Welcome, welcome to my refreshed Iris and Blue journal. Well, a gorgeous and shiny, new website deserves a lovely new diary.
Here, I’ll be documenting the interesting parts of my life in flowers. I’ll be sharing hints and tips, directions and trends and some inspiring and pretty pictures to lust over.
Although we’re almost half way through 2023 already, I was moved by some of my past and recent client briefs to pen a short note on injecting colour in to your event flowers.
Of course, white and green is still predominantly the palette I’m requested to work with for weddings. And, if you follow me on Insta, that’s abundantly clear. What’s more, I’m a self confessed neutrals gal myself so I’m always drawn to creating dried arrangements in varying shades of cream and brown. They’re the most requested and very easy to live with. Essential when they don’t die! However, in more recent times – and to my delight – there have been increasing requests for event florals in bolder tones.
Perhaps it’s no coincidence, that such requests coincided with the Pantone Institute declaring a knockout shade for their Colour of the Year. Yes, a world away from 2021’s Ultimate Grey, this year is the striking 18-1750 Viva Magenta. Think a pink that just got more confident. It’s deeper and darker moving towards a warm, earthy yet vibrant red tone.
Softer tones of blush have featured on the flower fashion radar for some time, but this shade is way more passionate.
Indeed, Pantone Colour Institute’s Exec Director declared that it ‘promotes optimism and joy‘. What better floral colour choice for any client throwing an event to mark an important moment in life. Who needs booze when you can intoxicate your guests with love and happiness the minute they see the flowers – Viva la Viva indeed!
Furthermore, Vogue writer, Luke Leitch commented that Viva Magenta is an ‘oomphy, sophisticated shade of red that delivers powerful value to the eye.’ He’s quite right too, and it doesn’t take a lot of strong colour to add the punch you require in event florals. Mixed with softer coloured petals this bold shade is a sure fire winner to deliver mega watt impact on the best of days. See image for an arrangement we created for a chapel at the beginning of the year which demonstrates the point perfectly. A little ‘oomph’ goes a long way.
The point I’m making doesn’t just apply to Viva Magenta. Unless you want to go all out with 100% bright bold blooms then any deeper, darker accent shade will do the trick. See below examples of how orange paired with green and whites can work just as well.
It’s possibly a happy coincidence that my next wedding in the beautiful Blake Room at the Ivy Soho, will see the table centres featuring peonies, hydrangeas, sweet peas and roses in a gorgeous palette of rust, magenta, green and white.
In a world that sometimes feels desperately grey, life affirming moments deserve life affirming colours.