Wedding bouquets are one of the images that first come to mind when thinking of wedding days.

Particularly brides holding bridal bouquets.

From there, everything appears to have been touched by that look, as if a feeling of marital bliss has extended outward and transformed everything and everyone.

Which is the ideal effect of any floral theme!

So let’s get started by checking out the array of stunning wedding bouquets this world has to offer!

Cascade

Also known as the Waterfall bouquet and often made up using a combination of clematis, freesia and orchids, there is a literal cascade of flowers flowing down from the arrangement. Wedding gowns and accessories that work here are usually quite simplistic. Although very traditional, it’s a staple of many of today’s rustic wedding themed weddings.

Posy

Often composed using dahlias, peonies and tulips, this compact bouquet is a classic. Small enough not to compete with your dress, it can actually keep attention focused on an extravagant dress design. Arranged in an attractive circular fashion with a domed shape and tied with a ribbon, it’s beautiful and effective.

Shield-Shaped

Deceptively simple, these highly complex bridal bouquets can be carried in one hand and modestly allow the bride’s dress to keep most of the attention. Shield-Shaped is trendy and very elegant, with each stem and sprig individually hand-wired to perfection. Often combining bluebells, snowdrops and stephanotis, it looks stunning from all angles.

Biedermeier

Named after a German style of interior decorating and popular since the 1800’s, this formal bridal bouquet is made up of a dense cluster of blooms, with each ring consisting of a single flower type or color. Dramatic versions can boast over four layers of different flowers, often featuring gerberas and pink and red roses.

Glamelia

Also known as the Composite bouquet, this stunning creation is composed of hundreds of real petals, all wired together to become one enormous flower. Strictly not a DIY project, the Glamelia is graceful, sophisticated, and complements elegant and simple dresses equally. Popular compositions often include camellias, lilies, and white roses.

Arm-Sheath

Dramatic and effective, this long-stemmed, vertically-shaped bouquet is also known as the Presentation or Pageant bouquet. Designed to be carried in the crook of the bride’s arm, it often combines greenery, calla lilies, sunflowers, orchids and irises. And it’s a natural complement to a tall bride in a streamlined or simple dress.

Hand-Tied

Many wedding bouquets use wire to create their look, so the hand-tied bouquet looks like an explosion of natural beauty by comparison. It includes a varied selection of flowers and greenery and is tied using vine, ribbon, or fabric. Unsurprisingly, it’s wildly popular for a rustic wedding theme or bohemian wedding theme.

Nosegay

Popular for bridesmaids in a smaller style, while the bride carries the larger version, the nosegay resembles the posy in its densely packed cluster. However, it’s distinguished by its use of greenery. Mothers of the bride and groom sometimes receive small nosegays with colors designed to match their dresses, rather than the wedding colors.

The Meaning of Flowers

Wedding flowers are an integral part of wedding themes. From season, to wedding colors, to wedding bouquets, to the wedding venue itself — each element should form a cohesive unit in order to represent you and your soulmate.

For example, if a red rose wedding bouquet is a passion (or represents passion for you!), you need to think about how that look fits your general wedding theme vision. If you fall in love with hydrangea wedding bouquets, or white wedding flowers, you need to think about how each look affects the overall vision and feel of your wedding theme.

Of course, the meaning of your wedding flowers also plays a part.

Before taking a deep dive into a list of various flowers and their meanings, let’s take a lingering look at a royal example.

On April 29, 2011, in London, England, Catherine Middleton arrived at Westminster Abbey to be married to Prince William.

Unlike the enormous, cascading arrangement Princess Diana carried on her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981, this bride carried a modest, shield-shaped bouquet, wired for structure, and containing seasonal blooms filled with personal meaning:

Lily of the Valley — Symbolic of trustworthiness; but is often said to represent the return of happiness. Possibly for Kate, this meant the return of trust, after some delicate early moments.

Sweet William — Often considered to be a symbol of gallantry, we can understand Kate’s desire to carry this flower, particularly when combining the meaning with the name!

Hyacinth — The Language of Flowers tells us the hyacinth symbolizes sport or play; but others consider it to represent the constancy of love. We’ll give Kate kudos for the latter.

Myrtle — Symbolic of love and marriage, every royal bride since Queen Victoria has carried a sprig of myrtle in her wedding bouquet — and all have taken it from Victoria’s royal garden, which recently opened to the public.

Ivy — Another symbol of marriage, ivy is also regarded as representing affection, fidelity, and friendship.

Impressed? So are we!

So let’s take a look at some more wedding flowers and their general meanings. Note: Flower meanings can depend on color, too, so keep in mind the below is an overview guide.

Which in the list below inspires you?

Rose — Love, joy, and beauty, dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The rose also represents sympathy and sorrow, as well as the keeping of secrets.

Dahlia — Change, lasting bonds and commitments, grace under pressure, inner strength, and uniqueness. Dahlias enjoyed high popularity in 2017.

Tulip — Enduring love and undying passion, combined with prosperity, indulgence and royalty!

Lily — Purity (white), prosperity (pink), honor, and devotion. In some cultures the lily is considered to have to ability to relieve heartache and bring luck.

Daisy — True love, new beginnings, and purity. Daisies also pair well with almost all other flower types.

Daffodil — New beginnings, rebirth, and the coming of spring. It also represents creativity, inspiration, renewal, and forgiveness.

Hydrangea — Heartfelt and honest emotions, gratitude, and the development of deeper understanding between two people.

Carnation — Love, fascination, and distinction. Possibly one of the oldest cultivated flowers in the world, the carnation enjoys a rich history of symbolism, and are known as flowers of the gods.

Sunflower — Adoration, loyalty, longevity, and lasting happiness. Rich in meaning across cultures, the sunflower also symbolizes power and strength in the vibrant orange and red varieties.

Honeysuckle — Devotion, the bonds of love, sweet disposition, and happiness. Poet Robert Frost wrote of honeysuckle in his sensual poem “To Earthward” as a symbol of intense love.

Purple Iris — Royalty, faith, wisdom, hope, and valor. Named after the Greek goddess Iris, it also symbolizes power and inspired the fleur-de-lis, the national symbol of France.

Peony — Beauty, riches, romance, and honor. The official emblem of China, its Chinese name translated is “most beautiful.” It also represents bashfulness to some, particularly in white or pale pink colors.

Planning for Perfection

Apart from the basics, like deciding on a budget for your wedding flowers, a good starting point is to consider the season of your wedding date. Aside from the natural attributes seasonality provides, budget considerations also come into the equation.

Out-of-season flowers can come with a higher price tag.

Here’s a list of flowers by season:

Spring

• Anemone
• Bells of Ireland
• Casa Blanca Lily
• Daffodil
• Daisies
• Delphinium
• Hyacinth

• Hydrangea
• Lilac
• Lily of the Valley
• Orchid
• Peonies
• Ranunculus

• Snapdragon
• Stargazer Lily
• Sweetpea
• Tulips
• Viburnum
• Wax Flower

Summer

• Alstroemeria
• Bells of Ireland
• Chrysanthemum
• English Lavender
• Forget-Me-Nots

• Freesia
• Gerbera
• Hydrangea
• Iris
• Larkspur

• Liatris
• Orchid lily
• Snapdragons
• Sunflowers

Fall

• Amaryllis
• Aster
• Chrysanthemum

• Dahlia
• Freesia

• Statice
• Zinnia

Winter

• Amaryllis
• Anemone
• Bells of Ireland
• Cosmos
• Forget-Me-Not

• Gardenia
• Holly
• Jasmine
• Poinsettia

• Ranunculus
• Sweetpea
• Stargazer Lily
• Tulip

Year Round

• Baby’s Breath
• Bachelor’s Button
• Calla Lily
• Carnations
• Delphinium

• Eucalyptus
• Gardenia
• Gladiolus
• Heather
• Lily of the Valley

• Orchid
• Protea
• Rose
• Scabiosa

There are no hard and fast rules. This is your day and the look you choose represents you and your soul mate. Either a concrete wedding theme or using the beauty of the season, are both solid approaches and can have stunning results.

But what about the logistics?!

Here’s a brief list of needs for your wedding flowers.

• Bridal bouquet
• Bridesmaid bouquets
• Ceremony flowers
• Reception flowers
• Corsages
• Boutonnieres
• Additional Decor

Beauty, Budgets, and Balance

The list above could spark a desire to have your wedding flowers in abundance in every conceivable area. It’s one thing to imagine an empty space overflowing with beautifully designed arrangements and various centerpieces, another to view the effect of this abundance of beauty and hard spending with those now empty spaces packed with guests.

Spending less could entice a higher level of awe and admiration.

Think about the areas where magical moments will take place. Obviously, the whole “I do” area is one to concentrate on!

• The framing of the first dance.
• Your bridal bouquet, boutonnieres or other wearables.
• Then think about centerpieces, placed for maximum effect in the right places.

A series of jaw-dropping statement pieces or an overlooked surplus?

So keeping budget in mind, steering toward seasonal wedding flowers as part of your general wedding theme, then designing your overall floral look based on smart use of space, can work wonders.

However, if your florist recommends flowers in a certain area, pay attention. We’ll bounce back to that in a moment.

Another way to create an interesting variety, while thinking of your budget, is to mix and match long, low centerpieces with, for example, elevated bouquets.

Clusters of single blooms can look amazing by virtue of creating an eye-catching contrast. Greenery is also extremely popular today and highly effective at creating contrasts and drawing attention to particular designs.

Now everything is being noticed and appreciated.

Success!

From your big day wedding theme ideas to the bridal bouquet, all sorts of mixing and matching can combine your budget and vision for amazing outcomes. With that in mind, let’s do a general breakdown that you could talk to your florist about:

Luxury:
Garden Roses, Vanda Orchids, Peonies, Tropical flowers like Protea and Anthurium, Colored Hydrangea (except light blue), Calla Lilies, Stephanotis.

Premium:
Cymbidium Orchids, Dendrobium Orchids, Dahlias, Spray Roses, Standard Roses, Ranunculus, White & light blue hydrangea, Dusty Miller, Anemones, Exotic Foliage, Italian Pittosporum and Italian Ruscus.

Standard:
Stock, Lemon leaf,  Sunflowers, Gerbera Daisy, Delphinium, Spider Mum, Larkspur, Eucalyptus, Israeli Ruscus.

Economical:
Accent Flowers like Waxflower or Baby’s Breath, Iris, Alstroemeria, Carnations, Leather fern.

Words of Wedding Wisdom

Every bride hears words of wisdom about all sorts of interesting areas of life. So we’ll offer some of our own.

Only ours involves your florist and you!

If you have a perfect vision of how your big day should look, listen carefully to what your florist thinks about it. You want your big day to be as dreamlike as possible. But attempting to drag your vision into the real world against professional advice could lead to huge disappointment.

For example, your florist could take one look at your wedding venue and know that the vision you’ve created won’t work, at least not in the way you’re envisioning it. Pay attention and you’ll win.

Professional florists have real world experience in the vision business.

Listen carefully to their responses. The chances are that whatever they suggest will work for you on your big day, during the season in which it takes place, and in your chosen wedding venue.

There’s a difference between a vision and an unforgettable reality tailored around you.

Your day, your way — yes!

Still, words of wisdom embraced bring their own rewards.

The most important thing to remember is that you’ve already found your soulmate —and that’s the hardest part!

So, Congratulations!

Originally published on Lovingly website May 25, 2018

In the hugely successful aftermath of our unconventional Mother’s Day contest, Joe Vega, Lovingly’s co-founder and managing partner, told all the curious people from the press:

“These stories came pouring in and the love came pouring out! We were stunned by the quality and diversity of the entries. Frankly, the sheer power of the feelings involved was overwhelming!”

Truer words were never spoken. We are humbled that so many entrants from across the US and Canada trusted Lovingly with their heartfelt stories of support, inspiration, and unconditional love.

And we’re honored to celebrate the impact our five amazing winners have had on those around them with the gift of a beautiful handcrafted bouquet.

Here, then, are the winners.

A Single Mom’s Success Story

Storyteller: Vince McLaughlin | Winner: Catherine Kearney

Bouquet lovingly handcrafted and hand-delivered by Westdale Florists, Hamilton, Ontario.

From the age of 10 (I’m now 32), my mom did everything she could for us to put food on our table and a roof over our heads, and she made sure we got to school every day with a lunch.

It was never easy and times were tough, but she always made me see that there was a light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Now, over twenty years later, an honors graduate, married, with a fulfilling career and a home, I would like to give her back a small token of my appreciation.

You can never quite tell your mom how much she means to you over a lifetime.

But flowers will certainly help!

We couldn’t agree more! And we bet Catherine loved hearing her son’s heartfelt words of appreciation just as much as she loved her bouquet.

Happy ending extra!

Vince contacted Lovingly to let us know how it went. Here’s a clip of what he told us:

“It went fantastically well and I can’t thank you guys enough for all that you did. She couldn’t read the message at work as she knew she would lose it. All her friends read it for her and they all teared up — so that is a victory!”

Delivering a Gift From Heaven

Storyteller: Brittany Montgomery | Winner: Katherine Harrison

Bouquet lovingly handcrafted and hand-delivered by Flowers Unlimited II, Country Club Hills, Illinois.

My mom, Katherine, deserves to win this bouquet because she is the strongest, kindest, most selfless and loving person I know.

She never left my side after my daughter went into respiratory failure on three separate occasions. She held my hand through three months of not knowing what was wrong with my daughter.

She left her job of 36 years to become her full-time caregiver. She also lost her husband and best friend, my father, last year, after being married 34 years.

My father ALWAYS had flowers delivered to her every Mother’s Day, just to see the reaction on her face. She told me it never got old, and she was always surprised!

This bouquet of flowers would be a special gift from heaven from my dad to my mom.

Any mother, especially one like mine, deserves to have a special reminder that our loved ones are still with us, even though not physically.

She needs this, because it’s the little things that matter most.

We were all so touched by Brittany’s story that we knew Katherine had to win a gorgeous bouquet. And the smile on Katherine’s face when she received it is the biggest gift of all.

The Brand New Mom Who Won

Storyteller: Justine Yingling | Winner: Emily Spiering

Bouquet lovingly handcrafted and hand-delivered by Blooms Floral and Gifts, Ashland, Nebraska.

Emily is my daughter, and she became a mother just 18 hours ago.

She has gone through the entire pregnancy by herself, not ever asking for help, and now she has a beautiful daughter of her own!

I think she needs something that says she is very much loved, and we will support her the best we can!

We can’t think of a better way to celebrate Emily and her sweet new baby girl. We had to pass around the tissues at the Lovingly office when we saw these photos of Emily receiving her gift!

Happy ending extra!

Our Blooms Floral and Gifts partner contacted Lovingly to report: “She was completely shocked!”

An American Mom’s Warm Welcome

Storyteller: Sera Paek | Winner: Kathleen Hatfield

Bouquet lovingly handcrafted and hand-delivered by Sweetgrass Flowers, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

I am an international student from Korea. When I first came to the United States in 2011, Kathleen became my MOM from Charleston.

Ever since we met, she has been always taking care of me and thinking of me all the time, and that makes me smile and feel loved.

I am graduating from college this May and will probably go back to Korea, and I have been thinking about how to express how thankful I feel and how much I love her.

It’s also her birthday on May 7th, which is perfect timing to express my mind!

We wish we all had a Kathleen in our lives! We loved this story about Kathleen’s thoughtfulness and support, and can only imagine what an amazing difference it must have made for an international student learning to navigate a brand-new country.

It’s Love, So Who’s Counting?

Storyteller: Kristen Mol | Winner: Theresa Jaspers

Bouquet lovingly handcrafted and hand-delivered by From the Heart Florist, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

I have been so blessed with the most amazing and selfless mom!

She is, hands down, the best mom, who will do anything for her five kids, 19 (soon to be 20) grandkids, and husband of almost 40 years!

She’s always looking to help out, which makes life with our little ones that much easier. She takes the laundry off our hands, makes meals, bakes, babysits, and so much more.

She always goes the extra mile to make sure we know how much she cares.

Grandchildren are always welcomed with hugs, snacks of all kinds, and oh so many books.

My mom is a rock in our family and we love her so very, very much!

Twenty grandkids – wow! We think if anyone deserves a beautiful handcrafted bouquet, it’s Theresa!

Happy ending extra!

Kristen contacted Lovingly to let us know how it went. This is an edited clip of what she told us:

“Thank you so much! She loves her flowers! She was very surprised!”

Our From the Heart Florist partner also contacted Lovingly to report:  “She was taken completely by surprise! She loved the flowers!”

And one more happy ending extra!

We’d like to thank all our entrants, any one of which could have easily won.

This was really tough!

We asked so many people to get so personal — and as you have seen, they did.

So we thought we’d join in and share our story of how this contest came about.

It breaks down like this.

Lovingly’s story request for its Mother’s Day 2018 contest read:

She may be your mom, your grandma, your caregiver, or a member of your community who has earned the title ‘mom’ in your heart through her unconditional love and devotion.

At this point, our question was: Would anybody respond to such a strange contest?

We decided to send our love call out across North America.

We’d pick out 5 winners, all of whom would receive an original bouquet, handcrafted and hand-delivered by a talented local florist.

Suddenly, the size of the ask for those florists began to dawn on us.

Would Lovingly Partner florists support us?

Would they be willing to handcraft and hand-deliver the winning bouquets if called upon?

How deep do Lovingly relationships with partners really go?

Everything depended on this question. Or rather the answer.

They said YES!

And we shouldn’t have worried. This is what local florists do, after all: celebrate moments, convey sentiments, and make connections between loved ones.

That’s why they’re hometown heroes we’re proud to call partners.

So with that, we were set. And excited to start celebrating the unconditional love of Moms everywhere!

In the end, we were touched, humbled, and so grateful to have a small part in the beautiful relationships and stories that were shared with us.

Thank you, Moms!

Pinterest is a combination of free website, social network, and virtual pinboard that enables you to follow others, collect and share images, comment, and have people follow you.

Great — but here’s why Lovingly is writing about it.

40 million people a year use Pinterest for wedding planning inspiration.

And there are good reasons for that, which we’ll go into in this post.

Lovingly loves Pinterest because it helps us find even more ways to inspire and educate happy couples before they have a wedding flowers consultation with a local florist.

Brides-to-be can share their Pinterest Wedding Boards with their Wedding Florists from the very start.

Pinterest images become part of the information package sent to that florist, presenting a wealth of information about your vision, pre-consultation.

So let’s get into some details about how Pinterest can help your Big Day go your way.

Why is Pinterest so Popular for Weddings?

Pinterest is the perfect place to store all your inspired ideas about your upcoming wedding.

It’s also a great community in which to search for images and ideas to inspire you and add to your collection.

Wedding dresses, wedding flowers, wedding themes, wedding venues and more can all be thrown into the visual mix as you discover images that inspire you.

Still, that could get confusing after a while, right?

Actually, no. With Pinterest, organization is built in and highly intuitive, so not only can you throw all your ideas into one image-friendly place, you can pick and choose how and where you see those images within the platform.

Pinterest helps put your vision into focus.

Let’s take a deeper dive.

What is a Wedding Inspiration Board?

Once signed up to Pinterest, creating a board is as simple as clicking a button.

So you could create a board named My Wedding Inspiration Board.

This would be the place you save — or pin — all the wedding images that inspire you. When you need to start organizing,  you could create as many separately named sections within that board as you need. For example:

• Wedding dresses
• Wedding flowers
• Wedding Theme ideas

and so on.

Or you could create a number of boards and name each with their specified titles, just like the section titles shown above. You could then use the sections each board offers to dive deeper. So a dedicated Wedding Flowers board could have sections like:

• Bridal bouquets
• Centerpieces
• Boutonnieres

and more.

In other words, it’s completely up to you!

If you wanted to collect wedding images based around certain colors, or wedding themes like: classic, rustic, bohemian or Harry Potter themed, you can use the above described organizational boards to separate them into their own areas.

And with easy drag-and-drop features — along with other new features — you can organize your boards on your main page — as well as the content within each of those boards — very easily.

With drag and drop, you simply click on an image or board and move it to where you want it to be.

So if you have variously styled wedding dresses pinned in a board or section, and some share the same color, you could simply drag and drop them next to each other.

Easy!

How Else Can I Use Pinterest?

One thing Pinterest does is give you control!

If you have friends who continuously give advice and ideas, why not ask them to create their own wedding board on Pinterest and share it with you? Or, share your board with them!

The social side of Pinterest is powerful and important.

And searching for ideas on Pinterest is effectively limitless.

Countless businesses use Pinterest to get attention for their work, while Pinterest itself will offer suggestions based on images you’ve chosen!

Beyond that, there are literally millions of people pinning images you can find.

You will never feel alone!

Will My Florist Want to See My Board?

Yes!

Allowing your florist to see your very favorite images and ideas enables her/him to see through your eyes and really get a feel for how you see your wedding day.

In fact, Lovingly Weddings includes Pinterest integration, enabling couples to share select boards directly with their florist.

A picture paints a thousand words.

Then again, a thousand pictures could get confusing — that’s why you should do some thinking about what you love the most. For example:

Flicking through your wedding boards, between wedding dresses and flowers, for example, will enable you to start matching by color and style.

As you do this, you could create a new board where your color scheme/theme starts to take shape.

And that’s a very simple, very BIG STEP!

Turning up for your initial wedding flowers consultation with these ideas in place will make your florist very happy — and your consultation will be a rewarding one.

So get on Pinterest and start pinning!

What Other Wedding Flowers Ideas Are There?

Pinterest is a great place to start putting images together, comparing and contrasting; coming up with color themes and overall wedding themes will help you make great progress.

Lovingly loves Pinterest. So if you’re pinterested — whoops! — interested, check out Pinterest today!

Picture-perfect memories, your wedding photos, held safely in a cherished wedding album.

Wedding photography captures some of the most magical moments in life, to be looked back on lovingly in the years to come. Each page turned slowly and fondly, shared with family and friends across occasions and even eras in your life.

Each element in each image studied, considered, and questioned again and again and again.

The moment, the mood, the clothes, the pose — wedding dress, bridal bouquet, your Big Day.

So how do you make sure they don’t suck?

Well, it’s all down to your wedding photographer to ensure that you don’t end up with a wedding album filled with embarrassing wedding photos.

Here we’ll give you some valuable wedding photography tips to help you get it right.

Framing Your Big Picture

All the other posts in this series: Big Day Basics, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Colors, Wedding Venue and Wedding Themes, were designed to help you create the perfect big picture for your Big Day, filled with a myriad of tiny details to make it beautiful.

Now we want to help you frame it with your wedding pictures.

First — go with what you know. One of the best wedding photography tips you can get is this: Think about the last time you saw wedding photography you thought was fantastic.

If you have friends who have had great experiences with their wedding photos — and you’ve seen the evidence and agree —  start asking questions.

That wedding photographer may be available and could be perfect for you.

And since we’re always advising readers to trust their florist and seek their expert advice, we should point out that your florist could give you some great tips in this area, too.

Not only that, your florist could be in a position to guide you with regard to a wedding photographer’s style — or at least the sort of questions you should ask — once your florist and yourself have settled on your wedding theme and colors.

Wedding blogs and magazines are also goldmines of visual information — so get online and spend some time doing some inspiration research!

Of course, all this raises an important question:

When is the best time to start looking for my wedding photographer?

As early as nine months to a year in advance is advisable, depending on availability and other factors, but nothing is set in stone.

Still, the where to start, chicken-and-egg question dealt with in our related blogs is always irksome. In this case, however, it really does help if you have your wedding theme planned and, ideally, your wedding venue booked, before seriously planning your wedding photography.

Why?

Wedding themes, wedding colors, and all other critical elements really matter here.

The style and mood of your wedding requires a photographer who understands it — and who has previous experience capturing the spirit of it.

Knowing your wedding theme will give you a great starting point for deciding the style of photography you will want — which should lead to the right wedding photographer for you.

Say “Style!” and Smile

A big part of not ending up with embarrassing wedding photos is knowing what kind of wedding photos suit your personal style. Let’s take a look at a list of popular wedding photography styles:

Traditional — Think of the wedding photos that always come to mind when somebody mentions a traditional wedding. Here the wedding photographer will almost certainly come with a “shot list” to work from, and a firm idea of what will be required.

Portraiture — Related to the above, imagine your wedding guests being herded together for a group shot, along with lots of highly posed wedding pictures of the loving couple, bridesmaids. Usually formal, traditional, conservative — but not always.

Documentary — Also known as photojournalistic, this should only get on your wedding photography checklist if you want the spirit of your Big Day captured in a completely spontaneous and candid way. These are unposed shots designed to capture the moment, taken by wedding photographers who are experts at blending in!

Fine Art — More often than not, this puts the wedding photographer very much in charge, with the event and everybody in it playing the part of the artist’s muse. Drama, striking beauty, drama or romance — whatever the artist feels represents a moment or a personality, or captures the general ambiance, will be what ends up filling your wedding album.

Illustrative — A daring blend of traditional and documentary, the cohesive whole will be achieved  by concentrating on lighting and composition. Backgrounds play an important part here, too, with couples lovingly interacting against any compelling backdrops. The illusion of the candid is created by this method, although with highly calculated, often amazing, results.

Popping the Questions

Firstly, if you consider how broad some of the wedding photography styles described above are, the need to have a meaningful conversation with your wedding photographer becomes self-evident.

But first, the logistics: You’ve been all over the internet and made up a shortlist of potential wedding photographers. No matter how well suited any photographer may seem, the question of availability is crucial.

Set your dates and check your dates.

Next: If you find yourself dealing with a studio with more than one photographer available, and you speak with somebody you think is perfect for you, make sure your wedding photography contract specifies that this individual will be the one covering your event.

Never shout Cheese! at strangers.

Wedding photography cost are three words that also appear on any good wedding photography checklist.

The best way to evaluate cost is to decide what you ideally want. Think about how many wedding photos, albums, and extras you need, both for yourself and for family and friends.

And remember, these images are forever!

Wedding photography packages tend to break down in similar ways:

Budget: $1,000 or under

Moderate: $1,000 – $3000

Upscale: $3,000 – $5,000

Luxury: $5000 – $10,000 and up

Packages and special offers should be looked into. Hourly fees, fee ranges based on requirements, and anything else you can think of should be questioned. Variations on pricing can be based around things like:

• Time spent working
• Time spent on post-production
• Travel costs
• Number of wedding photographers hired
• Photographer experience
• Equipment required

Another question to ask is about copyrights on your wedding photos. And regardless of what you’re told, always read the small print of your wedding photography contract.

Post-production is another question you may want to ask about. What do you do to the pictures after the event? And How long can I expect to wait before receiving my pictures?

But let’s get back to embarrassing wedding photos and how to avoid them.

Most wedding photographers will show you his or her portfolio of highlights.

This is great, and you should pay attention to each image, including the quality of the print. Having done that, you should also politely ask to see a complete wedding album.

This will give you the feel of a complete wedding photography session and could be invaluable in making a decision.

During this meeting, you should also ask to see the various styles your potential wedding photographer excels in and has experience with.

Again, experience in the style you wish to use is central to getting wedding photos you will always cherish.

Picture-Perfect Preparation

While you’re looking through photographs and asking an endless stream of questions, you should also be considering the personality of the person you are speaking to.

Depending on your personal style, your wedding photographer will be mixing and mingling, shepherding and schmoozing, reassuring and relaxing you and your guests throughout your event.

Is this the person for you?

Clearly, it isn’t easy to find art that you love, combined with an artist who you feel you can trust to carry your event smoothly and successfully.

It’s a big ask — but that is what you’re asking.

And you shouldn’t settle for anything less.

Go with your instincts and talk to your partner.

Personal professionalism also carries over to how your wedding photographer plans to dress for the event. Will the Big Day dress code be adhered to, for example?

If you’re adopting a documentary style wedding photography session, your photographer will need to mingle in and barely be noticed — at least not enough to make you, your partner, or your guests self-conscious.

In that case, personal professionalism crosses over and becomes critical.

Ask your potential wedding photographer if a date is normally agreed upon to meet up, visit the event site, and agree on potential shots while scouting attractive backgrounds.

Questions the photographer asks should also play a part in your decision.

Apart from the style you’re hoping for, a professional photographer should be inquisitive about guest numbers, specific ideas you may have about when and where wedding pictures should be taken, your thoughts on group photos, backgrounds, and angles.

Always ask for personal qualifications in terms of certifications and memberships with professional organizations.

And when you decide on your wedding photographer, always be clear about what you expect from him or her on your Big Day, including dress code, arrival time, hours — and also complete clarity about what your photographer expects from you.

Once more: Always read every word of your wedding photography contract before signing, including the small print.

Then deep a deep breath and put your feet up.

Your wedding album is booked!

Your wedding venue is more than just a place to let your wedding vision play out.

Much more.

Next to choosing your wedding colors, it’s the biggest single decision you have to make, and helps dictate what your wedding vision can and should be.

Here’s why it’s so important. And how to get it right.

Three of the big questions for pretty much anything are: When? Where? And Why?

The Why? part should be easy — at least we hope so! The When? is the big one, of course, and the Where? is equally important.

And if you’ve been reading our blogs series: Big Day Basics, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Colors, Wedding Themes, and Wedding Photography, you’ll be aware of how various elements contribute to the mood, ambiance, and, of course, theme of your big day.

And how one choice either complements or clashes with the other.

One of the big “chick and egg” questions, from a logistical point of view, is the classic:

Do I choose my wedding venue now? Or do I confirm my guest list?

So we’re advising you to go with the latter! Have a highly educated estimate of your guest list before you book your venue!

This is always worthwhile.

Also think about the season your wedding is being planned for. And whether your event will take place during the day or the evening.

Priorities, Practicalities, Perfection

Every question you ask has important implications. And a lot of this depends on what your priorities are from the start.

Some might ask: “What’s the best venue to host a massive, Harry Potter themed event?” Some may wish for an aquarium wedding venue. While others may simply ask: “Is there a wedding venue near me?”

Whatever your priorities may be at the outset, you should ask to see images of the venue hosting events during your season, not some other season. And you may need to know what the lighting will be like for your evening’s entertainment, if that applies to you.

Asking to visit the venue at the time your event will take place is a good idea, although the season will need to be taken into consideration.

More on these questions in our lists below.

We also highlight transportation considerations in our lists, to encourage positive thinking about your guests’ overall experience.

Choosing a wedding venue that will essentially act as a blank slate upon which your vision can be painted is a difficult and potentially very expensive option.

These types of venues include:

• Tents
• Lofts
• Converted warehouses

These spaces do tend to allow you creative freedom, but at a price. Tents, for example, present an air of naturalness and simplicity, but the logistics of the setup is often anything but.

Think about:

• Bathroom rentals
• Generators
• A/C or heating
• Flooring (ouch!)
• Vendors
• Caterer’s kitchen tent

Lofts and warehouses often come with their own lists of problems and possible restrictions.

Including hours, noise-levels, and more.

However, in most cases, your venue will come with its own look, feel, and character, and your vision must work with that.

See the Venues, Hues, and You section of our Wedding Colors post for advice on how to make your vision and your venue match.

Questions to ask wedding venue providers are numerous, and a lot of thinking needs to go into it before contact is made.

Happily, that’s why we’re here!

Big Picture, Small Details

You did great either asking or answering The Big Question! So now it’s time to think of all the little questions that need to be asked and answered to ensure your day goes your way.

Here’s a quick reprise of some of the things you need to keep top of mind from our Big Day Basics post, with some important additions.

Aside from the basics, like location, wedding venue type, and rates, ask yourself:

• What is the availability of the venue? (Confirm that!)
• How many weddings are held there in a single day?
• Does the venue cater to all seasons?
• Does that outdoor space come with a sheltered place?
• Does the venue cater to guests who may need special accommodations?
• Is there air conditioning/heat?
• Is the venue full service?
• What is the capacity of the venue?
• What the lighting like in the evening?
• Are there any planned changes to the venue before my date?
• Are there restrictions of any kind that could affect your event?
• Is there an in-house caterer? (Or restrictions on catering?)
• What items come with the venue? What can/cannot be changed?
• What transport considerations for guests are covered by the venue, if any?
• Which venue representatives will be there to help on the day?

If you think it’s terrible that such cold logistics can affect your beautiful vision, we agree completely!

But be brave and ask these tough questions. And don’t sign up yet!

Now take a good look at the place, take photos, or check out the venue website pictures.

Visions and Decisions

Consider what you’re seeing and compare with your own wedding colors, style, and wedding theme ideas. Consider your budget in terms of the big picture and don’t underestimate anything!

Of course, budget-friendly and even free wedding venue ideas can always be found online!

Compare and contrast options.

A full service wedding venue is likely to be more expensive, providing everything from catering supplies, to linens, to table and chair rentals, but you should also talk to rental people and check out the numbers before deciding on the supposedly “cheaper” option.

If you want to book all your own vendors, make sure to ask if the venue has its own required vendors — rental companies, caterers, event designers.

Which would take away your freedom to shop around.

Does one work out more expensive, but is a much better fit with your style and wedding theme? Discuss with your partner — gently and persuasively!

Then speak with your florist.

Speak with your florist in all cases, but especially if you’re feeling obliged to take the option that is less suited to your style and wedding theme.

There are ways and means to make it work beautifully, and your florist can help.

Few things are as important as keeping the creative conversation flowing with your florist. But in this case, asking the above questions to the (potential) venue provider(s) is important.

If you talk to more than one person, take note of any discrepancies between what one person says and what another person says.

Then ask for confirmation in writing. Don’t be shy — it’s your day!

And even if you are shy, people love a blushing bride, so ask anyway!

Remember — anybody who isn’t happy to help is wrong for you. Move on.

Take a good look at the lists above. Write them down, print them out, or memorize them!

A small effort now will help things fall perfectly into place:

The right time. The right place. The right people.

Now that’s something to celebrate!

Popular wedding colors can be easily broken down by seasonality. Choosing wedding flowers that are in season can help with your budget and make the season itself play a part in your wedding theme ideas:

Spring Wedding Colors

Summer Wedding Colors

Fall Wedding Colors

Winter Wedding Colors

When choosing your perfect wedding color palette, however, the above is just one of many considerations. Only one thing really needs to be kept top of mind at all times…

There are no rules, only guidelines. This is your day.

With  so much advice and information available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

Still, it’s even easier to make the whole thing fun!

Then just sit back, relax, and see it all in your mind. Think about the colors and color combinations that inspire or comfort you in everyday life. Look around. Do a little research. You may see colors and color combinations you love used in ways you hadn’t given any thought to before.

Colors create moods.

Colors create the ambiance that fills up a room. They complement, contrast, or clash with each other. Even different shades of a single color can evoke completely different ideas or feelings, and work in different ways in different designs. And they will certainly represent who you are and what your marriage means to you in a very real, very powerful way, on your big day.

So use your own feelings as your primary guideline for wedding colors, wedding flowers, and wedding themes.

Venues, Hues, and You

Aesthetics, hues, and your two top flower colors. Your two colors will act as the foundation for everything that flows and follows into your wedding flowers look and your overall theme. And that’s all fantastic, but it begs a harsh question.

Will your vision and your wedding venue match?

Are you hoping to find a venue that will match your vision? Or find a wonderful wedding venue and use it as the starting point for your wedding colors palette and theme? Or possibly find a great venue and play with hues and contrasts — to highlight or downplay certain elements —  and make a creative compromise that works?

The critical element in all of this, of course, is simply to be aware of these things from the get-go. Discuss it with your florist, who will have had experience with these issues before and be able to help you, based on your feelings and priorities.

For example, you could find a wedding venue that you love for a combination of aesthetic and logistical reasons. But it doesn’t fit your ideal color palette.

So what to do?

A creative compromise could be made based around whatever elements are dominating the space. This compromise may not fit your ideal vision, but it could spark a new one, using those elements as your starting point.

And this could make the reality of your big day stunning, memorable, and successful.

Let’s say there are only a couple of disliked elements in the venue. Your florist would probably avoid using contrasting colors around those elements, as that would only serve to highlight the elements by drawing attention to them.

Complementary tones, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect, cleverly designed to enhance the wider space, while essentially making the offending elements invisible.

See the Words of Wedding Wisdom section of our Wedding Flowers post for more on the expertise of florists and why it can really help to heed their advice.

Some venues, on the other hand, are creative blank slates.

Wedding venues such as tents, lofts and converted warehouses, for example, are wide open to your color palette and the ambiance you wish to create. This provides more freedom; but building from the ground up, so to speak, can also be the more expensive option, depending on how you approach it.

See the Beauty, Budgets, and Balance section of our Wedding Flowers post for more on this.

Understanding that your theme, your venue, and your colors are interlinked is key.

Friends and Lovers

“All colors are friends of their neighbors and lovers of their opposites.” – Marc Chagall.

So here is where the wonderfully helpful color wheel comes into play.

The colors sitting next to each other, or near each other, on the wheel, will always combine well because they all contain elements of their neighboring primary colors. Creating a mood based on this simple formula is easy and can be very effective.

Light and dark versions of one color can also be used to create harmony and/or convey a mood, with soothing or intense effects as the desired result. Compare, for example, the gentle effect of combining pale pink blooms, with the more vibrant hot pink tones of the same combination.

Then we have the law of opposites attracting.

The opposing colors on the color wheel can be used to enhance each other. Pairing red with green, for example, will make the red appear brighter. It’s usually a case of which color is your lead color and what is playing a supporting role.

Here’s an example of how to create a natural balance:

Try using three complementary shades:

• Neutral
• Main accent
• Accessory accent

And add one metallic color.

There are many, many variations for different effects. And they can all be picked out and put together to support your wedding theme ideas and create your mood.

Again — this is an area your florist will be happy to help with.

See our Wedding Theme post for more info and ideas.

Your True Colors

As said at the start of this blog, picking your perfect wedding colors palette is all about you.

Your first priority could actually be based in a childhood dream of carrying a red rose wedding bouquet down the aisle, or blue wedding flowers, or perhaps white wedding flowers.

Which means it’s also about your soulmate and what you feel represents you as a couple.

Do you feel that your relationship is based on the law of opposites attracting?

Just take a look at the section above to get an idea of how your wedding flowers, bridal bouquet, or wedding theme ideas as a whole could reflect that feeling.

If you feel your relationship is based on a meeting of hearts and minds, the above section also shows how similarities could be represented through your wedding flowers.

And what a great talking point these options make!

To take a deeper dive into this idea, you should also consider what meanings are usually ascribed to flower colors. Here are a few to consider:

Yellow — Love of life, sunshine, and summer joy. Yellow has always been one of the big winners for obvious reasons. Still, let’s not forget that lighter shades of yellow bring with them cozier feelings of warmth, springtime, and hope.

Green — From light, bright emerald green, to bottle green, or light spring green, the effect is always soothing and symbolic of peaceful beauty, growth, and balance. Greenery itself can work superbly with many combinations.

Red —  Power, passion, and nature’s color to warn of danger — red doesn’t ooze confidence, it declares it! If passionate romance rules the day and your future plans, a red wedding bouquet, or a red theme, would send out much more than subliminal signals! Many Asian countries also consider it a symbol of good luck.

Pink — Love, devotion, elegance, softness, femininity. There is a long list for this color, with pale pink symbolizing new love and affection, and dark pink symbolizing excitement and passion. It’s also one of the most popular wedding colors, of course.

White — Symbolizes purity of spirit and innocence. It also represents truth and wholeness, and conveniently pairs well with everything, probably because it’s naturally easy to get along with!

Orange — Energy, fun, and honesty. Adventure and romance. Destination weddings in warm climates make orange a must have. Or just warmer times of the year. Orange is youthful, cheerful and brimming with optimism for today and for your future.

Blue — Serenity, peace, and deep tranquility. Lighter shades evoke a dreamy feel, great for spring weddings, while a royal blue or navy represents tradition and loyalty, working superbly for winter or night-time weddings.

Purple — Enchantment, creativity, luxury, and imagination. Think fairy tales. Royal purple represents nobility and royalty, while pale purples are considered feminine, often used as an alternative to pale pink. Different shades look particularly great together, too.

So it’s all about where you start.

Think of the colors you love and in what way you want them to represent your marriage through your wedding colors. It could all start with your wedding dress, your bridal bouquet, your wedding venue, your wedding theme ideas — where it begins doesn’t matter.

How it all comes together does!

Consider your wedding colors in terms of how they combine with wedding themes or style. Then think about your location and how that complements, contrasts, or clashes with you vision.

Consider the season.

As always, talking these things through with a professional florist is the best advice you could take. And when you have a big bunch of ideas to throw up into the air, having a florist on hand means they will be much more likely to fall together flawlessly on your big day.

So what are your true colors?

Wedding themes and wedding theme ideas can come from anywhere.

A popular wedding theme in 2016 may not be on trend today. A popular wedding theme in 2017 may still be on the rise.

But does that matter?

Wedding themes are all about what means something — or everything — to you.

Still, each element involved in your wedding is interlinked, including wedding themes and wedding trends, the latter of which can get old fast.

A Harry Potter themed wedding, a red wedding theme, or a Beauty and the Beast wedding theme, for example, could evoke smiles and happy memories for years to come, for you, your soulmate, and your family and friends, regardless of how on or off trend it may be at the time.

The self-explanatory red wedding theme aside, you’ll find that any specific wedding theme comes with its own recommended wedding colors, which then makes demands on your wedding flowers, which can also inform you choice of wedding venue, and so on.

Regular readers know Lovingly will never stop reminding you of these critical connections!

So knowing your wedding theme is a great place to start. And if you don’t know your theme, now is a great time to start thinking about your wedding theme ideas.

Your Dream Wedding Themes

It’s all about the vibe.

Or should we say the ambiance?

What’s the difference? You are.

The kind of people you and your soulmate are. Your outlook. Your sense of humor. The way you think and speak to each other. The things you love: music, movies, hobbies — even elements of your professions that may speak volumes about you.

Your vision of your future.

It’s your day and the central element of your theme is your union. Your Big Day is your happy ending and awe-inspiring new beginning. It’s a movie and you’re the stars.

Indulgence is the order of the day, so enjoy it and make it yours.

Still, what that means is very broad.

If the above mentioned wedding themes are way too theme-orientated for your taste, or just make you shudder in horror, don’t worry, the world is still very much your oyster.

So let’s take a look from the broad view and see how easily it narrows down.

The Look of Love

Your muse can be found in your venue.

(And we don’t mean your partner!)

If you already know your wedding venue, you should think about what color scheme would suit it best. Again, talking to your florist is a smart move where these types of decisions are being made.

From your venue, your theme can start to flower (pun intended), naturally. Your wedding flowers will, of course, play a big role in that, being central to your wedding theme colors.

And if your venue is in a garden, with tents, or on a beach, it really ought to be your starting point of choice — because locations like that really mean you have already started on an outdoors wedding theme, and this affects everything else.

But any venue with a strong design and interior elements, including interior colors, can be used to inspire.

Done properly, it will look as if the whole place was designed around you!

If you don’t already have a venue, you should think seriously about whether to find a venue and go with the above advice, or plan to look for a venue best suited to the vision you want to come up with.

That’s a tough call.

Think about the designs you love, regardless of when and where they inspired you. Do your research, dig up favorite memories, and don’t forget to daydream.

If you have some ideas in mind as your search for your venue, it will help a whole lot.

Another tangible element is the season.

Apart from making the budget for your wedding flowers easier on you — by choosing flowers that are in season — thinking of your wedding theme, your wedding colors in general, and other related elements, in terms of the season in which your Big Day takes place is a brilliant idea.

A winter wonderland wedding theme, for example, can turn a cold winter’s day into a dream-like setting for a fairytale wedding. Again, this is an approach that says, “I’m using everything out there to make it seem as if it was arranged around my wedding — including nature!”

And what’s wrong with that?

Nothing, if you think about how effective it is. Deep burgundies and emerald greens would create an awe-inspiring ambiance for you in a winter wedding setting, for example.

The same goes for any other season. Think about how it can work for you. Because it can work wonderfully, enhancing your theme and making the mood palpable.

The Mood That Speaks for You

Of course, your wedding theme may be based around the idea of opposites attracting, as mentioned in our related Wedding Colors blog, or a million other things. If an idea, captured in a mood, is your thing, go for it.

And it doesn’t have to be complex either.

If a big part of your life philosophy is to be carefree and laid back, that is potentially your theme. Your whole look and approach can easily be based around that thought, with colors and other arrangements designed to represent it.

Anything from a life philosophy, to a musical genre, to a lifetime love of Fitzgerald leading to a Great Gatsby wedding theme can be yours, with a little planning and lots of attention to detail.

It’s all up in the air. So if your head is in the clouds right now, you’re in the perfect spot. Stay there for a while and mull things over.

Then get back to the internet! Collecting all your favorite image ideas on your own mood board is a good idea.

Remember — getting into the details should come after putting some big picture ideas together first. Think of a theme and how different elements fit that theme, rather than collecting random elements that you like and ending up with a confused, clashing big picture.

Still, make sure and fill in those details later. A big picture that’s too broad may end up confusing the person you’re trying to explain it to. Saying “Laid back, casual,” is way too open to interpretation.

Close your eyes and think about the things you want to see. Then casually put that mood board to work for you, and watch your vision start to come together.

As you do this, you’ll find yourself mentally — or physically — editing out any elements that aren’t fitting in with your imagined bigger picture. And your bigger picture will begin to form into a tangible reality in front of your eyes.

What springs to mind when wedding themes such as a romantic wedding theme is mentioned? Compare that with, say, a vintage wedding theme?

The latter can be romantic, too, while also painting an instantly clearer vision of elements the event should potentially be made up of.

With a clear vision of your theme, moving forward with rentals and other necessities will be a lot easier. Everything will be looked at from the point of view of how it will look in relation to your wedding theme.

That is a huge help.

And since your head’s in the clouds anyway at this point, make sure you have your dream wedding top of mind all the time.

This is no time for compromise.

Start at the top and try to stay there.

Curating Compromise

If compromises do need to be made later, your florist is a great go-to person, particularly when thinking of the relationship between wedding themes and colors.

You’ll be amazed at what expertise, experience, and talent can do to bring your dream into the real world against the odds.

For example, wedding themes can be interpreted in various ways. Your florist knows how a simple design effect, rather than an expensively flamboyant one, can actually be more likely to draw attention and be admired.

And isn’t that the point?

The right element in the right place — rather than an abundance that becomes background blur once all the guests are filling the space — can not only help your budget, but actually be the strongest design choice regardless of budget.

Trust us on this. Or trust your florist.

One compromise that should never be made is a compromise of visions. Don’t try to bring two seperate visions together, for any reason.

And that includes your soulmate’s vision!

You also can’t fight. That’s not allowed.

At the same time, you can’t try to put two disparate themes together for the sake of a quiet life. Feeling disappointed and thematically disjointed on your Big Day is also a bad way to start your new life.

So How Do You Find The Dream Theme?

Talk quietly about how you feel. Be honest and straightforward. Use your mood board with the gentle determination of a starving artist revealing a masterpiece.

It’s tough to argue with a mood board that effectively reflects your wedding theme!

Still, the very best way forward is to dream up your theme with your loved one.

Something that speaks for you both, for your union, and for your vision of your future together.

Fashions and trends come and go, so don’t go with the flow.

In the end, personal wedding themes are always timeless.

So stay true to you.

Originally published on Lovingly website January 5, 2018

You said YES!

Now you have tons of things to do before you say I DO!

So where’s that wedding checklist?!

Don’t worry — Lovingly is here to make sure the lead up to your big day is a series of easy steps, not a stumbling block to happiness.

This helpful page will deal with important items like your:

• wedding flowers
• wedding colors
• wedding themes
• wedding venue
• wedding photography

And each succinct piece of wedding wisdom contains a link to an in-depth post dedicated to its particular subject.

(Yes, we stayed up nights for you — but, hey, it’s what we do!)

So first, let’s relax and smell the flowers…

Wedding Flowers

Flowers have meanings. Different shades of color can create different meanings in a flower. But your wedding flowers create a meaning all their own.

Flowers set the mood, the tone, the overall ambience of your big day.

Wedding bouquets, bridal bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, all build up the picture entitled Our Wedding Day.

So how do flowers do that without seriously interfering — or clashing — with the theme of your wedding?

In a nutshell, they don’t.

Your wedding flowers play a big part in the theme of your wedding — period. This needs to be understood when thinking about what flowers you want and why.

Are you all about tradition? The modern? The romantic? Vintage? Rustic? You’re getting married on a beach?

OK — that’s good to know!

Confused? A million details to be scrutinized and somehow pulled together with sheer strategic brilliance? Yikes!

Relax — the first thing to do is sit back, close your eyes, and simply picture your big day.

Wedding Colors

From avoiding awkward dress-color clashes in the bridal party, to coordinating a cohesive overall look, getting your wedding colors together is one of the central issues for your big day.

Challenging? Yes.

But most other stylistic decisions should fall into place with relative ease once your wedding colors have been decided.

So how do you even get started?

First you need to think about your wedding themes. Traditional? Rustic? Romantic? – and so on. Just picturing the look and feel you like, or doing some internet searches for images based around your favorite wedding theme ideas, will really help.

A red wedding theme would cover a lot of ground!

Think about the season. Colors are suited to seasons, creating the perfect spring wedding colors, summer wedding colors, fall wedding colors, etc., depending on your wedding date.

Seasonal flowers, of course, will help create the mood and complement your theme.

After all, the look and feel of your wedding is all about your soulmate and you!

Wedding Themes

Wedding theme ideas are about expressing yourself.

You may go for softly romantic wedding themes, a classically traditional wedding theme, or your heart could be set squarely on a Harry Potter themed wedding!

Whether soft and fluffy, eclectic or edgy, wedding themes exist to express you and your soulmate, as an integral offshoot of the wedding colors described above.

And the easy answer is…

Think about where you look in everyday life. That could be interior designs online, or movies in which the plot melts away while the design themes stay. Everything in fact from hotel interiors to places you’ve visited on breaks or holidays.

Anything that has inspired you or left you in awe counts!

Still, the details you love will have to fit your bigger picture. When you look at wedding colors, you consider seasons; when you think about both, you consider your wedding theme.

And if it’s all taking place in a ballroom, or on a beach…

It’s all interconnected, but that’s ok. Your vision is your big picture. And once your heart is set on something, all the details will start to fall into place.

Wedding Venue

Where and when?

Ouch! The harsh facts of planning and logistics really kick in with those three words!

First answer this: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Or: Should you choose your wedding venue first, or figure out the guest list first, then base your wedding venue checklist on that number?

The ballroom or beach question, mentioned above, also comes into play. Your wedding venue, your wedding theme, your wedding colors, and your wedding flowers are intrinsically intertwined.

Again — think of the things you love, then go online and look around.

Simple things can fuel your vision.

Still, it’s not all about what you see. For example, you could see a wonderful wedding venue online. It’s the right size, the right price, and looks great.

Think about:

• If the venue caters to all seasons
• Does that outdoor space come with a sheltered place?
• Does the venue cater to guests who may need special accommodations?
• Is there air conditioning/heat?
• Is the venue full service?

Combine simple logistics with your vision to make the right decision.

Wedding Photography

Once you achieve your perfect vision and bring it gracefully into reality, you’ll probably want somebody to take some wedding photos!

Everybody else you deal with when planning your wedding brings something tangible to the table. You can assess it quite easily.

Your wedding photographer doesn’t. You create the vision she or he must capture.

So how do you make a decision?

The classic, traditional option, is portraiture: The couple posing together; the couple with guests, etc.

Different people want their wedding day captured in different ways.

Documentary style, for example, takes candid shots in which the action of the day is immortalized spontaneously.

There are more options, but the point really is to think of your theme and ask yourself what type of wedding photography would best complement it.

And then there is the photographer him/herself.

Most will offer you a portfolio of highlights. However, you should ask for wedding albums. These will show you a complete wedding photography session, and give a much better idea of what you can expect.

It’s your day and your pictures represent your memories!

Conclusion

It’s your big day and you’re going to love it. Do your research casually. Find what you love, then think about what you can realistically afford.

Sit back and picture it all in your mind.

Your wedding theme, wedding colors, the season, wedding flowers, wedding venue.

The picture-perfect memories.

It isn’t difficult when you think about it that way to move from a big picture vision into the details that will ultimately make it real.

It may have surprised you to learn how important your wedding flowers are to your wedding.

Flowers represent a lot, and have for thousands of years, across many cultures.

So now it’s time for them to represent YOU!

Originally published on Lovingly website October 20, 2017

When you understand the saying It’s the thought that counts you soon stop counting the cost or sticking by the rules.

And that pretty much sums up the spirit of this year’s Petal It Forward event.

Lovingly Happiness Ambassadors handed each person they approached on the street two flowers: one for that person and one for whoever they choose to make smile.

No charge. No donations. Just a gift. Or two.

A smiling man listened to a Lovingly team member as she explained the meaning of Petal It Forward. He nodded and seemed to think it was a great idea.

Then he surprised her by declining the gift.

“I’m so sorry,” he explained, “but I have a mother-in-law, daughter, and wife at home today. I’m headed straight back and it wouldn’t be fair.”

“Hey, if it’s the thought that counts, who’s counting?” Director of Corporate Development and Team Leader, Michael Delgorio, told the team member when she asked if an exception could be made.

The man left smiling with four beautiful roses.

And with that the spirit of the event came to life.

Still, the Lovingly team was getting pretty good at this. It was our second time out. Last year’s event had been a huge success also, with important lessons learned.

Like remembering to bring snacks and water!

The brainchild of The Society of American Florists, this nationwide event is one that Lovingly jumped into with both feet and as many beautiful flowers as it could gather.

And for a company that exists to encourage giving, it was a perfect fit.

Big hugs, kisses, and handshakes all around was the result of approaching one couple, who looked at us in amazement as we explained the event and what it meant.

“We’ve just come out of marriage counselling!” the woman exclaimed. “I can’t believe this!”

Quite possibly this couple — and certainly the Lovingly team — are still discussing if that moment was a sign that their love would overcome any difficulties.

Without doubt, it was a magical moment.

A quiet young man told us without embarrassment that he had no family or loved ones to give flowers to. He didn’t seem eager to escape, so we asked him to think hard and tell us if he knew anybody he felt deserved a flower.

After a few moments he slowly nodded and said he did.

With that, he accepted the spirit of Petal It Forward with the promise that he would give the extra flower to that person. He left smiling.

We wish him love, luck, and a new friendship.

Opening up such emotions, even secrets, and gaining insight into the lives of strangers we’d normally pass on the street without a glance was powerful stuff.

It should have been emotionally draining, but it was actually inspiring.

A frail older woman gratefully accepted her gifts and walked very slowly toward some nearby stores.

A few minutes later she was back, asking for more flowers.

So what had happened to the flowers we’d given her?

It turned out that she’d entered a store and offered her flowers to the ladies serving her. Having enjoyed the experience of giving, she’d decided to carry on and do it again!

We had just recruited a new team member!

With the spirit of giving becoming infectious before our eyes, we really let the spirit of the event take over, and started running out of flowers way before our scheduled time.

It was time to call in reinforcements.

Happily, the second shift of Happiness Ambassadors reacted quickly, bringing fresh faces and more flowers. They were needed.

Without doubt, the biggest change we saw in people came when we — finally! — convinced them that we did not want money or donations of any kind.

All defenses dropped and it was like meeting a whole new person.

It’s impossible to explain how palpably the atmosphere changed when the people we approached realized that we genuinely did want to give, not get.

Ultimately, it was moving, humbling, and life-affirming.

One man accepted his gifts with a huge smile. He told us he had bought flowers for his wife only the day before. He then explained that, until this moment, he hadn’t understood how she felt when she received them.

Now he did.

Another person, who had children — and consequently received more than the allotted number of flowers — expressed disbelief when we flatly refused to accept a financial donation.

We advised her to spend the money on her flower-toting children.

She was visibly moved.

Another woman told us she had not received flowers from anybody in many years. She was also visibly moved. Joyfully, she said, “I know exactly who to give my extra gift to!”

The fact that it didn’t seem right to ask her to explain made the moment even more poignant.

One man told us he had lost twenty dollars that morning and receiving the flowers had turned a bad day around for him. He had started to feel that his luck in life was headed downwards.

Now all he wanted to do was hand out his extra gift and create a smile.

A couple of people actually remembered the event and the team from last year. They congratulated us and told us this was exactly what the town needs.

And with that they accepted their gifts and joined in the fun.

One lady left us amazed after receiving her gift, and is quoted very carefully here, by a team member who heard her speak and remembered every word:

“When there is tragedy and disaster, no one cares about color, religion, ideology, politics. We are all the same. There’s too much emphasis on reporting bad news. What you are doing today is what is good in us all. THANK YOU.”

No — thank YOU! All of you. It was wonderful and moving to meet with you and share.

See you in Fishkill next year!

Published September 26, 2017

Defining an adverb isn’t the easiest thing in the world, so today we’re taking things a little easier on ourselves.

We’re figuring out what the spirit of giving actually is. (Gulp!)

Everybody — we hope! — knows how great it is to receive things.

Hey – new stuff! Right?

Still, it goes a lot deeper than that. When you receive something, it means somebody cares about you.

Somebody is making a statement to say: I’m celebrating with you, I care about you, I’m thinking of you, I want to encourage you, I miss you, I’m happy when you’re happy, I’m glad you’re healing, I accept you, I love you.

This is well established among family and friends — but how far does it go?

If the spirit of giving works best among family and friends, do the words I accept you really mean:

I love you because you’re a reflection of me?

Or

I love you because you’re unique?

It’s a key question.

Why? Well, figuring out how this works within a close-knit group means we can expand it out across our whole society.

In the United Kingdom, there is often anxious talk among fathers about how they would feel should their children grow up and decide to follow a different soccer team!

Happily, even in a land where the love of soccer causes sometimes terrifying tribalism, the subject usually becomes the stuff of jokes pretty quickly. Or half jokes.

But not everything does.

Here is how it breaks down, in highly intellectual terms! (Sort of):

• A group becomes an extended family, the extended family becomes the tribe, the tribe accepts its own and rejects outsiders
• Increasing similarity within a tribe reinforces acceptance of existing members and mistrust of anybody different
• Rejection of outsiders magnifies the acceptance of tribe members

In what way can the spirit of giving exist under those conditions?

Being rewarded for being the same, or rewarding others for being the same, has nothing to do with real giving.

Why?

Because the spirit of giving isn’t tribal — it’s human.

In a family, the rejection of a family member whose values don’t/can’t reflect the established values of the family means the spirit of giving isn’t really there.

In society, the rejection of a group who are not similar to that society’s group, in one or more ways, means the spirit of giving isn’t really there.

And this is where it gets interesting.

The person who rejects tribal thinking to embrace the humanity of an “outsider” becomes unique in that moment.

Rules created by primal fears have been broken and the result is a celebration. Yay!

The spirit of giving is alive.

Or to be pragmatic about it, let’s look at a company like — ehm — Lovingly!

The Lovingly team is made up of people from different races, different backgrounds, different sexual orientations, different beliefs, different views about turning up for meetings on time (Ok – that’s just me.)

If we put up with each other resentfully, for our salaries, we couldn’t function creatively.

The company would implode. And we’ve existed for more than a decade.

It’s said that travel broadens the mind. However, in a country like America — celebrated internationally as a cultural melting pot — it only takes pride in one’s country to accept other people at a human level, regardless of differences.

Some just call it Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Inclusivity becomes natural in that context.  Accepting becomes a central part of the spirit of giving. And celebrating the differences that make us unique is simply part of life.

So love is a gift to be shared.

And shared unconditionally — because you can’t put conditions on a gift.

It’s a simple enough philosophy, but it works for us at Lovingly.

We hope it works for you, too.

And if it does, hey, share the thought!