Wedding Flowers
Flowers are traditionally a part of marriage celebrations. Flowers are symbols of love and life, and bring a sense of elegance and transcendance to the ceremony and wedding reception, as well as serving as accents – colorful or matching – to the wedding party when used as bouquets and boutinnieres (also spelled boutonnieres).
Wedding flowers are definitely an aspect of the planning that allow you to get creative. Whether you wish to tie many disparate places or people together with a unifying color or add a splash of color to an all-white wedding theme, flowers and greenery offer an array of choices. Luckily, you will find them in a range of prices as well.
Wedding books and magazines can be a fabulous source of inspiration for flowers and decor ideas. For practical purposes, the following are some useful tips from former brides to help you in planning for your wedding flower needs:
- Have a budget - As beautiful as flowers are, they can also get expensive fast. You may have visions of elaborate cascading roses in your head, yet find that your budget will not allow for it. Take heart; you can create almost any look with a little forethought and creativity. Perhaps you can have a cascading bunch of flowers, with a few roses as your anchor flowers and some greenery, baby’s breath or other less expensive options as fillers, and create a similar effect as your vision.
- Get ideas and referrals from friends and family - Many people you know have dealt with florists, either for their own weddings and/or for other special occasions. Chances are, a great florist will have a great reputation, and it pays to ask around and find someone reputable. Especially if you really enjoyed the wedding flower style of a girlfriend or acquaintance, don’t be afraid to tap them for that infomration and you’ll already be ahead by having a great referral to begin with.
- Visit your florist well before the wedding - Creating wedding flower arrangements takes time and planning, including ordering what may be special items for you. Have a candid conversation about your budget, your vision for how the flowers will look, and where you’ll need them. For instance, if you’re looking at table centerpieces, know what you want – grand candelabras or simple bud vases? – and be clear.
- Be creative with your flowers - Beautiful and creative bouquets and arrangements can be one of the most memorable parts of a wedding. They allow you to express yourself and share beauty with your bridal party and your guests. Consider adding special elements such as ribbons (complement your bridal party colors, for instance), pearls, exquisite greenery or something sparkly.
- When ordering bouqets and bouttinieres, ensure your florist takes out any interior parts which could stain your wedding day outfits - Some flowers – lilies, for instance – have pollen that is very high in pigment, and a good florist will know to remove the offending parts so they don’t ruin any beautiful dresses or outfits.
TIPS: See also our Wedding Flower Ideas article, as well as the Wedding Reception section for ideas on decorating your wedding reception, and don’t forget to check out the myriad tips in our Wedding Planning Guides (link at top right). Happy wedding planning!
