‘Every flower and color has its own message’

Master florists Sofia Tavares and Marc Noël met while working in a flower shop. Together, they decided to start a flower shop and launched Moments Subtils in Bastogne, Belgium, in 2015. In June 2023, they opened their second flower shop, with the same name, in the center of Brussels. Sofia and Marc also find challenge in decorating events and participating in competitions. In September, they will both participate in the Belgian Floristry Championship.

The two have a passion for the beauty of nature and for flowers. 'For us, floral art is a language of flowers to convey all beauty. We find inspiration in a walk in the woods, in a city and its architecture, or simply in a flower or a moment of wonder.'

What is the meaning of funeral arrangements for Sofia and Marc? ‘Words can bring comfort, but flowers have the extra power to express emotions more strongly than words. For us, all flowers and all colors can be used in funeral arrangements, because every flower and color has its own message.’

Moments Subtils is the name of two flower shops in Bastogne, Belgium, and in the heart of Brussels.

Farewell with flowers: latest trends

With funeral flower arrangements, a florist can create significant added value during a funeral. On the initiative of VBW, Smithers-Oasis, and Groothandelscentrum Plantion, the Funeral Event took place on March 5 in Ede. During the event, attention was focused on various new trends in the funeral industry. For example, the natural burial ground is on the rise, shrouds are increasingly replacing a traditional coffin, and there is an increasing demand for urn decorations.

Cherishing

A wooden bowl and a wooden pedestal form the basis of this urn arrangement. An Oasis wreath is placed on a bowl. Subsequently, ribbons of pith are stapled together and onto the pedestal and the bowl. Tendrils of Humulus lupulus (hops) are woven between the pith. The wreath is then arranged with flowers: hollyhock (Alcea rosea), garden roses, Campanula, and Passiflora. The urn is placed on a wooden cube in the middle of the wreath so that it rises nicely above the flower arrangement. Acer fruits and some poppy flowers complete it.

Yellow drop

To create this elongated teardrop, myrtle (Myrthus communis) is arranged in Oasis Bio on an elongated dish. A large yellow pompon chrysanthemum forms the basis of this arrangement. Yellow carnations with an orange touch provide an autumnal play of colours. Dried bay leaves are glued in pairs to a wrapping wire. These wired leaves are then arranged in the composition where they provide dynamism. As a finishing touch, Acer fruits are inserted into the oasis and partly scattered on the box.

In my heart

A heart remains a preferred shape for funeral flower arrangements. For this arrangement, a circle is cut from a wooden plate. Lotus leaves, Nelumbo nucifera, are coated with wallpaper paste on both sides and glued onto the circle. The greenery is arranged first in an Oasis Bio heart: Stachys leaves, Myrthus communis, and Acer leaves made of silk. Santini spray chrysanthemums and a few carnations provide the floral filling. After the base is completely dry, the heart shape is attached to the circle. Tendrils of Passiflora and Stipa grass provide a playful finish.

Subtle balance

Tufts of dried lavender are attached to a wooden dish with a stapler, after which the dish is placed on a pedestal. The flowers, Gladiolus, Campanula and Buddleja, are incorporated into an Oasis wreath that is placed on the wooden dish. Vanda orchids are placed in water tubes and arranged between the flowers. Passiflora vines connect the arrangement to the urn.