Brides Wedding Flowers

Choosing the flowers is the fun bit of planning your wedding.

There are so many things to decide about when choosing your wedding flowers, including:

• Choosing Your Bridal Bouquet
• Gent's Boutonnieres (buttonholes)
• Deciding on Your Flower Colors
• Flowers for the Ceremony
• Reception Wedding Flowers
• Centerpieces
• Artificial and Silk Flowers
• Tropical Wedding Flowers

A lot of the preparation of the flowers is done the day before and the morning of the wedding when the couple and their families are at their busiest and most stressed. Therefore unless the floral displays are very simple it is wise to have them professionally prepared by a wedding florist.

When deciding on a florist seek personal recommendations from friends and recently married acquaintances. If you are unable to decide, it is best to visit several and look at their displays. Most florists will allow you visit them at a time when they have prepared flowers for other weddings so that you can see the quality of their work. You should also try to select a florist who actually does wedding flowers for a living, not just run a florist shop. Remember it is is your special day, so find a florist who shows passion, love and commitment for what they do as this way you know you are more likely to be getting the best.

Make sure your florist can work within your budget. Decide how much you can afford, then ask your florist for suggestions within this amount. The price of wedding flowers depends on type and availability and the size of the bouquets and decorations. If you are on a tight budget, use flowers that will be in season at the time of your wedding. Or keep things simple: a hand-tied posy of roses looks stunning and is less expensive than an elaborate bouquet.

There are several classic shapes of bouquet and good florists should have a selection of photographs to demonstrate them. The florist should also be able to advise on which flowers match the chosen shape bearing in mind the colour scheme and seasonal availability.

The choice of your wedding bouquet depends of the style of your gown. Bouquets can range from the just-picked-from-the-garden look, to the tailored-stylised formal look. You should always get a sense of balance between your gown and your bouquet. A fresh-picked bouquet from the garden may look out of place with a very formal gown. The bouquet size should be proportion to the bride. Too large a bouquet would simply overpower the bride and clutter her elegant dress.

Buttonholes will match the bride's bouquet and blend with the dark lapels of the groom's wedding attire. Usually the groom, best man, ushers and fathers of the bride and groom should wear buttonholes although other important guests such as the grandparents may also wear them.

Corsages are normally larger than a buttonhole and can be made of the same or similar flowers as those in the bride's bouquet. The mothers of the bride and groom will wear corsages and so may the grandmothers and other important guests. Corsages can also be pinned to the lapel as with a buttonhole or alternatively worn on the wrist or attached to a handbag or purse.

Some reception venues such as hotels and restaurants often include wedding floral arrangements as part of their overall wedding service. Others may make a separate charge. A lot of venues will allow the couple to provide their own wedding flowers and floral decorations. The venue management should be consulted to arrange a convenient time to set up the displays which will not inconvenience the catering arrangements.

The wedding flower decorations usually consist of a large display just inside the entrance which is seen by guests as they enter the reception room, and arrangements on each of the tables for guests. The top table occupied by the newlyweds usually has a more ornate wedding flower arrangement. Large halls and marquees usually provide plain backgrounds and therefore wedding flower arrangements should be spectacular and large to catch the eye. Decorating with potted plants is a good idea as they can subsequently be used in the newlyweds new home.