Red Flower Power

Symbolism aside, there is something powerful and alluring about red flowers. Perhaps, it’s because a simple plant can create sheer red radiance without dyes, chemicals or additives, only simple cell biology.

For years, I’ve coached my staff on the impact of red for both weddings and events, and yet it often gets overlooked, especially for weddings. Until now.

This blog features designs that we created for three recent weddings. Each palette is different and the role of the red flowers varies from wedding to wedding, but you will see the impact of the red flowers no matter the strategy.

Floral designs made exclusively with red flowers look luxurious and grand.

Don’t be afraid of that statement. This is a floral design rule and the same look can be achieved with any color when used exclusively in a design. You can mimic luxury in floral design in any venue: ballroom, backyard, winery or barn. We love to see fine china in a rustic setting as much as we like greenery at a swanky D.C. venue. Even more interesting is the combination of two different styles in the same setting. Elegant gold compotes are popular with full lush florals but also as centerpieces designed exclusively with greens. It’s the creative choices you make that become noteworthy. As your floral partner, or any floral designer, it’s our responsibility to use excellent design principles even while incorporating two wholly different design styles. The picture to the right is a sweetheart table at the St. Regis ballroom in Washington D.C. We have luxurious red garden, standard and spray Roses against a back drop of whimsical greenery.

Red flowers are a great choice for blending colors in your palette

Are you considering using warm pink or burgundy in your bridal bouquet or centerpieces? You might want to consider adding red flowers to your palette as a blending flower. Blending flowers should be in the same family as the dominant color so Burgundy is a good example. Many couples are pairing burgundy with white and ivory, a good choice as there are so many excellent flower varieties available throughout the year in those colors. From a design perspective, we’re combining a dark and light color in what always begins as a rounded design. The positioning of the flowers is very important. We have to make sure that the dark flowers don’t look like polka dots. The addition of a blending color, even subtle, is an effective technique. Red will make colors like burgundy or pink look even richer.

Looking for Burgundy flowers? Try Dahlia, Scabiosa, Amaranthus, Snapdragon or Ranunculus. Like the idea of a warm pink or fushia flowers? Consider Peony, Garden Roses, Snapdragons or Spray Roses.

Make red a full fledged member of a comprehensive palette.

I have included quite a few photos from Kaitlyn and Ishan’s wedding a few weeks ago. The flower palette included warm red and white with lots of medium green. What a treat for their guests as they anticipated the end of winter surrounded by these bright and airy blooms. The red Anemone has a navy to black center and was a main feature in the bridal bouquets, centerpieces and accents. The altar of the church in Leesburg, Virginia featured Garden Rose, Berries, Spray Roses, Crocosmia and Snapdragon in red. For white, we used more Snapdragon, white Roses and Stock. Both the red and white got equal billing in all the designs, the effect was charming. Stone Tower Winery’s ballroom has warm wood textures with muted walls; a tapestry that made the whole room looked cheery and romantic. With the addition of candlelight, this wedding was a night to remember.