Underscore the drama of your wedding with the right flowers. Find a professional who will take time to learn about you and the ambiance you want to create. An artistic florist will suggest lovely and unusual designs for your wedding bouquet and floral arrangements.

Jaques Scheepers Photography

Four months before the wedding is not too early to select your florist, especially if you’re planning an elaborate wedding. When you talk with your florist, be guided by the style and mood of your wedding, the season or environment, your budget and—more to the point—what you like.

Go prepared. Selecting your gown, the bridesmaids’ dresses and the overall colour theme is a must before visiting your florist. Take fabric swatches, descriptions or pictures of your selected wedding apparel. Have examples of colours and styles of the mothers’ gowns and of the attire the groom and his attendants will be wearing. With this information your florist can suggest floral combinations and artistic treatments.

Supply the florist with the names, addresses and times for delivery of your bouquet, boutonnieres, corsages and floral arrangements. Ask for an itemized bill in advance.

Alisha Toole Photography

Traditionally, the bridal bouquet is composed of all white flowers, but the addition of colourful blossoms is certainly appropriate. The groom’s boutonniere, worn on his left lapel, is usually a spray of the same type of blossoms used in your bouquet. Note that the ushers and groomsmen wear boutonnieres different from the groom’s. Your attendants’ flowers will also be different from your bridal bouquet. Corsages for the mothers and boutonnieres for the fathers should be coordinated in colour and style.

You may wish to select certain flowers for personal reasons, others because they have traditional meanings. Hyacinth, for example, signifies constancy. In medieval Germany, brides wore rosemary to guard against pregnancy! Consider including unusual greenery plants. Asparagus fern and multi-coloured coleus are attractive in summer bouquets. Holly and pine sprays are popular for December nuptials. Stalks of golden-brown wheat are a sentimental touch for harvest brides. Be guided by the advice of your florist.

If budget is a consideration, flowers and greenery in season are more abundant and generally less expensive. Silk flowers are an equally beautiful alternative to fresh flowers. Manufacturers now produce nearly any type of blossom or plant in fiber form; the bonus is that these exquisite imitators bloom forever.

Trevor Booth Photography

You’ll need a number of other floral pieces for your wedding, including displays for the altar, centrepieces for reception tables, sprays for candelabra, corsages for those who assist with various reception duties and floral “tokens” for special guests. Ask your florist for guidance.His or her knowledge of wedding protocol and ability to listen to your needs will ensure that you will get a good value for your money and have the perfect floral accents to enhance your wedding day.