Flower Focus: Orchids

I always tell my brides that a simple way to make a big statement is to do just that - keep it simple - and I mean by either going with a single color or a single flower. I have designed flowers for weddings in just about every color in the spectrum as well as quite a few single flower-focused weddings - roses, daisies, lilies - you get the idea. Working with color or flowers en masse creates a rather spectacular visual impact your guests will remember for years to come.

It was such a treat to get to design a wedding comprised entirely of orchids a few weeks ago. My bride wanted to use all white orchids at the reception and at the church and purple and lavender orchids in the bridesmaids' bouquets. We did use a few other purple flowers in the maids' bouquets to set off the orchids, but the stock and celosia merely provided a backdrop for the amazing mokara orchids.

A single orchid provides great visual delight for the eye close up; masses of orchids do what a pointillist painter does - creates a magnificent vision from far away and endless detail up close. Lovely!

(Also: take a look at the bride's choice for a wedding cake - a wedding rhubarb and strawberry pie! Each guest was treated to a homemade tart baked by the mother of the bride. We decorated the cake table with the mother's wedding veil, orchids, and masses of mint.)

Materials pictured include: dendrobium orchids, mokara orchids, cymbidium orchids, phalaenopsis orchids, stock, celosia, pittosporum, and salal.

Here we superimposed orchids to existing wreaths of dried magnolia leaves at the church