Discover unique stories behind floral designs

Flowers have always had a language of their own, but more than ever, they’re sharing personal love stories. The trend for personalisation and advances in refrigeration technology mean that brides are asking for floral arrangements that carry a personal significance – no matter where they’re sourced from.

“Everything depends on what the bride – or her parents – want,” says Harrold Noppe, a Dutch floral designer. He and his business partner Carel Schenk have designed for royal weddings in Saudi Arabia, as well as events for high-net-worth customers across the GCC and Europe. Earlier, brides would want to follow Instagram trends, but not anymore.” If wedding florals don’t reveal something about the couple, they’re little more than colourful noise.

Dutch designers are at the top of the tree when it comes to event arrangements, thanks to the Netherlands’ central role in the global flower trade. Two-fifths of the world’s flowers pass through Royal FloraHolland’s auction house at Aalsmeer, near Amsterdam. The country holds a 47 per cent of the cut-flower market, exporting $4.6 billion (Dh16.9 billion) annually, World Bank data shows.

This heritage, rooted in generations of horticultural mastery, ensures every floral design is executed to the very highest international standards,” says Robert Koene, a master florist and consultant who is just back from a wedding in Bahrain. “Dutch professionals bring a higher level of refined, world-class floral aesthetics to weddings across the globe,” he adds.

Dutch flowers may also be better value than blooms sourced from elsewhere. “Thanks to the Netherlands’ advanced cultivation techniques, efficient auctions and state-of-the-art cold-chain logistics, we can have fresh flowers delivered within 24 to 48 hours of harvest. This direct access allows us to secure the highest-quality blooms at competitive prices, so couples receive luxurious arrangements that offer both beauty and outstanding value,” Koene says.

Flowers typically account for 10 to 15 per cent of overall wedding budgets, so the process is necessarily consultative.

“It always begins with a drawing and a visit to the venue to take in the architecture and proportions,” Noppe says. Many florists now use generative artificial intelligence engines such as ChatGPT or Microsoft’s Bing to create a few mock-ups. “The couple often want specific vessels used – gold vases or family heirlooms, maybe a kahwa. That’s when I start to build the palette. If they love gold, I’ll look for blooms that complement that vision for luxury, such as phalaenopsis or other orchids. But through it all, there’s always a lot of back and forth with the couple.”

Nevertheless, there are some common ways couples are expressing themselves this year.

Sculptural floral design thrives in the region’s luxury-focused environment, where flowers are treated as architectural elements, Koene says. “The emphasis is on scale, structure, and drama.” Bold saturated hues like deep purples, electric blues, vibrant oranges and jewel tones also resonate. Meanwhile, eco-conscious floristry is gaining ground as awareness of sustainability rises.

And in a region where proximity to the desert has long restrained ideas of beauty, garden-inspired florals reflect a long-standing appreciation for softness and natural form. “As cities grow vertically and green spaces remain limited, floral designs that evoke the feeling of gardens and countryside, such as wildflower-style arrangements, become even more meaningful. It’s a beautiful contrast to the modern, urban environments of the Middle East,” Koene says.

Far be it from us to call it a trend. Instead, we’re describing it as a quiet return to storytelling: a nod to memory, meaning and personal stories.