Wedding floral artist Michele Castelnuovo sees flower arrangements as true artworks. Each project for him is special, starting from the unique colours of the flowers, combining them, looking at their shapes and textures, and creating a one-of-a-kind piece of art that perfectly complements the couple’s love story..

Michele Castelnuovo

Three things every couple should know about wedding florals

How much time does it take to develop a wedding floral project?

On average, it takes about 15 days from the first meeting to realize the project, and then the creative journey with the couple begins, which is defined about a month after the first meeting.

What flowers to choose for a wedding?

Seasonal ones because of the environmental respect, sustainability of production, quality, and freshness, but also because of the cost of the out-of-season flower.

Something to keep in mind when planning wedding floral arrangements?

Rely completely on the professional. Flowers are essential for the wedding day but don’t lose focus on the unique experience you are living.

Also, be mindful of the wedding floral trends because there are many replicas. Be courageous and artistic.

Can you tell us about your background in arts?

I have a high level of artistic education, and precisely, I am a restorer of frescoes, paintings on canvas and wooden panels. Then, I approached the world of flowers. Colour is what intrigued me. As in paintings, flowers give back, thanks to light, extraordinary colours. Here was my turning point. Having put down the brush, I began this floral journey, which has now lasted 15 years.

What inspired you to transition from traditional art forms to floral artistry?

The paintings called floral triumphs from the 1600s and 1700s were decisive for my transition. They were not an inspiration but rather an initial guide for the setting of my work.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your designs?

Honestly, these days, it is much more difficult to draw inspiration. We are contaminated by too many things. Sometimes, I would like to take a break from everything, from social media, from the images that are constantly put under our noses. Going back to the flower triumph paintings precisely, I often see many colleagues who have not moved from that and yet are successful. A bit of artistry and true research is missing. Sometimes productions happen as if it were a pre-established process, conditioned by fashions, by how many likes a photo can receive. Perhaps we are afraid to dare, to break away from the crowd.

However, generally, I draw inspiration from colour, shapes, and the linearity of some floral essences. But it is always difficult. We need to break away from trends and forget about the demands dictated by the market.

Do you take into account the different symbolisms of flowers?

I am not tied to the symbolism of flowers. I prefer to capture their more physiological and morphological characteristics. A flower can be soft, scented, rigid, arrogant, frivolous, nice, sad and so on. There are flowers that I do not like and others that I prefer.

About the flowers to use in a wedding? Those that create the desired effect. Most of the time, I work on the palette.

Can you describe your creative process when designing floral arrangements for a wedding?

The creative process starts with a meeting with the couple, where I ask questions. Usually, I ask how they dress, what colors they like, and which ones they hate. I observe how they behave if they have a specific outfit. Let's say I try to draw inspiration from them. Most of the time, I get it right! Then, I move on to the creative process. Starting from a color palette, I build the floral project. On average, it takes about 15 days from the first meeting to realize the project, and then the creative journey with the couple begins, which is defined about a month after the first meeting.

Making floral arrangements requires a lot of technical skills and knowledge. How do you balance your artistic vision with the practical aspects of floral design?

My knowledge of floral composition techniques but also the more specific techniques has been perfected over time. Obviously, with changing fashions and requests, it is always necessary to update oneself. I find the continuous comparison with expert and trusted colleagues very stimulating. There are extremely good and technically capable florists. Together, we have created a silent network of mutual comparison. This is artistically stimulating and enriching.

Speaking of practical aspects, for flowers, I certainly prefer seasonal ones, both for environmental respect, sustainability of production, quality, and freshness, but also for the cost of the out-of-season flower. Now you can find everything, or almost everything, in every period of the year but it costs more.

What would you like the couples to know about wedding florals?

I would like couples to rely completely on the professional. Flowers are essential for the wedding day, but I would like couples not to lose focus on the unique experience they are living. Getting married is an important step in your life. The freedom of action and the serenity of accompanying them in the choice of arrangements is fundamental, but trust must be established.

Are there any new techniques or styles you want to explore in your upcoming projects?

I would like to abandon the habit and start a crazier stylistic path. But for this, you need courage. Sometimes, as I said, we are too influenced by social media. In any case, I'm working on it. I would like to clean up the shapes more and work more on chromatic arrogance.

Touching on wedding floral trends, unfortunately, I see many replicas, and in my opinion, floral art is at a standstill. I see few artists around. There is a lack of courage and perhaps a bit of artistic culture.

Making wedding floral arrangements is quite a demanding job, time-wise and physically. How do you recharge after the wedding season?

My life is very simple. I work, then at home, I love to cook for me and my wife. I like all animals, and I am starting a journey to take care of them.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of being a wedding floral artist for you?

Currently, the greatest satisfaction has been to have been able to partially realize my projects. To still be on the market with a vision of growth.

Wedding floral artists: Michele Castelnuovo

Interviewed by Renāte Berga