Bridal blooms (From Living Northeast)
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Bridal blooms
11:25am Monday 9th March 2009 in
MOST brides can picture their dream dress, most couples already have an “our song” for their first dance, and there are usually too many bridesmaids to choose from – but when it comes to flowers, many newly-weds-to-be struggle to think of a favourite bloom.
“Flowers play a big part in setting the scene for the day, and depending on which varieties are chosen, their colours and the designs they are part of can help to conjure up any number of different styles and moods,” says Antonia Swinson, author of Wedding Flowers – which is packed full of ideas and inspiring photographs.
“Nowadays there isn’t a high street in the land on which you can’t buy a huge range of flowers sourced from all over the world. This breadth of choice opens up all kinds of possibilities, but it can be hard to know where to start, particularly if you are unfamiliar with flowers and how they’re arranged,” she says.
She points out that the first decision to make is usually what the bride will carry, as this can be the starting point for all the other floral arrangements.
“Sometimes, a bride will have particular flowers in mind for her bouquet, such as roses or lilies. Sometimes colour will be key.”
But before you make up your mind, there are several things you need to bear in mind, she advises.
“The style which the bride and groom are aspiring to is crucial: for example, if the wedding is to be modern and minimalist, certain flowers will reflect this better than others – calla lilies and orchids have the right sort of structural quality; carnations don’t.
“If the wedding is a laid-back family occasion at the local village church, with the reception in the marquee, cottage-garden flowers such as sweet peas, pinks and stocks will be a charming complement,” says Antonia.
Think about the season too, as you will be able to match the landscape around you, and flowers will probably be easier, and cheaper to find.
When it comes to design and picking a theme, inspiration can be found from any of the umpteen florists around. Go to the shops and see what is available and look through magazines,” says Antonia.
As with all wedding planning, shop around and make sure you find a florist who understands you and how you want your wedding to be, ask to see pictures of their work and check the fine details of any arrangement.
Blossoming with ideas
FOR THE BRIDE
❉ Pink-and-white ranunculus, bound with layered satin ribbon, lace and velvet ribbon.
❉ A mixture of pink, red and black-red roses, sweet peas, scarlet glory lilies and skimmia, finished with a funky checked ribbon, makes for a daring combination.
FOR THE BRIDESMAIDS
❉ Lupins, stocks, carnations and sweet peas joining roses and even ripening blackberries all ribbon-tied in a bunch help to create a freshly plucked from a country garden look.
❉ For a young bridesmaid, nothing looks more charming than a headdress of fresh flowers. A mixture of cottage garden favourites, among them roses, cornflowers and ivy are wired onto an Alice band already dotted with tiny fabric flowers.
