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A wedding radiates beauty and vibrancy when you are able to match the perfect bouquet to the wedding dress of your dreams. But how can you create the perfect wedding flower arrangement that matches your chosen color scheme? How do you make sure your bridal bouquet is not just seasonal but also uniquely you? Working with a florist, planning ahead, defining your ideas and preferences, and achieving the best flower arrangement for your wedding… A few of the topics we’re discussing in today’s post!
What makes up a wedding floral arrangement?
There are so many details that go into creating the perfect atmosphere on your wedding day! The wedding dress, the decorations, the wedding party’s outfits and, of course, the flowers and arrangement that accompanies it all… These elements should all complement the color scheme and design. We recommend deciding on a theme well in advance to help with every choice you make on your journey. The colors, the scents, the details – all should be in harmony. Start with the theme, whether it’s boho chic, rustic, modern, glamorous, etc. After you nail that piece down, you can then choose the main colors which will coordinate with the whole décor of your big day.
Where to start with a wedding floral arrangement?
The Wedding Party
Once the theme has been decided on, it’s time to imagine where all your flowers will go! And we’re not just talking about the bridal bouquet. You’ll need to describe what you want to your florist in painstaking detail! So think carefully about your bridesmaids’ accessories or bouquets. The groom and his party’s boutonnieres, as well as floral accessories for the mother of the bride and the future mother-in-law also have their importance. For example, we just love fascinators with small bouquets on them (aren’t they the cutest?) Small discreet corsages that coordinate with the bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets are also very beautiful.
The wedding dress, the decorations, and the flowers and arrangement should ideally be in the same theme.
The Venue And Other Places
The wedding floral arrangement also encompasses the flowers used to decorate the wedding hall or church and the reception room. Whether you’re indoors or outdoors, think about incorporating flower holders too. Rustic jugs, vases, jars, and even birdcages can be used to show off your flower arrangements. For example, centerpieces for a small reception room might be made from transparent jars filled with a bouquet and placed on a mirror. This will give the illusion of more space. Likewise, an idea would be to combine the flowers with white candles (or in your theme’s dominant color). This will add an extra bit of sophistication to your centerpiece. If you don’t like jars or vases, flower table runners or small wreaths will also do the trick.
Finally, decorative arches, mirrors bordered by flowers, and a large bouquet or some wreaths draped around the entrance are the sort of little details that will accentuate your theme and your favorite color combinations. Also, why not add some small flowers around the frame holding your seating chart? The possibilities are endless when it comes to adding floral details. It will give your wedding that unique and memorable touch.
Pro tip: For churches, think about offering a bouquet to the Virgin Mary. (It is little details like these ones that make all the the difference) An all-white bouquet like baby breath would look gorgeous.
How about the cake?
Sure, we’ve all seen those beautiful boho cakes decorated with lavish flowers. It’s important to note, however, that most flowers are treated with pesticides. Adding fresh flowers to your cake without the help of a professional therefore isn’t recommended. Nevertheless, your baker can decorate your cake with fondant flowers in accordance with your theme, to bring everything together. You can also find edible flowers from a specialized bakery or shop if you choose to do so. Borage – better known as Starflower – adds a nice hint of blue, for example.
Pro tip: adding small details gives you the chance to blend an extra shade into your theme without an unsightly color clash. All these careful additions will give your wedding a high-end look. They will also make your photos pop. Just imagine how beautiful floral details could work in harmony with your bouquet, on the hood of the bride and groom’s car, on the church pews, next to the guest book, etc.
Using a florist or doing it by yourself?
As this is one of the most important days of your life, you need to decide quickly whether to go the DIY route, or to hire a florist to prepare the flower arrangement for the wedding. There’s a lot to think about ahead of the big day; the week leading up to and the day of your wedding will be particularly packed with emotion. We advise you to plan ahead how you will handle every detail without stressing out. Check out some to-do lists and checklists that will help in that last stretch.
Among the lists you make when beginning your preparations should be the one for your wedding’s flower arrangement. What are your favorite colors? What theme do you want? Which flowers will be in season? Which color combinations do you want to avoid? Once the list is complete, we also recommend using websites such as Pinterest. You can save inspiring photos on the site and take them with you to the florist.
The choice of florist should be carefully made to match your own style. They will understand seasonal flowers (which stay fresher for longer and, by the way, are cheaper), will suggest unusual color combinations, and unique accessories that you might not have thought of. Going with a professional is hence well worth the money.
Still, organizing your bridal bouquet arrangement and the rest of the decorations yourself or with your friends and family can also be a wonderful pre-wedding activity. We recommend that brides with a small number of guests consider this route. It will be a way to bring everyone together before D-Day.
If you choose to go at it alone, consider these elements:
- Which flowers will be in season?
- How long will it take to put everything in place (not just the flower bouquets, but also the table decorations, etc.)? It is particularly important here to remember to discuss this with the manager of the ceremony and reception halls. They might indeed have other events planned just before your wedding, so you need to know how to deal with this.
- Tips to save money
- Which flowers have the most staying power (e.g. exotic flowers such as bird of paradise, protea, and anthurium);
- Match the flowers in your arrangement with your theme, playing with monochrome hues and putting the emphasis on simplicity.
If You’ve Decided To Use A Florist:
We strongly advise you to make an appointment at least 3-4 months in advance. Also, try getting to know the team personally.You’ll have the opportunity to discuss your ideas, your favorite flowers, and other details that are important to you.
Do you have a very specific idea of your wedding style, like our beautiful bride Cassandra and her Cinderella Wedding Dress? Or would you like the florist to suggest several flower arrangements you can choose from? Finally, are there any combinations you’d like to avoid (flowers you don’t like or that bring back bad memories)? In any case, getting to know the person who will provide one of the key services for your wedding is a good idea.
Budgeting point:
Whether you go with a florist or you do your wedding floral arrangement by yourself, don’t forget to shop around for quotes from different suppliers. Prices can vary enormously between providers, for various reasons. Also, consider the help they can offer you on your wedding day when making your choice. Does their fee include setting up and decorating the venue (s)?
Small tip: on the wedding day itself, ask one of your bridesmaids to be in charge of the flower arrangements. She will welcome the florist, show them where to store decorations, and get you your bouquets as you’re getting pampered and ready. The wedding venue team will generally take care of setting up the centerpieces and decorations. Make sure you confirm this in advance.
Match your wedding to the season and your own personal style
Your Style
An essential element to a successful wedding floral arrangement is coordinating your bouquets with the season and the wedding’s backdrop. Your personal style also plays a big role.
Are you more of a boho and free-spirited bride? Try a waterfall bouquet paired with a flowy dress, , or maybe a flower crown instead of (or in addition to!) a bouquet. For brides who prefer classic elegance, we recommend small round bouquets that will highlight your dress without overshadowing you.
The Seasons
As for seasonality – you can find roses all year round, as well as lisianthus and lilies. Think roses are perhaps a little too cliché? No worries! Depending on the date of your wedding, there will be a wide variety of other flowers available:
- January: anemones, hyacinths, violets, tulips, mimosas (roses and tulips are a tried and true combination for a bouquet)
- February and March: violets, forget-me-nots, narcissus, daffodils, sweet pea, muscari
- April, May and June: peonies, lilacs, poppies, snowballs, apple tree branches, cherry trees (what’s more boho than fruit tree branches and poppies?)
- July, August and September: dahlia, hydrangea, foxglove, berries (think of the opulence of the fall harvest – ideal for rustic bouquets)
- October, November and December: chrysanthemums, dahlias, mimosas.
Small tip: Don’t forget to tell your florist about the venue where the wedding will take place.Often, they will have worked there before (especially in smaller towns). They will hence know the best areas to decorate, from experience. They will also be able to advise you on the areas with the most light, and will be able to coordinate the centerpieces, wreaths and decorative bouquets better.
Flower trends that will make your wedding truly unique
Beyond wedding bouquets, there are many more elements you can add to a floral arrangement that will make your dream day even more special. Here at JoSaBi, we always draw inspiration from new trends and innovative ideas that our creative brides share with us.
We can therefore suggest a few ideas you can add to your wedding flower arrangement:
- Chandeliers dripping with flowers that combine vibrancy and romanticism adding a unique boho or rustic style to your reception hall
- Floral sheaves of lilies at the entrance of your wedding hall
- If you are going to climb a staircase to get to your reception room, perhaps add into the mix large lanterns filled with flowers on the floor to evoke a magical atmosphere during the evening
- Combine fruits and vegetables with your floral arrangements to add a touch of seasonality. Think asparagus, artichokes, figs or blackberries
- Swap the bridal bouquet for a flower crown or a bridal hoop
- Replace vases with pots containing flowers or even vegetables which you can give as gifts to your guests (depending on the season, chili flowers are quite pretty or branches of cherry tomatoes or jars of herbs)
- Add ribbons or pearls to your bouquets
- Put a photo of a family member who is no longer with us into your bridal bouquet by tying it discreetly to a ribbon wrapped around your flowers, as our own JoSaBi Sylviane did below.
Take a look below at some of the details of her floral arrangement, which was in shades of navy blue, gold, and pale pink. (Photography by Guillaume WG)
And, that’s it for today! Thank you for stopping by and we hope you found this article useful. As usual, just drop us an e-mail if you want to leave a comment or you can contact us through our contact form. Looking forward to hearing from you and see you soon for more tips!
Best,
JoSaBi
