If you ask any married couple about what they recall most of their wedding day, flowers are bound to be the first thing that pops into their mind. The bridal bouquet, of course, but the overall show that the bouquet conveyed that is the key element that is often right in the middle of every photo. The fragrance when they entered into the ceremony. How the centrepieces were lit at the party. This little sprig in a button hole brought about the young man’s sense of self, just a little higher.
Wedding flowers can add a subtle but impactful touch to make a day truly special. So many couples, however, ignore these items, and leave them until the end, when the decisions have been made. This guide exists to change your mind: When you treat flowers like your own special gift, they’re willing to do the same for you.
The wedding flowers are the heartbeat of your visual story.
All weddings have a story. The place is set by the people, the music is set by the music, and the love is set by the people. However, it is wedding flowers that can weave the visual story from the start to the finish of the day.
Consider it: flowers are at the entrance to the ceremony to greet your guests. They are installing the Arch where you will exchange your vows. They are in your hand, your bridesmaids’ hand, pinned to your groomsmen’s lapel. They are on every table, the bridal table, next to the cake at the reception. Wedding flowers don’t just float around on the day, they go all the way through it. They are like a thread that will hold it all together.
That is the reason you need to take care of the flowers you select. They’re doing a lot of telling on your behalf, not because you need to impress upon them, but because you don’t.
How to get wedding flowers that really feel like you
The truth of the matter is that the most beautiful wedding flowers are the ones that are really of their own creation, not borrowed from or copied from others’ days. While you are about to scroll through all the photos of things you want to love, take a minute to think about what you really like!
Are you drawn to the soft, romantic elements trailing plants, blush colours, loose garden roses? Or are you more attracted to more dramatic and structured arrangements: Proteas with bold colour, architectural natives, strong contrasts? Perhaps you love wildflower gardens and the feeling of picking something in the wild, unruly. Maybe you’re a minimalist through and through, a single beautiful flower, no frills.
The Full Scope of Wedding Flowers
Many people would think of “wedding flowers” and imagine the bouquet. However, the scope is much greater than that and knowing what it entails will enable you to plan and budget much more effectively.
Ceremony flowers decorate your bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, buttonholes and corsages, flower girl accessories, and any other structure (such as a ceremony arch, aisle flowers, pew decoration or a ceremony backdrop).
Reception flowers are table centrepieces (there are many to make depending on the number of guests), bridal table centrepiece, cake flowers, cocktail hour flowers and any hanging, statement flowers.
Seasonal wedding flowers are worth using for numerous reasons.
Another great tip for choosing your wedding flowers is to be brave and use what’s in bloom and in its best condition at the time of your wedding instead of trying to get a specific type of flower no matter the season.
Seasonal flowers will be fresher and, therefore, more colorful, will be available for a longer period during the day and will last longer in pictures. They’re also generally less expensive, for they’re not being brought in from abroad or cut out of their natural cycle. In fact, they photograph better as well and that lushness and naturalness is hard to come by with in-season flowers.
There’s always something beautiful to discover in Melbourne each season. Tulips, sweet peas and garden roses can be romantic ingredients in spring weddings. Rich and warm dahlias and chrysanthemums flourish in the autumn. Winter is the time for dramatic natives and moody jewel toned arrangements. Summer is the season of plenty featuring tropical flowers and lively mixes.
A good florist will steer you towards what will be in its prime on your big day, and help you create something wonderful from it.
Choosing the Perfect Florist for Your Wedding Bouquet
You’re dealing with the most crucial vendor: your florist, and you have to trust them, but not for the flowers, that’s not why you need to trust them. You’re entrusting a portion of your day’s image to someone else and you want to have faith that they will get your job done nicely.
A Word on Budget
The amount of wedding flowers can range from basic to fancy and there’s no set rule for the amount. Transparency with the florist is what’s important. Be honest with them about your budget, they will do what they can to work with it and they will not judge you. They understand what makes a difference in the visual impact, where they can eliminate without impacting, and what they can do to maximize their dollar with savvy seasonal selections and creative design.
The key to avoid is to underestimate the budget and end up disappointed. Choose a number that is reasonable, keeping in mind what you are saying, and leave it to your florist to make it happen!
The Day Itself
Now that couples don’t think of until it happens, on your big day: You will have no time to fret about your flowers. The setup will be complete, the arrangements will be in place and you’ll do is just walk in, look around and feel it.
This is the one of the truly magical moments of the day: when you see your wedding flowers for the first time. It is good to invest in, to plan carefully and to trust certain people to create.
At The Flower Shed, our passion is to support you as you plan your Melbourne wedding. For more information and enquiries visit theflowershed.com.au
