Most brides-to-be already have an idea of how they want their flowers to look on their wedding day.
A woman’s favourite colour and flowers are high on the list, but much depends on the style of their dress and the colour of that of their bridesmaids.
For that reason, many florists advise brides-to-be to give them a swatch of the materials and photos of the detail so they can perfectly complement the wedding attire.
The buttonhole (boutonniere) for the groom must match the bride’s bouquet, and for the groomsmen, that of the bridesmaid’s flowers.
Dawn Yaxley, senior floral designer at Demco Florist, said: “It is all determined by the bride’s colour choice at the beginning.
“We always say to brides that there’s no point meeting your florist until you’ve booked your venues and got your bridesmaids’ dresses, and your dress.
“The choice of flowers depends on the style of dress as well as the colour.
“If you go with a really detailed dress then it’s much better to have simple flowers. If you have detailing on the bodice or on the bottom, you will need something that’s not going to hide this, so there’s no point in having a cascading arrangement.
“If you have a slim fitted dress we normally don’t do cascading bouquets. They are mainly for full dresses.
“Blue and pink are popular colour choices but there’s a whole spectrum of shades to pick from so a colour material sample is always good to take to the florist’s, so we can match the shade.
“Bridal colours are usually taken from runway colours, but Bermuda is usually a year behind.
“We’ve done a lot of peach, cantaloupe and watermelon colours this year, plus hot pink and orange.
“But it usually depends on the bride’s favourite colour, and also her personality.
“Our more mature brides who may have been married before tend to go for a dark cream or ivory colour. But we’ve had a bride in her late-fifties who chose purple and white, as purple was her favourite colour.
“We also advise the clients to look at samples of styles of bouquets. Some people want a tight, full round bouquet, whereas others may want a looser arrangement, or a cascading bouquet.
“We ask them to bring or e-mail pictures to us so we can get more of an idea of their style. This is especially important if they are overseas brides.
“But we advise brides not to have set, specific ideas, and to be open to suggestions. If they give us a colour palette we can give them ideas of particular flowers and can show them what we have.”
The florists at Demco say they start getting bridal requests at the start of each year, with the first weddings usually taking place in April. It can take three months to finalize all the arrangements.
Ms Yaxley said: “All of our flowers come from overseas and as flowers can be seasonal, you should also keep this in mind.
“For example, everyone likes peonies this year but now we can’t get hold of them anymore as they are out of season.”
The choice of flower can also depend on climate. For example, if you were getting married in the heat and humidity of August, you would need sturdy flowers which don’t wilt in the heat, such as hydrangeas.
Demco can also cater for last-minute requests, arranging bouquets within two days of a wedding.
Rachel Smith, head florist, said: “It depends on what you want but if you are not worried about the choice of flower you have, if you come in two days before, it can be done.”
Ms Yaxley also advises brides-to-be to “spend most of your budget on the reception”.
She said: “An outdoor ceremony can take 20 minutes and if you’re in a church, 40 minutes, so at most weddings you are spending your minimal amount of time at the ceremony.
“So, making more of an impact at the reception where you’re going to spend more time is the best way to spend money, such as on floral decorations. At Demco we do flower vases, candles, linens, napkins and chair covers.
“Tablescaping, as it is called, is becoming more of a trend. We are also doing a lot more vase rental, which is another budget saving option.”
Demco has tripled its space to transform the business into a one-stop shop for event décor. The Devonshire florists now stocks new lines of accessories to help you create the perfect setting for any occasion.
In addition to beautiful floral arrangements, ribbons, tulle, organza and balloons are available in a rainbow of colours.
Lanterns, candles, vases, beaded curtains, lighted garlands, table toppers, chair bows and linens can also help you to create a unique look. Décor sand, rocks, gems and water pearls can add extra detail.
The store also stocks cocktail plates, reusable dinnerware, tumblers and stemware, and has many items for rental.
Carmen Phillips, owner of Demco, said: “We are getting a lot of do-it-yourself brides and event planners, to whom we can give the basics of event décor.
“We have all the items they need, such as tulle, organza and ribbons, in many different colours.
“We can also give advice, such as how to create your own floating decorations, how to cut the flowers and then stand them in water.”
Dale Martin was purchasing fishbowls and flowers to create her own floating table decorations, for an event to welcome home her son Peter and wife Kate from their wedding in the UK.
“We’re having a garden party reception for Bermuda friends and family who were unable to make it to the wedding in Hereford,” she told the Bermuda Sun.
The mother-of-the-groom also bought napkins and décor rocks to complement the table arrangements.
“It’s great to be able to get everything in one place,” she said.
The talented Demco team of designers are on hand to help you create your signature event. Flowers can be delivered on the same day if you place your order before noon.
For brides-to-be, a variety of wedding packages are available. You can also opt for Bouquet Jewels — gems to accent the flower heads of a bridal bouquet, or gems pinned to the stem. There are more than 30 choices, including butterflies, palm trees, starfish and letters/initials. Your bouquet, your way.
• For more information contact Demco Florist, 14 South Road, Devonshire. Call 234-7777 or e-mail demco@northrock.bm. For wedding inquiries, e-mail weddings@demco.bm to request a free consultation.