Wedding Flowers with Divine Design by Mandy

Finding gorgeous flower inspiration is pure joy but actually getting down to business and choosing, designing and coordinating your blooms is a whole other hurdle to jump. How are you supposed to know the difference between a peony Or foxglove? How to maximize your blooms depending on the season—and on a tight budget? That’s where your florist comes in and saves the day and your budget. Not to mention countless hours of second guessing your decisions. Trust your florist, and their expertise.

Many brides will bring photos from magazines and Pinterest to the consultation which is fantastic. However, it’s nearly impossible to re-create an image exactly, so my advice is focus less on replicating a photo and instead be open and comfortable with the fact that all your inspiration is meant to be used as a springboard for a new interpretation and design.

One of the biggest flower mistakes couples make is not being open-minded to color palettes and flower choices. Many times they have a set color palette [and florals] in mind, but don’t know about other cool, rare blooms that happen to be in season at the time of their wedding. The best couple is one who can be loose and flexible with their floral choices, then your florist can find the most beautiful blooms possible to create the perfect bouquet for their wedding day. Your planner will know just the right details to share with your vendors to ensure the overall design concept is complete.

We have asked one of our local florist, Mandy Miller, of Divine Designs by Mandy for some insight. Mandy has been a florist in Oklahoma for over 17 years and brings lots of experience in all things wedding décor to the table.

What ideas can the florist offer to make your wedding flowers unique? “As a floral designer, who specializes in weddings, every piece I design is custom and created for each client’s unique needs. I encourage my clients to think of their wedding flowers as accessories to complement the overall style of the wedding. I try to encourage that my clients make the most of their budget by allowing me to determine the flowers included in the floral collection, based on their color scheme, individual style, and season.”

What is your signature wedding bouquet style? “My design aesthetic is Romantic. I prefer wedding bouquets to be full of gorgeous blooms in shades that either complement the wedding gown or offer a wow factor by using high impact color.”
Mandy 1

Mandy 2

Thank you Mandy for that wonderful advice, and for sharing a few photos of our gorgeous bouquests. Want to schedule an appointment to discuss your wedding day flowers? You can check out her website at Divine Design by Mandy.

 

Choosing your vendor personalities carefully….

Bridal Tip Tuesday:
There are two people whose personalities are almost as important as the couple getting married – they are the MC of the ceremony (often the officiant) and the MC of the reception (often the DJ or band leader.) Let’s face it, if your officiant is boring and dry, your wedding ceremony is going to be boring and dry. And if your DJ is super cheesy, you’re going to be doing the chicken dance. Make sure that your personalities mesh well with these two people, and that you feel listened to and respected.

Embrace today with Love, Life & Style!

Bridesmaids

They’re your support group, your A-team, your wedding-day front line. They’re your BRIDESMAIDS!!!

Bridesmaids –

Bridal parties can range anywhere from a single maid or matron of honor to more than a dozen attendants. Loosely, all it means is that a large wedding party fits in better at a large, formal wedding. So if you’re planning a small, intimate gathering, you should opt for a smaller bridal party.

Here are a few important tips when choosing your bridesmaids:
More isn’t always merrier. The more bridesmaids you have, the greater the potential for complications. You’ll need to get more people to agree on a dress, decide on a shower date, and coordinate all the other joys of bridal party-dom. If you’re on a limited budget, think about who has to pay for all those bridesmaids bouquets. That’s right—you. And the more bridesmaids you have, the more ostentatious.

Blood is thicker than water. If you’re close to your sister and future sister-in-law, the thought of not including them in your wedding party probably never even occurred to you. But if you suffer from a serious Jan Brady complex, the thought of asking your sister (or sister-in-law) to be a bridesmaid probably ranks right up there with having a basketball hit you in the nose. Still, it’s usually worth including family just to avoid unnecessary conflict. Think of it as having more bargaining power when you’re battling with your parents over the guest list.

Try not to make hasty assumptions. Don’t write off some friends simply because you think they don’t have enough money to afford that Vera Wang bridesmaid dress you have your eye on. If you want to ask a friend you know is having financial difficulties, you can always tell her that you’d love for her to be a bridesmaid, but understand the financial difficulties. If she has to decline, promise to find something else for her to do in the wedding.

No, you don’t have to return the invitation. Just because someone asked you to be in her wedding doesn’t mean that you must have her in yours. There—we said it. This isn’t a dinner party invitation that you need to reciprocate. Don’t ask the college roommate you haven’t spoken to in years just to return the favor.

You can have two maids of honor. There’s no reason or rule that says you can’t. If these are the two women you feel closest to, of course you want them both by your side on your wedding day. Just be aware that they may squabble over honor attendant duties: who gets to hold the ring, the bouquet, stand right next to you, sign the license, and so on. Just tell them both what you specifically want each to do.
Go with your heart! If you’re afraid of hurting someone’s feelings, remember that, as cliché as it sounds, any true friend will understand whatever decision you ultimately make. Remember, you are the bride and it is your special day!