Today's blog post takes a slight departure from my usual adventures in floral education. Rather than a flower, I'm talking about a book (which is, of course, all about flowers).
Rene's Bouquets for Brides is the sophomore publication from renowned Dutch-born floral design presenter and consultant, Rene van Rems, and it showcases 25 of today's top bridal bouquet styles. Because Sun Valley proudly supports Rene in all his endeavors and vice versa, I'd like to say a few things about the book.
[Don't worry, no Spoiler Alert needed: I'm not critiquing this book (with my frequent abuse of English grammar, I'm in no position to pass judgement on others' use of it). I'd simply like to tell you what I think makes it worthy of floral shop windows and coffee tables everywhere.]
1. Simply put, the bouquets!Put more elaborately,
Rene's Bouquets for Brides makes use of some of the most stunning and interesting flowers available on the market today. The styles range from traditional to strikingly contemporary, simple to overwhelmingly elaborate, colorful to classically white. Every bride-to-be will most likely find a bouquet style that speaks to her in this book, yet every bouquet is not necessarily for everyone. For instance, I can't imagine ever wearing a floral boa, but never say never...
2. Sensational photography Oh, the pictures! The featured flowers and brides are gorgeous no matter how you look at them, but photographer Pat Boemer captures them in their absolutely best light (and composition and focus). Each photo is worthy of a frame, although the thought of taking scissors to this book makes me gasp!
3. The Bride, the Dress and then the BouquetRene stresses that the bridal bouquet should not only reflect the bride's personal style, but it should also compliment the style and shape of her gown, as well as the type of affair she is hosting. Every chapter reveals which types of personalities, dresses and events the bouquets are best suited to. Basically, Rene's a man who knows what women want, even when they don't know that they want it!
4. Simple to follow design techniques (with illustrations) Let me be clear: I'm not quite sure that I could piece together bouquets quite as stunning as the ones Rene presents just from following the steps in this book. However, Rene's design tips and tricks, such as which types of flowers to avoid in hand-tied bouquets, are great tools for floral designers with a bit of design background.
5. The best version of our flowersYou know when you have a good friend who just seems to become the best version of herself when she's met the right fella? Well, that's how it is with our flowers in
Rene's Bouquets for Brides. Sure, they're beautiful on their own, but it's almost as though they meet their maximum potential in Rene's designs. In other words, Sun Valley's flowers become the best versions of themselves when arranged with the right flowers, as they are in the pages of this book.
Rather than listening to me ramble on, let Rene tell you more about his book by watching his promo video. Here's the link:
http://renevanrems.com/video-bookpromo.html Whether you're a floral industry veteran or a newcomer to flowers like myself, you're sure to appreciate
Rene's Bouquets for Brides. Here are some ways to go about getting yourself one:
1. It is available for pre-order now on his website:
http://renevanrems.com/store.html2. You can pick up a copy this September at the SAF Convention in Palm Springs, CA. Look for Rene and his team for more details.
3. Finally, stay tuned on our Facebook page (
http://www.facebook.com/SunValleyFloralFarms) and here on Flower Talk, where we will be announcing details for a signed copy give-away!
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