Wedding Flowers

The Tradition of the Bridal Bouquet

The tradition of the bridal bouquet dates back to ancient times whereby the bride and groom each wore a garland around their neck. The garlands predominantly consisted of strong smelling herbs and spices that were believed to have mystical powers in warding off any evil spirits. In addition to this, the circular shape of the garlands also symbolised new life, hope and fertility for the bride and groom.

Customarily, the bride would gather a few of the blooms and some foliage from each garland, creating a small posy to carry down the aisle. The bridal posy, consisting of flowers, later replaced this tradition.
Over time, many variations have been made to the bridal bouquet.

From a small posy, to the arm sheaf and long style bouquet in the early 1900’s, and later to the princess and teardrop bouquets in the 1980’s, flowers have become an important accessory for any bride. Brides of today have kept the floral tradition alive, ensuring that flowers play an important role in modern weddings, including floral displays in various aspects of their wedding.

From bouquets to boutonnieres, posies to pew decorations, corsages to centrepieces, when planning floral decoration for your wedding, you may only be limited by your imagination.

Choosing Your Wedding Flowers

Flowers play an important role in any wedding, and a great deal of time and consideration should be given when choosing floral decorations for your special day. Flowers should leave a lasting impression and compliment the theme, colour and style of your wedding. In saying this, these are the three prominent features that should guide you when choosing your wedding flowers.

Your wedding flowers should be in keeping with the overall theme and style of your wedding, and compliment (not overpower) your gown and those worn my your bridal party. By maintaining a simple theme that flows through each aspect of your ceremony and reception, your wedding is sure to be a visual delight for all. When choosing the overall style of your flowers, remember that careful consideration and expert advice is required. Selecting the wrong style of blooms may change the overall theme and style of your wedding, creating a look that you may not have initially desired.

Generally, a traditional style wedding calls for traditional arrangements, such as those containing masses of beautiful roses. Modern wedding arrangements, on the contrary, are most effective with single blooms such as lilies, accompanied by lush greenery. Consider your theme and the advice given by your floral designer along with the ideas below. 

Traditional

Traditional, formal arrangements usually consist of masses of one type of flower. Examples include roses or tulips. Roses, to this day remain the most popular choice among brides of today. Just keep in mind that large bouquets may be very heavy to carry. By the end of the day you may be wishing that you’d chosen something else.

Sophisticated and Elegant

A sophisticated themed wedding will call for a small posy of elegant blooms that compliment your wedding gown and perhaps incorporate the colours of the bridesmaid’s gowns. A wired posy of orchids or frangipanis, finished with ribbon-wrapped stems and perhaps a string of crystals or pearls to harmonise your gown is sure to look stunning. Oriental lilies surrounded by tropical leaves and foliage is also another example of an elegant way to accessorise with flowers.

Romantic

When thinking romantic, think ‘fresh from the garden’. Bouquets of perfumed flowers such as freesias, lavender, roses, or hyacinths, finished with sweet smelling strawberry or geranium leaves are sure to create a sense of romantic ambience. Soft pastels are the colour of choice when keeping a romantic theme alive.

Bright and Fun

Although bright blooms are usually seen in summer ceremonies, they create an equally warming effect on a winter wedding. Hot pink lilies, pink and yellow frangipanis, gerberas and tuber roses all provide a bright and dramatic impact. These colourful blooms are perfect for beach or garden weddings and provide a sense of fun and happiness. Exotic blooms and foliage, and the use of berries, seed pods and vines also compliment bright and fun arrangements. Be creative and let your floral designer experiment with lots of colour and daring displays to really leave a lasting impression with your guests.

Modern

Simplicity is generally the key to modern floral arrangements. Single blooms such as lilies or orchids, accompanied by lush greenery, are popular choices for the modern bouquet. Foliage and berries are also fashionable for the modern bride of today. Rose hips, pepper berries (Schinus molle), hypericum and cranberry viburnums are common examples being used in modern arrangements. There are so many gorgeous and exotic choices and variations that will set your flowers apart from the rest when it comes to modern choices. Be daring an opt for something truly unique.

As essential as it is that your wedding blooms follow the overall theme of your wedding, equal importance should be given to their colour. By choosing the right colour combinations, you will ensure that your flowers do not look out of place against the fabrics of your bridal gown (or that of your bridal party), your accessories, or your wedding decorations. Your flowers should complement, rather than overshadow your overall wedding colour scheme.

When meeting with your floral designer, it is a good idea to take along a swatch of fabric from both your bridal gown and that of your bridesmaid’s gown. Discuss with them any ideas that you may have in terms of the colour of your blooms and how they will tie in with the colours of your wedding. It is also an idea to discus the colour of your jewellery and accessories, as precious metals and gems may also influence the colour of your bouquet.

If you are unsure as to what colours or type of flowers will best complement those of your wedding, do not despair. A well-qualified floral designer with experience in weddings will be able to advise you of the best choices. Your floral designer should have some knowledge of basic colour relationships and design principles. Such designers will consider important tools such as the colour wheel that will allow them to create effective and balanced colour schemes that will harmonise and complement your wedding colour scheme.

With the right advice and choice of designer, your floral arrangements are sure to leave a lasting impression for years to come.

Flowers are among one of the most important elements of your wedding, and should be given important priority when planning your wedding. Whether you are on a limited budget or not, you should ensure that you choose a qualified floral designer, experienced in weddings. If finances are limited, you should mention this during your first meeting with your designer. A professional florist should be able to provide you with a beautiful bouquet and floral arrangements for your special day, no matter what your budget.

First and foremost, when it comes to selecting your floral designer, ensure that they are suitably qualified. Although there is no legal requirement for a florist to be registered with an Australian Florist Association, you may wish to choose one who is. You may search for members of floristry associations by visiting the National Florists Association website. This list provides contact details of all registered florists throughout Australia.

When selecting a floral designer, try to speak to couples that have utilised their services in the past. Seek recommendations from both family and friends, or people who have recently been married. Alternatively, a well-regarded designer will be able to provide you with a list of previous clients whom you may be able to contact to speak to.

Once you have found a floral designer, call and make an appointment to meet with them. Discuss your needs and preferences for the style and colours that you wish to have and the various arrangements that you may require (such as those for you and your bridal party, and those for your ceremony and reception). It is also advisable to obtain a written quote and to be made aware of any other important information, such as delivery fees.

Ensure that they are flexible and accommodating in regards to your requests and have the ability to assist you in fully planning your flowers including the selection of the types of blooms and their colour.
Many floral designers will have also have photo albums that you may view in order for you to gain an understanding of their style and service.

At the end of the day, you should feel confident in the designer’s ability to meet your personal needs and to create visually pleasing arrangements that leave a lasting impression for years to come.

Another factor to consider when deciding upon your wedding flowers, is whether your choice of bloom is in season, and readily available. Although you may desperately desire a beautiful bouquet of tulips for your summer wedding, or sunflowers to add some warmth to your winter bouquet, chances are that such choices may not be practical. Certain factors such as where you live, the climate and the time of year will possibly have a major impact on the availability of certain blooms.

Whilst the most popular choices in wedding flowers, such as roses and lilies, are practically available all year round, other varieties may not be, and will be subject to seasonality. In many cases, this is not necessarily the end of the world. A good florist may be able to source your desired flowers from other areas such as interstate, or even overseas! Just be mindful however, that although this may be possible, it may not be the best option. As an example, should you desire tulips in the middle of summer, despite the fact that you may be able to have them shipped from a cooler climate, they may not last the day due to the heat. In circumstances such as these, it may be best to stick with the seasonal varieties – no one wants a wilted and bruised bridal bouquet!

Below is a list of some of the most popular wedding flower varieties and the season in which they’re at their best.

Summer

Agapanthus, Christmas bells, Christmas bush, Dahlia, Frangipani, Ginger, Hibiscus, Hydrangea, Lilac, Lily-of-the-valley, Marigold, Misty, Poinsettia, Queen Anne’s lace, Tuberose, Violet (Jan), Zinnia.

Autumn

Cattleya orchid, Chrysanthemum, Daffodil, Dahlia, Hyacinth, Hydrangea, Misty, Nerine, Tulip, Zinnia.

Winter

Apple blossom, Azalea, Blushing bride, Cyclamen, Hyacinth, Jonquil, Love in the mist, Poppy, Rhododendron, Sweet William, Tulip, Violet.

Spring

Azalea, Boronia, Cyclamen, Daffodil, Dahlia (late spring), Hyacinth, Jonquil (early spring), Lilac, Peony rose, Phalaenopsis orchid, Poppy, Queen Anne’s lace, Ranunculus, Rhododendron, Sweet William, Tulip, Tuberose, Yellow bells, Zinnia.

All Year Round

African violet, Alstromeria, Asiatic lily, Aster, Baby’s breath, Begonia, Bird of Paradise (Feb-Oct), Camellia, Carnation, Cornflower, Daisy, Delphinium, Exotic leaves, Forget-Me-Not, Freesia, Gerbera, Gladiolus, Eucalyptus, Iris, Ivy, Jasmine, Lavender, Lisianthus, Maidenhair fern, November Lily, Orchids, Oriental lily, Paper daisy, Peace lily, Peony, Rose, Snapdragons, Sunflower, Sweet Pea.

If you are still having trouble in deciding upon which flowers to choose for your wedding, perhaps knowing the meaning behind them will help you to decide.

And there's more on the next page!!

Floral Colours and Their Meanings

Flowers generally play an important part in any wedding and feature in most elements of the occasion. Depending upon the formality of your wedding, and your budget, it’s up to you as to how many arrangements you wish to have and in which aspects of your wedding you wish to include them. The following list may be used as a guide to assist you in planning your floral arrangements. Flowers may be used in the following aspects of your wedding:

Bridal Party

• Boutonniere (father of the bride, grandfather of the bride etc)
• Bridal bouquet
• Bride’s hair
• Bridesmaids bouquets
• Bridesmaids hair
• Corsages (mother of the bride, grandmother of the bride etc)
• Flowergirl’s flowers
• Flowergirl’s hair
• Groom’s boutonniere
• Groomsmen’s boutonniere
• Pageboy and ring bearer’s boutonniere
• Throw away bouquet

Ceremony

• Altar
• Chair/pew ends
• Church/venue entrance
• Floral arrangements and decorations (general)
• Lectern
• Signing table
• Window Sills

Reception

• Arrangements for ‘thank you’ gifts
• Bridal table
• Cake
• Cake table
• Centrepieces
• Floral arrangements and decorations (general)
• Gift table
• Guest book table
• Lectern
• Reception entrance

Over the past decade the art of bridal bouquet preservation has become increasingly popular. Brides of today are fortunate to have the option to keep their wedding day floral memories alive for many years.
Modern preservation techniques usually involve either drying or freeze drying the flowers in order to remove any trace of moisture. This process usually takes between four and twelve weeks and allows the blooms to maintain their original shape and colours. The flowers are usually then mounted into a 3D frame with the option of other special wedding day items (a photo, or garter for example) being added.

By choosing a reputable company that specialises in bouquet preservation, your flowers may even look as good as they did on your wedding day.

Care of Your Bouquet

If you have decided to preserve your bouquet after your wedding, the following steps should be taken to ensure the best result:

• As soon as possible after your reception, store your flowers in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight.
• Avoid placing your flowers in the refrigerator.
• Do not wrap your blooms in plastic.
• Place your flowers in a vase of water if they are not wired, and the natural stems are in place.
• Have the flowers delivered to the flower preservation company as soon as possible (within 1-4 days maximum). This may be done by personal delivery or the company may provide a collection service. Bouquets may also be couriered or posted (when correctly packaged in tissue and an appropriate container) if necessary.