Wedding Advice: Flowers

Planning timeline
Contact your florist at 3 months in advance, and if you're getting married in the busy season (June!), want something very elaborate, or on a holiday -- then 6-12 months is more appropriate. I ended up contacting my florist only about 3 months in advance. If you are really type A and want to see samples, then earlier is better. Surprisingly I did not end up getting samples made... the way I see it is you may be paying premium to see those flowers out of season and you don't want to be disappointed when the final product doesn't look like the sample. Something important to realize when getting flowers out of their peak season (or at the very beginning or end) -- they will look different! Peonies in early June look very different from peonies in July (which are hard to find anyways) and even different than in late June. They are smaller and not as lush. So keep that in mind!

Suggestions
-Trust your florist! Also understand that big full blooms means $$$. I've noticed a lot of people do not realize the time, effort, and individual flower costs that go into making floral arrangements so find a florist that will make your money worth it (but keep realistic expectations). Also trust your florist when she says something is out of season or at the end of its season so it may be very expensive or not available at all. A good florist will give you alternative flower suggestions that are cheaper or in season.

-Let flowers do double duty. I actually did not end up doing this but I saw a great idea -- if you want to have flowers at the end of every aisle (I opted for a lower cost petal aisle lining instead) do them in cute ribbon tied pales that can be taken and placed around the cocktail hour or reception venue. Never have a set look in mind and adjust as necessary to fit within your budget. I received quotes on three of the following aisle decors: petal lining, end of aisle flower bundles (like the pales I mentioned), and pomander balls. Not surprisingly, the price increasing dramatically from petal lining to pomander balls (also very dependent on number of rows/length of aisle). Since I was adament on having an arch to act as a natural frame for pictures of my husband and I at the top of the aisle, I went with the petal lining and it still gave me a pretty effect! Splurge on the important items and save on what's less important.

What arrangments I ordered
When you think it out... there can be a lot of uses for flowers, and you have to pick and choose what you really want or need. I LOVE flowers (I did get married in a garden!) so I wanted them everywhere.

• 1 large bridal bouquet, one bridal toss bouquet: white peonies with a vintage gold champagne wrap
• 8 smaller bridesmaids bouquets: light pink, dark pink, and lavender mix of peonies, garden roses, dahlias, and lithianthus
• 1 flower girl flower headband: asked for spray roses and ranunculus, florist had to use lithianthus, spray rose, and leaves (ranunculus difficult to get; it's a springtime flower)
• 17 boutonierres: 1 double white ranunculus bout for groom, 8 double pink ranunculus bouts for groomsmen, 8 white rose bouts for both sets of parents, 4 grandparents
• 1 ceremony arch: light pink, dark pink, and lavender flowers with greenery on arch (peonies, roses, sweet pea) **MY FAVORITE! I wanted this to frame the ceremony and the kiss! And boy did it look great.
• 1 cursive "L": hot pink carnations, on garden gate between cocktail hour and reception
• 5 small displays for cocktail hour high tables: vintage glasses with mixed flowers (my typical - peonies, roses, dahlias, lithianthus, sweet pea, etc.)
• 12 centerpieces, 5 high centerpieces, 7 low centerpieces: low centerpieces were in gold footed vases, with my typical flowers (favorite element: fresh lavender spriggs sticking out), high centerpieces were in giant glass fluted vases with branches inside, a flower mass atop, and branches coming out of the flower display with butterflies in them (my motif!). Still vintage-y and romantic but with a twist! 

small cocktail hour flower arrangements, low cost but high impact!

cursive "L" for Languasco - on my "had to have" list! Monograms are so in right now :)

the tall centerpieces



Flowers 101: Blooming months and average prices

Once a girl gets engaged, she usually goes out and immediately buys a bridal magazine. Open one and you'll find gorgeous bouquets that you'll want to mimic for yourself -- but beware! Many flowers have specific blooming months and a lot of times they will not overlap, but in expensive photo shoots anything goes. November bride? Peonies are a lost cause. Peonies in May and June? Instantly available and way more affordable than off-months.

Price

Some flowers are notoriously expensive, others it depends on the time of the year. I found this great list of average prices, and I'll include pictures if you haven't heard of some of these flower (and non-traditional flower) types.

Most expensive: >$10 per stem

1. Callas Lilies -- mini & regular

2. Casablanca Lilies

3. Garden Roses

4. Hydrangea

5. Lily of the Valley

6. Orchids (A. Cymbidiums, B. Cattleyas, C. Phalaenopsis -- typical orchid)

Medium Price: $5-10 per stem

1. Dahlias

2. Fern Fronds (monkey tail)

3. French Tulips

4. Gardenia

5. Glorisa Lilies (isn't that interesting?)

6. Orchids (A. Dendrobiums, B. Mokaras, C. Oncidiums)

7. Peonies

8. Pincushion Protea

9. Succulents

10. Viburnum

Least Expensive: < $5 per stem

1. Anemones

2. Asiatic Lilies

3. Bells of Ireland

4. Carnations

5. Craspedia (Billy Balls)

6. Freesia

7. Gerber Daisies

8. Gladiolas

9. Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)

10. Green Fuji Mums

11. Hyacinth

12. Hypericum Berries

13. Larkspur

14. Lisianthus

15. Phlox

16. Poppies

17. Ranunculus

18. Roses

19. Scabiosa

20. Snapdragons

21. Stephanotis

22. Stock

23. Sunflowers

24. Sweetpeas

25. Tulips

26. Tweedia

Blooming months

Different flowers are available in different seasons. However, if you're willing to pay the price, you can almost get just about anything any time of the year, but it will likely be shipped in from another country. The #1 way to keep your flower budget down is to select blooms in season! Note: these listings below are not completely strict; my wedding is June 18 but I will be using a lot of Spring category flowers but they may be near the end of their blooming period near my wedding date.

Spring

Apple or cherry blossoms 
Daffodils 
Dogwoods 
Forsythia branches 
Hyacinth 
Iris 
Larkspur 
Lilies 
Lilacs 
Lily of the Valley 
Pansies 
Peonies 
Sweet Peas 
Tulips 

Summer

Asters 
Calla Lilies 
Dahlias 
Daisies 
Delphinium 
Geraniums 
Hydrangeas 
Iris 
Jacobs ladder 
Larkspur 
Queen Anne’s lace 
Roses 
Shasta daises
Stock 
Sunflower   
Zinnias 

Fall

Asters 
Chrysanthemums 
Zinnias 
Gerbera daisies 
Marigolds 
Roses 
Sunflowers

Winter

Amaryllis 
Camellias 
Forget-me-nots 
Jasmine 
Orchids 
Poinsettias
Holly

Caroline and Jon Update: 1/8 menu tasting!

This is a bit delayed but figured I would go over it!

On Jon and I's 6 year anniversary we had our first menu tasting. We were able to try all four of our h'orderves, our first course (salad), our main dishes (chicken, salmon), and our two cake flavors (as in different layers are different flavors). Everything tasted delicious, and I think the only amendment we made was changing the cheese on our salad. I know I chose the right caterer -- the presentation was phenomenal -- very interesting use of ingredients... very artsy! And so is the china Jon picked out so it should all come together very nicely. Our menu also has two subtle themes (essences/repeated flavors/?) to it and I believe they were executed tastefully (hah hah, get it?) soooo hopefully they will be obvious and yummy :)

In addition to just being our caterer, the same company provides all of our linens, silverware, chairs (ceremony + reception), cocktail hour tables, misc tables (guestbook, escort, bar, etc.), and even the lounge we are going to have under the tent. It really helps to minimize the number of vendors we have to talk to/deal with. My caterer even had one of her florist friends make us a centerpiece for our tasting. I am probably going to use him as my florist, just because I really don't have time to compare and contrast vendors. As always though -- remember to check and see what people say about your vendors on www.weddingwire.com, its a great resource!

This is the centerpiece the florist made me only knowing I like "pink,"

mine will be fairly different which is why I'll post this.

I will still use some of the same flowers (roses, spray roses) and colors,

although I don't really want much or any white in my arrangements.

Another interesting bouquet

The Composite Bouquet

This bouquet is handcrafted from many smaller flowers to create a larger than life flower out of many petals. However, this bouquet tends to be very expensive as it has to be hand wired together. If you are looking for a unique, modern, and stunning bouquet - this is it!

Bridal Bouquets 101

Surprisingly, there are a TON of different options when it comes to bouquets, whether it be in the way the flowers are arranged, how they are tied, or how they are trimmed. For a non-traditional look, go for something visually interesting, such as a pomander bouquet. These are especially good for flower girls because they are easy to hold by a ribbon. Check out the pictures below and see what style is right for you!

Types of Bouquets

The Posy Bouquet

This is your traditional round and small bouquet. 

The Nosegay Bouquet

Another traditionally small bouquet, often with more greenery and herbs than flowers. Usually used for bridesmaids or flower girls.

The Biedermeier Bouquet

The Biedermeier bouquet is comprised of concentric rings of flowers, which each ring consisting of a different type and color of flower than the next ring. This style originating in Switzerland in the 1800's, but is again gaining popularity due to its dramatic contrast.

Traditional Biedermeier

Modern Take on the Biedermeier

The Arm Sheaf or "Presentation" Bouquet

This bouquet is comprised of long stem flowers, such as calla lillies, and is held rested against the forearm. Perfect for a more modern wedding for someone craving a slightly different look. Also known as the pageant bouquet.

The Crescent Bouquet

A truly artistic bouquet, with greater flower density in the center and tapered off sides (even or asymetrical). This bouquet generally has a thin bunch of stems and looks best held beneath the waist. Orchid is a popular flower used in this arrangement.

Traditional Crescent

Asymmetric Crescent

The Cascading Bouquet

These large bouquets reached their peak in the roaring 1920s and became scarce as the US entered WWII. Apparently this is the most traditional and formal of the bouquets, and was sported by the late Princess Diana.

1920s bride

Princess Diana's lavish cascading bouquet

Modern day cascading bouquet

The Pomander Bouquet

Also known as the "kissing ball," the pomander bouquet is a flower covered styrofoam ball with a looped ribbon hanging from it. Great for flower girls!

Style your Bouquet!

Tie Breaker : Hand-tied vs. Wired

For an unstructured and relaxed look, go for hand-tied. However, for a more formal affair or nighttime wedding, wired is the standard. If you want a large bouquet but are concerned with the stem diameter and a comfortable hold - wired is the solution. What florists actually do is remove the stems of the flowers and weave a wire through the base of a flower. These wire stems are usually wrapped with ribbon or organza all the way down to disguise the wired look.

Hand-tied

Wired

The Power of Ribbon

Ribbon is the perfect medium for adding another dimension to your bouquet and has such effects as:

Giving a bouquet texture and a different look than most

Allowing the bride to feature a wedding color that isn't a natural flower color

Add a punch of color for a youthful feel

Add volume to a smaller bouquet

Honor family (i.e. using fabric from a mothers or grandmothers dress)

Giving a clean, polished look to less expensive flowers

Add color to an all-white bouquet

 

The debate: White or Colorful Bride bouquet?

The white is very pristine and has a certain charm to it... but the color pops against a white dress.

Bout-iful!