Color of the Year-Greenery!

Green and White Wedding Flowers

We are totally smitten

with Pantone’s color of the year, Greenery, and with this lovely barn wedding featuring  . . . Greenery! Bride Jenna added some white to her greenery and the result sparkled in the rustic interior of the barn at Rivercrest Farm, in Dover, Ohio. We adore the subtle khaki green of the bridesmaids’ casual dresses, which made their greenery bouquets shine. A painterly gray sky threatened thunderstorms all day but the sun made its appearance just as the ceremony was about to begin.

After the hilltop ceremony, guests made their way down to the barn where the cocktail hour took place under a white canopy. Guests found their seats in a display overflowing with seeded eucalyptus greenery (designed by the bride’s mom). Inside, the greenery continued at the head table draped in moss and garlanded with more eucalyptus and ferns.

See all the gorgeousness captured by Lyssa Ann Portraits HERE   
*Photos on this page by the Garden by the Gate[df_divider el_width=”100″ style=”solid” accent_color=”” border_t_width=”” padding=”20px 0″ position=”align_center” el_class=””]


How to do a Greenery color scheme for your wedding

With the popularity of the Pantone color of the year, Greenery, I would like to offer a few tips and suggestions, and maybe correct some misconceptions about foliage decor.

If you’re a bride who would like to try to DIY your wedding flowers, Greenery is a good choice. Most foliages are pretty un-fussy about their treatment and last quite a long time in or out of water. We suggest that you choose a few items to DIY and hire a professional to do the rest. Perhaps you could put together centerpieces ahead of time and have your bouquets done by a florist. You really have to think about how much time you will have to create your bouquets and decorations on top of all the special events such as bachelorette parties, mani-pedis, fittings, salon visits, bridesmaid brunches, etc. You want to concentrate on getting yourself ready for your big day, staying fresh and relaxed, and not feeling harried or distracted by extra duties. As a wedding florist, I know how long and hard our team works the days leading up to a wedding so it’s hard to envision non-professionals adding this to their schedule.

When you decide that you want to make some of your own wedding decorations, you will need a source for the greenery materials. Your choices include online vendors, big box stores, or your local florist. The main drawback to using most online vendors or big box stores is the quantity of each item that you are required to buy. Flowers and greenery are mostly sold in box lots which generally consist of around ten bunches. Bunches vary in size having from 5-10 stems, sometimes more. As a florist who does many weddings, I can tell you that we seldom purchase a box lot of any one item or color. It is also a misconception that so-called “bulk” outlets are giving you wholesale prices. Generally, they are much higher than what your florist would pay. This is where the Garden by the Gate can help you out by not only providing reasonably priced greenery in just the quantities that you need, but we can also offer a lot of advice about what you’ll need and how to put together your arrangements. Just call us or fill out the wedding inquiry form on our website.

One misconception is that greenery and foliage is always cheaper than flowers. Some foliages are inexpensive and some are not. Here is a quick list of some foliages you might use.

Good Value

[df_row][col-md-6]

  • Leatherleaf fern
  • Plumosa
  • Variegated or green pittosporum
  • Salal (Lemon leaf)
  • Sprengeri

[/col-md-6][col-md-6_last]

  • Huck
  • Nagi
  • Smilax
  • Ming Fern

[/col-md-6_last][/df_row]

Premium Foliage

[df_row][col-md-4]

  • Dusty miller
  • Italian ruscus
  • Leucadendron (Safari sunset, Jester, etc.)
  • Magnolia

[/col-md-4][col-md-4]

  • Fiddlehead fern
  • Sword or flat fern
  • Monstera leaves
  • Hosta leaves

[/col-md-4][col-md-4_last]

  • Maidenhair fern
  • Bay leaves
  • Olive branches
  • Explosion grass

[/col-md-4_last][/df_row]

Eucalyptus and more eucalyptus!

There are now so many kinds of eucalyptus greenery to choose from! Most are a little more expensive than your value-priced foliage, but they make a big impression. Here are some varities to try.
[df_row][col-md-4]

  • Seeded
  • Parvifolia
  • Silver dollar

[/col-md-4][col-md-4]

  • Willow
  • Gunni
  • Baby blue or silver

[/col-md-4][col-md-4_last]

  • Naked seeded
  • Feather
  • Tinted

[/col-md-4_last][/df_row]

Garland

Greenery garland can be made out of any of the above foliages or any combination. A word of caution: garland is EXPENSIVE! Whether your florist makes it in their studio or buys it pre-made, it’s going to be expensive because there is a lot of labor involved. This is the biggest misconception that we see, brides thinking that some greenery down the center of each table is going to be cheap. This is also not recommended as a DIY project because it takes practice, and even then, it is VERY time consuming to do.

One alternative is to just lay pieces of greenery down the center of the table and this may work if no one disturbs it. It won’t look as lush and full as a real garland and here again, it is a lot more time consuming than just placing a vase on the table. This will need to be done the day of the event so it’s not a good project for the wedding party. If you have helpers who are not in the wedding, they may be able to do this for you.

Flowers can be tucked in at intervals using flower glue, wire, or water picks.

A word about foraging

Foraged foliage is a very popular look now and many professionals will forage greenery for their work. Branches and leaves from trees, shrubs, or vines can add great color and texture. The caveat is that you must test your foraged greens ahead of time to see if they will hold up. Cut the foliage and place it in water and flower food overnight or for several hours. If it is going to be used in centerpieces where it will have a water supply, this is all you have to do. Observe it for as long as you think you will want to hold your arrangements. If it is going to be used in something that will not have a water supply such as garlands, bouquets, or boutonnieres, condition it as above then take it out of the water and observe how it holds up out of the water for as long as it will be without water.

A Rivercrest Farm Wedding for Flower Lovers

Loren Jackson Photography

It’s truly a pleasure for us to work with a bride and her family who LOVE flowers! It is particularly poignant that their love of flowers was fostered and shared by a loving husband and father. In his memory, the bride carried a single tiny sunflower, his favorite,  in her bouquet. Carissa chose an awesome ombré color scheme that ran from palest blush to coral to rich cherry pink. Getting the colors right might have been a challenge but Karen, our representative at Mayesh Cleveland supplied us with gorgeous flowers that included peach ranunculus, coral dahlias, café au lait dahlias, blush garden roses, hot pink cockscomb (celosia), and giant peach eremerus.

Carissa and her mom Anais spent the months before the wedding scouring flea markets, antique shops, and tag sales for the antique porcelain and crystal vases grouped on each table in addition to the main centerpiece.

Another fun touch was the floral pocket square that Carissa requested for her groom, Gabe. It was so fun to do and and really made a statement on his tuxedo.

But the most fun (and challenge) was the giant “go big or go home” arrangements that flanked the barn entrance. After rejecting our first choice of urns as way too small, mom Anais was thrilled with the final arrangements of hydrangeas, snapdragons, roses, cockscomb, Queen Pink protea, and eremerus in tall, faux cement urns. The protea was another touch of nostalgia, reminiscent of a family trip to New Zealand. Carissa’s bouquet and her mom’s corsage also included Blushing Bride protea. View the entire gallery at Loren Jackson Photography.

Faith, Hope, & Family Farm Love

This lovely celebration took place under an expansive white tent on the family farm. Baskets of baby’s breath led the way from the parking field along a lane, past the chicken coop, and under a swoon-worthy arbor. Mason jars filled with blush and white flowers graced the tables. A hay-wagon piled with sweets and beverages beckoned and as night fell Swedish fire logs cast a magical glow on the party.

A Sweet Home Grown Wedding

WEdding flowers by Garden by the Gate florist.

You’ll love seeing these gorgeous images from Magic Memory Works Photography of the Garden by the Gate’s first big event. Leeka was amazing and captured every lush detail. She was so great to work with and her photos show all the love that goes into them and the emotions of everyone throughout the day. We think it was the loveliest wedding we’ve ever attended, if we do say so ourselves!

View the entire Gallery from Magic Memory Works

Family Fun

Kate and Harry’s wedding was truly a family experience. Everyone did their part to make the day so special. Kate’s mom and dad grew all most all of the flowers in their home garden. The bouquets and arrangements were created by her mom, grandmother, and friends. The fantastic sweets table was also supplied by family.  One grandmother loaned a brooch and another grandmother provided some antique lace for the bride’s bouquet. The groom and best man brewed a special “Wedding IPA” that was served.  Harry’s dad kept the party going by adding his vocals to some classic rock favorites. Of course there were brothers and sisters in the wedding party and tons of friends and family helped out. A team of groomsmen were hilarious as they learned to tie chair sashes into perfect bows and special friends Nan and Amanda worked tirelessly putting the finishing touches on everything.

A few snapshots . . .