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NOTHING SAYS IT LIKE FLOWERS
Picking Perfect Blooms for Your Wedding
by Rose Budd
Fresh - Blooming -
Blossoming...all words to describe something new, a beginning. And hence, the
centuries old poetic tradition comparing a new marriage to the springtime is
continued to this day when every new couple enhances their wedding ceremony with
flowers.
HOW TO BEGIN
The first step to deciding on the floral accompaniments to a wedding is to
develop a basic concept based on the personal tastes of the bride and groom.
Generally, this begins with a discussion about which are your favourite flowers.
Then, decide on a basic approach: extravagant, tasteful, modest, etc. A good
place to start accumulating ideas is in the bridal magazines such as this one
and floral arranging books at your library. One thing to consider right up front
is whether or not the flowers you'd like are grown locally, and if so, would
they be in bloom during the season in which you marry. This could prove to be a
big cost factor later on.
CHOOSING A FLORIST
Because your floral arrangements (pun intended!) can be taken care of months in
advance, it's never too early to contract with a florist. After your final
decisions, it's one thing you'll never have to worry about again before the
wedding. The florist will take care of the delivery to wherever the bride is
preparing, to the ceremony, and to the reception, and take care of all the
preparation and presentation at each location. Recall weddings and other events
you've attended where you liked the floral approach and find out which florist
handled the arrangements. Consult bridal guides and The Yellow Pages to set up
appointments with several different companies. Their consultants will have photo
albums (and sometimes even videos) of past presentations and more than likely,
you'll see an example of just what you had in mind for an overall approach. And
like every other area in wedding planning, price shop.
FLOWERS FOR THE BRIDE (and Bridal Party)
The Bridal Bouquet (and flowers for your hair or headpiece) is probably the most
important item on your flower list. The flowers you carry or wear will be
determined by the colour and style of your gown. This is not to say that the
other floral plans can't move ahead before you've settled on the gown; you can
save this to be your last decision. (Another thing to consider is that the
common approach is to coordinate the boutonnieres for the groom and attendants
with the bouquet and so the plans for their tuxes or suits must be in place as
well as the gown.) The bridal attendants and other members of the extended
wedding party for whom you wish to provide flowers must all be coordinated as
well. This, of course, depends on what each person is wearing and, for instance,
it may be necessary to provide the mother of the bride with a flower matching
her dress as opposed to matching the rest of the party.
One of the latest trends in bridal bouquets is a return to traditional
white, but not necessarily in a traditional arrangement! From all white, to
setting off the white with anywhere from one to an equal amount of a chosen
colour (most impressive is the use of the rare "sterling" rose, a silvery grey
flower which is stunning), to setting off the flowers with greens, ribbons or an
unorthodox or personalized carrier, the style is up to you. The natural or
"garden" look and the flowing or "romantic" look have already been spotted this
year! Cascading bouquets are making a strong comeback (but remember that they're
really hard to get airborne if you plan to toss your bouquet out to your single
guests). Another non-traditional arrangement making much headway in popularity
is the wrist or forearm bouquet. It is of course a smaller arrangement, but it
is virtually hassle free - you don't have to put down or hand off your flowers
everytime you want or need to do something. This is especially popular with
brides who are marrying in a less elaborate wedding gown or other formal or
street wear.
Always remember to check into the latest arrangements with your florist. And
also remember, you are not required or expected to follow the latest trends. Do
this only if you have a real desire to contemporise your ceremony. Otherwise, go
for what you want, letting your personal style set the tone
CEREMONY AND RECEPTION
Your principal arrangements at the altar or place of the actual ceremony will
form the basis of the arrangements at the reception when transported by the
florist after the event. Therefore, both locations must be taken into
consideration for size and style. If a common ground can't be found, you could
wind up springing for two entirely different setups. Most florists will be
familiar with area churches and reception halls, but if not, they'd more than
likely be willing to visit the location(s). Other than the decorations for the
entrance/receiving line and head table or bridal party table, other uses for
flowers are as the centrepiece for your guests tables (always a fun part of the
event as you can either play a game for the centrepiece or present it to the
woman whose birthday is closest, etc.) or to give out flowers as favours for
your female guests. Outdoor weddings and/or receptions are a bit easier to plan
as you more or less have free rein over your choices because coordination is not
as big a factor: you have lots more room to spread things out!
FINALIZING YOUR PLANS
Always keep cost in mind. There are many other wonderful uses for flowers at a
wedding such as a miniature copy of the bouquet atop the cake, strewing flower
petals in lieu of rice, or garlands for the head table and entrances. But all of
these things cost money. If you're using local flowers, it might be possible to
go all the way, everything you'd like. But if you choose rare or out-of-season
flowers, the costs could skyrocket with storage and shipping charges. Your
florist will help you to set a budget and stick to it and a good florist will
make suggestions without ever overwhelming your original ideas. Once your
arrangements are finalized, you'll have a worry-free item crossed off your big
list of things to do and be assured of one more job well done so that you can
concentrate only on having a good time on the most important day of your life!
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