I’ve been loving sharing all of the behind the scenes details about our wedding menu, our vendors and my dresses, and now it’s officially time to talk about the FLOWERS! My friend, Laurence Rich, is taking over the blog today because she is the creative genius behind our floral design!
If you’re not familiar with Laurence, she is the owner and lead designer at FleuRich and is extremely talented. When deciding who I wanted to design the flowers for our wedding, it was a no-brainer to ask Laurence!
Without further ado… Laurence, take it away!
For the those who don’t know me, my name is Laurence Rich and I have had the immense pleasure of working with Jillian and Justin on various projects from the very early days of FleuRich Creations. Designing their wedding flowers was one of those magical projects that reminded me exactly why I fell in love with floral design in the first place. Jillian has an incredible eye for detail and a deep appreciation for simplistic beauty that feels natural, joyful, and heartfelt — and somehow, before even getting the full picture from Jordan and Devon of Smitten Events, I knew she wanted the flowers to reflect that same feeling throughout the entire day.
From the very beginning, our goal was to create a floral story that felt romantic and relaxed, yet polished and timeless. We wanted every petal to feel intentional — like it belonged exactly where it was. The flower selection had to reflect the blooms sowed on Jillian and Justin’s beautiful farm, therefore local and seasonal flowers were a must. A designer’s dream to be honest! The palette was soft and airy, inspired by the lakeside setting and the golden light that filters through late-summer evenings: blush, ivory, and peach tones paired with touches of powder blue and buttery yellow.
The entire floral selection included hydrangeas, garden roses, dahlias, lisianthus, delphinium, zinnias, cosmos, Queen Anne’s lace, snapdragons, and more. Every element was meant to feel like it had just been gathered from a flourishing garden, artfully arranged in simple, classic vessels.
The Bridal Bouquet
Jillian’s bouquet was my favourite thing to do — I always design the bride’s bouquet, usually the first thing I do. I wanted it to feel whimsical yet refined, as though it could have been plucked from a countryside garden that morning. The bouquet featured a lush mix of garden roses, lisianthus, dahlias, zinnias, delphinium, Queen Anne’s lace, cosmos, and snapdragons, on a base of baptisia foliage and boxwood. Each stem played its part — the roses and lisianthus adding softness and romance, delphinium and cosmos lending playful movement, and the Queen Anne’s lace adding a light, airy texture that tied everything together.
One of my favourite things about this bouquet was its balance — structured enough to feel elegant, but still loose and organic, echoing the natural surroundings of Jillian and Justin’s lakeside ceremony. The subtle blue tones of the delphinium were the perfect complement to the overall soft palette. I hadn’t seen any of the dresses, but I kind of went with the idea that the ceremony one would have a classic feel and I didn’t want the bouquet to overpower her.
The Bridesmaids’ Bouquets
The bridesmaids carried bouquets made entirely of cosmos, one of Jillian’s favourite flowers. I loved the idea of something simple yet full of character to go with the mix matching dresses.
But — as weddings go — there’s always a bit of behind-the-scenes magic (and maybe a touch of chaos!). About an hour before the ceremony, the heat of the day started to take its toll, and some of the cosmos were beginning to wilt. So, I did what any determined florist would do — I walked (or ran!) over to cosmos in the field by the farmhouse, clippers in hand, and harvested fresh stems in a hurry. We ended up redoing the bouquets at ultra-speed, rehydrating, trimming, and tying them up just in time. It was a true team effort.
Lesson of the day, keep the cosmo bouquets in the cooler as long as possible.
The Ceremony
The ceremony took place beneath a canopy of a majestic willow tree, overlooking the lake — the stone stairs with the forced arched shaped tree. Chef’s kiss. I expected Jillian and Justin to go with a traditional floral arch under the willow tree, but honestly, making the aisle the statement piece was the best choice!
One of Jillian and Justin’s requests was to use as many of the flowers from their properties as possible. Especially the Hydrangeas! Boy did we use them. Most of the hundreds of Hydrangeas stems used in the ceremony arrangements were harvested from Jillian and her cousin Tori’s backyards. Those backyard blooms added such a meaningful touch — they weren’t just beautiful; they were personal.
To fill out the installations, we supplemented with more hydrangeas from Posies & Pedals, ensuring the arrangements stayed full and vibrant in the warm afternoon sun. In addition, I sourced hundreds of local dahlias, Zinnias and Lisianthus from Blumen Fields Farm, Sanctuary Gardens, Posies & Pedals, Lavender & Lace and Rambling Wild Family Farm. Each bloom contributing its own unique shape and tone. Resulting in a floral aisle that looked as though it had naturally grown along the path — full of life, love, and colour.
The Reception Tent
For the reception, we wanted to create a floral atmosphere that complemented the elegant yet inviting tent design, while keeping the tables open for family-style dining. Each table was adorned with a mix of compact centrepieces and delicate bud vases, filled with a blend of pink, peach, and blue blooms — the same palette carried through from the ceremony, just softened for an evening glow.
The arrangements featured dahlias, lisianthus, garden roses, and delphinium, accented with sprigs of cosmos and Queen Anne’s lace for movement. The goal was to keep the flowers low and conversational — allowing guests to enjoy both the blooms and each other.
One of my favourite sustainable details was the repurposing of the aisle flowers. After the ceremony, our team carefully relocated and refreshed them for the reception space, placing them in front of the live band stage and at the base of the elegant seating chart display. With a few replacements and touch-ups, they seamlessly transformed from daytime romance to evening celebration.
If you’re planning a wedding and loved Jillian and Justin’s floral design, my advice is to start with feeling before flowers. Ask yourself — what kind of mood do you want your guests to feel when they walk into your ceremony or sit at your table? From there, you can build your floral story — one that reflects your personality.
For Jillian and Justin, that story was one of heartfelt beauty, family connection, and joy — a celebration that felt like home, wrapped in petals. None of this would have been possible without my incredible team of freelancers; (Meg, Nicole, Erin, Abby, and Elizabeth), who worked tirelessly alongside me for an entire week leading up to the wedding. From early morning farm runs to late-night design sessions, every single person poured their heart into this celebration. It was truly a labor of love — one filled with laughter, teamwork, and the kind of creative energy that reminds me why I adore what I do. I’m endlessly grateful for each of them and so proud of what we created together for Jillian and Justin’s unforgettable day.
I want to say a HUGE thank you to Laurence for writing this incredible blog. If you’re planning a wedding, I hope this blog gave you tons of inspiration for your floral design!
xo
Jilly
