Choosing Your Bouquet

You have dragged your nominated associate around many bridal shops and tried on a hundred dresses until you have found the perfect one; THE dream dress! You have raided the internet and perused tons of brochures to find the perfect venue. All the little details are accounted for, the cake, the favours, the shoes, the bridesmaid dresses, the cars, the invitations, the cars... and the list goes on and on....its exhausting (they told me this would be fun, I hear you cry!)

I will try and take a little of that stress away from you by giving you a little of my knowledge when it comes to choosing your wedding flowers (erm THAT won't take long then, ahem!) After spending your precious funds on that perfect dress, you need to think hard about the ultimate accessory. Your bridal bouquet. Many people spend hundreds of pounds on stunning shoes, which are not even seen for most of the time as they are under the dress. They do not show in the wedding photographs, unlike your wedding bouquet. The perfect bouquet will accessorise your dress and you will receive so many compliments throughout the day.

So where do you start if you have no idea!?

I normally suggest starting with bridal magazines or the internet. There are so many images of wedding bouquets online, its a great resource. Print them out and even make a mood board type affair with pictures of flowers, colours and shapes of bouquets(you can even make a second one of things you DON'T like). Your favourite colour or the colour of your bridesmaids outfits normally play a big part in constructing ideas. As many (but not all) fresh flowers are available all year round, there are not the seasonal restrictions that there used to be. Please bear in mind before you get carried away that certain flowers carry a premium at certain times of the year, for example ANYTHING red, white and pink around Valentines day will be very expensive ( it seemed SO romantic at the time, didn't it!) And contrary to popular belief, the increased cost is due to the growers and the flower auctions(supply and demand you see!) and not your poor florist!

So, you know your colour scheme, the next step is choosing the shape. Handtied posy or trailing teardrop?

Formal bouquets gave way a few years ago to the handtied posy but the trend (as all trends do) is coming back around to the formal bouquet once more. Don't think you have to plump for the 'Princess Diana' floor length, four foot wide bouquet, your back probably couldn't stand the weight anyway! The length of the bouquet can be nothing more than a trailing posy through to the afore mentioned larger size. The work involved in producing a traditional bouquet does reflect in the price but the finished product is worth it. Don't let me sway you in favour of the traditional bouquet though, as the handtied posy has its pro's. Due to the compact shape, they are usually more durable. Also at the end of the day you can trim the bottoms of the stems, place in water and your bouquet will last you a good week or so (very frugal!)

Fresh or silk?

Some Brides don't relish the thought of spending £50-£100 on a bouquet of flowers that will only be on show for half a day! Maybe you have forgotten the price you paid for your dress which you only wear the once....or the reception, a meal that only lasts for 2 hours.....or the cake(need i go on?)

Your Wedding is supposed to be a once in a lifetime event and your Wedding album/CD/DVD will be on show for years with your Wedding Bouquet for all to see (including your children or your Grandchildren...)

If i have still not convinced you about having fresh flowers then good news! Silk flowers are extremely popular at the moment for many Brides. You are not restricted by seasonal availability or price and the flowers can last for years as an addition to your home. PLEASE make sure though that you buy the best quality you can afford as there are some very questionable artificial flowers lurking out there! When you find a florist you trust (very important!) they are your best friend (oh yes!) They will help you choose compatible flowers as they have tons of experience in putting blooms together. They will help you work with your budget (if you have one!) and make the experience enjoyable. The only problem will be not to get carried away and decorate everything in site!

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