Planning Your Wedding: The Flowers

The best way to make sure that you stay within your floral budget is to make a complete list of all the flower arrangements you want for your wedding and then have an honest chat with your florist. To keep the floral budget under control, try to choose flowers that are in season. Here are some short lists of flowers by their season to give you an idea of what you can work with fairly inexpensively:

Spring: Daffodil, Hyacinth, Lilac, Lily-of-the-Valley, Peony, Sweet Pea, Tulip.

Summer: Cosmos, Dahlia, Daisy, Garden Rose, Gladiola, Marigold, Violet.

Fall: Hydrangea, Sunflower. You can also make some wonderful arrangements with autumn leaves and seasonal berries!

Winter: Amaryllis, Evergreen, Poinsettia.

Some flowers that are available year round include: Calla Lily, Carnation, Gardenia, Lily, Orchid, and Rose.

Before meeting with your florist, check with the ceremony and reception locations to see if they will have any seasonal arrangements or decorations already set up when you have your wedding and reception. Christian churches are generally well decorated with seasonal arrangements near Palm Sunday, Easter, and Christmas. Getting married near these dates can save you considerable money on flowers! Prior to meeting with your florist, create a list of the floral arrangements you'll need and be sure to nail down your floral budget. Your florist will need this information in order to create the atmosphere you're looking for on your special day. Following are some arrangements to consider incorporating into your wedding party, ceremony and reception.

Wedding Party

The bride's bouquet is generally the most expensive floral piece for the wedding party. The bride may also want a headpiece made of flowers. The maid of honor and bridesmaids will all generally require floral bouquets although these are best kept simple. The flower girl traditionally carries a basket of flowers and may also wear a floral headpiece. The groom, best man, groomsmen, ring bearer, special male guests and fathers will all require boutonnieres while the mothers and female special guests are traditionally given corsages.

Ceremony

Aisle runners, pew or chair decorations, altar arrangements, candles and candle holders all fall under the floral budget. Altar arrangements can be brought to the reception site and do double duty decorating there.

Reception

The most important arrangements at the reception are the dining table centerpieces. If your budget allows, you may also choose to have floral arrangements in the entryway, on the bar, on the bride's and groom's chairs, on buffet tables, on the cake and/or cake table and even in the powder room.

Hopefully these tips have helped you to select the special floral arrangements that you'll want on your very special day. Remember to collect all of these arrangements before leaving. They can brighten a mother's home while her son or daughter is away on their honeymoon.