#BouquetBreakdown - The "Laurel"

We're back! We heard you love our bouquet breakdowns so we're here with another one! This time a little more springy. This quarantine lockdown has up craving those bright colors so we decided to play with some bright pinks and yellows. 

The third bouquet in our series is named the "Laurel". The "Laurel" is definitely a little out of our comfort zone with some blooms that we typically don't use and a succulent!

So why do we love this bouquet so much? 

The simple answer, it's a different style than we normally do! We LOVE the garden style and big boho greenery bouquets with tons of color. However, we find that our brides typically like an all-white or white and blush bouquet. We don't blame them we do love our all-white bouquets. 

So what's in this bouquet? 

We have five different types of greenery and four different types of blooms along with that gorgeous succulent. 

Bay Leaf: Bay leaf (aka Laurel) is the greenery that we find most closely matches seeded eucalyptus. It's long slender leaves and light green color are a great fill in when seeded eucalyptus is not available. During some parts of the year bay leaf also has small "seeds" attached to the stem. Bay leaf is available year-round and we give it a $$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale.

Baby Blue Eucalyptus: Baby blue eucalyptus is a traditional greenery that has been used for years! The long and sturdy stems are great for adding height to a bouquet or arrangement and the dusty green color is, of course, a favorite among brides. This variety of eucalyptus does put off a sticky sap when the leaves are stripped so it's important to wear your gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after processing it. This variety of eucalyptus is also quite fragrant and great for hanging on your shower head in your bathroom. Between the steam from the hot water and the aroma of the eucalyptus, you'll feel like you're in a personal spa. Baby blue eucalyptus is available year-round and we give it a $$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. 

Silver Dollar Eucalyptus: Silver dollar eucalyptus is the hottest eucalyptus among wedding couples today. The leaf shape can vary from perfectly round to oval to even a perfect heart. This is a great greenery to lighten up a bouquet and add some bulk. Silver dollar eucalyptus is available for the most part year-round but does go off crop for a short stint in the spring. We give silver dollar eucalyptus $$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. P.S. It tends to be one of the most expensive greenery options.

Leatherleaf Fern: Leatherleaf fern is the most traditional greenery used by florists and we find it to be a little underrated. It is a beautiful true deep green shade that allows the flowers' blossoms to be highlighted. Leatherleaf is available year-round and we give it $ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. You'll typically find this tucked into all of our arrangements in one way or another. 

Israeli Ruscus: Israeli ruscus to cousin to the famous Italian ruscus. Much like the leatherleaf fern, israeli ruscus offers a nice true green as well. It's a great greenery to add height and volume to any arrangement. It also gives a great texture as it has a unique leaf shape. Israeli ruscus is available year-round and we give it a $ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. 

Ursula Purple Thistle: Ursula purple thistle is a true purple thistle. It is often quite vibrant and sure to catch your eye. Thistle is a multi-branch flower which gives you a great bang for your buck. It is available in many colors from light green to purple to a true blue. Most specific thistle varieties have their own season but usually, some variety is available year-round. Ursula purple thistle is in season from December to May. We give this variety of thistle a $$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. 

Ranunculus: Ranunculus are fastly becoming one of the most popular wedding flowers. Their fluffy petals and unique petal pattern are highly sought after. They make wonderful boutonnieres as they last great out of water. They are available in virtually every color imaginable and have some incredibly unique varieties available to be shipped in from Japan. The standard ranunculus are available year-round but the designer and highly sought after ranunculus are available from November to March.  We give ranunculus $$$ our of $$$$$ on the expensive scale and even higher ratings for the imported ranunculus. 

White Anemones (with a kiss of blush): Anemones are another unique blooming flower. They don't have any great dupes which makes them highly sought after. Their dark black centers can throw off a navy tone in some varieties. Anemones are also available in a wide variety of colors such as white, red, blue, purple, pink and even a beautiful burgundy wine color. They are a very delicate flower with tissue paper-thin petals. They are often placed last into a bouquet. We do not recommend anemones as boutonnieres. While yes they are stunning we don't call them "one hug wonders" for no reason. Anemones are available year-round and much like ranunculus we give them $$$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. 

Craspedia: Craspedia (aka Billy Balls) are such a unique flower. They are remarkably versatile. You can find billy balls in rustic bouquets, tropical bouquets, boho bouquets and more. They almost look fake as they grow on a straight stick with no foliage. Craspedia can be easily painted to match any color which is great for wedding couples with those hard to match colors. Craspedia are available year-round and we give them $$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. 
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Echeveria Purple Pearl: Echeveria Purple Pearl is a succulent we picked up at our local greenhouse. Succulents are great for bouquets and offer the eye something different and unexpected. The best part is once your bouquet has withered and the blooms are gone you can plant your succulent and it will continue to grow on. Succulents come in all different shapes and sizes and are available year-round. We give them a $$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. 

So what do you all think of this bouquet? Do you LOVE the succulent in it like us? Leave a comment on what bouquet you would like us to breakdown next!