SEARCH CELEBRATE

Creating The Perfect Wedding Flower Experience

When is the right time to start looking around for your flowers? The answer is simple; as soon as you have your gown and have chosen the colours for your wedding party, start looking for a florist.

The flowers should reflect the style of the Bride. It is no use to have flowers you hate just because they go with the colour scheme, or they are your florist’s favourite flower. When choosing a florist look for one that you connect with straight away and that understands what your needs are. A sample of the centrepieces should be made as soon as you have decided whom you want to go with and are ready to give a deposit. This proves to the designer that you are ready to commit and they will be able to see if their ideas go with yours.

If you are having any Black and White photography a dark bouquet will take on the appearance of a dark blob in front of your gown. Dark reds, oranges and hot pinks are the main offenders in the Black and White photography problem.

Your girls should have a bouquet similar to yours, but smaller and without something that is in your bouquet. The Maid of Honour's bouquet should be a little larger than the Bridesmaid's.

Flowers For The Ceremony
You have chosen a bouquet, but now need flowers for the ceremony. Make sure the flowers for the ceremony can be used later at the reception. Ask your florist if they have a wait and move service. This is when the florist sets up the church and waits for the ceremony to end and takes the ceremony flowers back to the reception and sets them up with the other reception flowers. This is a very useful service and takes the onus off the bride and groom to get the flowers to the next venue.

Many Churches and other places of worship, do not allow the throwing of rice, confetti or rose petals, so if you wish to use these, check first with the venue to see if it is acceptable to do so.

Some churches require a donation of flowers to be left behind after the wedding. Ask you florist for an Altar arrangement that can be left even if you take the large arrangements and bows, to decorate your reception.

The Reception
Most people do not realize that the thing their guests notice most at the reception is the flowers. Your guests are sitting at a table for most of the evening, either eating or resting after dancing, so you want what they see to be something they will remember fondly. Do not skimp on the table decorations... I know that you have spent a lot of money on renting the room and the food, but the flowers are just another part of the whole effect and make a difference. If you are giving away the centrepiece, it should be something that the guest who gets to take it home would be proud to have in their home. You do not have to spend a fortune to make the tables look good, but do include them in your budget.

Budget
Most florists would be more than happy to try and accommodate your budget. There are lots of flowers that can give you a beautiful look without the ugly price tag. Make sure that when you visit your florist, you let them know how much you have to spend. If they know your tastes and budget, then they will not scare you away with prices that are way too high for you.

If possible you should give your florist at least 6 months notice of your commitment, changes to your order can be made usually up to 2-3 weeks prior to the wedding, so nothing is written in stone until you have your final numbers and the final payment has been made. The final payment is usually made 1-2 weeks (depending on the florist's policy) prior to the wedding date.

One final thing to remember is if you are renting any table centres, make sure that your guests know that they belong to the florist, otherwise you will end up being billed for them if they are taken.

The most important thing to remember though is: Planning your wedding flowers should be fun. If you meet with a florist and you feel uncomfortable with them or they push their ideas on you, go somewhere else. It is your day and it should be your choice of flowers. Every Florist wants their flowers and style to be recognized and appreciated, but you want is what is most important.