4 Ideas for Turning Any Reception Space into Your Very Own Secret Garden

Whether you want a luxuriant scene like the one below for a ceremony backdrop or decorative focal point at your party, this idea won't break the bank. "It's much more affordable for a florist to put together a collection of potted plants, like these crab apples and ferns, than it is to create 12-foot-tall displays from cut flowers," says Merrick. For an overgrown feel, she positioned miniature daisies, towering apple branches, and creeping figs to frame the fireplace, then filled in the smaller spaces with lily of the valley, snowdrops, and a variety of mosses spilling out of terra cotta vessels.

"One of the questions brides ask me most often is how they can decorate the space above the tables in a high-ceilinged venue," says Merrick. Her answer: reach-for-the-sky potted branches, such as the flowering apple one below, which offer fullness yet still allow for cross-table conversation. And the concept isn't season-specific, notes Merrick, who suggests a leafier version, like maple, in the summer; a fruiting tree like quince in the fall; and bare branches hung with votives in the winter. Here, a low arrangement of yellow peonies, purple hellebores, white lilacs, peach tulips, and green fritillaria, flanked by long tapers, balances the tablescape. At each seat: A single fritillaria in a miniature pot does double duty as décor and a favor.

This bouquet bursts with a mix of peonies, tulips, clematis, lilacs, and apple branches. Merrick left the stems exposed and tied the bunch up with a wide satin ribbon.

For a surprising alternative to attendant bouquets, Merrick looks to the past, reinventing the classic corsage as an oversize accessory. "It's reminiscent of the 1950s but feels fresh when made a bit larger," she says. Pin one on your maid of honor to help her stand out (and keep her hands free for dress-fluffing). And aim high: "The key is to put all the weight on the shoulder," says Merrick.

Art Directed by Genevieve Panuska; Styled by Naomi deMañana