Selecting Your Flowers and Working With Your Florist

While the hard and fast rules for using the "right" flower types and colors have long gone by the wayside, flower selection is still key in creating the right atmosphere for a wedding. Couples are encouraged to choose flowers and foliage for their meaningfulness, rather than sticking to rules or tradition. By incorporating your favorite flowers, favorite colors, flowers and foliage that remind you of a special place or time spent together, and even the meanings of different flowers, you add something very personal and special to your wedding day. That being said, there are some varieties of flowers and foliage that create beautiful, seasonal bouquets and arrangements.

Summer offers a wide variety of whites and eye-popping, vibrant colors. Consider hyacinth, sunflowers, geraniums, calla lilies, orchids, dahlias, daisies, carnations, foxglove, chrysanthemum, bachelor buttons, and baby's breath, as well as roses, in a variety of colors. Clematis and climbing roses create dramatic archways.

Autumn gives way to an exciting palette of rich, earthy tones and textures. Consider wrapping flowers and berries in rich shades of orange, rust, maroon, blue, and amber with a variety of branches, leaves and grasses in a contrasting mix of textures.

Winter weddings can include many of the same traditional wedding flowers found throughout the seasons... roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, hydrangea, freesia, gardenias, snowball, and the like, at not much higher a cost. Christmas weddings provide the perfect opportunity to exploit the rich reds and greens of the season in a selection of berries, evergreens, poinsettias, and holly branches, as well as holiday ribbons and ornaments for accent. For non-holiday weddings, a variety of cool blues, silvers, whites and greens accented with eucalyptus, pine cones, ivy, fir branches, and wheat stalks truly speak the winter season.

Spring rings anew with soft, gentle pastels. Consider shades of pink, baby blues, peaches, soft yellows and greens. Springtime favorites include roses, tulips, hyacinth, lilac, jonquils, wisteria, sweet pea, daffodils, Gerber daisies, day lilies, and multi-colored calla lilies, as well as sprigs from Dogwood, Crabapple, and other flowering trees nestled in soft to deep shades of green.

Lighting also plays a key role in flower selection and is a detail frequently overlooked by busy brides and grooms. An atmosphere filled with soft lighting or candlelight will set off warm, pastel shades...pinks, lilacs, whites, golds... while a bright, lively atmosphere will only be enhanced by richer, more vibrant pinks, golds, oranges, blues, and reds.

Above all, choose a florist with whom you feel comfortable working, a florist who will work with you in bringing your vision to light. If you tell your florist that you imagine bouquets of hand-tied wildflowers and he presents you with a nosegay of roses and carnations, then find another florist! At the same time, listen to what your florist has to say. A good florist will have a multitude of ideas for flower selection, bouquet arrangements, and display accents, as well as what is in - both in style and in season - and will work with you to give you the most that your budget will allow. She may very well also know what the rules and regulations of your particular church or chapel may be; many churches will require only fresh-cut flowers be placed on the alter, if they are allowed at all.

Begin interviewing florists at least three months prior to your wedding, longer if your wedding will take place during a peak season or holiday. When interviewing florists, be sure to bring pictures of your dress and bridesmaids' dresses, as well as swatches of fabric from both. Don't be afraid to bring clippings from magazines, a list of the flowers you like, and any requirements you may have for individual needs. If orchids make your mother-in-law sneeze, you won't (or shouldn't) want to pin one her shoulder! You may also want to ask your florist about aisle runners, flower girl baskets, unity candles, and other available ceremony and reception accessories, as well as fees for transportation, delivery, set-up, etc.... Don't be afraid to ask questions! And always get a written quote, including detailed instructions for payment terms and all associated fees.

Article by the Chicagoland Wedding Directory © 1998 - 2008. All rights reserved.