Pretty little details: Tips for choosing your wedding party florals
Congratulations! It’s likely you are reading this because you are getting married soon and are starting to plan out the loveliest day of your life. I really hope you have a moment to stop and appreciate this happy time; to celebrate the joy and anticipation of your engagement to be married.
What are wedding party florals?
So what do we even mean here? Wedding party florals are also known as personal flowers. They are flowers to be carried or worn by individual members of your wedding party. They are important for 3 reasons:
The people in your wedding party are likely the most significant people in your entire life.
You and these very important people are going to be carrying or wearing these personal flowers during a truly momentous day of your life.
The wedding party flowers will be photographed, a lot. The personal flowers will be captured in the important photographs; the ones you’re likely to choose as the long-term keepsakes to share and display.
When to start planning the flowers?
Flowers play an important role in helping bring about a cohesive look to all the elements that make up your wedding day. Your wedding flowers will be there whilst you are getting ready, before your guests even arrive. They will still be there at the end of the night when the carriages have left, having had a very big day themselves. The overall aesthetic of your day comes from the people and personalities, your venue and spaces, your attire, your flowers and the style of your photographer. Consider your floral designs early in the planning process so everything links together beautifully.
Theme and colour palette
You may begin to consider a theme and colour palette for your wedding. A little like choosing your outfit, have a look at all the options before you decide. Perhaps you have always dreamt about a fairytale English country garden wedding, but now a sleek, sophisticated city celebration is making your heart flutter. As with all things wedding, take your time, discuss things together and don’t worry about changing your mind, often. Whether you choose a classic white wedding, a romantic and dreamy day, or a vibrant bohemian celebration, your flowers will bring harmony and an unforgettable natural touch.
Which personal flowers should you consider having?
A bridal bouquet is an exquisitely designed bouquet of your favourite blooms. Choose flowers, colours and styles you really love. Don’t overthink this – it is so easy to lose what you really love when you start to look at all the curated wedding inspiration out there. The best wedding style is that which reflects the people getting married. Go with whatever you truly love.
What are the alternatives to a traditional bouquet? Lapel flowers are fantastic and can be subtle or bold, on one side or both sides. A waistcoat of flowers is stunning and can be created in colours and styles to suit the rest of your wedding. A floral hoop or staff could be carried… if you can imagine it, it can probably be flowered.
Buttonholes
Traditional Boutonnieres: Classic and timeless, these are small floral arrangements typically worn by the groom, groomsmen, and fathers of the bridal party. A traditional boutonniere is wired together to create a slim, elegant design and finally bound in sleek satin ribbon to coordinate with the suit.
Rustic buttonholes: Similar to the traditional boutonniere, these are a small floral designs, worn on the lapel. These often incorporate unique elements like small berries, herbs, or seeds to add texture and interest. The stems are left bare for a more natural look and the design finished with a small ribbon in velvet or silk.
Pocket squares: Also called pocket florals, these create a more horizontal and modern design. The flowers are attached to a small card that simply slips inside the pocket. Simpler to wear and more robust for the day ahead, these are fast becoming the more popular choice. Suitable for all styles of flowers, a pocket square makes for a sophisticated, chic look.
Bridesmaids' bouquets
Beautiful flower posies: Bridesmaids' bouquets can echo the colour palette of the wedding or provide a vibrant contrast. Consider a mix of complementary colours or varying shades of a single hue to create a visual appeal.
Mismatched blooms: To add a touch of individuality, each bridesmaid can carry a slightly different bouquet. A different variety of flower for each bridesmaid could be chosen, or the same flowers but each in a slightly different tonal colour. Consider the dresses carefully for this to avoid too much mismatch.
Different sized bouquets: The size of the bridesmaids' bouquets should complement their dresses and the overall style of the wedding. Smaller bouquets can be elegant and easy to carry, while larger arrangements make a bold statement.
The bouquets can be used throughout the day, such as for photographs with all the florals surrounding the happy couple, or to decorate the registry table or the cake table. Make sure you remember a vase of clean water to keep the flowers happy through the day. If you have a drink, your flowers need a drink too, please.
Flower crowns: Bohemian romance: Flower crowns can be delicate or dramatic, in any colour palette. The Bride, bridesmaids, flower girls, and family pets all look charming with a whimsical flower crown. Please, someone, ask me for tiny flower crowns for rabbits. Opt for a mix of small, delicate flowers for an ethereal, bohemian look.
Simple crowns or foliage crowns: Embrace the understatement of a single flower such as waxflower or gypsophila or foliage only with eucalyptus, ivy, or ferns. These crowns offer a more subtle, yet still stunning, botanical aesthetic that complements a variety of wedding styles.
Contrasting styles of floral crown: Consider having matching flower crowns for the bridesmaids or flower girls, select a mix of complementary colours and flower varieties to create some contrast and fun.
Flower Wands: Whimsical Wand Designs: Flower wands are a charming alternative to traditional bouquets, especially for flower girls. Create playful wands with a single large bloom, ribbons, and additional accent flowers. This adds a touch of whimsy and creates delightful memories. A wand is the easiest for little hands as it can be grasped firmly with both hands and feels very natural.
Perhaps co-ordinate with bouquets? Usually, the flower wands co-ordinate with the rest of the wedding party florals in terms of colour and flower selection, but there are no rules. If your little one has a favourite flower or colour, who are we to argue with that?
Beautiful ribbons: Delicate trails of ribbon that match the wedding colours or the outfits is a pretty touch. This not only adds visual interest but also provides delightful movement as they are carried, or more realistically, swung and thrown, often accompanied by giggles.
Flowers for hair, cake and flat lays
Flowers for hair: A selection of the prettiest flowers can be wired to be placed directly into a finished hairstyle. A favourite style of comb or pin can also be flowered. A delicate vine of flowers can be made to lie along the back of hair worn down or to be wound into the hairstyle. A trial before the wedding day is a good idea here to make sure that what is designed works perfectly and is exactly what you imagined.
Flowers for the cake: Please plan ahead here because we are incorporating two of the more delicate and fragile ingredients here. The cake maker and the florist need to be able to talk about this to make sure your vision is met perfectly, and this sometimes needs to be done ahead of your wedding day.
Flowers for your photographer: Please allow time on the morning of your wedding for your photographer to work on those gorgeous flat lays. Incorporate all the details you have been meticulously planning for so many months. The rings, your fragrance, jewellery and their delicate boxes; those incredible shoes. Please remember to tell your photographer what is important about these details – they may not realise that your earrings were given to you by your grandmother that morning or that you have a picture of someone special pinned to your bridal bouquet, or that your sixpence is a family heirloom. It is also a nice idea to bring along copies of all your gorgeous wedding stationary, including your Save the Date Cards, invitations, envelopes and menus. Please ask if some little samples of your silk or velvet ribbons could work nicely here along with some of your iconic flowers, foliage and buds.
Remember, these ideas are just a starting point. Your wedding florals should reflect your personal style and you may have unique ideas of your own. Collaborate with your florist, share your vision, and let their expertise guide you in creating romantic florals that enhance the beauty of your special day. Most of all, have fun planning and dreaming. Go with what you truly love.
