The right florist for your wedding flowers

For busy brides, a good florist is an asset, a godsend who will contribute towards the smooth proceedings of your wedding flower arrangements. The florist will be able to assist you in selecting the appropriate flowers to complement your colour scheme and style of wedding and in selecting your bridal bouquet.

Pick up your local directory and visit several florists to view samples of their work, and discuss services and prices according to your budget. Once you have selected your florist, discuss the details at length, describing the style of your dress, your attendants’ attire and the theme of the ceremony. As a rule, always carry a sample of fabric from the bride's dress to the florist for matching colours. Your florist should posses a photograph of your wedding gown, as well as a fabric swatch of the attendants’ dresses. Even if the bride has a white wedding dress, this will come handy as whites can vary in their shade and intensity or when picking bouquets for bridesmaids.

Generally, flowers have been a major feature at weddings for centuries. By tradition, the groom wears a flower which appears in the bridal bouquet in his button-hole. This custom originates from the Medieval tradition of a knight wearing his lady's colours as a declaration of love. Each flower possesses its own meaning and displays a special message. Orange Blossom, for example, denotes chastity, purity and loveliness. Detailed list of the Meanings of Flowers used in Bridal Bouquets

Some brides include a spring of live Ivy in their bridal bouquet. Ivy is representative of eternal fidelity and wedded bliss. A popular tradition during Victorian times was for the bride to plant the Ivy contained in her bouquet after the wedding and pass the resulting sprigs from that same plant to her daughters and granddaughters for use in their bridal bouquets. Peonies are avoided in some cultures as they are thought to represent shame. Azaleas are said to symbolize temperance ... Roses to represent love...and Snowdrops to be a symbol of hope. In some cultures, Lilies symbolize majesty, but are customarily believed unlucky because of their association with death. By tradition, a combination of red and white flowers is avoided, believing to be representative of blood and bandages.

The right wedding flowers for you

Traditionally, the bridal bouquet consists of white or cream flowers like stephanotis, sweet peaks, lilies of the valley, orchids, roses, carnations or gardenias. The classic and timeless white bridal bouquet consisting of lily of the valley and orchids is still a popular choice for brides who want an all-traditional wedding. If you are budget conscious, choose flowers that are in season and readily available. Fresh cut flowers are not mandatory and you can find a lot of places in your city where you can rent elegant potted plants, flowers or trees. Fragrance is also a crucial criterion; scented bouquets are becoming a rage. Some of these fragrant flowers include peonies, gardenias, stephanotis and tuberoses.

The perfect bouquet is designed to complement the bride and her gown. Traditionally the bride's bouquet composed of white flowers to symbolize purity and innocence. The white bouquet is still a favorite; though many prefer colours that complement both the dress patterns the general colour scheme of the wedding.

Choosing a Wedding Bouquet Shape

There are various ways of arranging wedding flowers in bouquets, from a single stem to a freeform bouquet. An elegantly shaped bouquet can compliment even the simplest wedding dress. One bouquet style rising in popularity is the posy style or the hand tied bouquet. Made from a fresh bunch of flowers, this bouquet will give a "just picked" look of freshness and draws attention to the middle of the body. It may not be suitable for brides with thick hips and also for very tall brides.

"Trailing waterfall" shape and the round "posy" of tightly arranged flowers are the most popular designs. The "trailing waterfall" shape draws the eye from top to bottom and can therefore make the bride appear slim and tall. However, it can eclipse a petite bride if it’s too big.

The bouquet is usually held just below waist level. If this is likely to hide a design of the wedding dress, which you particularly wish to be seen, choose a bouquet that lies across the arm. The bouquet ribbons are tied at the ends into knots to symbolize unity.