Experts: The Budding Genius

Can you recommend a no-fail bouquet for a bride who’s not sure what she wants?
My favorite bouquet is white calla lilies with blushing bride, which is a flower that has feathery tufts of light-pink petals; it’s very beautiful and ethereal, and perfect for a spring or summer ceremony. The color combination of crisp white with a touch of blush is sophisticated and timeless. I also like large freesia blossoms added in.

Are there any flowers that you can’t stand working with?
I’m not a fan of loose wildflower combinations, especially in multiple hues. Anything with more than three colors or elements loses my attention, and there’s something about wildflowers that I can’t seem to tame. It’s strange, because I love all things natural and organic! I can appreciate a wildflower design, but I can’t master it. I also have a severe dislike of Gerbera daisies, which will make some of my clients laugh because I’m often asked to use them for corporate events. But for brides, I do everything I can to avoid them. I don’t find them particularly sophisticated, and they can be difficult to work with because of their flat, disklike shape. I’d never use them in a bouquet or in centerpieces. I just can’t get my brain around them.

Okay, so what is your favorite flower?
I really love Vanda orchids, given my history with them in Palm Beach. A collection of those on the tables at a wedding is very modern, organic, and uncontrived. Brides can pick up the raspberry shade, the pinks, and sometimes even the purples in the petals for their color scheme; champagne-colored accents look great with those deep tones, too.

BlueGuava, 839 Albany St., Boston, 617-442-0900, blueguava.com.