Fresh Blooms Throughout the Venue, Or Simple Bridal Party Flowers
Ranunculus, or roses?
Should I start with the flowers, the theme of the wedding or the venue?
As a florist who specialises in weddings, I know that choosing your wedding flowers can be a daunting task.
How do I choose a florist?
Let’s start with tip Number One: find the right florist for you. Each florist has their own ‘signature’, so review their online portfolios (on their website and social media) and decide who best suits your own style and your ambitions.
Tip Number Two: A face-to-face consultation to discuss your ideas is a great way to get a feel for the florist, to see if he/she is right for you.
Don’t worry if you don’t know your Scabiosa from your Sweet Peas. A qualified florist will have the knowledge to be able to guide your through your flower options and seasonal availability.
It’s important that your appointed florist understands what you want to achieve and what your personal ‘style’ is. Images of what you like really help florists like me to understand the look you want to achieve – boho, woodland, rustic or romantic – and, armed with that knowledge, we can guide you through design choices.
Photo Credit: Nikki’s Moments Photography
Should I choose seasonal flowers?
Some flowers are available all the year round, whilst others have shorter seasonal availability.
The peony for example is a popular choice, but it’s only really available from mid-May to July. We may be able to source them outside that window but they will probably be of lesser quality and expensive.
I always encourage couples to opt for seasonal blooms whenever possible, as quality is never compromised and costs are always reasonable.
How important is the wedding theme when choosing flowers?
Very. Certain flower varieties are suited to particular themes and this is also true for the style of arrangements. For example, if you wanted a rustic theme, you may opt gypsophilia, peonies and vintage roses, rather than colourful contemporary looking tropical blooms.
If it was a woodland look you were after, you would probably choose a loose textured bouquet which included a lot of greenery, rather than a round tight bouquet packed full of roses – a more traditional look.
When planning their wedding at Burloes Hall, Bekah & Raj’s decided on a tropical fusion to reflect the coming together of their two different cultures. We therefore chose tropical flowers and greenery (in keeping with the theme) but, to ensure there was a contemporary feel to the whole arrangement, the bouquet was loose and textured.
Should my flowers match my colour scheme?
Your colour palette will help your flower choice but, do play with different tones and shades rather than trying to match it exactly.
Also consider complementary colours: often a mix works really nicely. For example, this colour scheme was rich, with wine and burgundy tones. The added hint of pale peach and pale pink really brought out the colours and added more interest. The contrast with the colour of the Bridesmaids dresses allowed the flowers to stand out.
When should I book my florist?
The first things you ought to have in place before contacting a florist are the date for your wedding and a confirmed venue.
Knowing the venue will help your florist put your whole ‘style’ of the wedding into context and will also enable him/her to think about which sort of designs would work best. In addition, being able to plan a venue visit to see the space and what the ‘stage’ for the flowers will be really helps.
Knowing the date will also help your florist ascertain the availability of flowers – and therefore provide you with a more meaningful quote.
But above all, the perfect starting point for every florist is to have some idea of what you are looking for, even if that is just a colour scheme, or the general look for the day. If you have been collecting images on Pinterest, or elsewhere, then share those ideas with your florist.
If you are totally unsure which floral selection would work and which wouldn’t, then your florist will be able to make suggestions which might stimulate your imagination.
Above all, if you have found a florist who’s work you love, there is no harm in contacting them early. A lot of independent florists only take on a set number of weddings each year and often focus on only one or two a weekend – so dates can book up fast.
In general, most couples tend to contact me anywhere between 9-15 months before their wedding date. Don’t worry about booking too early, most florists will do a final consultation closer to the big day, to finalise all the details.
It will be one thing ticked off your very long list and, as flowers really set the tone and feel of a wedding, it’s always really reassuring to have that part of the day organised early.
But don’t forget to enjoy the choosing process, because once that’s done, you will be able to relax in the knowledge that you’ve chosen well.
Good luck.
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Thank you so much to the lovely Ellice at Willow and Blossom Floral Design for this informative blog. We hope it inspires our couples!