Bride and Bloom
Floral design with the wow factor

Like a well-matched couple, flowers and weddings bring out the best in each other. What would a wedding be without a floral counterpart to communicate to the world that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event?

Mother Nature herself makes it difficult to make decisions when it comes to wedding flowers. Because there are so many lovely flowers and fabulous scents to choose from, selecting the blooms for such an important celebration can overwhelm even the most decisive bride. Relax: this is one case when too much of a good thing is fantastic. Floral designers who specialize in weddings in the Southwest offer you their expertise to assist in the wonderful decision-making ahead of you.

Narrowing your choices

Whether you choose the stylish sophistication of calla lilies or lighthearted bouquets of wildflowers, or the heady scent of garden roses and gardenias, the flowers you choose will make a statement, enhancing the romance of your joyous day.

The best time to begin consulting with floral designers is after making several key decisions about the wedding celebration. Once the wedding date, location and color scheme have been chosen, it’s time to discuss the flowers. It’s also helpful to have some idea of the color scheme and to clip photographs of arrangements that appeal to you in preparation for your floral consultations. Don’t worry about knowing the names of all the flowers—That’s the florist’s job.

Other th oughts to ponder

Do you have a color scheme that you would like to incorporate into the floral design? Bridal bouquets don’t have to be all white. Many brides favor the visual impact of bright blooms against a white or ivory dress, while others seek the angelic simplicity of an all-white bouquet for themselves, and save the bright color for their attendants.

Also consider what time of day your wedding will take place. Heat could be a definite factor in how well the blooms hold up. Will air conditioning help keep your flowers fresh during the ceremony and reception or will your festivities take place outdoors? Consider the growing season. Some flowers are more readily available at certain times of the year. Freshness is key!

However, barring natural disasters, virtually any flower can be purchased from somewhere in the world at any time of year. Generally speaking, selecting flowers “in season” may allow you to get more for your flower budget.

Speaking of budget, establish one early in the process. Interviewing two or three key floral designers will give you a good idea of how much you can expect to spend on your ceremony and reception flowers. It is not at all unusual for the floral budget for a simple wedding (including bridal party flowers and ten reception tables) to exceed $3,000. While every celebration is unique, you can expect to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 for floral design when you add the decoration of the wedding and reception sites.

Heat could be a definite factor in how well the blooms hold up.

This price tag may cause some brides to consider having a friend or family member take on the floral design duties. Before making such a decision, remember two words: preparation and service. Selecting, arranging and preserving your wedding flowers is an art. Whether you choose hand-tied bouquets of a single flower type, or more varied arrangements, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in giving your celebration its “flower power.”

A floral hydration process, which is absolutely critical in the arid Southwest, helps maintain the dewy freshness of your blooms from the moment your flowers are placed, through the photographs and onto the reception. Simply placing a bouquet of roses in a holder or vase will not ensure that they survive the day’s festivities.

As for service, a professional floral designer does more than simply purchase and arrange flowers. A pre-wedding walk-through at your wedding and reception sites will ensure that the designs will be made in the proper scale and that nothing is overlooked. An experienced designer will be able to suggest details that will enhance the overall look of your event while maintaining the budget that you have established.

Your design team is responsible for transporting and placing all flowers in their appropriate locations, pinning corsages and boutonnieres on each person of honor, and troubleshooting any dilemmas that may arise prior to the wedding. In addition, a professional will bring along a toolkit to repair or replace any blooms that become broken, discolored or damaged along the way.

Those concerned about maintaining their budget may consider using a “signature flower” in strategic ways throughout the design, while filling in with more readily available blooms in other places. It’s always a good idea to be creative and flexible.

Another way to mind the budget is to avoid scheduling your wedding near Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Easter or Mother’s Day, when farms traditionally raise their prices to take advantage to the high demand for flowers.

Where to Start

Typically, a wedding floral plan will include the following “personal flowers”:

• Bride’s Bouquet
• Attendant’s Bouquets
• Corsages for the mothers, grandmothers and other women of honor
• Boutonnieres for the groom, groomsmen, ushers, fathers and other men of honor
• Flowers for the flower girls, which could include baskets of petals, floral hair wreaths, and/or junior bouquets

The Bride ’s Bouquet

The bridal bouquet is among the most important considerations when choosing blooms for your special day. Consider the bouquet as part of the bride’s wedding attire—Much like the jewelry she wears, the bouquet should complement her gown.

Depending on the style of the bouquet and the blooms selected, floral designers typically spend several hours alone preparing a bridal bouquet, and with good reason: the bouquet will be most-photographed and most fondly remembered of all the wedding flowers.

Design details—hand-tied bouquets, jewel adornment, ribbons, Bibles, incorporating herbs, even considering the symbolism of the flowers you choose—will help make your wedding a celebration of love that is uniquely yours.

Rooms of Blooms

Consider ceremony flowers to decorate the altar, church pews or rows of chairs. Will the aisle runner be adorned with flower petals? Floral decorations on arbors, gazebos and other structures where the bride and groom will exchange their vows will add an air of romance as well. Cast-concrete pillars, ornate urns, rustic metal stands, shepherd’s hooks and trellises can be rented or purchased to add to the drama of your floral design. If budget is an issue, you might consider ceremony arrangements that can be relocated to the reception site, allowing them to do doubleduty.

The location and degree of formality of your wedding will help define your choices for decorating your reception site. Centerpieces for tables at the reception and the cake table, and blooms to decorate the reception site should all be a part of your floral checklist. Among other floral considerations: table arrangements, wreaths, loose petals, stairway decorations, candelabras, buffet table and bar decorations.

Thanks a Bunch

Choosing the right floral designer has a lot to do with experience, personality and style (yours and theirs). Some florists lean toward classic lines and traditional arrangements, while others have a more avant-garde style. Referrals from family and friends, recommendations from your wedding vendor team and personal interviews are the tried-and-true methods for finding a florist who will make your dreams come true.

Photography:
ZWeddingz by Philip Ramackers & Co.

Set Design:
Creative Events

Decor & Linens:
Arizona Party Rental

Floral:
Serendipity Events
Villa Feliz Flowers
Craft Elegance
Nature’s Art Florist
Inglis Florist