Options are endless for floral arrangements

When it comes to selecting wedding flowers, the best advice is to go with what you love. The flowers will look beautiful no matter what because, well, they're flowers.

Some brides prefer tiny blossoms in a muted palette of similar hues.

Others are drawn to a riot of colors and a mixture of bold flowers. Yet another idea is to choose a theme flower, such as calla lily, that is repeated in bouquets, church arrangements and table centerpieces.

And flowers don't have to be fresh to be beautiful. Silk and dried flower arrangements can be just as stunning as the freshly pruned variety.

The simplest option is to have fresh flower arrangements delivered by a florist on the day of the wedding. Convenience and professional presentation are the chief advantages when hiring a florist to design and deliver wedding flowers. By using a reputable floral designer, you can be assured that the flowers will be exactly as ordered and will be delivered on time. That's just one less thing to worry about on the day of the wedding.

Another fresh flower idea is to hand-tie long-stemmed lilies, tulips or roses into bouquets using ribbons that match the bridesmaids' dresses.

The theme can be carried to the reception by filling tall vases with the flower variety selected for the bouquets.

Creative brides who lean toward do-it-yourself projects can make their own bouquets and floral arrangements using fresh, silk or dried flowers or even a combination of all three. Bouquets, corsages and centerpieces can be prepared months in advance and stored until the big day.

Hisako Maben, floral designer at Burghard Floral, said that brides who want to reduce wedding expenses sometimes will order corsages and boutonnieres from a florist, then make their own centerpieces using silk flowers or candles.

A recent trend in fresh wedding flowers is color-mixed bouquets, especially in tropical shades such as mint greens, pinks and oranges, Maben said. And preferences for bouquet shapes tend to change over time.

"Cascade bouquets are coming back again. Ten years ago the cascade bouquets were very popular, then for the past several years most people wanted round bouquets. Now it's going back to cascade bouquets," she said.

For the do-it-yourselfer, silk and dried flowers are available in such a wide range of colors and varieties that the design possibilities are endless. There are a number of crafts books at local stores and at the public library that offer ideas for wedding arrangements.
Floral design experts at local Michaels Arts and Crafts stores in Colorado Springs also assist with wedding planning.

"We help customers as much as we possibly can," said Suellen Delaney, an employee at Michaels on Powers Boulevard. "There are many things you can do that are cost efficient."

Delaney said that she often works with brides who design and create all the floral arrangements themselves using dried or silk flowers. Friends and family sometimes help out with the flower assembling.

"If they just don't have the time or ability, we (Michaels) can do custom floral for weddings. The only thing we don't do is deliver," Delaney said.

There are a variety of reasons customers prefer silk flowers over fresh, she said. When using silk arrangements, brides know exactly what the flowers will look like in advance. "Nature is not always picture perfect," Delaney said of fresh flowers. "Some people want arrangements that will last and can be used later in their homes."

One final option is to pick seasonal flowers from your own garden. The blossoms can be arranged in fresh bouquets and centerpieces or they can be preserved in colorful arrangements that will last for many years.