Flowers would not make a wedding special. Every bride wants her wedding memorable. Her choice of flowers and arrangements should reflect her personal taste. The flowers she chooses should be a central theme for her wedding and add the final touch to this special day.
Select Flowers for Your Wedding Day
1. There are no wrong or right choices when it comes to choosing flowers for your wedding. You can make your own decision. A good florist will also be able to offer you helpful advice. Be prepared to ask lots of questions and run your ideas past the florist once you get to that stage.
Before we get into the details, here are some basics:
Remember, less is more. Flowers add color and ornamentation to many of the already stunning elements of a wedding.
You can make it seem like you have more flowers than you do by using inexpensive foliage and good positioning.
You must have the same vision as your florist or you can find another one.
2. Begin by browsing through magazines and books about flowers, as well as gardening books. If you don’t know what kind of flowers you want, it can be helpful to look at beautiful photos of flowers to get an idea. To get a better idea of how flowers look, you might consider visiting a Botanical Garden in your area or a greenhouse that has them on display.
You can learn the meanings of different flowers to help you make a decision. Learn How to express yourself with the language of flowers.
You can’t go wrong with classic wedding flowers. These are: peony, lily-of-the-valley, hydrangea and orchid. These flowers don’t have to be your only choice, but they can help you make informed choices when choosing the right ones.
3. Determine your budget. Do the math before you get too excited. You might find that some arrangements are not feasible once you have budgeted everything else. Before you get too excited, it is a good idea know what your flower budget is before you start to dream. You can talk to the florist about your budget and then work together. You should keep some flowers on your must-have list and some on the wish-list. This will allow you to reduce your budget without sacrificing the essential flowers. See the “Tips” below for an indication of essential flowers versus nice-but-not-necessary ones, if the budget can’t stretch that far.
If you are on a tight budget, be open to being more creative.
Your florist should not be able to hide the price. If you don’t have the budget, tell your florist upfront. It will help them find cheaper but equally beautiful alternatives.
Avoid using expensive flowers for bridal bouquets.
The cost of centerpieces can quickly add up. If your budget is limited, you might consider finding simpler centerpieces to cut costs.
You are free to combine and match different flower types, and to also raid the garden. Flowers are beautiful regardless of their price. The important thing is freshness, and that you can afford them.
To give the illusion of more flowers, use fragrant flowers. Stronger smelling flowers will make a room smell better (e.g., frangipani , lilies and hyacinths).
4. Be aware of the color of the flowers. The color of the flowers is an important factor in your choice. You should choose colors that complement the bride’s gown and wedding theme. You will get the most impact with the cheapest price because seasonal flowers are always cheaper. Consider the environment the flowers will be used in, such as a marquee or outside area. Then choose the colors that stand out.
These are some of the most popular flowers according to color selection:
White: Sweet peas, roses, stephanotis and narcissus.
Pink: roses, ranunculus and sweet peas, as well as peony, sweetpea, sweet peas, carnation and tulip, protea, boronia and lily.
Lavender: lavender and anemone.
Yellow: Sunflower, tulip and gerbera tulip.
Red: Gerbera, roses, dahlias, poinsettias, and amaryllis.
5. Take into account the season. If you are budget-conscious, the season is important in making your decision. Non-seasonal flowers are possible to be flown in but this will increase the complexity and cost. If you are a fan of locally grown produce, it is not appropriate for flowers to be flown in. Here are some of the most popular flowers, along with their seasons (remembering that climate and regional variations may exist depending on where you live).
Spring flowers: Anemones, amaryllis and gerbera.
Anthurium, carnation and chrysanthemum are summer flowers.
Autumn/fall flowers: Aster, clematis and daisy.
Winter flowers: camellia, euphorbia, iris, nerine, pansy, poinsettia, snowdrop, tulip.
Calla lily and carnation are all year-round flowers.
6. Consider the role flowers will play in your wedding. Depending on the type and style of wedding, you can have simple or complex wedding flowers. They should be unique and designed for the bride.
Flowers can be used in the following arrangements and places:
The bridal bouquet and bouquets for wedding party members (see below).
Flowers for the church, or any other place of marriage; flowers can be placed on the pews at the end, on the altar, chancel step, windowsills, around the candelabra, and around the altar. Most churches require large floral displays to make the most of the space available. If you are on a budget, you may be able to share the cost of flowers for another wedding. Some clergy may not approve of decorations at the altar.
Although a register, registry office building, or town hall might not allow you to bring your own flowers, it is worth asking if they will accept a special arrangement.
A decorated arbor or arch for a bridal ceremony.
For an outdoor wedding, a carpet of fresh flowers.
At a sit-down meal, tables are set.
For the reception, flowers around a marquee or hall.
Bridal Bouquet
7. The bridal bouquet is the first thing you should do. This arrangement is intimate and most important for the wedding. If you don’t have the budget to buy many flowers, make sure you get a bouquet that’s at least as beautiful. The bouquet of the bride should be the most impressive and large in size. While white is the traditional choice for the bride’s bouquet (and it is still the most popular), many other colors can be used today in weddings for the bride and her bridesmaids. These colors range from pastels like pale pink to vibrant, rich colors like burgundy, violets, and hot pink. The choice of flowers for your bouquet will depend on your preferences, height, and wedding theme. Because the two must match, it is a good idea to wait until you have selected your dress before you finalize the bouquet.
There are many styles of bouquets. There are many styles of bouquets, including round, trailer, crescent, line and cascade.
Many brides love round bouquets. This style is used for large flowers like roses and peonies. They are loosely arranged with foliage, tied with ribbon, and then tied with a bow.
For romantic wedding gowns, large cascades of trailing bouquets (or a cascade) work well. These bouquets work best with large dresses. They can overwhelm any slinky or tight-fitting gowns. This is a bouquet that has flowers wired to a handle. It is the most formal and traditional form of bouquet shape.
Tied bouquets can be tied by hand or wire. This style is best paired with a simple, modern dress for a contemporary wedding.
A posy, a small and minimalist arrangement that is tied with ribbon by hand, is ideal for this type bouquet. Lily of the Valley is a great choice.
Pomander bouquets are usually made without adding any foliage. They can also be tied on a ribbon so that the bride can wear it on her wrist.
A slim-fitting gown can be made elegantly with a line bouquet of lilies.
Modern brides will love a modern bouquet with exotic flowers and tropical leaves.
You can add additional embellishments to your bouquet.
For an extra touch of glamour, you can add pearls and crystals to bouquets.
You can create delicate ribbon bows or long streamers using sheer organza ribbon.
A wide satin ribbon can give you a rich, luxurious appearance.
Bridal bouquet
8. Consider the bouquets of your bridesmaids. You can choose to have the flowers of your bridesmaids smaller than the ones in the bouquet. The bridesmaids can carry round bouquets if the bouquet is trailing. The bouquets may be the same as the bride’s bouquet. You can choose a different color if you wish, but it should be in harmony with the bride’s bouquet and the overall theme of the wedding. Good coordination is the ultimate goal.
The bridesmaids can carry evening bags with flowers inside to give them a completely different look. To prevent the bag from staining, the bag should be lined with plastic. You can place a piece of florist foam in the bag, and arrange the flowers and foliage in the foam so that they extend gracefully beyond the bag’s top.
9. The style of the flowers for the flower girl should be decided. The smallest member of the wedding party may carry a small basket with flowers that matches the bouquets of the bridesmaids. You can spray the basket with a white or pastel color. You can also attach a spray or bouquet to a piece ribbon and tie it around a flower girl’s wrist. Tie the ribbon ends together with a long bow. This is especially suitable for young flower girls who might find carrying a basket difficult.
Another option is to give the flower girl a bouquet of roses or other flowers in her basket, and ask her to scatter them down the aisle. This should be discussed with the wedding officiant or building owner.
To adorn the flower girls, you can make a floral bracelet or a hair ornament. Another option is a floral wreath that hangs from the hair, like a fairy or Nymph. These special touches will make her super happy.
Give flower girls younger than 5 years old a teddy bear, or another soft toy, with a corsage. You can keep the soft toy as a thank you gift.
Preparation of the bridegroom and groomsmen
10. Get the groomsmen and bridegroom ready. Although their need for flowers is less showy, it’s just as important, and they will wear a buttonhole/boutonniere. The groom should choose something slightly different from the buttonholes that are for the groomsmen. For example, a single flower that is not the same as the one in the bridal bouquet. Roses, carnations and orchids are all popular choices for buttonholes. Because it is a costly flower, but can be used in buttonholes for a lot of flowers, Lily of the Valley is very popular.
You might give the father of the bride and groom a unique buttonhole.
If you have the money and the desire, you can also leave buttons in a dish for your guests as they enter the church/area where you are getting married.