i love youAND THAT IS THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING.

f. scott fitzgerald

Wedding Flowers MAGAZINE WINTER 2013

once upon a time, wedding bouquets were made of herbal garlands. Did you know that every herb and every flower has a special meaning all of its own, right? New brides in those days were content to carry these simple herbal garlands as their wedding bou-quets. As time passed away the stunning floral wedding posy carried by a queen replaced the simple wedding garland bouquets traditional of the ancients.

“Wedding bouquets symbolise fertility, happiness & prosperity”

Hollywood with all its glamour and glitz began fashioning the popularity of el-egant wedding bouquets for various ce-lebrity weddings and movies and then the new brides of that day kept that wed-ding trend going because they wanted their wedding bouquets to be similar to those that their favourite celebrities car-ried down the aisle. Wedding bouquets symbolize fertility, happiness and pros-perity. They are also a stunning com-pliment to every wedding ceremony as well as every bridal gown and bride.1

1

the history of wedding flowers

Popular Herbs used in today’s Floral Design

LAVENDER, SAGEGERANIUM, ECHINACHEA,

ROSEMARY, MINT,ARTICHOKE, OLIVE LEAF,BAY LEAF, LEMON BALM

Over the many years of being a florist, I have had many requests from brides and wedding couples to include a keepsake treasures or symbolic flowers into their wedding bouquets and floral styling on the day. I thought I would explore these trends a little to see why they are so popular and what all the fuss is about.

The latest trend in wedding floristry would have to be the crafting of an intri-cate or bespoke wedding bouquet stem bind. The styling of the bouquet stem bind can incorporate stylish fabrics like lace, wool and yarn, plus the addi-tion of family heirlooms and other gorgeous keepsake treasures like buttons, brooches and tassels. I love this concept, it is a beautiful way for your bouquet to be a little bit unique and personalised but it also captures the true artis-tic direction of your wedding florist. Sadly your wedding bouquet will per-ish, but these keepsake treasures will remind you of your beautiful wedding bouquet (and hopefully be passed onto your children for their wedding day).

Most of us know that flower’s have meanings, but why? After a bit of research I soon discovered that this all started back in the Victorian era. Apparently a gentleman was considered very improper to let a lady know of his feelings for her, so they used flowers and their symbolic meaning do the talking for them.

Here are some symbolic meanings of popular wedding flowers:

White Roses represent innocence, beauty and charmRed Roses symbolize passion

Dark Pink Roses convey a deep thankfulness for finding one anotherTulips represent an undying love

Daisies symbolize an innocent, romantic spirit of loveCalla Lilies convey charm, elegance and refinement

Mixing in shades of greenery or ivy vines along with a bouquet of roses represents devotion to the marriage

1Guide to Wedding Bouquets: History, Symbolism, How to Select and Carry : © 2009 Sara Valor

1

Symbolism

With so many different flower varieties, colours, shapes and sizes; choosing your dream wed-ding bouquet can be a little overwhelming. Also with the explosion of online inspiration from sources like Pinterest and Flickr, bride’s are faced with to so many floral choices and sometimes don’t know where to start! When searching for floral inspiration I suggest gathering a couple of bouquet images that you like; when you meet up with your wedding florist they can assist you to create a design that compliment’s your wedding dress colour and style, body shape, budget and your floral inspiration.

Wedding bouquet styles are endless. From classic round posies, to trailing bouquets, and rustic handpicked bouquets, the list goes on. As simple as one bouquet can look to make, all these styles actually have their own degree of complexity when creating. This will become apparent when pricing different bouquet options with any wedding florist. But remember your wedding bouquet is a featured accessory that you will hold in front of one of your biggest wedding expenses your dress, so choose your bouquet design carefully to ensure a perfect harmony of style between you both.

Over the years I have seen a lot of bouquet and flower trends come and go. When I first started floristry as a young teen back in 1995, flowers like Babies Breath and Carnations were being out-casted as ‘Grandma’ flowers. Now with the ressurgance of vintage and rustic themed weddings these flowers are making a big comeback. I think it is fantastic that these blooms are starting to become trendy again. Many florists will stare you down upon mention of these two uncool flow-ers in their shopfront, but if used correctly they can create real interest to any bridal bouquet design.

To make the flower planning process a little easier, we have given you a run down on different bouquet styles, that might help you when choosing the perfect wedding bouquet for your special day.

What’s your Style?

Classic Formal Posy

Description. A round shaped bouquet of tightly clustered flowers in a symmetrical or balanced de-sign.

Works well with. all body shapes and fuller dress styles, like a princess cut or A-Line. For fuller-fig-ure brides a larger bouquet will help balance your shape, too smaller posy can draw your eye to your body frame making you appear bigger.

Informal Hand Held Posy

Description. An informal round shaped bou-quet of flowers with groupings of blooms, and an uneven levelling of flowers when looked at from the side.

Works well with. all body shapes and fuller dress styles, like a princess cut or A-Line. For fuller-figure brides a larger bouquet will help balance your shape, too smaller posy can draw your eye to your body frame making you appear bigger.

Arm Bouquet or Sheaf

Description. An elongated bouquet gener-ally made with long stemmed flowers. Held across the arm or by the wayside.

Works well with. perfect for taller brides. Compliments strapless dresses, and long fit-ted gowns.

Formal Trailing Bouquet

Description. A tear shaped bouquet of tightly clustered flowers individually wired into a symmetrical or balanced design.

Works well with. Petite to medium sized brides. Compliments classic, fitted and A-line wedding gowns.

Continued on next page

Informal Trailing Bouquet

Description. A constructed bouquet of indi-vidually wired flowers shaped into a loosely designed teardrop.

Works well with. All brides shapes & sizes, particularly great for fuller figured ladies. Compliments classic, fitted and A-line wed-ding gowns.

Formal Handpicked Posy

Description. A natural cluster of flowers with prominent focal points, carefully considering all elements of design.

Works well with. All brides shapes & sizes, compliments vintage style & tea party gowns.

Informal Handpicked Posy

Description. A de-constructed version of the informal posy. A gathered group of flowers placed in no particualr order or merit.

Works well with. Petite to medium sized brides. Compliments vintage styled gowns, tea party gowns.

It seems like every wedding magazine or web-site is all about vintage themed weddings. This quirky style has caught the Australian bridal in-dustry by storm and it shows no sign of ending soon. So what is vintage? Let me check...now where is that dictionary? As I rustle amongst my bookshelf and blow the dust off my discol-oured old school dictionary I realise my answer is right in front of me...OLD.

What I love about this craze is it lets couples re-live a part of history dating back generations. As you scour through your parents and grand-parents belongings to see what you can incorpo-rate into your wedding styling. Fear not, if your family had really bad taste or sold it years ago at a garage sale you can find some great quality vintage wedding suppliers around the Coast.

Lastly, I do dread the day I go to my grandkids wedding and vintage has revisited. I can only imagine the Groom wearing fluoro socks and a Hypercolour tie, the bride holding an artificial wedding bouquet, and a spot of grip ball and mouse trap for entertainment...aaargh.

Vintage, Vintage, Vintage....SUPPLIERS

Splash Eventswww.splashevents.com.au

Mask Events5438 8773

Beedazzled Events1300 736 926

Little Owl Events0448 932 808

CL Weddings & Events0406 998 035

Lovebird Weddings0421 384 429

MMM...which season is that in?A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO FLOWER AVAILABILTY

All year roundFLOWERSMiniature Roses, Standard Roses, Carnations, Alstromeria, Asters, Chrysanthemums or Dai-sies, Gerberas, Gladioli, Liatris, Asiatic Lilies, Oriental lilies, Sea Holly, Sunflowers, Anthuri-ums, Singapore Orchids, Mokara or Vanda Orchids, Babies BreathFOLIAGEViburnum, Dusty Miller, Camelia Leaf, Ivy Bunching, Assorted Ferns, Eucalyptus.

By the MonthJANUARYDavid Austin Roses, Allium, Arabs eyes, Bouvardia, Disbuds, Cockscomb, Delphinium, Glo-riosa lilies, Hydrangea, Longiflorum Lilies, Lisianthus, Molluca Balm, Tuberose, Banksia, King Protea, Leucadendrons, Lotus Pods, Beehive Ginger, Siam Tulips, Frangipani, Geranium foli-age, Blackberries, Brunia, Privet Berry.

FEBRUARYFreesias, Tulips (no cream/white), David Austin Roses, Amaranthus, Arabs Eyes, Bouvardia, Calla Lily, Cockscomb, Delphinium, Gloriosa lilies, Hydrangea, Longiflorum lilies, Lisianthus, Molluca Balm, Frangipani, Banksia (Baxteri, Burdetti, Candles), Protea (Pink Ice, Repens, Smoky Joes), Leucadendrons, Lotus Pods, Beehive Ginger, Siam Tulips. Queen Anne’s Lace, Fig Branches, Flowering Gum, Nutty & Spinning Gum, Geranium foliage, Snow Berry, Privet Berry, Hypericum.

MARCHFreesias, Hyacinths, Iris, Tulips, David Austin Roses, Amaranthus, Arabs Eyes, Bouvardia, Calicarpa, Calla lilies, Cockscomb, Delphinium, Gloriosa lilies, Hydrangea, Longiflorum lilies, Lisianthus, Molluca Balm, Nerines, Frangipani, Banksia (Prionotes, Candles), Protea (Pink Ice, Repens, Smoky Joes), Leucadendron, Lotus Pods, Beehive Ginger, Phaelenopsis Orchids, Fig Branches, Flowering Gum, Magnolia, Rhodo Foliage, Peppercorn berries, Geranium foli-age, Snow Berry, Hypericum.

When choosing wedding flowers always keep in mind you are dealing with Mother Nature. Weather can greatly affect the availabilty of flowers, so ensure your wedding florist is up with the latest seasonal advice, has a variety of grow-

ers available to them and seems confident when discussing your flowers and their availabilty. Just like a wet weather ceremony plan it is good to have a second

flower choice for some blooms if they become unavailble due to poor weather as well.

APRILFreesias, Hyacinths, Iris, Tulips Ice & Parrot, Amaranthus, Bouvardia, Calla lilies, Cocks-comb, Longiflorum lilies, Lisianthus, Molluca Balm, Nerines, Snapdragons, Banksia (Men-ziesii, Praemorsa, Prionotes, Candles), Protea (Pink Ice, Repens, Grandicolour), Leuca-dendrons (Green Yellow, Red), Lotus Pods, Cymbidium Orchids, Phaelenopsis Orchids, Cotoniaster Berry, Gardenia foliage, Nutty and Spinning Gum, Magnolia, Nandinus, Ge-ranium foliage, Peppercorn berries, Privet Berry, Tetragona Nuts, Hypericum, Veronica.

MAYFreesias, Hyacinths, Tulips Ice & Parrot, Calla lilies, Disbuds, Cockscomb, Delphinium, Kale, Longiflorum lilies, Snapdragons, Stock, Banksia (Menziesii, Praemorsa, Candles), Protea (Pink Ice, Repens, Grandicolour), Leucadendrons, Cymbidium Orchids, Phaele-nopsis Orchids, Cotonaister Berry, Nutty & Spinning Gum, Ivy Berry, Magnolia, Nandinus, Red Myrtle, Rhodo Foliage, Scented Geranium, Hypericum, Peppercorn berries, Privet Berry, Tetragona Nuts, Veronica.

JUNEFreesias, Hyacinths, Iris, Daffodils, Earlicheer, Jonquils, Tulips Ice and Parrot, Violets, Calla lilies, Delphinium, Gymea lily bud, Kale, Poppies, Snapdragons, Stock, Banksia (Coc-cinea, Menziesii, Praemorsa, Hookers), Protea (Pink Ice), Leucadendrons (Green, Yellow, Red, Quercifolia, Blushing Bride, Isopogon), Cymbidium Orchids, Phaelenopsis Orchids, Queen Annes Lace, Thryptomene, Geraldton Wax, Dusty Miller, Gardenia foliage, Ivy Ber-ry, Magnolia, Nandinus, Red Myrtle, Geranium foliage, Berzillia Berry, Brunia Berry, Pep-percorn Berries, Hypericum, Privet Berry, Tetragona Nuts, Bixa Nuts.

JULYFreesias, Hyacinths, Iris, Daffodils, Earlicheer, Jonquils, Tulips Ice and Parrot, Violets, Anenomes, Calla lilies, Delphinium, Kale, Poppies, Snapdragons, Stock, Flannel Flower, Lavender (end of month), Cymbidium Orchids, Phaelenopsis Orchids, Banksia (Coccinea Menziesii, Praemorsa, Hookers), Protea (Pink Ice), Leucadendrons (Green, Yellow, Red, Quercifolia, Blushing Bride, Isopogon, Formosa), Kangaroo Paw, Queen Annes Lace, Gar-denia foliage, Magnolia, Nandinus, Red Myrtle, Scented Geranium, Berzillia Berry, Brunia Berry, Hypericum, Tetragona Nuts, Bixa Nuts, Thryptomene

AUGUSTFreesias, Hyacinths, Iris, Daffodils, Earlicheer, Jonquils, Tulips Ice and Parrot, Violets, Anenomes, Sweet Peas, Green Goddess lilies, Arum lilies, Calla lilies, Delphinium, Pop-pies, Snapdragons, Stock, Flannel Flower, Godetia, Lavender, Ranunculi, Rhododendron, Banksia (Coccinea, Menziesii, Praemorsa, Hookers), Protea (Pink Ice, King, Queen, Cor-difolium), Leucadendrons (Green, Yellow, Red, Blushing Bride, Isopogon, Formosa), Kangaroo Paw, Cymbidium Orchids, Phaelenopsis Orchids, Andromeda, Gardenia foli-age, Ivy Berry, Magnolia, Nandinus, Geranium foliage, Berzillia Berry, Tetragona Nuts, Jasmine Vine, Thryptomene, Geraldton Wax

SEPTEMBERFreesias, Hyacinths, Iris, Sweet Pea, Tulips Ice, Anenomes, Green Goddess lilies, Arum lilies, Calla lilies, Delphinium, Godetia, Grevillia Flower, Longiflorum lily, Ranunculi, Rhododendron, Snapdragons, Banksia (Coccinea, Menziesii, Praemorsa), Protea (Pink Ice, King, Queen, Cordifolium, Grandicolour), Leucadendrons (Green, Yellow, Red, Blush-ing Bride, Isopogon, Formosa), Waratah (End of Month), Cymbidium Orchids, Phae-lenopsis Orchids, Boronia Brown & Pink, Andromeda, Thryptomene, Geraldton Wax, Gardenia foliage, Magnolia, Geranium foliage, Berzillia Berry.

OCTOBERFreesias, Lily of the Valley, Iris, Sweet Peas, Green Goddess lilies, Arum lilies, Calla Lil-ies, Chincheree, Cornflower, Flannel Flower, Godetia, Larkspur, Lilac, Longiflorum lilies, Molluca Balm, Snapdragons, Banksia (Coccinea, Menziesii, Praemorsa ), Protea (Pink Ice, King, Queen, Cordifolium, Grandicolour), Leucadendrons (Green, Yellow, Red, Blush-ing Bride, Formosa), Waratah, Beehive Ginger, Phaelenopsis Orchids, Andromeda, Ger-aldton Wax, Spinning & Nutty Gum, Ivy Trailing, Lemon Myrtle, Magnolia, Oak, Scented Geranium foliage, Berzillia Berry, Hypericum, Vibernum Snowball

NOVEMBERFreesias, Iris, Sweet Pea, David Austin Roses, Allium Gigantum, Bouvardia, Disbuds, Chincheree, Ornithogalum, Delphinium, Gloriosa lilies, Hippeastrums, Hydrangeas, Longiflorum lilies, Lisianthus, Molluca Balm, Peony Roses, Snapdragons, Beehive Ginger, Phaelenopsis Orchids, Protea (Pink Ice, King Queen, Cordifolium, Grandicolour), Leuca-dendrons (Red), Kangaroo Paw, Xmas Bush, Berzillia Berry, Brunia Berry, Privet Berry, Geranium foliage

DECEMBERFreesias, David Austin Roses, Bouvardia, Cockscomb, Delphinium, Gloriosa lilies, Hy-drangea, Longiflorum lilies, Lisianthus, Molluca Balm, Peony Roses, Queen Fabiola, Banksia (Baxteri), Protea (King, Pink Ice, Cordifolium), Leucadendrons (Silver Cones), Beehive Ginger, Siam Tulips, Holly Green Variegated, Laurel, Lemon Myrtle, Rhodo Foli-age, Spruce , Xmas Bush, Black Berries, Brunia, Lotus Pods, Privet Berry.

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D.I.Y.table styling :only $89country charm1 bunch dried wheat, 10 stems yellow billy buttons, 1 bunch of eucalypt gum, 1 bunch of miniature roses, 1 bunch or geralton wax or similar filler.

retro chic1 bunch babies breath, 5 stems of yellow billy buttons, 1 bunch of seasonal berry or filler flower, 5 stems of roses, 5 stems of snapdragons.

coastal vintage1 bunch blue sea holly, 1 bunch of matuka silver foliage, 2 bunches of white freesias, 5 stems of white mini singapore orchids.

Place your order 1 week prior : ph 07 5443 1807

exclusivewedding flower packages

romantic rosesAdorn you and your bridal party with the finest wedding roses around. Our lush, quality roses are grown in Australia, they boast a magnificent bud size of 3-5cm and exude brilliance with their vivid range of colours complimenting all colour palettes.

four season’sWhether your style is vintage, shabby chic, rus-tic charm, or classic glamour, our Four Season’s Flower package is the ideal option for the budg-et savvy bride!With a selection of some of the finest and most popular wedding flowers you cannot go past this package for value, quality and style all in one.

for a free brochure call i-blossom on 07 5443 1807

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coastal elegancePerfect for brides who simply love stylish blos-soms like Oriental Lilies, Calla Lilies Dendrobium and Mokara Orchids. Our exclusive package al-lows you the option of keeping it simple with a mass of one premium bloom, or styling it up a lit-tle bit with a selection of a second bloom from our collection.

couture vintageFor the bride that seeks ultimate perfection and glamour on her wedding day. Our Couture Vin-tage Flower package offers the finest quality se-lection of wedding flowers, styled to compliment and enhance your designer wedding gown.

Wedding photographer’s we would like to thank

FOR SUPPLYING QUALITY PHOTO’S OF PAST WEDDINGS

TO SHOWCASE IN THIS PUBLICATION

IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

A Look Photography07 5445 8159

Foto Flair0400 706 909

Calli B Photography0413 415 001

Lindy Photography0421 474 323

Beth Carter Photography0421 772 772

This i-Blossom publication is produced in-house, design and article writing by Jill Stephenson. Credits for work has been referenced through the magazine where applicable. This magazine is not copyrighted, however we kindly ask for your courtesy if using this produc-

tion for advertising or client direction by offering a referral of our floral services.

FREE CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE MON-SATPLEASE PHONE (07) 5443 1807

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