(Frangipani Heart Bouquet from D-Vine Flowers; Roses & ivory lisianthus from Brides In Bloom; Magneta Inspired Bouquet from Chanele Rose Flowers; Cymbidium Orchids by Wedding Flowers by Renee)
Choosing your wedding bouquet can be overwhelming. Choosing your bouquet and all your other flower arrangements for your wedding can be downright stressful. Do you go for one colour or a variety? Should you choose a small bouquet for yourself or one that hangs or drapes? What sort of bouquets should your bridesmaids have? Should your bouquet match your wedding colours? Should they match the rest of the flower arrangements at your ceremony and reception? Do the arrangements suit your body type. More importantly, do they suit your dress? Should you get flowers that you love or ones that are in season? The list of questions can go on and on…
Here are our 5 top tips to get you started in the right direction:
1. Don’t forget to budget.
You’d be surprised how often brides forget to set aside a budget for their flower arrangements, including the bouquet. Think about the places and people that will need flowers on the big day–YOU, your bridesmaids, flower girls, the groomsmen and groom, the ceremony location, the reception. Also, think about whether or not you’re going to use your bouquet for the bridal toss (if you choose to do one) or have one made specifically for the event.
2. Shop Around
There are a lot of great florists out there that can cater especially for bridal bouquets and wedding flowers. There are also a lot of not-so-great ones that will end up overcharging you, devaluing your vision and leave you feeling more stressed than you were to begin with. Shop around. Talk to different florists. Visit their stores. Check out their selections. Get a feel of what kind of services they offer and whether or not they suit you and your budget.
3. Visualise and Communicate
While some brides might already have an idea of what kind of flowers they want, other brides might not. And that’s totally okay. You don’t need to know exactly what kind of flowers you want in what arrangement, but you should be able to give your florist some idea through the kind of style/mood you’re after, what kind of overall look you prefer, what your dress and your bridesmaids dresses will be like or even what the theme or colour scheme is for your wedding. Before sitting down and discussing the details with your florist, it might be an idea to jot down some notes, bookmark or print out a couple of flower arrangements pictures you come across online or in wedding magazines, and if possible, perhaps provide a picture or description of your wedding dress as well (if you’ve already chosen one at that point).
4. Learn to compromise (and trust your florist)
While it’s great to know what you want, also be prepared to listen to your florists’ opinion and be willing to compromise if you find yourself in a situation where your flowers of choice are unavailable due to budget, style, location or seasonal restrictions.Trust that your florist has taken into consideration everything you’ve told them about what you want and your overall vision for your dream bouquet, and trust that despite any restrictions, your florist will be able to create something that will reflect and enhance your dream wedding. They are the flower experts after all.
5. Don’t leave it to the last minute to choose and book your flowers.
This might seem silly, but often couples will go through a list of vendors that they need to book and arrange, and more often than not, florists end up falling somewhere towards the bottom of that list. Remember, when you’re rushed for time, you’ll end up making hasty decisions that could end up jeopardising not only your budget but also the quality of the product you’re going to end up with on the big day.
For all you lovely ladies out there who have already gone through the process of selecting your wedding bouquet and flower arrangements, what advice would you give to other brides out there?
