One Star Shining Bright: Flowers

Wedding flowers
Do lots of research before choosing your flowers and it is usually best to make decisions about your flowers after you have chosen your dress. The experts will tell you that there are different styles and shapes that compliment your dress. It is even necessary to think about the size of your bouquet as it needs to be in proportion to you so that it doesn't overwhelm your whole look, or indeed become insignificant. Finally, bear in mind how heavy fresh flowers are and don't forget to hold your bouquet at waist height, rather than chest height (a mistake many Brides make).

The different styles of bouquet are listed below. Please return to my blog to read my advice about each one.
Shower
Pomanders
Trailing
Overarm
Hand-tied posy

Fresh Flowers
If you go for fresh, choosing flowers in season will help keep costs down.

Don’t forget many flowers including roses can be dyed to match your colour scheme. My cousin had royal blue roses. Think about the scents that flowers produce as our sense of smell has powerful memory associations.

The florist
Try to take a photograph of you in your dress to your florist - a good one will be able to give you some sound advice. It is best to have your flowers delivered about half an hour before you leave for your ceremony to leave time for photographs but to ensure they look fresh.

I hate to be a killjoy but do bear in mind that with fresh flowers there is the possibility that they will wilt and/or bruise. If you choose very delicate flowers such as orchids they are likely to be dead by the evening.

Make your own
It is possible to keep costs down by making your own bouquet with fresh flowers. Obviously this will depend on your skills and confidence. Sometimes it may not work out any cheaper once you have paid for flowers and floristry materials to do your trial bouquet. Bear in mind that it is best to make your bouquet the morning you are getting married to reduce the likelihood of them wilting. Will you have the time for this? Fresh flowers stay looking their best when kept in a cool damp place so keep them out of the sun and away from your central heating.

Top tip: If they do wilt, dipping the stalks in hot water for a few seconds and then plunging them in ice will soon help them stand up again.

Flower arranging course
Consider doing a flower arranging course to make your wedding flowers. Or why not make it into a fun event and do a day course with the ladies in your bridal party?

judith blacklock courses

out of the bloom courses

Consider buying a bouquet from a supermarket and tying a pretty ribbon round the stalks to make it easier to hold.

Preserving your flowers after your wedding
After your wedding you need to consider what to do with your bouquet, if you are not one to bide by the tradition of throwing it. Jellybrations are an alternative to drying your flowers to keep as a memento and they can split your bouquet to make several mementos for your loved ones as well as yourself.

Alternatives to fresh flowers
Silk flowers
Silk is a great alternative to fresh and much cheaper. Lots of brides worry that they won’t look real. Have a look online. If they look stunning in the photos online, they would look stunning in your wedding photos. If you’re still unsure, order a sample. I got mine from Sarahs's flowers. I ordered a sample first and I was astonished. You could see the care and attention to detail that they had put into creating it, even in the packaging.

Photo: Harrison White Photography

Here are some other artificial wedding flowers sites:

bridesdreams

silkweddingdesigns

mrsbouquets

workboxdirect

Crystal bouquets
Other alternatives to fresh flowers and these include a crystal bouquet:

angelsinteriors

gemcast

Porcelain bouquets
Why not look at these beautiful porcelain bouquets:

porcelainroses

Feather bouquets
Or even go for a feather bouquet:

yr-design

I chose to have a bridal bouquet and groom's buttonhole made from fresh flowers.