Botanical stylist to the stars, Kimm Birkicht – beloved by Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and the Fanning sisters – tells you how to get gorgeous blooms. (Above are pics of flowers Kimm has done for events and weddings, taken from her Instgram account @thevelvetgarden.)
1 Bring a list of questions to your first meeting
“I’d ask: ‘What’s readily available on my wedding day?’ (You’ll save money by sticking to seasonal blooms.) ‘Which flowers match my style?’ ‘Which come in my wedding colours?’ ‘How would you decorate my venue?’ (Show up with photos in case she’s unfamiliar.) And, of course, ‘Can you work with my budget?’”
2 Go for baroque!
“Elegant rustic and Boho chic are beautiful styles, but isn’t it time we moved on? Look up ‘Dutch masters flowers’ or ‘Gothic romance at Valentino’ and you’ll see a new mood unfolding. It’s painterly, luxe and incredibly feminine. For a wedding, this translates to a burgundy, aubergine and chocolate palette with pops of white and gold. Ask for arrangements of fritillaria, open pomegranates with black callas, figs, gardenias and champagne grapes in gilded urns. Candelabras, yes! Skulls, no.”
3 Embrace gold
“It’s not gaudy if it’s done well. I love a centrepiece with gold-leaf-dipped magnolia-tree blossoms or painted Bosc pears. Or cover a cake in glitter-dipped feather butterflies! I once trailed them from the cake down to the tablecloth to the floor. It looked like they’d flown in and swarmed onto the dessert table.”
4 If you’re doing a single flower en masse (stunning!), do all roses
“Just not Ecuadorian roses; I have an aversion. Ask for Patience and Vendela, and if you can’t get your hands on roses, use equally ruffly ranunculus, which come in a wide spectrum of hues. For the ceremony, create a super-lush carpet of rose petals and throw in a few open garden-rose heads. With petal-strewn aisles, if you’re going to go for it – go for it.”
5 Skip flowers altogether if you really want to make a statement
“Maiden ferns, moss and succulents are sophisticated on their own. I wish more brides would ask me to go all green!”
6 Want a wow factor? Do flower sculptures
“Carnations are best for this. If your venue has a pool, float your monogram in blooms! It’s not the easiest thing to do, and two people will always have to get wet.”
Got great tips for saving on wedding flowers? Tweet us at @GLAMOUR_sa with #GLAMWedding to share.
Sarah Browning, 24, is the managing editor of GLAMOUR. She moved to SA from London three years ago and lives in Cape Town. In this #GLAMWedding Wedding Blog, Sarah’s sharing her wedding-planning journey with you. Join the conversation! Tweet your thoughts to Sarah via @GLAMOUR_sa using #GLAMWedding.
Follow Sarah on Twitter: @sarahmbrowning
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For 46 other great ways to save on wedding costs, click here!
