Ask any photographer or wedding planner and they will tell you the same thing, flowers make the wedding.  Your wedding flowers and decorations will add a beautiful ambience to your wedding and reception.   Before choosing a florist, you should start by setting an initial price range.  For a modest-sized, fresh flower wedding, you should expect to spend $1,200-$3,000.  Even though any flower can be used for your wedding theme, some exotic flowers will double the cost of your floral budget.  Roses are the norm for most weddings and can be the least expensive.  As with any flower, even roses have more exotic flavors that can increase the price.  Also, if you are having your wedding near certain holidays or special dates, such as Mother's Day or Valentines Day, expect to pay  25% more.
     Once you have an idea of what your budget is and the style you are looking for, start your search for a qualified florist that specializes in weddings.  Begin with florists who have a website so you may view recent images of their work.  This will allow you to see if their style matches your ideas before setting a consultation.  Don't be tempted to do the floral design yourself or have a friend do it.  Unless they are a professional florist, the results may be very poor in quality.  Wedding florists also have access to special-order exotic flowers and a full array of decoration equipment.

 
FLOWERS & DECORATIONS
When inquiring over the phone with a florist, ask if they specialize in fresh, silk or both types of flowers.  Arrangements and bouquets can be a composite of both fresh and silk.  After an initial phone consultation, set an appointment with the florist(s) who fit your specifications best.  Communicate to the florist your vision of the mood and style of your wedding.  If you see a design in a magazine that you like, bring it to the florist and request that they reproduce it.  A professional florist will be able to reproduce any image of a design or bouquet.  Your wedding should have a central color theme and style which is consistent throughout all aspects of your flowers and decorations.  When discussing your wedding colors, always provide your florist with swatches or a sample of the exact color you wish to match.

THE BRIDE'S BOUQUET
The center of attention will be the bride's bouquet.  It will be the most viewed and photographed all of the wedding flowers.  The most exotic and largest number of flowers should be used in your bouquet.  Some contrast should exist between your wedding dress and bouquet.  Your wedding flowers should not be solid white if your dress is white or a very light color.  Bouquets that are similar in color to your wedding dress will not show up well in your photographs.  This should also be considered when choosing the colors for your bridesmaids' bouquets.  Their bouquets should compliment their dresses, not blend into them.
     There are several types of bouquets to choose from, each with their own shape and style. Popular bouquet styles include the nosegay and the classic hand-tied.  Both styles are similar, usually a round cluster of flowers cut to equal length and either wrapped with ribbon, wired or placed in a hand held base.  Other styles include the cascade, beidermeier and the composite.
     Depending on the type and size of the individual flowers used, a bride's bouquet will contain between 12-24 flowers.  The bridesmaids' bouquets should be approximately 30% smaller than the bride’s.  Flower girls usually carry a decorated basket with rose petals or a flower-covered ball called a pomander, which is suspended from a ribbon.  The groom's boutonnière should have a flower that matches the bride's bouquet.  Popular wedding flowers include roses, casa blanca lilies, day lilies, stephanotises, tulips, calla lilies, lily of the valley, hydrangeas, peony, ranunculus, gardenias, irises and daisies.
 

FINALIZING EVERYTHING
Once you have chosen a florist, make sure to sign an itemized contract specifying everything the florist will be providing.  The quantity, types of flowers to be used, decoration equipment that will be provided, and a deposit/payment schedule should all be detailed on the contract.  Any changes, removals or add-ons that you make to the original agreement should be submitted to the florist in writing, as far in advance as possible.  Your florist should handle the delivery, setup and tear-down of all the decorations, unless other arrangements are agreed on.  Also, inquire if your florist or an assistant will personally attend the wedding and supervise all the small details.  These include pinning on the corsages and boutonnières, and seeing to it that the candles are lit at the appropriate time.  Remember, your flowers are the key to the theme and atmosphere of your wedding. Be sure to hire a florist and decorator who shares the same vision as you.
 

For more information, a detailed floral checklist and pictures of over 20 of the most popular bouquet designs, please visit one of our distribution vendors for your copy of Original Bride.