Y’all, I have been SO stoked for this blog post to come out, dedicated entirely to one of my favorite parts of elopements: the flowers!! Elopement flowers play a major role in the vibe of your day and the atmosphere you want to create. I cannot stress enough how important it is to find an amazing florist who can bring all your wildest floral desires to life – and who can be another visionary to help you create the day of your dreams!

As much as I love florals + as many elopements as I’ve photographed, I’m not a floral expert. Which is why I’ve brought in one of my all-time favorite Portland florists, Amy of Brier + Ivy, to help me out. Amy gave me so many good inside tips to share with you all to help you get a better understanding of why it’s important to hire a talented florist, + tips for making your elopement florals AMAZING.

Thank you sooo much to Amy for taking the time to answer these interview questions for us. I know every person who reads this is going to benefit so much from your PNW elopement floral expertise!

Interview with Brier + Ivy: A Portland Wedding Florist

I want to start this off real quick by introducing Brier + Ivy a little bit more, because I adore them so much and want everybody to have the chance to get to know + work with them.

Brier + Ivy is run by two amazing humans, Amy + Brian, who created the company out of their love for the natural beauty + endless possibility of floral design. They’ve been creating amazing work for over 300 couples for the past 6 years and are based out of Portland, but work throughout the entire PNW as well as abroad. Their fave wedding destination is Italy, so if you’re eloping in Italy, hit them up!

They design the most amazing pieces for their couples with locally-grown blooms and foliage, and really focus on helping flowers reflect their couples + bring their story to life. Brier + Ivy specializes in organic, effortless designs that combine both modern + timeless feels, filled with lush texture, detail, and so much thought + intention.

I truly cannot recommend them ENOUGH, and I bet after you read these tips from Amy + scroll through these images, you’ll know exactly why! Every photo in this interview section is of florals created by Brier + Ivy.

Now let’s get into the interview!

What should we keep in mind when hiring a florist for our elopement/what should we look for?

Though I may be 100% biased on this opinion, florals can really bring such a special element to elopements. Planning to elope cuts back on soooo much cost compared to a wedding, I get so excited when couples choose to use a bit of those funds on some really fun florals. 

If you are planning an elopement with a few loved ones, you could line a tiny ceremony aisle with so many florals. 

Or if you only have one table you could make it styled-shoot worthy without breaking the bank. 

When the guest count is small or just you + your person, the florals can go so much further + have such an impact! 

Keep in mind, small orders can be a little harder to execute as a florist. Wholesale florals all require minimum orders, thus an order for only one bouquet can be hard to make work. 

IF you’re looking to keep it more minimal, plan to be flexible + open to your florist’s own creativity. This often not only leads to the best result but also allows them to work with some product they may already be ordering that week + thus makes their availability better for your small order! 

Why is it worth investing in a talented florist? Why do flowers cost so much?

Elopements can be so special + intimate + in many ways much more focused on you as a couple + enjoying the day together. But when planning an elopement you are saying “no” to a lot of fun wedding details like invites, signage, table top + other decor rentals, color schemes etc. Florals are one detail that most couples will still incorporate, so why not have fun with it?! 

Elopements we’ve done with epic installs are often my very favorite photos. You already have an amazing location, a place where there has never been a floral install probably – how special + unique is that?! 

Florals are also a way I love to bring personal touches to your day. Using your favorite color, a flower from your first date, flowers that remind you of loved ones or favorite memories. There are so many ways to bring in so many special details that really transform the feel of the space. 

And, I’m not going to lie! Flowers are expensive. It is hard to grow perfect flowers… with the crazy weather patterns we’ve had lately our sweet little blooms struggle. 

This year the PNW has been so wet that some flowers haven’t made it + others are a month or more behind schedule. That + the number of postponements + Covid delays means there are more weddings than ever before driving up demand, add in supply chain issues + it can be tough! That’s why it’s worth investing in a florist you love! They are working harder than ever before to source your flowers + bring your vision to life. 

My last comment on this question that I think often gets overlooked is a florist’s overhead. In the wedding industry, florists have one of the highest overhead costs. This is important to keep in mind when budgeting, your money will not go as far with florals as it will with some other vendors. 

But it’s more than worth it. When else in your life do you get to dream up floral designs + installs?! Even when I’m not the designer + I’m just a guest at a wedding, I always hear guests commenting on pretty florals – it is by far one of the most memorable + impactful parts of a day! 

How should we pack flowers if we’re hiking for our elopement? 

We pack our bouquets in a vase, safely packed in a small box. This could easily be carried as is, the tissue tucked in the box will help protect the flowers. 

We’ve also used a simple Baggu style reusable bag to set the whole box + flowers in for easier carrying. 

If you’re really planning on a trek, let your florist know so they can design something that’s not too big, hardy enough to be handled quite a bit or all dried is always an option we love 🙂 Such a fun keepsake too. 

Is there any way we can preserve our flowers after our big day?

Yes! Bouquets can be hung upside down in a dry indoor space to be dried as a whole or once dried you can separate it + keep individual stems. 

Pressing flowers is also a very simple + fun process. These can be framed + made into such a special art piece for your home. 

There are some cool preservation companies (like Soil + Soul) out there too – you can ship your bouquet + they have lots of fun products to choose from. 

See more of Brier + Ivy’s amazing work at Taylor + Jayko’s Mount Rainier Elopement!

More of My Favorite Pacific Northwest Elopement Florists

If Brier + Ivy isn’t available for your PNW elopement or wedding, don’t worry. There are so many more talented florists in the area that will KILL it with your florals!

Below are two of my other favorite florists that I 100% trust & have worked with, and whose beautiful floral work I’ve witnessed in real-life, along with some photos of their work brought to life on real elopement days.

Novella Theory Floral Co. | Portland Wedding Florist

For gorgeous examples of Novella Theory’s work, check out Blake + Trystan’s Modern Rockaway Beach, Oregon Elopement, plus Ash + Mac’s Bohemian Airbnb Elopement in Terrebonne!

Freckled Fleurs | Southern Oregon Wedding Florist

Freckled Fleurs put together a STUNNING bouquet for Taylor + Jay’s elopement (see below!). I meannn just look at those pops of yellow and burgundy against the coastline!

Thank you so much again to Amy for the rad tips + tricks that I was able to include in this blog post!! If you’re looking for an elopement florist in the Pacific Northwest, you can learn more about Brier + Ivy here, check out what they offer here, and reach out to them about your elopement here.

I can’t wait to see the magic that you + your florist bring to life through your elopement flowers!!