Searching out exotic foliage, natural elements and unusual textures to harmonize with the poetic beauty of flowers, premier European floral artist Jane Packer creates impeccable designs that generate international acclaim, catching the eye of British Royalty and the celebrity strata. The Duke and Dutchess of York is just one of the famous weddings Jane designed flowers for.

Internationally renowned and celebrated teacher, author and floral artist, Jane is also only the second woman to ever receive Britain ‘s prestigious Prince Philip Medal, for lifetime achievement in floral design. Jane has been pushing the boundaries of floral design since opening her first shop over 20 years ago in London.

Jane’s top tip for brides as they are shopping for their wedding flowers is to stick to your dream bouquet. Jane says the current trend in bridal flowers today is smaller, more sculptural bouquets, with roses, lilies, orchids, stephanotis, and freesia being the most popular flowers for weddings. A hand-tied posy is the most popular wedding bouquet style.

Jane suggests that a bride should consider color to define her personal style, choosing a color she uses regularly and one that suits her. The most common mistake is for a bride to choose different colors rather than one theme. Keep in mind that climate can effect different flowers, so choose sturdy varieties rather than fragile ones if you are concerned about the climate.

Preston Bailey

When Oprah Winfrey, Donna Karan, Bill Cosby, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones wanted to celebrate magical moments in their lives with flowers, Preston Bailey is their first call. Preston is much sought after as a television guest and public speaker. His numerous national television appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Entertainment Tonight, The Today Show, and The Jane Pauley Show.

Preston is also on the Advisory Board of Modern Bride Magazine and Life & Style Magazine and shares his expertise as a contributing editor to Elle Décor. He regularly appears in dozens of national publications.

Now in its fifth printing, Preston ‘s book Design for Entertaining (Bulfinch Press, November 2002) continues to inspire those seeking to create their own dramatic statements. His second book, Fantasy Weddings (Bulfinch Press, November 2004) has already become a wedding standard for brides.

Donald Trump, Laurence Fishburne, Matt Lauer, J.J. Philbin, Melissa Rivers, and Michael Douglas are just some of the famous weddings that Preston created magical one-of-a-kind floral fantasies for. Preston has also designed arrangements for royal weddings, including a bouquet that featured real pearls and diamonds along with roses. Among all the weddings Preston has designed, to date his favorite was Donald Trump’s as the style was “more is better.”

Preston says that the current trend in bridal flowers is fabulous and lush flowers with lots of color. To define flowers that suit her personal style, brides should look for flowers that describe her nature, or one that has a sentimental value to her. For wedding bouquets, the most popular style is a tight, abundant nosegay bouquet. For weddings, Preston likes roses and orchids, with the bride’s bouquet featuring roses.

The most common mistake made by brides? Not trusting their designer. “If you don’t trust them, they cannot do their job and make your wedding fabulous,” says Preston.