Give your wedding ceremony backdrop the gift of a larger-than-life backdrop, using advice from one of Utah’s master florists and inspiration from these lavish installations
Allocation
Betsy Borden, owner of Dancing Daisies Floral, encourages brides to put the majority of their floral budgets toward impact pieces that will leave an impression on guests. To maximize budget, she suggests downsizing bridesmaids’ bouquets and utilizing that money to create a larger “wow factor” for the backdrop.
Foundation
It all begins with a strong foundation. Whether renting an arch or constructing your own wedding ceremony backdrop base, Borden stresses that a solid structure is critical for a safe and stunning floral installation. Sturdiness and dimension all play an important role. If your backdrop’s frame is too tall, it may not be able to support the lavish level of florals many couples dream of having. Alternatively, if your structure is built with overly large beams on the front, it risks a topple hazard with the added weight of blooms.
Construction
According to Borden, installations of this scale need to be planned with three different bloom types to maintain visual interest throughout the piece. Focal blooms such as rose, dahlia, and carnation pack a visual punch that is noticed right away. Linear flowers, such as snapdragon or delphinium, instill dimension and volume. Finally, textural blossoms—think hypericum berry, statice, thistle or even scabiosa—bring movement and life to an arrangement, taking it from impressive to over-the-top.
A recent favorite of Bordens is the ever-versatile dahlia: A button dahlia can bring a basic boutonniere to life, while the enormous dinner plate variety makes a sensational focal bloom.
Hydration
Proper hydration of floral installations is critical for long-lasting blooms. Luckily, any quality floral artist has your back. “We use a whole host of tools to keep the flowers looking fresh, from florist foam to water tubes,” Borden says. Heartier foundational blooms will last in floral foam, while more delicate flowers can be suspended in water using specialized tubing. Borden assures that if engineered properly, your picture-perfect wedding ceremony backdrop will last every minute of the big day. dancingdaisiesfloral.com
Farm to aisle
These impressive installations were arranged by two talented teams of florists at the 2022 Wasatch Floral Summit, sponsored in part by the Utah Premiere Floral Collective, a group of 17 growers committed to providing sustainable resources to the wedding industry. Each of their blooms are cultivated and foraged right here in the Beehive State.
Visit our website for more: www.utahbrideandgroom.com/category/inspiration/decor/
Photographs by Branson Maxwell / Jessie and Dallin Photography
Vendors
Venue: Tifie Preserve, tifiepreserve.com
Styling: La Belle Fleur, labellefleurut.apphb.com
Models: Janelle Laswell, Mars Roots, Jamie Hashimoto
Hair: Makeup and Hair by Michelle, @makeupandhairbymichelle
Makeup: Denise Christensen, dcmakeup.com
Gowns: Fantasy Bridal, fantasy-bridal.com; Afa Ahloo, @afa.ahloo
Rentals: Forte Rentals, forterentals801.com; Home Sweet Home, homesweethomeeventrentals.com
Florist Instructors: Ace Berry, fulshearfloraldesign.com; Patience Pickner, floristchamberlainsd.com
Wholesale Florals: Utah Premier Flower Collective; JFS Wholesale, jfswholesale.com; The Floral Source, thefloralsource.com; East Texas Smilax, easttexassmilax.com
