Wedding Bouquets Ideas & Flower Trends

A wedding without flowers would be like a beach without sand. They are an essential element of your big day, and come in a whole range of styles and arrangements. Aside from the bride’s bouquet, which may be uppermost in your thoughts, there are many other uses for wedding flowers that you may not have considered.

Types of wedding flowers that you may need to budget for

• A bridal bouquet, traditionally in white or cream
• Bridesmaids’ bouquets, to complement the bridal bouquet
• Buttonholes for the groom and groomsmen, traditionally taken from the bride’s bouquet
• Corsages for the mothers of the bride and groom that can be pinned to the dress or worn around the wrist
• Arrangements for the ceremony to go on the alter, signing table, pews, entrance and window sills, if you are having a church wedding
• Table centerpieces for the reception
• A floral arrangement to decorate the cake table

Selecting and booking a florist

You will want to choose and book your florist around six to eight months before your wedding, and you will need to visit them to discuss the styles, arrangements and color schemes you require. A good wedding florist will ask plenty of questions about the type of wedding you are having, as well as the style of your dress and the venue for both the ceremony and the reception, to make sure the flowers will complement these.

You will want to use a florist that is based near the wedding location so that the flowers are as fresh as possible when they arrive. This should also mean your florist is familiar with your chosen venues and will be able to tell you the types of arrangement that work best. Talk to a few different florists before you make a final decision, and ask to see photos of other weddings they have provided the flowers for.

Emerging trends in wedding flowers

Many brides are stepping away from traditional white roses or lilies, and choosing more daring bridal bouquets instead. The use of bold colors and accessories, as well as more unusual flowers such as dyed orchids, can make a stylish alternative, and really stand out against a white dress.

Using vivid colors is increasingly popular in wedding flower arrangements as well as in the bridal bouquet. Fashionable choices include reds, pinks, blues and purples, and single color arrangements that incorporate a number of different textures and flower types are also in style.

Instead of traditional static flower displays, wedding florists are increasingly creating arrangements with natural flow and movement. Whether you are designing your bouquet, or a table centerpiece, flowers with long stems or a natural drape, such as vines, tulips and sweet peas can really add a natural touch to your wedding design.

The use of accessories to dress up flower arrangements and bouquets is all the rage this year, and your florist may suggest using jewels or beads to make your wedding flowers sparkle. Adding antique jewelry to your bridal bouquet can be the perfect way to incorporate your ‘something borrowed’ into your wedding outfit.

Wedding florists are paying as much attention to the vases they use to contain flower arrangements as to the actual blooms themselves. Tall vases are being wrapped creatively in various fabrics, wires and ribbons, and the stems of bouquets are often receiving the same treatment.

The use of orchids is very fashionable, especially when it comes to single bloom buttonholes for the groom and his groomsmen. Orchids have a contemporary shape, come in a variety of colors, and manage to add a touch of elegance to your wedding scheme, all at the same time.