Floral styling tips for photography, interior decor, and events

Our Floral Styling Tips for Photography, Interior Decor + Events

For Your Decor

A lot can be said about the magic of a beautiful bouquet paired with an eclectic vase. Now, if you’re more of a minimalist, choose one or two of your favorite flowers, and put those in your favorite vase. No one said that more flowers would always be better than one or two flowers, right?

By keeping things simple and uncomplicated, you’re able to create a sharper focal point for the eye. Additionally, a single flower in a fun vase is far more versatile - place it on your favorite pedestal or side table, alongside a miniature bust. Not only will this combination suit those awkwardly small and otherwise difficult to style spaces in your studio or home, but they’ll create a very Instagrammable focal point.

…if we do say so ourselves.

For Events + Installations

Now, let’s cover table arrangements, bouquets, walls and pop ups. Unsurprisingly, florals tend to become the star of the show for nearly any event - so, whether you’re planning nuptials or have a pop up or trade show on the calendar, we’ve got a few tips to help you create the floral installation and arrangement of your dreams.

First and foremost, we encourage you to be experimental in your choice of florals. What might look beautiful in a bouquet, might not translate as well when used on a large scale wall or installation, and vice versa. Play with greenery and accent florals, and don’t be afraid to mix things unconventionally. 

Bouquets

The three types of flowers commonly used in bouquets are:

Filler flowers or filler greenery: to fill in any gaps

Hero flowers: the larger, more expensive flowers that are highlighted in your arrangement

Accent flowers: the flowers you use to create length and dimension

As a rule, we make sure to include those three flower types when putting together custom bouquets. And really, the options for flower combinations are endless! We’ve found that carefully selecting unique accent flowers can make a world of a difference in changing the shape and style of your overall arrangement.

Installations

Now, the first and arguably most important (and boring) part of your floral installation? The structure.

Obviously, it’s important that your floral structure stays intact and safely upright. We recommend utilizing chicken wire, as it functions perfectly for weaving flowers throughout. Additionally, it’s easy to bend and mold, which makes it a great fit for hanging installations.

An alternate (albeit far less environmentally friendly) option for your flower installation would be to opt for styrofoam, which offers you the ability to safely insert the stems of your flowers into the foam, while also remaining lightweight and durable. 

While it’s common to immediately think about floral walls when discussing flower installations for large events, the options are really limitless. Floral installations can also be hung from the ceiling in a singular, larger panel, or broken into smaller, whimsical formations to create a cloud effect. 

Floral clouds can take on a highly structured appearance, or a softer, shapeless look, depending on the overall aesthetic of your event space. We love them all, if you couldn’t tell 💁‍♀️

For Creative Shoots

When planning a still life shoot, it’s safe to say that florals are almost always a necessity. So really, the question is: what kinds of flowers should you use?

Artificial vs. Fresh Florals

We’re big believers in using fresh florals whenever possible. Simply put, they photograph beautifully - especially for highly detailed, close up shots.  

If the flower you need is out of season, however, artificial florals are a great option. The best part about using artificial flowers is that they can also be hand painted, and reused across multiple projects!

Styling Tips

If you don’t already have a floral frog in your arsenal, it’s time that you do. A good floral frog will allow your fresh and artificial florals to stand up when shooting still life imagery - no droopiness or clothespins required.

Additionally, try not to worry too much about how your floral styling looks from a 360 view. The most important part is ensuring that the sides that will be captured by the camera are styled and set properly. No one ever has to know what’s *actually* happening from the back of the arrangement 👀

Floral Accounts We Love

For Fresh Florals

Can we really limit our list to just a few? We love:

@putnamflowers for their incredible floral installations, centerpieces, arrangements and workshops. 

@studiomondine for their centerpieces, floral arrangements and - you guessed it - their workshops! 

@acid.flwrs for their absolutely stunning hand painted fresh florals (you read that right).

And a quick tip to help keep your blooms alive? Cut the stems of your flowers diagonally before placing them in fresh water. This will allow you to keep your beautiful new florals lively + vibrant for a longer period of time!

For Hand Painted Florals

Fresh hand painted flowers: @acid.flwrs. So yes, we mentioned them above. But they’re so nice, we had to share them twice. 

Artificial hand painted flowers: @wifemyc’s hand painted artificial flowers are so whimsical, you’ll think you finally made it into Alice’s Wonderland after all ✨

The Perfect Pairing to Your Floral Styling

Now, we might be biased, but we believe that any floral arrangement or installation is only as good as the decor it’s placed on and with. So in true Moodelier fashion, we took it upon ourselves to share a few combinations of florals we love, paired with our very own pieces. 

May this guide carry you through your every whimsical spring + summer floral need 🌼

Photo credits: 1-3 Photos Helen Koker

4 photo: @wifemyc