Written by: Jessica Reeves
Photo: Ashley Posthuma with Photography Anthology.
We are swooning over this color palette!
We were so excited when we saw Bess' photos and saw the incredible job she did on her wedding flowers!
Bess chose an incredible combination of flowers including Pink Xpression garden roses, bupleurum greenery, peach ranunculus, hypericum berries, chamomile flowers, orange pincushion protea, and lavender lisianthus for her bouquet. She tied it together with a gorgeous blue ribbon and we are fan-girling the charming fresh-from-the-garden vibes!
We knew immediately that we wanted the whole rundown on her experience with being her own florist. Here's the dish, straight from Bess to you!
Photos by Ashley Posthuma with Photography Anthology.
What was your Favorite Thing about DIY?
Learning a new skill.
Why did you Choose to DIY your Flowers?
I got a quote back from a florist I wasn't thrilled about, and heard about Flower Moxie shortly thereafter. I wasn't doing any other DIY things for my wedding, so it felt like a good project to tackle.
Photo: Ashley Posthuma with Photography Anthology.
Photo: Ashley Posthuma with Photography Anthology.
Who did you have help from?
So many people! My husband, our parents and our entire wedding party pitched in at various points in the process.
Where did you get married and why did you choose this location?
We got married at the Glendale Lyceum in Cincinnati, OH. We chose to get married there because my Grandparents belonged to the club since the 1960s, and my parents had their wedding reception there in the 1980s.
Was it a destination wedding?
Yes, it was technically a destination wedding. My husband and I live outside of New York City in New Jersey, my parents live in Chicago, and my husband's parents live in upstate New York. I picked out a large Airbnb with a big unfinished basement and garage so we would have space to do the flowers. We arrived at the Airbnb on Tuesday for a Saturday wedding, so we could go get the flowers on Wednesday morning after getting our marriage license in Ohio.
What was your favorite part of the wedding day?
I can't possibly pick a favorite moment. My husband and I secretly learned a choreographed first dance so it was fun surprising everyone. It was also really fun learning the dance. Now we know how to swing dance, so it's been really fun to know how to dance well at other parties and weddings.
Photo: Ashley Posthuma with Photography Anthology.
In hindsight is there anything you would have done differently?
Not much! The bud vases were very easy, so I sort of wish I did more of those as centerpieces. It is just a lot less complicated when it comes to logistics.
Tips for future DIYers?
I also took a local flower arranging class with my sister in law and mother in law, which was really fun and gave me a lot of confidence. Spend a lot of time practicing with inexpensive flowers. I ended up making a ton of arrangements and giving them to neighbors and friends. They were so appreciative. I was lucky to have access to my venue the afternoon before to do the set-up myself with a couple bridesmaids. This was super helpful, otherwise you need to designate someone else to do this. It was really easy to sell leftover supplies on facebook marketplace.
Were there any funny or strange mishaps you can share?
Turns out my husband is extremely good at floral design. He didn't practice with me at all, but he ended up saving the day because he just had a naturally good eye for how everything should come together. I ended up handling logistics and he ended up handling design.
Which part of your wedding are you most proud of?
We had an extremely lively afterparty, which was very full until about 1 AM.
Anything else you would like to add?
I enjoyed the experience overall. It is a significant amount of work, but I would do it again. I love that I now have a new skill! I haven't had a chance yet, but I am sure I will do flowers for future events.
Photos: Ashley Posthuma with Photography Anthology.
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About the Author
Jessica has a BFA in Art Education/Printmaking and her MFA in Studio Art with a focus in Non-Toxic printmaking. She brings 10 years of floral experience to her roles at Flower Moxie, having worked in Boston, NYC, and Newport, RI. We still don't know if she's a real person or a hologram but work keeps getting done.