Flowers 101 with Fab Flora

Posted on by Chicago Planner
 Flowers 101: How to look for great flowers for your wedding if you don’t know a lot about them
 TYPES OF FLOWERS
Photo by ThinkLeigh Photography
Traditional Flowers, Photo by ThinkLeigh Photography

Traditional Flowers: When I think ‘traditional’, roses, hydrangeas and dendrobium orchids come to mind.  They are both timeless and elegant and can fit into most styles.  A popular traditional centerpiece look this season is a footed compote vase with a mound of ivory and blush blooms.

Long-Lasting Flowers, Photo by LieslDiesel Ph0to
Long-Lasting Flowers, Photo by LieslDiesel Photo

Long-Lasting Flowers: The great thing about weddings is that the flowers only really need to last one day, so when choosing flowers brides have a ton of options.  But, if you are sending home the centerpieces with guests and you want them to last, then you might want to consider this list of flowers:
carnations, trick dianthus, daisies, alstromeria, statice, chrysanthemums, some varieties of lilies and roses, orchids and protea.  Also, incorporating succulents into arrangements is gaining popularity and these can last for months!

Color Flowers, Photo by Tuan H. Bui Photography
Color Flowers, Photo by Tuan H. Bui Photography

Color:  Fab Flora top wedding flower picks

White: peonies, roses, lilies, orchids, gerbera daisies, ranunculus, hydrangea, babysbreath, dahlias
Yellow: sunflowers, roses, pincushion protea, lilies, ranunculus, calla lilies, billy balls, yarrow
Pink: anemone, peonies, garden roses, tulips, ranunculus, celosia, mokara orchids, astilbe, dahlias
Orange: lilies, ranunculus, circus roses, winter berries, pincushion protea, cymbidium orchids, mango calla lilies
Purple: stock, lisianthus, hydrangea, calla lilies, cool water roses, statice, lilacs
Red: spray roses, black velvet roses, hypericum berries, amaryllis, ginger, jamestory orchids, ranunculus
Green: bells of ireland, ‘trick’ dianthus, hydrangea, viburnum, coxcomb, millet, brunia, cymbidium orchids
What YOU Should Know
 Signs of a good florist (how do you work with people who aren’t familiar with florals?)
I find that most people know nothing about flowers so a good florist should be patient.  When I sit down with a couple for their consultation, I always have a computer in front of us.  The most helpful thing brides can do for their florist is to create a Pinterest board with images of centerpieces, bouquets and boutonnieres.  This way, their florist can get a sense of the couple’s style and also point out flower names of arrangements they like.  I always include images of flowers in the proposal so couples know exactly what they are getting.

Be an Eco-friendly Client

One of the easiest ways to be eco-friendly is to choose flowers that coincide with the season your wedding falls within.  Ask your florist if they can purchase locally grown flowers because it cuts back on shipping energy and packaging waste.  Locally grown also means less pesticides and chemicals needed to preserve them (most flowers that come form outside the country travel up to two weeks before getting into a flower shop).  Here are a few more ways to be green:

  • Use vases you already own or rent vases (vintage rentals are hugely popular!).
  • Request flowers that are in season or plan your event date around the flowers you want
  • Choose arrangements that don’t require floral foam (it’s very toxic to the environment)
  • If purchasing local flowers is not an option (like in the winter), then ask for Sustainable, Fairtrade or Organic flowers

Want to learn more? Fab Flora offers floral design workshops and private flower designing parties (great for wedding showers or bachelorette parties!)  Workshops cover topics such as Flower Care, Design Principles, Color Theory, Eco-friendly Floral Practices, and Flower Identity.  You will get hands on experience putting together your own arrangements and everyone takes home what they create!  Bring your friends and get ready to have a creative and inspiring night out!  To sign up go to www.FabFloraChicago.com.  Upcoming workshops are Fridays 7-9PM March 21st, April 18th and April 25th.

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