Something Blue - A Couture Heirloom Bridal Bouquet Closer Look

Hello dear studio friends, Marie the designer here! I am incredibly pleased to be able to finally write about this heirloom wedding bouquet created for a lovely bride in the United Arab Emirates. She had contacted me via email about creating a custom piece for her wedding after she saw a bouquet I made for another wonderful client in Dubai. She knew that she wanted light blue floral, and after a few concepts were considered she decided on a bridal bouquet that would feature hand cut and pressed blue silk flowers, exclusive sterling silver leaves, carved mother of pearl blossoms, freshwater pearls, various crystal quartz gemstones and Swarovski crystals. I've grown fond of calling it "Something Blue" after a famous list of items to have on your wedding day for good luck. Among many things we would all hope to summon for our nuptials, luck would certainly be one of the top choices.

People have asked me how long it takes to create the couture silk bouquets by hand. In truth, that is a difficult question to answer quickly. It varies based on floral complexity. Sometimes everything falls into place with no difficulty, and then there are pieces that need a little extra time. It could be that a sourced material shows up different than expected, and then sourcing for that begins again. Or perhaps casting of metal didn't go smoothly, and new rounds of pieces need to be sent to cast. Then you factor in the time it takes to cut and press each petal by hand before assembling the flowers. When you are coordinating with a lot of variables, it's always best to have about three months time if possible. Can't wait that long? Please contact the studio to inquire about ready to ship pieces. 

Let's talk about these stunners! Magical solid cast sterling silver leaves that are exclusive to the studio. These are created using a long lost antique millinery mold from the Victorian Era that was painstakingly resurrected by the studio. The process to create these takes quite a bit of time but the results are exquisite. These are not stamped like other metal leaves you may see. Each of these is created individually for casting in sterling silver. I love to take the designs above and beyond what is typically available because it separates the floral even further from everything else. There is an unwritten signature in the studio pieces.

Combining texture is one of my favorite things to do. It brings balance through contrast, adds visual interest and makes the studio floral even more rare. This is a plush silk velvet and slubby silk dupioni mix. The inner luminescence of the velvet petals play with light while the weave of the silk dupioni draws a line for the eye. Each of these petals is discreetly wired providing the design added support. There is a lot of thought that goes into creating something that will hold its beauty for many years. These bouquets are heirloom investments with each and every final detail considered.

All of the pearls you see in this bouquet are genuine freshwater pearls chosen carefully for their luster and vary in size and shape. Clusters of pearls, crystals and faceted gemstone briolettes are painstakingly wired by hand. The bouquet was formed into a teardrop shape, the larger blooms at the top tapered down to smaller ones at the bottom. When I begin, I have a rough idea of how many flowers I will need for a bouquet but there are always small details added here and there to properly fill in and shape.A rare view, I mostly share the faces of my bridal bouquets but this blog post is meant to highlight detail work. Hand dyed silk covers each of the wire stems leading to the flowers. Marie Livet bouquets can be taken apart if desired which gives the client greater versatility in the future. 

Faceted crystal quartz and white topaz gemstones, ivory pearls, sterling silver leaves, Swarovski crystals, and hand cut and pressed blue silk petals. Cascades of tiny treasures.

Finally in the hands of the beautiful bride, a moment I always picture as I design. Her wedding ceremony took place in Dubai at the Al Johara Ballroom and her lace dress is by Marchesa. She wrote this wonderful note to me recently, "I just love my bouquet, it's part of my living room decoration now and it just makes my heart smile every time I see it." As a designer, this made me so happy to read. I adore hearing about the lives the pieces have after they leave.

Almost as if they were made for one another. These Jimmy Choo blue sparkle heels wink in unison with the bouquet.

So dear reader, I would love to hear your thoughts (comment below) or if you have any questions for the studio. Sending love to you and yours! -Marie