Quick Flower Style Guide: Turning Words Into Floral Designs
When couples describe their wedding flowers, they often use words like romantic, organic, or modern. But what do those words actually look like in practice? As florists, we take the words you use to describe the feel of your day and translate them into shapes, textures, and flower choices. Here’s a quick guide to help you connect the language with the look.
Organic
If you want your flowers to feel natural, a little wild, and full of movement—like they were gathered straight from the hillside—this is the style for you.
Shapes & Structure: Dimensional designs with trailing greenery, Hogarth curves, V-shapes, or round-yet-layered arrangements.
Flowers & Foliage: Textural accents like berries, branches, thistle, wax flower, pods, and seeds alongside line flowers.
Overall Feel: Airy, garden-grown, and a little wild with heavier greenery adding depth and movement.
Design Note FOR FLORISTS: Heavier greenery often balances the lighter movement, giving the arrangement depth and flow.
Daria Elyse Photography
Classic
Think timeless elegance—flowers that feel just as perfect now as they will in your photos twenty years from now.
Shapes & Structure: Round, mounded, and symmetrical.
Flowers & Foliage: Timeless blooms such as roses and hydrangea.
Overall Feel: Clean, polished, and elegant. The kind of design that never goes out of style.
Design Note FOR FLORISTS: Keep shapes polished and balanced, letting the flowers’ natural beauty shine without heavy texture or movement.
Kristi Telnov Photography
Romantic
Soft, fluffy, and full of ruffles—this style is all about dreamy blooms that feel like they belong in a love story.
Shapes & Structure: Soft, mounding shapes that feel full and lush.
Flowers & Foliage: Fluffy flowers with ruffles and high petal counts—roses, ranunculus, lisianthus, and peonies.
Overall Feel: Whimsical and dreamy. Works beautifully in many different color palettes, from blush and ivory to rich jewel tones.
Design Note FOR FLORISTS: Works across many color palettes—neutrals for timeless romance, pastels for whimsical sweetness, or deep tones for moody elegance.
Lauren Renee Photography
Garden
Imagine walking through a blooming garden in full swing—flowers at every angle, layers of texture, and the beauty of nature spilling over.
Shapes & Structure: Highly dimensional, layered, and textural. Blooms are placed at different heights and angles to feel like they grew naturally.
Flowers & Foliage: A wide variety of flower shapes and sizes, with trailing greenery adding flow.
Overall Feel: Abundant, colorful, and natural.
Design Note FOR FLORISTS: Emphasize texture and variety—think of each bloom as playing its part in a lively, natural scene.
Eva Lin Photography
Modern
For couples who love bold design and clean lines, modern florals feel sleek, artistic, and fresh—perfect for making a statement.
Shapes & Structure: Clean, intentional lines—either flower-forward or greenery-forward. Often asymmetrical, pave-style, or structured in blocking techniques.
Flowers & Foliage: Trend-driven blooms and techniques like color-blocking or floral-blocking.
Overall Feel: Bold, stylish, and current. Perfect for couples wanting something a little different from tradition.
Design Note: Incorporate techniques like color-blocking or floral-blocking for a contemporary feel, paired with minimalist vessels.
Joey Kennedy Photography
Whether you’re dreaming up your wedding flowers or designing them for a client, knowing the language of style helps ensure everyone is on the same page! What’s your favorite style? Let us know in the comments below!
