One of the most common questions we get here at Blooms is “what types of flowers should I use for my wedding?” With so many options, and a sea of Pinterest boards and blog posts, it can certainly be overwhelming to find the perfect flowers for your special day. Here are some key things to think about that will help you narrow down your options to get you on your way!
1. What types of flowers will be in season for your wedding?
It’s important to be aware of the flowers that will be in season around your wedding date. Wedding favorites such as peonies actually do have a season, and if you’re planning to get married in September, you won’t be using peonies in your wedding. There are so many flowers that are now being sourced from all over the world to meet the overwhelming wedding flower demand. Flowers such as roses, hydrangeas, calla lilies, carnations, stock and most all greens are available all year round, so if you are planning on a more traditional palette of flowers, you won’t have a thing to worry about. We’ll be sharing some specific pointers in an upcoming post, but here is a summary of flower availability for the whole year.
2. What types of flowers are DIY friendly?
You might really love hydrangeas and want them to be in just about every aspect of your wedding flowers but what you might not be aware of is their dependency on water. They are extremely water sensitive and have the potential to prematurely wilt if the correct precautions are not taken. Other flowers are extremely hardy and can even be left out of water (accidentally, of course) for a number of hours and not only survive but thrive and still look gorgeous in your arrangements. We’re looking at you, carnations and chrysanthemums! Some flowers are just easier to work with when DIY’ing than others. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use hydrangea – you just need to take care when handling and preparing them. In a coming post, we’ll give you some specifics and helpful hints to work with all of your favorites.
3. What types of flowers complement your wedding theme?
This is one of the most important factors in choosing flowers. What style of flowers fits you and your big day? A lush, romantic peony? A vibrant, excited dahlia? Or an elegant calla lily? Wedding themes like whimsical, vintage, romantic, rustic and classic share some common elements, but choosing a style is important not only to the flowers themselves but the way you will tie your bouquet or the vessels you plan to use for centerpieces. These should all tie into and show off your style. To get started, have a look at some of today’s popular flowers and decorations for different wedding styles, and visit back for another post in this series about wedding theme flowers.
4. What types of flower arrangements and bouquets do you want to make?
Different types of flowers suit different types of arrangements. Do you want a flower wall, or low centerpieces, or garlands, or cascading bouquets? Sometimes a hardier, stronger stem and flower are needed, and other arrangements can handle a more delicate bloom. Some wedding styles call for a softer, cascading look, and others bring a bolder look to the table. The personality of the types of flowers you choose are a key factor in the arrangements and styles you decide to make.
5. What’s your wedding flower budget?
Before you start buying, make sure you’ve come up with a reasonable and affordable wedding budget – and stick to it. You’re already going to save big time by using wholesale flowers to make your own wedding bouquets and arrangements. But even then, there are lots of ways to keep costs down – using less expensive flower substitutes for higher-priced favorites, using more fillers, and clever design and container ideas. Here’s a really popular post about saving money on wedding flowers with some great ideas!
More to come!
This is just the beginning of an in-depth look at each of these questions. Equipped with photo inspiration and examples of each component of the questions, over the next few weeks, we will break down the answers to all of these super important questions that will help you make what could potentially be a really hard decision a no-brainer. With our help, you’ll be choosing your wedding flowers in no time!
Derian Banzhaf
Derian has worked in many facets of the floral industry, with over 10 years experience in everything from flower arranging to wedding and party planning, She loves to experiment in elements of flower design, color, and texture and is always looking for the latest trends in wedding bouquets.
