Flowers and decorations to match your wedding dress

Bouquet, tables and candles, with the choices that can actually be seen in the pictures.

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Which bouquet shape suits my wedding dress best?

The simpler the wedding dress, the more the bouquet can fill. A large, loose bouquet suits a plain satin dress, while a dress with a lot of lace and beading looks cluttered behind a bouquet with many kinds of flowers. If the dress is close-fitting, choose a smaller bouquet, otherwise it covers the whole bodice. Take a photo of the dress to the florist. See, for example, our satin dresses and lace dresses.

Which flowers are in season when we are getting married, and how do we match them with the wedding dress?

It depends on the season: in spring tulips, anemones and peonies at the end of May, in summer roses, dahlias, hydrangeas and wild flowers, in autumn dahlias, chrysanthemums, branches and berries, and in winter amaryllis, anemones, fir and eucalyptus. Flowers in season cost considerably less than imported ones, and greenery fills a lot for little money. Ask the florist what is cheapest in your week, and show a photo of the wedding dress so the colours can be matched. More about the seasons in our FAQ on season and weather.

Are dried flowers a good idea for the bridal bouquet, or can they rub off on the wedding dress?

Yes, dried flowers have three advantages: the bouquet can be made weeks in advance, it copes with heat and a long day, and it can be kept afterwards as a keepsake. Dried flowers are often cheaper too. The downside is that the colours are more muted and that they rub off a little, so keep them away from an all-white wedding gown. Feel free to mix them with fresh flowers, so the bouquet comes alive. Find more ideas for the day on our blog.

Can I use artificial flowers for a wedding without them looking cheap next to the wedding dress?

Yes, good artificial silk flowers look real in photos. They last all day regardless of the heat, they can be tied well in advance, and you keep the bouquet afterwards. Do not buy the cheapest ones, because a plastic sheen shows in close-ups of the bouquet against the wedding dress. Feel free to mix them with fresh greenery to bring in scent and movement. For table decorations the difference is barely visible. You will find more ways to stick to your budget in our FAQ on price and budget.

How do I make the bridal bouquet last all day without staining the wedding dress?

The bridal bouquet lasts all day if you collect it as late as possible, keep it in water until you have to leave, and put it in the shade between photos, not in a sunny car. Hold it down by your hips rather than up against your chest, so the flowers are not warmed by your body. Ask the florist to bind the stems with a water holder if the bouquet needs to last into the evening, and wipe the stems so no water drips onto the wedding gown. Other things that can go wrong are covered in our FAQ on emergencies.

Can I keep and press my bridal bouquet after the wedding, just as I keep the wedding dress?

Yes, a bridal bouquet can be kept. The easiest way is to hang it upside down in a dark, dry place for two to three weeks, and it becomes a dried bouquet. If you want it pressed and framed, there are people who do it professionally, and it has to happen within a few days. Either way, take a photo of the bouquet together with the wedding dress while it is fresh, because the colours change. More good advice for the time afterwards in our FAQ on after the wedding.

Can the flowers in the bouquet stain my wedding dress?

Yes, flowers are one of the most common causes of stains on a wedding dress. Lily pollen is the worst, and green stems rub off when they are wet. Ask the florist to remove the stamens from the lilies, dry the stems and tie a ribbon around them. If you get pollen on the dress, brush it away with dry paper, never with water. If the damage is done, you can read about cleaning the wedding dress.

How do we choose a colour theme for our wedding that suits the wedding gown?

A colour theme for the wedding starts with the venue, because walls and floor are the biggest colour in the room, and a theme that clashes with them looks wrong. Then choose two colours and one neutral, not five. Take the undertone of the dress into account too: if it is ivory, warm colours work better than cool ones. Collect three pictures as a reference and show them to the florist and the venue. See dresses in warm tones among our dresses with colour and glitter.

Can we make the wedding decorations ourselves and save money, so there is more left for the wedding dress?

Yes, homemade decorations save a lot of money, but factor in the time: table decorations for twelve tables take an evening for three people. Make everything that can be made in advance, and stick to one kind of decoration you can repeat. You should not make the bridal bouquet or anything that needs to be fresh yourselves. Ask three guests for help before you take on everything. What you save can go towards the wedding dress or something else that matters more to you. Find more money-saving tips in our FAQ on budget and choices.

How do we create cosy mood lighting for the wedding reception that also flatters the wedding dress in photos?

Good mood lighting for a wedding reception comes from many small light sources low in the room, not from a bright ceiling light. Use string lights over the tables, candles on the tables and a lamp in the corners. Ask the venue whether the ceiling light can be dimmed and whether real candles are allowed, because in barns and tents the fire authorities often say no. Battery candles look surprisingly real in photos, and the warm, low light gives the wedding gown a soft glow in the evening pictures. We answer more questions about the venue in our FAQ on location.

How do we make nice place cards and menu cards that match the style of the wedding dress and the rest of the wedding?

Nice place cards and menu cards are made by choosing one typeface and one paper and repeating them on everything, so it looks coherent, both printed and handwritten. Feel free to borrow a detail from the wedding dress, for example a colour or a lace motif. Write both first name and surname on the place cards, so guests can find their seat without guessing. Make five extra for cancellations and guests who swap seats. Put them in order before you get to the venue. The same style can carry through to your cards, see our FAQ on invitations.

Where can we hire tables, chairs and tableware for our wedding when the budget also has to cover the wedding dress?

You hire tables, chairs and tableware for a wedding from rental companies that also rent out marquees, and often from the venue itself. Ask about delivery, setting up and collection, and when things need to be ready to be picked up, because those three items often cost more than the hire itself. By hiring instead of buying, the money can go towards other things, for example the wedding dress. Count everything on delivery and write down what has arrived. Agree who washes the tableware before it goes back. We collect more questions about the venue in our FAQ on location and venue.