Informal Centerpiece Ideas

Informal flowers are a wonderful place to begin when designing casual wedding centerpieces. There are many wonderful varieties, quite a few of which are also rather hardy. For a spring wedding, the sweet look of classic white daisies with yellow centers is always charming. Arrange them in lime green flowerpots for a fresh take on an informal garden wedding design. Or use the daisies in a more minimalist fashion by using clear “test tubes” in holders and placing a single blossom in each one. Arrange a row of the test tubes along the length of a long family style dinner table.

Mixed arrangements of wildflowers can make for lovely casual centerpieces. Take flowers such as asters, daisies, and dahlias in a range of colors and loosely arrange them in simple vases. Mixing colors will tend to give the centerpieces a more relaxed and fresh picked look. Very unique designs can be created by substituting containers other than standard vases in the centerpieces. You could use anything from baskets to rough hewn wooden boxes to pitchers, depending on the theme and style of your reception.

Some brides like casual weddings with a very handmade look in everything from their dress and jewelry to the decorations and cake. Bold colors and warm, fuzzy materials tend to work best to add the feeling of homespun charm to your wedding. Instead of using glass vases, cover tin cans with colorful felt or even yarn wrapped tightly around the can. Fill these handcrafted vessels with bright flowers in a single contrasting color. For instance, you could cover your vessels with yellow felt and fill them with clusters of bright red carnations or geraniums. Small button mums also work very well; lime green “Kermit” mums are especially popular. They would look great in a “vase” covered in a wooly red yarn or a red and white gingham check fabric.

Not all centerpieces have to be based around flowers, either. Fruit can be a wonderful choice for a casual centerpiece. Large clear cylinders filled with whole lemons or limes adds a great splash of color to the receptions tables. In the autumn, handpainted bowls filled with bright red apples make a seasonal and edible centerpiece. Creativity is key, and when designing informal centerpieces, there are really no rules.

Decorate Your Wedding Ceremony Entrance

When your guests first arrive at your wedding location, it is great if the outside of the building gives some hint as to the celebration taking place within. A classic decoration for church doors is to hang a wreath on the outside. Wreaths are great, because there are so many different styles in which you can make them. Use classic boxwood for an elegant and restrained wreath, perhaps adorned with a large silver bow. Or make a more flowery wreath, using a mixture of greens and your wedding flowers. Wreaths can get very fancy too; if you were having a Winter Wonderland theme wedding and wearing a lot of sparkly crystal jewelry, you could create a crystal studded wreath.

Another lovely way to decorate your ceremony entrance is with a garland over the door. This works beautifully for any shape or size of door, and can be used in addition to wreaths, or by itself. Garlands can take many forms. Most of us are familiar with the pine garlands used at Christmas, but there are also garland designs which would be perfect for a wedding outside of the holiday season. Pretty greens with flowers look lovely at any time of the year. For an evening wedding, wrap the garland with tiny white lights to illuminate the entrance. Large magnolia leaves make a dramatic garland with a Southern flair. Accent with pretty ribbons in your wedding colors.

Potted topiaries will add an elegant style to any wedding ceremony entry way. The classic round balls are very pretty for any formal wedding. Tie a bow under the first ball on the topiary to make it more festive. A great look can be created by combining a few different topiary forms, such as the round balls, cones, and tall twisted topiaries. As the style tends to be rather formal, topiaries look best when displayed in very balanced groups or even perfectly symmetrical pairs. This would be an excellent choice to adorn the entrance of a grand old stone mansion.

Don’t think that entrance decorations are only for churches or fancy mansions. A rustic barn wedding can be dressed up with the addition of natural elements like bundles of wheat standing on either side of the front door. (Wheat can also be used to create wreaths or garlands, if you wish.) As barn interiors can tend to be dark, another great idea is to suspend a mass of floating candles in tiny clear globes over the entryway. This is a wonderful addition that will sure to make your guests feel very welcome.

Grow Your Own Wedding Flowers

Are you a bride with a green thumb, or maybe just one who loves to take on do it yourself projects? Well, if you are getting married next year, you still have enough time to grow some of your own wedding flowers. These are some suggestions on how to grow the blossoms you will want for your wedding, as well as some potential pitfalls of which you should be aware.

The first step in planting a wedding cutting garden is to find out what is in bloom at the time of your wedding. Opt for flowers whose peak bloom time spans your wedding date a little bit on either side, if at all possible. If you select flowers which are only sometimes in bloom by the date of your wedding, you might end up with nothing to show for your efforts, other than a few buds which will flower while you are gone on your honeymoon! Another idea is to plant a backup flower which blooms slightly ahead of your favorite, in case your first choice is not ready in time.

When doing your own wedding flowers, it is generally advisable to stick to a very limited color palette. All white or all pink flowers are lovely and classic, and work wonderfully with almost any styles of wedding gowns and bridal jewelry sets, from romantic to more clean and contemporary. The advantage to this is that you can plant several varieties within your color palette and know that whichever end up looking good enough to use will all look well together. On the other hand, if you planned a complicated color palette and your purple flowers don’t bloom, your whole plan will be thrown off. Limiting the palette avoids this problem.

A key tip when selecting the varieties to plant is to look for ones with long stems. Avoid flowers labeled dwarf or for bedding, as they will have very short stems which are too hard to arrange into centerpieces and bouquets.  A wonderful advantage to growing your own wedding flowers is that you can create unique displays which will add to the special character of your wedding day.

Dramatic Wedding Flowers

Flowers are one of the most popular wedding decorations, and they have more impact than almost anything else. Of course, flowers are pretty no matter how you use them, but there are some fabulous ways in which wedding flowers can be used beyond the standard centerpieces. Take a look at these ideas for dramatic wedding flowers which will take your wedding to a whole other level.

Chandeliers have become extremely popular for weddings over the last several years. The classic crystal chandelier is certainly beautiful, but flowers can be used to create one-of-a-kind chandeliers which will take your guests’ breath away. This is a great idea for brides who enjoy having things which are custom made for them, such as monograms, bridal jewelry, and wedding gowns.  A stunning design idea is to have a very large circle of roses made to suspend over each table. Have them lit, and they will make stunning chandeliers to illuminate your reception.

Repeated design elements can be a terrific way to make a huge impact on your reception space. One of the most spectacular ways to use wedding flowers is to have them made into pomanders, which are large globes of flowers suspended from ribbons. A mass of pomanders can be hung over any space which you would like to decorate. They also look incredible hung in a vertical row of three or more floral balls. One of the great things about pomanders is that they can be just as beautiful when made from less pricey blossoms like carnations or daisies as from more costly roses.

Floral streamers are another stunning way to decorate your wedding with flowers. For an exotic flair, take white orchid blossoms, and string them on clear monofiliment wire. Make a “curtain” of the floral strands behind the altar to define the space for an outdoor wedding or one in a loft space. A more casual effect can be created by substituting brightly colored gerbera daisies for the more sophisticated orchids. The floral streamers would also look fantastic behind a sweetheart table at the reception or when used to define the bar area. With so many unique ways to use flowers, why stick to the standard wedding flowers?

Lush Peonies for Weddings

One of the most gorgeous wedding flowers is the peony. Feminine, gracious, and charming, peonies are one of the favorite flowers for spring brides. These are some ideas on how to incorporate lush peonies into your wedding bouquets and centerpieces.

Peonies work beautifully for round bridal bouquets. Their full and ruffly blooms are ideal when a lush bouquet is the goal. A mass of peonies makes a fabulous wedding bouquet all on its own, or it can be combined with other flowers with a similar shape for a bouquet which looks like it was handpicked from an English garden. Some of the prettiest blooms to combine with peonies are garden roses, sweetpeas, and French tulips.

Peonies are usually seen in pale pink, hot pink, a pinky-red, and white. Pale yellow peonies are also available, as are double peonies, which are two toned. The pinks tend to be the most popular for weddings. They are great for both the bride and her bridesmaids. A pink peony bridesmaid bouquet is perfect for a preppy style bridesmaid dress with the attendants in simple strapless dresses and pearl bridesmaid jewelry. Hot pink peonies are a great contrast to more richly colored bridesmaid dresses such as charcoal, navy, or brown.

There are many fantastic centerpiece designs which are based on peonies. The flowers themselves are so beautiful that they look incredible in even the simplest arrangements. For DIY wedding centerpieces, a lush bunch of peonies in shades of pink can be stuffed into short tin pails or white pitchers. If you prefer a more formal effect, the same flowers would be stunning in a tall footed urn. Just remember that peonies look best when they are packed together to be very full and rich looking.

From garden to ballroom, preppy to romantic, the peony is the perfect flower for so many styles of weddings. Always gorgeous, this luscious spring flower is sure to become one of the favorite things about your wedding decorations.

Pretty Centerpieces for Casual Weddings

Everything about your wedding should flow in harmony. If you are the kind of bride who is most comfortable wearing a simple wedding gown with handmade jewelry, then you will want a very different type of wedding decorations than the bride who is wearing an opulent gown with very elaborately handmade wedding jewelry in a hotel ballroom. Your centerpieces should match your general style, and when your wedding reception is more relaxed, you can have fun with more creative table arrangements.

Gerbera daisies are one of the most popular flowers for casual receptions. Their bright colors and cheerful nature are both celebratory and informal. There are several styles of centerpieces which will work wonderfully with gerbera daisies as the main flower. For long tables, plant a “garden” of the daisies in long containers filled with wheatgrass. Choose either a single color, or a mixture of pink, orange, and yellow flowers.  So fun!

Hydrangeas are a perennial wedding flower favorite, and they have the possibility of being made to look very elegant or quite informal. A simple centerpiece idea for an outdoor wedding is to take bunches of hydrangeas and arrange them in pitchers. Find a variety of different pitchers at flea markets to give the table decorations that welcoming homey feeling. These centerpieces are so easy to make that you can pick the flowers from your own yard and quickly drop them into the pitchers.

Potted plants and herbs make wonderful casual centerpieces. Try a mixture of various fresh herbs and flowering plants in a clay pot for a garden wedding. Or choose container plants which are in season for your wedding. Red geraniums or begonias would be very appealing for a summer wedding, or use orange and deep red mums for a rustic fall reception. Put the flowering plants into pretty but informal vessels, such as wicker baskets or painted tin pails. Simply perfect for an informal wedding!

Unique Ways to Decorate With Wedding Flowers

Flowers are a staple at any wedding, and there is no doubt that they add beauty and romance. Of course every bride knows about basic bouquets and centerpieces, but there are many other original ways in which to use flowers to enhance a wedding. These are some of the most unique ideas on how to decorate your wedding with flowers.

For a truly striking effect, rent clear fillable tables for your reception. Made from clear glass, the tables are essentially flat boxes which can be filled with whatever you like. An absolutely gorgeous look is to stuff the tabletops with fresh flowers. Choose something that is very round and full like hydrangeas or carnations. Skip the tablecloths and floral centerpieces. Use candles in the middle of the table, or for a pop of color, fill a tall clear footed vase with limes or green apples (depending on the season). Your guests will be blown away by your ultra cool tables!

One of the best ways to achieve a strong impact in your wedding design is to select a color motif to carry throughout in everything from the invitations to the flowers to the bridesmaid dresses and jewelry. Unique floral displays can play a part in this concept, because they allow you to layer your flowers in eyecatching ways. For example, let’s say that you have decided that your color palette will be shades of blue: hyacinth colored crystal bridesmaid jewelry, blue hydrangea bouquets, and so forth. A great way to incorporate more blue flowers is to hang hyacinth blossoms in long strands behind the altar or along a wall. This is a dramatic vertical feature that can really help to define a space and would layer wonderfully with the main floral displays.

When you are seeking fresh ideas on how to decorate your wedding with flowers, take a look at submerged centerpieces. This is a great trend which is easy to design with a florist or to do yourself. Take a striking flower such as orchids and arrange a few stems of them within a tall clear vessel and fill with water until the flowers are submerged. This is often done with a square vase for a modern flair, and it looks absolutely wonderful.

How to Design Mixed Flower Bridal Bouquets

The bridal bouquets are one of the prettiest parts of a wedding. You can do some wonderful things with your wedding flowers, especially if you combine different colors and varieties. Here are some tips on how to design beautiful mixed flower bridal bouquets.

Mixing and matching flowers can be intimidating. It is one of those things that looks amazing when done well, but looks like a jumbled mess when it is not. An example of this would be the standard mixed flower bouquets that you find in grocery stores. They are rarely that pretty, and the reason is that they have no cohesive theme, in terms of color, shape, types of flowers, or theme. A few pink carnations, a yellow rose, and some purple mums does not make for a gorgeous bouquet! The lesson to be learned from the unappealing mixed bouquets is not that combining flowers will look bad, just that it has to be approached with a plan to make it all come together into a harmonious whole.

There are a variety of ways in which you can design a bouquet that combines different flowers gracefully. The first of these is color. Decide on one color or color family for the bridal bouquets, and then look for several types of flowers in your chosen color. For instance, let’s say that you would like to have pink wedding flowers. You can create lovely bouquets using a mixture of pink roses, hydrangeas, tulips, and sweetpeas. Notice how all of those flowers are not only similar in color, but also in feeling; traditional, in this case. This would be the type of bouquet that would be perfect for a bride who is wearing a classic bridal gown with cultured pearl earrings and a long veil.

When looking for ways in which to create pretty mixed flower bouquets, also think about layering in non-floral elements. A very traditional bridal bouquet is one made from white roses, white tulips, and white stephanotis. The tiny star shaped stephanotis are usually accented with pearl tipped pins through the center of each one, which is such a sweet detail for a bride who is wearing cultured pearl earrings and pearl necklace. A multi-colored mixed bouquet could be made even more cheerful with the addition of gossamer sheer fabric butterflies tucked into the flowers. Special details such as these will help to give your bridal bouquet a wonderfully harmonious feeling, even when it includes a variety of different elements.

Bouquets for Bridesmaids

Your bridesmaids’ bouquets are the largest accessory that they will carry, so it is important to choose wisely. There are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind when talking bouquets with your florist. One is that your bridesmaids’ bouquets should coordinate with their dresses, your wedding gown and bouquet, as well as the style or theme of your wedding. The biggest choices that you will make are: color, type of flower, size and shape of bouquets, and special accents like ribbons.

It used to be common for a bride to try to match the color of the bridesmaids’ flowers to their dresses as closely as possible. Although this is still done, many florists are getting away from the exact match, because the flowers will tend to blend in too much with the dresses. You can lose the visual impact of the blossoms in this way, especially in photographs.

A nice alternative is to select flowers in a color that will stand out against the bridesmaid dresses, and tie them with a ribbon that matches their dresses for continuity. The flowers can be another version of the same color, like hot pink peonies carried by bridesmaids in pale pink gowns, or go for a modern look with a strong contrast, like orange flowers with a deep purple dress. Sometimes brides will choose to have the bridesmaids carry a progression of colors in the same type of flower; for instance if your attendants were wearing butter yellow dresses, you could design bouquets in a range of purples from lilac to eggplant for a dramatic contrast.

It is very important that the style of flowers you choose for bridesmaid bouquets makes sense with their dresses. If your attendants were wearing long black sheaths and crystal bridesmaid jewelry sets for an evening wedding, you would not give them a bunch of daisies to carry down the aisle. On the other hand, an elegant bouquet of calla lilies would be perfect with such a chic bridesmaid ensemble. And the daisies have their place too; they would be charming with cotton voile bridesmaid dresses and simple sets of silver jewelry for a summer afternoon wedding in a park.

When in doubt, ask your florist to make you a few samples to view along with a sample of your own bridal bouquet. The wedding flowers are such a key decorative element at your ceremony that you want to make sure they all look gorgeous.

Wedding Flowers For Every Season

You are probably familiar with birthstones, the tradition that people born in each month have a special gemstone. But did you know that there is also a flower associated with every month of the year? When you are planning a wedding, it is a wonderful idea to incorporate meaningful flowers into your bouquet. It would be lovely to include either the flower for your birth month or the special blossom for the month in which you will be wed. This is a guide to some of the best wedding flowers by month.

The flower for January is the carnation. This is a humble flower, but one that can easily be elevated to modern chic by the way in which it is arranged. Mound loads of carnations in tight clusters to create nifty pomanders and centerpieces in footed urns.  March ushers in the first breath of spring, and along with it the most quintessential spring flower: the daffodil. This cheerful yellow (or yellow and white) bloom is the perfect way to chase away the gloom of winter. Mini daffodils work especially well in bouquets.

One of the most beloved of all wedding flowers is the birth flower of May, which is lily-of-the-valley. The tiny white or lilac colored blossoms make for lovely bouquets. June is known as the month for brides, and so it can be no accident that two of brides’ favorite things are also associated with the month of June. Classic roses and pearl bridal jewelry are both the symbols of June birth, and are cherished by women being wed in every month of the year.

Autumn born brides can enjoy flowers in rich fall tones. The aster is the September flower, and it is available in a great shade of red. The casual daisy-like aster also comes in pretty shades of purple and white. The flower for October is the marigold. Infrequently seen at weddings, the hardy marigold could nonetheless make a nice addition. The orange shades of the signature flower can be enhanced by pairing it with bridal jewelry created from opal colored Swarovski crystals (opal being the October birthstone).

And finally, there is the Narcissus, which is December’s flower. A beautiful bulb that is often forced in pots over the winter months, tiny pots with a single Narcissus would be fantastic as table decorations that could double as favors for your guests to take home.