Over the dozen roses? The floral phenoms at Viburnum Designs in Princeton create offbeat bouquets for this Valentine’s Day.

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Arrangements courtesy of Viburnum Designs

Photography by Jeffrey Tryon

Viburnum Designs on 202 Nassau Street is known for their stunning floral arrangements that that have been recognized in highly respected wedding blogs, websites, and magazines such as Wedding Chicks, WeddingWire, and The Knot. While the designers at Viburnum can craft a breathtaking arrangement in any design genre, it’s their more eclectic arrangements that truly set them apart. Viburnum’s aesthetic often eschews trends to produce floral arrangements that are arty, interesting, and perfect for the offbeat Valentine.

Princeton Magazine decided to challenge the bold designers at Viburnum to create floral arrangements that put a twist on the traditional Valentine’s bouquet. As expected, event coordinator Claire Tillman-McTigue and her talented team created arrangements that are not only vase-worthy, but museum worthy. Below, Tillman-McTigue explains the inspiration behind these “anti-romantic” floral designs.

“We wanted to do something for the person who loves flowers but doesn’t necessarily want a dozen red roses, so we went for this vase arrangement. It includes unique and exotic flowers such as pincushion protea and gloriosa lilies. We also selected a yellow, orange, and hot pink color palette because Valentine’s Day doesn’t always have to be about red and pink.”

“This hand tied bouquet is the ultimate anti-Valentine’s Day arrangement. We wanted to achieve a wild and dark look, so we used pieces of bay leaves, quince branches, and flowers such as chocolate cosmos. We loved how the touches of black in the pink mink protea gave the bouquet an edgy look.”

To order these fashion-forward arrangements in time for Valentine’s Day, call Viburnum Designs at 609.683.8800, or place an order on their website at viburnumdesigns.com. For delivery, Viburnum recommends calling by February 13, as they sometimes have to suspend same-day delivery due to an increased number of holiday orders.

Luckily for all you last-minute Valentines, Viburnum’s team will be assisting walk-in customers with wrapped bouquets all weekend. They have extended their hours, so that they are open on Sunday, February 14 from 9am-5pm. Regular business hours are Thursday through Friday, 9am – 7pm, and Saturday, 8am-7pm.

Whether or not it’s Valentine’s Day, Viburnum Designs proves that their creative vision is always in full bloom.