Vendor Feature- Tips For Your Wedding Florals

Feb 11

Flowers play a key role in creating the perfect wedding atmosphere, from breathtaking bouquets to enchanting floral arches. This week, we’re thrilled to feature Alyssa from Hawthorn Plains, a talented wedding florist known for her stunning arrangements and attention to detail.

Whether you’re dreaming of a classic, elegant look or a whimsical, garden-inspired theme, Alyssa specializes in turning floral visions into reality. With a passion for design and a commitment to excellence, they create unforgettable floral experiences that elevate every wedding.

Read on to discover how Hawthorn Plains can bring beauty and romance to your special day!

How did you get into floral design/ weddings

My husband, Colin is the reason I got into floral design and started my own business! The pandemic led me to reevaluate the career I was in, and what I wanted to do with my future. Colin asked me if I could do anything. What would that be? Without really thinking about it, I said something with flowers. That was all I knew, but I had no idea how I would get there. He asked me prompting questions, and without my knowing took everything I said and turned it into a cover letter, which he then sent out to flower shops. One day I got a call from a flower shop to come in for an interview. I thought it was spam, to which Colin told me what he had done, and that was my first introduction to florals! From there, I discovered my true passion was with wedding florals. Once again, Colin was there to encourage me to start my own business and has always helped me dream bigger! Hawthorn Plains is the result of that dream!

What is something you wish brides knew before they came to talk to you?

One thing I wish couples knew before they talked to me is you don’t have to have all the answers! Something niche about wedding florists, is we want to be creative for you! We love when you come with ideas and a vision that we can expand upon, conceptualize and design to reflect you. Because let’s face it, once you start a Pinterest board the next thing you know you will have about ten different weddings planned and all of them have a unique style and colour palette. While Pinterest and Instagram can be a great tool they may be showing florals that aren’t in season or even ones that we cannot get here in Canada. Lean on the professionals you hire, their wealth of knowledge and let them help you make informed decisions!

What are your favorite florals/ color palettes and why?

It’s always tricky picking a favorite flower as a florist but I would have to say dahlias would be at the top of my list! I love dahlias, because each bloom incorporates so many shades and tones within a single flower. Dahlias really create a colour palette of their own! Another flower I love including in my designs is tweedia. It is a dainty little blue flower that adds a touch of something blue. Adding blue to your colour palette brings homage to the tradition of something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. I am a sucker for tradition and anything sentimental.

What is your favorite thing about designing flowers for weddings?

My favorite part about designing florals for weddings is incorporating something meaningful to the couples! I love getting to know my couples on a personal level and being able to provide a custom touch. Whether that be incorporating a favorite floral into the design, a handwritten note, personally delivering their bouquets and boutonnieres or being able to surprise them with something extra on the day! It’s so much more than a business transaction to me.

What is your number one tip for brides?

My number one tip to couples is: your wedding party size directly impacts your floral investment! If you are looking to reduce your investment point consider disregarding boutonnieres, corsages and reimagine bridesmaid bouquets. A fun alternative to a traditional bridesmaid bouquet is a single stem “bouquet”. Carrying one to three stems still gives the bridesmaids something to carry, but greatly reduces the floral investment. Instead, consider putting your investment towards a knock out ceremony piece that is sure to give a wow factor, or towards elevating the reception. This has a way larger impact than personal florals and is sure to be more memorable!

What do you say is a reasonable budget for brides to consider?

A common rule of thumb when creating your wedding budget is to allocate 10% for wedding florals. At the end of the day, your investment should reflect your priorities. If you place a heavy importance on florals then your investment point will look a lot different than someone who is just looking for personal florals. Once again, I think it is so important to talk to the professionals. It is our job to educate on what flowers cost, be creative on how we can allocate your investment point and provide alternate options and solutions!