1 Timing

Don’t leave your wedding flowers to the last minute. Give yourself time, so that decisions are not made in haste under pressure. Reputable florists are often booked up a year (and often more) in advance. This is particularly true for weddings on a Saturday. Take time to carefully choose your florist – and book them early !

When choosing your florist, word-of-mouth is often the most reliable recommendation. The florist’s shop itself will reflect their standards, skills and ability.

Talk to your florist, and make sure she understands precisely what you require. Allow her to make suggestions, but don’t necessarily be bound by these. It is important to build-up a trust, so that you are able to relax, and leave your floral arrangements to her expertise, giving you the freedom of mind to enjoy your special day.

Everyone has their own personal style. Talk to your florist so that she may ascertain yours. Style will be largely dictated by your personality, fashion, and your choice of wedding and reception venue. For example, a new, contemporary restaurant as a venue, would require different floral decorations from a traditional Country House reception. Equally a modern, contemporary bridal gown requires a floral design to complement and harmonise in a similar style.

Give some thought to your actual wedding date. Almost all flowers are now available all year round. However, exotic or out of season blooms will inevitably be more expensive. You may wish to use seasonal flowers to reflect the date of your wedding. For example, tulips, lilac etc. for a Spring wedding. Your florist will be able to advise you on the ‘keeping qualities’ of your floral choices – remember, your bouquet needs to look fresh all day, no matter what the weather.

It is often helpful to choose a theme for the wedding. It may actually help the decision making process. The theme may be reflected in style of wedding and bridesmaid dresses, reception floral decor and table settings. A theme may also be as simple as using a flower or plant material as a symbol, for example, ivy, on invitations, on dresses and incorporated into floral decorations. The ivy plant is often chosen, as it symbolises friendship and fidelity.

Colour choices are endless. It may just be your favourite colour, or may reflect the season. For example, red for Christmas, yellow for Spring, orange – rust for Autumn. Colour will obviously relate to dresses worn by the bride and bridesmaid, and may be dramatic, complementary, or simply pastel shades. When choosing colours, remember to consider the natural light and the time of year, and how your colours will photograph for that all-important record of your day.

It is a good idea to consider your budget early. Everyone need to work within their limits, whether large of small. Discuss this with your florist, and she will advise on the best value for money. When deciding on priorities, the bridal party flowers are the ones most visible and are photographed all day. Next to these, those most closely viewed are the table designs, so perhaps these should be considered first, and choices for church flowers etc. could be made later.

Like fashion, flowers follow trends, and certain flowers become ‘in vogue’. However, one should not allow trends to dictate, as often the trendy flowers may not be appropriate to your style.

The more information you are able to give your florist, the easier it will be for her to ensure you receive the best possible service. You deserve the full attention of your florist, and as much of her time as possible. An initial consultation will enable you both to appreciate what is required, and also to strike up a rapport. When a booking is made, the florist will visit the church and reception venue, followed by a second consultation, to detail colour, style etc. The final consultation will tie-up details such as timings, deliveries etc. Consider your bridal party, and ensure that nobody suffers from hay fever or plant-related allergies, or is unhappy with your choices. If everyone is relaxed and happy, the day will run smoothly. Be true to yourself, and have the wedding day of your dreams.