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.

“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.

“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.”

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You’re up-to-date with all the latest wedding flower trends in the U.S., but do you know how international brides are incorporating flowers into their big day? Find out with these fun facts about wedding flower traditions around the world!

Greece

The first recorded use of wedding flowers was in Ancient Greece.  Flowers and plants were gathered together in the form of a garland wreath and placed upon the bride and groom’s heads during the ceremony.

India

In India, the groom’s brother throws flower petals on the couple to protect them from evil.

England

In England, some guests give the bride and groom a rose bush to plant. It is thought that the growth symbolizes the growth of a marriage, the blossoms symbolize happiness, and the thorns symbolize the trials of married life.

Sweden

It is an old tradition in Sweden for young girls to carry small bouquets of scented herbs down the aisle, and for the groom to carry thyme in his pockets. It was once thought to ward off any trolls during the special day.

Italy

In Italy, the grill of the bride and groom’s car is often decorated with flowers, symbolizing the road to a happy marriage.

Ireland

In Ireland, the bride’s bouquet includes English lavender, a symbol of love, luck and devotion.

Czech Republic

Many Czech brides will find a newly planted tree in their yards the day before their wedding. The tree will be decorated with different colored ribbons and painted eggshells.

If you’re a bride on the hunt for the perfect floral theme for your wedding, we have three words of advice for you: Stir things up! This year, mixed-and-matched bridal flowers are all the rage. Bringing together different yet complementary colors, shapes and motifs in your arrangements creates a breathtakingly eclectic look that’ll surprise all of your guests. Check out the hottest and most inspiring 2013 wedding flower trends, and find out how you can incorporate them into your own chic wedding-day décor!

Glamorous Rustic Wedding Flowers

These days, barn-inspired receptions are by far one of the most talked-about themes amongst brides. The beauty of countryside nuptials lies in their simplicity: Natural elements like wood branches, lush greenery and delicate flowers bring a touch of storybook romance and enchantment to the air, without straining your budget. But this year, designers are using crystal, sequins and glitter to add a dash of drama to the traditional rustic wedding. The stark contrast of sparkly accents against a quiet, woodsy backdrop makes a stylish and unexpected statement that’ll mesmerize your guests … and make your wedding feel like a fairy tale come to life!

Get the Look: Bling out your rustic wedding with this stunning Vineyard Wedding Luxury Centerpiece, which features a charming mix of fresh roses, hydrangeas, calla lilies, succulents and more set atop a fabulously frosted vase.

Ombre Wedding Flowers

The ombre craze has taken over everything from hair color cake decorating, and now it’s taking weddings by storm too! “Ombre” refers to a coloring technique in which different shades of a single color are arranged in order from darkest to lightest, gradually fading into each other. Wedding bouquets and centerpieces have now caught on to the trend, and it’s not hard to see why. Aside from the spellbinding way the flower colors bleed into one another, ombre floral arrangements are also an easy choice for brides and florists. Just pick one main color for your wedding flower theme, and your florist can put together a beautiful mix of different flowers that have varying shades of that color. So as soon as you pick your favorite hue, all the work is already cut out for you.

Get the Look: The rich tones and undeniable appeal of this Orange Mixed Bridal Bouquet and its matching centerpiece will bring a whole new spectrum of color to your wedding celebration.

Geometric Wedding Flowers

For ages, artists and designers have been using clean lines and geometric shapes to bring a sleek, sophisticated look to their work—and in 2013, brides are doing the same for their weddings. What’s in vogue for centerpieces this year is to group together round or square vases of varying heights, each filled with one specific kind of flower. Separating the flowers by type into single vases (called monobotanical arrangements) gives you the freedom to create your own trendy color scheme: You can choose to have the same flower color in every vase, or you can color block by choosing a different hue for each container. With each arrangement sitting in a classy, simplistic vase with defined edges, you’ll have a rich, eye-catching centerpiece for your elegant reception.

Get the Look: The individual arrangements of orchids, roses, hydrangeas and lisanthus—all beautifully presented in posh round vases—in this Beach Wedding Centerpiece Package will give your reception table depth, shape and definition.

Modern Vintage Wedding Flowers

“Modern vintage” may be an oxymoron, but it sure does make for a stunning and whimsical wedding flower theme. 2013 brides are taking the dainty, feminine floral designs of bygone eras and launching them into the modern-day world. Picture a sweet, old-fashioned garden party with a fresh new twist: delicate flowers in blush pastel colors, subtle white and gray neutrals, and a mix of aged metallics like gold, silver and pewter. Baby’s breath, peonies, calla lilies, daisies and hydrangeas are the perfect blooms for creating the soft, romantic setup—just like the one you dreamed of as a little girl, wearing Mom’s oversized hat and pearl strands at your imaginary tea party.

Get the Look: The gentle pinks, purples, blues and greens of this Pastel Bridal Party Personal Package—accented with a graceful, flowing white ribbon—are the perfect tones for achieving that something-old, something-new look.

Which 2013 wedding flower trends are your favorites?

These days, DIY brides are always looking for new, creative and inexpensive ideas to help their guests find their places at the table. But sometimes the simplest place cards make for the prettiest, most elegant tablescapes. And what could be more chic than welcoming your loved ones to their seats with a single long-stem flower? For an easy yet stunning way to show your guests where to plant themselves, make these DIY flower place cards!

What You’ll Need to Make DIY Flower Place Cards

Several sheets of white cardstock
Printable place card template
Printer
Paper Trimmer
Hole puncher
Border punch
Ribbon
Mixed bouquet of silk or fresh long-stemmed flowers*

* Make sure you buy enough bouquets so that you have one single flower stem for each of your guests.

How to Make DIY Flower Place Cards

1. Download this free and customizable printable place card template, which has enough place cards for 12 guests. For each card, click on the word “Name” and highlight it. Type in the name of a guest, and then adjust the font size and style to suit your taste. (In order to fit the name on the card, make the font size smaller if the name is long, and larger if the name is short.) You can even add a table number and a personal message too! Once you type the name, make sure there is enough space to punch a single hole into the left edge of the card. If you’d like your place card to have a fancy border, make sure there’s enough space to use a border punch on the right edge of the card too. Repeat for each card, making one card per guest. Feel free to adjust the size of your cards if you want to make them larger or smaller. When all of your guest cards are ready, print the template onto white cardstock.
2.  Use a paper trimmer to cut out the cards along their borders and ensure your cut lines are straight.
3. Take a hole puncher and punch a hole directly at the center of the left-hand edge of each place card.
4. Using a border punch, punch a border along the right-hand edge of each place card.
5. With a scissor, cut one piece of ribbon (about 11-12 inches long) for each card.
6. For each place card, take one piece of ribbon and fold it in half. To attach the ribbon to the card without making a knot, poke the folded end of the ribbon through the hole of the card. Open the folded end of the ribbon to create a loop, and then string the cut ends of the ribbon through the loop. Pull on the cut ends to tighten the ribbon.
7. Now, take a single long-stemmed flower (fresh or silk) out of your bouquet. Trim the flower stem so that the flower is the same size as your guest’s plate.
8. Taking the loose ends of the ribbon on the place card, tie the place card tightly to the stem of the flower. Your flower place card is complete! Place it on your guest’s plate on top of a folded napkin for a ravishing presentation. Repeat step Nos. 6 and 7 for each place card.

These flower place cards don’t just add show-stopping style and romance to your table décor; they also make beautiful and inexpensive takeaway gifts for your friends and family. And they’re not just for fancy weddings, either. DIY flower place cards are perfect for a laid-back picnic, a backyard barbecue, or any outdoor soiree too!

With its clear, sunny skies and its abundant fields of colorful flowers, summertime is every bride’s dream! More flowers are in full bloom now than in any other season, so there’s a whole rainbow of blossoms to choose from for your wedding flowers. Picking in-season blooms doesn’t just ensure that your bridal arrangements are more affordable; it means your flowers can stand up to the heat and stay fresh all day long too! Strong, sturdy blossoms with a waxy texture are best at beating high temps and humidity. Plus, they come in any vibrant color to perfectly match your décor, from happy yellow to sophisticated crimson. To help you pick the right arrangement for your big day, we picked our favorite in-season summer wedding flowers for every theme!

Best Beach Summer Wedding Flowers: Hydrangeas

Reminiscent of the charming, laid-back shores of Cape Cod, hydrangeas are the perfect summer flowers for a mellow seaside wedding. Their blue, pink, purple and white hues add a soothing pop of color to any beach-themed bouquet, plus their large blooms allow you to cut down on the amount of flowers you buy, saving you money. You can make an entire bouquet with just a few stems! Pair them up with roses of any color—especially greens and pinks—for a summer arrangement that’s as light and airy as the ocean breeze.

Best Country Summer Wedding Flowers: Sunflowers

For a rustic wedding with a golden summer glow, there’s no better choice for a bride than a sunflower bouquet and centerpiece. The ideal summer blooms, cheery sunflowers shine rays of happiness and excitement over your big day, whether you’re getting married in a wide open field or in a quaint cottage. Just like hydrangeas, their big, vibrant petals allow you to create an abundant arrangement with half the blooms. Just add a few blue or green accent flowers and you have a perfect bouquet for the sunny, budget-conscious bride!

Best Colorful Summer Wedding Flowers: Gerbera Daisies

Nothing shouts summer louder than bursts of neon color, so bright rainbow-like Gerbera daisies are the perfect pick for the sunny-season bride. They come in every color on the spectrum—like red, orange, yellow, pink, white and more—and they can be mixed-and-matched with any of your favorite blossoms and accents. Vivid yet simple daisies add a major wow-factor to your modern wedding decor without going overboard—and without breaking the bank. These little pops of color are one of the most wallet-friendly flowers around! Continue Reading…

Need ideas for lovely wedding bouquets? Adding color to your bridesmaid bouquets alongside an elegant and white bridal bouquet can really make the bride stand out, even more than she already does!

Colorful Wedding Bouquets

One of the 1800FLOWERS franchise stores in Fairfax, Virginia, family-owned florist Twinbrook Floral Design, designs and creates gorgeous wedding bouquets all year round and shared this beautiful photo of wedding flowers.
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Elegant Suggestions for a Classic & Unique White Wedding

White wedding centerpieces for the reception.

Lauren had the perfect summer wedding. The beautiful bride was married on June 1, 2012 surrounded by serene white floral arrangements and the smell of love and roses. Lauren, a florist herself, has a keen eye for classy flowers and delicate designs. However, as a bride-to-be, she knew that she had to hand over the flower arrangement task to someone else. With a white wedding flowers vision in mind, and considering everything from the cocktail hour to how the flowers would look under LED lighting, Lauren told her team of florists how she wanted everything and left it in their capable hands. She said that in truth, “I must have changed my mind 10 billion times! But I was so happy with the turnout and my decision.” Continue Reading…