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Flowers and Gifts
The Function of Floral Decoration Floral Effect:
One thing fresh flowers add to your
wedding that no other decorations do, no matter how beautiful, is the
fragrance of natural blossoms. The scent allows another sense to be
engaged in appreciation the delightful environment created for your celebration.
But, as you know, too much of anything can be, well, too much. While it is
expected for some people to become teary eyed at a wedding, you want that to be
caused by overpowering emotion not by overwhelming flower scent. With this
in mind, you should go lightly on flowers with the most fragrance. These
include freesia, gardenias, lilies, lilies of the valley lilacs, and
tuberoses. Certainly, if you or someone else in the wedding party is known
to be allergic to a particular variety of flower, you should stipulate that it
The Wedding Flowers Order: The basic standard includes: -A bouquet for the bride -centerpieces for the dinner tables,
-arrangements for the chuppah,
including the
aisle
-arrangements flanking the kallah
chair. It is also common to have flowers for:
-
boutonnieres
for the groom, the fathers, and brothers - corsages for mothers and married sisters,
-
bouquets for
other females who walk down the aisle.
Flowers
can also be used to decorate:
-the place card table - cake table -buffet tables -the entranceways, - platters and cakes
- individual place settings
- the restrooms and lounge
Flowers beyond the wedding: - arrangements to be delivered to both sets of parents - to your shadchan to the hostesses of sheva brachos
Some even order fresh flowers to for hair decorations. Bear in mind, though, that you would need precise measurements for wreaths if they are to look right, and you would not have them in hand until the day of the wedding.
You can opt to have flowers for all of the above with less to spend on each individual arrangement, or you can choose to forego some of the extras to concentrate on the bouquet and centerpieces. Based on your priorities, you could come up with how you plan to allocate your flower budget. The piece of advice you will generally find is that given a choice between flowers at your ceremony versus flowers at the reception, you should concentrate on the latter, as your guests will be there for much longer. But there are way to get more out of your flowers that you can discuss with your florist. . A florist should also not push the most expensive options on you but come up with ideas and alternatives to maximize the floral effects within your budget. There are many options and various possibilities in many price points. Though you would find some standardization among FTD florists, floral arrangement styles and prices vary widely. You will find some florists that offer bouquets starting at $50, while others, promising a more customized approach are priced at $150 to $300 with similar prices for centerpieces. Corsages start at about $10. To assess which price point you will take for your wedding, you have to know what are the differences in choice of flowers, size, and labor involved in the design. Realize what you are paying for in hiring the florist. With the exception of some rare exotic varieties, most flowers do not cost more than a couple of dollars a stem. So what you are paying for is not so much the flowers themselves as the artistic talent, skill, and labor that goes into designing and constructing the floral arrangements. Plus there is the cost of the florist’s overhead, including the rental space, delivery vans, and insurance. It takes expertise to arrange flowers in a way that will show off their beauty and keep them fresh throughout the wedding
Points to discuss with florist: First of all be sure that you are not on the meter for a consultations. Some florists charge a consultation fee to compensate themselves for the time spent with people who end up getting their wedding flowers elsewhere. But you may not want to commit to the florist until you actually talk to him/her. So seek out someone who is available to talk with you at no charge. If you have total confidence in your florist, you can present your budget, number of expected guests, color scheme, and general style preferences but leave the selection of specific flowers to him/her Then your florist can make the arrangements from the most economical choices for the time of your wedding. If there is anything you specifically don’t want, say a type of flower that makes you sneeze, or a color you have never cared for, be sure to make that clear.
Questions to ask the florist at initial meeting: Can you offer an estimate and description of flowers that would cover a wedding of my specified size within my budget? If the flowers I prefer become unavailable or too costly to fit the budget, what would you substitute? If you would find a particular substitution unacceptable, make your position clear. What is the payment schedule? What is your cancellation or refund policy? Can you provide all the accessories, such as vases, columns, potted trees, kallah chair, and a chupah if needed? Do you have photographs or samples of arrangement you’ve made for previous weddings? Here you want to see the florists actual work rather than the boiler plate FTD book. Which grade of roses do you use? Which flowers are in season on the wedding date? Which ones would fit the style and color you want to set for the wedding? Are you familiar with the site of the wedding? If not, will you take a trip to look it over some time before the wedding? How long does delivery and setup take, what time will be scheduled for the wedding given the start time for photography? How is the freshness of the flowers ensured? Do you work with silk flowers? This increases your options and can greatly reduce cost, particularly if the florist rents arrangements. Even if you want only fresh flowers at your wedding, you may wish to request a copy of your bouquet in silk as a keepsake. While there are services to preserve wedding bouquets, they are very expensive and require that the bouquet be delivered to the preserver immediately after the wedding. And even with the costly techniques, not every type of flower can be preserved.
The next step If your first meeting went well, and you find you could work with this florist to achieve what you want within your budget then you can schedule a second meeting to get more precise figures based on your more exact numbers for centerpieces, arrangements, bouquets, and other floral accessories. For this meeting, the florist should be prepared with a proposal that itemizes the number and types of arrangements, the types of flowers to be used, and the cost for materials and labor, including setup. The florist should also offer you sketches or photos of any custom arrangements you requested.
Then you would discuss the floral plan and budget to bring the two in sync. You may decide to add on a couple of hundred dollars to assure you have everything as you planned, or you may have to substitute some more economical alternatives to keep to the budget. Your florist should be able to suggest what could work for the effect you want. Once you’ve settled on that you will draw up a contract or written agreement that includes all of the points below.
What to get in writing:
-Everything that is to be sent should be included and itemized. That means you specify each and every arrangement, bouquet, corsage, and boutonniere down to the size, color, and type of flower used. -Clarify what substitutions are acceptable and stipulate what are not. For example, if you are allergic to a particular type of flower or have an aversion to a particular shade of pink. - Exact time, location and dates for the wedding, as well as the specific delivery times should be clearly delineated. You want your flowers to arrive before the photographer does so that your bouquet and floral backdrops could be used in your portrait poses. - Specifications of retrieval if you are renting arrangements or other accessories from the florist that will have to be returned. - The total cost, including sales tax, delivery charges, pick up charges, overtime, and gratuities. - The payment terms, deposit amount, and balance due with dates specified. - The refund/cancellation policy. -The name of your contact at the florist with a number at which he can be reached on the day of the wedding.
Name That Bloom
“A rose is a rose is a rose,” is Gertrude Stein’s observation. In fact, though, there are many different varieties and qualities of roses. Roses in California are ranked in three grades, from best to worst, they are: Select, Extra Fancy, and Fancy. Fancy is the type that sells for $10 a dozen in supermarkets. A wedding bouquet should be made out of only the best quality roses, which will cost more. The look and color of your roses will vary by type. So instead of telling your florist you want “bridal white” roses, think about what shade of white your own gown will be and the color accents you would like in your flowers and ask for a rose by its specific name.
WHITE ROSES:
Akito elegant shape, smaller
size with a snowy white color, no fragrance. Bianca medium size, rounded bud, translucent rice white color Clear Ocean: larger size, fragrant, soft ivory color, opens wide Escimo delicate smaller size, pure diamond white, opens well Sahara warm ivory-ecru, rounded petals, opens full Tineke medium size, pointed bud, cool greenish-white, holds well Vendela creamy white, large size, slight curl to the petals, no fragrance. Virginia has large ivory petal; the outer ones feature a pink blaze.
PINK ROSES
Anna a creamy, cameo pink Bianca Candy a very soft, cotton candy pink color. Bridal Pink not as soft a shade as you might expect. Charming Unique has a graceful, tall bud that opens in a medium, warm pink color.
Delores: soft pink. Livia a delicate, shell pink.
RED ROSES Black Baccara & Black Magic Rose a deep burgundy color with a velvety texture. Charlotte medium size with deep red petals Classy is a medium to large bloom with a color tending toward burgundy. First Red a medium size with deep red petals. Grand Gala a large bloom, clear red in color. Nicole a bi-color, white with a thick red tip; it has a very high petal count.
Rolex very deep red rose
with rich texture; very large heads with curled petals
More rose colors and varieties to consider: Aalsmeergold a bright yellow long-stemmed variety. Ambiance golden yellow with fuschia tips, very full petals. Blue Bird lavender rose with a rounded shape. Darling creamy peach color Judy Rose is one of the largest of the yellow varieties, with a soft, buttery color. Konfetti has yellow petals with a red edge. Leonidas known as 'the chocolate rose' for its cocoa color. Osiana long-stemmed, a rich peach color that opens very fully; it has fragrance. Pacific Blue is a light, antique lavender with a ruffled shape. Versilia apricot-peach color with a large head.
Flowers rise in price near certain holidays. For example, you may note a hike in flower prices just before Mother’s Day. Likewise, roses are at a premium in the first half of February. While roses are a classic choice for wedding flowers, they are not the only option for beautiful blooms. And it is more practical to alter your choice of flowers than to alter you wedding date .Expand your options by considering some of the following flowers when affordably available:
Alstromeria lilies: a miniature flower available in over 20 different shades. The small size makes these a good choice for bouquets, corsages, or centerpieces.
Carnations: these hardy, inexpensive flowers can work well for the arrangements about the chupah in their full size version or for centerpieces and flower girl bouquets in their miniature version.
Chrystanthemums: come in
many colors and can fill in volume for chupah arrangements.
Daisies (Gerbera) - There are a number of varieties from a single petal to a double petal. The bright colors and varying sizes of this flower make them suitable for use in bouquets and arrangements, particularly for color accent.
Freesia: a small flower available in white, pink, red, yellow, orange, and lavender. It can take the place of the more expensive stephanotis, traditionally used for wedding bouquets and centerpieces.
Gladiolus: long-stalked flower that can add colorful height for your chupah arrangements or be gathered into an arm bouquet. Colors range from from white to deep red.
Hydrangia: in season during the summer, many small blooms cluster together on a stem to form a natural, small nosegay. Colors include white, pink, blue, and purple in varying shades.
Ranunculus: can substitute for roses, as it resembles them and is more affordable, especially in February and March when roses peak in price. Colors available include reds, pinks, and yellows.
Seasonality does not automatically translate into savings, as certain flowers are costly even when in season. So do speak to your florist about different seasonal options. It is the florist’s expertise, after all that provides you with a value added above the individual stems. It takes expertise to make arrange flowers in a way that will allow them to keep their freshness throughout the wedding. It takes skill and art to combine flowers in fresh new ways for unique wedding arrangements. An understanding of the terms of the trade could help you appreciate which arrangements require more labor and skill.
Glossary of Terms for Flowers Worn or Carried
Arm or Crescent: Flowers are nestled over the arm.
Assembled in Foam: Flowers are held in florist’s foam that is placed in a plastic holder. This form of construction is less labor intensive than wiring.
Biedermeir:
A tight, rounded bouquet made up of
concentric circles of blossoms. Using different flowers for each circle can give
a striped effect. Boutonniere: Flowers worn on the lapel by the groom and the male members of the family. Bigger is not better, in this case, and some men may opt out altogether.
Cascade:
A bouquet anchored in a hand-held base.
Flowers and greenery hang or "cascade" down the front.
Colonial: Large bouquet of the same shape as a nosegay.
Composite: Individual petals and leaves are wired and put together to create the appearance of a single giant blossom. Give the labor involved, this method results in a rather expensive bouquet.
Corsages: Flowers usually worn by the mothers of the bride, as well as grandmothers and married sisters. They could either be pinned to the dress or worn on the wrist. They should not be so large so as to actually cover a great part of the outfit or of a color that would clash with it.
Hand-Tied: The stems of the flowers are tied together with ribbon or tulle. That would be the method used for an arm bouquet.
Mono-botanical: all one type of flower.
Pomander: The flowers form a small ball, often carried by a loop of ribbon. This bouquet is often carried by flower girls.
Posies: small scale nosegays
made up of buds. Presentation or Pageant: a bunch of long-stemmed flowers cradled in the bride's arms.
Single Stem: one long-stemmed flower, which may have ribbons around the stem is carried; a good complement to a minimalist style gown.
Sprays: flowers gathered in a triangular-shaped cluster.
Tussy-mussies: a Victorian style of nosegay carried in a silver cone holder.
Wired: The top part of the flower is removed from most of its stem. Wire is threaded through the top of its stem, allowing the flower to be twisted and turned to form the bouquet’s shape
Wristlet: This small flower bouquet worn on the wrist.
Harmony in Flowers to Enhance Your Wedding Look
Wedding gown color and style set the tone for wedding flowers. Would you define your style as classic, dramatic, modern, quaint, or whimsical? Do you picture everything in snowy white, including the flowers, or do you want splashes of color? Think of which colors will coordinate with those that will be worn. For example, if your sisters wear burgundy, flowers in shades of red may clash. If your own gown is ivory, you can find flowers of the same shade or of a color that contrasts nicely, but stark white may not be the best choice. And just as there are many shades of white available for wedding gowns, there are many shades of white for flowers, from snow to ivory, and colors from the softest pastels to the deepest jewel tones. See some of the range available in the varieties listed in “Name that Bloom.” When planning your colors, bear in mind that blue or purple hued flowers could virtually vanish in low light. In low light situations, like evening weddings, white flowers have the greatest visibility. . As to style, a loosely gathered bunch of wildflowers could look charming, but only if it coordinates with the tone set by your dress. With a highly formal gown, it would look out of place. Pay attention to balance, as well. If your dress already is heavily festooned, a large bouquet may just be too much on top of that. You also have to take your own size into account Obviously, a taller bride can carry off the look of a larger bouquet than a petite bride who would appear buried behind a bouquet that boasts a three foot diameter.
Centerpiece pointers: Height Right: When planning centerpieces, take their final height into consideration. If you are planning to have them placed on top of pedestals, then the flowers should not be so high that the people sitting at the table cannot see those opposite them. If they will be placed directly on the table, you can use taller flowers.
Harmony, not Uniformity: Not all centerpieces have to be identical. You can vary the containers and even the flowers, keeping a unified theme either by color or flower type. Talk to your florist about the possibility of renting special containers to enhance the unique effect of your arrangements.
Souvenir Flowers: To make centerpieces serve as gifts to guest, consider setting up bud vases of various heights into a striking arrangement. Then each guest at the table can take one home instead of only one guest per table taking home the whole centerpiece.
Getting the most out of your flower budget Try out different sizes for personal flowers. Ask your florist for quotes for the same bouquet in large, medium, and small sizes. You may find the effectiveness is not diminished while the price is greatly reduced.
Instead of single bloom stems, opt for sprays. As flowers costs are generally calculated by the stem, a floral spray with 3 to 5 blooms per stem gives you more flowers for the money and can add more fullness.
Think big for your centerpieces and chuppah flowers: In-season, large flowers can be very inexpensive and give more visual impact to your centerpieces and aisle décor.
Ask about the feasibility of getting double use of your flowers. For example, the dinner centerpieces could be set out to decorate the chuppah room and then set on the tables after the ceremony. The flowers used to frame the kallah chair can also be used in the chuppah room or dinner hall. But be sure that there is the manpower on hand for the double setup.
A florist should be able to obtain almost any flower you can think of at any time of year due to possibility of flying in fresh flowers from anywhere in the world, but note the qualifiers “almost.” If you have something very specific in mind, it may be prohibitively expensive or just not available at the time of your wedding. If you have your heart set on a particular type of flower in a specific shade, the only way you guarantee to get exactly what you want is to have it made in silk. That is an option that your florist could work with you on, and you may wish to consider a combination of silk flowers for centerpieces and fresh flowers for bouquets to cut some of your cost. Another advantage of silk flowers is that they can be kept without preservation or drying.
Consider flower alternatives for your decorations. One option is to use small topiaries that add the fresh look of greenery in elegant shapes for much less than flowers. You can also decorate your tables with candles, flower petals, or decorative pieces.
Preserving Bouquets: If you are planning to preserve your bouquet, you should select your flowers with that goal in mind. Certain varieties cannot be preserved at all, and some colors alter more than others in the processing. Also you will have to have your bouquet picked up or delivered directly to the preservationist as soon as the wedding is over, and such services do not come cheap. There is also a price differential between chemical processes and drying. So be clear about what you want and what you are prepared to spend. Of course, silk flowers would require no special treatment to be kept.
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