Can we talk about flowers? PIP

ceglare4

I am potentially changing our entire flower design around, so I need some input! I seriously can't believe I'm doing this because I really haven't had any change of heart on anything since meeting with my vendors for the first time last year. But I've been looking at flower pictures like crazy lately and think I want to change. Originally I wanted roses, calla lillies, and cymbidium orchids, with MAYBE some hydrangeas. Something like this:










Mind you the colors aren't exact because we're doing lavender and white/ivory. Well, I found this picture on Pinterest and totally fell in love, and now I don't know what to do.




The first pics are definitely more formal looking to me, and the last one looks more garden-y. We are getting married outsite in one big huge garden of flowers galore. The whole place is landscaped out. I feel like the last pic might fit better? I am so confused! Tell me what you think, and also what flowers you're using!

colleenm18

I LOVE the very first pic.  Those flowers look amazing together and I really like the overall shape and design of the bouquet.  All of the pictures are beautiful and I think whichever you decide to go with will look great at your venue.

I am using White Calla Lillies and Hydrangeas for my bouquet.  This is my inspiration picture

bells24412

You are right the first pics do seem formal, but the last pic is still utterly beautiful. Just keep in mind, I see that there are peonies in the last boquet and if I am not mistaken they are out of season in July and i think if you get them imported they might cost you an arm and a leg. Hydrageas, my florist says, wilt very quickly with the heat just FYI because I was set on them until i heard that.I am using orchids, callas, roses, and a mix for centerpieces. Here are the pics he is going off of:

These are my BM's
 

This is mine but with seashells in it
 

Our Centerpieces
 

ceglare4

Bells, I've heard similar things about hydrangeas, but I guess I'm going to ask my florist about it. I didn't even talk to her about it last year because I didn't think I wanted them, so I'm not sure what her opinion is on them. I see them all over the place in wedding bouquets though so there must be some trick to get them to last.

butterflyjumper1

I actually love the last pic. I think that if you are getting married in a garden, the last pic is more romantic and chic and outside-wedding esque, whereas like you said, the first one feels more formal.

The last picture is absolutely stunning to me....you are now making me question me almost all white bouquet choice, hahahaha!!!

PS if you want to see some more purples and ivories stalk my flower board on pinterest. I think I have more deep purples than you are interested in but our color scheme is really similar!! Mine just has more vivid colors (all shades of purple + ivory) whereas I think you are sticking more to really soft purple and ivory. 

ceglare4

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_can-we-talk-about-flowers-pip?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:30345dc5-64d2-4884-a2d4-101494df6308Post:cd301d01-8ee1-433d-9122-33ccf33ef560">Re: Can we talk about flowers? PIP</a>:
[QUOTE]I actually love the last pic. I think that if you are getting married in a garden, the last pic is more romantic and chic and outside-wedding esque, whereas like you said, the first one feels more formal. The last picture is absolutely stunning to me....you are now making me question me almost all white bouquet choice, hahahaha!!! <strong>PS if you want to see some more purples and ivories stalk my flower board on pinterest. I think I have more deep purples than you are interested in but our color scheme is really similar!! Mine just has more vivid colors (all shades of purple + ivory) whereas I think you are sticking more to really soft purple and ivory</strong>. 
Posted by butterflyjumper1[/QUOTE]

Oh trust me, I have haha. You're exactly right about our color scheme too.

bridetobe71412

ceglare - I hate to say this, because I'm sure this isn't helpful, but I absolutely LOVE that last picture. I think it's gorgeous. If you can't get peonies (which you probably can't) you can still get garden roses, which look nearly identical. That's what I'm doing.

To be honest, the first few pictures are more simple and yes, more formal looking, but the last one looks more interesting and prettier to me. I have that sort of taste, though. Would this be for everything? What are the girls wearing? That my change my perspective.

FWIW, I changed our flowers about a month ago although I signed our floral contract back in August. I totally changed it around and it wasn't an issue with the florist.

butterflyjumper1

ohhhhhhhhh yes, what are your bridesmaids wearing, and what will their bouquets be like??? that could potentially change my opinion . and I am glad you have been pinterest stalking hahaha

ceglare4

bridetobe, no it's definitely helpful! I agree with everything you said. And I love garden roses, so if peonies are what's in the bouquet I pinned, but they aren't availabe, no big deal to me. I really like the sweet peas in the bouquet too. I also think these flowers would be less expensive that what I originally asked for, but that's not driving my indecision at all.

As far as the BM bouquets go, I have NO idea! They are wearing long chiffon lavender dresses with a sweetheart neckline. My original idea was to have my bouquet be mostly lavender with pops of white/ivory, and have theirs the exact opposite. If I change my flowers to the last pic though, I don't know what theirs should look like. I wasn't going to incorporate callas and orchids into theirs because they're so pricey.

ETA: the last sentence refers to when I was originally getting pricing for my original idea.

bridetobe71412

Here's essentially what mine will look like:
http://pinterest.com/pin/112801165636418940/

The picture on the left in the middle panel (the centerpiece on the gold stand) is what the girls' bouquets will look like, plus some baby's breath, which we're using extensively throughout the wedding in large sprays (this is the best picture I can find, sorry):
http://pinterest.com/pin/112801165636760353/

ceglare4

And the other thing is that this new pic has some very soft pinks in it, and our color scheme has no pink so far. I'm not opposed, it's just another thing that's new.

BeachLover2885

I love your photos ceglare! We have similar colors-- pinks, purples, etc. my favorite pic is the last one you posted... It is definitely more garden-esq if that's what you are going for! I'm doing a mix of roses and hydrangea. My BMs' bouquets will be pink and purple and mine will be mostly white with touches of pink. The GM will have lavender rose bouts to match the girls' bouquets.

bridetobe71412

Here's my idea: If you're going to have your bouquet look like that one above (which honestly I think you should definitely change to!), I'd have your BMs' bouquets be one solid color - perhaps lavender? - maybe even with some lavender sprigs in it? I think that would be fantastic, and would make yours stand apart.

Or, you could have theirs be all white? I love the contrast of all-white bouquets on colored dresses. And I'm sure that would be much less expensive to do, because your florist could use whatever stock was necessary.

bridetobe71412

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_can-we-talk-about-flowers-pip?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:30345dc5-64d2-4884-a2d4-101494df6308Post:5971187c-86a8-4732-b91d-96765fd56d62">Re: Can we talk about flowers? PIP</a>:
[QUOTE]And the other thing is that this new pic has some very soft pinks in it, and <strong>our color scheme has no pink so far.</strong> I'm not opposed, it's just another thing that's new.
Posted by ceglare4[/QUOTE]

Our "colors" had no blue, either, but when I showed that BM photo to my florist, I said I needed to have her add very minimal blue delphinium. Not sure why I am obsessed with it, because I actually don't like blue that much, but it was non-negotiable, even though nothing else is blue! :) hahaha

Which is to say that accent colors are just that - accents that bring out other colors. I think they really add to the interest of the flowers. (I'm obsessed with flowers.)

elizabethmae315

As for the hydrangea thought earlier, my florist has absolutely no problem with hydrangeas. She said if they do start to wilt, which is entirely possible in late July, just cut off the end of the stem, and put the bouquet back in water for 5 minutes, and they will perk right back up.

Like everyone else, I looovvee that last picture. It cant hurt to send the photo to your florist and ask her whats in it, and if its available in july, and her general thoughts on it. She will prolly know a lot more than what we can tell you. And im sure its not too late to change it. 

My flowers are hydrangeas, roses, and mini daisies. My bouquet is a combination of pinks, with dahlias as well. The BMs are carrying all white, except the roses will be light-pink tipped for a small amount of color. I wish I had a good picture to share. 

BeachLover2885

To add on to what bridetobe said about accent colors... when I went to the florist and she showed me mock ups for our centerpieces, she added light green hydrangea to the mix of pinks, purples and whites and it looked great. I was originally against anything green, but it really made the colors pop.

michelle11988

I love all the bouquets.  From the sounds of everything I would definitely lean towards the new bouquet inspiration that you found.  I agree with pp that an all white or mostly white might be beautiful against the BM dresses.

ceglare4

Thanks everyone for all your awesome suggestions! I was already planning to have a final meeting with my florist the second week of May, but instead of confirming the centerpiece size, I'll have her redo the whole quote haha. I love the last pic and am going that route. And I think I am going to stick to mostly white for the BM bouquets. And if I do end up incorporating some very light pinks, I might put a little of that in their bouquets too.

dawnleanna1

I also love the last picture. But as a pp said, those are peonies in there (my fave). I also wanted them and have been informed that I cannot get them in July. I am going with garden roses and hydrangeas instead, very similar to what it sounds like you're doing. 

MeaganR12

I LOVE that last pic! That's exactly the kind of look we're going for.

My florist and I talked at length about peonies and garden roses and she actually thinks there's a chance she'll be able to get peonies in July. I'm not sure if she meant imported peonies or not, but her quote for my all white/pale pink peony bouquet was $185, and it would be the same price for garden roses. Pricing might be regional, but almost all bridal bouquets seem to be that price here. 

She also mentioned that while peonies and garden roses ARE more expensive, one of them is the size of like 3 regular roses so they don't end up being that much different. 

Our summers here are much more mild than other parts of the country so that could have something to do with it as well?

NIKKIANDTYE

I like the last pic, they are pretty and they have a different look  than a regular bouquet

littlemoments324

My favorite is the last pic!  love it!!  This is my bouquet! 



A couple others I like too:

Nati05

I love your last pic much more than the first ones. It just looks more lively. I feel like the first look kind of drab. Go with that one!!!!

singing_lyn

I LOVE the last pic. I actually went to my florist requesting a complete change just last week. Of course my changes made my flowers that we'll actually be using more expensive, but we also cut out all of the flowers other than bouquets, boutonierre's and corsages so we're still spending less in the long run. Right now any flowers more than that are out of the question unless my parents or sister decides to help us out with those. These are the flowers that we're now using for our inspiration...