Flowers for your wedding...

Choosing A Florist...Traditionally it was the groom’s duty to order and purchase the wedding flowers (they were a gift to his bride) but fortunately this is no longer the case!
Don’t make any decisions regarding the flowers until the wedding outfits have been chosen. The style and colour scheme of the flowers should be in keeping with the wedding and in particular reflect the personality of the bride. The meaning of flowers too is an issue.

Professional or DIY? Unless the floral displays for your wedding are very simple, it is generally advisable to employ a florist to supply the flower arrangements. Most of the work with the flowers is done the day before and on the morning of the wedding when the couple and their families are at their busiest.

Check out the quality...Word of mouth is generally the best way to find a florist. If someone has done a great job for a friend, it's worth going to see them. If you are unable to decide, it is best to visit several and look at their displays. Most florists will allow you visit them at a time when they have prepared flowers for other weddings so that you can see the quality of their work. Florists generally need to be given notice of the wedding approximately four months in advance so that they are free on the day. The florist will want to discuss precise details around six weeks before the wedding.

Seasonal flowers are often the best...Many flowers can now be obtained out of season because they are grown in greenhouses and are imported from other parts of the world. However if you choose seasonal flowers they more likely to fresher and less expensive. The harmonization of the flowers to the bride’s dress (and that of her bridesmaids) is paramount and flowers are often the element that pulls the various design and visual aspects of the wedding together. As a general rule white or cream coloured flowers are the most popular for a white wedding. White roses and lilies of the valley are old favourites. Ancient traditions also can mean that wild flowers such as white heather and orange blossom are incorporated into the bouquets, bridal head-dress and arrangements.

Flowers should be delivered as late as possible... around three hours before the service - so they look their best. Place buttonholes and corsages in the salad compartment of the fridge, and put any hand tied bouquets in water.

Flower power (and pace)...There is nothing wrong with the ushers snatching up all the church flowers after the service (maybe while exterior photography is going on) and swiftly transport them to the wedding reception venue prior to the arrival of the happy couple and their guests.

Message in a flower...Flowers for any wedding are all about what message the happy couple is trying to convey to the family and guests both. All colours and arrangements have their own suggestive little nuances. We all know the emotional lift that flowers can give both visually and with their fragrance.

The meaning of flowers...

Almond flowers -- Hope
Aster -- Symbol of love
Balm -- Sympathy
Bergamot -- Irresistible
Bluebell -- Constancy
Borage -- Courage
Broom -- Humility
Campanula -- Gratitude
Carnation -- avoid yellow carnations (rejection).
China rose -- Beauty always new
Chrysanthemum -- Love
Clover, four leaved -- "Be mine"
Coreopsis -- Love at first sight
Cuckoo pint -- Ardor
Daffodil -- Regard
Fern -- Sincerity
Forget-Me-Not -- True love
Furze or Gorse -- Enduring affection
Gardenia -- Ecstasy
Gentian -- Loveliness
Geranium -- "You are childish"
Hare bell -- Grief
Heartsease -- "I am always thinking of you"
Honeysuckle -- Bonds of love
Heather -- Admiration
Ivy -- Fidelity, friendship, marriage
Jasmine -- Grace
Jonquil -- "I hope for return of affection"
Lavender -- Luck, devotion
Lemon Balm -- Sympathy
Lilac -- First love
Lily -- White (Purity, modesty), yellow (happiness), striped (pride), but avoid orange (hatred).
Lily of the Valley -- Purity, the return of happiness
Lily, Calla -- Beauty
Marigold -- leave these out of your bouquet - they symbolise jealousy
Marjoram -- Kindness, courtesy
Myrtle -- Fidelity
Oregano -- Joy
Orchid -- Love, beauty, refinement
Pansy -- Loving thoughts
Periwinkle -- Happy memory
Petunias -- one to avoid - they symbolise anger
Phlox -- Agreement
Poppy, red -- Consolation
Primrose -- I can't live without you
Rose, cabbage -- Ambassador of love
Rose, red -- Love
Rose, pink -- Grace, beauty
Rose, yellow -- Friendship
Rosemary -- Remembrance, constancy
Sage -- Gratitude, domestic virtue
Snowdrop -- Hope
Star of Bethlehem -- Purity
Sweet Pea -- Departure, tender memory
Sweet William -- Gallantry
Tuberose -- Voluptuousness
Tulip, red -- My perfect lover, Reclamation of love
Violet -- Loyalty, modesty, humility
Violet, blue -- Faithfulness
Wheat -- Riches of the continuation of life
Wallflower -- Fidelity

Remember - choosing the right florist is just as important as choosing the right dress or photographer...