As your big day approaches, you will be facing a lot of decisions ranging anywhere from the type of cake you want to serve to what blooms to include in your flower arrangements. While these are traditional details to planning a wedding, one area many brides struggle to make a decision is choosing the perfect wedding bouquet. After all, your flowers are an integral part of the wedding. Flowers have the ability to weave our colors and themes into a beautiful display while providing a sweet smelling ambience to the day. And, as if you don’t need anymore pressure, we can’t forget that your bouquet will be immortalized in all of the wedding photos that will be displayed for years to come.
That’s a lot of weight for one tiny decision.
Please scroll through the following tips and suggestions on how to choose the perfect wedding bouquet:
Choose your wedding dress first and THEN finalize your bouquet.
By choosing your dress first, you will be able to pick the perfect wedding bouquet to accentuate your dress. Flower arrangements can highlight the style, shape, and details of your dress. The key is to avoid choosing a bouquet that hides dress details, overpowers you, hides your silhouette, or unbalances the lines of your gown. When you choose your bouquet, bring a photo of you wearing your dress to show the florist.
Carefully, consider the size and shape of your wedding bouquet.
Like we said above, you want your flowers to accent your dress. Avoid a trailing bouquet if your main feature is embroidery or beadwork on your skirt. However, if you opted for a long train, a larger bouquet will balance the overall look. One mistake many brides make when it comes to their wedding bouquet is the fact that they hide their waist with large bouquets. Experts recommend choosing a bouquet that is narrower than your waist for the best effect.
Choose in season wedding flowers.
Do a little research to see what flowers are in season. Unfortunately, some flowers are not available or feasible options at certain times of the year. Maybe your first choices are too expensive or the cold weather makes it risky to use delicate flowers. No matter the reason, choose seasonal wedding flowers and accents to create your perfect wedding bouquet.
Add a little of your personality.
Weddings are sentimental and deserve a little personalization. Avoid cookie cutter bouquets, by incorporating blooms that have special meaning to you. For added personalization, incorporate your grandma’s brooch, an antique lace hanky, or anything else that is sentimental into your bouquet. This is a great opportunity to include time honored traditions of wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue into your wedding attire. Talk with your florist and see if they have any great ideas to help you add personal meaning to your flowers.
Consider your comfort.
Many brides often fail to consider the comfortability of a bouquet. After all, we will be holding it all day long! Avoid cumbersome, awkward, or heavy bouquets to prevent hunched shoulders and awkward body positions. Before settling on a final bouquet, try holding a similar bouquet to see how you like it. Pay attention to how well you can hold it in one hand.
Consider how the flowers will photograph.
Many brides often choose contrasting colors for their wedding. However, it’s wise to be careful when mixing two colors without any shading or accents. Unfortunately, when we mix two colors, like purple or white, our bouquets appear to be polka dotted in photographs. Consider adding in touches of foliage, succulents, and different shades of your main colors to add depth and softer looks in photos.
Be willing to look outside of the box.
Don’t be afraid to break with tradition, especially if your wedding isn’t embracing the norm. Your flowers don’t have to follow the same rules, either. Get creative with your choice of blooms and accent with fruit and vegetables like apples, kale, and pomegranates. The possibilities are endless, just choose whatever speaks to your vision.
Choose a reliable florist.
Finally, find a florist with a good reputation and ratings. Research florists in the area and ask for referrals from your wedding planners, reception sites, friends, and family. Be sure to begin this process early, at least 6 months in advance. Visit with several candidates and ask to see examples of their work to see if their style fits with yours. A good florist is key into creating the perfect wedding bouquet, because you don’t want to be caught off guard with inferior blooms or wilted arrangements on the big day.
What tips or suggestions do you have for choosing the perfect wedding bouquet?
By Guest Contributor: Naomi Shaw
