Flowers & Floral Decor

ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT FLOWERS & FLORAL DECOR
by Judith Rivers-Moore
"Beautiful Weddings & Events" Books

Almost every special occasion requires the beauty of flowers. A small dinner party, to a grand corporate conference, a wedding ceremony in a back yard, to an amazing thousand guests. Whether flowers are fresh, silks, herb garlands, dried flowers or greenery plants it is very rewarding visually to any special event.

The Following List Will Give You Some Ideas on How They Can Be Used:
Table center pieces, petals on tables or down aisles, focus points, such as speakers platforms, stages, wedding altars, food displays, wedding cakes, flower girl baskets, men's boutineers, corsages, or nosegays, individual flowers with ribbon wrapped stems, tall plants or trees with twinkle lights, bridal bouquets, flower shawls, serving trays and edibles in salads. Reducing the size of a room or visual barrier with large plants. Designating important guests or family members with shoulder flowers. Setting a theme or completing an ethnic event. Carrying out a color theme.

When making decisions on which flowers to use for your event it does help to understand what flowers look like, how they smell and hold up (wilt or bruise) after being picked. The florist can help you understand them better, but do take the time to view some florist web sites or display books (found in floral shops)....or go to a Bridal Show and view some of the magical displays. This may give you great ideas and help you key into your choices and budgets with long lasting blossoms for events or weddings. Events and wedding days are often up to eight hours and often in warm weather or wind.

Ask These Questions as You Begin to Plan?
Do you require a florist to create a bouquet and a few boutineers..... or a designer to style the event decor for a complete effect. Why go to a design specialist if you just need a handful of flowers you could get at the local flower market or a nearby flower stall? Some people have the florist design and combine every part of the event, while many utilize the floral designs for their bouquets and specialty pieces and leave the food tables to talented friends to complete. No matter what your budget, please do not leave them out. Because they are from all over the world and there are known favorites from those lands, Flowers can carry the theme and color key.

You Will Require A Budget
You may not be able to set your budget until:
-you shop around and meet a few people you communicate with well
-don't ask more than three people for a quote
-ask for reference letters and call them
-find out what your desires cost
-be up front about your budget with the person you are hiring....they often have a variety of things they can do to lower the costs or several packages.
-If you get a quote back which is over your anticipated budget -- go back to this person and ask what can be done to lower the cost -- until you have really made this request, you won't know what is possible with this person.

Think This Through as You Set Your Budget.

Everything is possible in creating your fantasy, but flowers out of their normal growing season, may be twice as expensive. Florist's styles and approaches vary, some showing magnificent designs when given free reign. English garden to modern and Martha Stewart designs are in. We also see historic herbs and spicy smelling garden flowers, rose bud noesgays in all hues plus arrangements of huge foreign blooms. Our flower markets bring blossoms from all over the world and we see every color imaginable in one display while others display of all one color and a variety of flower types in those shades.

Fresh is Important.
Flowers must hold up well for your event and last for photos. Questions about refrigeration, delivery and display times, what day do you go to the flower market -- will be important questions to ask the florist.

Banquet Trends:
-Very tall dinner table displays ( that people talk under)
-Vibrant colors and contrasts
-Ecuadorian Roses -- 3"-4" buds amazing colors
-Herb garlands, exciting detailed topiaries and wild palm fans
-Sprinkles of glitter and rose petals
-Flowers on food and cake tables
-Cover chairs with large bows and flowers at the backs
-Simple greens on tables with a colorful flower potted plant as a favor for each guest

Bridal Trends:
-All white flowers with bendable ribbon and gold tulle
-Flower boas for brides to wear down the aisle (like a stole or shawl)
-White calla lilly and the new colored hues are very popular.
-It is not unusual to see some of the flowers and greenery be rented silks combined with real flowers in bouquets and boutonnieres.

WHATS IN STYLE
Gerber Daisys, Equadorian Roses of every color, Seasonal Tulips, Lilly of the Valley, Calla Lillys Majorly large displays and tall centerpieces, Rose Petals on tables, Topariarys as centerpieces. Trees to plant as Favors.

Flower Facts.
Many people suffer from hay fever or react to roses or succumb to flower and dried flower reactions. Most guests understand this reaction and are prepared for it with proper medication. Etiquette states we should never -- not invite a guest with these problems. Most are prepared -- but if all else fails, encourage the removal of the particular blossom or the entire centerpiece for their comfort.

Flower white is usually an off-white. Pure white will have to come from silks. Black flowers will have a purple or mahogney hue -- new things come available in our fablous flower markets daily..... Choosing flowers which bloom in-season will often cut your costs by a third or more. Expanded use of greenery and a minimal use of flowers will expand your floral budget. Flowers come from all over the world and are flown in for freshness. Unique flowers and out of season flowers are grown and flown into our markets so we may have tulips in August, etc. Herbs are used for garlands and decor. The Renaissance and Victorian era was very big on herbs, garlands, bowers and hair or as boutonnieres. These are extra ordinary at food tables, bowers, bouquets and on the head tables. Water and refrigeration until the last moments...this is a key factor in freshness and re-cutting the stem prior to decorating with them. . If you plan to do your flowers yourself -- understand these are items to be purchased ahead and stored in major sized refrigeration until a last 4-16 hour decoration time and placement. You must have a team of helpers who know what they ar doing, holders/vases, and a pattern or design for them to follow on their own. Understand your fingers do get stained when doing this task -- soaking in bleach helps, but hands dry out.

DISPLAY OR FOOD TABLES: Combining specific flowers and greenery is vogue along with flowerettes made from vegetables, herbs, leaves, grasses and magnificent edible blossoms. Plates or trays served to your guests should have a balance of food and "presentation or beauty" to encourage the enjoyment. Anyone can eat out of a deli box....but this is a celebration!

CORSAGES: Select from those blossoms which hold up well to hugs and heat is best.

COMBINING DRIED AND FRESH FLOWERS: We see everything today including berries, dried grasses and unique vines and branches being combined for drama with large vases of flowers.

COLOR: Don't be afraid of it -- people enjoy and remember..plus your photos look vibrant!!!

Let me know if this article has helped you. jr@weddinglinks.com,
www.WeddingLinks.com
Beautiful Weddings & Events Books 800-233-3850