how to pick the right flowers for your special day

Trying to figure out what flowers are right for your wedding? We were excited to help Erinn Hutkin of Gatehouse Media with her recent story about how to pick the right flowers for your special day..."Some of his co-workers who got married in the 1980s told him they didn't even know what kind of flowers were in their bouquets. Many just showed up at the church, wore a white dress and were handed a bundle of blooms.Now, as a designer for weddings at Flora, a Chicago flower shop, Randy Ballesteros often works with brides who know exactly what they want thanks to TV, bridal magazines and celebrity nuptials. He's sat through PowerPoint presentations and iPhone presentations from brides who seek a specific floral look."I've noticed with most brides, it's not particularly about the type of bloom, it's about color palette," he said.For spring, he said, many brides are picking flowers in pastels such as pink, pale green and sage.In addition, Jaclyn Fisher, a wedding consultant and co-owner of the Philadelphia-area's Two Little Birds Planning, said many brides choose flowers that are in season to evoke its spirit and save on costs. In-season flowers are less expensive, she said, because they're easier for florists to find.She said many spring brides are using "bright, romantic blooms," especially peonies. Other popular seasonal flowers for spring ceremonies include hyacinth, tulips, lilac, cherry blossoms, anemones, daffodils, ranunculus and sweet peas.For summer brides, Fisher said, in-season blooms include hydrangeas and garden roses. Other options include freesia, iris, asiatic and oriental lilies, snapdragons, gerbera daisies, sunflowers and zinnia.Dahlias are popular among fall brides. Other seasonal fall flowers include aster, chrysanthemums, marigold, sunflowers, hydrangea, ornamental berries and zinnia.Ballesteros added that many fall brides want bouquets full of fall hues such as red, orange and yellow, which can be achieved by tucking autumn leaves and acorns into a bouquet. Adding Japanese maple leaves or black calla lilies offers a dash of deep red color.And winter brides can evoke the spirit of the season by building bouquets that include evergreen, holly, berries and pine cones. Fisher said other flowers that are in season include amaryllis, anemone, molucella (Bells of Ireland), cosmos, holly, jasmine, poinsettia, sweet pea, tulips and waxflower. She said trendy winter brides have even started adding feathers to their bouquets.There are also several blooms that are available year-round, such as roses, orchids, calla lilies, gardenias, lily of the valley, scabiosa - even carnations.When working with a florist, Ballesteros suggests brides bring photos of their dress, swatches of their bridesmaids' gowns, a snapshot of their reception venue and images of flowers they like - and don't like - to start bouquet-building."image via sarah miller photography