Loretta Stagen Floral Designs

What do palm, banana and monsters leaves, pine tips and pine cones have in common? For me at least, they bespoke of the favorite haunts of the two nature lovers who were about to tie the knot. It was my happy task to work these elements into large and elegant wedding at Manursing Island Club in Rye, NY, drawing upon a palette of white and green. And because the bride’s family splits its year between Rye and Bermuda, I had the mother of the bride’s white coral collection to draw upon as well. For the ceremony at the Church of the Resurrection, I had decorated the pews and altar with a variety of white flowers, lady’s mantle, seeded eucalyptus, grevillea and galax leaves. As the bridal party proceeded down the aisle, the bridesmaids’ deep navy dresses served as brilliant backdrops for the floral confections of white and green I’d made as bouquets. Shortly thereafter, as 285 guests gathered under a glistening tent, centerpieces of roses, lisianthus, freesia, hydrangeas, hyp...

The stage set was a landscape worthy of a Connecticut Impressionist painting. The ceremony took place in the spectacular gardens of the groom’s grandparents overlooking acres of treetops. The focal point was a simple arch of birch limbs decorated with tendrils of gerber daisies cascading from the structure. During the ceremony the couple exchanged custom leis which matched the bride’s stunning sari. This was a wedding of two families celebrating love and culture and beauty, seemingly all at once. After vows were exchanged, the 150 guests moved inside a pristine tent, where colorful orange, hot pink and spring green centerpieces of roses, dahlias and ladies mantle were featured. The flowers were tucked into birch containers which complimented the beauty of the wooded hills beyond. Connecticut in summer is a sea of greens and on the very best of days, gently rustling breezes. I suspect this elegantly understated wedding was one guests and family will remember.

What makes a wedding special? Sometimes it’s as simple as using flowers from the mother of the bride’s cutting garden. I thought of this recently as I filled buckets with flowers for a bridal bouquet for a summer wedding at Great Hollow Preserve in New Fairfield. Photo by Anna Beeke As it turned out, zinnias of many varieties and colors, dahlias, phlox, daisies, Queen Anne’s lace and peegee hydrangeas – made for a sumptuous summer mélange that worked wonderfully in many combinations. I loved the way the Queen’s Anne Lace mirrored the lace in the bride’s lovely gown; and that simple birch branches, topped with a spray of delphinium, hydrangeas and snapdragons, was transformed into a ceremonial arch. Photo by Anna Beeke Photo by Anna Beeke Photo by Anna Beeke The bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnières, 108 centerpieces and large stand-alone arrangements drew similarly from this charming floral palette. Antiqued metal containers and long wooden farm tables completed...