Tag: NYC wedding flowers

Flower Power: Making My Job As A NYC Floral Designer A Labor Of Love

I tell all my wedding floral clients time and again that I am honored to be a part of their big day.  It’s likely that they get sick of hearing me repeat it!  However, I am truly being honest.  I find it to be a privilege to work with people on what is undoubtedly the most important day of their lives.  Customers often tell me how much they envy my job and the fact that I am constantly surrounded by beautiful botanicals.  My standard response usually involves complaining about my sore feet, dirty clothes and dry, cracked hands.  In my heart, I know they are right to be envious…  I am a lucky guy.

                When a bride sees her bridal bouquet for the first time, and all the months of planning and coordinating the flowers comes to fruition, I take pride in my role.  Sometimes tears, usually a hug and always gratitude are the rewards for my labor.  A bridal bouquet is a painstaking creation that often involves wiring and taping individual blooms.  It is the most personal and the most photographed element of the all the wedding flowers.  Each bride chooses the flowers for her bouquet carefully and most have given it a lot of thought.  Many brides tell me that they have dreamed of carrying a specific bloom.  I get to make their dreams come true!  How cool is that! 

                Romance and flowers go hand in hand.  Floral designers constantly get to play cupid.  Last Valentine’s Day, Starbright made over a thousand deliveries throughout the city.  That is a lot of love being distributed!  As a designer, I literally create a manifest and tangible representation of a person’s love for another.  Not only can I help a person with the art of seduction but I can help smooth over a lover’s spat or even aide in the celebration of a new life!  Whether it’s an engagement, birth, graduation, promotion, or retirement, flowers are always welcome.  The truth is, when people are at their happiest, flowers are often on hand. 

 I could go on and on about the joy flowers bring to world.  The colors, the fragrance, the shapes and the textures offer me inspiration and provide our customers with a gift that can help change the course of their days and sometimes lives.  My job is to make people happy using delicate, unique and perishable materials.  The art I am responsible for creating ultimately ends up in the compost heap!  That’s what makes flowers special.  Flowers don’t last forever; they are fleeting.  However, the joy the flowers bring is lasting and the gratitude I receive is palpable.  I truly spend my days doing what I love and that for which I have a passion.  Jealous?  You should be.  

This scribe is brought to you by Tom Sebenius.  Tom is Starbright Floral Design’s Creative Director and has been a part of the Starbright team for most of the modern history of our company. Tom has made countless brides happy with his wedding flower designs in NYC and beyond. Tom is our most published contributor to floral industry publications and probably the most reviewed floral stylist on all the major online review sites.  We consistently earn five-star reviews on the likes of Citysearch mainly through Tom’s insistence on quality and attention to detail.  A proud member of our team and a true artist. 

Starbright Floral Design is located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  Wedding flowers and bridal bouquets in Manhattan and throughout New York City have been creatively designed by Starbright since our inception in 1994.  We are privileged to be the florist of choice for many NYC wedding venues for their wedding flower arrangements and wedding floral décor.

 To learn more about our organization and the work that we do, we would like to invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com or you may call us at 800.520.8999.  Either way, we will be thrilled to hear from you and to be of service.

Wishing you a wonderful  day!

Starbright Floral Design

The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps.

website: starflor.com

to order flowers: starbrightnyc.com

by phone: 800.520.8999

150 West 28th Street, Studio 201, New York City –

NYC Wedding Flower Arrangements: Diverse as our Great City

Flowers have long been regarded as art created by Mother Nature. Just as art’s beauty is open for interpretation by the individual, so too are wedding floral arrangements. NYC wedding preparation season is upon us. Whether preparing for an intimate NYC destination wedding or a New York City wedding florals extravaganza, some preparation is necessary. To that end we bring you an article originally published by Creative Director of Starbright Floral Design, Tom Sebenius, Enjoy…

To be bold or subdued; bright or muted; classic or trendy… should the colors complement the venue or your complexions? Does my mother have to wear a matching dress? Invitations, bridesmaid dresses, table linens, vests and neckties and of course the flowers are just a sample of items affected by the color scheme a couple chooses for their wedding. Since color can set the tone, it is best to choose wisely. Through my years as a designer, I’ve seen some fun combinations. Some color schemes have been more successful than others. Over time, I’ve developed some dos and don’ts that I have shared with countless couples. Although I contend that there are no rules when planning a wedding, I’m always willing to share my opinion on choosing a winning color combination.

Don’t Go for Complements:
Most brides and grooms are familiar with the idea of complementary colors. The three primary colors of red, blue and yellow are placed opposite their corresponding complementary color on the color wheel. Blue is paired with orange, yellow with purple and red with green. You will notice that the primary color is paired with the secondary color that is made by mixed the other two primaries. This creates a bold and loud contrast between the colors. These color combinations are often used for things like gas-station logos, or sports team uniforms. The contrast between the colors catches the eye and forces the viewer to take notice. When trying to use these colors together in floral design, it’s very difficult to fight off thoughts of the Mets or the Lakers. Red and green together also bring their own unique challenge of constantly conjuring thoughts of Christmas for many of us. For these reasons, I suggest trying to avoid using complementary colors as the basis for wedding décor.

 Do Go for A Bold Statement:

While complementary colors may be too bold a choice for most, it is a great idea to choose at least one bold color to inform the design. Purple, fuchsia and orange seem to be the go-to colors these days for couples looking for a pop of color. Vibrant and rich tones such as these can provide a warmth and personality to the occasion without detracting from the proceedings. When choosing a bold pop, I suggest limiting the palette to just one bright tone. This brings me to my next tip.

Do Go Green:
Green is your friend. I frequently suggest adding lime green to the floral arrangements we make for weddings. If a bride or groom favors a brilliant tone such as purple or orange, adding a touch of green into the mix tends to heighten and embolden the arrangements. Green is a neutral color and is found in abundance in nature. Green “goes” with everything! (Although it’s good to keep in mind the challenges when pairing red and green, Jingle Bells…) It’s soothing and calming qualities pair beautifully with the lush colors found in the floral world.

Don’t Count out the Classic:
A white wedding seems to have become a less popular choice these days. Perhaps with all the fantastic color options found both in fabrics and flowers, couples would rather have more fun with the color palette. This is understandable, however white has been the traditional wedding color because it’s clean, pure, and simple and it allows for the couple to be the stars of the day. There are also so many flowers available in white; it’s easy to make arrangements interesting by using different textures, shapes and scales. This is another instance when lime green can be helpful. It’s also a good idea to choose one color to add into the mix of white. One of my favorite weddings used all white flowers with accents of huge and lush coral colored peonies. Simple and chic, this color scheme still resonates with me all these years later. It was unique and yet remains a classic and elegant choice.

Don’t Tempt the Humor Gods:
If you’ve never seen your color combination used at a wedding, there might be a reason. Sometimes when a couple chooses to be unique, it can backfire. I’ve had to explain to a bride and groom why yellow and brown is not a great choice for a color scheme. Without going into the specifics of why, (think about it people, yellow and brown… really?) certain color combinations elicit subconscious responses or connotations. It’s the same reason why yellow and black can be difficult to use together; taxi cabs and bumble bees! Yellow and red always makes me think of Ronald McDonald and ketchup and mustard. These are not thoughts I want to have at your wedding!

Don’t Over Indulge:
No matter what colors are finally chosen, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that everything has to be covered in these tones. You don’t have to dye your Maltese puppy to match the bridesmaid’s dresses. It will be just fine. Choose key locations and items for the colors to be used. You don’t want your guests to feel like they just stepped into a Pepto-Bismol bottle if your color happens to be pink. Touches here and there will suffice. Also, everything doesn’t have to be the exact same shade or hue. I have learned to beware of the bride who carries the Pantone chip! Relax!

Do Listen to Our Advice but…:
We have seen it all… or close to it anyway. Your vendors have been involved with hundreds of events and weddings. Most of the time, our advice is free and is often given weather you ask or not. We will tell you if your colors won’t work or if they should be rethought. Although we can offer some sage wisdom, remember that it’s your day and your decision should be the final word. You write the check so ultimately you must be happy with the colors you chose. Maybe you are both huge Lakers fans. So go for it! Don’t let us get in your way.


Starbright Floral Design is the “Official Florist of Romance” we deliver flowers, love, passion and hope everywhere in Manhattan and worldwide.
Give us a call, visit our website or pop on in! We would love to meet you….
Passionately yours,
Your New York City Wedding Florist
Starbright Floral Design
Located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District
150 West 28th Street, Studio 201.
T. 800.520. 8999
Web: www. starflor.com
E-commerce portal: www.starbrightnyc.com
Wedding: http://www.starflor.com/tag_manhattan_florist_nyc_wedding_flowers

.html