Ask a Wedding Florist: Frequently Asked Questions Vol. 2

Welcome back to my Ask a Wedding Florist series, where I answer the most common questions about what it’s really like to be a floral designer for weddings and events in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We know that life’s biggest celebrations aren’t about playing it safe. So for couples who want to surprise and delight their guests, we offer a full-service floral experience that goes beyond expectations.

In collaboration with your planner and vendor team, we craft a one-of-a-kind floral vision that feels intentional, personal, and beyond imagination. From artful bouquets and personal florals to detailed tablescapes and dramatic large-scale installations, we thoughtfully design every detail. Our goal is that our clients’ wedding florals are more than just beautiful; they’re unforgettable.

Here’s a bit of a behind the scenes peek at what goes into our design process.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

1 - Do you work with event planners and designers?

Yes! Every wedding, event, and corporate client I work with has a planner or designer who leads the overall design aesthetic, then brings in vendors who align with that vision. We’ll collaborate closely to create a floral design that feels cohesive and intentional. Here are some of my favorite planners in the San Francisco Bay Area/Northern California to partner with time and time again:

• Harlene Events

• Meag Breanne Events

• Jacinda Weddings & Events

• Small Blue Planet

• Stafford Creative & Co

• Lorelle Events

• Olivia Grace Events

• Riley Loves Lulu

2 - What does the design process look like from inquiry to event day?

The process kicks off with a consultation meeting where I’ll ask questions like:

• What mood would you like the flowers to evoke?

• Is there anything specific you want to avoid?

• What’s your personal style?

• What inspires you/your event?

• What will you be wearing?

• What are your biggest fears when it comes to your floral designs?

• What sort of experience do you want for your guests?

Most clients have a Pinterest board or design deck as a starting point. I don’t like to copy and paste so I’ll evolve that vision, apply color theory, gather inspiration, and let ideas marinate before presenting a custom floral design concept. From there, we refine it together — ingredient selection, vessels, candles, rentals — until it’s time to bring it all to life.

3 - Do you sketch or mock up designs before creating them?

Often! A lot of my ideas don’t exist on Pinterest, so a sketch or rendering is a really helpful tool for communicating my vision to my clients and my team.

For some events we’ll do what is called a ‘mockup’ (a curated preview of the event’s florals, usually a tablescape) to refine details like palette, textures, size, and overall vibe. It’s a great way to ensure everyone is aligned before event day.

Here’s a digital rendering I created for a wedding tablescape with Meag Breanne Events.

And here’s how it turned out IRL:

Photography: Chelsea Gee Photography | Planning: Meag Breanne Events

4 - How do you choose which flowers to use in a design?

The season and palette always determine my starting point. I’ll use a mix of tools (like this book and the color wheel), chat with my suppliers, and browse the market in person to get inspired. I’ll go back to the client’s goals and objectives and focus on choosing blooms that match that. I am specifically looking for:

• The star of the show — one super special bloom to set the tone for the palette

• Two-toned blooms — a flower with two colors from the palette for harmonious color blending

• An added ‘pop’ — usually a complementary color or unexpected texture for contrast

• Non-floral elements — think plants, fruits/vegetables, rocks, moss, and textiles, for an artful look

That’s all for today! Up Next: The Logistics Behind Wedding & Event Florals — including a look at what it’s like transporting thousands of dollars of fresh florals on a hot summer day, what happens to flowers after an event, and more. Got a burning question? Send me a DM or share it in the comments here, and I’ll be sure to answer in a future post!

Let’s Bring Your Floral Vision to Life!

With us, every design is an original work of art. And every event gets our undivided attention. Whether it’s a showstopping ceremony installation or a nuanced tablescape moment, we design experiences that will have your guests talking long after the event ends and have you focusing on the moments, not the details.

Inquire here to schedule a consultation, and we can start a journey together that will elevate your vision beyond the imaginable.

A Moody & Elegant November Wedding at Flood Mansion in San Francisco

This moody November wedding at James Leary Flood Mansion was all about creating a vibey, conversation-starting dinner party with florals at the heart of the design.

Bride Hannah of Hannah Aubrey Hair had a strong vision: no two arrangements or tablescapes should feel the same. She wanted bold florals, unexpected details, and an atmosphere that immersed guests in beauty and intrigue. Working alongside Meag Breanne Events, we eagerly embraced the challenge!

Luxury Tablescapes with Monochromatic Florals & Textural Details

For the reception, we curated distinct tablescapes so that each felt like a one-of-a-kind moment, designed to keep guests engaged, spark conversations, and of course provide an Instagrammable moment :)

Tablescapes were designed with an array of both traditional and modern flower varieties, including red roses, carnations, orchids, peonies, hydrangea, hypericum berry, calla lilies, and butterfly ranunculus. 

Some key elements of the tables included:

• Mismatched vessels sourced and thrifted from all over the Bay Area

• Monochromatic floral arrangements as statement pieces

• Miniature mono-bloom arrangements in tiny and delicate vessels 

• Overflowing fruitscapes for rich color and texture

• Scattered rose petals for added romance

• Silk and velvet ribbons for texture

• Plentiful candlelight for a romantic glow

A Romantic Ceremony with Statement Floral Urns

We wanted to embrace Flood Mansion’s timeless elegance and complement the venue’s architecture. We filled the venue’s gorgeous urns with lush overflowing greenery and deep red blooms including red roses and peonies. The ceremony setting felt dramatic and high-impact, a striking combination of traditional yet modern.

The Process Behind This Bespoke Floral Design

From hand-selecting every vessel across local Bay Area shops over the course of months, to spending a full day curating the perfect fruits, every detail was intentionally designed. We even applied individual bows and pearls into designs for an added layer of depth — loved that detail so much! Giving my talented design team carte blanche to push the envelope made this project that much more rewarding.

Florals that Create Unforgettable Moments

What made this wedding truly special was how each table felt like its own world, full of unexpected elements that delighted guests at every turn. It was more than just floral design—it was about creating an experience that felt intimate, elevated, and unforgettable.

If you’re planning a luxury wedding or event in the San Francisco Bay Area and seeking a floral designer to bring bold, artful designs to life, let’s chat! We’d love to hear more about your goals, and collaborate together via our high-touch floral design experience to create something extraordinary together. 

Inquire here to get the conversation started! 

VENDOR TEAM

Planning & Design: Meag Breanne Events

Photographer: Chelsea Gee Photography

Floral Design: Anastasia Andenmatten

Catering: Foxtail Catering

Makeup Artist: Olivia Garvin Makeup

Hair Stylist: Meg Michel Hair

Music: Dart Collective

Content Creator: Cupid Content Co.

Cake: Cake Coquette

Rentals Theoni Collection & Abbey Party Rents

Linens: BBJ La Tavola

Venue: Flood Mansion

A Wintry Wedding at Cavallo Point

Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito is easily one of my favorite venues in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California overall. Breathtaking views of the Golden Gate bridge, the bay, the San Francisco skyline, AND the Marin hills -- all from one spot. The setting is historic, and accommodations are pure luxury (I love that couples and their guests can spend the night here, so convenient). All of this to say, this was a super sweet spot for Maria and Matt’s intimate elopement celebration. 

For Maria’s bridal bouquet I started with panda anemones (her favorite!) as a focal flower, then incorporated softer wintry tones. I used autumn eucalyptus as an ode to the many eucalyptus trees found around the Cavallo Point property, brown lisianthus, white sweetpeas, scabiosa, and a pop of berry-like elements for texture. Light and airy bud vases and centerpieces in warm metallic pedestal vases added the perfect amount of warmth to their al fresco candlelight dinner. 

California elopement photographer Natalie N captured their day so well. Scroll tot see some of my favorites!

VENDORS 

Photography: Natalie N

Floral Design: Anastasia Andenmatten

Venue: Cavallo Point Lodge

Anastasia Andenmatten is a floral design studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area with a modern approach to customizing florals for weddings, businesses, and events.

Flower Guide: Winter Wedding Flowers

A roundup of my favorite unexpected and overlooked wedding flowers for the winter season. 

Sania Pell

Fritillaria

The snake’s head variety, in particular. This checkered bell-shaped lily is super delicate and whimsical. Ideal for petite arrangements, like in a shallow ikebana dish in a tablescape, or a bridal bouquet. Fritillaria kind of marks the entrance to Spring from Winter, and there’s truly no other flower like it.

Anna Haber

Heather

We tend to see Heather pop up around Valentine’s Day as it comes in shades of pink, lavender, and white. While commercially it tends to be used as filler, its soft, organic, sweeping texture makes it the perfect fit for a large-scale floral installation, all on its own. Heather has my heart. 

Hellebore

These are easy to come by locally in the San Francisco Bay Area, and there’s a window of time in the winter that we find the most beautiful shades — from muted pinks and ivories, to deep moody purples and blacks. These soft focal blooms are delicate yet hearty, and make a beautiful addition to a bridal bouquet. 

Sweet Pea

The varieties we see in the winter months are imported from Japan and Holland, versus the shorter, viney varieties found in the San Francisco Bay Area come summer. But they are the most beautiful out there. They come in a range of hues, from muted blush to cool lavender to bright coral. Soft, delicate, and with a sweet scent, these are the perfect fit for the romantic bride. Sweet Pea is a go-to ‘line’ flower in my designs. 

Kumquat

Adding any fruit to an arrangement instantly makes it more dynamic, and citrus is especially appropriate for winter. I love using Kumquats for their bright and cheery color, typically placing them low in an arrangement and hanging off the lip of the vase. Ideal for a colorful wedding design!

Garden Gate Magazine

Amaryllis

Commonly known as a Christmas flower bulb, but with so much more potential. These show-stoppers are bold and long-lasting. Amaryllis stems are upwards of 2’, so they can really shine in tall arrangements or large-scale installations, especially when all on their own. They come in the prettiest winter hues -- creams, pinks, corals, deep burgundies, and mixed varietals.

Color Theory Design

Lily

I’m cheating a bit with these because they’re generally available year-round, but lilies are long-lasting, come in many varieties, and have a memorable scent. They’re a great option for a large-scale floral installation (like this one by Color Theory Design Co.) used all on their own or with minimal other ingredients, and a perfect fit for an adventurous bride looking to make a statement.

Carnation

Easily one of the most under-appreciated flowers. But let me sell you on these! Carnations are hearty and long-lasting, which is why you often see them used in commercial arrangements (and why they get a bad rap). But they can be found in an endless variety of colors, my favorite being the more muted tones. I love using carnations in a monochromatic palette for added texture.

LET’S CHAT

For more wedding tips, head back to my blog for posts like 7 tips for creating your wedding moodboard. I am currently accepting wedding inquiries for 2022. Schedule a complimentary floral consultation here. I’d love to hear more about your day!

Anastasia Andenmatten is a floral design studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area with a modern approach to customizing florals for weddings, businesses, and events.