Friday, February 11, 2011

Planning Your Wedding

Congratulations on your engagement! Your interest in getting married in the beautiful Canadian Rockies is a delight to us. Our day to day commitment to seeking out quality fresh floral is the first step to creating beautiful floral arrangements. We realize that no bride is alike so we are ready to consult with you to help you process the possibilities and potential of your wedding day flowers.

Consultation:

Typically 6-8 months prior to your wedding day is an ideal time to begin floral consultation. If your wedding falls on the weekend or long weekend, take extra precaution that our availability will book faster than week day weddings. The consultation is preferably done in person, but phone consultations have been successfully done many times to achieve great results. Allow an hour to an hour and a half for the consult. If you will require centrepieces and other floral décor for the ceremony/reception it will take a bit more time than if you just require bouquets and boutonnieres/corsages. Upon the consultation, we would require your theme colours and bride’s maids dress colours as this will help determine the selection of the flowers. You are welcome to bring photos of bouquets, arrangements, and flowers that you like as this would assist in conveying the style and feel of your wedding. After the consultation, we will provide you with a quote which we hold for two weeks. After the two weeks, dates and quotes are not secured without a retainer fee.

Style:

Descriptive words are useful to convey the overall feel of your wedding and tie in the theme. Natural, rustic, casual, elegant, modern, to name a few.

Natural themes may incorporate materials from nature such as river rocks, twigs, pine cones, moss, berries, and lush foliage to create an outdoorsy look that mimics nature.

Elegant themes generally go hand in had with the use of higher end flowers such as Callas, Orchids, Roses, Oriental Lilies (very fragrant), Hydrangeas, etc. It could have lots of textures or be clean and sleek.

Wildflower themes mimic the flowers that grow in our natural surroundings. Asiatic Lilies (non-fragrant), Chrysanthemums, Gerberas, Alstromeria, Sunflowers, Asters, Snapdragons, Delphinium etc. There is a broad range of colours to choose from and textures, shapes and sizes vary so that many looks can be created with different combinations of flowers. The bouquet could be arranged in a round and compact form to create a formal look, or arranged with one or various types of foliage for a natural feel.

Classical and timeless would the Rose. Versatile in its purpose and broad in its colour spectrum, it is one of my personal favourites. Of course, every Rose is not created equal. We are proud to present a collection of Organic Roses to include the beautiful, voluminous and fragrant Garden Rose.

Blue, is a colour loved by many and to name the blue flowers would be fairly simple. Hydrangea (Jun.-Nov.), Iris (year round), Thistles (year round), Delphinium (Apr.-Jun. possibly year round), Gentiana (Jul.-Sep.), Muscari (Jan.-May), Cornflower (May-Aug.), Agapanthus (Jun.-Aug.), Hyacinth (Jan.-Apr.). These flower range from true blue to purple-blue or lavender-blue. The seasons will vary as it fluctuates with the weather and climate but the general peak seasons have been noted. Some of the blue flowers are delicate hence can be unreliable. To ensure that your blue accent is available it is a good idea to have your bouquets bound in blue ribbon or have blue jewels added. Flowers that have been stem dyed blue are available in Roses and Dendrobium Orchids but be forewarned that dyes can get onto your hands or dress and the dye also shortens the vase life of the flowers.

Outdoor winter weddings are common but be prepared that in sub zero temperatures your bouquet may only last for the ceremony. Here are a few suggestions for flowers that have some stronger resistance to the cold. Calla Lilies, Chrysanthemum, Roses, Brezelia, Banksia, Leucadendron, Hypericum Berry, Eryngium Thistles, twigs, foliage. Be mindful of your bouquet if you plan to have photos taken outside before the ceremony.

Season:

There are many flowers that are available year round. Alstromeria, Anthirium, Snapdragons, Monte Casino Asters, Bupleurum, Chrysanthemums, Cymbidium Orchids, Dendrobium Orchids, Eryngium Thistles, Lysianthus, Freesia, Gerberas, Eucharis, Gloriosa, Iris, Lilies, Bells of Ireland, Roses, Star of Bethlehem, Solidaster, Trachelium, Hypericum Berry, Safari Sunset Leucadendron, Calla Lilies, orange Pink Cushions. Availability may vary with colour and the product is generally consistent in quality throughout the year. Still, keep in mind that flower are a perishable product so there is no guarantee that any one flower will be available at any given day. With our expertise, we will work with you to determine suitable substitutions should it be required.

We hope our tips have helped set you on your path to planning for your wedding flowers. We are happy to share our knowledge and expertise with you and help make your wedding day the beginning of many beautiful and memorable experiences in a life shared together. Your request for a consultation will be answered promptly. Happy planning.