Flowers are synonymous with weddings. They set the tone and create the mood, complementing your dress and adding the exquisite beauty of nature. Roses speak of tradition, while lush tropical blooms inspire an island vibe and tulips add a contemporary flair. With an amazing variety of colors and blooms to choose from, you’ll want to start planning early. For your first meeting with your Hy-Vee floral designer, collect photos of flowers, arrangements and bouquets you like, along with color schemes that inspire you. Include photos and fabric samples of your dress and bridesmaid’s dresses. This will help your designer get to know you and your style.
Anita Williams, a floral designer at the Hy-Vee in Lawrence, Kansas, likes to find out about a bride’s personality and interests to gather ideas for individual touches that make the bride’s flowers unique. She may incorporate a beloved grandmother’s handkerchief in the bouquet or include dried grasses from a favorite outdoor spot.
Hy-Vee designers can accommodate any wedding style and budget, but if cost is a concern, Anita advises choosing seasonal flowers. “If you’re getting married in December and you choose spring flowers, you’ll pay more because they are raised in greenhouses and shipped in from Holland,” she says. Your designer can help you stretch your budget by suggesting flowers that will be readily available in your colors on your wedding day.
Begin by choosing your bridal bouquet. The two most common types are cascade and hand-tied. Cascades offer an elegant, traditional look, while the simpler hand-tied bouquets look natural and fresh. The flowers you choose determine how formal either style looks as well as the cost. Anita likes to assemble cascade bouquets with grasses and flexible-stemmed flowers to give them movement and a looser, more relaxed line.
Bridesmaids’ bouquets are similar to the bride’s but smaller and less showy. A signature flower from the bride’s bouquet repeats as boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen. Today, mothers of the bride and groom seem to prefer nosegays to corsages. “A nosegay is easier to handle, and you don’t have to worry about it getting crushed when you dance,” Anita says.
The flower arrangements you need for the wedding and reception depend on their locations. A flower-covered pergola frames the bride and groom in a romantic outdoor setting. Garlands caught in swags dress up indoor and outdoor architecture. Flowers transform a plain room, bringing your reception to life. Use them to adorn the head table and guest tables, and to complement your cake and gift tables. The talented floral designers at Hy-Vee will help you create the mood you envision.