Styled shoots are a great way to play with flowers and explore new wedding trends. When Donna from Revel and Company mentioned a styled shoot at the Elms Mansion on historic St Charles Avenue, I delighted to take part. We always love to work at the Elms, and exploring this new space that was transitioning from private to public was amazing. I love the stripped walls framed by the classic architectural detail found in the Mansion. It was my first chance to work with these particular photographers and they did not disappoint. We kept it simple, it was mid-covid and we were all a little timid to do very much, but the outcome is so charming, elegant, playful, and TROPICAL, but just a touch! I am delighted this adventure was accepted for publication at New Orleans Bride Magazine, I can’t wait for you to check it out once it’s published later this month!

I’d like to take a minute to talk about the style you’re seeing here on the pages of this magazine. When you bring creative minds together, there’s no question you’ll get a stunning wedding at the end of the day. I find tropical flowers are making a come back and sneaking these glorious white antherium into my boho garden arrangements is a special treat.

But what about YOU? When I design a styled shoot like this, I always try to remember that this isn’t a wedding that anybody and everybody could have, or will have. We want to customize the design for you.

So I want to ask myself, what about this entire experience, aesthetics included, do I really, really want to tell my brides about?

Here’s my answer: you be you. Lets find the colors, the elements, the little surprises that make your guest say, wow, this is so you.

1: Itty-bitty, visually striking arrangements.

This little gal is a great example of how bigger isn’t necessarily better. What we’ve done here is pick a flower that stands up particularly well on its own (here’s it’s this lovely white Antherium, also known as a flamingo flower), and give it all the room we can for it to steal the show.

Little pieces like this are great for cocktail tables, hiboys - even the ladies room! They’re a great way of drawing your guests from room to room. - the Elms is a perfect example of tht. Dainty pieces like this one are perfect for classic New Orleans style receptions where the tables may be small and you just sit to grab a bite or take off your shoes before you head back out to the dance floor. We try to be especially aware of the space we take up with flower on small cabaret tables and hiboys.

2: Great big statement pieces.

In New Orleans a seated dinner is a rarity. You don’t often walk into a hotel ballroom filled with giant floral arrangements. For us, the space and architecture are major players, so instead of a big piece on every table, you are more likely to see a statement piece or two, and low intimate flowers on smaller guest tables. I love that. I love a WOW. I could be a stunner on the sign in table - a drama piece for the head table or an arch designed to invite you into a lovely garden space.

Where would a WOW be best in your wedding venue?

3: Make sure to browse table settings!

While we don’t focus on the seated dinners here, I am hoping the trend of intimate weddings sticks around. Tom and I had only 30 guests at our wedding, and I loved it! With a small wedding we get to celebrate the details - china, linens, crystal - really set a special table. There are so many options for what the sweetheart’s table and your guests’ tables can look like, it’s great to remember to settle on whichever part is most important to you, and then continue to build a style around those key pieces.

Donna chose to use real crystal for the table settings, which definitely suggests a more elegant arrangement style. So we kept to a classic color palette, using classic blooms like white roses and hydrangeas, and took some liberty to build in some extra flair with our addition of antherium and eucalyptis, which keeps this understated white table piece looking plenty interesting and beautiful.

And that’s just the start!

There are all sorts of little things you can keep in mind to keep your wedding celebration looking stylish and magical. If you have any questions for us, make sure to reach out by phone or on instagram, and we can get all the little details pinned down!

Thanks for reading,

Diane