Blue Ridge Mountains Floral Options
When it comes to the Blue Ridge Mountains and planning your floral you will want to look at all your alternative options. Although live plant matter/flowers are not allowed on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the good news is you do not have to go without flowers for your big day. There are so many incredible alternatives so no need to go running to Michaels silk flower section! I interviewed some local florists who offer faux bouquets and ideas for floral alternatives.
Keep scrolling to see what floral options you have when planning your Blue Ridge Mountain elopement or intimate wedding. Find out the benefits of faux bouquets and some tips when planning your floral details. While I think hiring an expert florist will give you fresh creative ideas, help your vision come to life, and make your day easier, there are certainly some other options too.
You can work with a creator on Etsy to make you a bouquet like this one.
You can have incredibly realistic paper flowers custom made for you by Paper Rose Co. or my local friend who is an incredible artist, Hilary Siber!
You could purchase your own faux flowers and make an organic bouquet yourself with sources like Bloomist and the Magnolia Market.
And the biggest perk? You’ll have a beautiful memento from your day that will last forever.
Interview with Meraki Blommor
What inspired you to make faux bouquets?
I loved the idea of creating something that is everlasting. While real florals are my first love, dried and faux have become a growing passion as they can stick around to remind our clients of the memories long after the event day is gone.
If brides are needing a faux bouquet especially when eloping in the Blue Ridge Mountains is there anything different, they should know or suggestions you have for getting the best faux bouquet possible?
Do your research and take your time. Finding realistic-looking faux bouquets takes a detailed eye and unfortunately, not all faux flowers are created equal. If you do not trust yourself, you can always go to a professional.
What are the benefits of faux bouquets?
Along with the earlier point that they do not ever wilt, faux bouquets open lots of doors to flowers that may not be in season during the time of your wedding without breaking the bank. In addition, you have a bit more control over color palettes and the quality of florals than you would real flower.
Why do you think florals are valuable on a wedding day?
Florals only enhance the couple getting married in my opinion. Think of it like you would a picture frame or an item of clothing. They showcase the person or picture in them. Florals give a bare space character and speak to the couple’s personality - which to me is the most important part of a wedding day. An expression of both people and the love you share.
What else can you use faux flowers for?
Anything and everything! That is the most amazing part about faux or dried as they do not have a ton of limitations when it comes to mechanics. From dog collars to floating floral arbors, faux is super easy to work with.
Interview with Blooming Branch Creative
What services do you offer to couples having intimate weddings or elopements?
We offer a design and planning package for intimate wedding and elopement couples. But we are always willing to customize our services based on a client’s specific needs. We can help with design decisions, help visualize a set-up for a small space and create a room layout, set up an elopement site, or anything else!
Why do feel so passionate about the design aspect of a wedding day?
Design matters because your wedding and marriage are important, and it should look and feel important too. Special, memorable experiences are formed by all the aesthetic details (or things that speak to your five senses) around you and every detail makes a difference in whether an experience will feel relaxing or stressful, inviting, or awkward, interesting, or boring. Aesthetics are not just about beauty – they impact our entire well-being and influence our brains in incredibly unique ways. They connect us physically to our emotional and intellectual experiences. Your wedding day will be special because of the commitment you make to one another, but the design and aesthetic details are what help it feel special and what will help you remember it for the rest of your lives.
How can couples who want an intimate wedding in the Blue Ridge Mountains or elopement include details?
We like to consider who our clients are and what is important to them. Then pull elements of those unique personal details into their celebration. Do you love beautiful paper? You can send a beautiful “We Eloped!” announcement to friends and family in place of an invitation. Are you and your fiancé obsessed with a local coffee shop? Consider inviting one of their baristas to set up at your intimate reception and craft specialty drinks for your guests after dinner. Did a late loved one grow dahlias? Let us get those in your bouquet and find some heirloom seeds for you to share with your loved ones in celebration. Having a small or intimate wedding in many ways increases the opportunity for you to hone in on little details like this and make your day unique, special, and intensely personal.
Any specific nontraditional ideas for a ceremony or reception for a smaller wedding?
The possibilities are endless! I love including highly curated and special guest gifts for intimate wedding guests because the cost is so much lower than it would be for a high guest count, and they can be used on the table as part of the design. It is such a unique way for a couple to make their small guests feel welcomed and celebrated too. I also love creating simple and unique altar spaces, like adding tons of ribbon strands to an outdoor tree, putting vintage rugs outside to create an aisle, or You can also get creative with your post-ceremony celebration, like creating a luxurious picnic,
Can you speak to the benefit of having fewer people at your wedding in terms of design and details?
There is something to be said for a small celebration and the benefits are endless. With fewer guests, you can afford to make what is important to you extra great instead of trying to spread your budget thin over all the costs of a large celebration. Are you a big foodie? You will be able to afford much higher quality catering for your guests and enjoy a delicious meal together. Or you love good wine. It is far more realistic to provide your favorites for a small group versus a larger one. Maybe aesthetics is your thing, you can make fewer centerpieces and table settings elaborate and special.
A lot of my couples are getting married in nature such as the Blue Ridge Mountains. How can they incorporate nature into the details of their day?
Nature is the ultimate source of inspiration for unique colors, textures, and shapes. Gathered and foraged items are also sustainable and, in many cases, free! I love plant-dyes and the colors they can create for your table linens or invitations. Seed paper is the coolest for place cards, menus, or event invitations.
What is the most unique way you have seen a couple incorporate their personality into their wedding day details?
Last year, I worked with a groom whose great-grandmother had passed away shortly before their wedding. She had a large and extensive collection of buttons. So in her honor, the bride included some of the buttons from that collection on her groom’s boutonniere and on the ribbon of her bouquet. She surprised her groom with this detail during their first look. I do not think I have ever seen a groom cry so hard on his wedding day. It was incredibly sweet and emotional, and I was so honored to be a part of making it happen for them.
Do you have any suggestions for unique florals that are not live plant material when eloping in the Blue Ridge Mountains?
There are plenty of options! Synthetic and natural dried flowers and grasses are readily available in places like Afloral. You can also find interesting wooden ones on Etsy. Paper flowers from places like Paper Rose Co. are also a cool option that often looks like the real thing but last forever!