Harper Blog
Ordering Wedding Flowers
Tips on ordering the flowers for your wedding
Besides yourselves, your flowers will be one of the most photographed features of your wedding, so it is very important that you choose floral decorations and bouquets that match your overall wedding theme and style of your wedding venue.
Spending so much money ordering wedding flowers may seem daunting, but a floral specialist will know the latest trends and will be able to suggest ideas that complement the theme and feel you’re aiming for on the day. However, be realistic with your wedding budget and have an open mind about flower combinations – not all varieties are available all year round. Search for wedding florists who are local to the area and who know your venue well; there is likely to be a recommended suppliers list at your venue, and this is usually the best place to start looking and make sure you visit wedding supplier and get to know them a little; you need to trust your suppliers and know that they’re on the same wavelength as you and understand your visions for your day. Also, think about whether you want to hire faux wedding flowers from a budget conscious point of view, or if you’d rather have fresh flowers to re-use and take away with you once the wedding is over.
Planning the flowers for your wedding venue
5 questions to think about when it comes to planning the flowers you need to order for your wedding venue…
How significant flowers are in the context of your day?
How much dressing does your wedding venue need?
Does your colour scheme dictate various blooms?
Seasonality of particular blooms – consider the cost ramifications of this.
Candles and other ‘sparkle’ – what else can your florist provide?
Decorating your wedding venue with flowers
A list of the different styles of wedding flowers you may need to order for the big day.
The entrance to the wedding venue
Pedestal/plinth arrangements
Outdoor structures
Registrar table
Button-holes and corsages
Bridal bouquet
Bridesmaid bouquets
Petals for a flower girl to scatter
Petals to decorate the aisle
Arrangements down the aisle
Decorate stair cases, both inside and out
Reception table centerpiece arrangements
Unique top table arrangements
Flowers for the bridal suite
Flowers for the cake
Flowers for the front of the wedding car
Thank you gifts for mothers
Top tip:
Browse Pinterest or a variety of real wedding stories to gain ideas and inspiration on how previous couples chose to decorate their weddings, florally.
Wedding flowers and their meanings
You may never have thought that flowers have meanings behind them, but they do. These days, couples hire a wedding florist to decorate their venue with a specific floral theme or colour, but to know the true meaning behind the flowers you’re choosing, might just change your mind.
Below, we’ve listed a selection of popular wedding flowers along with their traditional meanings.
Azalea – True to the end
Camellia – Perfect love
Carnation (Red) – Admiration
Carnation (White) – Sweet and lovely
Daffodil – New beginnings
Gardenia – Purity, joy and sweetness
Iris – Hope and wisdom
Jasmine – Sensuality
Lemon Blossom – Fidelity
Lily of the Valley – Happiness
Rose (Red) – I love you
Stephanotis – Marital happiness
Tulip (Red) – Love
Tulip (Yellow)- Sunshine of my life
Violet – Faithfulness
Hydrangea – Heartfelt emotions
Peony – Happy life and marriage
Lavender – Devotion
Tips on ordering the flowers for your wedding
Besides yourselves, your flowers will be one of the most photographed features of your wedding, so it is very important that you choose floral decorations and bouquets that match your overall wedding theme and style of your wedding venue.
Spending so much money ordering wedding flowers may seem daunting, but a floral specialist will know the latest trends and will be able to suggest ideas that complement the theme and feel you’re aiming for on the day. However, be realistic with your wedding budget and have an open mind about flower combinations – not all varieties are available all year round. Search for wedding florists who are local to the area and who know your venue well; there is likely to be a recommended suppliers list at your venue, and this is usually the best place to start looking and make sure you visit wedding supplier and get to know them a little; you need to trust your suppliers and know that they’re on the same wavelength as you and understand your visions for your day. Also, think about whether you want to hire faux wedding flowers from a budget conscious point of view, or if you’d rather have fresh flowers to re-use and take away with you once the wedding is over.
Planning the flowers for your wedding venue
5 questions to think about when it comes to planning the flowers you need to order for your wedding venue…
How significant flowers are in the context of your day?
How much dressing does your wedding venue need?
Does your colour scheme dictate various blooms?
Seasonality of particular blooms – consider the cost ramifications of this.
Candles and other ‘sparkle’ – what else can your florist provide?
Decorating your wedding venue with flowers
A list of the different styles of wedding flowers you may need to order for the big day.
The entrance to the wedding venue
Pedestal/plinth arrangements
Outdoor structures
Registrar table
Button-holes and corsages
Bridal bouquet
Bridesmaid bouquets
Petals for a flower girl to scatter
Petals to decorate the aisle
Arrangements down the aisle
Decorate stair cases, both inside and out
Reception table centerpiece arrangements
Unique top table arrangements
Flowers for the bridal suite
Flowers for the cake
Flowers for the front of the wedding car
Thank you gifts for mothers
Top tip:
Browse Pinterest or a variety of real wedding stories to gain ideas and inspiration on how previous couples chose to decorate their weddings, florally.
Wedding flowers and their meanings
You may never have thought that flowers have meanings behind them, but they do. These days, couples hire a wedding florist to decorate their venue with a specific floral theme or colour, but to know the true meaning behind the flowers you’re choosing, might just change your mind.
Below, we’ve listed a selection of popular wedding flowers along with their traditional meanings.
Azalea – True to the end
Camellia – Perfect love
Carnation (Red) – Admiration
Carnation (White) – Sweet and lovely
Daffodil – New beginnings
Gardenia – Purity, joy and sweetness
Iris – Hope and wisdom
Jasmine – Sensuality
Lemon Blossom – Fidelity
Lily of the Valley – Happiness
Rose (Red) – I love you
Stephanotis – Marital happiness
Tulip (Red) – Love
Tulip (Yellow)- Sunshine of my life
Violet – Faithfulness
Hydrangea – Heartfelt emotions
Peony – Happy life and marriage
Lavender – Devotion