florals

Insight From A Floral Designer

CATEGORIES 

May 4, 2020
Words by Jennifer Stein
Photos courtesy of Steven Boyle

Steven Boyle is no stranger to celebrity events or celebrations for the uber-wealthy from many cultures and destinations. With over twenty years in the business, Steven has seen and created it all.

His start began as a “fluke,” but turned into an international business that has elevated events and weddings to new heights. Beginning in L.A., he had a friend who had a designer unable to fill an order, so his friend asked him to step in. “I immersed myself in the LA floral market. I walked around, asked a lot of questions and created my first event. In the end, the client loved the designs and the caterer asked if I would continue creating with them. Thus, a new business blossomed.” No pun intended.

Steven describes his aesthetic as “eclectic, rich, full designs with stunning color combinations.” Having lived in Hawaii for the past 10 years as a dream fulfilled, location plays a role in his inspiration, but read on to learn a bit more about his approach and helpful tips you can take away for your big day. 

DID: How does your home destination of Hawaii influence your design?

SBD: A wedding, no matter where it takes place, is driven by the sensibilities of the couple. The settings in Hawaii are gorgeous and they add to the experience. However, we usually see the strongest “Hawaiian” influence in rehearsal dinners where we emphasize tropical looks and designs.

DID: What is one of the biggest mistakes you see couples make today with regards to flowers?

SBD: There are things we have experience with that they don’t, such as knowing the humidity in Hawaii is beneficial to many flowers and harmful to others. I don’t often see our couples make mistakes when they work with us because we gently direct them in finalizing their selections.

DID: What is your opinion regarding current floral and décor trends?

SBD: Trends are often a pitfall. I think each couple needs to work with [their floral designer] to create a design that fits their personality. But, insofar as trends are concerned, we pride ourselves on designing everything from minimal effects to over-the-top glamorous settings. 

DID: What is the number one thing that inspires you in your design?

SBD: Cultures inspire me and we love weaving a feeling of location into the design.  We have worked with some incredible budgets and have designed so many wonderful and beautiful weddings. 

DID: What was your favorite wedding event to design and what made it so great?

SBD: There are so many! I loved working with Ed Libby, Bob Conti and Nefi on an Indonesian wedding at the Four Seasons Oahu. It had so many gorgeous elements over multiple days and the collaboration was effortless.

I also love creating Indian weddings where the pageantry, colors and traditions are stunning. A few years ago, in Jeddah, we created a wedding that was out of this world and a dream to create. Imagine a Plexiglas stage over the Red Sea and a 200-foot water wall that separated the reception tent from the food tent.

DID: If you could pick any destination in the world (other than Hawaii) where you could design your dream event, where would it be and why?

SBD: I have been fortunate enough to create weddings and events in many locations throughout the world. I love the influences in European design and the history of the various locations. My bottom line? Any place that is architecturally stunning is driving my dream. 

Article originally ran in the Fall/Winter 2019 edition of Destination I Do’s print magazine.

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