Floral Fridays: The Scented bouquet

Ah, summer bouquets.  Often, when trying to get the perfect color combination, we floral designers use flowers created just for us in the floral trade - roses that last longer, orchids grown hydroponically (in water versus soil), etc.  In the summer, we have the opportunity to use flowers fresh from the garden, and what we gain is that amazing, intoxicating scent of romance.  This particular bouquet was the best smelling bouquet I have ever created! The bride, albeit in her 20's, wanted something old-fashioned, yet timeless; soft, gardeny, with gardenias, garden roses, sweet peas.  We were happy to oblige!  We called this our 'tea-stained' wedding, since she wanted everything with a just a hint of color; a blush of pink, a hint of beige, warm ivories and eggshell.

What stood out though, beyond the color palette, was that scent - the summery sweetness of the garden roses (that no standard rose can ever compare too!), the heady, rich perfume of the gardenias (my all-time favorite - hint to my husband!) the spiky scent of the sweetpeas and then that exotic tone of jasmine, which we wound through the edges of the bouquet, and which opened, bloom by bloom, throughout the wedding day.  I was worried that all these scents would compete, but mother nature knows best, and just like a perfectly layered perfume, this bouquet was complex and elegant in both hue and scent.  

We finished the bouquet off with our signature pleated ruffle, out of pink duppioni silk, since the brides gown had pleated ruffles on the bottom. Perfect!

Daniela