Awe-Inspiring Arrangements
By Ola Diab - CTW Features | posted on December 26, 2011 at 7:00am
Choosing floral designs for your wedding
Flowers are everywhere at a wedding – lining the aisle, in hands, on lapels. But deciding which colors to mix-and-match and where to place the flowers might not be your area of expertise. However, choosing flowers for your wedding that suit your style and personality doesn’t have to be difficult.
First Steps
The earlier a bride begins thinking of her wedding flowers, the better the result on the wedding day, says Christina Bilby, owner of the Sweet Pickins floral design studio in Oakhrust, Calif. “Those who get what they want plan six months to a year in advance,” she says.
Find a florist that you can trust and understands your style. “Trust is really important,” Bilby says, stressing its significance in the relationship between the florist and the bride. “Depend on your florist to be really honest.” When you find your ideal florist, Bilby recommends that brides inform them of their needs and desires. But if you’re a bride who can’t connect with her creative or artistic side, then Bilby recommends you take a look at pictures in magazines or catalogs to get a floral design idea for your wedding.
What You Need
Choosing floral designs for your wedding is just like any other wedding choice. “It’s the same with wedding dresses,” Bilby says. “Think about your favorite color!”
How flowers fit in with your wedding’s color theme is the first step to take when planning your flowers. Bilby advises brides to avoid combing too many colors in their bouquets, centerpieces, corsages or other floral designs. “I’d try to keep to three colors, not so busy,” she says.
If the wedding is traditional, family members, close relatives or friends should carry flowers with colors matching the bride’s bouquet. The groom’s boutonniere should match the bride’s bouquet. The bridesmaids’ and groomsmen’s flowers should complement each other too. Mothers of the bride and groom should carry small bouquets or wear corsages also in step with the colors of the wedding.
Whether the wedding is at church or other venue, Bilby recommends many creative spots for flower placements. At a house of worship, altars, windows and the railing to the track can be decorated with flowers to give the venue an eye-catching look. Flowers can also rest on the ends of aisle chairs. In addition to throwing flower petals down the aisle, flower girls can wear headbands decorated with flowers and silk ribbons.
For the reception, florals are used to encircle the wedding cake and star as the table centerpieces.
A bride should expect to spend about $1,200 or more on floral arrangement for her wedding. “Most of the money is spent on centerpieces,” Bilby says. Centerpieces or other arrangements may be included with the wedding package at your venue, so be sure to ask.
Brides who’re looking for easy-to-use, go-to flowers, Bilby recommends the Cymbidium Orchids, her favorite, and a popular wedding choice. They’re “handy, elegant and beautiful when you mix with roses,” Bilby says.
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