Category: Wedding Flowers

Wedding flowers are a big decision and the flower experts at Petal Talk are here to help you make this hard choice an easy one from seasonal flower colors, cost and more!

4 Winter Wedding Flower Ideas

Winter is a magical time of year to get married. The holidays engender a festive atmosphere throughout the season; snow, in many places, blankets the ground, creating a beautiful backdrop to our outdoor activities; and the nights are filled with cozy fires, comforting foods, and hot beverages.

“When I think winter, I think of the brisk air, ice, earmuffs, twinkle lights, and sugar plum fairies,” says veteran florist Lynn Mehl, founder of Good Old Days Eco-Florist in New Windsor, New York.

No matter what part of the country, whether temperate or seasonal, evergreens are always top of mind in the winter.

Lynn Mehl

Founder, Good Old Days Eco-Florist

Lynn-Mehl-Mug

These elements, and others that conjure up images of the season, can provide inspiration for your winter wedding flowers, Mehl says — but don’t feel beholden to them. While you may opt for a more traditional winter look, with white roses, baby’s breath, and red winterberries, keep in mind that this is, after all, your wedding, and whatever decorations you choose should match your aesthetic.

“Don’t be afraid to get creative with your winter wedding floral décor,” she says.

A winter wedding, Mehl notes, doesn’t even have to include flowers typically associated with the season. “Depending on when in winter your event is happening, you can weave in hints of first spring as well!”

With so many beautiful flowers to choose from, you might feel overwhelmed when it comes to creating a stunning backdrop for your nuptials. To provide some guidance, Mehl offers her top four winter wedding flower trends for 2024.

1. Green winter botanicals: The evergreen trend

“From the cypress and pines in the southern states to the spruces and cedars of the north, no matter what part of the country, whether temperate or seasonal, evergreens are always top of mind in the winter,” Mehl says.

winter wedding flowers with evergreens

So, how do you showcase these evergreen treasures in your wedding floral décor? Mehl suggests mixing two popular trends, weaving a natural “unconstructed” look with a popular vintage wedding style. “Consider a bouquet of mixed evergreens with bits of dried flowers, magnolia and kale, miniature pine cones, and even mosses,” Mehl encourages. For even more drama, add sprigs of baby’s breath along with a multitude of satin shower ribbons, she suggests. “The effect makes for a beautiful and historical representation of the season.”

2. Holiday time trimmings: The spirit of Christmas

“Holiday bouquets have always centered on a Christmas spirit, and still do,” Mehl explains. Many brides have opted in the past to include a small cross amid a bouquet of lush evergreens to signify the promise of new life. “They often surround these greens with red everything and anything,” Mehl says. But now she is seeing a new twist on this classic Christmas wedding look. “The trend is for the festive bouquet to include tiny, vintage ornaments or little silver bells on shower streamers to ring as the bride walks down the aisle.” Sometimes these items come from one or both couple’s families, bringing “something old” to this new stylish trend.

winter wedding flowers with amaryllis bouquet

As for the red floral elements, couples are opting for classic and simple choices, “such as a solid bouquet of stunning dark roses or an arm bouquet of red amaryllis. Then evergreens or evergreen trees, such as lemon and magnolia, provide the winter background,” Mehl explains.

Her favorite up-and-coming bouquet choice for couples looking to infuse the holiday spirit into their special day is “a lush bouquet of holly, with its bright red berries, to represent ‘domestic happiness.’“

3. Winter wonderland: January sparkle

It’s impossible to think of a winter-themed setting without imagining strings of enchanting twinkle lights. “The ethereal appeal of the dreamlike winter wonderland never wanes, and for good reason,” Mehl says. “Everything in snowy winter is white, crisp, sparkling, and magical…so what better background for a bride to be surrounded by?”

In addition to using Christmas lights on and around the ceremony site, Mehl says to play up the enchanted aspects of a winter wonderland theme and embrace the popular 1940’s floral trends that have come back around, with “large bouquets of snowball hydrangeas accented with fluffy cotton bolls, faux pearls, and fresh lemon leaves.” For the reception, she suggests adding a mix of “paper snowflakes, white birch, and lacy hemlock and blue spruce evergreens with candles everywhere” to create an instant wonderland.

4. Late winter wedding flowers: Add hints of spring

For couples who choose to hold their wedding in late winter but before spring has sprung, finding a floral décor that bridges the seasons is a great way to make a splash. “Although the winter season is nearing its end, evergreen bouquets are still perfect as a base bouquet, but you can freshen them with the first blooms of spring,” Mehl explains. “In many parts of the country, early spring flowers, such as white tulips and narcissus, are available by late January. You can pair these with delicate Muscari (aka grape hyacinths) and miniature roses for a truly gorgeous result.”

Silver is a trending late winter color, and “popular accents this year will include silver artemisia, snowberries, and the perennially popular varieties of eucalyptus. Complementing evergreens are juniper, with its blue berries, and the feathery gray cypress, both touched with a bit of faux snow just to keep the winter wonder.”

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How to Host a Bridal Shower

Planning and hosting a bridal shower is a great way to show your support for the bride-to-be. But it can be a lot to take on, and nobody wants a frazzled host the day of the event. (You’ve heard of bridezilla? Hostzilla is just as ferocious!) You’ve worked hard to create a fun and memorable day for the bride, and you should enjoy it, too.

Organizing a bridal shower isn’t a cake walk (although cake should probably be involved), but following these five simple steps will make the celebration extra special and let you relax and enjoy your time with the bride-to-be.

Choose a color scheme

Bridal shower table set with plates and utensils and bouquets of flowers.
Bridal shower table set with plates and utensils and bouquets of flowers.

The first thing to do is decide on a color scheme for the event. This can be based on the bride’s favorite color or inspired by the wedding colors — just make sure it’s what the bride wants. (That’s a good rule to follow for all the planning, actually.) For this particular bridal shower, we went with a lavender and blush theme since it’s a great end-of-summer color combo that can easily transition into fall. It’s also a unique color palette that will make the bride feel like one of a kind — which, after all, she is.

Send out a gorgeous invitation

First impressions are everything, and when it comes to alerting the masses about a soiree, the invitation is of the utmost. Whether it be paper or electronic, the invite sets the tone for the rest of the event. Make sure your invitation flows with your theme and contains all the info your guests need to know: location, date, time, registry, even theme (if there is one).

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Set your table

The table is the main attraction at a bridal shower, so you really want to shine here. Follow your color scheme and use pieces that complement it. I chose a lavender plate, gold flatware, an apricot-colored napkin, and simple glassware.

Bridal shower table setting with menu, flowers, glasses and utensils.
Bridal shower menu on a table surrounded by artisanal paper and dried orange slices.
Bridal shower wine tasting menu on a table.

Once you have those key elements down, layer in the details. We added two gorgeous menus for food and wine, and beautiful place cards. These are the little details that your guests will remember.

Bring in the decor

Flowers instantly bring bright colors to every event. Add alluring blooms to your table and place them throughout the venue, like at the dessert table and bar, since those will be the most visited areas.

But don’t stop at flowers! Balloon arches are a showstopper and bring a fun pop of color to your party while adding a festive flair.

Food and drink

Any host knows that keeping your guests happy means having a steady flow of delicious bites and beverages. Instead of serving a full multi-course meal, I made these personal charcuterie cones and a delectable grazing board full of fine meats and cheeses for guests to nibble on while drinking an amazing selection of wines. This type of menu allows for more socializing.

Bridal shower with a table full of appetizers and several bottles of wine

We also offered mouthwatering desserts for guests to simply grab. I love doing the desserts this way, as it allows your guests to share and mingle throughout the party. Sometimes we add a cake, but we always love to have small bites for guests to easily enjoy.

History of the Wedding Bouquet

The bridal bouquet is an iconic part of the wedding ceremony, and carrying one to the altar is a beloved tradition that dates back hundreds of years.

So, what did a bride carry down the aisle in days past. How did our modern bouquets evolve? The answers provide a fascinating study of cultural history that teaches us about the importance of ritual and tradition. And as with most traditions, the origins and purpose of the wedding bouquet began quite differently than what they are today.

wedding bouquet with bride with wedding flowers

Wedding bouquets in antiquity

Truth be told, procreation was the goal and at the core of marriage throughout ancient times. People lived shorter lives, life was much harder, and one of the few bright spots between entering this world and leaving it was celebrating a couple taking vows and preparing to raise a family. Belief in multiple gods and anthropomorphism created strong superstitions. Gods were jealous and also had to be mollified with gifts so that they would behave and grant wishes. These gifts took the form of handfuls of wheat or garlands made with fragrant herbs.

“The origin of the bridal bouquet stems back to Rome when bridal couples would weave greenery and blooms into garlands and crowns scented with roses or orange blossoms, adding herbs to honor the gods and promote fertility and good fortune,” says Valerie Ghitelman, vice president of product development, sourcing, and design at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. “Strands of ivy illustrated the strong bond of matrimony and fidelity, while white blossoms symbolized sweetness and happiness.”

Faithfulness and fertility were the two topmost virtues in ancient marriages. Each of these was symbolized throughout the wedding ceremony, especially through the bride’s bouquet or hair garland. Sheaves of wheat, for example, symbolized plenty and good harvests, i.e. fertility. Other types of plants carried by brides up through the Middle Ages included herbs such as dill (considered an aphrodisiac), thistle and rosemary (for protection), ivy (symbolizing a strong bond), and even garlic.

Another tradition — the tossing of the bouquet — began during the Middle Ages, when it was considered good luck to touch or even remove parts of the bride’s dress. Brides began throwing their bouquets as a diversion so they could escape the damage from over-excited guests.

The perfect bridal bouquet should be an expression of your own style. However, it is a lovely sentiment to incorporate symbolism and history as a romantic nod to tradition.

Valerie Ghitelman

Vice president of product development, sourcing, and design

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.

Regency and Victorian splendor

The language of flowers gained momentum in the 18th and 19th centuries. The ancient meanings, as well as new meanings attributed to flower species and their colors, became a popular way to convey feelings to someone else without speaking. For the bride, a combination of white roses (“I’m worthy of you”), peonies (“happy life”), and red tulips (“declaration of love”) would result in a meaningful bouquet.

After the 17th century, flowers began to supplant herbs and grains within the wedding bouquet, beginning as small hand-tied creations and gradually getting larger and more elaborate toward the end of the 19th century.

When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840, she added a sprig of myrtle to her bouquet and orange blossoms to her hair and dress. The British royals, including Kate Middleton, have since used a sprig of myrtle from Queen Victoria’s original plant in their bridal bouquets. Since the early 20th century, royal brides have laid their bouquets on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.

wedding bouquet with married couple from early 20th century

So last century

The first half of the 20th century was greatly impacted by two world wars and the Great Depression. As a result, women of that time often made restrained choices in their bridal wear and flowers. War brides in the 1940s would often wear a suit and gather flowers from the garden in order to marry quickly when their betrothed was home on a few days’ leave.

The latter half of the century saw more lavish bouquets returning, as evidenced by Princess Diana’s waterfall creation filled with white flowers, ivy, and myrtle (see sidebar).

Depending on the decade, the last century saw both traditional bouquets based on Victorian designs as well as highly original designs that defied convention and reflected the personalities of the bride and groom.

The age of personalization

Today’s wedding bouquets are diverse and rich with meaning, borrowing from many eras and styles while reflecting completely new trends of their own.

Brides are free to do virtually whatever they wish in designing their bouquet and have thousands of flower species from which to choose. Nevertheless, certain flowers and shapes continue to be popular choices. Roses have been the top choice of brides for centuries and are still in a majority of modern bouquets. Peonies, with their delicate ruffled petals, are also the stars in contemporary wedding florals, as are ranunculus, calla lilies, and dahlias.

“The perfect bridal bouquet should be an expression of your own style,” Ghitelman says. “However, it is a lovely sentiment to incorporate symbolism and history as a romantic nod to tradition.”

wedding bouquet with modern married couple

Famous wedding bouquets throughout history

Looking for inspiration for your wedding bouquet? Maybe you’ll find some from the unique and lovely bouquets chosen by notable women through history.

  • Joan of Arc, the famous 15th-century warrior who carried France to triumph during the 100 Years War, died at 19 and never married. She adopted the French fleur-de-lis as her battle standard, which some believe depicts the iris and not the lily. Therefore, a bouquet of irises and lilies will evoke the spirit of this courageous woman.
  • For her wedding in 1956, Grace Kelly carried a Catholic devotions book with a spray of lily of the valley.
  • Princess Diana’s waterfall-style wedding bouquet in 1981 jumpstarted the return of elaborate bridal bouquets. It included gardenias, stephanotis, odontoglossum orchids, lily of the valley, Lord Mountbatten roses, freesia, veronica, ivy, and myrtle.
  • Elizabeth Taylor carried a posy of daffodils that matched her yellow babydoll dress when she married Richard Burton for the first time, in 1964.
  • For her wedding in 2019, Hilary Duff carried a round gathering of full-blown dahlias in shades of soft pink dotted with blue hypericum berries.
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4 Biggest Summer Wedding Flower Trends of 2024

Summer wedding plans are back on, and peak flower growing season offers a wide variety of options for beautifying your long-awaited event. This season’s floral trends run the gamut, from bright and colorful midcentury modern bouquets to muted dried floral inclusions. So, which style is best for your summer wedding?

Lynn Mehl, founder of Good Old Days Eco-Florist in New Windsor, New York, has been creating wedding floral arrangements since 1977. She says the big trend she sees this summer is couples wanting to showcase their individuality. “Brides today are shying away from mainstream ideas or items. Instead, they are searching out one-of-a-kind, fresh items of quality, items with interest, and unusual vintage items, even if they cost more,” Mehl says. “Their ultimate goal is to be unique and make their wedding stand apart.”

Here are Mehl’s four top tips for incorporating the hottest 2024 trends into your summer wedding flowers and making them your own.

1. Large freeform botanical displays

A photo of summer wedding flowers with a large botanical archway

A popular trend this year is to create freeform floral décor and bouquets made from lush greens and botanicals. “Instead of the traditional ‘80% flowers and 20% accents,’ it is popular now to have the reverse — arrangements that are 80% greenery and organic components accented with a few flowers,” Mehl observes. This “overgrown” style is hugely popular for both bouquets and other decorations.

The best way to achieve this look? “Start with an overabundance of greenery, then add moss and twigs, and, finally, accent with wildflowers, blooms, and dried flowers,” Mehl instructs. Once you have your “green” base, layer in a few colorful blooms for contrast to draw the eye.

Bonus tip: “Eucalyptus is always a favorite, not just for its scent but for the color, drape, and movement it gives. Ferns are also extremely popular and can be displayed in pots you can take home after the event and replant.” Both provide great texture to the backdrop of the day.

2. Midcentury modern

A photo of summer wedding flowers with a midcentury modern arrangement

After two years of being inside, it is no wonder that bright colors associated with playfulness are back in style. “From bouquets to centerpieces, midcentury modern decor is back,” Mehl notes. “This means structured and somewhat minimalistic bouquets using retro, styled designs, containers, and bright pop-art colors (think early Andy Warhol).” Where traditional wisdom previously advised wedding planners to start with a neutral pallet and add “pops of color” for dramatic effect, the opposite can help couples achieve an energetic and current look.

When it comes to flower selection in this genre, “summer is the best season to find bright, local flowers,” Mehl notes. Choosing one brilliant monochromatic shade feels sophisticated and refined, or you can opt to make a bold statement with multiple bright colors. “The lush petal structure of peonies (available from late spring through mid-summer) makes them dreamy and romantic. Dahlias are another popular summer flower that can offer rich color and texture to any bouquet.”

The containers you use to display your arrangements are another great place to add pops of color. “Search out vintage containers. These props can add a fun retro look.”

Bonus tip: “For extra bright color, consider incorporating fruits that can easily be eaten the next day or donated later,” Mehl suggests.

3. Dried flowers

A photo of summer wedding flowers with a bouquet of dried flowers

“Dried flowers are back in style with a vengeance,” Mehl notes. In contrast to the colorful midcentury modern trend, “delicate dried and preserved flowers are being sought after for their muted tones. Couples are using them in everything from bouquets to corsages by themselves, or mixing them into fresh floral designs.” Some popular choices include dried lavender, billy balls, and mums.

The best part about featuring dried flowers in a summer wedding is that you do not have to worry about them wilting. “Dried petals are perfect for scattering down the aisle or on a tabletop,” Mehl adds. Just make sure you ask for only naturally dried and colored flowers and not bleached or dyed ones, as those contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

Bonus tip: Don’t forget dried grasses. “The ‘bunny tails‘ and pampas plumes of the ’60s are on everyone’s list again,” Mehl notes. These fluffy pieces can add rustic charm to any setting.

4. Sentimental flowers

A photo of summer wedding flowers with sentimental flowers

The past couple of years have brought an increased focus on family, and many couples see their celebration as a chance to honor those who came before them. “Lots of couples are planning sentimental weddings with some or all of the flowers being meaningful in some way (e.g., using the Language of Flowers, recreating grandmother’s bouquet, using the state/country flowers of the couple in the centerpiece, etc.),” Mehl says. “Think of the Texas gal carrying a bouquet of yellow roses or a California bride replicating a 1930’s bouquet of her grandmother’s calla lilies.” The best part is that the sentiment does not have to dictate style. “Meaningful and sentimental flowers can be melded with any theme in a freeform design,” Mehl notes.

Bonus tip: Trying to match sentiments to the season can be tricky. Mehl’s solution? “If the flowers you want are not in season, I suggest substituting dried or paper versions of those flowers with other seasonally appropriate blooms.”

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The History Behind Your Favorite Wedding Traditions

From hundred-year-old superstitions to family customs your grandmother insists on continuing, perhaps no day is more wrapped in tradition than your wedding day. And while many of us recognize what these traditions are, few are aware of how they came about or what they mean.

Whether you’re tying the knot this year, know someone who is, or are just interested in learning more about wedding culture, come with us as we dive into some of our favorite wedding traditions and their significance.

Bride and Groom Wedding
Wedding concept

Flower girl

If one person is going to take attention away from the bride, it’s the adorable flower girl. She’s responsible for throwing flower petals on the ground as she walks down the aisle before the bride, but how did this tradition get started? It was believed that this was a symbolic way of leading the bride from childhood to adult and motherhood. It’s for this reason that the flower girl is also usually dressed in white and similarly to the bride.

Throwing rose petals

While rose petals certainly add color and beauty to the aisle, they actually serve a more important purpose. Rose petals, which are traditionally red, represent fertility, and because they’re thrown by the flower girl, they are also a symbol of the transition the bride is making from an innocent girl to a woman and, soon, mother.

wedding traditions with white corsage

Corsages

Corsages and their male counterpart, boutonnieres, have a long history in wedding ceremonies. In addition to acting as a beautiful accessory, corsages and boutonnieres were also believed to drive away evil spirits that may attack the bride on her big day.

The wedding cake

Besides being what many wedding guests look forward to most (aside from the “I do’s,” of course!), wedding cakes are incredibly symbolic. In ancient Rome, grooms crumbled a piece of cake over the bride’s head as a good-luck gesture. The idea behind this tradition is that, no matter what the future holds, you will serve your significant other and always be willing to help keep them happy and healthy.

Carrying a bouquet…

Since flowers often symbolize fertility, they are found in many wedding traditions. Many people believe that, in addition to warding off evil spirits, pollinated flowers lead to a fertile marriage.

wedding traditions with bride holding her pink wedding bouquet

…and then tossing it

Once the bride is married and can now have children, it’s time to pass that good luck on to someone she loves. That is where the idea that whoever catches the bouquet is next in line for marriage.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

This saying refers to the four things a bride is supposed to have on her wedding day. While now viewed as a way to include a loved one’s possessions into your ceremony, this ritual was once taken a bit more seriously. The initial idea behind these four trinkets was: Something old would help you always remember and appreciate your past, something new represented optimism for the future, something borrowed symbolized borrowed happiness, and blue was synonymous with purity (before that became the domain of the color white).

Popular Purple Wedding Flowers for Your Special Day

purple wedding flowers with purple wedding centerpiece

In honor of wedding season, we asked our florists about one of the most searched-for wedding flower colors: purple. It’s no surprise why purple wedding flowers are the most popular color: They work great for vineyard weddings, pair well with both blues AND pinks, and come in lots of pretty shades, from light lavender to deep, dark purple.

According to florists, these are the top wedding flowers.

The best part? All these flowers are available in shades of lavender and purple.

purple wedding flowers with purple lisianthus

Flower pairings

All these flower types can be paired with fillers, other flowers, or foliage, or left by themselves.
Some good flower combinations for bouquets are:

  • Hydrangeas, roses, and mini calla lilies
  • Roses, mini calla lilies, and stock
  • Dendrobium orchids, roses, and freesia

By adding fillers and foliage to these combinations, you create texture and style. Some good filler pairings include dusty miller, seeded eucalyptus, willow eucalyptus, bulperium, hypericum, silver gray brunia, wax flower, heather, succulents, bear grass, aspidistra leaves, and other types of foliage.

If you’re planning for a special look, use fewer combinations of material to create a more modern feel, such as Phalaenopsis orchids with some foliage or tulips wrapped in aspidistra leaves. Using all mini calla lilies will also convey a modern look.

purple wedding flowers with purple calla lilies bouquet

Flowers for your wedding themes

Rustic wedding flowers

If you’re going for a rustic feel, use willow or seeded eucalyptus, silver brunia, dahlias, roses, scabiosa, and some berries. You can also add burlap, lace, and twine.

Romantic wedding flowers

Gatherings of dusty miller, hydrangeas, roses, spray roses, clematis, and seeded eucalyptus create a romantic look.

Garden wedding flowers

Garden style may contain ivy, herbs, bulperium, penny cress, wax flower, roses, freesia, sweet pea, and lisianthus.

Vintage wedding flowers

Vintage style may contain old broaches, feathers, pearls, roses, mini calla lilies, veronica, lilacs and dusty miller.

purple wedding flowers with purple bridal bouquet

Seasonal wedding flowers

While there are many year-round beauties you can use, these seasonal blooms look beautiful in bouquets (and they’re all available in shades of purple!).

Most of these flowers can either be elegant, unique, or rustic, depending on what you pair them with and the style you choose.

Real Wedding Inspiration: Jenna & Gil’s Block Island Beach Wedding

On August 23rd, 2014, Jenna and Gil got married at their ultimate dream destination: Block Island.
For Jenna, Block Island, Rhode Island has been a beloved family vacation spot her whole life. Block Island has also become a special destination for Gil since he has been traveling there for the past four years with Jenna’s family. He also grew up on a beach and loves sailing.

Between Jenna’s history with the island coupled with Gil being a nautical enthusiast, they knew this was the place for them to tie the knot. In fact, they were so sure about getting married here that Gil actually booked the date and venue with her parents before he proposed!

jenna-gil-block-island-wedding-college

The Wedding Venue

The wedding took place at The Sullivan House on a beautiful hilltop overlooking The Atlantic Ocean and New Harbor, which Jenna described as her “fairy tale dream location.” The Sullivan House is a quiet and peaceful estate, away from the busy-ness of the town area. It features a porch wrapped around its exterior with stunning views of the ocean.

bride-overlooking-bay-with-boats

Jenna’s Block Island Summer Theme

While many couples choose a specific color scheme for their wedding, Jenna and Gil wanted their theme to simply be “Block Island Summer.” That meant having to forego some of the more fancy décor in order to get the rustic beach feel they desired. “My wedding advice for brides-to-be is to be true to yourself,” Jenna shared. “We did just that and we felt the day really spoke to who we were, not what the wedding magazines tell you to do.”

orange-roses-green-hydrangea-centerpieces

The Bridal Bouquets & Boutonnieres

The bridal bouquets were based around Jenna & Gil’s favorite flower: hydrangeas. “We started with that flower for the bouquets and slowly added color. I absolutely loved my bouquet as I think it captured exactly who I am. We wanted to bring some of the orange and green into the boutonnieres and I think everything really worked,” Jenna described. The bridal bouquet featured white roses and blue hydrangea with a pop of purple. The maid of honor’s bouquet brought out more of the sunset-inspired colors with orange-red roses to match the groomsmen’s boutonnières.

  • groomsmen-boutonnieres
  • maid-of-honor-bouquet
  • bridal-bouquet

The Reception

The wedding reception took place in a huge outdoor tent adorned with flowers, from top to bottom. From wedding centerpieces on every table, to magnificent fresh flower chandeliers hanging from the top of the tent. “I told all of the other venues that everything had to surround the flower design and that they should be the focal point of the tent,” Jenna said. “We wanted to accentuate the beauty of our surroundings at The Sullivan House and pick up the colors of the rolling hills, ocean views and gorgeous sunset.”

flowers-hanging-from-tent-ceiling

To add to the authenticity, they added a paneled wood wall at the back of the tent for a rustic wood feel featuring various picture frames and their initials painted in the center. The tent was further beautified and illuminated with classy lights that helped light up the night.

Jenna_Gil_Reception_THP-18

The Wedding Centerpieces

The floral wedding centerpieces featured beautiful summer colors from beachy green orchids and ocean blue hydrangeas, to sunset-inspired red and orange roses. Each centerpiece was uniquely adorned with driftwood atop a gold candelabra to give both a rustic and elegant look.

  • wedding-centerpieces
  • blue-hydrangea-centerpiece

Wedding Florist: 1800Flowers Carle Place
Wedding Dress Designer: Peter Lagner
Block Island Wedding Venue: Sullivan House
Hair: Koru Eco Spa
Makeup: Koru Eco Spa
Photographer: Trevor Holden Photography 
Music: Boston Common Band
Tent Decor: Ryan Designs

Real Wedding Inspiration: Cristal’s Love Bird Themed Wedding Flowers

On September 15, 2012, two lives joined together to become one perfect pair when Cristal from our Human Resources team walked down the aisle with her other half. For their special day, they chose to celebrate with a theme that’s just as sweet as they are: love birds! The lovely couple chose to match their love bird theme, along with their favorite season (fall), to make their autumn wedding flowers and décor a magical day inspired colors and fall foliage inspired by their favorite season.

Cristal-bride-collage-flowers

“Early Fall is our favorite time of the year,” Cristal shared. “Our wedding day turned out to be a beautiful sunny day with a hint of Fall in the air. It was the perfect weather to enjoy the outdoors and feel comfortable.”

From the love bird inspired centerpieces to earthy detailing, guests were transported to a room full of beautiful fall foliage and décor inspired by nature’s brightest colors.

lovebird-carved-wedding-card-box

“Lovebirds were the theme of our wedding. At the time, the trends were pointing to more natural and earthy themes. Our wedding card box was a wooden chest with two lovebirds carved in the center. Brown kraft envelopes were used for our save the dates and invitations. We used moss and nest-like baskets for the floral centerpieces,” Cristal described. “Our guests wrote messages on wooden hearts that they then hooked to our wishing tree. Our plan is to use these heart messages as Christmas ornaments in the future.”

Cristal worked with 1800Flowers Carle Place’s talented Floral Designer, Phil Devito to create her beautiful and unique wedding floral arrangements from the centerpieces to the bridal bouquets. Cristal expressed her gratitude to local Carle Place flower shop by saying, “I can’t thank Phil and the team enough for creating floral arrangements that went above and beyond all of my expectations, the attention to detail and the personal touches that they handled so lovingly.”

Cristal’s Fall Wedding Color Scheme

bride-groom-table-flowers

Taking inspiration from fall’s most beautiful colors, Cristal set the scene with calm shades of gray and purple, enhanced with the lively and bold hues of autumn.

“Initially, the colors we chose were neutral in nature: gray suits for the groomsmen and light purple or iris for the bridesmaids’ dresses,” Cristal said. “We then decided that we had to brighten the color scheme with a pop of color, so we added some fall hues such as yellow, orange and deep purples into our floral arrangements.”

The Wedding Centerpieces

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The subtle light purple bridesmaids’ dresses perfectly complemented the bright floral arrangements and centerpieces. Each table housed a wow-worthy bird nest centerpiece bursting with natural themes and fall foliage. The bride and groom were seated at a beautifully decorated table, adorned with the bridesmaid and bridal bouquets that tied the floral details together.

Cristal used ideas and inspiration from the internet to help mold her vision together. “During the 9 months of wedding planning, I created an inspiration board where I posted floral ideas and pictures from magazines, blogs, and Pinterest.” She left the rest up to the creative mind of her floral designer! Cristal continued, “When it came time to select our floral pieces, I handed over my inspiration board to Phil DeVito, 1800Flowers.com Floral Designer. Phil created the most beautiful floral pieces, artistically integrating many different elements from my inspiration board.”

“While creating my floral inspiration board, I fell in love with Echeveria which is a rosette-like succulent plant in which the leaves change shades, sometimes shades of purple. Phil added these plants to all of the arrangements and added a few extra to my bouquet. He also dressed up our wedding cake table with the Echeveria plants.”

The Bridal Bouquet

Consistency is important to Cristal, so they chose to use the same type of flowers for all of the flower arrangements from the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets to the bird nest centerpieces. The flowers they used included orange, peach and light purple roses, orange calla lilies, yellow billy balls, pink berries, and echeveria.

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To make Cristal’s bridal bouquet stand out from the others, she added an extra personal and sentimental touch that she would treasure forever. “Three years before my wedding, my mom had passed after a 6-month long battle with cancer. I asked Phil to add a tiny photo frame with a picture of my mom to my bridal bouquet. Phil beautifully placed the photo in the center of my bouquet. When he delivered the flowers the morning of my wedding, the first thing I saw as he handed me my bouquet was the photo of my mom. Seeing the photo that morning, reminded me that my mom was celebrating with me in spirit and it made the day a little more complete,” she shared.

The Bridesmaid Bouquets

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On her special day, Cristal was surrounded by twelve beautiful ladies dressed in the bride’s favorite color: iris.

“Iris (a light purple shade) was the color of the bridesmaid dresses. I love all things purple. It’s my favorite color.” She continued, “Deciding on which shade of purple was probably the most challenging decision I had to make.”

The bridesmaids were a vision in iris, but the real show-stoppers were their bouquets which transformed each bridesmaid into a work of art.

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Even the groom was treated to a pop of color! Yellow billy balls were used for the groom, groomsmen and ring bearers’ boutonnières.

The flower girls held purple hydrangea balls dangling from a ribbon that were feminine yet age-appropriate, and easy to hold for little hands.

Cristal and her guests enjoyed the evening surrounded by stunning décor, good food, and great friends, which made for a magical wedding day.

How to Choose a Bridal Bouquet That’s Perfect for You and Your Wedding

Bridal Bouquet of Roses and Succulents
Photo courtesy of Twinbrook Floral Design

The bridal bouquet is more than a bunch of flowers that you carry down the aisle or use as a prop for your wedding photos. It’s a living, breathing symbol of a fresh start — the beginning of a beautiful, happy, and exciting new chapter in your life with your loved one.

That’s why picking the right arrangement is one of the most important decisions a bride has to make. But sometimes, finding a bridal bouquet with the right size, shape, colors, and flowers to match your wedding-day style is no easy task.

Need some help making sure your wedding flowers are a match made in heaven for your big day? Here are a few tips from the pros on how to choose a bridal bouquet that’s perfect for you and your wedding.

Selecting your bridal bouquet shape and size

The first step is to determine what shape and size bouquet will work best for you. “Brides should consider their size and body type along with the dress style when choosing the size and shape of the bouquet,” says Margaret Fleegal, owner and bridal director for Twinbrook Floral Design. “The bouquet should be appropriate for the overall vision of the wedding as well as proportionate to the bride’s size and height.”

There are quite a few different options for you to choose from when it comes to the size and shape of the arrangement, and each one complements certain body and dress types better than others. You’ll want to pick something that flatters you yet doesn’t draw any attention away from you.

Here are a few shapes to consider.

Teardrop

The teardrop bouquet is round at the top and pointed at the bottom, like an inverted droplet. It’s a great match for brides who are shorter in stature, since it creates the illusion of length. On the flipside, it’s also a good option for taller brides since it draws the eye downward and takes the focus away from your height. But because of its tendency to put the focus on the bottom half of your body, this arrangement should be avoided by pear-shaped brides.

Cascading

This bouquet is round at the top and has a waterfall of flowers that flows out from the bottom and over the bride’s hands. It works well for brides who have a full figure or a large, extravagant gown. But be careful: If all the beautiful details are in the skirt of your gown, you might want to steer clear of this bouquet shape since you don’t want to hide them. But if you have a long, dramatic train at the back of your dress, the cascade bouquet balances out the look quite nicely.

Nosegay

Small, round, and compact, these arrangements are the perfect way to add some height to a bride who is on the shorter side. But if you have a taller or wider figure, this tiny bouquet will only make you look bigger than you actually are, so opt for a larger arrangement instead.

Sahara Roses and Diamonte Pins
Photo courtesy of Twinbrook Floral Design

Round

In a round bouquet, the flowers are arranged in the shape of a ball. Its circular shape harmonizes well with tall, slim brides with straight-lined dresses. It’s probably not the best choice if you have a rounder figure, however, because this bouquet will only accentuate your curves.

Arm sheath

This long-stemmed bouquet is meant to be cradled in the crook of your arm, like a baby. This is another great option for taller brides, since its length will detract from your height. It’s not a good pick, however, for shorter brides. Its big size will look too heavy and overbearing for anyone with a small build.

So, the rule of thumb is: Taller, more full-figure brides should stick to larger bouquets; shorter, more petite brides should go for smaller ones.

But there’s also one other thing to keep in mind when deciding between small bridal bouquets versus large bridal bouquets. “Brides should also consider their budget when choosing the size of their bouquets,” Fleegal says. “The size of the bouquet is directly related to the expense.” So, the bigger the arrangement, the more you’ll pay for it. If you have a tight budget, you may not want to go overboard when selecting a large bouquet. Plus, you need to make sure your bouquet is comfortable to hold! You don’t want your wedding-day blooms to make you hunch or tip over.

Your florist can better help you choose a bridal bouquet shape and size that matches your figure and your wedding dress, so make sure you show them lots of pictures during your first consultation. “We recommend brides prepare a virtual vision board with a collection of photos that they find appealing. Brides can also review bridal magazines, wedding websites, Pinterest, and other social media sites to assist with the look that they envision for their wedding,” Fleegal says. “This is very helpful during the consultation process. We also discuss the style and color of a bride’s dress during her consultation, so a bride should supply a photo of her dress as well.”

Choosing the flower colors and types for your bridal bouquet

Already having your wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses picked out makes choosing your favorite colors and flowers a lot easier. Wedding dresses come in many shades of white — and some even have accent colors — so if you know what you and your ladies will be wearing, then you’ll know what complementary colors to choose in order to make your flowers pop. Again, remember to bring photos of the wedding dress and the bridesmaids dresses. If you have swatches, those will be even more helpful to your florist.

Four Color Combination Options for Bridal Bouquets

There are quite a few routes you can take when it comes to your bouquet hue. Here are the four types of color combinations you can choose from.

Although you can go with pretty much any color theme you want, there are still some color pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. First, a solid white bridal bouquet held against a white wedding dress may not photograph well. So, if you’re leaning toward a white bouquet, consider adding an accent color or some greenery to make the arrangement stand out in photos.

Dark colors are also tricky. “We recommend avoiding receding colors, since they can appear as ‘holes’ in photos. Dark purple and dark blue would be an example of this.” Fleegal says.

Once your color theme is ready to go, you can start thinking about what flowers come in the hues you’ve chosen. Florists can give you an in-person demonstration of which flowers work well with your theme, as well as what different types of flowers look good together. “During our consultation process, we work with fresh flowers at the table to show the brides several choices,” Fleegal says. “This ‘live and in-person’ concept seems to assist brides in forming their floral visions.”

Even though your heart may belong to a specific kind of flower, keep in mind that a particular bloom may not be in season during the time of your wedding. Picking out-of-season blossoms can pose problems for brides. “Although flowers are available year-round (for the most part), when grown out of season, they can be small in size and of poor quality,” Fleegal says. “A bride should also always expect to pay premium price for flowers that are grown out of their traditional season.”

Working closely with your florist will help you avoid this problem. They’ll show you some alternatives that will still make you happy — without breaking the bank. “Our advice for a budget-conscious bride is to be realistic about the types of flowers that will stay within your vision but not destroy your budget,” Fleegal says. “We encourage most brides to make sure their bouquet is exactly what they want. After all, it is their special day! We can show them other areas to trim their budget so they can splurge on themselves.”

White Bridal Bouquet With Pearl and Crystal Accents
Photo courtesy of Twinbrook Floral Design

Picking a bridal bouquet with personality

You can also bring a personal touch to every bouquet your florist shows you. “Many brides will add a brooch, pin, or locket that has significance to their life,” Fleegal says. “Some brides choose to wrap their bouquet in lace from their mothers’ wedding gowns or add a specific flower that symbolizes a lost loved one.”

For a bridal bouquet with even more personality, accent it with some items that say something about you, such as seashells (if you’re a beach lover) or golf tees (if you love playing a few rounds on the big green). It’s your shining moment, so be yourself!

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