9 Experts on How to Incorporate Greenery Into Your Wedding Decor
From outdoor events to designs looking to bring the outside in, these are the ways to get the best out of greens.
Floral design is one of (if not the) key components in a wedding's look and feel. From the tabletop at the reception to the design of the ceremony and all of the arrangements that complete the setting, your floral designer is responsible for bringing color, an intimate feel, and a natural, impactful element to your indoor or outdoor venue.
With the pandemic bringing on the rise of all-outdoor events or celebrations with fluid, indoor/outdoor event flows, it's now more important than ever to utilize natural elements as organically as possible. That's where greenery comes in, be it through big moments like installations or more micro moments like tablescapes and place settings. Greenery is also ideal for the couple who isn't excited by loads of bold florals and wants to achieve a natural feel without the added swaths of color. Ahead, the top names in design and florals weigh in on how to best use greenery when designing your ceremony, reception, tablescape, and more.
Dare to be Different
“As someone who typically loves using an abundance of flowers in my designs, I believe that working with greenery is an opportunity to think outside the box," says Kiana Underwood of Tulipina. "Whenever I minimize or simplify my approach, it forces me to be both bold and intentional in how I structure a design."
Foliage isn't always green, nor is it always the same shape, scale, or texture, so use the parameters that an all-greenery design lays out to get creative, suggests the designer. "Think of the main elements—shape, texture, and color; then, use the working palette to create something eye-catching and dramatic, while still splendidly colorful," says Underwood. "Greenery can be just as artful and dramatic a statement as any floral design.”
Conceal & Reveal
"I love calling on greens to create visual volume; to help distract from something you don't want guests to see," says David Beahm of David Beahm Experiences. "Greenery can also call attention, be used solidly as a wall—or, my favorite, to help add whimsy."
Clusters of ivy or loads of tropical foliage can be used to create depth and dimension on a venue ceiling; the greenery will work to hide all the rigging you don't want guests' eyes on. Or, build a wall surrounding the band or your catering stations to conceal the magic behind the scenes. For moments that feel fun but aren't always aesthetically pleasing, like a photo booth at an after-party, use greenery to cover, accent, and conceal equipment.
"Greenery [of all kinds] can make arrangements dance, shimmer, and help move the eye through space," says Beahm. "Since mother nature gave us so many greens to choose from, it's our duty to find many ways to use them."
Embrace "Filler" Foliage
"In the world of floral design, greenery has gotten a bad rep," says David Stark. "It's long been pigeon-holed as 'filler,' or a method used for cost-cutting floral bouquets. If we look closer, the world of foliage is as sumptuous as the universe of blooms."
Stark suggests tapping into the palette foliage naturally provides, and using a variety of leaves and vines to create texture and dimension in a tablescape. "Green is a color! So, why not employ that into your wedding décor?" he asks. "Use climbing tendrils of vines and interwoven foliage textures within a multileveled still-life of candles that march down rectangular dining tables. Delicate and bold at once, it’s the variation in textures that make this magical and unexpected. We love the paradox of being incredibly tailored—and a little wild at the same time."
Adorn the "Often Overlooked Areas"
"It is easy to incorporate greenery into your design as an element that can transform every surface it touches," says Kristen Griffith Vanderyacht of Wild Bloom Floral and The Big Flower Fight. "Use greenery that lasts a long time out of water—like Camellia and Southern Smilax—to adorn the often overlooked areas of your space, like the bar or the perimeter of the dance floor, to create an aesthetic that feels overgrown yet manicured."
For a larger wow factor, "create a canopy of greenery that floats over the ceremony for an undeniable celebration of nature. If your vibe is more coastal and less metropolitan, try draping a boat with fresh eucalyptus and filling it with local beverages for an interactive drink station."
Skip the Blooms Altogether
"Rather than taking the traditional path for your ceremony decor and focusing on fluffy blooms, try using only greenery in various textures and forms to create that drama and romance," Matthew Robbins and Luis Otoya of Matthew Robbins Design and RobbinsOtoya. "Mix textures and tones to create dimension and depth."
They add, "Grouping potted plants in unique containers frames a ceremony setting or an entrance. Feature a collection of unique potted green plants—like ferns and begonias—as centerpiece decor, surrounded by taper candles and votives. Tropical leaves are also stunning on their own when combined with clean, modern vases."
Texture & Movement Are Key
For Gabriela Salazar of La Musa de las Flores, foliage and greenery is more than just a way of covering vessels or creating some form of structure. "It is really the main element to create shape in an arrangement, to create movement and texture," she says. "I love non-traditional leaves, and I love greenery that has fruits or vegetables in it. It’s fun, more unexpected, and it adds so much freshness to the arrangements."
Bring the Outside In
"When it comes to greenery, it's best to incorporate natural elements indoors as though it's an outdoor landscape," explains Chris Hessney of Hessney & Co. "The worst is when you’re in a ballroom and the plants and flowers are arranged in a way that doesn't feel intentional. Set the mood; trees and vines mixed with lemons will make guests feel as though they are dining in a citrus field in Italy, while a table crawling with vines with chandeliers and foliage cascading overhead will feel like the indoor version of an old English greenhouse."
Think of Green as Your Color Palette
"Greenery can be an entire color palette unto itself," explains Michael Putnam of floral design house Putnam & Putnam. "Skip the traditional green and ivory in favor of a monochromatic one, experimenting with all the shades and tones the color has to offer. The wide variety of textures within a single color can really transform a space and enhance a design. Even without any flowers at all, playing with color in this way will have the same look and feel as a well-thought-out floral design—without the flowers."
Use Greens in a Still Life
"Create a still-life display for an escort card table or centerpiece, combining an array of green foliage and utilizing bottles of varying heights and dimensions," recommends David Stark. "From vivid pea green to light chartreuse, deep, velvety jade to glowing emerald, mixing many shades adds mystery, depth, and dimension."
Stark adds, "Grand, statement arrangements utilizing larger scale leaves provide height and drama to a room. Whether as elevated canopies of green on dining tables or large arrangements on pedestals or tables, mix textures and shapes to create stunning monochromes. With designs like these, it would never even occur to you that flowers are missing!"
Carrie Goldberg is meltsflow.com’s Weddings & Travel Director. She oversees the site’s BAZAAR Bride channel, travel & dining content, and styles fashion and bridal editorials for BAZAAR.com. When she’s not traveling, she spends her free time in her hometown–New York City–where there is no shortage of new places to shop, eat, drink, see and explore.
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