9 Experts on How to Incorporate Greenery Into Your Wedding Decor

“As someone who typically loves using an abundance of flowers in my designs, I believe that working with greenery is an opportunity to think outside the box," says Kiana Underwood of Tulipina. "Whenever I minimize or simplify my approach, it forces me to be both bold and intentional in how I structure a design."

Foliage isn't always green, nor is it always the same shape, scale, or texture, so use the parameters that an all-greenery design lays out to get creative, suggests the designer. "Think of the main elements—shape, texture, and color; then, use the working palette to create something eye-catching and dramatic, while still splendidly colorful," says Underwood. "Greenery can be just as artful and dramatic a statement as any floral design.”

"In the world of floral design, greenery has gotten a bad rep," says David Stark. "It's long been pigeon-holed as 'filler,' or a method used for cost-cutting floral bouquets. If we look closer, the world of foliage is as sumptuous as the universe of blooms."

Stark suggests tapping into the palette foliage naturally provides, and using a variety of leaves and vines to create texture and dimension in a tablescape. "Green is a color! So, why not employ that into your wedding décor?" he asks. "Use climbing tendrils of vines and interwoven foliage textures within a multileveled still-life of candles that march down rectangular dining tables. Delicate and bold at once, it’s the variation in textures that make this magical and unexpected. We love the paradox of being incredibly tailored—and a little wild at the same time."

"It is easy to incorporate greenery into your design as an element that can transform every surface it touches," says Kristen Griffith Vanderyacht of Wild Bloom Floral and The Big Flower Fight. "Use greenery that lasts a long time out of water—like Camellia and Southern Smilax—to adorn the often overlooked areas of your space, like the bar or the perimeter of the dance floor, to create an aesthetic that feels overgrown yet manicured."

For a larger wow factor, "create a canopy of greenery that floats over the ceremony for an undeniable celebration of nature. If your vibe is more coastal and less metropolitan, try draping a boat with fresh eucalyptus and filling it with local beverages for an interactive drink station."

For Gabriela Salazar of La Musa de las Flores, foliage and greenery is more than just a way of covering vessels or creating some form of structure. "It is really the main element to create shape in an arrangement, to create movement and texture," she says. "I love non-traditional leaves, and I love greenery that has fruits or vegetables in it. It’s fun, more unexpected, and it adds so much freshness to the arrangements."

"Create a still-life display for an escort card table or centerpiece, combining an array of green foliage and utilizing bottles of varying heights and dimensions," recommends David Stark. "From vivid pea green to light chartreuse, deep, velvety jade to glowing emerald, mixing many shades adds mystery, depth, and dimension."

Stark adds, "Grand, statement arrangements utilizing larger scale leaves provide height and drama to a room. Whether as elevated canopies of green on dining tables or large arrangements on pedestals or tables, mix textures and shapes to create stunning monochromes. With designs like these, it would never even occur to you that flowers are missing!"