Flowers
What each bloom means, what is in season, and how to work with a florist.
Flowers are usually the third-largest item in a wedding budget, after the venue and the food, and the easiest one to shape. Start with the season: flowers in bloom locally cost less, travel less and look better than out-of-season stems flown in. Decide which few pieces matter most to you — the bouquet, the ceremony backdrop, the reception tables — and let the florist carry the rest with greenery, candles and repetition.
Book a florist six to nine months out for a busy season, bring photographs and your color palette to the first meeting, and ask about foam-free arrangements and reusing ceremony flowers at the reception. The guides below explain what each bloom has meant over the centuries, what is in season month by month, and how to work with a florist.