In honor of spring’s long-awaited arrival, Sarah Campbell, founder of Intrigue Designs, shared her knowledge and expertise on the ins and outs of floral design and her favorite part of any wedding. – As told to Alexis Blair.
Q: What was the inspiration behind Intrigue Designs?
A: I started out in the industry as a wedding planner, but I realized that there really wasn’t a prominent floral and event design company serving the Annapolis & Baltimore area. So I moved away from my role as a wedding planner and launched Intrigue Designs in 2008, focusing on the floral design process. We’ve been successful for the past six years, and we are in the process of launching a second company, Pops of Plum, focusing exclusively on brides with a lower budget. We used to refer brides to other stores, but in just a few weeks we will have our own sister company. Stay tuned!
Q: From where do you draw your inspiration for the floral creations?
A: As a design firm, we look at each event as a fresh palette. We take into account the venue, lighting, color scheme, wall texture, and window treatments – everything plays a part in us creating a design to enhance the colors. I enjoy being able to take a little point of inspiration and build it into this beautiful environment. When I was a planner, I was doing more organization, but that’s not where my passion lies. There’s something so incredible in pairing this flower with that textile on the table and these colors in the centerpiece with the charger and the candles – it all entices me.
Q: Do you prefer that brides work with a wedding planner in addition to hiring Intrigue?
A: We prefer that our brides have a planner when they come to us, and we are consistently recommending certain planners if they don’t already have one. It’s certainly not a requirement, but it is usually a big help. It also depends on the venues, as some are much easier to navigate without a planner, but for private venues and larger scale hotels, it’s very important for a planner to handle all the minute details. When the wedding planner handles all the logistics, it allows me to do my best work. I can focus solely on the art of creating an incredible wedding.
Q: What details must a bride know before coming to you?
A: It’s very important for them to know their venue and have it locked down before they schedule the appointment with me, because I can help them design specifically for their location of choice. For a wedding on the Eastern Shore, I would design differently than a wedding downtown or even in Frederick; each region will have a different feel and influence.
Q: Do you have a favorite flower with which you design? Which flowers are popular this year?
A: Peonies. I absolutely love Peonies. Plus, we are now able to offer them year round, rather than simply during their peak season. There has been a rise in the use of garden flowers like poppies and peonies, with lots of great, bold colors being utilized. Last year everything was very muted, but this year it’s bright and powerful. We’re pairing pinks with reds and radiant orchid.
Q: How has the industry changed since you began Intrigue Designs?
A: This year, I’m really seeing a rise in the bride’s interest in the ceremony. Couples are spending just as much time and money decorating the ceremony itself as the reception space. On the floral end, brides are doubling and tripling their spending on flowers as they have in the past years. I think Pinterest and social media, along with wedding-centric television shows, have enabled brides to see more than they have in the past. They want it all. It’s a lot of fun for me, because I used to educate brides on where flowers are important as part of the wedding, but now brides are coming to me with their own ideas and knowledge. I love it!
Q: What is your favorite aspect of the wedding to design?
A: I love the reception because it has layers upon layers. I am designing everything from the candlelight to the centerpieces, the overall table scape, even working on the floor plan. I’m able to create a true experience for the guests as they enter the reception.
Q: Do you think outside the box when considering vases?
A: We very rarely use a standard vase. One of the things on which we pride our company is looking for inventive vessels and containers for our florals, such as candelabras, gold-footed goblets, crates and cans, old chests, teapots, birdhouses, and riding helmets. Being located near Annapolis, we have created many nautical-inspired designs with rope and pails, even a crab pot, as the centerpiece.
Q: Once the big day is over, what do you do with any flowers left over?
A: Our flowers are designed to be at their peak of beauty on the wedding day, and it breaks our heart to throw them away. Instead, we often do random acts of flowers by delivering them to hospitals, retirement homes, and other people in Annapolis.
