Wedding Flower Checklist
When you think of wedding flowers, you probably think of your bouquet and the centerpieces. But there are so many other arrangements you need to talk about with your florist! Our wedding flower checklist will help you prepare inspiration and a realistic budget for your florist appointment.
Ceremony
Wedding receptions tend to get more love when planning a wedding, even though the reason for celebrating is because of the ceremony! When it comes to flowers, though, the majority will go toward your ceremony.
High Five for Love
Pew Decorations
Whether you’re getting married in a church, outside, or at another venue, you should consider decorating the seating. Hang jars filled with wildflowers from hooks stuck in the ground. Drape garland along the back of the seats. Or, place wreaths on reserved seats for parents and grandparents. You may even want to line the aisle or create an intricate design with petals!
Grandparents & Parents Corsages
Though this day is all about you, it’s nice to honor your parents and grandparents. Especially because they most likely did so much to help you plan! Gifting them with a corsage or boutonniere not only gives them a precious keepsake to save from this momentous day. It also makes it easy for guests who may not know your parents to recognize and congratulate them.
Groom & Groomsmen Boutonnieres
Though modern grooms have been adorning their suits/tuxes with unique boutonnieres like feathers, sea shells, pinwheels, and pins, flowers are the more traditional route. Just be sure that the groom’s boutonniere doesn’t exactly match this groomsmen’s. The groom’s should be slightly larger and more prominent.
Sabrina Hall Photography
Altar Arrangements or Arch
If you’re getting married in a church, you may want to place floral arrangements around the altar. Ask the church staff for guidelines before coming up with a vision, though. They may have restrictions on where you can place arrangements. For couples getting married outside of the church, consider weaving flowers through an arch or creating a flower hedge as a backdrop. For Jewish and Indian couples, the Chuppah and Mandap offer the perfect base to accessorize the pillars, tie back drapes, or outline the structure using flowers.
Flower Girl Petals & Basket
Don’t forget to order spare petals for your flower girl! Rose petals are most commonly tossed down the aisle, but you can get creative by using eucalyptus leaves or boxwood, instead! If you’re getting married in the fall, filling your flower girl’s basket with brightly colored autumn leaves is unique, beautiful, and budget-friendly! Ask your florist which flower he or she recommends.
Danielle Harris Photography
Bridesmaid & Bridal Bouquet
Traditionally, the bridesmaids’ bouquets are just smaller versions of the bride’s. Lately, though, brides have started to differentiate themselves by having the bridesmaids carry bouquets in different colors than their own, creating a bouquet made up entirely of the same flower (like the ever-popular baby’s breath bouquets), or giving them a unique way to carry the flowers. A metallic hoop with a cluster of flowers has become a new trend that brides are embracing more and more.
When choosing your bridal bouquet, try to avoid meeting your florist 100% set on a vision. Use images from Pinterest and magazines to come up with a list of flowers, ideas, shapes, and colors you like. Then let your florist get creative and make you a one-of-a-kind bouquet based on your likes.
Reception
Toss Bouquet
If you plan to have a traditional bouquet toss, you’ll want a smaller replica of your bouquet to toss to the crowd rather than toss your own. By tossing a bouquet that resembles your own, you’re ensuring that the woman who catches it will remember exactly which wedding it’s from. Talk to your florist about cheaper flower options that have a similar feel to your own for this bouquet.
Not a fan of the traditional bouquet toss? Check out these alternatives!
Erich McVey Photography
Katherine Ashdown Photography
Centerpieces
Besides your bouquet, centerpieces are the one place where flowers shine the most! It’s also one aspect of your wedding decor that your guests will notice above all else. These flowers should complement your color scheme, linens, flatware. Don’t forget to order or rent pedestals, vases, crates, or other containers to display them in! Keep your table number in mind when coming up with a design for your centerpieces. They’ll need to displayed together, so neither should overwhelm the other, and their styles shouldn’t clash.
Check out these centerpiece ideas we love!
Cake Topper/Adornments
Though you may want your bakery to make sugar or fondant flowers for your cake, you can also add fresh flowers! Flowing down the tiers, wrapped around each layer, or creating a unique cake topper, this option will require communication between your bakery and florist.
Others
Koman Fine Art Photography
Krista A Jones Photography
Headpieces
Flowers can be incorporated into a flower crown for you, your bridesmaids, and/or your flower girl. You can also attach flowers to a hair clip or barrette, or even weave them into a braid!
Floral walls
Floral walls are becoming a huge trend at weddings! While boxwood hedges are most commonly seen for these, you can also create a beautiful display of color and texture by incorporating flowers. Typically, these are available at your local rental company rather than a florist.
Rebekah J Murray Photography
Chandeliers
Hanging flowers from the ceiling or wrapping a chandelier in ivy draws the eye up, maximizing your venue space. Not to mention they look gorgeous in photos!
When ordering the flowers for your wedding day, talk to your florist about any concerns you may have regarding bugs or allergies. They are experts and will be able to suggest alternatives. Though they should know exactly what you need for your wedding, it helps to go in prepared. Take this list to ensure you don’t forget a thing!
