Smaller, clustered bouquets that show stems are gaining popularity over the traditional cascading sprays.

Uniformity of color: Brides are choosing single-variety, single-color bouquets or colors from the same family (reds, blues, yellows).

No matter the time of year, the decade, or the latest fashion, white is always in style.

You'll Always Remember
the Flowers

You may forget the name of one of the groomsmen. You may forget if a certain aunt was there, or what was served for the first course, or which vows you stumbled over.

But you'll never forget the nervous look on his face--or the intricate stitchings of your dress, or the colors you spent twenty years picking out.

And you'll never forget the flowers.

In the earliest of weddings, brides toted aromatic herbs to ward off evil spirits. This tradition has thrived, making fresh flowers a matrimonial staple, from lavish affairs to a quiet meeting on the steps of City Hall. Flowers in the aisles, on the platform or even in the hands of the guests (consider giving out single buds as elegant favors) enhance a beautiful location, or provide an excellent distraction for those sites that may be more sentimental than ornate. One of our favorite wedding arrangements is a simple mix of white French tulips, stock and roses.

But so often, the betrothed fail to see flowers as part of one whole scheme. Though the attire, the location and the flowers may be separate purchases, they are all interconnected. Therefore, it's important to have comparative elegance, not comparative lavishness. An extravagant mixed bridal bouquet may detract attention from an extravagant dress. Likewise, a spray of white carnations and baby's breath will hardly accentuate a spectacular dress. A clean, tight cluster of flowers with little or no filler and neatly-manicured stems makes a beautiful modern bridal bouquet. Select blossoms that match your style--classic white roses, opulent Casablanca Lilies, playful Gerbera Daisies, etc.

For the reception, floating flowers make beautiful, practical centerpieces adding intimacy to the wedding atmosphere and allowing guest to converse without the interference of a larger display. Flowers with a wide circumference, such as Gerbera Daisies or mature roses or lilies, tend to float well. To create this effect, fill shallow bowls or glass floaters with tepid water and cut off the stems about an inch from the base of the blossom.

And what happens to your fortune of flowers after the wedding? Usually they stay at the ceremony site, a family member carts them off or (God forbid) the janitor disposes of them. If you want to send an arrangement home with someone special, remember these are your flowers. Plan ahead and have a friend make sure they get to the appropriate persons while you're jetting off to your honeymoon.

Ordering notes: Colors and varieties may change, but you should be able to find roses, lilies, tulips and orchids all year. Delphinium, larkspur (which have small buds--perfect for weaving in your hair), freesia and lisianthus are spring and summer flowers, while gladioli and roses are popular in winter weddings. Be sure to have your flowers delivered about 3-4 days in advance so flowers will be open for the big day (5-6 days for lilies).