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Wedding
Flowers & Decorations
…The Visual Feast
For your wedding day, you will likely want a variety of stunning
floral designs that echo your chosen colors and style of wedding.
Luckily, you are getting married in the California Central Coast
where, due to our near perfect weather, an abundance of wholesale
flower growers are located. This means that you have lots of very
fresh flowers available from which to choose!
Bouquets, Corsages, Etc.
Work with your selected florist to choose the flower types and colors
for your bouquets, as well as the style of wedding bouquet that
would best compliment your gown and wedding style/theme. Peruse
bridal magazines and your florist's portfolio for ideas. At a minimum,
you will need your bridal bouquet, a tossing bouquet (optional),
and attendant bouquets. Then select boutonnieres for the men using
a single flower found in your bouquet. Generally the men's boutonnieres
are all the same; however, you may use the same flower but of a
different color or a different flower to make your Groom's boutonniere
special. You may also want corsages and boutonnieres for the immediate
family and special guests.
Ceremony Site Decorations
Despite the beauty of the setting you've selected for your ceremony,
you will likely want some additional wedding decorations. If you
are having a church wedding, try a floral spray for the altar, topiaries
at the entrance to the altar and the church, and floral or fabric
aisle decorations. If your wedding is in a garden setting, your
decoration needs will likely be minimal. Maybe a floral spray over
the arbor or gazebo, with a trailing ivy garland intertwined with
tulle and accent flowers, plus bows on the aisle chairs. There are
many options and the choice is yours. Ask your wedding site coordinator
for photos of previous weddings. Decorations used by previous brides
will help to give you decorating ideas and help you to visualize
your chosen decorations at the site. Ask your florist/decorator
to visit the site with you (with a tape measure) so that they have
the required dimensions and understand any physical limitations
of the site.
Reception Site Decorations
There are so many decorating possibilities at the reception site
that your imagination and your pocketbook are the only limiting
factors. Check bridal books and magazines for reception decorating
ideas. Get to know fabric styles, colors, and weights for your table
and chair covers. Consider swags, tassels, drapes. Stick with elegant
white tablecloths or dress the table up with the Scottish plaid
of your ancestors. Try contrasting table toppers and/or napkins.
Have your florist design floral centerpieces or use live plants,
mirrors with candles and a single rose. Just keep in mind the style/theme
that you have previously set for your wedding…your chosen style
is the one thread of continuity among all the elements of your wedding.
Discuss decoration of the food and drink service tables with your
florist - high quality florists can provide a stunning presentation
upon request. Be sure to give special decorating attention to the
head table, cake table, and guest book table, as these are focal
points of the reception. One cost saving trick is to incorporate
the bouquets into the head table decorations. Your florist may have
special weighted vases designed specially for this purpose!
The Paperwork
As with all of your wedding service providers, obtain a contract
from your florist. It should list the number and type of bouquets
and boutonnieres to be provided along with details about other flowers
to be provided - vases of flowers for special tables, dining table
centerpieces, wedding cake decorations, and a spray over your arbor
or gazebo. It should also discuss the proposed delivery date and
time.
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