Choosing your wedding flowers may seem like a daunting task for you both and then on top of that being asked about what style you are going for may fly you into a flower spin! Surely they are the same thing?! There are so many different takes on a few obvious styles that there ends up being a huge amount of different options available to you. Once you factor in the range and colours of flowers that are available to us floral designers, let alone the popular comeback of dried flowers and the new style of bleached and dyed flowers, the possibilities are endless.
But don't think that this is another area that you need 'figured out'. Choosing the right florist is key as they will decipher all your loves for your day and bringing all those elements together to create floral magic for you.
There are four key factors to your day that will help you choose your style. Your venue, the time of year, if you want an formal or informal day and what flowers you love.
So here is a handy guide into figuring out the most common styles and how the four key factors will help influence your day.
The Style Guide
Romantic and Natural
Think flower heavy designs using a mixture of soft textures, flowering branches and heavenly scented blooms. Quite often a romantic style uses a lot of traditional flowers such as Garden Roses, Standard Roses, Ranunculus, Anemone, Lisianthus and Lilac. Adding in flowering branches and vines such as Blossom and Jasmine add an ethereal feel. For a modern take add in bleached foliage, paired with an abundance of flickering candles.
Classic and Elegant
If you are looking for a less fussy feel for your day then the classic style focuses on a few choice blooms, using little or no foliage. By selecting 3-4 blooms and using those throughout all designs will result in a clean, neat style. Choose flowers such as Peonies, Roses, Hydrangea and Tulips.
Wild and Organic
A truly wild style opts for a mixture of flower varieties and lots of lush foliage. In keeping with the organic style these designs very much use the natural flow of flowers to keep to that natural feel. Using a wider colour palette, wild designs will opt for a variety of flowers in all shapes and sizes, pairing in an abundance of fresh foliage for a really wild feel. Add in soft grasses and dramatic hanging Amaranthus for a modern organic look.
You can certainly blend styles to create your own vision. For example you love pastel shades but also love the tropical theme? Opt for pale pink Proteas and white Orchids alongside large tropical leaves. Or love the idea of a romantic style but want a brighter, colourful day? Opt for bright David Austin garden rose's such as 'Kate' and 'Beatrice', colourful Ranunculus and yellow pops of Craspedia.
Now the four key factors that can help figure out your floral style and what aspects of your day can help you choose...
Your Venue
Having a 'blank slate' venue such as a marquee means you really can choose any style you want as you are starting from scratch. If you are having a chilled out, tipi wedding then going for a wild and colourful style will bring in that festival vibe. A stately home or manor house will often suit the clean and elegant style as well as a romantic and natural one. Look at other weddings that have happened at your venue, see what other couples have done and what you like the look of. Your florist will be able to help with ideas and guide you if you really are stuck on how best to suit the venue to the floral style.
The Season
The time of year you are getting married often heavily influences what style of flowers you will most likely opt for. For winter weddings a romantic style using lush blooms and delicate foliage are a perfect option. Add in candle light which really comes into its own when the nights are longer. Spring weddings, with the trees and countryside bursting to life, may lean towards a wilder, more natural feel to the flowers. If you are having an open, beach wedding in the summer then a tropical style may fit into your vision of having a colourful, exotic day!
What kind of day you want
Are you keen for a formal or informal day for your guests? Depending on how formal you want your day will affect decisions on your venue, outfits and food as well as your flowers. If you want to keep your day more formal than you may feel an elegant style will suit your vision better, whereas if you are keen for a relaxed, chilled out day, perhaps featuring an outside ceremony or tipi, then you may look towards a wild and organic style or a fun tropical theme.
What flowers you love
The flowers you are really keen to include in your wedding florals won't necessarily determine your entire style but it may influence it. If you are drawn towards the wild look but also love blousy peonies and garden roses then your style will be a wild, romantic look. Add in soft linens to your tables and pastel blooms and you will find the two styles combine seamlessly.
Choosing the right floral designer for your day will be key into creating those floral designs that you really love. Floral design is an art and all florists will have their own style, so look at their previous work as well as their Instagram to see and understand their style. Once you have decided on your florist then trust them to create your perfect florals.
If you are unsure of what style you gravitate to or will suit your venue, create a style board of the kind of the designs you really love. Don't just add in flowers but think about colours, fashion and art also. An experienced florist will be able to look at your board and pretty much know what kind of style you're leaning towards and be able to come up with a concept around that and create floral magic for your day.
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