If you were to guess that I love weddings, you would be correct. I love weddings. I mean I LOVE them. Both on a professional level, because I get to assist couples in bringing life and beauty to one of the biggest and best parties they will ever host, but also on a personal level, because as a guest (and at my own wedding as the bride) I have always felt the magic in the air – that wedding magic is a certain energy that can’t be felt in the same way anywhere else. And it’s amazing.
Weddings are everything positive, wonderful, and beautiful wrapped up into one epic day of celebration. And while the reception is considered by many to be the most enjoyable part (who doesn’t look forward to indulging in eating fantastic food and partaking in an open bar??), the ceremony is the true heart of a wedding.
As a Floral Architect you might not be surprised that I consider flowers to be one of the most important parts of wedding decor, if not THE most important part. And while a lot of emphasis is generally placed on things like the bridal bouquet and the table centerpieces, the most significant part of your wedding day, your ceremony, deserves intentional thought and design…and flowers.
Let’s take a look at the reasons why your ceremony flowers should really be a priority when thinking about your wedding flowers.
Symbolizes the Importance of the Occasion
The reason for your wedding is to legally and formally marry the love of your life. The reason that all your family and friends are there with you is to witness you marry the love of your life and to celebrate your union. And that’s a big deal. Not giving proper attention to the look and the feel of your ceremony area doesn’t give due credit to how monumental a union between two people is. Guests will travel many thousands of miles, spend lots of money, and whittle away at their vacation time for weddings because of just how very special it is to witness two people get married. Creating arrangements just for that time, place, and space signifies its magnitude.
Defines and Personalizes the Physical Space
Sometimes couples initially won’t feel the need to add any floral decor to their ceremony area because the location already 1) has a beautiful view 2) has some sort of permanent or built-in decor element or 3) their ceremony will only last a short amount of time. Yes, there are a lot of beautiful places to get married with spectacular backdrops, beautiful landscaping, and built in arbors, and the ceremony usually lasts only a fraction of the time as the reception, but when you add your own floral decor to the ceremony area you make that space your own. You might be at a venue that has a wedding every weekend and adding your own unique floral decor transforms that space into your wedding. Having personalized floral arrangement for your ceremony, whether that’s a lush floral arbor, a spray arrangement on an arch, or two floral urns to frame the space you and your partner are joining together in, will set it apart and will put your stamp on it.
Provides Aesthetic Delight
Decorating your ceremony space with personalized floral arrangements can really enhance the mood of a ceremony. Flowers have been proven to enhance well-being and make people happy. When you add flower arrangements to your ceremony space you automatically enhance the mood and lift people’s spirits. And most of this happens unconsciously! Ornamental horticulture can be a calming and soothing influence. And that can do wonders for when it’s time to read your vows!
Elevates the Gorgeousness of Your Photos
During your wedding you will take tons of pictures. And I mean TONS. The ceremony is one of the most photographed moments of a wedding and it is one of the best things to look back on afterwards. Whenever I see pictures from my own wedding ceremony pictures all those feels and emotions come rushing back. And the beautify of the day and of our ceremony setting almost takes my breath away again just as it did the day I became a wife. Pictures of you and your loved ones against a one-of-a-kind floral backdrop are worthy of being framed and displayed.
So hopefully I have convinced you of the value of investing in beautiful flowers for your wedding ceremony. Even if you are getting married on top of a mountain, in front of a waterfall, or in a botanic gardens, there is still reason to add your own personalized floral arrangements to your ceremony space.
You can get more ceremony floral inspiration on my CEREMONY gallery page.
Lastly, I took the lovely ceremony photo from above, taken by the talented Molly Blair Photography, and colored a version of that ceremony without any flowers. While the wooden arbor was lush with summer greens which is definitely pretty is its own right, I hope you agree with me that personalized floral decor makes it transformational.
