Flowers That Fit

In selecting wedding florals, The Flower Guy Bron encourages couples to follow their hearts

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Bron Hansboro cares more about relationships than transactions.

Couples looking for luxe wedding florals seek out Hansboro — known locally as The Flower Guy Bron — but may be surprised when he opens the conversation by asking each person to share, separately, their proposal story. “The versions are always different,” Hansboro says. “Neither one wants to be the one doing the pursuing.”

Hansboro, who has recently relocated from downtown to a larger Brookland Park location, also offers floral design workshops and has spoken at national industry trade shows on trends in event planning and wedding florals. Once a special education teacher, Hansboro says he has found his calling. “Flowers are an outward expression of how I feel about people,” he says. “It’s about the impact. How can people be changed by this art form?”

We talked to Hansboro about wedding florals as he prepared to open his new shop.

Bride: What is your goal for a couple’s wedding look?

Bron Hansboro: I have to understand my clients, because their wedding is their story. We want the couple to be comfortable so their guests are comfortable. As I meet with a couple, I try to get to the core of who they are, so all our designs are intentional and also intuitive. I have to know where they shop, where they eat, which brands attract them, so I can discern what’s appropriate for their day. We want to know what they want before they do. I pay attention to the space and to the scale. Will there be eight people at a table or 10? That makes a difference with the centerpieces. I have been in The John Marshall Ballrooms hundreds of times. I know what to do there.

Bride: How much money should a couple expect to spend?

Hansboro: I try to work with the budget that is presented. I have developed a bespoke full-service business, so my clients receive my full-time attention. I work with flower budgets ranging from $4,000 to upwards of $50,000. For $500, I can do a bridal bouquet and not much else. For smaller weddings with budgets less than $4,000, I’ve created Pastel Posies by The Flower Guy Bron, which is a cash-and-carry package service — basically a $2,500 wedding in a box. I’m not involved personally, but clients will get my team of professionals, and the same quality design and beautiful flowers.

Bride: What are pitfalls to avoid?

Hansboro: Brides need to be true to themselves. I ask clients to come with inspiration pictures, but there’s no need to follow trends rather than your inner voice. Sometimes, I have to help a mother and daughter navigate that delicate space between the event host — the person paying for the wedding — and the bride. It can make sense for a bride to defer to her mother, but this is 2019. My couples are professional people. They should plan [the wedding] and pay for it themselves. Let the parents be gracious and contribute in a meaningful way, but they shouldn’t be footing the bill.

Bride: Is more always better?

Hansboro: That depends on your definition of “more.” “More” includes quantity, flower type and how the space is designed. I have luxury brides who don’t want luxury flowers. They want dramatic centerpieces — towers or terrariums. My personal style is lush and full and luxurious. But that’s not for everyone. Some people care more about the design rather than the flower itself. I can have a centerpiece filled with flowers, but there’s a big difference if it’s filled with hydrangeas or peonies. For me, the design has to be all about the person, their taste, and their perspective. My goal is for the couple to see the design and say, “It’s perfect! I never thought of that.” That’s why you pay me.