Getting Started - Wedding Flowers Basics
Get started planning your wedding day floral scheme with this introduction to wedding flowers.
An Overview
Aside from the bouquet you spring for each Mother’s Day, chances are you’re a novice when it comes to flowers. However, now you are a bride–to–be planning your dream wedding, and suddenly you must make decisions on bouquets, boutonnieres, reception centerpieces and ceremony arrangements. Overwhelming? We know! Fortunately, we are here to guide you through this process so you can enjoy planning your wedding flowers without wilting from the stress. Read through these useful tips gathered from experts in the field.
Discover Your Style
Close your eyes and envision the perfect look to your wedding. Will it be formal or casual? Elaborate or simple? Bold or neutral colors? Are you a traditionalist in favor of roses or lilies, or do you favor a more contemporary floral theme incorporating grasses, fruits and herbs? Your wedding flowers are more than eye candy; they set the ambiance for the entire event. Knowing your wedding style is a start in the right direction, because you’ll want to choose blossoms that match the formality of your wedding day.
Pick Your Palette
Your color scheme should flow directly from your desired style. Today’s floral trends embrace an anything goes mentality, from wedding flowers in traditional whites and pastels to modern and adventurous dark hues and citrus shades. Flowers in matching shades or cool contrasts are breathtaking, but make sure they coordinate with your overall wedding theme. Choose your wedding colors accordingly, and your wedding will express your spirit. If you are still not sure where to begin, bring a bridesmaid dress fabric swatch when you meet with your florist and choose coordinating shades.
Seasonal Wedding Flowers
You know your floral theme and you’ve chosen your color scheme. When deciding on the specific blooms your want in your arrangements, be sure to consider the season in which you are marrying (See Below).
Hiring a Florist
Even the most creative and artistic bride will benefit from a florist’s professional capabilities. Your wedding day will be full of activity, and you won’t want to spend vital hours fumbling with the wiring of each bouquet. A florist is not necessarily a budget breaker; a good one should be able to work with any floral budget.
Your Floral Budget
Let’s face it: Determining how much wedding flowers cost is probably not the aspect of your wedding you’ve been dreaming of since grade school. You may see your floral budget as the biggest nemesis between you and your wedding flowers. If you plan wisely, however, you should have enough money to create the floral theme of your desires. Expect to spend about 8-10% of your overall budget on wedding flowers.
Flowers by Seasons
When it comes to wedding flowers - go with the season! Choose wedding flowers that bloom locally and naturally during the time of your wedding.
Although you can find most floral varieties all year, seasonal blooms are readily available, less expensive and often more durable. So choose your wedding flowers by seasons! Select your wedding season below, and find out which flowers typically bloom during that time.
Spring Wedding Flowers In Season
- Apple or cherry blossoms
- Daffodils
- Dogwoods
- Forsythia branches
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Larkspur
- Lilies
- Lilacs
- Lily of the Valley
- Pansies
- Peonies
- Sweet Peas
- Tulips
|
Summer Wedding Flowers In Season
- Asters
- Calla Lilies
- Dahlias
- Daisies
- Delphinium
- Geraniums
- Hydrangeas
- Iris
- Jacobs Ladder
- Larkspur
- Queen Anne’s Lace
- Roses
- Shasta daises
- Stock
- Sunflower
- Zinnias
|
Fall Wedding Flowers In Season
- Asters
- Chrysanthemums
- Zinnias
- Gerbera daisies
- Marigolds
- Roses
- Sunflowers
|
Winter Wedding Flowers In Season
- Amaryllis
- Camellias
- Forget-me-nots
- Jasmine
- Orchids
- Poinsettias
- Holly
|
|
|
Royal Garden
The Fashion
Gently shaped wedding gown of silk voile, slim silhouette, widely scooped neckline, slightly lifted waist, fullness to the back ending in a small train.
The Setting
A summer pavilion, stone urns on pedestals, garden trellis woven with flowering vines.
The Bridal Bouquet
Flowers with an old-world European garden flair such as, fragrant and regal Casablanca lilies combined with peonies and astilbe enhanced with a french-braided ribbon.
Romantic Sophistication
The Fashion
A smoothly fitted lace wedding gown with an overskirt of filmy tulle bursting into fullness just below the waist.
The Setting
Circular tables double-draped with short cloth over long; silver candelabra entwined with foliage.
The Bridal Bouquet
An abundance of soft, romantic roses or a single Duchess rose bud centered in a cluster of individual rose petals highlighted by variegated ivy and silk streamers.
Contemporary Chic
The Fashion
Body-conscious column cut completely on the bias with trumpet hem in four-ply silk jersey, penne velvet or matte finished satin.
The Setting
Low light, high ceilings, jardinieres on fluted columns, glass-top tables with architectural bases, champagne flutes.
The Bridal Bouquet
Simple, yet dramatic... pristine callas as the major design element, unexpectedly combined with freesia and punctuated with lily grass.
Within these three newly interpreted trends, as well as many others, each can be personalized. By working with her florist, the bride-to-be can start to paint the picture of her "perfect" wedding day and feel confident that it will be carried out with elegance and ease by a professional who knows how to beautifully translate her personal style.
|
