Five tips to choosing the most unforgettable wedding flowers 

Selecting exquisite wedding flowers can quickly change from being one of the most enjoyable tasks on your to-do list to one of the most confusing and overwhelming. How do you know what’s in season? Which flowers are within in your budget? Which blue flowers are in season for a February wedding (spoiler alert – try blue muscari)? When did Lily-of-the-Valley get so expensive? What’s the difference between a posy and a bouquet? And are there really 300 species of roses?

Here are five tips to help you guarantee beautiful blooms that provide the most perfect backdrop for your day: 

1. Take time finding the right florist for you. Check your venue’s recommended supplier lists, follow their social accounts, contact them with questions and ask for ‘real life’ examples of their work. Think about practicalities like their distance from the wedding venue, ask them where they source their flowers. Are they responsive, experienced, professional, helpful and friendly? You’ll very quickly get a feeling as to whether they’re right for you. And once you’ve decided on your florist, involve them early on in your vision: share your Pinterest pins, send them examples of arrangements you love, tell them the design and colour theme you’re considering and stay open to ideas. Talk to them about how you’d like to incorporate florals into your outfit: floral headpieces are stunning; buds tied with garden string on each place setting are beautiful, or maybe you’ve got your heart set on a hanging installation for the dancefloor. 

2. What’s in season? The answer to this question will probably have the biggest influence on your floral blooms. You may have a wider choice of flowers for a summer wedding – pastel-toned roses, gently-fragranced sweet peas, luxe lilies, powder-puff peonies  – but other seasons lend themselves perfectly to creative blends of buds, blooms, berries, greenery and grasses. Some flowers and plants, despite being in season, don’t enjoy particularly warm environments, so be guided by your florist on durability. And – although it might feel weird to think about the end of your wedding day – task one of the wedding party with taking some of your flowers home. 

3. Make it personal and meaningful: think about whether you want to work any specific flowers into your day. Maybe you want to include a particular flower your mother or a good friend carried in their bridal bouquet; perhaps there’s a flower unique to your heritage, to yours or your partners’ birth month,  or something that lifts you when you see it outside a florist’s, growing in a garden or a field. Think about how you’re displaying them: do your grandparents have a collection of vintage vases that would elevate your displays, or would you prefer rustic-style jars or bud vases for a relaxed feel? 

4. What type of arrangements suit your venue, your outfits and your budget? If your venue is in the countryside, in a rural oak-beamed barn or a marquee in a garden, you might want to continue the theme of what’s outside and bring it inside for a country garden feel. If your venue is an art-deco style hotel, maybe you’d prefer more dramatic table arrangements like Calla Lilies or Birds of Paradise. Pair them with orchids or protea for striking centrepieces. Is there a point of interest in your venue that lends itself perfectly to an eye-catching display – a sweeping staircase or antique table? Share your vision for your bouquet, posies or buttonholes with your florist. Show them pictures of your outfit and take advice on how to hold your bouquet – it might sound obvious but there is ‘a way’ to hold your bouquet for your photos: hold it low, angle it slightly and relax your arms. As for your budget, seasonal flowers tend to be more cost-effective. Ask your florist to suggest alternatives – peonies could be substituted with garden roses, for example. If there’s a particular bloom you love that’s blowing the budget, go for just a few interspersed with greenery or feathers; or view our posts for a beautiful posy made from antique buttons. 

5. Think of any practicalities: if you’re planning a cosy, intimate day in a smaller venue, dramatic centrepieces might obstruct your guests’ view of each other – and make it hard for conversation to flow during your wedding breakfast! What about the dreaded hay fever or allergies? Lilies and sunflowers can produce a lot of pollen which can trigger allergies, so be aware if you or your partner or any guests are prone to allergies. 

  Flower table display at Brocket Hall