31. Portrait of the Marquis de Saint-Simon
Wild Blooms
Summer Bravo
2025 installation - Library
The Inspiration
French army general Saint-Simon led troops at the Siege of Yorktown (1781) in the American Revolution and became an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati, whose Eagle insignia he wears in this portrait painted by Vincente López y Portaña ca. 1815-1818.
The Flowers
Florist’s inspiration: The red in this library piece really spoke to me. As a floral designer who always wants color I️ tried to strictly keep to one color palette with small pops and surprises.
Recipe: Red Roses, Ranunculus, Magnolia and Feathers
THE DESIGNER
Summer Bravo
Wild Blooms
Alabama native Summer Bravo started Wild Blooms in 2021. A self-taught florist, Summer gained her love of floral design from her mother, a wedding florist in her home state. She is a self-taught florist who gained her love of floral design and inspiration from her mother who shares her passion for flowers and is a wedding floral designer in her home state. Summer traded in a career on Capitol Hill as a lobbyist to devote her time to her two passions, family—her husband, Matt, and two daughters, Sloane and Briar—and growing her floral business, sharing her creativity and love of flowers across the DMV. Since WILD BLOOMS exploded onto the DMV scene, Summer has flowered everything from events in the Library of Congress and major election night receptions to intimate dinners and showers. Her designs are wild and whimsical and feature premium and unique blooms.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Aimee Custis Photography
Aimee Custis & Katie Lingan
Aimee Custis Photography documents weddings, portraits, and events in a rich, luminous, and emotive style. Their inclusive, client-centric approach to wedding photography is informed heavily by Aimee’s background in hospitality, non-profit event planning, and college summers as a camp counselor. Their wedding work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Washingtonian Weddings.
Aimee (she/they) lives in a rowhouse in Washington DC’s U Street corridor with her husband Greg and golden retriever Whiskey. Aimee is also the web designer behind the Art in Bloom website.
Aimee’s Associate Photographer Katie Lingan is rare cancer survivor with an entrepreneurial spirit. Katie joined the wedding industry in 2012 and has documented hundreds of weddings. Katie believes life is too short not to celebrate happiness.
