Wedding flowers are an integral and wonderful part of any wedding. They aren’t just limited to the traditional bride and bridesmaids flower bouquets but they can also be a significant part of your entire wedding décor.
They can add softness, colour and romance to your special day and are present when guests arrive to welcome them and help build anticipation of the wedding to shortly come.
The flowers chosen reflect your own personal style and taste and they can set the tone for the entire wedding day – so they can have an amazing and lasting impact.
Organising wedding flowers however, may seem daunting and can be overlooked in the process of wedding planning.
To help you plan we've put together a complete wedding flower checklist, which includes:
- Aisle Flowers/Aisle Markers
- Arbour/Arch Arrangement
- Bridal Bouquet
- Bridesmaids' Bouquets
- Bridal Toss Bouquet
- Boutonnieres
- Corsages
- Table Arrangements/Centrepieces
- Tossing Petals For Guests/Confetti
- Wedding Favours/Bonbonnieres
- Wedding Cake Flowers
- Welcome Sign Flowers
As you read, keep in mind, that these are your wedding flowers - for your wedding – and every wedding is unique.
What flowers you ultimately choose will depend on many factors and can include your own wedding style or theme, colour scheme, the setting of your wedding, your personal taste and the all important budget you have.
So, without delay, let's get started!
Aisle Flowers/Aisle Markers
Aisle flowers are a small front facing posy usually tied with a ribbon and attached to the aisle chair or the end of a pew. They are a simple but a wonderful ceremony decoration that adds atmosphere and sets the scene for arriving guests.
They are used to define the path that will lead the bride to the groom, but it also gives a finished, professional look to your decor. Often used in combination with floral arches/arbours they visually lead the eye towards it.
Arbour/Arch Arrangement
Arbours/Arches are a popular wedding feature and can be used as a focal point during the wedding ceremony. They are often decorated with flowers and can look stunning.
Wedding arches have various meanings – they are seen as a symbol of the future home the bride and groom will start their family in. Walking through an archway can represent renewal or moving from the old to a new way of life.
Bridal Bouquet
The classic and traditional bridal bouquet is an arranged bunch of flowers tied together and held by the bride as she walks down the aisle. The style, shape, make up and colour scheme often complements the style of the brides dress and the overall theme of the wedding.
It is generally considered to be the most important aspect of the wedding flowers. It may be complemented with a floral crown or headband or hair/veil flowers.
Bridesmaids' Bouquets
A bridesmaids' bouquet is collections of flowers held by the bridesmaids as they walk down the aisle and stand beside the bride during the ceremony. The bridesmaids' bouquets should coordinate with the wedding dress and match with the style and colour palette of the wedding.
It's important to choose flowers that will complement the bride and the bridesmaids' dresses. Bridesmaid bouquets can also be a great way to incorporate each of their personalities as part of your wedding theme.
Bridal Toss Bouquet
Tossing the bouquet is a tradition that originated in England. After the wedding, women used to try and rip pieces of the bride's dress or bouquet as these were believed to bring good luck and fortune.
To escape this the bride would toss or throw her bouquet into the crowd of guests and run away! Quite different today but the tradition of tossing the bouquet has continued and remains a special wedding event and often signifies the end of the wedding.
Today the bouquet is usually tossed to single women believing that the person to catch it will be the next to marry. Often the bride will have a smaller second bouquet (called a throw bouquet) made for this purpose so she can keep her original one.
Boutonnieres
Boutonnieres are a single or small flower arrangement worn on the lapel of a suit jacket or tuxedo. A traditional boutonniere is usually smaller than the bride's bouquet and features a cluster of small blooms with leafy accents like ferns or baby breath.
For something more modern, try using silk flowers instead; they're just as beautiful but won't wilt as quickly after the ceremony.
Boutonnieres include:
- Groom’s boutonniere
- Groomsmen’s boutonnieres
- Ring bearer’s boutonniere
- Father of the bride’s boutonniere
- Father of the groom’s boutonniere
- Grandfathers’ boutonnieres
- Marriage official’s boutonniere
- Ushers’ boutonnieres
Corsages
A corsage is a single flower or small flower arrangement worn as part of a woman’s outfit. It is usually attached to an elastic band/strap and worn on the wrist (usually the left wrist). Alternatively, it may also be pinned to the strap of a dress.
Corsages include:
- Mother of the bride’s corsage
- Mother of the groom’s corsage
- Grandmothers’ corsage
Table Arrangements/Centrepieces
Table arrangements are an important part of wedding décor. They help to set or continue the theme of the decorations and provide extra decorations to the room they are placed in. They add colour and create atmosphere. They may be placed on tables or used as a centrepiece - a highlight or focal point.
They can be used in different ways depending on the setting of the wedding for example one large arrangement on each guest table or on the wedding party’s table or placed on a separate table in the reception/dining area.
Tossing Petals For Guests/Confetti
Petal tossing in weddings traditionally came from the idea of fertility. The tradition remains but the petals should be tossed up and in front of the couple, not directly at the couple.
Rose petals are the most common petals used but other petals may also be used as well as alternatives including dried leaves, rice and other options. While confetti is traditionally thrown many wedding venues now ban this due to environmental concerns.
Wedding Favours/Bonbonnieres
Wedding Favours (or bonbonnieres) are small gifts that are given to wedding guests to say thank you for their attendance and for being part of and their special day. They also make a great table decoration and so become part of the wedding décor.
While there are many different options, a small flower posy is a lovely option and if made using dried/preserved flowers they will be long lasting and be a great memento/keep sake for guests to enjoy.
Wedding Cake Flowers
Fresh or dried/preserved flowers may be placed on the top or on the tires of wedding cake as a beautiful decoration and and alternative to decorations made from royal icing. Wedding flowers are sure to wow guests as they enter the reception venue and are a great way to highlight key elements of your wedding theme.
Welcome Sign Flowers
There is nothing quite like a beautiful arrangement pleased in the entryway or on a welcome table to greet arriving guests. A welcome sign is one of the first things your guests will see when the arrive at your wedding so why not make a great first impression with welcome sign flowers.
Additional Flowers Options
There are other options for the use of flowers at weddings and they are mentioned briefly below:
- Cocktail table arrangements
- Gift table arrangements
- Bar arrangements
- Bride’s and groom’s chair decorations
- Buffet-table/food-station arrangements
- Lounge area arrangements
- Powder room decorations
- Getaway car arrangements
So there you have it! The Complete Wedding Flower Checklist
The A – Z of the what, why and where of wedding flowers.
Below are three tiers or levels of what flowers you might consider having at your wedding. Categorised in terms of budget, they start with the essentials needed at any wedding, followed by the next level up and ending with a deluxe option that includes all the bells and whistles:
We wish you all the best with your wedding planning! We hope that this guide has given you some help and insight into choosing what flowers you would like to have at your wedding.
Want To Know More?
If you are looking for long-lasting wedding flowers that you can keep for years after your wedding day, feel free to enquire about our wedding flower packages. Here at Milla Rose, our expertise is in dried and preserved wedding flowers and we offer a range of options to suit your needs. Click here to enquire now.
If you would like more information about wedding flowers, please see our other articles below: