With Valentine's Day now passed, many brides-to-be have begun looking forward to wedding season 2008. The date has been set, the reception location confirmed, and the bridesmaids' dresses picked out. With those tasks aside, the focus now turns to the selection of the wedding flowers! However, with the ever-rising costs associated with weddings, the expense of hiring a floral designer can often be overwhelming. To cut costs, the trend among budget conscious brides is to order wholesale flowers in bulk from online sources like The Grower's Box (www.growersbox.com) and create their own arrangements of wedding flowers.
The budget conscious bride (Bride-on-a-Budget) and the idea of arranging your own wedding flowers (DIY Wedding Flowers) is becoming more and more popular throughout the wedding industry. On average, brides spend 8% of their total wedding budget on their wedding flowers. This can mean spending up to $1,000 to $4,000 for flowers alone! Many brides are going the way of do-it-yourself wedding flowers because of the significant cost savings and because they it provides them with the freedom to create wedding flower arrangements that truly reflect their own personality and style.
When ordering wedding flowers from sources such as The Grower's Box (www.growersbox.com), fresh flowers are cut to order and are shipped directly from flower farms all over the world directly to the customer or venue. The key to success with "Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Wedding Flowers" lies in the customer's ability to plan. A few very important points to consider when determining the best wedding flowers for the ceremony and reception are:
- What time of year is the wedding?
- Will the ceremony or reception be held indoors or outdoors?
- What are the wedding colors?
- What colors are the bridesmaids wearing?
- Are the flowers for the wedding party as well as the reception?
- Are flowers needed for the ceremony?
- How many guests are expected?
- How many tables will need centerpieces?
When ordering wholesale flowers or wedding flowers online, it is highly recommended that customers schedule the flowers to arrive a few days prior to the wedding to ensure there is plenty of time to craft their custom bouquets and arrangements. It is also very important that the correct amount of wedding flowers be ordered. Remember that it is always best to plan on ordering extra flowers as some flowers may be slightly blemished or damaged in shipping.
Wedding flowers play a very prominent role in the overall beauty and outcome of the wedding decor. The following should also be considered as the planning process continues:
Bridal Bouquets -- The bridal bouquet is perhaps one of the most sentimental uses of wedding flowers. The best practice for deciding what to include in a bridal bouquet is to glance through bridal magazines to find the flowers that are eye-catching. Traditionally, bridal bouquets are made of white flowers; however, arrangements of colored flowers have become trendy. The bridal bouquet is said to be a reflection of the bride's personality and style. Popular bouquet styles include cascade, cluster, contemporary, and hand-tied.
The bridesmaids' bouquets should consist of flowers that are complementary in color and style to the rest of the wedding flowers, especially the flowers in the bridal bouquet. Bridesmaids' bouquets can be hand-tied bouquets or simply a single stem. At the reception, bridesmaids can place their bouquets around the wedding cake for added color and flair.
Groom & Groomsmen Boutonnieres -- Boutonnieres are usually a single blossom such as a rose or carnation, and should be worn on the groom's left lapel, close to his heart. To distinguish the groom's boutonniere from the groomsmens', simply add a second bloom or a sprig of baby's breath.
Ceremony Flowers -- These flowers can be wildly elaborate or strikingly simple. The main purpose is to direct the guests' attention toward the bride and groom. If the wedding ceremony is outside, the structure serving as the altar can be decorated with colorful flowers and greenery. It is important to consider the decor of the ceremony site as some locations may call for only minimal decoration. It is also wise to check with the venue as some places do have restrictions on floral decorations.
Reception Site -- As with the ceremony site, select the flowers based on the site's decor. Elaborate halls may require less decoration, while dozens of flowers may be necessary to transform a stark reception hall into an intimate setting.
For more information on "Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Wedding Flowers", and for a complete online catalog of wedding flowers, visit The Grower's Box (www.growersbox.com).