Although the most important flowers you’ll choose will be your bouquet, pretty blooms will help you personalize every aspect of your celebration and the way you thank all the special people involved. Here are some tips to help you in the process of choosing your bouquet.

When it comes to choosing the bridal flower that goes in to the bouquet most brides prefer

» Romantic roses

» Lavender

» Lisianthus

» Hydrangeas

» Lilies of the valley

» Forsythia.

» Gardenias

Modern brides also go in for exotic bridalflowers to give a fresh appeal to their bouquets. While some alternate with seasonal flowers to cut cost. Silk flowers are also popular, especially top-of-the-line silks, that can hardly be differentiated from fresh. You not only want your bridal flower to look good, they should smell good too. Brides also prefer flowers that give a lovely scent. Some of these fragrant beauties include gardenias, peonies, stephanotis, and tuberoses.

Florists employ different styles of rich-looking ribbon to add elegance to the bouquet. Satin ribbons are wrapped

around a bouquet’s stems to hide them and help to avoid those thorns. Wide satin ribbons give a lush simple look when tied in a simple bow, while sheer ribbons add a fairy-tale feel to them. Ribbon colors can range from deep reds to pearly white.

You don’t even need elaborate bouquets as such, some brides prefer a single flower, even this simple idea can add elegance to the celebration.

Floral Headdresses and Hair Accessories

A well-chosen headdress can create a stunning effect. The florist will be able to offer you some good advice on matching the headdress to the dress and the bouquet. Flowers are very delicate and will wilt soon enough, so it is advisable to consult the florist about the best flowers to use for hair accessories or you can use silk flowers as an alternative, as these look good all day and can be kept as a memento of the day.

You can wear: • A circlet or half circlet of flowers

• A band decorated with flowers.

• Place individual flowers in your hair

• Weave flowers into the hairstyle

• Attach flowers to a large hair comb

You can consult your hairdresser and discuss with him about what would look best on you. You can ask your florist for a selection of loose bridal flower to wear in your hair- this will work out cheaper and will complement your style.

Real Flowers Vs Silk Flowers

Modern brides have yet another choice before them, whether to choose silk or fresh flowers for their wedding day. Traditionally, fresh flowers dominated the wedding celebration because the scent of fresh flowers fill the air with sweetness and empower the emotions.

However, fresh flowers are:

» Extremely expensive

» They fade and wilt soon

» They are seasonal.

» Preserving them is a costly process

» Some people may have allergic reactions to fresh flowers

» You cannot receive them in advance of the ceremony

On the other hand, Silk Flowers are becoming more and more popular these days. They look, feel and even smell realistic. You can get the flowers of your choice at a much lesser price and bridal flower they can be preserved for a lifetime. Neither are they allergenic. '

But, Silk Flowers:

» Lack exquisite detailing

» Are not traditional

» Have no fragrance

» Do not create an opulent feeling

» Do not look so good in photographs, especially in close-up

» Are no match for the real thing

There's much to consider when deciding whether to use fresh flowers or silk. Just keep in mind cost, quantity, attributes, quality, and time. Ask around for others opinions if you are not sure.

When choosing a Bridal flower Bouquet

» Choose in-season flowers

» Select wedding flowers with special meanings

» Select flowers that will hold up for the entire day

» Choose flowers that will complement the wedding color scheme and other floral arrangements.

» Consider your gown and your stature before making selections.

» Show the florist what you like

» Opt for silk flowers if you are allergic to real flowers

» Use your imagination

» Fragrance is also an important consideration

» Smaller bouquets are easier to carry and are cheaper

» Work with the Florist

» The bride should have the largest or most elaborate bouquet followed by that of the maid or matron of honor and then the other attendants.

» Make sure the flowers in your hair coordinate with the bridalflowers in your bouquet.

» Choose flower buds for a wonderful compliment to fully opened blooms

» Plan ahead

» Make up a small bouquet for tossing

Preserving the Memory

You can arrange to have your bridalflower bouquet preserved, as a permanent reminder of your special day. The process of flower preservation is incredibly complicated and time-consuming so most people hire floral preservationists to do the job for them. These professionals provide you with the most "life like" look possible.

Make advance plans and inform the preservationist at least two months prior to the wedding to arrange to have the flowers picked up immediately after the wedding while they are still fresh.

Freeze Dried floral preservation

The bouquet is photographed and the flowers dismantled petal by petal. Each flower is dehydrated, treated with a special solution, and then frozen and stored until the freeze dry equipment is ready for the next cycle. Once the flowers are loaded, they will remain in the chamber for 12 to 14 days. The total process will take 8 to 12 weeks. Once solidly frozen a vacuum is applied which removes all of the water, in the form of a vapor from the main chamber into a separate chamber. This process is repeated until 99% of the moisture is removed. Proper freeze-drying doesn’t make flowers brittle and lifeless as traditional drying methods do.

When choosing a company that specializes in Flower preservation, be sure to ask them:

a) Do they pretreat the flowers to retain the color of the flowers and give them a natural look

b) Are the flowers photographed before dismantling

c) Are they post treated to preserve their shape, color, and texture This process coats each flowers with a thin, transparent layer that protects them from UVA rays and humidity.

If you do not wish to use the services of floral preservationists, you can alternatively:

» Create your own dried flower bouquet. Take the bouquet apart and hang the individual flowers to dry. Reassemble the bouquet.

» You could take cuttings from the flowers and grow them in your garden

» A florist may be able to make a replica of your bouquet by using silk flowers.

» A few flowers from your bouquet can be mounted into a paperweight

» The flowers from your bouquet could be pressed and made into a framed collage.

You can now preserve your bridal flowers for a lifetime of enjoyment and enjoy the sentimental memories for years to come.