With the average cost of a wedding pegged at $28,000, according to The Wedding Report, it is clearly a buyers’ market for betrothed couples. Slow Flowers members reveal that mindful couples who care about spending their dollars in a meaningful way are choosing local and seasonal bouquets, boutonnieres and floral decor.

PURE WHITE . . . PLUS

Designer Isabella Thorndike Church of Jacklily Seasonal Floral Design in Ashland, Oregon, partnered with her family’s flower farm, Le Mera Gardens, to gather and compose a blithe bouquet with intricate garden flowers and uncommon foliages. “Thornless blackberries, dogwood berries and dusty miller leaves create the framework for garden roses and white-blooming accents like the cup and saucer campanula, delphinium and scabiosa flowers.”

DARK-LIGHT CONTRASTS

Amp up the drama with the palest and deepest of hues in one bouquet. Dark burgundy dahlias are stunning here, best showcased when contrasted with peach and cream petals of companion blooms, says Isabella Thorndike Church of Jacklily Seasonal Floral Design in Ashland, Oregon, who partnered with her family’s flower farm, Le Mera Gardens. “This bouquet also features Italian flowering oregano, ‘Black Knight’ Queen Anne’s lace, red shuttle flower and clematis vine,” she says.

PHOTO CREDITS

Thornless blackberries, dogwood berries and dusty miller leaves create the framework for garden roses and white-blooming accents like the cup and saucer campanula, delphinium and scabiosa flowers in a design by Isabella Thorndike Church of Jacklily Seasonal Floral Design and flowers from Le Mera Gardens. Credit: Allie Harrington Photography

DARK-LIGHT CONTRASTS: Dark burgundy dahlias are stunning here, contrasted with peach and cream petals of companion blooms. Design: Isabella Thorndike Church of Jacklily Seasonal Floral Design in Ashland, Oregon, with flowers from Le Mera Gardens. Photography: Juliet Ashley Photography

Read the full report in Slow Flowers Journal >