Flowers

It just wouldn’t be a wedding without flowers! 

Flowers set the mood. Nothing else creates such a feeling of joy and celebration. Since flowers can be expensive, most weddings depend on the creative use of a limited selection rather than bedecking every square inch of the church or reception hall with blooms. A little imagination and careful planning can make all the difference.

Begin as soon as possible to learn which flowers will be readily available when you plan to marry. Flowers which are either locally grown or in season will be the most reasonable; exotic and imported blooms the most costly. The best selection of flowers will be during the spring and summer months.

When you visit florists, be prepared. Take along a picture of your gown (extremely important in helping your florist to get a feel for the theme of your wedding), fabric swatches or color samples of the bridesmaids’ dresses, a description of the color scheme at the church and reception, pictures of floral arrangements you have admired, and most important—a firm idea of what your budget for flowers will be. A good floral designer can help you bring your ideas to life while staying within your budget limitations.

With fresh flowers, more is not always better. Sometimes the most elegant results are achieved when a single type of flower is gathered together and tied with a pretty ribbon. A huge bouquet may not even be suitable for the bride who is petite, or who is wearing a suit, a slender sheath, or a tea length dress. The bride’s flowers should accentuate her wedding dress, not over power it.

Though an all-white bouquet with flowers such as roses, freesia, carnations, alstroemeria, and tulips is still a popular choice, these days anything goes.

If traditional flowers appeal to you, remember there are many shades of white which can lend interest to your color palette. A bouquet with some variation in tones also tends to show up better in photographs. Try mixing white flowers with soft pastels such as pale pink or champagne roses and adding some delicate filler flowers such as Queen Anne’s lace. A mixture of pretty greens along with white flowers also works well.

Many brides prefer a bouquet with a lot of color. When constructing a colorful bouquet, remember that too much intensity can draw the eye away from the face. The inclusion of some white or cream into the arrangement will break up a mass of color and return the focus to the bride. Variegated greens such as ivy or pittosporum also balance vivid colors nicely. The same is true for very dark shades of red, which tend to look almost black in photographs. If you love red, try to blend several shades of red or different red flowers together to give the bouquet some texture. A monochromatic bouquet blends several shades or variations of the same color in one bouquet, such as different kinds of lavender flowers all grouped together.

Flowers also belong on the cake and reception tables. Whatever flowers you have chosen for bouquets, the leftovers or flowers with shorter stems are perfect for the cake topper or as accents on each tier of the cake.