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Find out what the floral choices at your wedding actually mean

Most brides only worry about how pretty their bouquets look, and how well it ties to their wedding themes. We cannot, of course, discount the budget factor, and many brides also make this a priority when choosing the flowers for their wedding. However, wedding flowers hold much deeper significance. They personify the values the couple hold dear, and the choice of flowers can tell your guests a lot about you, as a person.

If you are a bride who values the meaning behind traditions, and would like to choose flowers based on what each one signifies, here is a guide to help you make your choice based on the most important factors.

Love and happiness

Marriage symbolizes the beginning of a new chapter; one that marks the love between a couple, and is hopefully filled with joy. Choose the following flowers to express your joy at stepping into this new beginning in life.

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  • Lily of the Valley
  • Stephanotis
  • Gerbera

Roses are the traditional symbol of love, especially the deep red ones. Apart from them, you can also use the following flowers in your wedding, as a symbol of your love

  • Tulips
  • Myrtle
  • Pansies

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Togetherness, Friendship and Faithfulness

A happy married life means the bride and groom remain faithful, and enjoy each others company for years. As their relationship mellows, a good marriage grows sweeter and deeper. Age shouldn’t distance a couple, but bring them closer. This can be possible only when the couple are first friends, and then lovers; for friendship is one of the strongest human relationships that is unaffected by age.

Fredrich Nietzsche said, “It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.”

This is why every couple should promise to remain friends in thick and thin. Make your choice from the following flowers that are symbolic of togetherness, faithfulness and friendship, to make your floral selection reflect this thought.

  • Bluebells for everlasting love
  • Lavender for devotion
  • Violet for Faithfulness
  • Magnolia for Perseverance
  • White roses for unity
  • Gladiolus for faithfulness and honor

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Luck and fertility

Every couple looks forward to a lucky marriage; one that tides over their storms in life and helps them stay together, come what may. As they begin their journey together, they accept good wishes and blessings.

Historically, marriage was the couple’s passport to begin a family together, have progeny and continue their heritage. Although this has changed over time, there still are couples who look forward to having a happy family with children after their marriage. The following flowers are symbolic of good fortune and fertility, and you may like to add these to your wedding.

  • Hollyhock for fertility
  • Bells of Ireland for good luck
  • Iris for health
  • Alstroemeria for wealth, prosperity and fortune
  • Snowdrop for hope

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While these flower choices are popular in weddings, there are many more flowers that you can choose from. We suggest that you take a look at this article on the Flower Expert website, to find out the meanings and significance of more varieties of flowers. Once you have decided what flowers should be part of your wedding bouquet, come visit us at Best for Bride. We can help you create the bouquet that is just right for your big celebration.

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Ideas for a pretty wedding cake decorations with flowers

Flowers have the power to transform any gloomy space into something cheery and welcoming. It is no wonder that these beautiful elements of nature have a prominent place in weddings, and are found everywhere from bouquets and centerpieces to bridal hairdos and wedding cakes.

Wedding cakes decorated with real flowers have an endearing charm. It is an easy way to match your wedding cake to the rest of your wedding theme. So, here we will look at all that you need to know about wedding cake flowers and how you can use them to make your delicious wedding dessert look fantastic.

How to choose the flowers

There are basically two ways in which you can use flowers for cake displays—crystallized or freshly picked. Master cake maker, Fiona Cairns, who is famous for decorating Prince William and Kate’s wedding cake, says that crystallized flowers can be used on cakes to create masterpieces. In this article on the Daily Mail, Cairns suggests using edible blooms such as rose, pansies and lavender and leaves like mint and sweet geranium for crystallized decorations. These can be crystallized with a sugar and egg white coating well ahead of the wedding day, and will not spoil.

When using fresh flowers, the decoration should be done just hours before serving, as they can wilt. Here are the list of factors you have to consider when choosing them.

  • It is important to ensure that the flowers used are not toxic and haven’t been sprayed with pesticide.
  • It isn’t necessary to decorate your cake with only edible flowers. You can also use non-edible flowers for decoration, but make sure that these are removed before serving.
  • If a flower is edible, you can serve it to your guests and leave it to them to decide whether they want to try it or not.
  • Choose flowers that do not wilt easily, especially if your wedding venue is warm.

Things to remember when using flowers as your cake decoration

The best person to guide you on which flowers are suitable for cake decorations, is your florist. Ask your wedding florist to thoroughly clean each and every flower which will be used on your cake.

If you want the beauty of the blooms on your wedding cake, but are worried about how hygienic it will be, choose a cake design with tiers that are separated and flowers placed between these tiers, so it doesn’t touch the cake.

There are various arrangements you can consider for your floral wedding cake. These include, but are not limited to the following:

An arrangement on the top tier alone, where a spell of colorful blooms will occupy the center. They can be placed on a divider that separates them from the frosting.

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Bright colorful flowers that richly deck the layers of the cake. This can be done with the same flowers or a multitude of varieties, depending on the theme.

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Small flower arrangements at different locations and also on the edges to add a pop of color.

For more spectacular cakes with floral accents in both fresh and candied versions, take a look at our cake gallery on Best for Bride.

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Universally flattering colors to satisfy all your bridesmaids

As the bride, you are in charge of deciding the color, style and design of your bridesmaids dresses. Although your main concern is to choose dresses that blend with the wedding palette, remember that these girls are your best friends. You want them to look and feel fantastic on your big day, and what they wear plays a huge role in this.

While it is impossible to make everyone happy when you choose a wedding dress, you can still aim for a choice that will not have any of your maids feeling miserable. When you choose a color like bright pink or orange, it is likely that one or more of your bridesmaids may be unhappy, since it makes her look sick or fat.

So, what is the solution? Choose different dresses for your bridesmaids, so each one of them is happy, or go with a universally flattering color that looks good on almost anyone. Let us look at what colors make this list.

Gun metal and pewter

via Best for Bride

While these colors will look good on any skin tone, these aren’t super fantastic either. The good thing is that you won’t catch any of your bridesmaids complaining about a ghastly color you chose. These will easily blend into any color palette, and so you needn’t worry about it matching your wedding theme.

Navy and black

via Best for Bride

Black works with any color theme, and navy with almost every one. The general rule is that the darker a color, the more likely will suit every skin tone. If you are worried about these colors being boring, you can step up the drama by pairing it with brightly colored accessories like belts or shoes, and obtain and entirely different effect.

Purple and burgundy

via Best for Bride

When you want colors that really stand out, your choices are purple and burgundy. However, don’t choose the lighter shades, as they may clash with certain skin tones. Go with the darkest shade you can find, and your bridesmaids will look ravishing. It may not be easy incorporating these colors into every wedding theme, so consider this factor before choosing them.

Teal and baby blue

via Best for Bride

Blue is a color that is vibrant, energizing and suitable for almost anyone. The blue palette has another advantage—the various shades work together to create a very cohesive look. Since there is a blue for everyone, you can have your bridesmaids dressed in various shades of the same color, and not worry about it coming together. And, not to forget that your wedding gown in white will pop against a background of blue. So, imagine how stunning your wedding photographs will be!

While we are talking about colors, let us also take a quick look at those that you should stay away from, if you want to dress all your girls in a single color.

Beware of pink and peach. Few women look good in these colors, and unless you choose individual shades for each woman, stay away from it. Pastels are another no-no, as they add the illusion of extra pounds and can make your girls look pale.

Check out the bridesmaids dress collections at Best for Bride, for inspiration and select the right dress to have your bridesmaids satisfied and feeling fantastic, at your wedding!

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The top color choices for bridesmaids dresses this spring

Spring is just around the corner, and before you know it the wedding season will be in full bloom. The best thing about Spring weddings is that you have a colorful natural setting, that forms a refreshing background for your wedding. Incorporate the fresh elements and colors of this beautiful season into your wedding, and it will be truly welcoming.

One of the easiest ways to dress up your wedding venue with the glorious beauty of spring is to choose vivid hues that characterize this season, for your bridesmaids dresses. Here is a roundup of the prettiest colors that can make your spring wedding fun and vibrant.

Turquoise

via Best for Bride

This cool blue with a hint of green, is energizing and will punctuate your wedding venue with vibrant color. It is an ideal choice for a garden wedding, as it forms a striking combination with the natural green background.Reminiscent of tropical, sun kissed beaches, this mix of blue and green is powerful and makes a bold statement. Turquoise will form the perfect backdrop for a white wedding gown, and bring out its beauty in your wedding photographs. The Mori Lee 31055 chiffon bridesmaid gown in turquoise is a splendid example of this color.

Pistachio

via Best For Bride

Spring and green are synonymous, and playing with the lighter shades of green will undoubtedly reflect the essence of this season at your wedding. Pistachio isn’t overpowering, but is relaxing and refreshing. While mint has been a favorite with maids over the last few years, you can breathe more life into the paleness of mint with the lively shade of Pistachio. The hue is deeper, and can brighten up the setting. It also forms a stunning neutral for all the other colors found in nature. You can easily mix it with bouquets of any color, and it pairs exquisitely with yellows and purples. This After Six bridesmaid dress in pistachio is a stellar bridesmaid dress that your favorite girls will love to wear.

Rose

via Best for Bride

Rose is a color that is traditionally associated with romance, a timeless classic. The pattern and material of the dress you choose will dictate the effect it conjures. Lace dresses are casual and fun, while a silk frock has a touch of sophistication. This color is soft and relaxing. It is a welcome alternative to the paler blush and bright peach, as it suits more skin tones and looks good on almost anyone. Take a look at this beautiful Mori Lee rose dress, isn’t it soothing and feminine?

Marsala

via Best for Bride

Certain colors have the ability to pack in a punch, and Marsala is one of them. Inspired by the aromatic Sicilian wine, which is also its namesake, this color is deliciously indulgent. An earthy hue that falls somewhere between purple, brown and cherry, it is a color that is bold and spectacular. Choose a dress in this rustic color with sparkling embellishments (which by the way, is a hot trend this wedding season) and your bridesmaids will look sexy and stylish. It works well with neutrals like gray and white. Short frocks in this color exude youthfulness, while longer gowns are classic and elegant.

At Best for Bride we have a fantastic collection of bridesmaids dresses in various colors and exciting patterns. Check out our collection today, to find the one you love.