Intimate San Francisco City Hall Military Wedding

7 Stems Purple Hellebore

3 Stems Purple Clematis

7 Stems Purple Sweet Pea

2 Stems Burgundy Dahlia

7 Stems Burgundy Ranunculus

5 Stems Romantic Antique Garden Rose

4 Stems Quicksand Rose

3 Stems White Pieris

3 Stems Agonis

5 Stems Moon Lagoon Eucalyptus

3 Yards 2.5” Silk and Willow Ribbon- “Bespoke Blush”

3 Yards 1.5” FrouFrou Chic Ribbon- “Champagne”

From Michelle Lywood... When I create a bouquet for a bride, my ultimate goal is that the design celebrates her as a person and conveys the joy she is experiencing. I love Samantha’s amazing sense of humor, loyalty to those she loves, and stunning natural beauty. Her vision for her big day was simple and intimate. I knew she would be completely focused on her love for Josh, truly cherishing their time together given his commitment to the Navy. I had all of this in mind when I set out to design their wedding flowers.

Linsday from Mayesh Wholesale Florist sent me the most stunning blooms for this City Hall wedding, and since florals would be the main decorative element of the event, I knew I was going to use as many as a I could in order to provide the special details and colors Samantha needed. I used floral varieties like sweet pea, ranunculus, hellebores and clematis that reflect a poised, timeless elegance – but opted for bold, rich jewel tones to create a more unique look that I knew Samantha would appreciate. The incorporation of pieris and wispy foliage create a less structured, more natural styling. The bouquet was very dense in the center, but I used negative space to allow the quintessential clematis and dahlia blooms shine.

The day came together beautifully, and Emily Scott amazed me with her talents as she captured everything perfectly on film. I actually cried tears of joy when I first saw her images. To this day, I feel so fulfilled when I see her photos, knowing that Samantha and Josh had everything they wanted and deserved on their wedding day.

Samantha’s bouquet is an example of how my best work manifests when it is inspired by a genuine joy and love. From a creative perspective, it is important for me to have the experience of listening, learning, and appreciating things about others and their stories. Many couples find it difficult to articulate exactly what they desire for their wedding flowers, so having someone they can trust to bring to life the abstract ideas that existed in their minds can be a wonderful blessing. I am so thankful that I was able to do this for Samantha!

Find more Bouquet Breakdowns here!

Floral Design: Michelle Lywood | Photography: Em the Gem | Champagne Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic | Bespoke Blush Ribbon: Silk and Willow | Venue: San Francisco City Hall