Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/223347
realstyle This rustic design with trailing elements, by Celsia Florist, is ideal for a casual, whimsical wedding. Planning the flowers for your wedding can be a daunting job. Style, colour, seasonality and cost can be a complete mystery to those of us whose f loral experience is limited to ready-made bouquets at the supermarket. But with a little knowledge, you can communicate effectively with your florist and achieve your dream floral concept. What you need to know when choosing florals for your big day By Laura Sugden p44-45_Flowers.indd 44 The first thing to determine is the overall look you are trying to achieve. That will be one of the first questions your florist will ask, and it will guide all the design decisions for your wedding. Different flowers and floral design styles lend themselves to each aesthetic, so you'll need to decide from the start if you want a look that's exotic, colourful, simple, whimsical, casual or something else entirely. Don't worry if your buzz words don't lend themselves to the world of flowers — the more your florist knows about your vision, the better the outcome will be. It's also a good plan to find a few key images of florals that you like, to provide your florist with further inspiration. Before you get carried away dreaming of lush carpets of flowers, begin with the basics. Write a list of all the items you will require, from boutonnières to centrepieces. Chances are your florist will mention items that you hadn't thought of originally, but it helps to have a starting point. Approximating costs is difficult, but our quick budget guide (see sidebar) should give you a rough idea. Going in prepared to your first floral consultation should help prevent any nasty financial surprises. Just don't push your florist for costs on the spot, as they'll need time to put together an accurate estimate. PHOTOS: WHEN LOVE HAPPENS (ABOVE & CORSAGE); JEFF CLARKE FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP); ELAINE INNES Flower Power START WITH THE BASICS 13-11-26 12:01 PM