Making Flowers Personal

Whenever I’ve personally planned an event, my number one thought is what kind of atmosphere do I want to create? The feeling of the day, the dinner or the special occasion. How do I want people to feel? and how do I want to feel when I put everything together?

Events are extremely personal because they’re generally a representation of you, that also puts a lot of pressure on making it feel authentic and special.

In recent years with the rise of social media algorithms and places like Pinterest - coming up with something truly unique seem increasingly difficult - its all been done before. It feels more like a tick box activity rather than actually tuning into what you want. It’s even harder to put your original stamp on something without someone saying ‘ohh I saw that on such and such’.

We’ve spent a long time trying to replicate and keep up with the ever changing trends of fashion, decor and everything else. And now we’re finally starting to see the importance of personal taste and curating.

FIG. I Our Wedding & Event Campaign shot in Somerset

When it comes to flowers this is also true. I’m sure as a floral designer this is more obvious, but if you’re in the depths of planning a wedding, an event or a special occasion you’ve likely got a few trendy floral arrangements saved in your folder. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, here is a slightly different approach that I would recommend to anyone in the depths of planning.

Lean into your season

Whenever I get an enquiry from a client, one of the first things I’ll look at is the season of the event. Each season holds so much potential to make something feel truly authentic.

Another reason season is important when it comes to making things personal, is that generally the special event’s date has really been considered or means something important. Birth month, anniversary, launch party - so why not use it to your advantage.

Using the season as a theme can also be a great way of giving yourself some limitations. Seasonal food, the outfits, the venue and of course the flowers. Sometimes limitations can help when the possibilities seem endless.

As an example, my favourite month of the year is September. It holds a lot of meaning. Birthdays, the start of Autumn and so much more. Me and my husband not only got engaged in September, but we got married then too. The start of Autumn became an integral part to our plans, and I love that when I look back at the photos I can see it shining through in so many elements.

FIG. II Hyper seasonal grasses for our client

Choosing colour

Generally people do love a colour theme, and this is probably the easiest way to add in personal style to your event. But with that being said it’s good to think about what that colour means in relation to flowers. For example, if you like pale blue, do you like flowers that are pale blue?

Colour trends are often the easiest to spot, and they determine so much. They cover everything from fashion, interiors, and of course flowers. It’s not to say don’t use them, but just be mindful that if you’re looking to not fall into the trap of trendy, this will likely be the most obvious factor in years to come.

Instead my suggestion would be to look at flowers that you love, and see what varieties of colours are available. This is definitely something we would help you with at Sow Society if you were looking for a more tailored touch to your colour scheme.

FIG. III High contrast orange bouquet for a early Spring bride

Creating atmosphere

If you’re holding an intimate dinner, a wedding reception or a big party to celebrate a promotion I’m sure you’ve selected the venue with meticulous detail. It’s setting your atmosphere for the event and so already you’ve chosen something based on your taste and preference.

Flowers can help amplify this atmosphere, and often my suggestion is to create a display that compliments where you’ve booked. As an example, if you’ve chosen a English country garden, perhaps some vintage garden urns filled with English country flowers? You’re using what’s already there, making it even more personal by creating a world you want people to be part of.

FIG. IV An event for Livingstone Rare and Brunswick House, florals by Sow Society

Selecting decor

I often say that a vase or vessel is just as important as the flowers themselves, and the reason for that is that they can really set the tone. Especially at a table, long lines of bud vases can look really symmetrical and pretty giving everyone something to enjoy, but so can more architectural sculptures around the room, leaving the tables free for conversation and food. Choose what’s right based on what you want the mood to be.

Really this is your opportunity to have some fun. Maybe there’s a style of vase that you love and have designed the table around it, or you actually don’t want a vessel at all and instead we create installations that appear to be growing out of the ground.

FIG. V Chrome design elements for a early Summer wedding

I hope this has given you some pointers if you're struggling to tailor your florals to your event. We're also more than happy to point you in the right direction in our design consultations.

Head to our enquiries page to message us and book.