Weddings Noir - the Wedding Directory for the Multi-Cultural Bride

Flowers are an essential part of every wedding and frequently an expensive part. Like everything else in a wedding, you will need to have your budget set before you start planning the wedding flowers. There are choices you can make to reduce the expense.

The location can help to reduce the flowers required. If you are getting married in a beautiful church you don’t want the flowers to distract from the total setting. Highlight the church with flowers. Also, if you are getting married near a major holiday such as Easter or Christmas, the church may already be decorated. Outdoor weddings have nature on their side and require very little additional decoration. Reception halls may require very little if they are an historic home whereas a large open space will require much more effort. No matter where you have your wedding and reception there are a few items that are mandatory.

You start with the bridal bouquet since it is in the spotlight when you go up the aisle and when you toss it to your single girlfriends. On average, you’ll spend between $75 and $200 on the bouquet. Make sure it complements your dress while not distracting from you. Each bridesmaid should have a bouquet, usually smaller than the bride’s bouquet and that plays off of the bride’s bouquet. These should be less than $75 each.

The groom, groomsmen, and bride and groom fathers boutonnieres are a single bloom or bud, or several small ones, attached to the left lapel. They may play off of the bride’s bouquet or be distinct. The groom’s boutonniere may be distinct from the other groomsmen. These should cost around $3 to $8 apiece. The moms and honored guests receive a pin-on corsage or one with a wrist band.

Additional flowers for the ceremony include an altar or stage arrangement, or perhaps two large arrangements or vases on each side of the altar or ceremony stage. Flowers placed on the ends of the pews or every third pew to save money, a large wreath on the entrance door, large plants to separate the ceremony area from the attendees and possibly a large blooming arch for the wedding party to walk through.

The reception will require its own set of arrangements. The most common is centerpieces on each table. These can be identical or unique for each table. If you are having any type of theme, these can serve to reinforce the theme. Once you have the basic idea of what you want, it’s time to select a florist.

Once you have identified a prospective florist from friends, publications or reputation, you will need to make an appointment to interview them. For your first meeting you will need to have a description of yours and the weddings parties’ attire, photos of the ceremony and reception sites, and a list of special items of importance to you including specific flowers you might desire. During this meeting, the florist will work with your budget to suggest the best plan to meet your needs. Many florists have prearranged packages that are more reasonable than a custom arrangement.

The second meeting with your florists is when they will present a detailed plan for your wedding arrangements. The following items should be included in the contract;

A detailed list of the items you are buying with exact quantities, names, and colors of each item.

Before You Visit Your Florist

Courtney Taucede

Allegro City Flowers

There is a little homework that you need to do BEFORE visiting your florist. Following these simple hints should prove very helpful.

* Bring a swatch of material to develop a color scheme

* Have available the church directives - if applicable

* Bring any photos of previewed articles for easy discussion about styles and availability of flowers

* Have a general idea of what type of flower(s) you prefer

* Have a list of everyone in your wedding party and anyone else who may need flowers

If you visit your florist prepared, then the visit will prove fruitful and productive.

When choosing your flowers, remember the overall look that you’re trying to achieve. The color of your flowers should highlight your color scheme, not necessarily blend with your gown and dresses. Brides tend to choose flowers that “match” their bridesmaids dresses. For truly breathtaking pictures, try your swatch of material next to a flower color that you really didn’t think would match. You might be pleasantly surprised. Imagine what the photographer sees when standing from a distance. If you can “pick up” the color of your flowers, then it probably is a good choice. If the colors blend so much that the scene takes on a “washed out” appearance, then you probably will need to modify your choice of flower colors. Flowers add to the aroma and glamour of any wedding. Your flowers will probably get just as many compliments as you do for your beauty. Take your time with your florist. Get the most creative designs possible and everyone will certainly go “wow” when they walk into the room!

All of the most popular flowers are associated with some noble or desirable quality. The list below includes some of the favorite weddings flowers and their special meanings.

Apple Blossom – good fortune

Baby’s Breath – pure heart

Blue ciolet – faithfulness

Bluebell – consistancy

Carnation – distinction

Chrysanthemum – friendship

Daffodil – loyalty

Forget-me-not – true love

Forsythia – anticipation

Gardenia – joy

Gladiolus – generosity

Iris – wisdom

Ivy – fidelity

Lily – purity and innocence

Lily of the valley – happiness

Magnolia – nobility

Orange blossom – purity and fertility

Orchid – beauty

Peony – happiness

Rose – deep love

Stephanotis – happiness in marriage

Sweetpea – delicate pleasures

White daisy – innocence

Zinnia - goodness

BUDDING NEWS FOR BRIDES

WEDDING FLOWER FASHION AND FUNDAMENTALS

Author and Floral Expert Rebecca Cole

Discusses Floral I-Do's

Hand-tied bouquets showcase the natural stems and are often wrapped in ribbon. Wedding Bouquet Trends

Brides need not worry about matchmaking when it comes to wedding flowers. From the bridal bouquets to the boutonnieres, wedding flower trends include diversity of choice, boldness of color and distinctiveness of design, according to a leading expert.

Floral and interior designer Rebecca Cole is author of Flower Power, co-host of Discovery Channel's Surprise by Design and a regular contributor to the Today show. She describes leading trends.

Floral and interior designer Rebecca Cole describes top trends in wedding flowers. Rebecca Cole

“Wedding flowers follow fashion trends,” Cole said, “and today, individuality, rather than convention is in style. No longer do the bridesmaids' bouquets need to match the bridal bouquet, the boutonnieres and centerpieces.” In some cases, each bridesmaid may have a different bouquet, according to Cole.

Courtesy of Flower Power, photography by Helen Norman.

Colorful blooms, in contrast to traditional white, also are en vogue, with lavenders and plums beautifying bridal parties. Bold and powerful arrangements dominate over the traditionally romantic. “Modern, Zen and even monochromatic designs featuring only one flower or color will in many cases replace traditional delicate mixes of flowers headed down the aisle,” Cole said.

Courtesy of Flower Power, photography by Helen Norman.

When it comes to dramatic and distinctive design, hand-tied French twist bouquets incorporating bold ribbons and pearls will make a striking statement. Cascading bouquets, a current popular selection for brides, will continue to add drama. And, table décor will become even more of a central focus.

“The containers that hold the flowers and what surrounds them, the candles, are attracting significant attention from brides,” Cole said. “Even for smaller, more intimate weddings, flowers can make a big design statement, on any budget.”

Think Outside the Bunch

Courtesy of Flower Power, photography by Helen Norman

Beyond the most established uses for wedding flowers – room and table décor and corsages – flowers of all varieties are being used to enhance the special day in many non-traditional ways. For example:

* Welcome gifts for out-of-town guests and members of the bridal parties,

* Thank you gifts for those people who make the bride and groom's day special,

* Rehearsal dinner and wedding brunch décor,

* Decorations for the wedding transportation,

* Floating arrangements for ponds or pools, and

* Accessories for the bride's hair, in some cases replacing the more traditional veil.

Working with a Florist

Contemporary bouquets showcase individuality. Wedding Bouquet Trends

For many brides, the most difficult floral decision can be finding the right florist. “One of the biggest mistakes a bride can make is not entrusting a professional florist to design their wedding flowers. The touch of a good floral designer is unmistakable and will be reflected in the feel of the ceremony, as well as in the wedding pictures,” Cole said.

The best way to find the florist right for you is to ask friends and family for names of some florists they know and trust.

“Ultimately, you should select a florist whose style you like. Visit a number of florist shops to get a feel for their style, and once you think you've decided on a florist, have your fiancé send you flowers from the shop, and see if you like what arrives,” Cole said.

The Nosegay style of bridal bouquet dates back to the 14th century.

Wedding Bouquet Trends

The Society of American Florists, the trade association that represents thousands of U.S. florists and other members of the floral industry, wants every bride's day to be perfect and offers helpful advice for brides-to-be.

Some key pieces of information brides should share with their florists include descriptions of the wedding dress, bridesmaids dress colors, church and reception rules and pictures of arrangements they like and don't like.

“Seeing your personal style will help your florist translate your concepts into workable floral designs that will make your wedding day look like you've always imagined,” said Jennifer Sparks , vice president of marketing for the Society.

The organization also suggests some questions brides should ask during a floral consultation, such as:

* Do you have any pictures of your work at my wedding/reception location?

* Will the newest floral varieties be available in the colors I have chosen?

“Flowers are one of the most important elements of your wedding day,” Cole added. “They set the mood and tone for the event and will remembered for years to come.”

For more information, visit

Wedding Bouquet Trends

Creative Ideas for Wedding Flowers

Working with Your Wedding Florist

Your Wedding Florist Agreement

Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Flowers

Editor's Note

Rebecca Cole is available for interviews. Please contact Danielle Mackey at (202) 452-9480. For high-resolution photography, contact SAF's Jenny Stromann at (800) 336-4743.

They are both decoration and an unforgettable wedding tradition. Get inspired by our great ideas and expert advice, and get the wedding flowers you've always dreamed of.

What's Fresh?

* What's in Season? Our guide to choosing seasonal blooms.

* Real Advice Brides who've been there share tips and ideas.

* Your Theme Great ideas to carry out your theme with flowers.

There are lots of reasons to choose flowers "in season". They're fresher, more affordable and they're going to blend in beautifully at your ceremony and reception. Here's our guide to choosing seasonal blooms.

Fall Floral Trends

"Fall is summer's last hurrah, a time of transition, when roses turn into rosehips, t-shirts turn into sweaters, and summer twilights turn into brisk dark evenings," says floral design expert Casey Cooper. See what she has to say about fall floral trends. More Info

Summer Wedding Flowers

Looking for inexpensive, easy-to-get flowers? Check out our list of summer's best wedding blooms for bouquets, centerpieces, and decorations. More Info

The Best Wedding Flowers For Spring

More Info

Flowers for Winter Weddings

Sure, most weddings take place in spring, summer and fall when flowers are more plentiful but that doesn't mean the winter bride can't still have the flowers she loves. Read on for how to select the best blooms for a winter wedding. More Info

Fall Floral Trends

By Jennifer Baumann

Casey Cooper, owner of Botanicals Inc. a special event floral design company based in Chicago can certainly wax poetic about fall. But she's not all talk when it comes to floral design. She calls fall her absolute favorite season for design and explains why. "I just cannot get enough of the textural materials available this time of year, plus the colors are phenomenal!" For Cooper, texture is the key to successful autumnal design and here is how she does it:

Grasses

A seemingly endless array of seasonal grasses are available in the fall. They range from delicate and wispy to tall and stately. Cooper loves to incorporate them into everything from bouquets and boutonnieres, to large, focal arrangements. "Imagine how striking a place card table arrangement created exclusively with seasonal grasses would look!" says Cooper.

Berries

Berries are another of Cooper's favorites. She uses them at every available opportunity. Her list of first loves is long: Glossy red and green viburnum berry, deep blue privet berry, rusty rose hips, rustic bittersweet vine, orange cotoneaster, flaming pyrocantha, pale pink or orange pepper berry, and burnt sienna hypericum berry. "Imagine the power of a centerpiece filled solely with a combination of seasonal berries in shades of orange!" says Cooper.

Leaves and Branches

Cooper goes for the gorgeous vine maple branches and liquid amber branches that are filled with small colorful fall leaves. Also, red huckleberry and eggplant smoke bush are available this time of year. She also uses red dogwood branches whenever possible. "They come on crop mid-fall and can be beautiful mixed in with an array of flowers," she says. But the branches can go it alone, too. "We've been known to fill geometric glass vases with just dogwood branch, for a sleek, contemporary look."

Jumbled Joy

"In the fall, flowers are colorful and come in all kinds of different shapes and textures. I love to jumble them together." says Cooper. She suggests rich velvety roses, wavy and unusual coxcomb, viburnum berry, and green wheat.

Chartreuse is Charming

"I think chartreuse is an essential color for the fall. If you look around in nature, chartreuse is everywhere in the fall, from the changing leaves and the wilting tomato vines to the goldenrod just going off crop," says Cooper. She suggests chartreuse orchid sprays and blooms to add contemporary flair to classic fall combinations.

Pomp and Circumstance

Pomps are a novelty type of pompom and are interesting as they offer a variety of flower heads and add a wildflower look to an arrangement. Holland has cultivated an amazing variety of the blooms: Large garnet King pomps, vivid Viking pomps, romantic salmon daisy pomps, micro pomps, and chartreuse Kermit pomps. "I love using them en masse or within a mixed arrangement," says Cooper.

Casey Cooper's work has been featured in InStyle Magazine, Wedding Style Magazine, and Bride's. She was spotlighted in Elle Décor as a young talent. Visit her on the Web at Botanicals Inc.

* Previous

* Next

About the Author

Jennifer Baumann is editor of Wedding Gazette, the resource for real-world wedding planning that's packed with info on how to plan your budget, how to avoid killing certain family members, exhaustive theme ideas, plus tons of resources on finding favors, necessary accessories, gifts for your groomsmen, and much more.

Summer Wedding Flowers

By Jennifer Baumann

Looking for inexpensive, easy-to-get flowers? Check out our list of summer's best wedding blooms for bouquets, centerpieces, and decorations.

Summer's best bets in the flower market are colorful, hearty blooms from the lily, orchid, daisy, and dahlia families that burst onto the scene with warmth and grace. Choose summer wedding flowers that are white, full of color, airy, or solid. No matter which you choose, each of these summer flowers is bursting with decorating potential.

Calla Lilies

These funnel-shaped, elegant flowers aren't really a flower at all, but a large horn-shaped extension of the stem, called a spathe, which ranges from 6" to 9" in length. Most available from March through June, they come in a small variety of colors that range from pure white to orange to dark magenta. Currently very popular flowers for wedding bouquets, also use this dramatic flower as the focal point of centerpieces, or singly for bridesmaids to carry.

Dendrobium Orchids

These delicate, six-petaled beauties are tropical flowers of summer that are least expensive during the months from April to August. Available in a variety of colors from simple to truly exotic, dendrobiums make exquisite additions to your hair, corsages and boutonierres. In addition, you can sprinkle over tables, down the aisle, or add to centerpieces for a heavenly floral arrangement.

Dahlias

Available in a variety of rich colors and easiest to get in the summer and early fall, these full-bodied blooms laden with petals are great stock flowers for centerpieces, pew decorations, and other sturdy arrangements.

Daisy

Blooming from May to July, these classic wedding flowers represent hope, purity, and innocence. Whether mixed with greens in a bridal bouquet, placed in bud vases for airy centerpieces, or hand-tied in minibouquets for the bridesmaids, add the joy of daisies to your summer wedding celebration.

Chrysanthemum

Daisy's spiny-bloomed cousin is also most readily available during the long, hot months of summer. This airy flower with narrow petals comes in a much wider range of color than the classic daisy, and looks beautiful in bouquets, centerpieces, and decorations.

Baby's Breath

Each stem is bursting with tiny white blossoms on this summertime flower used as a filler for bouquets, centerpieces, corsages, and boutonierres. Although most florists carry it the whole year through, if you're thinking of doing your own flowers or want to choose from a local garden, baby's breath is in full bloom in the garden from May - August.

The Best Wedding Flowers For Spring

By Jennifer Baumann

Lisa Ahern, our floral expert at Cedar Grove Gardens flower shop, gives us the lowdown on which flowers are most abundant and easiest to get in the springtime (read: affordable wedding flowers!).

Which flowers are most potent and most affordable for your springtime wedding? Our friend Lisa explained to us that you can probably get any flowers you want during any season of the year, but... it's going to cost you. Here's her list of the greatest floral buys for the spring season. They are also the flowers she recommends for the best "hopeful springtime atmosphere" you want for your nuptials.

Spring Flowers

Roses (from genus "Rosaceae"): Obviously the most popular flower all year 'round. Lisa says, "Roses are always popular with brides, and the spring is no exception." There you have it.

Tulips (from genus "Tulipa"): Lisa says this is a wedding favorite. She said tulips give a wedding ceremony that "hopeful springtime atmosphere" that we mentioned earlier. They come in so many beautiful pastel colors, too.

Anemones (from genus "Anemone" of the buttercup family): Although these flowers are from the daffodil family, they look a lot like peonies. They also come in lots of pastel and jewel toned colors for light-hearted springtime bouquets.

Daffodils (from genus "Narcissus"): Their cheerful yellow hue brings joy and bright splashes of color to bridal bouquets and reception centerpieces. Another one Lisa swears has "spring!" written all over it.

Lily of the Valley (from genus "Convallaria", full name "Convallaria majalis"): This is available in the late spring, and Lisa says is a huge wedding favorite because of its delicate blossoms and intoxicating fragrance. But beware if you're on a budget: we learned that if you order your lily out of season (from October through just before Mother's Day) they will need to be imported, and sometimes cost up to $25.00 for a single bunch (three to eight blooms). Yeesh.

Greenery

Buplerum: A popular springtime green that is actually a flower. It's coloring borders on flourescent light green and is bursting with tiny yellow buds in clumps of seven or eight. Lisa says it's a wonderful filler to create that important texture to your bouquet or arrangement.

Galax: This heart-shaped leafy green looks like tiny lilypads. It's deep, deep green in color and according to Lisa makes "a cute little collar around the edges of arrangements or bouquets."

Tropical Foliage: The type that Lisa showed us was made of large, wide leaves that were striped with varying shades of yellow and green. Lisa on tropical foliage: "Using these in your bouquet makes a very dramatic statement, and usually looks the best if you're carrying an exotic/tropical flower bouquet." Hawaii, here you come.

Pitto Sporum: Variagated green and white leaves. Perfect for filling out bouquets of flowers or mixing with other greens.

Seeded Eucalyptus: A Wedding Gazette favorite. This variation on the short, fat leaves of the eucalyptus plant had little bunches of exposed "seeds" that gave this filler a countryish wildflower look. Would be lovely with bunches of wildflowers.

Ruscus: Lisa told us this shiny, deep colored green comes in two varieties - Florida Ruscus, and Italian Ruscus (imported only from Italy). This broad, flat leaf is exquisitely simple and elegant, which is most likely why it's the Cedar Grove Gardens' favorite filler.

Thank you, Lisa, and everyone at Cedar Grove Gardens for being so helpful and informative!

Flowers for Winter Weddings

By Dr. Leonard Perry and Lisa Halvorsen

While it's true that most weddings take place in spring and summer, many couples choose a winter date for the "big event."

According to the Society of American Florists, 13 percent of weddings take place in the winter, with 11 percent of those being Christmas weddings. Summer weddings account for 35 percent, spring weddings 29 percent, and autumn weddings 23 percent.

But even though fewer weddings take place in the colder months, that doesn't mean the winter bride is faced with a limited selection of flowers for her bouquet, the wedding party's flowers, and floral arrangements for the ceremony and reception. Traditional wedding flowers, including roses, lilies, orchids, and daisies, are available year-round, as are many exotic ones. However, the cost usually is higher for out-of-season or unusual flowers.

When planning a winter wedding, as for a wedding in any season, personal preference--and budget--will play a large part in what you chose for flowers. Some brides pick their favorites or follow the long-standing tradition of an all-white bouquet, symbolizing purity.

Others base their choices on what's available locally, what complements their color scheme or bridesmaids' dresses, or on what each flower means. Gardenias symbolize joy, daisies innocence, and roses represent love and happiness, for example. Red tulips say "I love you" while white ones signify "I am worthy of you."

The colors of the season also come into play in decisions about flowers. Christmas brides often choose red or burgundy as one of their colors, using red roses, carnations, calla lilies, and other red flowers in their bouquets with accents of silver, white, and green, other colors traditionally associated with this holiday.

Poinsettias, amaryllis, and evergreens are popular choices for decorations while holly branches and other plants with red berries are ideal for use in floral arrangements. For a seasonal touch, iridescent or frosted glass balls, snowflake ornaments, and glittery ribbons can be added.

If you choose red or green for the attire of your attendants, bring along a sample of the fabric when you meet with your florist to select your flowers. The "wrong" shade of green foliage or red blossom can clash with a gown of a different shade of the same color. For emerald green, for instance, you'll want to pick a true red rather than a maroon or burgundy for the bouquets. Limit the amount of green foliage although a variegated leaf might work well.

White is a popular winter color with flower choices including roses, tulips, freesias, hellebores, and mums, among others. But again, it's important to pick the right white varieties to go with your gown. White flowers come in varying shades from pure white to ivory and even a faint pinkish white. In addition, choosing the right foliage will help the bouquet stand out against the dress.

White can be used as an accent color for a bouquet of darker colored flowers or for floral arrangements and accessories to lighten up a room, especially one lit with candles for a romantic evening wedding. If your gown is beaded, incorporate tiny strings of white beads or pearls into your bouquet and table centerpieces. Frosted glass balls, mirrors, and acrylic icicles can be used as stand-alone decorations or incorporated into arrangements to complement a lacy gown.

Blues and purples, especially in combination with shimmery white, metallic silver, and glittery gold accessories, also create an illusion of winter and are popular with brides seeking a more contemporary look for their winter wedding. For flowers consider iris, freesia, statice, and heather. Or use blue or purple as an accent color, such as for iridescent ribbon on a bouquet or church pew; glass vases or bowls to hold arrangements of sparkly glass balls and greenery; or candles on mirrored surfaces.

These are just a few suggestions for flowers for a winter wedding. For other ideas, browse through bridal and decorating magazines, or ask your local florist what he or she would recommend to help you realize your dream of a perfect wedding day.

* Previous

* Next

About the Author

Dr. Leonard Perry is an extension professor at the University of Vermont. Lisa Halvorsen is the garden editor for The Green Mountain Gardner. You can read more articles about perennials and related flower topics at Perry's Perennial Pages.

You can have the wedding of your dreams Wedding flowers and wedding bouquets

and you can have it at any location imaginable - when you carefully plan and select your wedding flowers and lighting.

The beauty and fragrance of flowers in combination with the use of natural light, candle light and lighting fixtures sets or enhances your wedding theme. If you've always planned to be married in a romantic paradise, set the scene with soft lighting and warm or pastel shades of pink, lilac, creamy white, gold-tones in the lights, flowers, and ribbons.

You can put together the bouquets and arrangements that you want