KOCHI: Bouquets are an integral part of weddings, especially for Christians. Be it cascading floral wonders, hand-tied bunches or round bouquets, bridal bouquets add a certain elegance and charm to weddings.
Though most people used to pick out ready-made bouquets earlier, lately, brides prefer bouquets that are well-thought out — colour of flowers to their alignment. Entrepreneur Arina Jomet decided to make a venture out of this emerging trend and call it Azalea Wedding Gallery.
Arina’s bridal boutiques blend seamlessly with wedding themes. Her bouquets use both natural and artificial flowers. She says the flowers are imported from China and Dubai and are of top quality. “Brides these days are willing to experiment with their bouquets but they also want arrangements that fit the wedding theme and their outfit,” says Arina.
Shades of violet, blue and orange have replaced the traditional white, pink and reds in bridal bouquets. Artificial variants of orchids, peonies, calla lilies and tulips are the most sought after flowers for Arina’s bridal bouquets.
A nurse by profession, she moved to bouquet designing quite serendipitously. Her husband was an event planner. During Covid, she quit her job. “We had sourced a lot of flowers from China to revamp our event management store. All the shipments had arrived. But back then, artificial flowers in bouquets were not a very popular concept. But when I got an order, I went ahead with it. I also had plenty of time in hand, so I kept experimenting after that,” recalls Arina.
Arina says that there has been a considerable change in terms of colours of choice for brides. Though her transition from a nurse to an artist has been quite eventful, she feels at ease now. “Nursing is a great profession. But designing bouquets brings me a rare sense of satisfaction. My dream is to diversify and keep experimenting,” she says.
Instagram: @ azalea_wedding_gallery