Floral artistry is soaring at new heights in 2022. From hanging installations to wearable florals, the role of flowers (and their leafy and twiggy cousins) has grown into a show stopping tenure. I talked with two wedding florists, one wedding florist in Milwaukee and one in Madison, to get the scoop on current and timeless designs. Let’s take a look at what a wedding florist from Milwaukee and a wedding florist from Madison, with fine art eyes, are recommending to clients. We worked together several times this season, and this is a collection of our collective work. Made by them, photographed by 5th Photography. This article is breaking down the prettiest and most delicate flowers you’ll want to to leave room in your heart for in 2022 and in 2050.

2022: Learning from Wedding Florists in Milwaukee and Madison

Flower type and arrangement style make a tremendous impact on the appearance and design of your wedding. With options to drape, hang, cascade, wrap and dendrite, flowers, greenery and blooming branches can absolutely transform a space and elevate a look. In the fine art world, artists do several things. They draw on nature, they use natural lines, they embrace the feel of film and they strive for minimalism in detail or color. Delicate, beautiful, fine art wedding celebrations timelessly weave the work of many artists into a beautiful portrait. Just as you wouldn’t paint a spaceship in the center of a Michel Angelo masterpiece, I urge you to not put a dud arrangement in the center of your wedding.

When we speak about floral arrangements we tend to see minimalism in color or floral type and designs following natural lines. In the latter, flowers are allowed to be themselves. Gone are the tight spherical arrangements that are overproduced and artificial. Instead, for the last decade (at least in fashion-forward markets) we have welcomed hand tied and garden bouquets into wedding design. We have invited tall blossoming branches into our floral arches. And we have even crossed the line into fashion with wearable flowers. Let’s take a look at each of these.

Garden Bouquets by Wedding Florists in Milwaukee and Madison

The name garden bouquet does a great job describing what we are get. Imagine the mix of open and closed buds, imagine varying heights and exposed stems. Floral artists embrace perfect imperfections – crooked stems, unique colors, unlikely pairings. The artists use their eye to create captivating shapes within the bouquets, some draping some standing tall. The driving force behind the design is the abstract shapes and visual appeal. The more the arrangement looks like a painter painted it, the more it is embraced. This is what Rebecca Hawkins, wedding florists in Milwaukee and owner of Bird and Bumble had to say. “Creating subtle contrast, depth, texture and movement is key for a fine art floral bouquet. Each bloom and foliage is hand selected based on quality and seasonality with our couple’s vision in mind.”

For Bird & Bumble brides, Hawkins and her team are always looking for that extra special ingredient or signature touch that will make her garden-style bouquet sing. Bird and Bumble, a top florist in Milwaukee, says that adding “a supporting seasonal foliage tucked low in the bouquet for structure, a flowering branch for extension, a cluster of fragrant blooms for impact, or a dancing ranunculus” add the finishing touch.”

Blossoming Branches for Your Wedding

Blossoms in various stages can be pulled into designs to add height, bulk and texture. Imagine a vase full of tall cherry blossoms pulling toward the ceiling of a massive venue, filling the air (with pretty sights and smells), and creating visual dimension to those seated and standing. That’s what Ariyl Doran, wedding florist in Madison and owner of Briar Loft created in for a beautiful celebration in Milwaukee, this past April. Imagine long branches curved into large arches, towering high above your head, adding beauty to outdoor paths and doorways. That’s the beauty you get with Blossoming branches.

Wearable Florals for Brides and Grooms in Wisconsin

If you’re not yet familiar with the breadth of this lineup, be prepared to swoon. You’ve seen boutonnières, these are wearables and have a strong legacy in the wedding industry. But have you seen the hair pieces? Head bands, combs, clips, and tucked stems. It seems like there is an endless number of ways to wear these cute-as-a-button designs. Milwuakee wedding florist Bird and Bumble says

Wedding Florals By Season for Your Celebration Told By Florists in Milwaukee and Madison

Hand-pick your florist to ensure they specialize in these designs, ensure you see art behind the design. Look for movement, color, and shape. Does this arrangement look like it was bought in a grocery aisle? How about the craft aisle? If you answer yes to either, think again. Fine art florals are not a specific design, but a universe of options that withstand the test of time. They weave beauty and delicate detail into a masterpiece of nature and design. Do yourself a favor and skip the rigid designs of the spherical floral 90s – the rigidity become dated quickly (shoulder pads anyone?)

I’d like to introduce you to two florists that are making Wisconsin and the world more beautiful through their floral design work. Local to Madison and Milwaukee, both ladies and their teams are available for travel. All the floral designs in these images in this post were created by them. Their arrangements embody the timelessness I look for in wedding design and that you see in all my photography work.

Briar Loft and Bird & Bumble have put a list of beautiful blooms by season. This is the way to go for arrangements that withstand the test of time. Use this to guide your wedding table florals, wearable flowers and bouquet designs. Consider a bouquet for your engagement session – you can never go wrong with beautiful flowers.

Spring Wedding Flowers

hellebore
spirea
blooming branches
lilac
muscari
fritillaria
hyacinth
heirloom daffodils
butterfly ranunculus
specialty tulips
poppies

Summer Wedding Florist Selections

California garden roses
peonies
scabiosa
ranunculus
butterfly ranunculus
larkspur
blueberry foliage
snowberry
geum
campanula
double lisianthus
phlox
cosmos

Autumn Flowers for Your Wedding

dahlias
chocolate cosmos
clematis vine
heirloom chrysanthemums
chocolate Queen Anne’s lace
gomphrena
toffee rose
brown lisianthus
ranunculus
ninebark
marigolds

Winter Flowers to Warm Up Your wedding

Japanese sweet pea
hellebore
amaryllis
gardenia
anemone
lady slipper orchids
phalaenopsis
mimosa acciasia
camellia
pieris japonica
festival bush

No matter which blooms you choose, carefully plan the beauty around them. Beautiful vases, ribbons, vessels and linens are a must. Bird and Bumble say that their team “highly recommends finishing bouquets with a hand-dyed silk ribbon to add softness, movement and tone.” As a photographer, I definitely agree. Ribbon is such a feminine touch that adds movement that film and fine art photography love. That’s not all we agree on, either. “Remember to take posing tips from your photographer, hold your bouquet much lower than you think, and don’t forget to make plans to have your bouquet preserved well before your wedding date,” says Hawkins. As a photographer, I always say keep your bouquet hand at your navel – allow your bouquet to be the pedestal for your portrait. From there we can do a lot with it!

In conclusion, we see there plethora of options and inspiration. Reach out if we can help you select beautiful flowers and create exquisite images for your wedding day.

Before you go, you may be interested in pairing these beautiful designs with a venue that will make you and your guests swoon. Take a look at the Villa Terrace wedding venue and also St. James 1868 in Milwaukee for your wedding.