Hawai`i-Grown Flowers Take Stage in Wedding Designs
NR12-07 - May 2, 2012
HONOLULU– Competition will blossom as four of Hawai`i’s top wedding floral designers
compete in the first-ever
“Buy Local
Bridal Floral Challenge,” sponsored by the Hawai`i Department of
Agriculture (HDOA) at
Kahala Mall on
Saturday, May 19 at 11:00 a.m. The challenge is a collaborative effort
by the Hawai`i Floriculture and Nursery Association, Kahala Mall, Hawai`i Bride
& Groom magazine and HDOA’s Plant Quarantine Branch.
The
event is free to the public and part of HDOA’s
Buy Local, It Matters campaign, which encourages consumers to support
local farmers and growers by making conscious decisions to buy local whenever
possible. In addition, this particular
event emphasizes that by buying local, we can also reduce the amount of
imported flowers, thus reducing the amount of invasive plant pests and diseases
entering our state.
The
floral designers will compete in two categories, including finished bouquets
and a tablescape category where the designers will have one hour to create a
wedding reception tablescape live at the event.
The bouquets will be on display and the public will have a chance to
vote for their favorite. The tablescapes
will be judged by a special panel of judges.
Designers
participating in the competition specialize in wedding florals and
include:
Easely Designs; Exquisite Hawaiian Weddings, The Floral Boutique, Inc.;
and Su-V Expressions. To help enhance their tablescapes the designers will
be assisted by REA Events, Royal Party Rentals and Event Essentials.
HDOA
and the local nursery industry will provide the designers with hundreds of
locally grown flowers and foliage for the competition including: anthuriums, orchids, cymbidiums, protea,
heliconia, ginger, bird of paradise, palms and much more. In addition, the designers will be required
to incorporate a secret ingredient to be unveiled on the day of the event.
“Florists
tell us that local consumers don’t ask for local flowers for special occasions
such as weddings,“ said Russell S. Kokubun, chair of the Hawai‘i Department of
Agriculture. “With this event, we want to demonstrate how supporting local
growers may also help to create exceptional and memorable wedding bouquets and
reception tables.”
“Imported flowers and foliage bring into Hawai`i
a wide range of invasive pests and plant diseases,” said Carol Okada, manager
of HDOA’s Plant Quarantine Branch, “By selecting locally grown flowers, we can
reduce the amount of imported flowers and reduce the risk of hitchhiking pests
and diseases.”
Once
an invasive pest or disease becomes established in Hawai`i, it may have a
devastating impact on Hawai`i agriculture by causing damage to crops and is
often costly for the state and growers to control. Invasive species also may harm Hawai`i’s
unique environment.
“We
are hoping that wedding planners and brides-to-be will become more aware of the
exciting and beautiful floral options that are available from local growers,”
Okada added. “In the process, newlyweds can feel good about helping to sustain
our local economy and protect our unique agriculture and ecosystem for the
future.”
