The Heart Behind Wedding Flowers

An Inspirational Conversation with Ottawa Florist, Nectar Flowers, and Ottawa Wedding Photographer, Bry Marie Photography

When Ksenia and I squeezed in this photoshoot mid-June, I knew the results were going to be stunning.  I was so excited and I truly thought I would be sharing sneaks of this gallery instantly.  While wedding season was quick to give me a reality check, that’s actually not what has taken me so long to finally share these images.  When I read her responses to the questionnaire that would be the backbones of this blog post – I got chills.  It isn’t simply an informative piece to potential clients or anyone wanting to know where to start with their wedding planning and florals; it’s the words of an artist—someone who sees flowers not just as decoration, but as a way to tell a story, evoke emotion, and create a feeling that lingers long after the last dance.  Her passion shines through so hard that I simply needed time to digest it and didn’t have it in me to rush this intro.

It’s something I felt upon meeting Ksenia as well, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise but I truly didn’t expect to feel that way while reading through a questionnaire. Somewhere between Ksenia’s responses, I forgot I was reading about flowers. I was reading about a designer with so.much.passion. Someone whose work begins long before a single bloom is chosen—someone who creates with intention, emotion, and a genuine desire to pour their heart into a couple’s story.  

There is no ego, no obsession with trying to fit everyone into a signature style or recreate the latest trend. Instead, there is this beautiful openness and curiosity—a desire to listen first, to understand who her couples are, what they love, and how they want their wedding day to look and feel. It’s a collaboration and a genuine excitement to discover what feels meaningful to the people she’s creating for. She is a floral artist who cares just as much about telling your story and expressing your individuality as you do.  I can’t think of a greater gift than having someone create from that place.

As a wedding photographer, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some incredibly talented florists. I’ve admired their work, photographed their creations, and watched them completely bring a space to life. But I don’t think we often stop to think about the heart behind it all. The hours of dreaming, researching, sourcing, designing, and creating something that exists for just one day, yet becomes woven into memories that last a lifetime, specific to each couple.

She helps bring wedding galleries to life, filled with bold textures, incredible colour, and designs that feel fresh simply because someone was brave enough to create something different. 

Without further ado…

How did you become a wedding florist?

I have been a floral designer — a floral artist — for my entire conscious adult life (almost 15 years!) But wedding floristry didn’t come from the beginning. Honestly, I even avoided weddings at first. And then, gradually, the inquiries started coming in, the work found me, and I realized that weddings are where my art reaches its fullest expression. That’s how I entered wedding floristry — not by plan, but by calling.

How would you describe your floral style?

Bold, artistic, creative, free, lush, abundant, rich, and maximalist. We don’t do quiet.

What do you love most about designing wedding flowers?

Being part of such a meaningful day. On a wedding day, everyone you love is gathered in one space — and our flowers are surrounding them. Being surrounded by fresh flowers on a day that sacred is an almost ancient tradition, deeply human and deeply meaningful. And the flowers aren’t just decorations — they’re living organisms, open and blossoming in that very particular moment. Someone is walking down the aisle holding them. Flowers are close to people’s hearts, literally and figuratively. That is my mission. That is why I’m here.

What wedding flower trends are you loving right now? Are there any trends you think are becoming overdone?

I am loving color. Not just whites and greens — real, lush, intentional color. Couples choosing palettes that are sentimental to them, that reflect their personality — something moodier, something joyful, something bold. Color makes me genuinely happy.
As for what’s becoming overdone — excessive draping, ribbons and bows, and anything in the dry-rustic family: pampas grass, burlap, that whole aesthetic. It had its moment. Baby’s breath used heavily is also firmly in the past for me.

How much should couples realistically budget for wedding flowers?

There’s truly no universal answer, because every couple is so different. Some invest ten thousand dollars or more in florals alone. Others simply want a bridal bouquet and a boutonnière. Some elope in a park; others host a celebration for a hundred guests. The budget should reflect your vision — not someone else’s benchmark.

What factors have the biggest impact on floral costs?

Labor — and it is consistently underestimated. You might look at a bouquet and think it came together quickly, but behind it are hours and hours of work: questionnaires, quoting, ordering, sourcing, receiving, processing, preparing, and often delivering. The hands-on design is just the final step. And beyond labor, the flowers themselves carry real cost — especially local blooms sourced from local small farmers. Quality ingredients at honest prices add up.

What floral investments make the biggest visual impact in wedding photos? If a couple has a limited budget, where should they prioritize flowers?

The ceremony feature, without question. Not the aisle markers, not the chair accents, not the welcome sign florals — the ceremony feature itself. The ceremony is the entire point of the day. Those are the most meaningful photographs, the ones that will last a lifetime. If the budget is limited, that’s where it should go first.

How far in advance should couples book their florist?

We love booking our couples six to nine months before the wedding date. A year is the upper end of what works well for us — anything earlier and too many details are still unknown: table layouts, final guest counts, venue configurations. That said, if a couple is working with a wedding planner, we sometimes book up to a year and a half in advance, since planners tend to have everything more structured from the start.

How do you help couples choose flowers when they don’t know where to start?

Here’s the thing — you don’t start with flowers. You start with a color palette, a mood, a season, a venue. The two most important factors are the wedding date, because the date determines the season and what’s actually available, and the venue — whether it’s an art gallery, a castle, a private estate, a rustic farm. Those two things together shape the palette and the direction. The specific flowers come after. That’s our job, not the couple’s : )

How important is seasonality when selecting flowers?

Enormously important. We are not magicians. Certain flowers simply don’t exist in certain months — or they can be sourced, but at seven or eight times the cost, and often with compromised quality. Seasonality isn’t a limitation; it’s a design parameter. Working with what nature is offering at the time of your wedding will always give you the most beautiful, most vibrant result.

Are there flowers you recommend avoiding for certain venues or seasons?

Absolutely. In high heat — August weddings, outdoor venues with little or no air conditioning — we steer away from any delicate stems that won’t hold up in the sun. For tablescapes, we avoid anything that sheds, like pampas grass or moss installations, which can create mess throughout the reception. The environment always informs the palette and the selection.

Summer Weddings: What flowers hold up best in hot weather? What should couples know about their flowers for outdoor summer weddings?

Honestly? They shouldn’t need to know anything — because that’s exactly what we’re here for. More than a decade of experience, hundreds of weddings designed: proper flower processing, the right varieties selected for the conditions, blooms kept in water sources throughout. When you hire a professional florist, that expertise is what you’re investing in. Trust us, and everything will be beautiful.

Fall Weddings: How can couples embrace seasonal colours without feeling too themed? 

Look at what’s around you on your wedding day — the trees, the fields, the grasses, the leaves. Then decide: do you want to blend in, creating a design that feels like it grew naturally out of the earth? Or do you want to contrast, complementing the surroundings with deeper or lighter tones? What you want to avoid is a clash. An October wedding in a forest surrounded by orange leaves, for example, isn’t the moment for spring blooms — they’ll fight the environment rather than belong to it. Embrace the season, or contrast it intentionally. Just never ignore it.

What should couples know before meeting with a florist for the first time?

Have your date, your venue, and your guest count. That’s the foundation. Beyond that, come with a loose sense of what you love and what you don’t — a few images, a feeling, a word. The rest we’ll work through together.

What are the biggest mistakes couples make when planning wedding flowers?

Browsing Pinterest and social media without thinking logically about season or venue. Trying to replicate something without considering whether it actually fits the context. A common one: choosing a rustic barn venue and expecting flowers to completely transform it into something elegant. Flowers elevate and highlight — but they don’t change the bones of a space. Work with your environment, not against it.

Favourite wedding flower? 

I don’t have one. Flowers are my medium, my means of artistic expression. We coexist — all of them. I couldn’t choose.

Most underrated flower?

Tulips, without question. They come in so many different colors, shapes, and sizes that people often don’t even recognize them. And tropical flowers are deeply underrated too — there are some genuinely gorgeous blooms and colors in tropical floristry that the wedding world hasn’t fully discovered yet.

Most requested flower?

Roses, poppies, peonies — and calla lilies have been incredibly popular this year as well.

One flower trend you’d love to see more of?

Color. More color, always. Color is my medium — it’s how I express myself, how I communicate as an artist. I will never stop wanting to see more of it in weddings.

Dream wedding venue to design?

A castle. Somewhere in Europe. That is the dream.

Favourite colour palette right now?

Browns and blues. And pinks and greens.

Wild and organic or classic and structured?

Wild and organic. Always lush, always natural, always artistic.

Choosing your florist isn’t just about loving their portfolio. It’s about finding someone whose heart, creativity, and passion make you feel seen.  I truly believe Ksenia’s dreams and vision exceed what is yet to be discovered in the wedding world and I’m always looking forward to her next creation.

Learn more about Nectar Flowers and inquire here: https://nectarflowersottawa.ca