You may have seen me post in early January (and here we are in the second half of February– yikes!!) on my Instagram that I love florals on wedding days. For me… it makes a big statement to the overall look of the day.

My eyes are drawn to beautifully crafted bouquets, and maybe that’s just because it’s the nature of my job to see that detail and use it consistently throughout the day. Or maybe it’s just because I really love flowers despite not having a single green thumb in my body!!

I hold a large appreciation for florists. Their job is not easy, and there are certain trends to keep up with as the years roll on and the wedding industry continues to become overwhelmingly massive!

Florals are important. And if there is one area to spend money on, I whole heartedly believe this is one! The flowers move throughout the whole day which means they will move throughout your final wedding gallery!! There is a significant difference between how a real flower photographs VS. a fake flower. This is not me saying don’t use fake florals (like wooden/solas or bulk off of Amazon). This is not me saying that it is a bad idea to DIY your arrangements (my girl Vicki’s wedding that I photographed in September consisted of REAL florals, but she made the bouquets herself and they came out amazing!). This is me giving my perspective as to why I personally love real florals and why finding a florist to help create your arrangements can be so important.

For one, it relieves a ton of pressure off of you. Most florists will come up with a detailed plan and work with your vision to help make your wedding day look the way you want it to. The number one decoration I see is arrangements — be it hung on your arbor, doubling the bridal party bouquets as centerpieces, decorating your head table and chairs, floating floral garland…. adding some pieces to your cake. The list goes on. And they move SO much throughout the day.

In 2019 I had the pleasure of working with 20+ florists, and it was hard to narrow down the list to my top 5!! But, even though I’m nearly 3 months into the new year… here it is!

xo – Jess

No. 1 Fleurish

Allyson Rand was the crafter of my bride Carolyn’s bouquet last season!! This was the bouquet that, after all season long, was the one my mind went back to most. Not only am I proud of the images I produced of them, but the colors, the fullness, and that beautiful blue velvet ribbon just made such an incredible statement. I will forever be obsessed with how it turned out!! And… Allyson will actually be the one I use for florals for my very own vow renewal I am planning for NEXT YEAR (!!!)!!! She’s based in Thornton, NH so for all of my NH couples, tell her Jess Casey from Coral Compass sent you!!!

No. 2 StrayCat Flower Farm

StrayCat Flower Farm created these GORGEOUS bouquets for Brittany and Jake’s wedding that were wild and oh so colorful! I enjoy bouquets with lots of pops of color, and that are just so full of life. They are based in Burlington, VT so for all my Vermont couples needing a florist, check them out!!!

No. 3 The Fuchsia Peony

The Fuchsia Peony stood out to me last season because they created such beautiful, classic floral pieces, and I distinctly remember their physical presence while setting up the arbor!! The team that was there setting up and dropping off the arrangements were just so fun and friendly, which often times I don’t run into florists on the wedding day, so it was nice to see the actual faces of the artists behind Tamika and Antonio’s day!! If you’re looking for another florist in New Hampshire, I definitely recommend their services as well!!

No. 4 Westerwisp

Alright friends….. if you’re looking for AMAZINGLY different bouquets and florals on your wedding day. If you’re looking for something out of the box and unique. If you’re looking for a boho bouquet but can’t really nail down what you want…. check out Westerwisp!!!! My jaw hit the floor when Sarah showed me her bridal bouquet last September. I had never seen anything like her bouquet before, because it was a bouquet made of dried florals!!!! Delicate yet so bold. It was fun to photograph, and if you’re looking for something completely different, please check them out!! Westerwisp is based out of Seattle, but Sarah had her bouquet shipped to her 🙂

No. 5 Moonset Farm

Last but not least, I need to bring to attention Jackie from Moonset Farms!! I’m sure this idea could be done by almost any florist, but this was the first time I have ever come across a HOOPQUET, so I wanted to make sure I mention Jackie specifically!! I was so excited when I saw these. I LOOOVE when people break out of the norm and do something a little different. The bridal party held these beautifully decorated floral hoops instead of traditional bouquets, and the idea to me is just genius! If you’re wanting something as traditional as real flowers but want to put a twist on it, I think ordering hoopquets is the way to go! Moonset Farms is based in Porter, Maine 🙂