Your Complete Wedding Flower Checklist

When it comes to wedding day planning for flowers, you should always think in threes: flowers for each person in the retinue; flowers for the reception space; flowers for the ceremony itself.

It’s never too early to start planning what type of flowers you want for your big day. The chances are that you will already have a very good idea about the theme and colour scheme you want even before the engagement has been announced, so why not use your head start to your best advantage and find yourself the best floral designer in your area!

When it comes to choosing dried flowers for a wedding bouquet, however, you don’t even have to stick to using a local supplier. Dried flowers are the last word in carbon footprint friendly because they use minimal transport weight to get from where they were harvested and prepared, right to your doorstep. If you have been inspired by an image of the jewel-like tones and delicate shades of a dried flower bridal bouquet, you can even use that to inspire your complete flower design and theme.

A dried flower checklist to take with you to your wedding florist

If you are on a budget, fear not! It’s easy to adapt the wedding flowers checklist down to the essentials.

Keeping it sweetly simple? All you need for your special day are:

Bouquets for the bride, flowergirls, and bridesmaids
Boutonnieres for the groom and best man
Centrepieces for the reception.

If you are going all in and want to create a memorable showstopping day, think about:

Placing an arrangement on the table where you plan on placing the guest book
Having a centrepiece at the table or counter where the drinks are being served
Themed flowers in the bathrooms
Flowers to decorate the building or area where the ceremony is being held
Arches, themed flower backdrops where the formal photographs are done, posies marking the end of each pew, around the buffet and dancefloor.

Once you have decided on your wedding flower budget (usually around 10 to 15 percent of the total costs), then it is time to narrow down where you want your flowers to go. A very good tip is to choose an outstanding venue for the ceremony and reception: something with either excellent architectural beauty or natural beauty.

It’s easier to get away with a smaller flower budget when there are no louvre windows, utilitarian doors, and concrete pillars to disguise. If you are set on an outdoor wedding and reception - a beach, a park, or a forest glen - then you can think about adding a dash of colour with a bridal arch covered in dried flowers and foliage native to Australia.

Not only is it arrestingly beautiful, but even when they are dried our Australian blooms have a natural uniqueness. Also…no pollen to ruin that white gown!

If you want dried flowers throughout every space you plan on using during your special day, think about moving your dried wedding flowers from one area to the other. They are lightweight and incredibly easy to move around because they have no water to spill out everywhere.

Re-use the bridal flowers from the wedding ceremony by moving them to the reception area. Think about repurposing your welcome arrangements from the front of the church or other ceremony area to the bar or to use at the head dais table.

If this sounds like a brilliant bridal bouquet idea to you, please let your floral designer know about your plan up front so you can both make sure the flower arrangements are the correct size for the dual purpose they are meant to play.

Personal flowers

Bridal bouquets - this is easily going to be the most photographed flower display on the day, so it must be decided on first so that the other pieces can be themed around it. Dried flower bridal bouquets are far lighter than fresh ones, so you can go bigger without worrying whether it will weigh you down.

Floral crowns and circlets - if you choose to have dried flowers as a hair accessory on your wedding day, please remember to let your hair stylist know in advance. Maybe even get a few blooms before the big day so you can both practice how to get the placement perfect.

Bridesmaids and flower girls - another benefit of using dried flowers for your younger bridesmaids is they are so light, it’s not a problem to carry for long periods.

An extra bouquet for tossing - if you want to keep your dried flower bridal bouquet (the new trend is to keep dried flower wedding bouquets safe and then place the bouquet on top of your first child’s christening or birthday cake!) then remember to order an extra one for tossing. They are always more simply designed.

Dried flower petals for flower girl baskets and for guests to toss is also a nice way to carry your theme through the ceremony.

Boutonnieres, corsages, posies, nosegays - matching buttonholes or stand alone designs for the groom and best man? Don’t forget the others in your retinue - mother and father of the bride, etc. You can decide when discussing flower design with your dried flower bridal supplier.

Entrance, welcome table, guest book signing table - you can choose if you want each bouquet to be unique or similar.

Alter, chuppah, or podium arrangements - even if you are marrying on the beach at sunset, you might still want to carry your dried flower theme through.

Pews, chairs, aisles - discuss what size you want these to be.

Dried flowers for the wedding reception

Places and areas where flowers can carry the bridal theme

Drinks table / free or cash bar
Centrepieces for the guests’ tables
Flower arrangements for the head / dais table
Chair decorations
Wedding cake flowers (either to surround the cake or for decoration)
Food station or buffet
Dance floor and sitting areas
Restrooms

That’s everything you need to know about the ultimate wedding flowers checklist. If you would like to know more about how to plan your dried flower bridal bouquets, ceremony, and reception flowers in advance or discuss delivery, please drop us a message. And remind your guests to take a dried flower arrangement home - because they can last for years!