Personalize Your Wedding Flower Choices

Flowers and weddings go hand in hand, and the bride's choice of flowers is usually very personal. When you decide on your central or main wedding flower, it may actually shape the theme of your wedding. Have you chosen the popular red rose? Was the first flower your future husband gave you a tulip? Have you always loved wild flowers? Roses will suit a formal wedding and tulips will suit a smaller, less formal wedding. Wild flowers will suit an intimate wedding where the guests are close friends and family and the setting is much less formal, like a heritage home, lodge, or outdoor venue.

Maximize the Use of Your Wedding Flower

Whether you hire someone to handle your wedding flower checklist or you do it yourself, be sure to make full use of your wedding flower. The first thought for the wedding flower is always the bride's bouquet, but there are many other uses your wedding flower can fulfill. If you are on a tight budget, you might want to consider using your wedding flower as your main source of decoration. If your wedding is going to take place in a church, you can line the pews with flowers. Be aware that if you use flowers this close to the guests there may be a problem with allergies. You or the groom should know the guests you have invited well. Check if anyone has a particular allergy. Whatever wedding flower you decide on, don't neglect to use it throughout your wedding, from boutonnieres to table decorations, from the bride's bouquet to the main floral arrangements gracing the reception hall.

During the reception, lay the bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets on the main table as a reminder of the beauty of the wedding party and the wedding ceremony itself. In addition, people can take some nice photos of the bouquets against the white table cloth.

Visit Your Local Florist

Your wedding flower not only sets the theme for your wedding, but it can also create a pleasant ambiance in your reception area. If you have difficulty deciding on a single wedding flower, you might want to use one for your wedding ceremony and the other for your reception. Make sure the two flowers complement each other. If you have trouble determining which flowers complement one another best, a visit to your local florist should clear this up. The florist will also be able to provide some advice for choosing your wedding flower. And don't forget, you will also need to choose the greenery and other complementary flowers that will make up your bouquets and floral arrangements, so discuss this with the florist while you are there.

Choosing Fresh or Artificial Flowers

It is very important that you research how well your flower of choice will last and look fresh. Some flowers wilt very quickly, others are quite hardy and last well. A florist will be able to help you with this. You can also check on the Internet for advice on good choices for your wedding flower. If your flower of choice wilts easily, consider using a silk version, especially for the bouquets and boutonnieres which will be out of water for some time.

There is constant debate over the use of artificial and fresh flowers at a wedding. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. If you choose fresh flowers you have to worry about them wilting. You don't have to worry about this with silk flowers, but you won't enjoy the wonderful scent of fresh flowers either. And, of course, allergies are not a problem with silk flowers. For the best of both worlds, you can mix artificial flowers and real flowers.

Saving Money on Your Wedding Flowers

You can save money on fresh flowers by growing your own or by buying them directly from the wholesaler. You can buy silk flowers in bulk. Additionally, both fresh and silk flowers can be ordered over the Internet for a reasonable price. If you are getting married in Las Vegas, many of the chapels will provide flowers for your ceremony for a small fee.

Think Outside the Box

Try to think outside the box when choosing your wedding flower. Pick the flower that makes you feel happiest, then find out how best to incorporate it into your wedding theme, and finally decide if you can use it fresh or if silk would be best. Remember to use your wedding flower throughout your wedding, even in the small details like the wedding favors. Using a matching ribbon, tie one or two of your wedding flowers onto the small gifts you give your guests. It will be a sweet little reminder of your wedding bouquet.