Flowers: Perfect pairings
When deciding on how to incorporate color into a wedding ceremony, the answer is in flowers.
Whether you prefer daisies, roses or lilies, adding colorful flowers can be a simple accent without overwhelming the basic theme of the wedding.
“Most of my brides tell me that the selection of their flowers is one of the most enjoyable, fun and creative parts of their wedding design. Relax and take time to enjoy every second of the process. And, always take time to smell the flowers,” advised Mickey Dunlop, owner of Dunlop’s Art of Flowers in Wolverine.
For the budget conscious bride, Dunlop suggests the use of Gerbera daisies tied with a colorful ribbon on the stems. Gerbera daisies, she noted, come in many brilliant and varied shades of color, allowing for much opportunity with adding color to the ceremony.
“If all of the bridesmaids are wearing the same color yet a different style of dress, Gerbera daisies make fabulous bouquets. The first bridesmaid carries 12-15 orange daisies with a yellow button mum attached to each center. The next bridesmaid carries yellow daisies with a green button mum attached to the center. It continues from there with each bridesmaid carrying a different color of Gerbera and mum. It’s a fun, unique look and very budget friendly,” said Dunlop.
Sydney Wormell, owner of Upsy-Daisy Floral in Boyne City, added, “Purple and green are really hot colors this season. For purple colors, I would suggest lavender roses, which are a little pricier, to purple carnations and purple stock, which are more affordable. Add some green roses or lime Fuji mums and tie it all together with a ribbon matching the dress colors.”
In terms of a bridal bouquet, with no expenses spared, Dunlop recommends pale pink peonies, lilies of the valley, white mini calla lilies and white honeymoon tulips.
“Add three 12- to 18-inch long chains of stephanotis in the front and side of the bouquet as well as a few sprigs in the body. This bouquet would be lush and fragrant. Then, simply wrap the stems in double-faced white satin, with a shoelace bow near the top. This is your wedding bouquet — go ahead and splurge,” said Dunlop.
Wormell said, “A classic pairing for a bouquet is hydrangeas and roses. Bells of Ireland are a great flower to include as well as green trick, a member of the dianthus family.”
For a more personalized look, add something unusual to the bouquet.
“Make your wedding flowers very personal by including something that is important to you. Whether you are a football fan, or you grew up on a cherry farm, or you love pinecones, it is possible to creatively include them in your flowers,” said Dunlop.
Other suggestions include adding a favorite brooch or pieces of costume jewelry to the flower bouquet. Another simple use of color is wrapping each stem with beaded wire in either white or a color the bride is bringing to the wedding. Calla lilies work well for this design.
With many people leaning toward supporting the local farmers, Wormell suggests a garden bouquet filled with Michigan-grown flowers.
“The brides looking for Michigan-grown flowers are concerned about keeping their business local more than anything. So we offer flowers grown in the area and are available from the local farmers markets,” she said. “These include peonies, sunflowers, lilies, allium and sweet peas. Also, I get zinnias, snapdragons and dahlias, which we use for bouquets and centerpieces during the summer from my grandpa’s garden. Not only are these a colorful mix of flowers, they are much more affordable than the flowers flown in from South America, California and Canada.”
Dunlop encourages brides to think outside of the box when picking out their wedding bouquets.
“I love an all-foliage bouquet with Galax leaf roses, fern curls, seeded eucalyptus, steel grass with beads threaded on it, lily grass and lycopodium. There are no set rules when deciding on bouquets,” she said.
No matter what your budget, the flower options are endless. Whether you choose a variety of roses or a simple daisy, this day is all about your future life together. When you think about it, choosing a flower is the easiest part.
Up North Bride Home » Spring 2011 Edition » Flowers: Perfect pairings