wedding alphabet

a wedding alphabet. f is for flowers

Rachel Hirst

Source sarahwaggoner.com, photo Sarah Waggon, flowers butterfly petals

Image via sarahwaggoner.com, photo by Sarah Waggon

I’ve talked about my obsession with wedding flowers quite a few times on the blog before. To me beautiful blooms are central to reflecting a chosen colour scheme or theme and can even help set the mood of the big day itself.

Just like most other elements of a wedding these days, suppliers and couples are getting much more innovative with the ways in which they incorporate flowers into weddings. Beyond bouquets and button holes, flowers are being used to decorate venues, though arrangements and displays are less formal and more adventurous than what’s gone before, encouraging couples to be thoughtful and free in their choices.

Source ruffledblog.com, photo Ellie Gillard, flowers Battersea Flower Station

Image via ruffledblog.com, photo by Ellie Gillard

We’ve seen

pretty petals

scattered up the aisle, arrangements in lace adorned jam jars and simple clear bottles as well as hand-tied bundles effortlessly hung upon pew ends and pretty flower heads placed within small glass balls and suspended from the ceiling.

Rather than just one or two arrangements, it seems a ‘the more the merrier’ approach has been adopted by many brides and grooms with blooms flourishing in all areas of the celebration, including decorative floral cakes and hair crowns.

Source theeverylastdetail.com

Image via theeverylastdetail.com

However far you choose to take floral additions on your big day, here are some top tips to help you during the picking process:

do your research

It’s helpful to have in your mind the type of flowers you want before choosing/visiting a florist. Think about your venue and styling as flowers really help to set the scene or mood. Do you want rustic, vintage, sophisticated, modern, minimalist or romantic? Also are there any blooms you want to incorporate for sentimental reasons or to fit in with the season in which you marry? From there you can figure out the types of flowers you would like and can collect images from magazines, or build up a mood board of images online, which will give your florist inspiration and direction to create something specific to you.

find a florist

Different florists may do a particular style of flowers better than another (e.g. use beautiful English flowers to create ‘just-picked’ style arrangements) so ask around for word of mouth recommendations, check out real wedding blog posts online and/or ask your chosen venue for suggested suppliers. Once you’ve drawn-up a short list of possible florists arrange a meeting with them to discuss prices/budget, look through portfolios and to see how they connect with your ideas or if you are struggling for ideas yourself, ask them for suggestions.

Source onehitchedlane.com

Image via onehitchedlane.com

build up a relationship

Once you have chosen your florist meeting with them regularly not only builds up trust but it also gives your chosen supplier the chance to get to know you as individuals – your likes, dislikes and  styles preferences. It also gives you the opportunity to update your florist on other areas of the big day – the venue, dress, theme, style of the ceremony – to help them create designs that are unique to you and your wedding whilst still ringing true to the original brief.

Source modernwedding.com.au, photo Milque Photography, flowers Karen Tran Florals and Events

Image via modernwedding.com.au, photo by Milque Photography

prepare to be flexible

At one point a couple’s wedding flower choices were dictated by which season they were tying the knot in and what flowers were available at that time. However, many florists now buy in blooms from overseas, expanding couple’s options and giving them the opportunity to source more unusual types to push design boundaries. However there may still be times at when you need to be flexible either due to availability of the blooms, colour restrictions or due to your budget – be prepared to comprise and listen to a florist’s alternatives.

don’t forget the small things

The appearance of flowers can change through the budding process so you might want to discuss this with your florist to ensure they order in your choices at the right time ahead of the wedding. Upon request some florists will give couples samples to take away so they can see how they develop over time. They can then pick at which stage through the blooming process they would like the flowers to appear on their wedding day. So while some might like tight bud roses that are just beginning to open, others might prefer them mostly open or even big and blousy.

Source whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com, photo  Campbell Photography, flowers The Wild Bunch

Image via whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com, photo by Campbell Photography

Other image sources as credited in our gallery

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