With everything else you have to think about, choosing your wedding flowers should be the fun part!  Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Flower arrangements at a wedding can elevate even the simplest space. Whether your Outer Banks wedding will be surfside casual, a resort spectacular, or Zoomed to the masses, your flowers will certainly be of the utmost importance. That being said, beach wedding flowers don’t have to be super beachy. Some brides think that beach wedding flower arrangements have to be covered with seashells and starfish from top to bottom. That is simply not the case. You can, if that’s your taste, but you don’t have to.  You can accent your arrangement with a few seashells here and there, or you can have absolutely zero beach elements.

Some will prefer designs that lean toward more romantic and less designed, with a larger focus on individual flowers as opposed to mixing and matching. Others are all about the mix. Finding the perfect inspiration for wedding flowers can and should be fun, but choosing and coordinating your stems can be a bit overwhelming. There are some easy-to-follow guidelines that are sure to keep you smiling through the process.

Picture yourself walking through a glorious garden with every flower at its peak. Which flowers would you choose for your wedding? Beach brides continue to embrace their love of the great outdoors and its calming beauty through flowers that are both stylish and eco-friendly.

QUESTIONS TO ASK:

• Are you decorating a chapel and reception hall?
• Is your ceremony going to be on the beach, on uneven sand and dune lines?
• Will there be a chuppah, arbor, or canopy that needs to be constructed as well
  as decorated?
• Are you suiting out the entire bridal party with bouquets, corsages, or
  boutonnières?

Sarah D’Ambra Photography

While color will play a major role in the 2021 wedding flower trends, couples are also going back to the basics for their bouquets, centerpieces, and other arrangements. Using all-white flowers in a natural, organic fashion seems to be gaining in popularity. The color white represents balance and peace, so it makes sense that couples are embracing this calming hue. Many are combining black and white color palettes with earth tone nudes and accents. For extra effect, use flowers in various shades of white or ivory, and then add texture by using greenery and other botanicals, like pampas grass or bunny tails.

Minimalism and micro-weddings are on the rise. Smaller weddings and Zoom weddings are here to stay, at least in the near term, but that doesn’t mean couples will be skipping out on gorgeous floral designs. In fact, over-the-top arrangements may be one of the most popular 2021 wedding flower trends, since they’re a great way to enhance a celebration not only in person but also on camera and video. 

Lori Douglas Photography

There’s a time and a place for the traditional tightly bound centerpiece and bouquet, but it’s not 2021. Whimsical floral is here to stay. Textures like eucalyptus or pampas grass, bleached ferns, and sweet blooms channeling your favorite wildflower are making their way into more and more wedding florals as we see designers inspired by loosely-gathered centerpieces and bouquets.

Flowy, cascading bouquets are ever-popular, as are garlands for arbors, canopies, or other structures. The nature-inspired look remains a popular trend and the push toward sustainability continues with many couples opting for locally grown and in-season flowers. Some are incorporating longer-lasting plants like succulents, topiaries, and even trees into their wedding décor.

Outer Banks Productions

While thumbing through bridal magazines, remember this: flower colors are rarely exact and often look different in person than they did in a magazine. Therefore, don’t be tempted to make selections solely based on how flowers look on the page. Let a professional florist help you understand the undertones of different varieties; for example, red ranunculus has orange undertones that stand out when paired with cool colors.

When interviewing potential florists, show them a photograph of your wedding attire and perhaps a swatch of fabric for the bridesmaids’ dresses, along with any pictures from magazines that have captured your imagination. Your florist will guide your selections so that the flowers you choose will be in season when the big day rolls around. He or she will be more than happy to work with you to convert your vision into a stunning and affordable reality. But be open-minded. Let’s say you have your heart set on white tulips for a July wedding or lily of the valley in August – be flexible when your florist tells you that the flowers you love simply are not in season then. There are many flowers available year-round, like roses, hydrangeas, carnations, callas, and orchids, just to name a few.

You want your wedding flowers to be beautiful – and so will your florist. Here are a few tips for making that happen.

KNOW YOUR BUDGET

The very first thing to discuss with your florist is going to be the budget. A good florist won’t try to upsell beyond what you can afford – they truly want to work with you to create your vision within the limits of your pocketbook. If you are on a tight budget, focus on your bouquet, and make your attendants’ arrangements smaller and simpler – and therefore less expensive.

CHOOSE YOUR INSPIRATION

Pick one thing you love – a certain color, a special photo, a swatch of antique lace, or a cherished brooch that belonged to your great-grandmother – to give you and your florist a starting point.

FIND A FLORIST YOU REALLY LOVE

When you have that initial meeting with a florist, enjoy yourself! You want your florist to be as excited as you are about finding the perfect flower arrangements for your wedding day.

Where wedding flowers are concerned, it can be hard to know where to begin. Your florist will have ideas about design and color but don’t be shy about asking other vendors, photographers, banquet managers, hair stylists and wedding gown salespeople about weddings they have seen with memorable flowers.

Even though some weddings will take different shapes and forms this year, flowers are still a major part of many celebrations. From bouquets to backdrops, your flowers will surely breathe life, color, and energy into your wedding day.

Top feature photo by Katiedid Photography

Lori Douglas Photography