All About Eucalyptus

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Everybody wants it for their wedding!

I can remember back when I was a little girl, there was a fascination with koala bears. There was a time we all wanted these little squeeze and clip toys to adorn a backpack or a shirt collar. Everybody was collecting them. We immersed ourselves in koala facts, like they eat Eucalyptus leaves. Fast forward several decades, and I find myself talking to just about every couple planning a wedding, about this distinctively scented, versatile foliage, once associated with its native Australia, and now very much mainstream. Eucalyptus is one of the most requested elements for wedding décor, as today’s couples are often looking for a leafy aesthetic as they host celebrations.

Are there different kinds of Eucalyptus?

One of the most widely known forms is Seeded Eucalyptus, which is branches with sage green teardrop shaped leaves, along with attached bracts of seeds. The texture of Seeded Eucalyptus is wonderful for bouquets, garlands, and more. Silver Dollar Eucalyptus has sturdy far reaching branches with flat circular leaves. SD is good for coverage, and in bouquet work, it can add a sense of movement. Gunni Eucalyptus, and its cousin Parviflora, are long stems with a series of side branches that fan out, and smaller fine leaves. These can add texture and structure. Gunni and Parviflora are great for bouquets as a strong base for flowers. The Baby Blue type looks like a series of corkscrewed leaves, and is good for achieving height in arrangements. It is often used in dried form in the winter.

Does basing floral design on foliage instead of flowers cost less?

We get this A LOT. OK, so here is the AHA moment. If you are thinking about garlands on your table, you need to consider that the raw materials (before you add accent flowers, or candles) are priced by the foot, and a garland with 2 or 3 ingredients will increase your price. On average, the garlands we use for events range from $15 to $30 per foot. This is in part because of the labor involved. Other common elements, like greenery on a chandelier, or a wall decorated with cut pieces of greens strung on fishing wire to create a falling water effect, will again be a significant investment.

How you use your greenery, and where you put it, can often put you in a situation where you will spend more than a more traditional centerpiece plan based on flowers. There are smart ways to use greens. You should know that some of the looks you see on Pinterest are created with doubled widths and flowing off the table edge to the floor, these will easily get to $500 a table. You can get the look and feel you want for less, or use bigger hits of greenery as statement pieces and go lighter in other areas.

What are some clever ways of incorporating Eucalyptus in my wedding?

A wedding we did that was very simple and highlighted architecture, had Eucalyptus on the invitation, used silver dollar leaves with gold calligraphy for escort cards, and showcased high and low centerpieces that provided a lot of visual interest. Another favorite celebration had long tables placed in a big letter U formation. We dressed the tables with garlands of Seeded Eucalyptus dotted with the flowers the bride carried. It was a soft, organic color scheme, and the visual with the garlands gave a wonderful sense of community, they ate and drank at one big table.

What ideas or visions do you have? At Bloom Magic Weddings, we relish the opportunity to get to know our couples, and to create floral designs that uniquely express your love story. Even if you want koala bears. We’re all about the leaves. Let’s talk! – Kirsten Gordon