The Wedding Floral Moments That Stood Out to Us in 2023

Bride Holding Bouquet — Photo by Molly Carr

After years of wedding flowers that trended toward understated whites, ivory, and cream-colored arrangements with subtle hints of green, couples are going bold and bright again. Unforgettable floral moments from this year’s real weddings incorporated vivid hues in ombré gradients, eye-popping blooms set against lush foliage, and plenty of pink (thanks, Barbie!).

Though choosing the most memorable arrangements, bouquets, centerpieces, and ceremony backdrops from a year of stunning real weddings is never easy, the florals on this list are some of the prettiest, most original, and most striking we’ve seen. Find your own inspiration in the rainbow chuppahs, lush bouquets, magenta installations and—yes—even the timeless white-and-green arrangements that filled this year with color and personal expression.

01 of 20

An Artistic Entryway

wedding ceremony painted door with flowers on both sides — Photo by Jose Villa

At a Monet-inspired wedding in California, the bride wanted guests to feel like they had “walked into a painting.” Geller Events and Revelry made this dream come to life—literally—by creating a standalone pair of painted doors, surrounded by watercolor-hued blooms, that opened to reveal the aisle and ceremony space.

02 of 20

A Magic Garden

Wide Shot of Wedding Couple at the Altar with Flower Tree Decor — Photo by Ryan Ray

New York City-based couple Maya and Ben chose The Glasshouse for their modern ceremony in part for its open concept plan, which allowed them to infuse the space with their own taste and personality. This included an overgrown chuppah, made from faux trees, autumn-toned flowers, and greenery from HMR Designs. “My dream was to have the ceremony be warm, cozy, and cocoon-like,” Maya says. "The chuppah was one of my favorite parts of the entire design.”

03 of 20

A Major Mandap

Sapna and Ari's baby's breath-lined aisle and mandap — Photo by KT Merry

The jaw-dropping mandap and floral installations at Sapna and Ari’s Wyoming wedding, created by floral artist Sarah Winward, used tiny, neutral-toned baby’s breath to make a major impression. “The structures were not only reusable, which was important to us, but they also created a compression and expansion experience for guests as they walked into the ceremony site—an idea inspired by Richard Serra’s art," says the bride.

04 of 20

An Ombré Bouquet

bride and groom portrait — Photo by Norman & Blake

At Christina and Cam’s colorful Big Sur wedding, the bride chose a textured, asymmetrical bouquet from Lambert Floral Studio. Fluffy white ferns, long-stemmed blooms, and ivory flowers gave way to a sunset-inspired selection of pale pink, dusty rose, and peachy blossoms.

05 of 20

A Magnificent Magenta Moment

Bride in strapless dress and groom in tuxedo kiss next to their four-tier white cake with cascading red and purple flowers with bougainvillea behind — Photo by Heather Waraksa

Carolina and Freud filled their Brazilian ceremony and reception with vibrant pink bougainvillea, a beloved part of the local flora. Congrega Bahia Events used the blooms to surround the couple as they exchanged vows on the beach; hung installations of bougainvillea over the reception tables; and created a brightly-colored backdrop of branches behind the couple’s cake table.

06 of 20

A Seaside Chic Seating Chart

custom white escort board with floral box filled with blush and peach roses and greenery — Photo by Janine Licare Fine Art Photography

Watercolored escort cards were displayed on an elegant white backdrop designed by Kaleb Norman James at Elizabeth and Brad’s wedding on San Juan Island, Washington. A growing arrangement of lush greenery and pristine flowers in ivory, peach, and muted pink tones included subtle blue floral accents that coordinated with the bridal party’s printed gowns.

07 of 20

A French Blue Bouquet

bridal bouquet of roses and hydrangeas in blue and blush tones — Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

With help from planner Jessica Hennessey and Beach Plum Floral, Emily and Joe brought a Provence garden atmosphere to a private estate on Cape Cod. A French blue color palette complemented the apricot, blush, and white hues in arrangements of dahlias, lisianthus, cosmos, garden roses, ranunculus, and delphinium.

08 of 20

A Lavish Lapel

Bride in Pink Wedding Suit with Fresh-Flower Covered Lapel — Photo by Le Vie Photography

Tayler and Shelby’s “Malibu-Barbie-meets-Marie-Antoinette-themed wedding” balanced plenty of pink with elegant, Old World-inspired styling. Tularosa Flowers created a pink bouquet for Tayler and a lush floral lapel to accent Shelby’s pink linen ASOS suit.

09 of 20

A Floral Fountain

Groom in Navy Blue Sherwani and Bride in Red Lehenga Hugging in Front of Floral-Covered Fountain — Photo by Ivy Weddings

Sangeet and Ravi’s multi-day wedding celebration in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, included a traditional sangeet at Instituto Allende. A fountain of overflowing florals from Florklor Studio and XB Weddings anchored the space.

10 of 20

A Chuppah With Rainbow Brights

Rainbow-Colored Floral-Covered Chuppah at Wedding Ceremony — Photo by Feather & Twine

The floral highlight of this vibrant Austin, Texas wedding planned by XO Moreau and florist Remi and Gold was a rainbow-hued chuppah at the end of a sunny yellow aisle. ““There was a moment where we thought ‘Is this too much?’” bride Annie remembers. “[Our team] assured us it would look stunning and it truly was breathtaking and so different from anything we had ever seen!”

11 of 20

A Manicured Ceremony Aisle With Flower Boxes

Bride linking arms with her mother while walking down the aisle in Lake Como — Photo by Lilly Red

While the overarching color palette of Rachel Roff and Javin Emil’s Lake Como wedding included bold chartreuse and blush pink, they focused on alternating shades of pale pink and green boxed florals from Vincenzo Dascanio to line their lattice-patterned aisle.

12 of 20

A Natural, Organic Bouquet

bridal bouquet with white, peach, and pink flowers — Photo by Molly Carr

When Jen and Matt chose La Pescaia Resort in Tuscany for their intimate October wedding, they leaned into the property’s “authentic, old world, and intimate feel” and “natural, organic beauty.” Jen’s bridal bouquet included cosmos, roses, dahlias, abelia, and wild fennel in delicate shades of ivory, blush, and peach, harvested from the venue’s flower farm.

13 of 20

A Floral Bar Moment

bar from Theoni Collection accented with red and pink florals and leather signage — Photo by Liz Zimbelman Photography

When Janessa and James hired wedding planner Stephanie Teague to coordinate their California wedding, the bride had a potentially tricky color palette in mind: red and purple. By incorporating lighter lavender against darker burgundy—with accents of peach, mauve, and fresh green—the end result from Le Petals Studio was a sophisticated gradient that complemented the outdoor surroundings and leather signage.

14 of 20

A Crawling Centerpiece With Pops of Yellow

Close Up of Wedding Table Setting — Photo By Stetten Wilson Photography

Although the weather forced Libby and Connor to move their garden ceremony indoors, their bright and cheerful reception centerpieces from Blossom Bay Design kept the mood sunny. Pops of orange and yellow stood out against dark foliage and pale pink and purple flowers (which mirrored the custom crest on their linens).

15 of 20

A Fashion-Forward Broken Arch

A close-up shot of the colorful ceremony arch with hydrangea, hibiscus, and pampas grass — Photo by Sophie Lin Berard

Hot pink shades—inspired by the Jacquemus Spring/Summer 2020 runway show—set the tone for a festive celebration in Santa Barbara. The bride and groom worked with The Boy Who Cried Flowers to create a color-blocked broken arch in an array of pretty pinks.

16 of 20

A Colorful Mantel

Wedding Dinner Table With Large Paintings in Background — Photo by Brittany Painter

A fireplace mantel installation of roses, ranunculus, peonies, and cosmos from Bud Flora softened the opulence of this formal reception space at a Bridgerton-inspired English countryside wedding. “Inspired by the seasons and the hedgerows, the flowers were all carefully sourced and selected some grown just 30 miles from the venue,” says bride Lucie.

17 of 20

A Timeless Bouquet

Kianna holding her bouquet of white flowers and greenery — Photo by Dani Toscano

An all-white bouquet is a timeless choice for the modern bride. Kianna Lassiter's bouquet of creamy garden roses, ranunculus, sweet peas, hellebores, and peonies, designed by Knot Just Flowers, was a perfect fit for the “romantic and elegant wedding with a coastal California, relaxed vibe.”

18 of 20

A Lush Floral Chandelier

a wooden chandelier dripping with roses and greenery is hung from the top the reception tent — Photo by Kate Headley

At their wedding on her family’s Virginia farm, Matty Carville and her husband, Sam Joel, decorated the ceiling of their reception tent with wrought iron and gold-leaf lanterns. Amaryllis Floral and Event Design wrapped the lanterns with draping smilax and standout pink and white flowers.

19 of 20

A White, Green, and Gold Install

A ceremony setup with the ceiling covered in greenery, white flowers, and gold wind chimes — Photo by Danielle Determan

Beauty influencer Karen Sarahi Gonzalez dreamed of a “romantic garden wedding infused with ivory and champagne tones and decorated with roses and greenery.” Her vision came to life with help from Butterfly Floral Design and planner Gonzalez + Helfon, who filled the reception space with an installation of hanging greenery, gold wind chimes, and ivory blooms above the newlyweds’ sweetheart table.

20 of 20

A Perfect Pair

Jordan Mailata and bride Niki pose for an intimate newlywed portrait — Photo by Greg Finck

Niki Ikahihifo-Bender chose a “nude-wheat” colored gown for her wedding to Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, and extended the “earthy romance” color palette throughout the Sonoma nuptials. An oversized, asymmetrical bouquet and flower-covered lapel from Jennifer Cole Florals matched the natural beauty of the location.

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