Flowers By Season

Flowers by Season

Sticking with flowers in-season will not only provide you the best blooms available for your wedding day, it will also help you stretch your floral dollars further.

Below is a list of seasonal blooms to get you started when talking with your florist.

But as always, be sure to ask your florist what flowers might be a good seasonal choice for your wedding day!

Where to put flowers for the most guest impact

Photo by Wild Elegance Photography

Where to put flowers for the most guest impact

If you’re like most brides you want to make sure you're getting the biggest impact out of your wedding flowers. You want flowers your guests will notice and if you’re like me, fawn over and talk about on their ride home.

So, as a floral professional and past maid-of-honor in four weddings, here is where I think your flowers will make the most impact on your guests.

Ceremony Arches

As your guests arrive and take their seat for the biggest moment of your life, your I do’s, creating an impact piece like a floral arch or floral spray will be something your guests WILL notice. Before you and your girls are standing up there with your beautiful blooms, you’ll wow your guests and invite them to anticipate the moment to come. A high-impact piece at the front of your ceremony space will make your day extra special to your guests.

Centerpieces

This is a fairly obvious one, but your guests will spend 75% of their time at the table. Meaning, your investment here will be making a great impact to the feel of your wedding. If you’re going for impact here is the best place you can invest your bloom dollars. From your guest’s perspective, these flowers are for them, it adds a ‘feel’ to your wedding that can honestly not be offered in blooms anywhere else. For an even bigger impact vary your tables between 2-3 types of centerpieces so that as your guests gaze around the room their eyes are dancing.

Blooms in the Ladies Room

This is a little extra spend that I believe makes a big statement. Your lady-friends will be spending a fair amount of time touching up their makeup throughout the night, fixing their hair and socializing in well, the restroom. You know it’s true. Adding a little posy bouquet by the basket of hairspray will be something that will delight your guests. I’d never thought it would be a place to spend a little cash but dang-it girl if I don’t notice and totally appreciate it when this detail is added. Talk about next-level guest experiences. Surprise is certain to make an impact.

Extra Details

Obviously, there are a lot of places you can invest in your blooms, but if we can focus directly on your guest experience these are certainly the top areas where you can delight your guests.

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The Top Spring Wedding Flowers

The best seasonal flowers for Spring Brides

Are you planning a beautiful spring wedding? Congrats!

Here are a few of the best seasonal blooms that will be sure to catch the attention of your guests!

Rananculus

This hardy bloom comes in a wide range of colors from white to burgundy and is never a disappointment! They are beautiful in every capacity and hold up extremely well out of water.

Anemone

This classic spring bloom catches the attention of everyone. While it is most common in the stunning white with a black center, it also comes in a variety of purples.

Garden Rose

This classic - ever beautiful - garden rose is a great choice for someone who wants a traditional flare, without a dated look. Garden roses are fragrant and are stunning in centerpieces! They do not hold up as well in bouquets and often are covered in thorns.

Peony

Probably the most sought-after bloom for spring weddings is the Peony. They are stunningly fragrant and are perfect for bouquets and centerpieces.

All photographs by Larissa Marie Photography

How to Decide What Style Centerpiece Fits Your Venue and Vision

Photos by Larissa Marie Photography

How to Decide What Style Centerpiece Fits Your Venue and Floral Vision

Simple greens, collections of buds, compotes or elevated floral pieces, there are a lot of options to consider when choosing what’s right for your event.

So, what should you consider when making the decisions on what centerpieces fit you best? Here’s what these different style options say about you and your wedding.

Styles and what they say about you

Greens + Candles

This one’s for the bride who wants simple, understated and laid back vibes for her big day. There is simply nothing stuffy about some simple greens down the center of the table or mixed in with some candles. This option definitely doesn’t say ‘cheap’, it just says ‘I want you to feel at home and kick back.’

This option is great for more casual settings like barn venues and lofts. It is understated but beautifully simple and sometimes is the perfect option if you want to say - kick back and relax.

Collections of Buds

This one’s for the bride who wants vintage vibes for her wedding day. A collection of petite bottles with single sprigs adds an eclectic and vintage feel to your wedding. It says ‘hey, we value timeless treasures and understated beauty’. It is sure to get your guests settled into a night with a touch of ‘back home’ comforts.

This option is great for more casual settings like barn venues, outdoor weddings and lofts. It is eclectic and is the perfect option if you want to say - love feels like home.

Compotes

This one’s for the bride who wants something that makes a statement. A footed compote/vase filled with some of the season’s finest blooms adds a more traditional touch to your wedding day. It says ‘this day is special and I’m so glad you think so too'.’ There is simply nothing more timeless an inviting than a compote.

This option is great for a more formal or traditional event. It fits many venues but it’s true home lies in country clubs and urban venues. It is the most traditional centerpiece and is the perfect option if you want to say - I’ve invited you here to witness something special.

Elevated Floral

This one’s for the brides who want something that catches and commands attention. Elevated centerpieces draw the eye through the venue even when everyone’s seated. It says ‘hey, look at me, aren’t I stunning?’ These centerpieces are simply ones that cannot be ignored and for good reason, they ARE stunning!

This option is great for urban venues, lofts and is also a great option for vaulted venues like barns. This option is for you if you want to say - you’re here because this day is everything to us.

Mixing your centerpieces

I often suggest mixing your centerpieces, particularly if you have multiple styles of tables. Usually a 50/50 split is a good way to bring multiple vibes and more interest to your space. Here is how I would mix them for an event.

Rustic Barn + Loft Venues

Here I’d recommend doing a mix of greenery with candles and collections of buds and candles. Designing the space with a near even mix will make your space more exciting for the eye and will keep things understated while adding some bloom beauty for photographs.

If you have a mix of farmhouse tables and rounds mixing and matching simple greens with compotes or elevated pieces will add interest. Elevated pieces are great to fill the ‘open space’ often found in these lofted venues. Your elevated pieces could be simple greens as well if you’re still looking for a laid-back vibe.

Country Club + Urban Venues

Country clubs and urban venues often offer round tables for your guests. You can do a couple of mixed options here depending on your vibe or what you’d like to invest in your flowers.

I’d recommend doing a mix of compotes and greens around candles if you’d like to add beauty and dynamic eye appeal with less of an investment. The candles and greens offer a laid back vibe while the compotes continue to make your event feel extra special and more timeless. Mix them together and they are simple yet memorable.

I’d recommend doing a mix of compotes and elevated pieces if you’re looking to wow your guests. By doing a 50/50 mix of both you’ll be adding tremendous visual appeal and balance to your space. When you mix them your guests will surely remember your flowers.

Just like every detail you’re including in your special day your centerpiece will speak to your vision and the vibe you want your guests to lean into.

Find a florist that understands your vision and can help you craft the perfect pairing of centerpieces for you. By adding floral touches your venue will be transformed and they will certainly be a memorable piece of your wedding day!

about the author

Brit is a florist serving Madison, Wisconsin’s brides. She loves working with a few brides each year to craft their dream wedding flowers. She believes great floral design is in the details.

What flowers should you invest in? Questions to ask yourself to make the difficult decisions easier

Photo By Wild Elegance Photography

What flowers should you invest in?

Questions to ask yourself to make the difficult decisions easier

In the world of weddings is there really a go-to answer as far as where you should spend your money, or how much you should invest in specific items? No, not really. It is truly a very personal decision and one that is going to be tied to what matters to you.

Your investments will be specific to what you want your day to look like, what you want your guest experience to be, and what details are a must-have or ones you can live without. Flowers might not be a huge priority, or they might be THE priority.

As a full believer that your wedding flowers are a detail your guests will notice, and something you’ll be swooning over in your wedding photos for years to come, here’s a few questions to ask yourself to make your floral-decisions a little bit easier.

I’ve broken them down by ‘type’ to keep things a little more organized.

personal flowers

These include items like

• Bridal bouquet

• Bridesmaid bouquets

• Groom boutineers

• Groomsman boutineers

• Items for Fathers, Mothers and Grandparents

• Items for Ushers, Officiants

• Flower girls and Ring Bearers

Personals are really any floral that will be worn or carried by someone in your wedding.

I see brides make choices that are all over the map on these personal items. My general rule and guidance on this is, if you want to stick to a more traditional approach everyone in your party and actively participating in your wedding would get them. However, if you’re wanting to scratch items off your list that won’t have a big effect on your pictures, memories and are least likely to ‘offend’ boutineers are an easy thing to let go. Let’s face it, your groomsmen won’t mind the fuss of putting them on and your dad has never been real keen on the ‘flower thing’ anyway. So, if you want to cut this is where I’d ask how important these items are to the look and feel of your wedding day. Maybe you just make a special one for your hubby-to-be and call it a day.

If you are worried that this decision could offend anyone, just ask! You might just be surprised when Grandma says she doesn’t want a big old flower pinned to her new dress and that simple ask could save you $30+ that you can invest elsewhere..

guest experience

Here is where it really comes down to how you want your event to feel. Flowers are simply items that can wow, or softly add a touch of understated beauty.

Ceremony Decor

That beautiful arch that your guests see when they walk into your ceremony space, that’s where I’d focus my attention. When your guests take a seat the front is where their focus would be, make it catch their attention!

Flowers along your aisle can be simple or another place for a wow factor if you’re looking to really impress. Every guest will walk down your center aisle, as will you, so if you want a stunning photo of you walking arm and arm with someone special before AND after your ‘I do’s’ then aisle decor is a beautiful place for an investment.

My general rule is this, if you want to make a lasting impression without breaking the bank focus your investment on the ‘front of house’. If you want to blow your guests away aisle decor and ‘back of house’ florals will certainly get noticed. Those front of house items will also catch the frame in your most photographed moment, your first kiss.

Centerpieces

Simple bottles with sprigs, light greenery down your tables, or towering centerpieces will have dramatically different effects on how your guests remember your wedding. Think about the weddings you’ve been to. Some you might not remember the centerpieces at all, some you might have been thinking ‘how much did she spend on that?!’ Honestly your guests will notice your centerpieces more than anything else, it is ultimately where they spend most of their time at your wedding. If you tend to be more conservative then a simple approach to have a few blooms per table is perfect. If you want a wow factor your tables are certainly the spot to make a lasting impression.

If you want the wow, I think it is good to mix and match your tables a bit, some large centerpieces and some a little more understated. This adds intrigue and creates an even bigger impact as it balances the visual presence rather than overwhelming it.

THE Head table

We’re talking about THE head table, or the sweetheart table if that’s more your style. The table that everyone, yes everyone is staring at all night when they’re wildly clinking their glasses at you.

Utilizing some of your ceremony decor might be your style here. Those bridesmaid bouquets, the sprays on your ceremony arch. Perhaps these items could be used on your head table as well.

OR

Perhaps you want a showstopping floral garland or a floral backdrop that gets all the heart eyes.

Reception Decor

Ok, ok I know centerpieces and the head table are technically reception florals, but they really are in a league of their own if you ask me. Reception florals might look like:

• Welcome Signs

• Guest Tables

• Dessert Tables

• Coffee Stations

• The Bar

• Photobooths

• Your cake

• The ladies room (yep, you know what I’m talking about)

Here is one place I think you can skip almost entirely if you’re looking for ways to pair it down a bit. That being said, if you’re into the details these are places where your guests will be directly interacting throughout the evening and again, they will notice the extra details you provide.

So, if you’re to this point and you’re thinking to yourself, ah I’m good. These details are almost a sure thing to move past. However, if you’re super focused on providing an exceptional guest experience here’s my take.

The details like flowers on your cake, garlands on your welcome signs, backdrops for your photo booth, posies in the women’s bathroom (because you KNOW the ladies are spending time sprucing up their makeup in there throughout the night), these are things that will make your guests think, wow, she’s thought of EVERYTHING. If that’s important to you, then lady, these are the items that will make them sing.

So, after all that you’ve made it to this point (thanks for sticking with me, you earned yourself another glass of wine) ultimately you’re left with these questions….

What am I after as far as my guest experience?

Are you after simple, conservative florals that make your event sweeter?

Are you after a few wow moments splashed with a few extra details?

Are you after floral experiences everywhere your guests look?

Or, do you want to go ALL in and create wow factors throughout?

What matters most to me?

Some incredible showstoppers that will live on forever in my photos?

A complete guest experience where the flowers are THE detail.

Where is my budget best spent?

Ultimately everything in life comes down to the numbers. If you find the right florist they’ll help you navigate the numbers and will help you make floral decisions that will compliment your vision and your budget. But be realistic about what you’re willing to compromise and what you simply are not BEFORE you meet with them.

Alright lady, I wish you all the BEST in your wedding planning and I hope this helped you in some way to make those tough floral decisions a little bit easier.

Go pour yourself some wine.

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How to Preserve Your Bouquet

How to Preserve Your Bouquet

Did you have a bouquet full of peonies that just won’t live up to your preservation dreams? Well, they can now!

I’m so impressed with the creativity that has opened the door for tangible ways to save even the most difficult blooms (I’m looking at those peonies and dahlias here) and create something memorable with them.

Heirloom Bouquet is certainly on the list of companies you must check out if you want to preserve your wedding bouquet. AND this is NOT a sponsored post in any way, but man it’s too good not to share with you!

Heirloom Bouquet is a unique way to preserve those precious blooms you carried down the aisle on the biggest day of your life. To capture it beautifully and make a piece of art every guest in your home will be asking you about.

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The Complete Floral Checklist So You Can Stay Organized

The Complete Floral Checklist

So you can stay organized

There are so many ways to utilize flowers to create impact and a memorable experience for you and your guests. But, flowers are not one-size-fits-all and the options can be overwhelming. So, today I’m sharing with you the complete checklist that I use as a florist to guide my brides through all the possible ways to utilize flowers on their wedding day.

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Floral | 10 Helpful Questions to Ask Your Florist

10 Questions to Ask Your Florist

You’re engaged, congrats! This is such an exciting time and while it may seem overwhelming all the details that need decisions, your floral should be a fun part of the process.

Today I’m sharing some of the top 10 questions to ask your florist during your first consultation. It is my hope that by asking these questions you can feel confident in making your floral decisions.

10 Questions to ask

1. What flowers are likely to be in season?

2. Are my floral requests in line with my budget?

3. What recommendations can you make to keep the cost within my budget?

4. Do you provide any vases/decor? If so, is there a fee for using these items?

5. Do you deliver, set up and tear down?

6. Can I send arrangements home with guests?

7. How do you coordinate delivery at different ceremony and reception venues?

8. When do you schedule tear-down?

9. How many weddings to you do per weekend? If you book multiple weddings per day how do you handle my delivery?

10. What does your booking and future communication process look like?

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Floral | When Should I Contact a Wedding Florist?

When should I contact a wedding florist?

Early. While it might seem crazy to call on a wedding florist over a year in advance, if you know who you want to work with be sure to reach out to them early! It is very common for florists to be booking a year or more in advance.

My general ‘rule’ is if you have your venue, your colors, a general idea of what you want for flowers (centerpieces, large alter arrangements, aisle flowers, bouquets and boutineers), photos of flowers you love and a budget you have enough to reach out.

So, put together a list of your floral ideas and contact that florist you’ve been dying to work with!

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Floral | How to Find the Right Wedding Florist

Photo by | Silverlight Photography

 

finding the right florist

In the world of weddings you will never run short of options when it comes to vendors. However, this can make your life rather overwhelming when it comes to choosing the right vendors for you. Not every vendor is going to be a perfect fit and your florist is no exception. In the world of wedding flowers there are incredible vendors each specializing in a specific style, fitting a specific budget and only a few will be able to give you exactly what you've been dreaming of. So what should you ask yourself and look for when searching for the right florist for you?

Determine your style

This is probably the hardest part of the process, seriously. Thanks to Pinterest it's hard to narrow down your unique style and overall vision for your floral styling. There is an abundance of options but only one option will speak to you, your event and your floral vision. Once you determine your floral aesthetic you can better search for your perfect florist.

To start you will want to determine if your style is traditional, loose and organic, formal, garden-inspired, bohemian, etc. Arm yourself with some images, then when you browse a vendors website you will better be able to determine if their style fits yours.

Start Your Search Early

I really can't suggest this one enough. Vendors book fast and you'd hate to lose your perfect florist because it was last on your list. The earlier you can get in touch with your dream florist, the better off you and they are. It gives you and them more time to figure out the details, and they are more likely to have your date available.

Ask for recommendations

Ask your friends and family if they have any recommendations, likely you've been to a wedding recently, did you like their flowers? If so, reach out and ask them who they worked with.

Did you book a photographer, a venue? These vendors probably have a few florists to recommend. If you ask another vendor you can get a very intimate recommendation and a good place to start your search.

Schedule a Consultation

One of the best ways to find the right florist is to sit down with them to discuss your vision. Make sure you've established if you like their style first, it's a waste of your time and theirs if they don't have a portfolio that matches your vision.

Do you feel understood after you meet with them? Did they seem to grasp your vision? Did their recommendations improve your vision or solidify you're on the right track? Meeting someone is gold, for you and your vendor. If you aren't a good fit it will become obvious to the both of you at this point.

Don't be offended if a florist guides you in another direction. Remember you're after your perfect fit and if they feel someone can better service you vision appreciate their honesty, they may lead you directly to the florist of your dreams!

Do you Love their Online Portfolio

Take the time to really browse through a florist's website. Look through their image galleries, do they make you swoon? Not every gallery has to speak to you but does one really jump out? Mention it to them when you meet, it's a good place to start a conversation, especially if you're looking for some guidance.

***Now I'd hate for you to get tied up in the 'serviced before' rat race put out by so many online lists but you may find your venue in your dream florist's portfolio. This is incredible if you can see their work in your venue. Keep in mind florists don't share every event they've done in their portfolio online, so you can also ask if they have any images tucked away from another wedding at your venue. It may be able to give you a good idea of their previous work in the same setting. However, with the number of venues available for florists (and other vendors) to service don't get tied up on if they've serviced your venue in the past. While it may be the cherry on top many newer, yet quality vendors, are still working their way through the hundreds of venue options in your area.***

Is your budget in line with their service costs?

Are you looking to spend $1,000 or $40,000? This question may be the most important one you can ask yourself. Some florists will share a rough starting point on their website, others may not share at all. If you can find pricing on their website you may be able to rule them in or out quickly. If you love their work and it isn't shared on their website, a simple email to them explaining your budget will allow them to respond if they can service your wedding in your desired budget.

When it comes to floral you can quickly narrow your search by being honest about your budget.

Are they able to accommodate your delivery/set up needs

If you're looking for a full-service florist make sure you ask about delivery/set up. Is your venue open the day before, is it the morning of? This may make a big difference on what your florist is able to accommodate.

A lot of florists will book a couple weddings a weekend, some will only book one. Your florist may have a team which allows them to service more weddings per weekend or it may just be them. If they typically service more than one you could also ask if there is a separate 'minimum' that gives you the ability to exclusively book them (if it's a smaller vendor).

If your event is out of town are they willing to travel? Are there extra fees for traveling out of their area? What would a delivery/set-up look like if they are traveling? Again, if they need to travel out of town be prepared to have a higher minimum if they typically book more than one wedding per weekend.

Booking your florist

When you find your perfect fit, don't hesitate to book them. Some florists may hold your date for a time while you decide, but some florist are on a first-come-first-served basis. Florists get inquiries frequently so don't hesitate too long or they may assume you've gone another direction. If you're serious about booking them and have a few details to figure out, stay in touch. Communication with your vendors will help them know how serious you are about working with them.

I really hope this helps

There are many things to consider when hiring your florist but hopefully this list gives you a good basis to start your search. I wish you all the best in finding your florist!

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Floral | What to bring to your first floral consultation

So you’ve found a florist you’re dying to work with.  Your florist is probably ecstatic about working with you because she knows if you can’t wait to work with her you’re probably her perfect match. So what is your florist going to need from you during your first consultation? Here’s an un-exhaustive list to help you and your florist create something beautiful together.

Details of your venue and pictures if you have them!

Venues pop up every day. Expecting your florist to have been to every venue is like asking if someone has seen every Disney movie, they may have seen a lot but probably not every one.

Details of your floral vision.

Again pictures are SUPER helpful here. While your favorite flower colors are absolutely important it is more helpful for us to see your vision in its entirety. Are you going for a modern, bohemian, classic, rustic or a blend of these styles on your big day?  Are you after flower walls or just some simple centerpieces.

Pictures of your bridesmaid dresses and your’s.

If you have pictures and the colors of your dresses it really helps give us a sense of colors and how we can best compliment your attire.

Colors of the groom’s and groomsmen attire.

Just like it’s helpful to know what color dress we’re looking to compliment let’s make sure the men look just as stunning.

Guest count estimate. Knowing roughly 200 people is helpful.

We can figure out how many tables based on these rough counts and can give you a more accurate proposal. We understand that 200 invites doesn’t mean 200 guests but it gives us a good place to start.

Details that are important for us to incorporate.

Lace from your grandmother’s gown you want to be wrapped around your bouquet - things like this will help guide some of our discussion on these details.

An idea of your floral ‘dream’.

Centerpieces, arbor garlands, swooping garlands behind your head table, sprigs of green on every chair. Let us know what you’re looking for!

Your target budget

Now, this isn’t last on my list because it’s the least important thing to bring to your meeting. It’s the MOST important piece of information you can bring to your initial consultation so I wanted to end with this so it’s fresh in your mind. Knowing your budget helps us help you craft a design that is within your budget. We’d hate to send you a proposal for the $20,000 Pinterest wedding when your budget is $2500. Pinterest is the queen of stunning, over the top, unique arrangements and floral installations, but they don’t fit every budget. If you know what your target budget is we can help craft a beautiful day and give advice on ways to cut costs if necessary. If you don’t tell us we can’t help but propose everything you ask for, and we’d hate to give you unnecessary sticker shock.

So, while this is not an exhaustive list it can help guide your thinking. It will also give you and your florists a good place to start discussions about what is going to make your day uniquely yours.

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