Wedding Flowers

I’ve heard many a Bride feel overwhelmed with the idea of selecting wedding flowers. I think there may be a misconception that you have to know exactly what type of flowers you want before you meet with your floral designer. Personally, I’d be dumbfounded when it comes to this, because I know zero about flowers (except that I really, really like receiving them)

Keep in mind that your floral designer is there to help you create the ambiance and feel you want for your wedding. So just selecting the type of flower or color you want isn’t enough; there’s also texture, scale, and style. Rachel Eakins, owner of Art in Bloom says the first thing she tries to do when meeting with a client is to define the Brides style. What’s the “feel” of the wedding? Spring, fall, winter, summer, vintage, rustic, classic? All of these weddings have a very specific energy and the role of your floral designer is to create the mood of the wedding through flowers.

Any photos you can bring along that catch your eye or can help the floral designer get a feel for your style will be helpful. This includes snapping a photo of your dress if you have it already. The dress tells the floral designer a lot about your style and what textures creations will most likely appeal to you. It’s very helpful to put together a folder with swatches of material, photos, magazine clippings, pieces of ribbon, or textures that you like and bring it to your consultation.

Rachel says the biggest mistake Brides make is trying to put a cost on each item and selecting a florist on that information alone. Remember, your florist is not just selling you stems of flowers, they’re creating custom pieces of art for you and creating a large part of the ambiance for your ceremony and reception. Any vendor that you contact or decide to work with should have a professional approach and respect for you. Don’t be intimidated when it comes to meeting with your florist, this is the time when things really start to take shape and the details of your wedding begin coming together in a way you can visualize.

-Melanie Jaramillo for Essence Wedding Photography

Special thanks to Rachel Eakins owner of Art in Bloom for her help with this tip!