Planning Your Wedding Florals

Great florals are an important part of your wedding day and figure prominently in your photos. Choosing a florist based on pricing… not recommended! Find a florist with great technique and style, then prioritize your florals. Personal florals should be #1 on any bride’s list, with priority #2 being dinner table arrangements (which your guests will be staring at for hours). Work your way down the list from there! Keep in mind that most great wedding venues in the region offer spectacular scenery, so if anything, consider keeping ceremony florals to a minimum as guests will only be enjoying them for a half hour or less.

Our Favorite Floral Designers

Jessica @ Fleurs de France: http://www.fleursfrance.com/
Recommended for all weddings and elopements

Susan @ Garden Party: www.gardenpartynapa.com
Recommended for all weddings and elopements

Paige @ Passiflora Designs: http://www.passifloradesigns.com/
Recommended only for full-service wedding events

Michael @ Michael Daigian Design: http://www.michaeldaigian.com/
Recommended only for full-service wedding events

Mimi and Marilyn @ Seasons Floral Design: http://www.seasonsfloraldesign.com/
Recommended for all weddings and elopements

Kathy Hoffman Flowers: http://kathyhoffmanflowers.com/
Recommended only for full-service wedding events

Van Windens’s Garden Center: http://www.vanwindens.com/
Great for putting together potted flowers and herbs with staff to do the work

Recommended Links for Inspiration

Martha Stewart: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/flowers

Elegala: http://www.elegala.com/go/gallery_flowers/

Fleurs de France: http://www.fleursfrance.com/

Style Me Pretty: http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/category/flowers

Grace Ormond: http://www.weddingstylemagazine.com/gallery/bouquets/

Or just do a Google image search!

How to Select Your Florals

1) Make an inventory of all important florals desired

Bride’s bouquet
Groom’s boutonniere
Bridesmaid / maid-of-honor bouquets or nosegays
Groomsmen / best man bouquets or nosegays
Nosegays or corsages for special family members and friends (corsages can be problematic)
Boutonnieres for special family members and friends
Flower “pillow” for ring bearer
Flower girl baskets, flower balls

Altar florals (and pedestals, if needed)
Aisle petals
Pew or chair florals (include number needed)
Wreath for church door
Chuppah
Arch and decorative florals for arch
Florals to hang from trees
Hospitality table arrangment
Bathroom florals

Welcome table arrangement
Dinner table arrangements (include number needed)
Buffet table arrangements
Cake florals
Head table florals
Wishing tree
Bathroom florals
Candelabra and decorative florals
Misc. arrangements (bar, placecard table, hors d’oeuvres trays, etc.)

2) Find imagery that demonstrates floral arrangements you find appealing (recommended links above)

2a) Find imagery for special decorative elements you want added to your florals (ribbons, brooches, special vases, pedestals, fruit, fabric, etc.)

3) In addition to the images above, please describe in detail any variations you’re envisioning relative to the pictures; include specific flower types and colors

4) Review our guidelines (or those of your florist) on seasonal flowers. Advise on seasonal substitutions that are acceptable to you

5) Advise on any budget-related issues. Prioritize your inventory of florals accordingly

Seasonal Guidelines

Spring Flowers: apple or cherry blossoms, tulips, daffodils, Asiatic lilies, calla lilies, easter lilies, magnolias, gardenias, hydrangea, gerbera daisies, dogwood, forsythia branches, hyacinth, iris, larkspur, lilacs, lily of the valley, pansies, peonies, sweet peas

Summer Flowers: sunflowers, peonies, hydrangea, mums, daisies, dahlias, zinnias, roses, stephanotis, calla lilies, asters, delphinium, geraniums, iris, Jacob’s ladder, larkspur, Queen Anne’s lace, shasta daisies

Fall Flowers: montbretia, hypericum, mums, sunflowers, roses, daisies, gerbera daisies, asters, zinnias, marigolds

Winter Flowers: white stephanotis, poinsettia, holly, amaryllis, camellias, roses, amaryllis, camellias, forget-me-nots, jasmine, orchids

FYI, wildflowers are not a good option as they are often too frail to withstand a long wedding day. It is also illegal to pick wildflowers in most parts of the region.

Some General Pricing Guidelines

Simple brides’ bouquets / seasonal florals or roses: $175 - $200

Custom/designer brides’ bouquets: $250 and up

Simple bridesmaids’ bouquets or nosegays: $65 - $85

Custom/designer bridesmaids’ bouquets: $150 and up

VIP nosegays or corsages: $45 - $75

Boutonnieres: $17 - $25

Rose petals for aisle: $175 and up (typically at least 8 dozen roses are needed to provide visual impact)

Large altar sprays: $225 and up (pedestal rentals may be necessary)

Standard table arrangements: $65 and up

Custom/designer table arrangements: $85 - $150 and up (varies by size, vases, floral types)

Photography courtesy of Joe Buissink
Jessica Switala, floral designer