1. Wedding Gown
   Ask around. There may very well be an heirloom dress in the family or a close friend may have a gown you can borrow. Most women would be honored by the request. One thing, be sure to get permission for major changes or size alterations you would like to have made. Also, if the dress is going back to the original bride or family member after the wedding, it is only fair that you pay to have the dress cleaned and prepared for storage before returning it.
    
2. Bridal Party
   The smaller the group you have standing up front, the less expense is involved. Even if the attendants pay for their own attire, there are still flowers, gift and rehearsal dinner expenses involved when having a large bridal party.
    
3. Flowers
   Instead of bouquets that bubble over with exotic flower selections from around the globe, a single long-stem rose tied with a satin ribbon for the bridesmaids is a simple and elegant choice. The bride could use a small prayer book or bible with a small bunch of lily-of-the-valley.
    
4. Attendant Gifts
   Take a casual photo of your bridesmaids and purchase inexpensive frames to give each member a memento from one of your bridal showers or a "girls' night out". Be sure to include a message and the date on the back of the picture for an even more meaningful touch.
    
5. Invitations
   Go simple! The most impressive wedding invitations are the sleek, one card type. Also, selecting a card size that does not require extra postage will save money incrementally depending on the size of the guest list.
    
6. Photography
   Professional photographers usually have several options for you to choose from. You can get the album you want without breaking the budget. After you have selected the pictures you want in the formal album, ask about buying the rest of the proofs. If you know someone who takes great photos, ask them to be your photographer. Usually you can buy the film and pay for the developing yourself. At the reception, it is fun to have disposable cameras at each table to get plenty of candid and often very funny shots. Just be sure to include the development costs for each camera in the budget.
    
7. Guest List
   Keep it short. Invite the people that are most important to you, your family and friends. An intimate gathering will be more memorable for you and everyone you share it with.
    
8. Ceremony
   Decorate the church with large bows and simple flower arrangements. Large flowers such as magnolias look beautiful at the end of long, wooden pews.
    
9. Rice Shower
   Some brides substitute rice with bird seed. Cut a yard of netting into 2" x 2" squares, place a small amount of bird see  in the center, gather up the four corners and tie it with a ribbon. With bird seed, there's also no cleanup necessary at most venues.
    
10. Programs
    Wedding programs are not necessary, but if you want them and have access to a computer, you can easily make them yourself. Most paper or craft stores carry a variety of covers. Select your favorite and get creative. Be sure you have the correct spelling for all names.

• Stock, asters, stephanotis, calla lilies, Asiatic lilies, oriental lilies, baby's breath, dendrobium orchids, anthuriums, ginger, heliconias, hydrangea, white gladiolus and white snapdragons.

• Pick a color family and explore your options by color.
   
• Bring a swatch or sample of a color to your florist and ask him or her to make suggestions.
   
• Ask your florist about different varieties of roses that might be available in your color family.
   
• Let your venue set the tone for your wedding flowers.

When selecting the perfect flowers for your wedding, you may be interested to know that flowers have special meanings.  The following list includes some of the most popular flowers used in weddings today.

Your wedding is the perfect time to indulge yourself with flowers that are special to you.  Not everyone will be aware of the symbolism of your choices, but YOU will!

You may want your bridal bouquet to include more exotic flowers.  With air shipment and hothouse cultivation, most florists will be able to honor these requests.  But before you commit to that special orchid, consult with the florist about substitutions.  The bride's bouquet may complement the rest of the flowers without containing the exact same blossoms.

Keep in mind, an elaborate wedding gown demands an extravagant bouquet, while a simpler gown requires an understated and delicate arrangement.

Be sure to order a "tossing bouquet" if you would like to keep your bridal bouquet for sentimental reasons.  The florist can make the tossing bouquet a smaller version of your bridal bouquet, and tie longer streamers to the handle to give the traditional toss even more visual excitement.  If you plan to keep your original bouquet, ask your florist if they are able to preserve it for you.  If not, hang the bouquet upside down in a basement or screened-in porch until the flowers have dried out, spray with a clear shellac and place in an air tight, glass box.

Acacia - friendship	Ivy - fidelity
Agrimony - gratitude	Larkspur - laughter
Ambrosia - love returned	Laurel - peace
Anemone - expectation	Lilac - humility
Apple Blossom - hope	Lily - purity & innocence
Aster - elegance	Lily of the Valley - happiness
Azalea - temperance	Magnolia - nobility
Baby's Breath - innocence	Myrtle - remembrance
Bay Laurel - glory	Orange Blossom - purity
Blue Violet - faithfulness	Orchid - rare beauty
Bluebell - constancy	Parsley - beginnings
Calla Lily - beauty	Peony - bashfulness
Camellia - loveliness	Queen Anne's Lace - trust
Carnation - devotion	Rose - deep love
Chrysanthemum - abundance	Rosemary - remembrance
Daffodil - regard	Sage - immortality
Daisy - gentleness	Stephanotis - marital happiness
Forget-Me-Not - true love	Sweet Pea - delicate pleasure
Forsythia - anticipation	Thyme - courage
Freesia - innocence	Tulip - passion
Gardenia - purity	Violet - modesty
Gladiolus - generosity	White Daisy - innocence
Iris - wisdom	Zinnia - affection

From the earliest times, brides have carried bunches of fragrant herbs and flowers or adorned their hair with flowers on their wedding day.  Bouquets were first used in medieval times and consisted of herbs and roots to ward off evil spirits.  Later, brides added fragrant flowers to their bouquet to help disguise body odors, since soap and deodorant were non-existent.

For centuries, flowers have represented a variety of meanings and emotions. For example, Orange Blossoms have always been associated with weddings because they signify purity and chastity. Orange Blossoms are also thought to be very significant because they bear both the flower and the fruit at the same time, a trait highly unusual in most plants. This trait also symbolizes great abundance and fertility. It was believed that by carrying blossoms from the orange tree in the wedding bouquet, the blessings of all things beautiful and nurturing would be passed along to the new marriage. Other significant and popular wedding flowers include roses, which symbolize love, carnations, which represent fidelity and love, red chrysanthemums, "I love you"; ivy is symbolic of never-ending love and violets, which stand for faithfulness. Some flowers to be avoided include peonies, which represent shame, yellow hyacinth, which symbolizes jealousy, hydrangea, which symbolizes heartlessness and any combination of red and white flowers should be avoided by the superstitious because they symbolize blood and bandages. However, people from different regions may attach different meanings to the same flower. For example, lilies symbolize virtue to some but are thought unlucky by others because of their association with death. Marigolds symbolize cruelty in love and grief, but in India, they represent luck.

The tradition of tossing the bouquet holds that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next one present to marry.

The groom’s flower, which is worn on his lapel, should be one that matches a flower in the bride’s bouquet. This tradition dates back to medieval times when knights would perform in tournaments and wear something in his lady’s colors to show his affection, often a scarf, feather or flower.

Flowers can be one of the largest expenditures of your wedding. Beautiful wedding flowers get as much recognition on the wedding day as the bride and groom. Flowers will set the mood of love and romance for your event. Every bride wants her wedding to be memorable and choosing the right flowers will help you achieve that goal.

The cost of flowers can add up quickly. Not only will you need flowers for the ceremony and reception sites, you will also need bouquets for the bride, maid/matron of honor, bridesmaids, corsages for the mother of the bride, mother of the groom, grandmothers, readers, guest book attendants, and any other important female guests, boutonnieres for the groom, best man, groomsmen, ushers, father of the bride, father of the groom, grandfathers, and any other important male guests.

The amount of flowers you will need for the ceremony will depend on the size of the ceremony site. If you are getting married during a holiday season, your church will probably already have some floral arrangements decorating the entranceway and alter. If the flowers are compatible with your wedding theme or color scheme, you may want to ask if those flowers can be used during your ceremony. The basic floral arrangements you will need for the ceremony are:

• At least two arrangements near the entrance to welcome guests as they arrive.
• An arrangement next to your guest book table.
• Flower arrangements near the altar. Depending on the amount of space, you may choose to decorate with two elaborate arrangements positioned on each side of the altar. If your space is larger you may want several flower arrangements to adorn the altar space.
• Pew or chair decorations.
• If the budget allows, you can decorate the aisle with ribbon, tulle, candles, or more floral arrangements.

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Reception flowers are most often used as table centerpieces with beautiful floral garlands adorning the head table, cake table, and gift table. If your reception is being held in a large ballroom or banquet facility, we suggest container planted trees with twinkle lights to add a warm intimate, romantic glow to the room. The amount of flowers that you choose for your reception depends entirely on your budget.

You should begin searching for your florist at least six months before your wedding date and book them at least four months before the big event. Your ceremony reception sites need to be booked before you hire a florist because you will need to know how many floral arrangements you will need.  Make sure your wedding colors do not clash with the venue colors and the finalized color for your bridesmaids’ dresses.

Before you begin visiting florists, we suggest the following to make your trip a lot easier:

• Assemble pictures of flowers and arrangements clipped from magazines or printed out from a web site that you like. Paste them in a notebook so that you can take it on your various florist appointments. This will help the florist get an idea of what you want so they can decide if they can accomplish it.
• Bring along a picture of your wedding gown, swatches of material from your bridesmaids gowns and a picture of your venue site (if possible). This will help them decide exactly what colors to use in the arrangements so they do not clash with another element of the wedding.
• If you are supplying the containers for arrangements, bring those to your appointments. This will give them an idea of how big the arrangements need to be since they will have to he proportional to the container you are providing.
• Take all the quotes you receive with you to each florist appointment. These will give you a good basis of comparison.

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Do your research on florists by attending bridal shows or visiting florists in your area. The best way to find the florist that is right for you is to ask friends and family for names of some florists they know and trust. If you have recently attended a wedding or social event and admired the flowers, ask the host who provided the floral arrangements. You should plan on visiting four or five florists before making your final decision. Ultimately, you should select a florist whose style you like.

When visiting each florist, be sure to ask the following questions:

• Do you have a portfolio of images from past work? Do not forget to ask if the person’s whose work you are viewing will also be the person doing your arrangements. Many floral shops have more than one person making the arrangements. You will want to make sure you know who will be making yours so you can make sure you actually like their work.
• How many years of experience do you have in the floral industry? The last thing you want to do is choose someone who has little to no experience. Their lack of experience may prove to be a disaster for your wedding.
• Do you have a list of references I can call? Just because you can see how pretty their arrangements are does not mean they are good at what they do. There is no better reference than previous customers. They can tell you if the florist arrived when he or she was supposed to and kept all the promises made.
• Are you familiar with my ceremony and reception sites? If not, be sure to give them directions to each so they do not get lost on the big day. You might also want to give them pictures of the sites, if possible, so that the colors in the arrangements do not clash with the colors at the sites.
• Will you visit my ceremony and reception sites to give recommendations for arrangements and decor? If they are able to tour the sites, they may be able to give you a lot of helpful advice on do’s and don’ts for the decor.
• Do you rent items such as aisle and alter candelabras, unity candle holders, guest book stands, clip-on pew flower holders, etc.? They may offer a discount if you get a few things from them. Plus if you can rent some of these items instead of buying them, it will be one less thing you have to deal with after the wedding.
• Can you work with a combination of real, dried and silk flowers? (This is very important, especially if you are on a tight budget).

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

• Are the flowers I have chosen in season? What flowers are in season for my wedding date? Do you have access to out of season flowers? You’ll want to make sure that the flowers you're wanting to use are in season because if they’re not it could become rather costly, If they’re not in season and the price isn’t a big issue, you’ll want to make sure that the florist has the ability to order the flowers you want because if they can’t, you might want to consider going with a different florist.
• Do you set up the arrangements at the ceremony and reception sites? Is there a set-up fee? It will he nice to know this upfront because if they don’t set up the arrangements or if the fee is too high you’ll need to find someone else to take care of this for you.
• Can I change my order once it has been placed? What is the cut-off date for new ideas? Before you place the order, you’ll want to make sure that you're ordering what you want. Most places will charge a fee to change the order once it has placed, if they allow the change at all. Some places have strict rules about no changes once the order is placed.
• What times will the flowers be delivered to each location? You’ll need to know this so that you can arrange to have someone at the site to let the florist in.
• Will you transport the ceremony flowers and decorations to the reception site? Is there a fee for this service? If they won’t do this or if the fee is too high, again you’ll have to make arrangements with a friend or family member to do this.
• Will you return to the ceremony site to pick up rentals or will I be responsible for rental returns? This is an important thing to know. Because the last thing you want is to go on your 10 day honeymoon only to come back and find that the rental pieces were never returned and now you have a huge late charge.
• Can you make a sample of my bouquet and centerpiece? This is helpful; it will let you know if you actually like what they’re doing and allow you to make minor adjustments to the plans.
• Will you write up an itemized quote? (be sure get an estimate for each item-bouquet, tossing bouquet, boutonnieres, corsages, etc.). You will want them to do this so that you can take it to another florist to get a price comparison.
• Are there any additional charges or hidden charges?
• Do you have liability insurance?
• What is the deposit? When is it due and when is final payment required?
• What is your policy on cancellation?
• Do you offer bouquet preservation?

You should also prepare a list of things that you MUST have for your wedding and a list of things you would LIKE TO HAVE, if your budget allows. Make sure you select a florist that listens to you and grasps the look and feel you want to achieve for your wedding. Let the florist know what you want, but be willing to compromise. Be open to the florist’s ideas and suggestions. Remember, they are the professionals and when you hire a florist, you are not only hiring them to make floral arrangements, but you are also hiring them for their expertise and talent.

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Flowers can end up being one of the largest expenditures of your entire wedding and reception. Expect to spend 15-20% of your entire wedding budget on flowers. However, no adornments are more beautiful or festive than wedding flowers, so it is well worth the investment. But you don't need to take out a personal loan to pay for your floral arrangements.

Here are 10 money saving tips to help you while you shop for your wedding flowers:

1. Purchase your flowers from a wholesaler.  If you live near a major metropolitan area, chances are there is a flower supplier nearby. You can purchase the wedding flowers and make the arrangements yourself with the help of your bridal party, or enlist a talented friend to be in charge of the task. Buying directly from the supplier cuts out the middle man, the florist. You'll save money this way because you won't be paying the markup that the florist would charge.
2. Organize floral arrangements strategically. Bouquets and boutonnieres are pretty much essential, but you may want to forego bunches at the end of each row of chairs during the ceremony so that you can afford truly lovely centerpieces for each table at the reception. Or vice versa. If you insist on having arrangements at the end of the rows and at the reception, keep them simple, You don't have to have extravagant arrangements everywhere. People are there to look at you. not the flowers.
3. Select wedding flowers that are in season and native to the region you live in.  Remember when choosing your flowers to keep in mind when and where you're getting married. If you pick local flower that are in season they will be more affordable than exotic or imported varieties. If you really must have some exotic type of flower not grown in your area you might want to consider using silk flowers. They look like the real thing, but are usually about half the cost.
4. Use a combination of real and silk flowers. Silk flowers cost less and often can be rented. That way you don't have to burden your budget any more than necessary and you're also not stuck with a whole bunch of arrangements after the ceremony and reception are over.
5. Recycle: Transfer the flowers from your ceremony to your reception. You can also rearrange the flowers from your rehearsal dinner for your cocktail reception. Bridal bouquets can double during the reception for the head table, cake or gift tables. There's no reason to buy double the flowers when you can just reuse them.
6. Share Expenses with another bride. If your ceremony site is having more than one wedding that day, contact the other bride and talk about sharing decoration expenses.
7. Use alternatives. Use alternatives to wedding flower arrangements, like candles, favors, balloons, potted plants, etc.
8. Buy on Sale. Purchase candles, white lights and other decorations after the holidays when everything goes on sale. After Christmas is a great time to buy these items at a huge discount. Buying flowers on sale can be a good and bad thing. It's good because you save money, bad because they might not have the quantity you need.
9. Simple is best. Have your bridesmaids carry a single flower instead of a bouquet. If you want a bouquet, consider having just a few blooms of one type of flower and tie it with a ribbon.
10. More filler. Use more greenery, baby's breath, tulle for decorating and less flower blooms. Blooms are more expensive than the alternatives so use them as an accent to the arrangement instead of the main ingredient.

In addition to the flowers you will need for the wedding party and family members, you will need flowers for the ceremony and reception sites. Use this handy checklist when shopping for flowers so you're sure not to forget anyone:

Flowers for the Wedding Party:

• Bride's Bouquet
• Tossing Bouquet
• Matron/Maid of Honor Bouquet
• Bridesmaid Bouquets
• Corsage for Mother of Bride
• Corsage for Mother of Groom
• Corsage for Grandmother of Bride
• Corsage for Grandmother of Groom
• Corsage for Flower Girl and petals for her basket
• Corsage for Guest Book Attendant(s)
• Corsage for Readers
• Corsages for any other important female guests
• Boutonniere for Groom
• Boutonniere for Best Man
• Boutonniere for Groomsrnen
• Boutonnieres for Ushers
• Boutonniere for Father of the Groom
• Boutonniere for Father of the Bride
• Boutonniere for Grandfather of the Groom
• Boutonniere for Grandfather of the Bride
• Boutonniere for Ring Bearer
• Boutonniere for any other important male guests

Flowers for the Wedding Ceremony:

• Entranceway
• Alter
• Kneeling Bench
• Pews

Flowers for the Reception:

• Bridal Table
• Cake Table
• Drink table
• Guest Tables
• Buffet Table(s)
• Bandstand and/or DJ table
• Gift Table
• Guest Book Table

The tradition of the bride tossing her bridal bouquet to a crowd of single female wedding guests is a long standing one. Some brides even order two bouquets from the florist, one to keep, and the other to toss. The tossing bouquet is usually a smaller version of the original one.

Lately, a new and unique twist to the tossing of the bouquet, in addition to the bridal bouquet, is to order a breakaway bouquet. This arrangement appears to be quite large, because it is actually six smaller bouquets gathered together with a large ribbon, tied in a bow. Before the bride tosses it, she unties the bow, and tosses all six bouquets at once. This type of bouquet is extremely popular with all the little girls that may be at the reception. This is also a delightful way to spread that long standing superstition of "who will be the next one to walk down the aisle?" Imagine the delight of all your younger guests who are fortunate to catch one of the breakaway bouquets! Toss the breakaway bouquets to all the single girls under eighteen, and the tossing bouquet to those who are eighteen and older.

Be sure to have the florist color coordinate the tossing bouquet with your bridal bouquet. If your bridal bouquet is made up of expensive blooms, ask the florist to substitute similar flowers that are more moderately priced. Carnations can be dyed to go with any color scheme. The blooms are large and will pack a dramatic punch but for a reasonable price.

Every bride will have several choices and decisions to make pertaining to the wedding and reception. The tossing of the bouquet should not cause a lot of stress for her, but she should explore all of her options, and then go with the one that most pleases her.

A bouquet is defined as a bunch or grouping of flowers. But today’s brides are showing us, you do not have to use flowers. "Bouquets" are popping up as bunches of many different pretty things.

Tissue or paper flowers are becoming a popular alternative. Think about the possibilities (especially if you are a crafty bride) you can have your wedding bouquet in any color or design imaginable. In this case you won’t fret about the cost of out of season flowers, you can make them yourself. There are a lot of websites that have tutorials on how to craft these up yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Chances are you know someone who has the kind of patience and meticulous personality best suited for this task, as they can be just as fragile as real blooms, some maybe even more so.

Cute as a button doesn’t even begin to describe one of the newest trends, button bouquets! These just ooze with individuality! You can find these made by layering different sizes and shapes of buttons on bendable wire, or stitched on to flower shaped pieces of felt. These are certainly a crafters dream bouquet. Make sure you do your bicep work-outs before hand though, depending on the size and design of your bouquet, you could be dealing with a bit of weight to carry.

Are you having a winter wedding? Try out a Christmas ornament bouquet full of different size ball ornaments in metallics, soft pastels or even ones with glitter. The possibilities of different sizes, shapes, and colors seem to go on and on. Be careful to do it yourself on this project; broken glass does not lead to a holly jolly time.

These ideas are all terrific options for the couple or bridal party with allergies. Not to mention the fact that you won’t have to pay to have your flowers preserved.