FLOWERS
Choosing your
WEDDING flowers
Peonies, roses, lilies. Where to start?
Ele Bonny, the Senior Wedding Florist
for Woodside Flowers Ltd shares her tips
on choosing your wedding flowers...
Choosing your flowers is one of the most exciting parts
of wedding planning, but it can be overwhelming if
you’re a complete novice. Ensuring you
have a rough starting idea of what you
want is so important, but bear in mind, there are a
few things you should consider when choosing your
wedding flowers:
INSPIRATION
It’s always a good idea to get some inspiration if
you're not sure of the exact style or trend you want
- Pinterest and Instagram are great for this. It will
also help you get an idea of the current trends. When
you meet with your florist it's best if you come with
some fundamental general ideas of style which they
will then help you build on and develop, so together
you can achieve your vision.
TIME OF YEAR
You may have dreamed of a traditional, big white wedding or
even a chilled out bohemian style. Whatever style you go for,
the florist will advise you on the flowers in season at the time of
your wedding to suit your overall theme. Sometimes the theme
is influenced by the time of year, for example, spring flowers
are going to be very different from autumnal and Christmas
flowers.
BUDGET
The florist will work with you to achieve a bespoke quote that
works around your budget. There are tips that can help you
get the most out of your budget, including utilising the floral
décor to its maximum by having it at the ceremony and the
reception. If you have several bridesmaids you can reuse their
bouquets around the reception venue. Hiring additional décor
items, which is often a possibility with your chosen florist, can
also save a few pounds. Plus the added bonus of hiring from
the florist is that the florist will install these and then take them
away after the wedding which saves you any extra stress!
MUST-HAVES VS. EXTRAS
Every couple is unique, therefore, there is no setlist as to what
is ‘needed’ or ‘must-haves’ when it comes to your wedding and
it's important to keep reminding yourself along the way that it
is your wedding and should be done the way you want to do
it. It is, however, common for the florist to
suggest the features of a bridal bouquet and
bouquets and buttonholes for the members of
the wedding party. It's also nice to have table
centrepieces or arrangements at the reception
as this helps to provide a continuous theme
with the chosen style of the wedding and
helps in adding to the atmosphere.
MAKING FLOWERS PERSONAL TO YOU
Ensuring your flowers are personal to you can be as simple as
them being in your favourite colours or by adding a small photo
charm of a loved one to the handle of your bouquet so you
carry that person with you. You may choose flowers that remind
you of fond childhood memories or a loved one. Flowers or
herbs can be used for their scent. Myrtle, the herb of love, was
introduced into bridal bouquets by Queen Victoria and is a
tradition still in place at Royal weddings today. Rosemary is also
a popular choice in bridal bouquets today.
WHEN TO BOOK THE FLORIST
The first step to planning your wedding is to secure the date with
your chosen venue, especially if the ceremony and reception
are to be at separate locations as you need to ensure that your
chosen date is available at both and at compatible times of
the day. It's then wise to secure a florist and photographer as
both get booked up in advance. Florists will appreciate that life
cannot always be planned far in advance and there are occasions
where planning is last minute, if this is the case, contact your
chosen florist and enquire as they may be able to help. •
The team at Woodside love helping couples to achieve their ideals
on their special day and will always do their best to try and meet
all your fl oristry needs. For a free wedding consultation with an
experienced wedding fl orist and free bespoke quotes based on your
ideas and budget, contact Woodside Flowers by phone or email.
01534 863451 | [email protected]
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