8 Tips To Choosing Flowers For Your Wedding
Decor Gayatri GuhaA wedding, in general, is a lavish and vibrant affair. Every year, things change according to the trend, whether it is wedding decor, theme, outfits, jewelry, or anything else. But the one thing that never changes at a wedding is the use of flowers. In a South Asian wedding, there is a huge role of flowers as it is used for multiple purposes. They are used for decorating mandaps, photobooths, bridal entrances, hairstyles, exchanging garlands, and many other ways. In almost every ritual or day of the wedding event, flowers play a vital role.
How to Choose Flowers for your Wedding
Not only do the flowers look pretty but it gives a fresh and vibrant outlook to the whole event. Flowers have such a wide range that while selecting you have to look at many aspects before finalizing. You have to select different flowers for different use, and even if you use the same flower for a certain event, you have to then decide on the style or the way you want to use them. Bouquets, garlands, floral centerpieces, hanging florals, flower petals, gajras (flowers for hair), there are many ways the flowers are used. A big part of the wedding budget is spent on flowers and it is worth every penny. Picking up flowers with the help of the wedding florist is a fun event and is an important process of the wedding. There are other aspects also to look after while selecting flowers for your wedding that we have listed below.
1. Do Your Homework
Source: Sara Idrees Portraits
Most people start planning their wedding way before the date is finalized and some start after the date is fixed. Whatever the situation may be, do good research for your convenience. Start planning first with the help of the internet and ask around about how everything works while selecting flowers. First, know the difference between a florist and a florist designer. The florist will deliver you the asked items like bouquets, garlands, hair floral accessories, and such, but a designer will help in floral installations like entrances with a floral arch, mandaps, aisles decorated with florals, etcetera. Keep looking at Pinterest and Instagram also for inspiration for your big day as it will help you understand the decor with the florals more and you can then move on to the selection of flowers for various use in the event. Learn about the flowers mostly being used for decor purposes at a wedding.
Every decor differs from each other and every flower can be used for decoration in multiple ways. Learn for yourself so that when the decor and the installations are finalized, you will be sure that it is going as per the plan or not.
2. Set Your Budget
Source: Universal Decor
Once you are done with your basic research about flowers used for wedding purposes, set the budget. It is quite obvious that while you start planning for your wedding, you will categorize everything and select it as per your budget. Every flower has its own beauty, fragrance, use, and price. Once you are done with your basic research on flowers, you will get an idea of the market value of the flowers, and everything will have a different value for sure. Fixing a budget will help you narrow down the selection of which flowers to go for, the colors, the designs, or the fragrances. You can also go for artificial flowers for some of your event decor or installations, it might help you keep everything within your budget.
3. Talk to your Partner
Source: Dream Wedding Planner
Once your date is finalized for the big day, talk to your decor person or planner about the floral arrangements. Sit with the team and just discuss ideas and how to execute them. Decide whether you want to hire a florist or a florist designer. Sometimes wedding planners do have a team of decorators with them who can look after the floral decorations and installations and everything as per se. But some planners just look after the work and they hire different vendors to do the job. As mentioned earlier, first it's important to know the difference between a florist and a designer. Ask your decor team to hire one designer if they do not have one because a professional florist designer will be better if you are going for heavy floral decor.
4. Refer to your Color Palette
Source: Flowers by Edgar
It is very obvious for you to be confused in the middle of the flower selection process, but do not fret, we are here to help. Start by selecting a color palette, and once selected follow that to make your work 10 times easier. You can select the same colors or some contrasting color flowers. Most people will go with contrasting colors to have that unique look and the pop of colors add a vibrance vibe. Dahlias, carnations, roses, tulips, and lilies are just some of the flowers that have a range of colors. Other flowers, including peonies, lisianthus, hydrangeas, and anemones have a more limited range of colors. We also recommend you to be specific about colors while giving the final order to the vendor. As for you, if the color is coral pink, for the other, it might be a light orange or blush pink. To make work easier, do provide color swatches while finalizing.
5. Pick Flowers of the Season
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Out-of-season flowers are kind of difficult to get and will be quite heavy on your pocket, so why not go for seasonal flowers? Select the flowers from the season you have decided to get married on. This way you will not get just a budget-friendly deal but also fresh seasonal flowers to light up your big day. Spring and summer are the seasons when you will get to select from a wide range of blooms like tulips, hydrangeas, orchids, garden roses, etcetera. From Autumn you will get to select flowers in rich orange, yellow, and red hues like sunflowers, dahlias, and ranunculus. Winters are known to be a dry season but you get quite a pretty range of flowers like amaryllis, anemones, paperwhites (narcissus), and poinsettias. There are limitless options, you just have to be on the lookout, and as mentioned earlier, while you research you will get to know more.
6. Be Aware of the Fragrances
Source: WeddingNama
Flowers look gorgeous and will look stunning at your wedding. Every flower has its own beauty and freshness which captures the heart without any doubt, but the fragrances are different for each just like their color, shape, and size. Be aware of the fragrances while selecting flowers as you have to be in the middle of it the entire time during your ceremony. In South Asian Weddings, the bride and groom wear floral garlands, and if the fragrance is not bearable, it won’t be a good sight to see or capture. Thus, while selecting the flowers, keep the fragrance in mind too.
Also Read: How to Make Your Indian Wedding Décor in Atlanta Look Luxurious
7. Match with your Aesthetics
Source: Charmi Patel Peña
Choosing flowers for your wedding is part of deciding the color palette of your wedding. There might be an aesthetic you want to go with, but the flowers should also match it.
These days, matching your outfit with decor is not enough, the shape, size, texture, and flowers also matter. If you are having a wedding in a forest area, select florals that will suit the forest vibe or boho vibe and if you are getting married in a Palace, flowers like full bloom roses or tulips, white calla lilies will add that royal touch to add a timeless and elegant look. Select your flowers according to the venue and the aesthetic you want to go for.
8. Recycle
Source: Elegant Affairs
If you have ever attended a South Asian Wedding or getting married in one, you know they are an epitome of grand and royal. The use of flowers is the most important and compulsory part of the wedding at different events and rituals, but the use and wastage of these many flowers are not considered eco-friendly. We recommend you talk to your planner or florist hired for your wedding about the recycling of flowers to reduce wastage. You can also recycle some flowers for your reception or any other event.
Also Read: Wedding Décor Process & Things To Know Beforehand
Conclusion
After considering everything, book and finalize the flowers at least months in advance before your big day so that no one is running around on the day of the wedding trying to search for garlands or bouquets, or that floral hair accessory for the bride. Make sure the decors and the installation designs are also finalized. Coordinate the delivery time of everything so that on the main day things are set and you just have to sit back and enjoy your big day.
Edited & Photo Sourced By: Neha Garg Ahuja