Flowers are one of the most vivid expressions of love. The romantic tie between weddings and flowers dates back to ancient civilizations where garlands of flowers, leaves, and vines were worn or carried by young birds to symbolize their beauty and innocence.
Wedding florals have since evolved from simple hand bouquets to vibrantly artistic creations used to set the mood and theme for the entire celebration. When choosing your wedding flowers, you will encounter an endless array of options.
Choosing Your Florist
Shop around for a florist well in advance of the date you have set for your wedding. It’s best to book your florist a year in advance if at all possible. Deciding on floral arrangements may take a considerable amount of time and imagination on your part, but guidance and suggestions from your florist will smooth the process for you. When deciding on a florist, be sure to choose one that knows what’s in season for your wedding day, is transparent with pricing, and is passionate about refining your ideas to create lavish and memorable floral.
When meeting with floral designers, it is a good idea to bring fabric swatches of the bridal and bridesmaids’ dresses. It also helps to bring photographs of specific flowers, colors, and bouquet styles you like. If you are unsure which flowers will last and look the best, ask your floral designer. Keeping the attributes of the flowers in mind, they will be able to make recommendations that complement the wedding theme.
Three weeks before your wedding date you should meet with the florist again to iron out all the details. One great way to meet florists and see their work in person is at a local wedding show!
Choosing Your Wedding Flowers
For everything, there is a season and flowers are no exception. One of the most important considerations in selecting your wedding day flowers will be the season in which you intend to wed. You will find that flowers in bloom during the month of your wedding will be more available and less costly than selections that are out of season and will also perform better. To get you inspired in choosing your wedding flowers, check out our favorite spring, summer, winter, and fall bouquet ideas!
You will want your floral arrangements to last throughout the day, so choose wisely. Some flowers hold up beautifully in the sun; others are better suited for indoors. For example, it probably would not be wise to select gardenias if you are planning an outdoor wedding at midday in June. Gardenias are as delicate as they are beautiful, and under such conditions would wilt long before the officiant says “you may kiss the bride.”
What to Include
The Bridal Bouquet
The first item of consideration will be the bridal bouquet as all other floral arrangements will take their cue from this piece. It not only sets the tone for the overall floral scheme but provides the perfect opportunity for a bride to bring her own style and personality to the forefront.
651 Studio Floral
You may combine a range of blossoms that are unique in shape and size for dramatic impact or compose a delicate bouquet of one type of flower, like the orchids above. From exotic tropical stems to gorgeous, scented garden herbs, the selections and combinations are virtually endless.
Wedding Party Bouquets
As stated earlier, bring a swatch of your bridesmaids’ attire to an appointment with your florist to decide on the palette for their bouquets. One option is to create a smaller version of your own bouquet to keep things streamlined and simple. We are also seeing brides get creative and having their wedding party carry wedding floral hoops, single stems, or fully monochromatic bouquets so that theirs really stands out. It’s really up to you!
Boutonnieres + Corsages
In addition to the bouquet and arrangement selections are boutonnieres and corsages. The groom, groomsmen, ushers, officiant, vocalists, ring bearer, fathers, and grandfathers of the couple should all wear boutonnieres. Corsages are traditionally provided for the mothers and grandmothers of the bride and groom, the organist, vocalists, and the wedding coordinator.
Winsome Photography | Fleuriste Floral
In addition, some couples choose to have boutonnieres and corsages made for the immediate family members on both sides of the aisle.
Centerpieces
Today’s brides have an array of options for reception centerpieces: elegant vases filled with cut flowers, towering candelabras, topiaries, or simple rose petals scattered around flickering candles. Use your imagination to design one-of-a-kind centerpieces that express your style. Keep in mind that the height of the arrangement should not interfere with the ability of guests to converse. They should either be low enough to talk over or high enough to be able to talk under.
Marya Juliann Photography | Wild Hollow Farm
Ceremony Floral
Your ceremony floral will include aisle decorations, altar arrangements, and anything you’d like in the entryway. This sets the tone and gives guests a taste of what the decor for the reception will be like.
Wedding Guys Wisdom: Before making decisions regarding ceremony floral, check with the place of worship or ceremony site for any possible restrictions. Some churches request that altar arrangements remain on-site for weekend services while others do not.
Other wedding floral to consider when choosing your wedding flowers can include:
- Flower girl flowers
- Hair accessories
- Bar arrangements
- Wedding cake floral
- Arrangements for escort card table and cocktail hour tables
