Lyla Dejesus
Flowers are an integral part of a wedding, and choosing the right ones for your church ceremony is essential to creating a beautiful setting that reflects your personality and coordinates with the ambiance of the church. Whether you opt for classic roses, lilies, and sweet peas or unstructured seed pod heads, dahlias, and grasses, the key is to make an impact with large, colourful blooms that are visible from the back of the church. In this guide, we will explore how to arrange wedding flowers for the church, from choosing a theme and colour palette to creating eye-catching displays that will wow your guests and capture the perfect photo moment.
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What You'll Learn
Choosing flowers and colours
Choosing the right flowers and colours for your wedding is an important part of creating a beautiful setting that reflects your personality and style. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect flowers and colours for your church wedding:
Choose a Colour Palette
Deciding on a colour palette will help guide your flower choices and ensure a cohesive look. Consider the season you're getting married in and choose colours that complement it. For example, a late summer wedding could feature warm colours like lilac, pink, mauve, purple, and cerise. You can also use your wedding colours or the colours of the bridal party as a guide. A coherent colour palette will enhance your theme and create a stylish, elegant look.
Consider the Church's Décor
The flowers should complement the existing décor and features of the church. Take into account the carpeting, wood accents, stained glass windows, and overall elegance of the space. You don't want your flowers to clash with the surroundings. Some churches may have restrictions on flower types and arrangements, so be sure to check with them first.
Choose Flowers with Impact
Select flowers that will make a statement and be visible from the back of the church. Large, colourful blooms like hydrangeas, lilies, and roses are popular choices. Don't be afraid to use deeper-coloured flowers like dark sedums to add depth to your arrangements. You can also incorporate unusual shapes and textures with seed pod heads, dahlias, and grasses for a unique contrast to the formal church setting.
Create Statement Pieces
Make a grand entrance with statement floral pieces at the church entrance. Arches, milk churns, and free-standing flowers on either side of the door can be a stunning welcome for your guests. Inside the church, consider large flower arrangements like urns, vases, or pedestals to create a dramatic effect, especially near the altar where many photos will be taken.
Personalise Your Choices
Add a personal touch by choosing flowers that reflect your personality and style. If you love unstructured, natural flowers, go for soft greenery, sweet peas, or lily of the valley. For a bolder look, use carnations sparingly to add bold pops of colour. You can also incorporate garden flowers like astrantia, ammi (cow parsley), and antirrhinum for a unique, natural feel.
Remember, choosing flowers and colours for your church wedding is a creative process that should reflect your individual style. By selecting a cohesive colour palette, complementing the church's décor, and choosing impactful flowers, you can create a magical setting for your special day.
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Budgeting for flowers
Flowers are one of the most memorable parts of a wedding. They add beauty and romance to the ceremony and are well worth the spend. However, they can be expensive, so budgeting is important.
The average cost of wedding flowers is $2,200, with some sources stating $3,500, and they typically make up 8-10% of a wedding budget. However, flower prices can fluctuate widely based on availability, and it is easy to add floral expenses without realising. For example, the number of bridesmaids in your bridal party will impact the number of bouquets you need, and therefore the cost. A primary bouquet can range from $100 to $350, and an attendant bouquet from $50 to $110. The number of groomsmen will also affect the cost of boutonnieres and corsages, which could cost over $200. If you want a flower girl to sprinkle petals, this will cost around $20-$50. The size of your venue and the number of tables will also impact the cost, with some couples spending between $500 and $650 on table centerpieces.
There are ways to save money on flowers. Using flowers that are in season can save money, as can reusing your flowers by moving them from the ceremony to the reception. Ask your church if they have flower arrangers, as this may be more cost-effective, and check if the church will be decorated for another occasion, as you may be able to keep those flowers for your wedding. You could also buy flowers en masse from wholesalers or markets and arrange them yourself, or even grow your own flowers.
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Planning the arrangement
Choose the Right Flowers:
Select flowers that align with your theme, personality, and season. Opt for flowers that are in season to save costs and ensure availability. You can also mix flowers with greenery or other decorative elements for a unique look. Consider the traditional wedding flowers like roses and lilies or explore unstructured arrangements with sweet peas, lily of the valley, or grasses for a modern twist.
Determine Flower Quantities:
Calculate the number of flowers needed for each arrangement. Create a spreadsheet detailing the types and quantities of flowers for each display. This ensures you order the correct amount and helps your team understand the composition of each arrangement. Remember that larger spaces and arrangements require more flowers, but you can also use affordable greenery to create a bigger impact while saving costs.
Plan Placement and Reuse:
Identify key areas in the church for flower arrangements, such as the altar, pedestals, aisles, windowsills, and entrance. Consider how you can reuse these arrangements at your reception venue to maximise their value. For example, aisle flowers, altar arrangements, or window displays can often be relocated to decorate the head table, cake table, or bar at the reception.
Prepare the Containers and Foam:
If you're creating your own arrangements, prepare the containers and florist foam. Soak the foam in water with flower food and secure it inside the containers using tape. Ensure the foam rises above the rim for a fuller look. Choose containers made from hard impact plastic or pressed paper products (mache containers) that can be recycled or reused.
Create the Arrangements:
Start with foliage to cover the floral foam and form the basic shape. Keep the shape loose and informal to avoid a contrived look. Add the flowers, focusing on long-stemmed, linear, and affordable varieties like gladiolus, hydrangeas, carnations, and lilies. Use larger-headed flowers to fill in the design and ensure visibility from a distance. Don't forget to consider the viewing angle, as larger blooms can be lost when facing upwards or towards the back.
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Preparing the flowers
Before you start preparing your flowers, it's important to consider the bigger picture. Think about the key moments of the day, such as photo opportunities, and where you want your flowers to shine. You should also consider the overall theme and colour palette, and whether you want the flowers to reflect your personality.
If you're working with a florist, be sure to consult with them first. Then take a tour of the church and look for areas you'd like to enhance or disguise with flowers. Consider any restrictions the church may have on the size and type of floral arrangements, as well as how they can be displayed.
If you're using floral foam, soak it in water with flower food added. Prepare several buckets ahead of time, following the instructions on the label. If using foliage, start by covering the foam and forming the basic shape. Keep the shape loose and informal, and distribute the flowers in a way that doesn't look too contrived.
When preparing the flowers, trim any brown tips from the leaves with scissors before inserting them into the arrangement. The greenery will be the framework of your design, so consider how large you want the final arrangement to be. The flower heads should extend just beyond the longest greens.
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Reusing the flowers
If you're looking to reuse your wedding flowers, there are a few options to consider. Firstly, you could repurpose the flowers for your home. You can get creative and turn them into candles, a romantic way to keep your flowers and fill your home with their scent. Alternatively, you can make potpourri to relive your wedding day through scent, or create your own bath salts for a relaxing spa day at home.
Preserving wedding flowers
If you want to preserve your wedding flowers, there are several methods you can choose from. The most common way to dry flowers is by air-drying. Simply tie your flowers upside down and hang them in a warm, dry place, such as above a radiator. This method takes about seven to ten days. Another option is to use silica gel. Place your flowers in an airtight container, cover them with silica gel, and let them dry for two days to a week. You can also dip them in wax to preserve them affordably, or submerge them in epoxy resin molds to create fun objects like paperweights. If you're looking for a more simple DIY method, you can press your flowers. Select the flowers you want to preserve, spread them out on wax paper, and arrange them in a way you're happy with. Then, place the wax paper inside a heavy book, add another piece of wax paper on top, and weigh it down. Leave the flowers to dry for about a week before framing them.
Donating wedding flowers
If you're not interested in keeping your wedding flowers, you can bring joy to others by donating them. Reach out to local nursing homes, hospitals, women's shelters, or churches to see if they accept flower donations. You can also offer them to your guests as they leave, or provide bud vases or butcher paper so they can create their own small arrangements to take home.
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Frequently asked questions
Using flowers that are in season can save money, as can reusing your flowers. Ask for flower arrangements that can be moved from the ceremony to the reception to double up on your wedding decor. You could also ask your church if they have flower arrangers, as this may work out more cost-effectively.
Classic wedding flowers include roses and lilies. You could also include more feminine flowers such as sweet peas, lily of the valley and soft greenery. If you love unstructured flowers, think about texture and unusual shapes. Seed pod heads, dahlias and grasses can be a lovely contrast to a formal church setting.
The key moments of the day, or 'photo moments', are a good place to start. The aisle, the altar and the backdrop to your ceremony are all popular spots. If you're not using the altar, you can place arrangements on it. If you're spending most of your time at the front of the church, make these arrangements your statement pieces.
