These fuss-free floral pointers should help you choose wedding flowers with ease.
Flowers typically play an integral part in any wedding; helping to set the tone, carry a theme and create a beautiful setting for your nuptials. For many couples, knowing where to start when it comes to choosing your wedding flowers can be difficult, so, before you head out to your first florist consultation, we thought we'd share some green-fingered tips.
Tips on How to Choose Wedding Flowers
Unless you have a clear vision in mind for your floralscape, selecting wedding flowers can be tricky. Until now!
At What Point in the Timeline should I start thinking about wedding flowers?
Flowers should be a big consideration during the wedding planning process. Choose them well, and they'll create that picture-perfect setting for your celebration, while also working harmoniously with your venue.
In terms of finding a wedding florist, start researching a year before your wedding date and make a first appointment once you've selected your bridal gown and wedding venue. As these factors will dictate the direction of your florist and will need to be considered.
Where should I look for inspiration?
Blogs, social media and wedding sites are brimming with wedding flowers inspiration, so get exploring!
Create a board on Pinterest and start pinning ideas as you progress along the wedding planning journey. These boards will prove invaluable during the first meeting with your florist. You could even create a shared board together with your partner, or green fingered friends/family and get input and benefit from their input.
If you prefer things to be a little more analogue, take cuttings from bridal magazines and start a physical scrapbook. Something that you can also add sample swatches of your chosen bridal gown, and bridesmaids too. Which together will help give your florist a clear vision of your wedding day theme.
What flowers should I choose?
It’s a good idea to consider the time of year you'll be getting married in and choose flowers according to that season. Seasonal flowers are not only cheaper and easier for florists to source, but they are also at their most naturally beautiful when in-season.
That being said, don’t worry if your dream wedding flowers aren’t in season, most flowers can be sourced all year round. Or, even better, an experienced florist will be able to suggest an alternative that is in-season.
How can I make my wedding flowers more personal?
As with every other aspect of wedding day styling, your bridal bouquet is an opportunity to add an individual touch to the occasion. And there are many ways that can be done.
A great way to personalise your bouquet is to ask your florist to adorn it with jewellery, possibly 'something borrowed' from relatives. Lockets, charms, vintage brooches or kind of trinkets will all help to create a bridal bouquet that feels personal. While also potentially being a wonderful way to honour the memory of a loved one.
If bling isn’t your thing, then sometimes flower choices alone are enough to convey sentimental meaning. For example, the Duchess of Cambridge chose to include Sweet Williams in her wedding bouquet, no doubt a tribute to her gallant Prince!
Your tribute needn't be quite so on the nose, and maybe you'd prefer to just include some clippings from your grandmother’s garden, or a flower that holds some personal significance.
Where can I find a wedding florist?
Start the search for the perfect wedding florist early into your wedding timeline, as the best ones can often get booked up well in advance.
The Interflora florist directory is a great place to begin, as it lists expert local florists, or can suggest suppliers near your chosen wedding venue. Compile a shortlist of florists and plan to meet with two or three candidates. Take along a scrapbook (physical or online) of your ideas and ask the florist to show you examples of their recent work, so you can get a feel for their design style.
A good florist should be able to tell you whether your choices are realistic and to propose suitable alternatives if certain blooms you have in mind will be unavailable, or prohibitively expensive.
When should I book my wedding florist?
You should book your florist between six and nine months ahead of your wedding day. The best florists book up quickly, especially during the height of wedding season. Always get your booking confirmed in writing and be prepared to put down a deposit to reserve your date.
How can I make the most of my wedding budget?
If you are on a tight budget, trust your florist to make good recommendations on wedding flower choices, as this'll help you achieve the overall look you want, while also keeping costs down.
Our other big tip for saving money is to make your wedding flowers go further by reusing floral arrangements from the ceremony, at your reception. You’ll need to discuss logistics with your florist, but they will be able to advise you on the best way to do it.
All the beautiful flowers we have displayed in our store are from Delicate Daisy in South Woodham Ferrers, and we can't recommend them enough! Check their special wedding flowers section on their website and start planning your big day blooms today!