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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.
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.
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.
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 morethan 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.
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 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.
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.
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:
Philipramackers.com
Ted Hewitt Photography
Flowers:
In Full Bloom Studios
Villa Feliz Flowers
Nature’s Art Florists
Craft Elegance
Stylists:
Anne Bryan of Creative Events |
