Those of you who have been planning a wedding for any length of time will be able to relate to this question.

The question becomes greater with the increasing number of options there are for every choice that can be made and the flowers and decor are no exception.

This is equally true when it comes to the linens.

Should we keep the linens as is OR should we “upgrade” to an overlay?

Should we do a plain one OR a textured one?

Should we “just do” and overlay OR “upgrade” to nicer table cloth?

Should be “just do” the nicer table cloth OR do the overlay and the table?

Then the napkins…and the chairs and the rest of the decor all come into the question.

It’s one of the many ways that your ultimate choice of designer can add value that is beyond the size and quality of the florals they create for you.

I’ve been fully immersed in weddings for the past couple of months and haven’t had a chance to feature some of the amazing clients I have had the chance to work whose weddings took place recently, so I’m so pleased to be able write this post about Christine and Ian.

I met Christine in the fall of last year to discuss floral possibilities for her wedding the following spring. All of it was the take place in the Distillery District a place well regarded for ceremonies in the surrounding art galleries and receptions in the numerous excellent restaurants that are situated there.

The combination of the surroundings in addition to her exquisite choice for spring flowers made for a stunning and elegant combination.

The ceremony eventally took place at the Arta Gallery and the dinner reception took place at the acclaimed Boiler House Restaurant.

The combination of the surroundings in addition to the exquisite choice for spring flowers made for a stunning and elegant combination.

Spring Wedding Bouquet | Floret.ca

Wedding Ceremony At The Arta Gallery | Floret.ca

Wedding Reception At The Boiler House | Floret.ca

This post might start off sounding like your hard sell scare tactic for convincing 2011 brides to consider booking now as opposed to waiting arbitrarily until later in the year, but if you’ve ever met me you’ll know that that’s not my style and if you read on you’ll understand.

My post last week got me thinking about the advantages that my clients who choose to book their florals now have over those who choose to wait, and while there’s definitely more than one reason: having your choice of florist, getting things done on your long list of to dos, those all aside there is a singularly stands out above the rest.

It will give you the chance to see the flowers that will be in season now for when you get married next year.

Having said this, if it’s only roses and daisies you’re wanting, there no issue. However, if you have an interest in a seasonal item, such as the dahlia, it’s best to start now and you’ll be glad you did.

The advantages are many - the most important one being, it would allow you to see the flowers at the only time would be available.

I was happy to be able to do just this for Daniela and Julian whose beautiful nuptials I will featuring mid next summer.  Their choices were hydrangea, roses and a blush pink dahlia that would take your breath away and she was able to see these gorgeous blooms in their prime.

If I get a chance to take a pic, I’ll post it and you’ll what see I mean.

With weddings for this season well underway (I’ll be writing about them soon),  as a wedding florist , I have the distinct vantage point of working in the present with the weddings that are at hand and at the same time knowing that weddings that are a year away are already being planned and eagerly anticipated.

Wedding professionals have a different perception of time and it always crosses my mind as I meet with clients who are reserving my services next year. It’s a unique experience to be asked join in the journey of planning a singularly important day.

I love colour!

Above all else, it is singularly the best way to create impact and to create a cohesive theme.

I spend a fair amount of my efforts considering how to combine colours to create a certain effect.

With colours alone, you can create a pretty and sweet feeling, or  arrangement that is sophisticated and lavish.

Early last month, I created these centerpieces for Noula and George’s engagement  and colour scheme of peach and pink and the result was a lovely fresh look for a spring event.

Pretty Peach and Pink Centerpiece | Floret.ca

“Aren’t they smelly and don’t they ruin clothes?”

These are usually the major concerns with the lily and the remedies are simple and shouldn’t stop anyone from using this most amazing flower.

In answer to the first one, they don’t all smell. Depends on the type.

As for ruining clothes, the pollens should always be removed then no issue.

As a flower, it’s positive qualities far outweigh any potential downsides to them.

1. They come in the lovliest array of colours. Please don’t ask about blue

2. They are large bloomed so they’re very dramatic when used in large arrangements.

Orchids of all kinds, roses, hydrangeas and the premium florals of any given season will forever remain popular choices for wedding flowers.

However, I was very pleasantly surprised recently while perusing through one of those luxury wedding magazines - the name of which escapes me - I noticed that in one of their feature luxury weddings the wedding florist had used in great abundance to great effect a flower that is generally considered a filler seen really only in everyday arrangements and under normal circumstances not even really noticed.

The dramatic effect of the design  was so inspiring because it shows that both clients and florists are really acknowledging that in some ways there is no such thing as a “wedding flower” and that all types of flowers regardless of what they are for potentially suitable for wedding work.

I for one think that all flowers are beautiful, but I appreciate that I am understandably biased. Right along side the carnation and another flower I mentioned a couple of weeks back, it’s exciting to see it come to the mainstream.

This is also great because for those who want grand flowers for their wedding because they could probably get a similar effect with less traditional options for flowers which would work well not only on the pocketbook, but creating a unique and beautiful look for their flowers.

It’s probably the furthest thing from anyone’s mind…

How could a little volcanic ash on the other side of the world affect anything to do with a wedding here?

Well, I guess it’s true UNLESS your flowers at least some of them come from there.

For those of you who may not know the ultimate originators of the commercial flower markets  - The Dutch - are over there and I was told that at one point, with the airports shut down nothing was going in and out.

I suppose it’s another good reason for trying to stick with flowers that are grown locally or at least on this continent, but sometimes there’s nothing quite like a bloom from that part of the world and for the most part it’s not an issue until the volcano decides to erupt and cause a little havoc.

For the longest time, the predominant style for bouquet has been the hand-tied or round bouquet which I think was made most popular by Martha Stewart.

But as with all things, I can see that the preference for shape is slowly changing to the style famously carried by Princess Diana when she married Prince Charles.

The long flowing seemingly large and probably heavy bouquet known as the Cascade is coming back updated in a more streamlined and cleaner look.

Even a few years ago, I was hard pressed to remember being asked to make one, but now more and more clients are leaning toward the elegance that such a bouquet brings with it.

So, if you’re getting married in the next year or so, you may end up with one, but a few years ago you might never have considered it.

I always tell my clients. Go for colour first.

It’s especially important when the budget is not opened ended because you’ll open a large door to options that you wouldn’t otherwise have and might be relegated to having a traditional wedding flower in a colour you didn’t want.

Purple and varying shades of it is the colour of the moment and I had the pleasure of making boutonnieres in purples that weren’t roses.

For Elaine and Darshan’s wedding earlier this month, (I’ll feature more flowers from their wedding shortly), we used alstromeria for the boutonnieres which offered the symmetry of the all popular orchid and the colour that seemingly didn’t come in any other flower other than a rose.

Alstromeria Boutonniere For The Groom | Floret.ca