Flowers have a direct affect on the mood of your event. They are nature’s way of showing us the beauty of color. When selecting flowers for your wedding, think of the overall feel you would like your guest to experience. If you are looking to create a romantic feel, choose softer palettes of colors with larger blooms like roses or peonies. And if you are looking for a more festive feel, choose flowers with brighter hues and interesting shapes like daisies or hydrangea.
— Andrea Davis, Event Expert & Creative Director, Entyse Lyfe Entertainment
The flowers for Raph & John’s reception work with the tableware to set a romantic mood.
When a bride first thinks of flowers for her wedding, the first thing she usually thinks of is her bouquet. While it is true that pictures of a groom arm and arm with his new bride holding her bouquet will be an enduring memory, as Andrea Davis is quoted above, flowers set the mood for guests, as well. To illustrate how right she is, purchase a bunch of three types of flowers you’re considering, one type for three weeks straight. Put them in a place in your home in which you spend a lot of time. Do you notice yourself and others speaking softer when you have pink roses displayed, as opposed to another flower? Do you feel happier around one flower more than another? You can also get feedback from members in your family. Chances are, different flowers will have a different affect on you and those around you (and don’t forget to consider if anyone might be allergic). Consider this information, as well as the color(s) for your theme when making your selection.
Having trouble selecting your flowers? Buy one bunch at a time (or one mixture at a time, as you will likely use 2-3 different flowers at once) so you can see how you feel around them. This is even more important when planning a destination wedding.
Most wedding planners suggest you budget 8-10% of your overall wedding budget for flowers. Since the average wedding in 2015 cost roughly $31,000, that’s $3,100 for flowers. It sounds like a lot to spend on flowers until you look at the flower checklist from Brides.com. The list is long! When selecting your flowers, my suggestion is to keep your theme in mind and prioritize the list: Is it more important to add life to a dark-wooded house of worship, or to have more flowers throughout a reception venue? I’m not suggesting to cross off anything on the above list; rather, to simply spend less on placements that have a lower priority. Also, be sure to read The Knot’s 15 Most Common Wedding Flower Mistakes to Avoid.
Here are three florists/wedding flower designers to consider:
1. L’Artisan Fleuriste (2 locations)
95 rue Vielle du Temple
75003 Paris
Telephone: +33 01 42 78 40 40
Hours: Not given
A dark-wooded house of worship needs white or light-colored flowers to lighten it up.
Fax: +33 01 42 78 20 40
Metro: Saint-Sebastien-Froissart
L’Artisan Fleuriste
6 rue Commaille
75007 Paris
Telephone: +33 01 42 84 40 40
Fax: +33 01 42 84 40 41
Metro: Sevres-Babylone
Detail of Hydrangea. While the flower comes in many colors, this could be your “something blue.”
Contacts:
Alexis de Matharel, Communications & Media
Telephone: +33 06 27 18 48
Email: amatharel@gmail.com
Anne Wehr, Direction de Creation, Graphic Design
Telephone: +33 06 70 67 71 64
Email: wehranne@gmail.com
Personal Website: www.annewehr.com
I selected L’Artisan Fleuriste because they are so accessible – a real plus when planning a destination wedding.
2. Estelle Preston
Estelle Preston is an independent floral designer who “specializes in haute couture wedding work tailored to a bride’s exact wishes.” She says she was inspired by Christian Tortu, a master floral designer, largely considered to be the leading seller of flowers in New York City, and who taught her how to buy the very best flowers. She was featured in Meet the Experts in French Wedding Style.
Detail of Peony, a popular wedding flower.
Telephone: +33 06 03 13 02 15
Hours: Not given
Email: estelleprestonflowers@gmail.com
3. Un Jour de Fleurs
22 rue Jean Nicot
75007 Paris
Flowers at a wedding reception by Un Jour de Fleurs.
Telephone: +33 01 45 50 43 54
Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00 A.M. – 8:30 P.M.
Contact: commandeparis@ericchauvin.fr
Metro: Invalides or La Tour-Maubourg
Eric Chauvin, owner of Un Jour de Fleurs, was voted Paris’s poshest florist by W Magazine in 2009. His creations are sought after by Dior and the Hermes’ Paris Flagship Store, among many
others.
Flowers at the Opera Garnier by Un Jour de Fleurs.
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- Art Nouveau light fixtures complement the flowers.
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- Flowers at an entrance to a garden wedding.
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- A flower-covered chuppah, similar to a Christian altar.
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- L’Artisan flowers lighten up an area at a wedding.
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- White Calla Lilies are incorporated into a wedding cake design.
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- Tall flowers on a table that don’t obstruct guests’ views.
Au revoir!
Detail of image of Raph & John’s reception by Agence Tophos, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Roses+Peonies+Flowers by Maegan Tintari, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of dark-wooded church by L’Artisan Fleuriste, Facebook page, CCBY 2.0. Image of detail of Hydrangea by Nyaman Kamome, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Peony by Wikimedia Commons, CCBY 3.0. Image of flowers at a wedding reception by Un Jour de Fleurs, Eric Chauvin’s website, CCBY 2.0. Image of flowers at the Opera Garnier by Un Jour de Fleurs, Eric Chauvin’s website, CCBY 2.0. Image of Art Nouveau lighting at reception by Agence Tophos, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of flowers at an entrance to a garden wedding by Un Jour de Fleurs, Eric Chauvin’s website, CCBY 2.0. Image of flower-covered chuppah by Sarah, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of flowers giving light to an area at a wedding by L’Artisan Fleuriste, Facebook page, CCBY 2.0. Image of White Calla Lily Wedding Cake (created by Graceful Cake Creations) by Grace Tari, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of tall vase of flowers on a table by Anne Ruthmann, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.
I am featuring photos of Raph & John’s wedding in Paris for this series (see above). I want to make it clear that I do not know this couple: I selected their photos from an album on Flickr because I love their theme and the photos are available for use under the CCBY 2.0 license. If I married in Paris, I would want a theme somewhat similar to theirs–in terms of colors and formality.