Couples embracing our ethos of “your wedding, your way” redefine how we view wedding flowers and their purpose and functionality. Some opt to hire or leave it altogether, and we are all for it!

When planning your wedding, we understand there is plenty of information available about wedding florals. Still, it is difficult to know how relevant it is for a wedding in Darwin. We’ve put together a few sub-topics for you to consider! Choose what is most important to you and your partner for your big day, and rock it!

Fresh, Artificial or Dried wedding flowers?

It’s always your choice. We find that the decision comes down to the couples’ ‘must-haves’, and if flowers are not a high priority, then the decision generally comes down to budget (read our top ways to save on your wedding here)

In Darwin, we are lucky to have incredibly talented florists who can cater to all budgets and styles in fresh, artificial, and dried wedding flowers. Many interstate companies send premade dried floral arrangements in various styles and sizes. When ordering interstate, I would recommend clearly communicating your expectations and don’t be afraid to ask questions – no question is a silly question. Be cautious of packaging and ensure the flowers are packed in a way that will survive the sometimes-brutal postal journey!

Be Prepared

You can help your florist immensely by being prepared and having at least an idea of the size, colour and quantity of flowers you would like. When finding inspiration for florals, think about what you want from the photos and write this down. If you have selected an inspiration picture from Pinterest, consider the photo’s origin and be prepared that the wedding flowers you love may not be available in Australia or in season.

Some essential information to send to your florist:

• Your wedding colours
• Your theme/style
• Location
• Preference for dried, fresh or artificial
• Inspiration photos which a few notes on why you like each photo

Wedding Flower Pricing

Wedding flowers are an investment for your wedding day, and many photos are taken that incorporate different floral aspects. How much do they cost? Well, how long is a piece of string? As a rough guide, pricing could be from;

• Buttonholes can start from $15 each.
• Bouquets from $180 to $350 depending on size and type of floral.
• Arbours vary again and could start from $90 up to thousands.
• Centrepieces can also change as some florists may include vases and candles in your quote. 

Ask your florist what is included to avoid any surprises leading up to your wedding or on the day.

Something to consider…

Fresh wedding flowers, in the full heat of the sun, don’t fare well. Keep this in mind when creating your timeline and work with your florist to find the best time to place florals on tables or arbours, so they look fabulous for your photos. Also, remember the flowers in the bouquet are fragile; if you consider preserving them after your wedding day, be gentle with them!

Ideas for your wedding flowers on the BIG day

Bouquets are a traditional aspect of a wedding. There’s some debate about where the bouquet originated from. Still, generally, it is thought to have been made up of herbs instead of flowers. If you choose to have a bouquet on your wedding day, most couples don’t consider what to do with it after walking down the aisle. Over the years, bouquets have evolved in shape, size and originality!

Down the aisle

Once you’ve walked down the aisle, feel free to hold onto your flowers until it’s time to exchange the rings or if you want to hold your lover’s hands. Pass your bouquet to your support person lined up behind you or perhaps a family member in the front row. There is no right or wrong!

After the ceremony

Don’t forget to have your bouquet of flowers before walking down the aisle! While you are being love-bombed by your nearest and dearest, your wedding coordinator will hold them for you, or you could ask your support person to hold them. Keep your wedding flowers close by for family photos as there will be so much happening – it is easy to forget them for photos.

If you have bridal portraits, your coordinator will hand them back to you, or whoever has them should ensure they are in your hot little hands before you take off!

At the reception

When couples return to their reception, they often put their flowers down and forget about them for the rest of the night. We are big fans of repurposing florals. So you could place them in an empty vase on your main table, wishing well, or dessert table to add to the styling. It also goes for any other bouquets from your support people.

Ceremony florals can also be repurposed like vases of florals down the aisle, or even arbours can be detached and placed somewhere at the reception. Your wedding coordinator, stylist or a trusted guest can move these for you if you like. Be sure to ask your florist to factor this in.

Think outside the box of how you can display your florals at the reception. There are many ways to include them and add to the overall look and feel of the space. At the end of your reception, your wedding coordinator can pack bouquets or any feature florals for safekeeping. You can assign this task to a trusted family member/friend.

Ideas for wedding florals after your wedding

Preserve

You only need to search on Pinterest for a million suggestions on preserving your fresh florals. One of the hottest trends right now is preserving a few floral heads in clear resin made into bookends, mantle pieces, coasters, or other ornaments. Depending on the type of flower, this would be a classic and timeless way to preserve memories of one of the biggest days of your life. 

Another idea for fresh flowers is to dry them and create a shadow box with other meaningful trinkets from your wedding, like your garter, a wedding favour, or your invitation. 

If you have artificial florals, you can repurpose these to style in your home, create a shadow box or keep them repurposed for another family milestone.

Favours

Have you considered offering bouquets or centrepieces as part of the wedding favours? There may not be enough for all guests, but you could always allocate bouquets to important family members or guests. This is another sustainable and thoughtful way to repurpose your florals. 

Sell

This option is probably not applicable for fresh florals; however, you can resell your artificial or dried florals. We are huge supporters of sustainable weddings, and reselling is mutually beneficial for both the seller and buyer. It also reduces our waste footprint, which is an excellent option if you are eco-conscious. 

Donate

Do you have a not-for-profit organisation or business close to your heart? Donating your bouquet or centrepiece to them is a kind gesture for someone else to enjoy their beauty rather than throwing them away. If the florist has provided vases for your wedding, be sure to only take the florals, not the vase, or you will have to pay to replace it! We hope more couples will consider this last suggestion, especially if using fresh flowers.

Summary

1. Florals are a wedding tradition – you can opt not to have them!
2. Consider what you might want to do with your florals after the wedding – this will help you decide whether fresh, artificial or dried is best.
3. We have talented, local florists who can create florals for a range of budgets and styles
4. Be prepared – when contacting florists. Provide as much detail as possible and ask questions, so you understand what is included/not included.
5. Repurpose your bouquet or ceremony florals by incorporating them into your reception.

Your wedding, your way

Chanel x