore various wedding styles

during planning

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Every wedding is different, even if many share some common components. As couples plan their weddings, learning about some popular wedding styles can help them create a ceremony that suits them.

Classic wedding

Classic weddings are the storybook traditional weddings that many people dream about for years. Key elements include a tuxedo for the groom and a white gown for the bride. Formal attire is reserved for the rest of the wedding party. The ceremony is conducted in a place of worship before everyone retires to a fancy catering hall for the reception. Traditional weddings also may include the time-honored customs like toasts, cake cutting, bouquet toss, and parent-child dances.

Beach wedding

Beach weddings often are casual, laid back affairs. Dresses may be less structured and flow with sea breezes, while guys may even don shorts with linen shirts or jackets. Guests can expect the party to be much more freeflowing and the traditions of classic weddings may not be part of the celebration.

Bohemian wedding

Free-spirited individuals may dive head first into a bohemian style wedding. According to wedding planner David Tutera, a boho wedding is casual and comfortable. It tends to come off chic but appears that way with minimal effort. Decor is typically humble and blends harmoniously with nature. A boho wedding may take place outdoors or in another less traditional venue, such as a farmhouse or botanical garden. Wedding party attire may be mismatched and showcase each person’s individual style.

Modern wedding

Brides and grooms who crave contemporary and current trends may prefer a modern wedding. Graphic color schemes, clean lines and minimalistic flowers might be part of a modern wedding. Attire may be angular and edgy, and the venue may run the gamut from sleek museum to a city rooftop.

Destination wedding

Couples who love to travel and don’t want to worry about the minutiae of wedding planning may find a destination wedding is a good fit. Destination weddings last more

than one day and focus on relaxation, activities and lots of fun. Destination weddings tend to be less formal and less traditional than classic weddings. Due to the remote locations, destination weddings also can be smaller and more intimate, as many invitees may be unable to attend. Yet those who can attend often get to enjoy tropical islands or mountain retreats.

Wedding styles are as unique as the people getting married. Choosing a theme that has the right feeling can help couples make the most of their special days.

Florists are in high demand Amid a flower shortage, there’s nearly 2.5M weddings happening in the U.S. this year

BY TATYANA TURNER | CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Bouquets, boutonnieres and flower girl baskets. Flowers can be considered one of the most essential items for a wedding. With this year having approximately 2.47 million weddings in the U.S., 2022 will have the highest number of weddings since 1984, according to the Wedding Report, a research company that tracks and forecasts wedding industry statistics.

Postponed ceremonies because of COVID-19 are one of the reasons cited for the boom. And while florists are seeing an increase in business, they must also navigate how to meet the high demand with a flower shortage.

Tara Vevers, creative director and lead designer of Taxaflora, a flower shop in Chicago, said the demand so far this year has been overwhelming.

“The amount of inquiries we were getting last year for 2022 weddings was almost unmanageable and we are still receiving requests for 2022 weddings,” Vevers said.

Vevers provided flower arrangements for 12 weddings so far and there are a dozen more scheduled for the rest of the year.

“I was working over 80 hours a week and pulling all-nighters on a weekly basis,” Vevers said. “When booking 2022 weddings last year, I set a strict limit on how many weddings we would book for this year so as to not compromise the integrity of our work for our couples.”

Tara Vevers, owner of Taxaflora, works on a flower arrangements for a coming wedding at her studio on Aug. 11, in Chicago. Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune / TNS

Vevers said her goal is for Taxaflora clients to have a design that is uniquely theirs. But to do so, she had to navigate providing “the usual suspects” such as peonies, ranunculus and roses for soon-to-be newlyweds with a flower shortage

“Every day seems to be a new problem to solve since COVID-19,” Vevers said. “We’ve had so many farms shut down and suppliers unable to provide our basic products that we are constantly having to pivot and try to provide what our clients want.”

Molly Kobelt, co-founder of Field and Florist, a flower farm and floral design studio with retail locations in Chicago, is facing similar challenges meeting the higher demand, specifically with securing hardgoods such as vases and candles.

“Previously, we would receive one to two inquiries a day,” Kobelt said. “ Now, we regularly receive four to six a day for weddings of all sizes.

“By the end of the year, we will have done 25 larger-scale weddings and more than 50 smaller events,” Kobelt said. “We are also receiving more lastminute requests than we ever have.”

Field and Florist has a flower farm in Sawyer, Michigan, and grows flowers between April and October, Kobelt said, and seasonal flowers are at the core of their business and design work.

“Now more than ever, we are relying on using seasonal blooms from our farm, and other farms,” Kobelt said. “Growing many of our own flowers also allows us to focus on obtaining special varieties and colors not typically seen at the wholesale markets.”

Over the past few years, Kobelt said she noticed muted rust and peach have been popular.

Kobelt explained that Field and Florist has to limit the number of weddings they do based on staffing. Since the shop has two retail locations, the bandwidth gets stretched thin between May and September when farming season and wedding season coincide.

Despite these hurdles, Kobelt said Field and Florist will continue to focus on sustainable growing practices and access unique blooms to draw people into their garden-inspired shops. n

©2022 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

We’ve had so many farms shut down and suppliers unable to provide our basic products that we are constantly having to pivot and try to provide what our clients want.

- Tara Vevers “