Planning a wedding and picking the perfect wedding flowers can be a stressful endeavour. Between buying a dress, choosing the music, and dealing with the not-so-fun politics of who to invite and where to seat them, it can be overwhelming to even think about choosing the right flowers. Fortunately, this process doesn’t have to be stressful. With a few simple tips, you’ll be ready to narrow down your options and book a florist in no time.
Think about the season
Different colours and flowers are suitable for different seasons. For spring, consider a mixture of pink lilies, tulips, and even succulents. This will add a unique touch to any bride or bridesmaid’s bouquet. If you’re planning a summer wedding, don’t stray away from creating bright, vibrant arrangements with sunflowers, lilies, or poppies.
For autumn nuptials, dried flowers are a hauntingly romantic and rustic choice. Having a winter wedding? Consider a bouquet of stark white camellias or gerbera daisies with accents of green and blue.
Budget, budget, budget
For money-conscious wedding planners, there are simple ways to keep the cost down. If you’ve chosen a venue that already has a lot of character, there’s no need to overdo it with large, imposing centrepieces. Often, a few flowers in a vase will do just fine. It also allows your guests to talk to one another from across the table without peering around a giant bouquet!
You may also want to consider limiting the variety of flowers. Choose one type as the star and add a few accents to liven it up. Your bouquet will be simpler, but no less beautiful.
Look past your favourite flower
You may have the tendency to want to use your favourite flower, but keep in mind that it might not actually work with the season or your budget. You may have your heart set on orchids, but because they’re both difficult to grow and to combine into a bouquet, you’re likely to spend far more than you would on less fussy flowers. Although it’s no problem for florists to procure flowers out of season, they’re usually expensive and will likely wilt more quickly.
Consider the venue
Ask yourself if your venue has more of a formal or casual feel to it. For more rustic outdoor weddings, bouquets of wildflowers provide an extra splash of colour to your ceremony. For a high-class indoor wedding in, say, a hotel or ballroom, consider something simple and elegant, like roses or peonies.
The versatile rose
Speaking of roses, they’re a great go-to for a classic look, and they’re suitable for every season. Some companies even offer to dye roses based on your preferences. For winter weddings, consider all-white roses with leafy accents. Pink and yellow roses are a cheery option for spring and summer. Deep reds and oranges will suit an autumn wedding perfectly.
Still need inspiration?
What if you still have absolutely no idea what type of flowers you’re looking for? For some, flowers seem like more of an afterthought in comparison to the dresses, venue, music, and food, but the right blooms can really liven up your wedding photos, and are an important part of your backdrop.
Pinterest provides perfect inspiration for brides who need a bit more guidance. Pin your favourites and show them to your florist at the initial meeting. Even if the flowers are out of your price range, the florist will be able to make more affordable suggestions.
It’s your day
Above all, make sure you pick an arrangement that you’re going to be happy with. Although flowers fade quickly, your photographs and memories will last a lifetime.
Linda Firth runs the LoveMyVouchers.co.uk Lifestyle blog, where you will find her money saving tips, advice and inspiration for any event life throws at you.
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