Get Creative With Wedding Flowers
When most people think of flowers, they think of romance. The romantic ambiance of your wedding depends on many factors – but flowers can definitely set the tone of style and formality.
Next to the wedding gown, flowers can also add the most visual impact to the wedding. The floral aspect of your wedding can also add an enormous impact on your budget – but they don’t have to.
Flip through the pages of bridal magazines and you’ll see that flowers for weddings range from huge arrangements to single stems. Either style can accomplish what you want for your wedding.
If you’re having a destination wedding, the flowers may be included in the package. If you are having a theme wedding, your flowers should reflect the theme and season.
Everyone knows that roses suddenly become more expensive around Valentine’s Day. This is also a normal occurrence when some florists discover that you’re a bride-to-be. Suddenly, the same flowers you bought at the supermarket a week ago have increased in price at least 10%.
It’s fun to shop for wedding flowers, but before you do, be sure that you’ve researched and visualized so that you know exactly what you want.
Adorning the Church or Ceremony Site
When you and your guests walk in to the site where your ceremony is to take place, you want the flowers to get “wows” from everyone.
Flowers chosen for the ceremony site should complement the color scheme of your wedding – from your wedding dress to the attendants’ attire. Besides color, you’ll want the flowers to harmonize with the season and the formality of the occasion.
DIY And Budget Stretching Ideas:
What decorations might the ceremony site have on the day of your wedding? – If you’re being married in a church during the Christmas and Easter seasons, there may already be adornment such as fresh flowers and candles. Some churches have flowers every week that you may be able to use. You also may find someone else getting married at the church and split the cost of flowers with them.
- Use an abundance of greenery in your decorations – Ferns, leaves, twigs and evergreen branches will make the flowers in your arrangements look more plentiful and are available for a fraction of the cost.
- Choose seasonal flowers – If you don’t know what will be in season on the day you’ve planned your wedding, ask your florist.
- Use large, exotic flowers to make a visual impact — Flowers such as the Stargazer Lily, hydrangea, large mums or sunflowers might cost more for a single stem, but by using them sparingly, you’ll have a more impressive arrangement than a bunch of cheaper flowers – and actually come out ahead in cost.
- Use long lengths of ribbon or tulle to decorate seating areas – You can also purchase bow kits from a craft store and make beautiful bow decorations rather than decorating with flowers. If you really want to save money just decorate the first few pews or rows.
- Potted plants are a great alternative to cut flowers – Potted plants can add splashes of incredible color when grouped together, and they’ll last long after the ceremony. It’s a “green” way to decorate at your wedding and your home later.
- Decorating Trellises and Arches is easy – If you are having a garden wedding there may be an arch or a trellis involved. The easy way to decorate an arch or trellis is with artificial flowers attached to the arch or trellis with plastic cable ties purchased at your hardware store. You could also decorate with faux trailing greens like ivy or by using long strips of silky fabric or tulle to keep it simple and elegant.
- Buy the flowers and decorate the site yourself – Forego the expensive florist designer and decorate the ceremony site yourself – or with the help of a friend.
TIP: When you have purchased your fresh flowers, cut off about an inch at an angle under water and put into a bucket of water until you’re ready to arrange them.
Bridal Bouquets
A bride’s bouquet is important to complement her style and finish the look of her wedding dress. Think about your style and the whole look of your big day. Here is some inspiration for picking the perfect bridal bouquet.
Different Shapes and Styles of Bridal Bouquets
Round:
Round bouquets are usually made of one or two flowers and can consist of one color or more. Roses are perfect for round bouquets. These are ideal for traditional or more modern formal weddings.
Nosegay:
Nosegays are bouquets that are also round in shape with tightly bunched flowers cut in uniform length. They are usually one flower and one color. They are then tied with a fabric wrap or wire. These bouquets are very traditional and also very popular.
Posy:
Posy bouquets are classic and a perfect choice for petite brides, bridesmaids and flower girls as it is a smaller round bouquet. They are tied with a pretty ribbon and are easy to hold in one hand. Posy bouquets generally have flowers with little to no greenery.
Hand-Tied:
Hand-tied arrangements are a cluster of flowers that are hand-tied together with ribbon, giving the arrangement a casual look from the loose stems. This is a very popular and perfect for a DIY bride.
**To make a hand-tied bouquet, start with your focal flower, and then add flowers around in a spiral fashion until you are satisfied with the shape and size. You can carefully adjust any flowers if needed. Next wrap stems with floral tape to secure. Finish by wrapping stems with fabric or ribbon.
Cascade:
Cascade bouquets are flowers in a waterfall shape. Dripping greenery and blooms make for a gorgeous tapering effect. Cascade bouquets hang or drop down in front of the hand and form an upside-down teardrop shape, rounded at the top and forming a point at the bottom.
They are a perfect choice for high-end, elegant weddings. But are also great at inexpensive garden weddings that feature a range of flowers.
Crescent:
A crescent bouquet is shaped in a soft arch. The flowers are usually more compact in the center, and then extend out of each side into a more tapered shape like a quarter moon. It can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical.
It can be used in modern, romantic or whimsical weddings. Use greenery with a natural drape and flowers with wispy blooms.
Contemporary:
In contemporary wedding bouquets flowers and greenery stick out at unexpected angles. Tropical and exotic flowers are perfect for this type of bouquet. Contemporary bouquets could also consist of unconventional materials like feathers or pampas grass.
A contemporary bouquet fits well into a wedding that is creative and unique.
Single Stem:
Sometimes less is more…. and elegant. Statement blooms like hydrangea or peonies create a romantic, sweet and chic look.
Pomander:
Traditionally for flower girls, pomander bouquets are a fun and unique bouquet for your wedding.
Pomander bouquets (or kissing balls) feature a round ball of flowers suspended from ribbon or twine, and worn by the wrist or held like a purse.
You can embellish the pomander with colorful jewels and gems. Pomanders are an excellent choice for a DIY bouquet and can be made with fresh or silk flowers.