In 2018, wedding florists across the globe saw the following requests constantly in their inbox: blush, burgundy and blush, natives.
But as with anything, trends come and go, and we’re starting to see some substantial shifts in the wedding floral industry. In this blog I’m sharing my predictions on what we might be seeing more of in 2019.
COLOUR.
Quicksand roses aren’t going anywhere, and I think we will be seeing more of these muted/dusty/neutral tones which I am SO excited for!
On the contrast, I think we will also be branching out a little and seeing some richer, more bold palettes. Just think plum, magenta, even a little bit of sneaky warm orange hues!
Speaking of warm orange hues, the Pantone colour of the year is living coral. Although Pantone hasn’t always gotten it right in terms of floral trends, I really do think we’re going to see much more coral sneaking in this year. Coral was popular about 5-10 years ago when mint bridesmaids dresses were all the rage, and I think it’s making a comeback – though it will look a little different to what it did… It’ll be a little more rich and vibrant, and paired with lots of neutral tones with a few blush, peach and apricot accents. I’m definitely excited to do a few weddings using this palette!
STYLE.
I do have some weddings with natives booked in for 2019, but I think the days of natives and king proteas are starting to come to an end. Even for our native foliages like eucalyptus, which as been extremely popular for the last 5 or so years, I believe is starting to slow down with foliages shifting to deeper forest greens and, mid-tone greens and dried foliages with a beige tone – rather than the silver-green foliages.
Designs will be as airy as ever (not tight & constrained). Flowers will have their own space to breathe, wispy textures will help to create a natural look, and wild & wayward stems will enhance the perfect randomness to create a natural, organic style. Though bouquets will be all of the above, the use of greenery will start to decrease with the various flowers and textures really taking the stage.
You’ve probably seen the huge boom in dried foliages and textures, like pampas grass, dried palm fronds, bunny tails etc. There’s something about dried flowers and foliage. Maybe it’s the beauty in knowing they’re everlasting. I do love a little dried beauty to add some character and texture, but if I’m honest, I’m personally not the biggest fan of the overwhelming large dried leaves and fronds being used in arrangements and installations. Dried flowers and foliage are so beautiful in their own way, but in such large proportions I think it has the potential to ‘age’ quite quickly. It looks on trend now, but I fear it may just look like dead leaves in a few years. I think it’ s just all about proportion. If you’re considering the dried look, this is just something to consider. If you genuinely love it, then do it! But, like any trend, if you’re choosing something just because you saw a cool photo on Instagram or Pinterest, I would recommend you think about whether you’ll still love it in a few years time.
I think trends are starting to shift to a more minimal, modern ‘luxe’ look – think lush full roses, phalaenopsis orchids and minimal greenery. We’ll be seeing many more ‘just rose’ bouquets but they won’t look like the round balls of the 90s’s and early 2000’s. They’ll have much more depth to create a really loose, natural and unstructured look.
SHAPE.
In light of the recent royal weddings, I think bridal bouquets may start shifting to a more petite, simple look, rather than the huge whimsical bouquets (which I’m kinda sad about because big whimsical bouquets are my jam). Sadly, this doesn’t necessarily mean the price will drop. Meghan Markle’s bouquet consisted of mostly astilbe and astrantia – which, you guessed it, are very expensive. A full astilbe bouquet would set you back at least $300! The large bouquets are still very ‘in’ at the moment, so it might take another year or two before the petite bridal bouquets really lead the way.
As for installations and arrangements, these guys are going to be as whimsical and lush as ever. Think wild & wandering foliages, lush clustered blooms, and wispy floaty textures. My favourite!
At the end of the day, it’s your wedding. Trends come & go, but you have to look at your wedding photo album forever. So be sure to choose something YOU love, and not just what Pinterest says you should love.
Would love to hear your thoughts on what might be trending in 2019 and 2020! If you’re a bride-to-be and want to discuss the florals for your wedding, I’d love to hear from you! x
info@gwenfloralco.com
Featured image by EL Simpson Photography
