Question 1

My wife-to-be and I are getting married next spring, and we'd like our bouquets to be different but also complement each other. Do you have any suggestions?

Accepted Answer

As a florist, I'm very aware of how flowers will look in photos. I always consider the blooms selected, styles and colours as they need to complement each other, or they will look strange when seen in a photograph. I think the same rule applies for two bouquets; they can be sisters and not twins! Lots of people choose to have their favourite flowers in their bouquet, these can be different but in the same colour palette. I always like to reflect a person's personality in their flowers, so maybe one bouquet could be a little larger and wilder than the other. Maybe one could be a cascading bouquet and one front facing, while still keeping within the same colour theme. Bouquets can have wonderful movement, life, and scent, which can be incorporated into two similar but different bouquets.

Question 2

We want beautiful flowers at our wedding, but also want them to be sustainable. Do you have any suggestions on how we can do this?

Accepted Answer

Your wedding flowers play a huge part in your day, as they bring life, scent, colour, emotion and a sense of celebration and occasion. You can have all of this and still be sustainable. Chat with your chosen florist about seasonal options. Blooms that are in season have been grown without the use of extra heat, thus not using power to grow them. Ask them about the methods that they use. A sustainable florist would never use floral foam as it's incredibly bad for the environment. There are compostable and biodegradable alternatives out there and old-fashioned mechanics are now in fashion again. Flower frogs, chicken wire and mossages all work just as well as floral foam and are planet friendly. If you're getting married between February and October, then there is the option to use British farmer's flowers. There is a website called Flowers from the Farm ( www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk ), which lists all local growers. When you choose your florist just ask them where they source their blooms from. Here at Wild and Fabulous Flowers, we try and be as sustainable as possible, and we work with local growers to source seasonal options.

Question 3

What flower trends do you think will be popular in 2023?

Accepted Answer

Next year, we will see more texture rather than just one type of flower, which will add more interest and depth to bridal bouquets. We will see brighter colour choices in 2023 with couples mixing pastels with brighter hues, creating pops of colour. The above will work hand in hand with flower preservation, giving resin blocks and frames more depth and variety to work with.

Question 4

What questions should we ask a florist before booking?

Accepted Answer

Before you make an enquiry the most important thing to do is to spend some time researching the style of flowers that you like. Look at different designs and colours and go with your heart. During your research, you will come across a florist or two whose designs make you smile. These are the ones for you! Give them a ring or drop an email and arrange to have a chat. Before booking, ask the following questions: Are they free on your wedding day? There's not much point running through everything to discover they are already booked. How many weddings are they doing on that day? Some florists can fit in three bookings in a day, so I would question whether this means your flowers could be a little rushed. What is their style? Florists are creative people, and our personality and the way we see flowers will show in our designs. Look at lots of photos to see if the supplier is a match for your big day. Do they deliver, is there a charge and have they worked at your venue before? Depending on how much you are spending on your flowers you may be charged for delivery. This is normal. Florists do not make a fortune out of their flowers, and costs are really high at the moment. It can be an advantage if the florist has been to your venue before. If not, then a good florist will visit the venue and chat with the managers about what they can and cannot do and what time they can have access. Do they use any locally grown flowers? We are lucky to have some amazing local flower farmers near us, so see if your supplier uses these. Ask for in-season flowers as they look so much better than options that should be in bloom months earlier or later. Are they a sustainable florist? It's really important that floral foam is no longer used in the industry. Can I have specific flowers? This is a hard one. I always say to my clients that we can choose a colour palette, and then they have to trust me! Trying to get a particular rose, tulip or peony can be impossible. Depending on weather conditions, some flowers are just not available, but there are so many other wonderful options to choose from, so keep an open mind. Your relationship with your florist needs to be based on trust. They are professionals, and will do their very best for you. Can they take my flowers to a different location on the same day? Some florists will do this but will expect a fee. Be realistic though, if a huge floral installation has been created around a church porch, that is going to have to stay there! If you want to re-use your ceremony flowers for later in the day, then chat through the possibilities with your florist. Do they provide any other décor? Lots of florists have gorgeous candles, lanterns etc, and if you like their flowers, you'll probably have the same taste. It's always worth asking if you can hire them out. Do I need to pay a deposit? Generally yes, you will be sent a booking form and asked for a deposit. Can I change my mind? I ask all my couples a month before to re-send me some images of the flowers they like. It's often the case that they have shifted slightly, but please don't expect to be able to change your mind really close to the wedding day. The florist may well have pre-ordered your flowers and some farmers even grow them specifically for individual weddings. Can I see a mock-up of my bouquet? I would honestly say it's not necessary. The chances are when you book your florist it will be a different season to your wedding day, and so the flowers available will be completely different. Every bride's bouquet is made with care and love and is unique. It would be impossible to recreate the exact bouquet, so as I said before, please trust your florist and then on the day, you will fall in love with not just your new husband or wife but your flowers too.

Question 5

What flowers and colours will be available for our summer wedding?

Accepted Answer

The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing flowers is to always go with the seasons. With sustainability being so important, try and choose locally-grown flowers wherever possible. There are some fantastic local growers out there, head over to Flowers from the Farm ( www.flowersfromthefarm.org.uk ) to see options in your area. If you're getting married in the summer, then you have a huge choice! Early summer flowers, by which I mean June and early July, include peonies, roses, astilbe, lupins, nigella, cornflowers, ammi, delphiniums, honesty seed heads, foxgloves, phlox, sweet peas, snapdragons, jasmine, achillea, alchemilla and orlaya, to name just a few. Flowers from July to early September include hydrangeas, sweet peas, snapdragons, roses, asters, achillea, gladioli, dahlias, chrysanthemums, cosmos, amni, gauras, zinnias, cosmos, rudbeckia, echinacea, scabious, sunflowers, strawflowers, verbena, nerines and many more! As far as colours go, it really is down to the style of wedding you're having. Relaxed nuptial calls for lovely mixtures of colours and textures. These can be soft summery pastels or hot and fiery late summer oranges, pinks and reds. For a more formal wedding, you may choose a more streamlined range. I would say that sometimes a very sharp yellow can look too harsh on a hot summer's day. In my opinion, yellow work best in spring. I always advise my clients to not get too hung up on having a specific flower, but to trust your supplier to create something beautiful within your chosen colour palette. Sometimes specific flowers are not available due to the weather not behaving as it should. When choosing your flowers, you should always go with your heart and trust your florist to create bespoke arrangements for your special day.

Question 6

How can we incorporate Christmas touches into our flowers without it being over the top?

Accepted Answer

Lots of foliage is key to making your Christmas-themed day ooze with the magic of the season. Asparagus fern, pine, spruce, redwood and holly are fantastic options for the basis of your wedding flowers. These can be made into all sorts of things but really stand out as wreaths for your centrepieces or as garlands to adorn lavish staircases and fireplaces. Not to mention, the scent combined with cinnamon sticks is truly delicious! Teamed with seasonal flowers such as hellebores, also known as the Christmas rose, mistletoe and white bouvardia, you can bring the snowy scene to life and create a delicate seasonal themed wedding without being over the top.

FAQs and expert advice about flowers & bouquets