| In some ways, selecting bridal flowers is a less nerve-wracking
affair than deciding on dresses, decor and a menu.
The reason: There's really no such thing as an inappropriate flower.
Styles of arranging may change, florists say, but just about any variety
of flower is acceptable.
"The most important thing is that the flowers reflect the bride's
taste," says Kathy Whalen, owner of Nature's Daughter, a floral design
and wedding and special-event planning firm in Basking Ridge, N.J. "If
a bride has a favorite flower and I can get it, I use it."
That said, the most popular bridal flower by far remains the rose.
After that, whatever is in season usually is a key determining factor. "In
this day and age, you can get just about anything any time you want," says
Amanda Bial, manager of the Crest of Fine Flowers in Wilmette, Ill. "But
your money goes a lot further if you stick with seasonal flowers."
The selection is particularly rich in spring, with flowers such as
tulips, daffodils, irises, paper white narcissus, grape hyacinths,
and lily-of-the-valley leading the way.
This doesn't mean, of course, that bridal flowers aren't subject to
trends, many of which are set in motion by everything from dress design
to church architecture.
"It's very important to see the dress or at least have a sketch and
some kind of fabric swatch before you start designing the bouquet," says
Talmage McLaurin, co-author with Frances Dudley of "Weddings," a book
on bridal flower arranging. "There's nothing worse than a stark-white
bouquet against a cream wedding gown. It doesn't look right."
The dominant trend in wedding dresses in recent years has been simplicity
and minimalism. The result is that flowers also have become more subtle.
" Flowers have gotten smaller and daintier," says McLaurin, "There's a push toward
small nosegays and densely packed designs that don't overpower the bride."
"Martha Stewart has had a big influence on bridal flowers in the last
few years," Bial says. "Her style is very dense and clustered and we
get a lot of requests for it."
Florists also say, however, that flowers are taking up some of the
designer slack left by the minimalist dresses. "Because the dresses
are so simple, people want the bouquet to be more elaborate," Whalen
says.
The form this often takes is a renewed emphasis on color and, especially,
texture.
"Color is a growing factor," Bial says. "Especially in spring, people
love color."
"The trend right now is for clashing colors such as red and orange," says
Whalen, explaining that "clashing" refers to colors that are next to
each other on the color spectrum. "It takes a bride with a lot of courage
and individuality, but it makes for a beautiful wedding."
The most common bouquet, say florists, is an all-white or all-white-and-ivory
bouquet that uses different kinds or different sizes of flowers to
create an interesting effect.
Most brides order two bouquets - one to keep and one to throw. The
throw bouquet is smaller and may or may not reflect the larger bouquet.
It is possible to preserve bouquets after the wedding, but many florists
don't recommend it. "I think most people are disappointed when they
see the results," says McLaurin. "If you want a keepsake from the bouquet,
I recommend incorporating a few millinery-quality silk flowers into
the design."
Bouquets generally start at about $100 and go up to about $500, although
it is possible to spend much more. According to a recent bridal industry
survey, flowers generally account for 4 to 6 percent of the total
cost of a wedding.
The question of coordinating the bridal-party flowers with the church
and reception flowers is an ongoing one. In general, florists say they
are two different issues. "The church and reception flowers generally
depend on the size and architecture of the venue," Bial says.
"If it's a large church, it takes a lot of flowers to make any kind
of statement," Whalen says. "If there are budget considerations, I
usually advise the bride to put her dollars where they're going to
show - at the reception.
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