Cover Art

Floral Arrangement

Dogwood, Cherry Blossoms, Tulips, Bleeding Heart, Ranunculus, Rhododendron, Spirea, Hopvines, and Clematis; by McKenzie Midboe Powell ’08

Lush, romantic, and wild, McKenzie Powell’s floral designs and arrangements have the old-world charm of a still-life painting. But though she helps brides perfect every last detail on their wedding day, she relishes the “slightly imperfect” touches that give her designs life.

“Even overnight they move, flowers move and change,” she says. “Certain varieties have a tendency to stick straight up or move toward light.” A visual communication major at Seattle Pacific University, Powell taught herself how to arrange flowers, beginning with her own wedding. She leveraged her design degree and event planning experience into her own business, McKenzie Powell Designs, which creates a distinctive visual look — everything from flowers and table linens to menu cards — for about 20 weddings each year.

“It was surprising to me how often I’m thinking about these principles of design I studied in school — repetition, variety, scale,” she says. “I’m not just slamming flowers in a vase. I’m creating a piece of art.”