Wedding Infatuated

Green wedding flowers are a relatively new phenomenon. The light green shades that some flowers are available in can make a great modern looking wedding flower theme. Green flowers can also appear very light and airy and even romantic when mixed with the right colors. Let us not forget also that green is considered a lucky color. Green is meant to signify luck, health and wealth. If you are a supersticious person then this color theme might be perfect for you!

 A few green wedding flower options:

• Chrysanthemum
• Zinnia
• Bells of Ireland
• Hydrangea
• Tulip
• Calla Lily
• Orchids
• Rose
• Viburnum
• Bupleurum

Ask your florists about your green options. These are fun flowers for any theme, do not shy away.

A Gothic wedding theme is a beautiful way to celebrate your wedding. Of course dark shades adorn nearly every corner of large dark churches. However, when it comes to the flowers, it is not always easy to find colors and shades as dark as you may be looking for. Here are a few tips.

 The obvious choice may be to use silk flowers. Only silk flowers can come in true shades of black. The problem is, they’re silk! Few people want to use silk flowers because they run the rick of looking fake. Black silk flowers will undoubtedly look fake.

 There are a few types of flowers that actually come in very dark colors:

• Burgundy Roses
• Deep Purple Calla Lilies
• Orchids
• Gerbera Daisies
• Freesia
• Asiatic Lily

Perhaps you do not need to use dark colors. There are many dramatic flowers that look great in a Gothic wedding decor. Calla lilies, for instance, make a beautiful bouquet. Whatever you choose for your Gothic wedding you are sure to have a beautiful day as long as you keep drama in mind.

Pink flowers are a great addition to your wedding flowers. Mixed with reds and whites they can look very romanitc. Mixed with bright oranges and greens they can look very modern. For a natural look mix them with yellows, purples and any other colors found in the wild.

Romantic Pinks:

• Rose
• Calla Lily
• Lisianthus
• Cherry Blossom
• Hydrangea
• Dahlia
• Peony

Bright Modern Pinks:

• Ranunculus
• Anemone
• Chrysanthemum
• Cockscomb
• Carnation
• Gerbera Daisy

Natural Pinks:

• Cosmos
• Tulip
• Sweet Pea
• Waxflower
• Zinnia
• Sprayrose
• Nerine

It seems obvious why we began celebrating weddings with flowers. Not only are flowers beautiful, they also smell good and, at one time, were the only type of wedding decorations widely available. These reason are not, however, the only reasons why we choose to use wedding flowers in our celebrations.

Flowers historically represent new beginnings, purity and fertility. In the past, wedding flowers were mixed with certain herbs that also had a special meaning. Dill, for instance, was believed to promote lust. Another wedding flower tradition is the always fun boquet toss. Truly, tossing the bridal bouquet at your guests doesn’t make a lot of sense but the idea that the guest who catches the bouquet will be the next to wed is a fun tradition with English roots. In England, era unknown, it was thought that the bride could pass on her good luck. For this reason, guests would begin tearing at her dress and flowers. In an attempt to get away the bride would toss her bouquet to get a head start.  So, when the time comes to toss that $150 bridal bouquet just be glad that the guests are not after your dress as well.

Purples wedding flowers are a fun addition to any ceremony or reception. The only problem is, off the top of your head, you would likely be hard pressed to think of even three types of purple flowers. While it is true that your options are more limited with purple wedding flowers, you should certainly not rule them out just yet. Ask your florist about any of these plum shades and you will get those beautiful purple wedding flowers you’ve been wanting.

• Lilac
• Hyacinth
• French Tulips
• Sweet Pea
• Scabiosa
• Lavendar
• Vanda Orchid
• Spider Chrysanthemum
• Rose
• Stock
• Hydrangea
• Delphinium
• Santini Chysanthemum
• Lisianthus
• Tweedia

These lovely purple wedding flowers will add the perfect touch to your perfect day.

There are several types of bouquets that are used during weddings. Today we will focus on the handheld bouquets. Some of these bouquets are also used for alter and table decor but most are used only to be carried by the bride or her entourage. Hopefully you will get a few ideas from the following wedding bouquets.

Nosegay–a nosegay is a petite bouquet that is comprised, typically, of a single type of flower. Some nosegays use several very small flowers to create the look of a single large flower.

Hand-Tied–a hand-tied bouquet is on of the most common. This bouquet consists of flowers the are bound by the stem with a ribbon. Most often the stems are exposed.

Cascading–cascading bouquets are the very dramatic bouquets you see that cascade down into a ‘V’ shape. For big impact, this is the way to go.

Round–a round bouquet is a sort of all encompassing term. Most typically this is a bouquet with only flowers and greenery that has no trailing pieces. A modern round bouquet, however, is often comprised of only flowers. It is a sort of large nosegay.

Tussy-Mussy–a tussy mussy is a Victorian era presentation of a bouquet in which the bouquet is held at the stems by a frilly cup called a tussy-mussy. For a Victorian themed wedding this is a must.

Presentation–a presentation bouquet is the grandeous bundle you typically see Miss America toting after she’s been crowned. This oversized bouquet is meant to be held in the crook of the arm rather than the hand.  

White is associated with purity, cleanliness, innocence and crispness. White wedding flowers can be a great option for nearly any wedding. Since white is a nuetral color, white wedding flowers can be combined with any other wedding flowers without feeling disjointed. You can use all white bouquets for a huge impact in a subtle way or you can mix and match for a more organic feel. White wedding flowers are basically the perfect choice for all weddings.

If you are looking for white wedding flowers make sure to know all your options. Here is a list of twenty white wedding flowers you should consider:

1. Call Lillies
2. Lily of the Valley
3. Rose
4. Anemone
5. Cymbidium Orchid
6. Gerbera Daisy
7. Carnation
8. Casablanca Lily
9. Cosmos
10. Lilac
11. Hydrangea
12. Tulip
13. Sweet Pea
14. Dahlia
15. Tuberose
16. Delphinium
17. Gardenia
18. Freesia
19. Iris
20. Amaryllis

With any combination of the above you will get a great variety suitable for any season and any type of bouquet. These flowers range from tiny and cute to robust, tall and dramatic.

Today kicks off the new wedding flowers series. Every day for the next couple of weeks I will be helping brides and engaged couples pick the right wedding flowers for their event based on color, time of year, and durability as well as help you to pick the right florist. Other tips will include advice for creating your own floral arrangements as well as alternate options to wedding flowers.

Wedding flowers are a fun part of the wedding planning process. This is an area that allows you to get a little creative and have a lot fun. If you decide to become an active part in choosing your wedding flowers and decorating your event you will likely be very glad you did.  

While normally I’m discussing weddings I would like to stray for a moment to promote a writing contest that is near and dear to my heart. Argyle Gifts has announced their first annual writing contest. If any of you brides to be also happen to be authors then this may be a great opportunity for you. Argyle Gifts is giving a $500 grand prize to the best gifts related essay. Since brides are often the recipients of some of the best gifts then this may be perfect for you. Check out this link for more information: Unique Gifts. Runners up will also be featured online. This $500 may be a good supplement to your wedding planning. While it may be a long shot, entering a writing contest can be a legitimate way to increase your cash flow before your big day.

 I hope you consider entering this writing contest and I wish you all the best of luck.  

If you love the idea of having personal handmade touches throughout your wedding but are not too handy yourself there are still many things you can do. www.etsy.com is probably the best resource for handmade items that are appropriate for a wedding.

Erica Bapst creates beautiful jewelry that would be perfect for the bride or bridal party.

A Punkin Card Company and Dear Emma both create beautiful invitations, thank you cards and save the date cards that guests will love.

Elm Studios Online and Mary Wibis provide lovely glass and ceramic items that would make great handmade touches.

Picture Courtesy of Dear Emma at dearemma.etsy.com

There are hundreds more. No matter what handmade item you may be looking for it can likely be found on etsy.com. The best part about working with these artisans is that you are directly connected with the artists so you can request special orders to suit your needs. Just because you are not too crafty your self does not mean you should miss out.