Ultimately, your choice of wedding flowers should be dictated by your wedding theme, and should also reflect your specific taste and personality.

Understand that there are no right or wrong choices when selecting flowers for your wedding. It is your own personal choice, as your own preferences are the most important part, as well as having a basic understanding of what works well for the theme you’ve chosen and your budget.

Your florist will be able to provide invaluable advice but here are some basics to get you started.

• Remember that less is more. Flowers provide a splash of colour and should tie in your overall theme. Don’t let them overpower!
• Good positioning and use of foliage can create the sense that you have more floral arrangements than you actually do.
• Your florist must share your vision.

Where to start

Begin by looking through the Bride Tasmania magazine and website, and even gardening books. If you don’t already have an idea of the types of flowers you’d like to have, simply looking at beautifully photographed flowers can be a great way to spark some inspiration.

There are some classic wedding flowers with which you can’t go wrong, such as roses, peonies, lily of the valley, hydrangeas, orchids and calla lilies.

Determine your budget

Before you get too excited, do the sums. Some floral arrangements might not be realistic once you have budgeted for everything else, so it’s a good idea to know how much you have to spend on flowers before getting your hopes up.

When you visit the florist, you can discuss the extent of your budget and work from there. It’s a good idea to keep some flowers on your “must-have” list and some on your “wish-list”, so that if you do have to pare down, the wish-list flowers can go first without depleting the flowers that you must have.

The importance of colour

Colour is obviously a crucial part of your decision about which flowers to have. The colours you choose should complement your gown, the wedding theme and the clothing of the rest of the bridal party.

When thinking about colour, consider what the flowers have to contend with in the room, marquee or outdoor area where they’re located and be sure to choose colours that will stand out. Some of the more popular flowers by colour choice include :

• White: rose, gardenia, orchid and lily of the valley.
• Pink: rose, peony, sweet pea, carnation and tulip.
• Lavender: lavender, lilac, anemone, iris, and hydrangea.
• Yellow: daffodil, sunflower, tulip, gerbera and freesia.

Consider the season

The season plays an important role in your choice, especially if you’re budget-conscious. While non-seasonal flowers can be sourced, this increases the cost and complexity. And if you’re into locally grown produce, it’s hardly appropriate to have flowers sourced from elsewhere.

Positioning the flowers

Wedding flowers can be simple or elaborate depending on the type of wedding that is being planned. Flowers are suitable for the following places and arrangements:

• The bridal bouquet and bouquets for the wedding party members.
• Flowers for the church or other place of ceremony.
• A decorated bridal arch.
• A carpet of fresh petals for an outside wedding.
• Tables at a sit-down dinner.
• Flowers around a hall, marquee, dance area for the reception.

To find a wedding florist click here.