There are venues that feel like stepping into another era, and then there is The Howey Mansion. Built in 1925 at the height of the Florida land boom, this Mediterranean Revival estate sits on a gentle rise in Howey-in-the-Hills, a tiny Central Florida hamlet where rolling citrus groves give way to shimmering lakefront views. Walking through its arched entryway, past the curving grand staircase, and beneath the heavenly dome ceiling overhead, you can almost hear the clink of champagne coupes from a Gatsby-era soiree. As an Orlando wedding florist, Poppy has designed The Howey Mansion wedding flowers for six celebrations here, and each one has reminded us why this venue stands apart: the architecture does half the work for you, but it also demands a level of floral intentionality that rises to meet its grandeur. With an average floral investment of $4,841, our couples here understand that The Howey Mansion deserves arrangements worthy of its century of elegance.

About The Howey Mansion

William J. Howey built this estate as his private residence in 1925, and his vision for the home mirrored his ambitions for the surrounding town that bears his name. The mansion is an exercise in Mediterranean Revival architecture at its most romantic: stucco walls in warm earth tones, arched doorways, wrought-iron balconies, Spanish clay tile, and a terrace that looks out across the gentle hills of Lake County. Unlike the flat coastal landscapes that define much of Florida, Howey-in-the-Hills occupies a pocket of actual topography, rolling terrain planted with citrus groves that stretches toward the chain of lakes in every direction.

The interior is equally striking. Step through the front doors and the foyer opens up to reveal the mansion’s most photographed feature: a curving grand staircase that sweeps upward in a graceful arc, its wrought-iron railing tracing the curve beneath the heavenly dome ceiling painted above. The craftsmanship is unmistakable, a product of an era when estates were built to impress for generations. Beyond the foyer, intimate parlors, a ballroom with the proportions of a private supper club, and an upstairs that houses both the opulent bridal suite and the groom’s parlor all await.

And then there is the secret. The Prohibition Vault, a hidden room dating to the mansion’s origins as a private home during the Prohibition era, serves as an actual speakeasy experience for wedding guests. Available for events with 100 or more guests, the Vault comes with its own bartender and the kind of atmosphere you simply cannot manufacture. It is one of the most genuinely unique features of any Central Florida wedding venue, and couples who discover it tend to build their entire cocktail hour vision around it.

The mansion’s location in Howey-in-the-Hills, about 45 minutes west of Orlando, means your guests will be trading highway traffic for winding country roads and citrus-scented air. It is a destination unto itself, a place where the outside world falls away and the only thing that matters is the celebration at hand.

Event Spaces & Floral Opportunities

Mediterranean Revival Historic Terrace

  • Capacity: 150-200 guests (ceremony)
  • Setting: Outdoor front terrace with original 1925 Mediterranean Revival architecture
  • Floral Notes: The front terrace is where most Howey Mansion ceremonies take place, and for good reason. The mansion’s facade functions as a ceremony backdrop that rivals any altar installation you could build from scratch: arched doorways, stucco detailing, wrought-iron accents, and the warm patina of a century-old estate. The key floral decision here is whether to frame it or let it speak. Most Poppy couples opt for a ceremony arch or structured installation positioned at the center of the terrace, drawing the eye toward the couple while letting the architecture fill in the periphery. We favor asymmetrical designs here, a lush crescent of garden roses, ranunculus, and trailing Italian ruscus that cascades from one side, because perfect symmetry can feel rigid against the organic warmth of Mediterranean architecture. Aisle arrangements work beautifully in weathered stone urns or aged terracotta vessels, a nod to the Mediterranean roots of the building. Consider olive branches, eucalyptus, and herbs like rosemary and oregano woven through your ceremony florals to deepen the connection to the architectural style. For larger ceremonies, tall pedestal arrangements at the entrance to the aisle help define the processional path across the broad terrace. One practical note: the terrace faces west, which means late-afternoon ceremonies get golden, warm-toned light that photographs beautifully but can be intense for flowers and guests alike. We recommend water tubes for any blooms not in vases, and we always bring extra misting supplies during warm-weather months.

Grand Ballroom

  • Capacity: 80 guests (seated dinner)
  • Setting: Intimate indoor ballroom with historic detailing
  • Floral Notes: The Grand Ballroom is one of those spaces that reminds you the mansion was built for private entertaining, not public events. It has the proportions of a parlor-style supper club, seating up to 80 for dinner, which means every arrangement you place in this room will be seen up close. This is not a space for filler or generic centerpieces. Low, lush centerpieces in compote bowls or footed mercury glass vessels work exceptionally well here, arrangements of garden roses, spray roses, lisianthus, and seasonal accents like scabiosa or astilbe that invite guests to admire the details. Because the ceiling height is more intimate than a typical ballroom, we generally avoid tall centerpieces that would crowd the sightlines and compete with the room’s existing architectural character. Instead, we add height through taper candles in brass or gold holders, which catch the light and create warmth without blocking conversation. The bar area benefits from a statement arrangement, a generous urn-style piece with flowing greenery and bold focal blooms that signals to guests that this room was designed with intention. If the ballroom is being used for cocktails before guests move to the courtyard for dinner, we often concentrate florals on the bar, a few cocktail table bud vases, and the foyer staircase rather than loading up tables that will only be used for an hour.

Fountain Courtyard

  • Capacity: 150 guests (seated dinner)
  • Setting: Outdoor courtyard with stone fountain centerpiece, open sky above
  • Floral Notes: Dinner in the Fountain Courtyard is the signature Howey Mansion reception experience. The stone fountain anchors the center of the space, surrounded by the mansion’s stucco walls on three sides, creating an enclosed, almost European piazza atmosphere. Above, nothing but the open Florida sky, which means your guests dine under the stars with the sound of flowing water as ambient background. Florally, the courtyard is a dream and a discipline. The fountain itself should not be obscured by flowers; instead, we ring its base with low arrangements or greenery garlands that frame it as the natural centerpiece it already is. Table centerpieces should complement, not compete. We have had beautiful results with low, garden-style arrangements in aged stone or ceramic vessels that echo the courtyard’s materials. Think ranunculus, spray roses, stock, and seasonal greenery in a palette that reads warm and romantic by candlelight, because this is an evening space where arrangements will be seen primarily by flickering flame and string lights. Trailing table garlands of eucalyptus, Italian ruscus, and smilax work exceptionally well here, winding down the center of long farm tables and creating the sense of an abundant Mediterranean feast. For couples who want more drama, we have installed overhead string-light canopies interwoven with greenery that connects the courtyard walls, essentially creating a living ceiling overhead. This is a meaningful investment but one of the most breathtaking installations we do at any venue. One logistical consideration: the courtyard retains heat during summer months because of the enclosed walls, so flower selection in June through September should lean toward heat-tolerant varieties like orchids, protea, and tropical greenery rather than delicate blooms that wilt quickly.

Front Lawn

  • Capacity: Up to 200 guests (tented reception)
  • Setting: Expansive lawn with views of the mansion facade and rolling Central Florida hills
  • Floral Notes: The Front Lawn is where larger Howey Mansion weddings come to life, typically under a sailcloth or clear-top tent that frames the mansion behind the head table. Tented receptions here benefit enormously from floral treatments that soften the tent structure and connect the indoor-outdoor feel. We drape tent poles with greenery garlands, often a mix of eucalyptus, smilax, and seasonal blooms, and frame the entrance with substantial arrangements in urns that signal the transition from ceremony to celebration. Inside the tent, the floral world is yours. Long farm tables with garland runners overflowing with flowers and greenery create a lush, communal atmosphere, while round tables allow for more traditional centerpieces with height and drama. If your ceremony took place on the front terrace, we can repurpose the ceremony arch or installation pieces at the head table or dessert display, maximizing your floral budget. The lawn also offers opportunities for lounge areas with accent florals, welcome table arrangements, and a dedicated escort card display that sets the tone for the evening. Because the lawn is open and exposed, wind can be a factor for tented events. We secure all lightweight vessels and use low-profile arrangements on any uncovered cocktail tables.

Bridal Suite

  • Setting: Opulent upstairs suite with period-appropriate furnishings
  • Floral Notes: The bridal suite at The Howey Mansion is a getting-ready space with genuine character, high ceilings, elegant furniture, and plenty of natural light for photographs. A small arrangement of the bride’s featured blooms in a simple bud vase or low compote bowl adds a luxurious touch to flat-lay photos and getting-ready portraits. We often place it near the vanity or on the windowsill where light falls naturally. The bridal bouquet itself becomes the star of the suite once it arrives, and the upstairs windows provide beautiful backlit photo opportunities.

Groom’s Parlor

  • Setting: Dedicated upstairs preparation space for the groom and groomsmen
  • Floral Notes: A single, understated arrangement adds polish to the groom’s space without feeling forced. We favor textural, compact designs here: a small vessel with thistle, dusty miller, berries, and a few focal blooms in deeper tones. Boutonnieres laid out on a tray with sprigs of greenery make for excellent detail photos and give the groom’s preparation area the same level of intentionality as the bridal suite.

Prohibition Vault

  • Setting: Hidden 1920s speakeasy room with dedicated bartender (available for 100+ guest events)
  • Floral Notes: The Prohibition Vault is a once-in-a-venue-lifetime feature, and your florals should lean fully into the era. Think moody, intimate, and richly textured. Dark burgundy dahlias, chocolate cosmos, black magic roses, and deep plum ranunculus arranged in vintage brass vessels, Art Deco compotes, or even repurposed crystal decanters. Feathers, pearls, and gold accents feel right at home here. We keep arrangements low and intimate, grouped along the bar top and on small cocktail tables, because the Vault is a space meant for close conversation and the clink of craft cocktails. One or two statement pieces flanking the entrance can signal to guests that something special awaits inside. Avoid anything too polished or modern; the Vault’s entire appeal is its authenticity, and your florals should feel like they were pulled from a secret garden in 1925.

Mansion Foyer & Grand Staircase

  • Setting: Dramatic entryway with curving wrought-iron staircase beneath the heavenly dome ceiling
  • Floral Notes: The foyer is the first interior space guests experience, and the grand staircase is almost certainly where the couple will pause for portraits. A staircase garland is one of the most impactful single floral investments at The Howey Mansion. We drape a lush garland of mixed greenery, typically a base of eucalyptus and Italian ruscus accented with seasonal blooms, along the wrought-iron banister, allowing it to cascade naturally with the curve of the staircase. The effect is showstopping in photographs and creates a sense of arrival that stays with guests throughout the evening. For the newel posts at the base of the staircase, we favor generous, structural arrangements that anchor the garland visually, typically matching the palette and style of the ceremony or reception florals to create continuity. The dome ceiling above adds height and drama to this space. While hanging installations from the dome itself may not be feasible depending on the venue’s structural guidelines, tall arrangements on pedestals in the foyer can draw the eye upward and create a sense of vertical grandeur that plays off the ceiling’s curves.

Wedding Flower Ideas for The Howey Mansion

Gatsby’s Garden

Channel the decade when the mansion was born with a palette of ivory, gold, champagne, and deep emerald. Think cascading arrangements of white phalaenopsis orchids, cream garden roses, and trailing amaranthus in gold Art Deco vessels. Incorporate feather accents, pearl strands draped through centerpieces, and gold mercury glass votives across every surface. The ceremony arch on the historic terrace uses a gilded metal frame with asymmetric clusters of ivory blooms and dripping greenery. In the Prohibition Vault, dark amber vessels hold moody arrangements of burgundy ranunculus and chocolate cosmos. This palette photographs beautifully against the warm stucco of the mansion and leans into the era without crossing into costume territory.

Mediterranean Harvest

Embrace the architecture’s roots with a palette drawn from the Italian and Spanish countryside: terracotta, dusty rose, sage green, sun-bleached gold, and touches of deep fig purple. Feature garden roses, ranunculus, stock, and lisianthus alongside olive branches, rosemary, trailing jasmine, and lemon leaf. Serve the look in aged terracotta pots, weathered stone urns, and ceramic vessels that feel like they belong on a villa terrace. Ceremony aisle markers of potted herbs, rosemary and lavender, double as guest favors. In the Fountain Courtyard, long farm tables draped with garland runners of olive and eucalyptus, studded with clusters of warm-toned blooms, create the feel of an evening feast in Tuscany. This style is the most natural fit for the architecture and feels effortlessly sophisticated.

Moonlit Romance

Designed for evening courtyard receptions under the stars, this palette leans into soft, luminous tones that glow by candlelight: blush, mauve, dusty lavender, and silvery sage against masses of white. Feature peonies (in season), garden roses, sweet peas, ranunculus, and clematis in silver or glass vessels that catch and reflect candlelight. The ceremony arch on the terrace is a cloud of soft blooms on a clear acrylic frame, airy and romantic. In the courtyard, hundreds of taper candles in mixed-height holders line the tables alongside low, lush centerpieces designed to be seen from above as guests dine. Overhead, string lights create a starfield effect. The Grand Ballroom gets soft, romantic arrangements in mercury glass that shimmer as guests move through the space. This style prioritizes atmosphere and is especially stunning for winter and early spring weddings when the evening air is cool and clear.

Tropical Deco

A bolder choice for couples who want to honor the mansion’s Florida roots while nodding to its 1920s architecture. This palette pairs vibrant tropical colors, coral, mango, hot pink, and deep green, with Art Deco geometric elements. Feature anthuriums, birds of paradise, protea, and orchids alongside monstera leaves, palm fronds, and tropical ferns. Vessels are glossy ceramic in bold colors or geometric brass frames. The ceremony arch mixes tropical foliage with cascading orchid strands. In the courtyard, table runners of monstera and palm fronds create a lush jungle-party atmosphere. The Prohibition Vault gets small, tight arrangements of dark orchids and protea in geometric brass holders. This style is unexpected at a historic estate and works particularly well for summer weddings when tropical blooms are at their peak and most affordable.

Seasonal Considerations

Central Florida’s subtropical climate means The Howey Mansion is a year-round wedding venue, but each season brings distinct considerations for your floral planning.

Spring (March through May) is the sweet spot. Temperatures hover in the mid-70s to low 80s, humidity is manageable, and the rolling hills around Howey-in-the-Hills are at their greenest. Nearly every flower variety is available and priced well. Peonies, garden roses, ranunculus, and sweet peas are all in season and at their peak quality. Outdoor ceremonies on the historic terrace and courtyard dinners are comfortable for guests and kind to flowers. This is the most popular season at the mansion, so book early.

Summer (June through August) brings the heat that defines Central Florida, daily highs in the low to mid-90s with humidity to match, plus afternoon thunderstorms that roll in like clockwork between 3:00 and 5:00 PM. The Fountain Courtyard’s enclosed walls trap heat, so flower selection becomes critical. Orchids, protea, anthuriums, and tropical greenery handle the conditions far better than delicate garden roses or peonies. We hydrate all arrangements heavily the morning of and keep backup blooms in the venue’s air-conditioned interior until the last possible moment. If your ceremony is outdoors, plan for a start time after 5:30 PM when the worst of the heat breaks. Summer also falls within hurricane season (June 1 through November 30), so a rain plan is essential. The Grand Ballroom and mansion interior provide elegant backup options.

Fall (September through November) brings gradually cooling temperatures, though September still feels like summer in Central Florida. By October and November, the evening air has a pleasant coolness that makes courtyard dining especially magical. Dahlias, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and seasonal foliage are abundant and affordable. Rich autumn palettes of burgundy, copper, and amber look stunning against the mansion’s warm stucco walls. Late fall weddings benefit from earlier sunsets that bring candlelight and string lights into play sooner, enhancing the courtyard’s atmosphere. Hurricane season technically extends through November, so keep a weather eye open through Thanksgiving.

Winter (December through February) is Central Florida’s dry season, with clear skies, low humidity, and comfortable temperatures in the 60s and 70s. This is an underrated season at The Howey Mansion. The cooler air means flowers last longer, outdoor spaces are comfortable, and the quality of light is soft and warm. Anemones, ranunculus, hellebores, and amaryllis are in peak season and add seasonal elegance without relying on holiday clichés. The occasional cold snap can bring overnight temperatures into the 40s, so heated outdoor spaces or cozy pashminas for guests may be warranted for evening courtyard receptions.

One consideration unique to The Howey Mansion’s location: Howey-in-the-Hills is a small, rural town about 45 minutes from Orlando and roughly an hour from most major airports. Your Howey-in-the-Hills wedding florist and all other vendors will be making the drive from the city, so we build travel time into our delivery schedule and arrive with extra supplies. The remote location is part of the venue’s charm, but it means there is no quick run to a backup supplier if something goes wrong. Poppy’s standard practice for Howey Mansion weddings is to pack 15 to 20 percent more product than a comparable Orlando venue wedding, ensuring we have everything needed on-site.

Poppy’s Expert Take

Having designed flowers for six weddings at The Howey Mansion, we have developed specific knowledge about this venue that shapes how we approach every new celebration here.

The grand staircase garland is the single most impactful investment. If you have to choose one statement piece, make it the staircase. Every guest passes through the foyer, every couple pauses on those stairs for portraits, and the garland transforms the space from beautiful architecture into a fully realized floral experience. We estimate that a lush staircase garland with seasonal blooms runs between $800 and $1,200 depending on length, density, and flower selection, and it consistently generates more guest comments and photographer praise than any other single element at this venue.

The dome ceiling changes how you think about height. In most venues, tall centerpieces draw the eye upward to fill empty vertical space. At The Howey Mansion, the heavenly dome ceiling already commands attention overhead. Tall centerpieces in the foyer or Grand Ballroom can actually feel cluttered rather than dramatic because they interrupt the sightline to the dome. We have found that low, lush arrangements paired with tall taper candles strike the ideal balance: the candles add vertical interest and warmth without blocking the architectural drama above.

The Prohibition Vault needs its own floral moment. It is tempting to treat the Vault as an afterthought, a fun side experience that does not need much decoration. But the couples who get the most out of this space are the ones who give it a dedicated floral treatment that sets it apart from the rest of the wedding. The contrast between the main reception’s aesthetic and the Vault’s moody, speakeasy atmosphere creates a “reveal” moment for guests that amplifies the entire experience. Budget $200 to $400 for Vault-specific florals, typically three to five small, richly toned arrangements for the bar and cocktail surfaces.

The Fountain Courtyard at night is its own lighting designer. We always coordinate with couples’ lighting vendors (or the venue’s in-house options) because the interplay between string lights, candles, and the fountain’s ambient glow dramatically affects how your flowers read. Arrangements that look one way during the golden hour reveal entirely different depths and shadows by 9:00 PM. We select blooms with strong visual texture and avoid flat, single-tone arrangements in the courtyard because candlelight rewards dimension.

Plan your delivery route. The drive from Orlando to Howey-in-the-Hills takes 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic, and the last stretch is two-lane country roads. Our delivery vehicles arrive at least two and a half hours before the ceremony, and we transport all arrangements in water-filled containers secured with non-slip padding. For summer weddings, we keep the van’s air conditioning running until the last bucket is unloaded.

What Poppy Couples Spend on Flowers Here

Across our six weddings at The Howey Mansion, Poppy couples have invested an average of $4,841 on their wedding flowers, with individual weddings ranging from approximately $3,500 to $6,500.

At the $3,500 to $4,000 level, couples typically focus on the essentials done beautifully: a ceremony installation on the historic terrace (arch or structured arrangement), personal flowers for the wedding party, low centerpieces for the Fountain Courtyard dinner tables, and a staircase garland or newel post arrangements in the foyer. This range delivers a polished, intentional look that lets the mansion’s architecture carry significant visual weight.

At the $4,500 to $5,500 level, the most common range for our Howey Mansion couples, the floral design expands to include more layered details: a fuller staircase garland with blooms woven through, table garland runners in the courtyard, cocktail and bar florals in the Grand Ballroom, Prohibition Vault arrangements, accent pieces in the bridal suite and groom’s parlor, and upgraded centerpieces with more premium blooms like garden roses, dahlias, or peonies.

At the $5,500 to $6,500+ level, couples are investing in a fully realized floral vision across every space: dramatic ceremony installations, abundant courtyard tablescapes, overhead greenery canopies or string-light garland integration, large-scale foyer arrangements beneath the dome, dedicated Vault florals, and repurposed ceremony pieces at the reception. This level of investment treats The Howey Mansion as the architectural canvas it is and fills it with florals that feel truly bespoke.

The Howey Mansion rewards thoughtful floral investment. Its historic bones, the staircase, the dome, the courtyard fountain, the Vault, provide a foundation that generic florals would waste. The couples who get the most from this venue are the ones who treat each space as a distinct moment, designing florals that honor the 1925 architecture while creating something entirely their own.