Very Bridal FlowersAnnette Markowitz, Founder of Very Bridal Flowers, www.VeryBridalFlowers.com "Establishing a personal rapport with your florist is the most important consideration!"
Spearheaded by Annette Markowitz and her team of colleagues, Very Bridal Flowers has evolved over the past few years into an adept, efficient, and spectacular floral design company. Markowitz provides expert consultation, patience and stamina, and at a surprisingly reasonable value for cost-efficient budget-minded brides. She shared with us the philosophy behind Very Bridal Flowers, as well as insider tips and details. What is your inspiration for Very Bridal? Very Bridal's inspiration is to provide our clients with an atmosphere of beauty, perfection, and elegance by transforming the couple's wedding day vision into exquisite reality. We want to capture the vision and bring it to life through visual elements of color, texture, depth, and design. We believe that perfection lies in the smallest details and will pay close attention to your specific wishes and desires by exploring every possible aspect of your special day that can be transformed by floral design. Which pieces are you most proud of?
What are some of your favorite types of flowers to work with?
Hydrangeas add impact and softness to an arrangement that is unsurpassed. The flowers can be broken down into tiny florets and inserted into the arrangement. Hydrangeas can be long lasting (except for the lavender variety) and then used for dried floral arrangements. The classic rose has a profusion of colors and produces large, striking blooms. The rose exudes femininity and softness, and some varieties are long lasting. Roses evoke romance and are ancient symbols of love and beauty. Roses that are grown by commercial growers have no scent. Tulips come in an array of beautiful hues. French tulips are wonderful to work with and are long-lasting beauties that can be about 8 inches longer than the standard variety. Parrot tulips with their fringed petals add texture to floral pieces. Tulips will continue to grow, sometimes as much as 2 inches. We also take pleasure in creating floral pieces with calla lilies, peonies, bouvardia, freesia, lisianthus, celosia, rush, and amaranthus.
We love using organics in the design of our florals to enhance the ambience. Brides-to-be are fond of having that something "special" that makes their flowers unique for their wedding day. We've used succulents, mini artichokes, crab apples, key limes, lemons, star fruit, cranberries, pumpkins, kumquats, and cabbage in our floral pieces. Using organics builds on the visual elements toward the details of the day. Are there any flowers or greenery that are not available in Southern California? The beauty in floral work is that anything that is not available locally can be flown in from any part of the world. We use imported roses in our arrangements rather than locally grown roses for the size of the blossom. Locally grown roses tend to have more thorns and more fragrance. Are there any flowers or greenery that you should not work with? And why? We generally work with any flowers and greenery that our clients want in their arrangements. We wouldn't use a particular flower if the bride or groom suffers from hay fever and allergies. Some flowers, such as lilies, will stain. The stamens on the flower will stain anything that it touches, like the bridal gown. We ensure that all stamens are removed from lilies prior to delivery to the ceremony or reception. What other occasions do you specialize in? Very Bridal Flowers is an event florist. We do floral work for various celebrations, such as birthdays, anniversaries, baby and bridal showers, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, open houses, bar and bat mitzvahs, and corporate functions. Criteria for selecting your florist? There are several criteria that should be met when searching for a florist. First, the best way to begin the search is through referrals from friends and family. Another source is through wedding vendors, such as wedding consultants and site coordinators. The second criterion is to search through the florist's portfolio to get a sense of the florist's styles, color palettes, and use of visual elements. If you love the floral work, then arrange a consultation, which leads to the most important step, establishing personal rapport with your florist. The florist should be able to listen to your wedding day vision and transform that vision into floral design elements. Consider booking at least three initial consultations with different florists to gain an understanding of the level of services that a florist can provide. Considerations in working with your florist?
Are there any flowers to stay away from because they are too fragile? For example, white calla lilies are stunning, but understandably they bruise easily. When it comes to flowers, we buy additional flowers so that we may choose the most exquisite and perfect flowers for the client. Some flowers like gardenias, for example, tend to be fragile and brown easily, but we take that into consideration and bring additional blossoms to the wedding site. During the consultations we let our clients know about the limitations of a particular flower and give suggestions that incorporate their wishes and have the florals look extraordinary on their wedding day. What are the key floral pieces in the wedding? Describe each. Key floral pieces are the personals, ceremony flowers, and reception flowers. Personal flowers include the bridal bouquet, bridesmaids' bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres. Personal flowers are important because they'll be in all of the pictures. Ceremony flowers may include pedestal arrangements and aisle treatments for pews or chairs. Reception flowers include entrance, centerpieces, cake table, and head table. Flowers can be incorporated into hairstyles for the bridal party, enhancing cocktail drinks, reception napkins, buffet tables, bars and favors. Petals, for example, can be sprinkled onto tables for added effect. TIPS & TRENDS: What are some insider tips that are essential when preparing for your wedding flowers?
Consider using seasonal flowers.... The flowers will be at their fullest and most beautiful, most cost effective, and freshest. Consider the time of year when getting married. Flowers will be more expensive if getting married near a holiday, for example, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. In general, flower prices tend to be higher in the winter months and lower in the spring. If getting married outside in the summer months, choose hardy flowers that can withstand the heat. Your florist will be able to give you suggestions. Try to be flexible about your choice of flowers that are in your color palette. If an out of season flower is your ideal flower, have the blooms in your bouquet and groom's boutonniere and use the in-season florals in the centerpieces and large pedestal arrangements. The cake table can be flourished with the bridesmaids' bouquets for beautiful eye-catching pictures. Do you have any insider websites for wedding florals? www.flowercouncil.org provides inspiration for up-to-date market trends. What are the upcoming floral trends for 2007? Bold, hot colors are in for 2007! Monochromatic color schemes, black accents, glass containers in a variety of shapes and sizes, and environmental friendly florals. Bouquet accessories such as jewels, beading, and unusual ribbon bring eye-catching sparkle to floral arrangements. For more information about Very Bridal Flowers or to speak with Annette Markowitz about wedding and event florals, visit: www.verybridalflowers.com / T. 818. 307.8950. Pamela Heath |
Flowers make or break your wedding. Whether a minimalist—intimate commitment ceremony requiring perhaps a bouquet or blossom tucked behind your ear—or a full blown traditional ceremony with gardens of arrangements, selecting your florist and floral schema is one of the most important aspects to consider. Agenda Magazine interviewed a most successful and agile start-up florist in Southern California, Very Bridal Flowers, for insider tips and trends in wedding floral decorations. 
We are most proud of the one-of-a-kind pieces that incorporate more than the flowers themselves. We have used glowing LED lights in the floral arrangements to enhance the décor and ambiance, color-enhanced water to coordinate with the color palette, and other non-traditional elements to make a creation that is uniquely designed for the couple. 
We love working with orchids, hydrangea, roses, and tulips. Orchids such as cymbidiums and dendrobiums possess an undeniable beauty and grace on their own. Asian fusion has been in high demand and the orchids look equally stunning submerged in water as well as out of a water source. Orchids are elegant, hardy and long lasting. 
The shift has been to include more unusual organics in arrangements, such as fruits, gourds, and vegetables. Comment on the popularity of these that you have surveyed and worked with in your weddings. 
Things to consider are: Will the florist be at your ceremony or reception site on your wedding day? How many weddings is the florist doing on your special day? Will the florist work within the designated budget and give suggestions to create the atmosphere that you envision? Does the florist offer additional services, such as rentals for vases and props, chair covers, and linens? 
Flowers like all other aspects of the wedding have a cost that varies proportionately with the complexity and beauty of the arrangement. Be prepared to discuss your choice of flowers to fit your budget and sense of style.
