They say success hinges upon details and if that’s true then flowers bring your wedding one step closer to an absolute triumph.  Choosing the right flowers may seem small compared to all your other wedding plans, but in reality it’s where you get the biggest bang for the buck.  Depending on what you select, flowers are a relatively inexpensive way to dress up any location or turn an off-the-rack bridesmaid dress into a fashion statement.
Traditionally, wedding flowers include (at a minimum) the bride’s bouquet and bridal party corsages and boutonnières.  It’s also nice to have the parents and grandparents of the bride and groom (as well as any other close relatives) sport flowers on their wrists and lapels.

But a flower’s place at a wedding has grown beyond traditional bridal floral fashion.  For example, instead of a conventional bouquet, this year’s bride may instead choose a floral boa, which is a string of flowers wired together with greenery draped around the bride’s shoulders.  Or she might carry a floral prayer book, which as you might guess, is a prayer book adorned in her favourite flowers.  Another trendy option this year is for the bride to wear a floral pomander.  Similar to a wrist corsage, a pomander is a ball of flowers that dangles from a ribbon tied around the bride’s wrist.  It’s also not uncommon for a bride to decorate her hair with flowers in place of a veil, a practice popular in the tropics where flowers like hibiscus and orchids come in many colours and are abundant.
If you choose to carry your flowers down the aisle you can go with the traditional teardrop bouquet (a rounded top with a narrowing trail that comes to a point at the bottom), or try something more modern like a cascade bouquet, which is an unstructured flower arrangement with many trails sprouting out of the top cascading down.  Similarly, the arm spray bouquet allows the bride to carry long stemmed flowers cradled in her forearm, and may or may not include multiple trails spilling down the front of her gown.

Flowers can also be used to decorate the location in which you’re getting married. If your ceremony takes place outside or in an unconventional setting such as someone’s home, a yacht, the beach or a park, then flower arrangements such as arches, sprays, garland and centrepieces not only add elegance, but put your own personal touch on the place as well.

But even if you’ve already selected your bouquet type and arrangements, knowing which flowers to use can be a bit overwhelming.  However, if you keep these simple tips in mind, selecting the right flowers doesn’t have to be a daunting decision.

1. Set a flower budget and be honest with your florist about what you can spend.  Florists are magicians at coming up with flowers that can fit any budget.
   
   
2. Don’t wait until the last minute to order your flowers, or you may not get what you want.  Remember, many flowers are seasonal and regional, so if you have your heart set on poinsettias in the summer or daffodils in the winter, then you better plan way out in advance so your florist can find a greenhouse that can accommodate you.  Typically it’s good to meet with your florist six to eight months before your wedding.
   
   
3. Plan on using flowers that match your wedding colours. You want your bouquets to compliment to your bridal wear, not come off as a garish accessory.
   
   
4. Select flowers that will hold up during the ceremony.  For example, if you’re getting married on a hot, sandy beach, don’t choose flowers that wilt immediately in the heat. 
   
   
5. Don’t be afraid to pick flowers you like.  Just because roses are traditional, doesn’t mean you can’t have a daisy bouquet and wild flower centrepieces, if that’s what you want.

Whether you’re having a traditional wedding in a church or a contemporary ceremony on a hillside, flowers allow you to add your own personality and style to the festivities.  They are an element that literally brings life and beauty to your wedding, ensuring your big day is the best it can be.