For most brides, flowers are one of the most important parts of planning their special day. Flowers add beauty, color, fragrance and elegance to the style and theme of your event. Selecting your wedding flowers is a big decision, and the following is a discussion of three key considerations to keep in mind as you begin your planning.

1) Color Scheme

Customarily, pastel or white wedding flowers, such as carnations, orchids, roses, or lilies of the valley are popular wedding flower selections. However, modern color schemes typically feature brighter colors. In addition, the maid of honor??s bouquet should match the bridal bouquet, and her flower arrangement will be a benchmark for the style of the rest of the wedding decor. Always try to keep in mind how the textures of the flowers will look against your fabrics and on your tables. If you can take a swatch from your dress and the bridesmaid??s dresses to your florist, you can see if they complement each other or detract. The essential questions to answer when choosing the color scheme of your wedding flowers are:

? What is the overall color scheme of your wedding?
? What are the color(s) of your bridesmaid??s dresses?
? Do you prefer a cascading, compact or a bunched bouquet [traditionally, the bouquets carried by the maid of honor and the bridesmaids are of the latter designs]?
? What is the color scheme of the d??cor of your wedding location [you don??t want your flowers to conflict]?
? What about the boutonni??res [they need to complement the color scheme as well]?
? Are you going to have flowers on your tables, on the cake or both?

2) Seasonal Constraints

Many flowers can now be obtained out of season because they are cultivated in greenhouses and imported from other parts of the world. However, seasonal flowers are more likely to be fresher and far less expensive. Being mindful of seasonal constraints will certainly help you economize on the cost of flowers. The chart below seasonally categorizes some of the most popular wedding flower choices:

Spring

Amaryllis
Chrysanthemum
Lilac
Apple blossom
Daffodil
Lily
Azalea
Daisy
Orchid
Bluebell
Freesia
Camellia
Primrose
Carnation
Heather
Rhododendron
Cherry Blossom
Honeysuckle
Clematis
Iris
Tulip
Crocus
Jasmine

Summer

Aster
Marigold
Azalea
Orchid
Carnation
Heather
Peony
Cornflower
Iris
Rose
Chrysanthemum
Jasmine
Rhododendron
Delphinium
Larkspur
Daisy
Lilac
Sweat pea
Freesia
Lily-of-the-valley
Fuschia
Lupin
Tiger Lily
Gardenia

Autumn

Chrysanthemum
Daisy
Hydrangea
Morning Glory
Dahlia
Iris
Orchid
Freesia
Lily
Rose

Winter

Carnation
Rose
Chrysanthemum
Holly Berries
Freesia
Iris
Snowdrop
Forsythia
Lily Winter
Jasmine
Orchid

3) Flower Meanings

Over the centuries, many flowers have had meanings associated with them. In other words, flowers communicate much more than meets the eye and are one of the things most people will vividly remember about your ceremony and reception. Brides should take into account the meanings of flowers when deciding which blooms to include in their bouquet. Below, we??ve listed some of the most popular wedding flowers and their meanings:

Almond blossom: hope
Apple blossom: good fortune
Calla Lilies: magnificent beauty
Camellia: gratitude
Carnation: fascination
Chrysanthemum (red): I love you
Chrysanthemum (white): truth
Cyclamen: modesty
Daffodil: regard
Daisy: innocence
Fern: fascination
Forget-me-not: remembrance
Gardenia: joy
Heather: good luck
Heliotrope: devotion
Honeysuckle: generosity
Hyacinth: loveliness
Ivy: fidelity
Iris: burning love
Japonica: loveliness
Jasmine: amiability
Lemon blossom: fidelity in love
Lilac: youthful innocence
Lily: majesty
Lily-of-the-valley: return of happiness
Magnolia: perseverance
Myrtle: love
Orange blossom: purity
Orchid: beauty
Peach blossom: captive
Rose: love, happiness
Snowdrop: hope
Sweat pea: pleasure
Tulip (red): I love you
Tulip (white): I am worthy of you
Tulip: love
Veronica: fidelity
Violet: faithfulness

Ultimately, less is more when it comes to flowers as bouquet also refers to the fragrance your flowers impart. You don??t want the smell to be too overwhelming or it will detract rather than contribute to the atmosphere of your wedding. Your flowers are an accessory to your wedding--not the focal point--but if you make good choices, it can be one of the things you reflect fondly on for years to come.