Wedding Trends – What They Mean for Your Choice of Wedding Flowers

There are many exciting new trends and fashions which could contribute to the choice of wedding flowers for your Hertfordshire ceremony. Are you getting married in a church or a more unusual venue – perhaps even in an outdoor setting? Do you plan to wear traditional white, or are you opting for a brightly-coloured or quirky vintage or rustic gown? Is the whole wedding going to be on a theme, with your bridesmaids and guests dressing in your chosen style?

Chances are that your wedding will be as individual as you are – and East Anglian florists Tolly's are ready to create special displays to fit in with your hopes and dreams for your special day. Here we look at some of the current trends which are being adopted by many prospective brides and grooms.

If you are tempted by any of these ideas, we can provide wedding flowers in Hertfordshire, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire which will perfectly complement your chosen themes and colours, ensuring that it is a day to remember all your life.

Wedding Flowers Hertfordshire – Follow the link to see our range of designs

Dresses
White weddings never go out of fashion, but, increasingly, they are not the only choice. A growing number of brides are deciding against the traditional gown, with one survey estimating that 25% of younger women now step down the aisle in bolder shades. Bright greens, blues and reds are among the most popular choices, while gold and other metallic colours, pastels and multi-coloured silks are also growing trends. If you are wearing a colourful dress, then you can either carry white flowers as a contrast, or perhaps go for a bouquet which echoes the colours of your gown.

Other non-traditional choices for dresses which are becoming increasingly popular include short dresses, backless designs and vintage looks. In each case, your bouquet can be suited to the design. For instance, a bride wearing a contemporary short dress might want to carry a posy of British flowers which have been simply tied. Floral wedding dresses are yet another trend, and you could carry flowers echoing the shapes of those on your gown.

Colour Themes
Bright colours and metallic shades are increasingly popular choices not only for wedding dresses, but also for whole ceremonies. Tablecloths, crockery, vases and decorations in vivid colours such as red, gold and the on-trend emerald green can help to give a sense of fun and warmth. You could also suggest your guests wear something in your chosen colours, and even those men who are wedded to their dark suits might decide on a bright bow tie or buttonhole.

Flowers will obviously play a big part in creating your colour scheme. For instance, tables at the reception could have centrepieces with large floral displays combining your chosen colours. Alternatively, you could have several different smaller arrangements each of which mainly features flowers in one particular colour, or in different shades, such as lighter and darker purples alongside one another.

Back to the Gatsby Era
Baz Luhrmann's glitzy remake of 'The Great Gatsby' heralded a return to 1920s glamour. Many couples are currently choosing an art deco theme, with brides wearing a gown and head-dress in the style of the era, featuring details like pearls, beads and feathers. Silver and glass table settings and vintage cocktails will help to create the mood, and the couple might even go away in a vintage car for the start of their honeymoon. Stylish and sophisticated floral designs, including blooms such as orchids and hydrangea, will add to the look.

Quirky and Rustic Looks
As a complete contrast with Gatsby glamour, some couples are going for more quirky and individual options, such as rustic and "green" weddings where everything is kept as simple as possible, possibly with the reception or even the ceremony held outdoors. In-season British flowers are likely to be the choice here where possible, perhaps with looser contemporary arrangements created to give a wild look. Sometimes green is chosen as the featured colour and so the floral displays would include a lot of greenery along with white or pale flowers.

Cakes
If you are having a glamorous vintage wedding then you will probably want an elaborate multi-tiered cake to tie in with the theme. However, another popular current trend is for more contemporary and simpler-styled cakes which are decorated with fresh flowers, creating a highly individual look. Tolly's can suggest wedding flowers for your Hertfordshire ceremony which will really be the icing on the cake.

Venues
Outdoor venues and unusual settings are increasingly being chosen as options for both weddings and receptions. If you are having your reception in a barn with a high ceiling, then dramatic extra-large floral decorations could add interest and help to make the most of the space.

About Tolly's
Based in Newmarket in Suffolk, Tolly's provides wedding flowers to customers in Hertfordshire and across East Anglia, specialising in individual bespoke designs. Get in touch now to find out more about our range of services.

Wedding Flowers in Hertfordshire – Click here to browse our floral designs.

Wedding Flowers and Their Meanings

Deciding on the wedding flowers for your Essex ceremony is an exciting task, which might leave you feeling spoilt for choice. However, East Anglian florists Tolly's can help you to ensure that you pick the perfect arrangements for your special day.

There are a host of beautiful blooms to choose from, but one aspect which you might not have considered is the symbolic meaning of each flower. Every spray or blossom in a wedding bouquet has its own special significance, in many cases dating back to Victorian times, when the language of flowers was used between courting couples to send one another secret messages of undying love.

Here we take a look at the meanings of nine top wedding flowers, all popular with brides in Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Norfolk. Choosing these types of bloom will not only add colour, interest and beauty to your bouquet, but will also give it a significance for you alone, as combining meanings can make an arrangement truly personal..

Wedding Flowers Essex – Click here to see our range of designs

1. Rose
This traditional and romantic choice for weddings has a variety of meanings depending on colour – so, if you choose a bouquet of different roses, you can mix meanings while still sticking to one type of flower. White is said to mean "Innocence", while pink signifies "Perfect Happiness", a red rose means "Romantic Love", and a tea rose means "A Memory To Last Forever". All of these are beautifully appropriate to weddings, and you could also add in rosebuds for "Beauty and Youth", or yellow roses which carry a meaning of "Joy and Friendship".

2. Lily of the Valley
"Return of Happiness," is one traditional meaning of this white bell-shaped flower, giving it added poignancy for a second marriage or one where the happy couple have overcome difficulties. However, it also has other meanings, including "Purity" and "Sweetness". With its fresh scent and dark green foliage, the lily of the valley adds a classy touch to a wedding bouquet, and is often combined with other flowers. Although traditional white lily of the valley is best known, there is also a rare pink version of the flower.

3. Orchid
Signifying "Love and Beauty", these exotic wedding flowers are often chosen by Essex and Suffolk brides to add excitement to their bouquets. Orchids tend to be associated with the tropics, but they are in fact grown all over the world. Many varieties are grown in hothouses but this isn't always necessary. Orchids come in a host of colours, including white and pink, which are often popular choices for weddings.

4. Gladioli
These tall, impressive flowers have the meanings "SIncerity" and "Generosity", making them an appropriate choice for a wedding bouquet, a table centrepiece or an arrangement for a reception. They are available in white and also in a wide choice of other colours, including deep wine-red, magenta and even green, as well as bi-coloured varieties.

5. Gerbera
If you are looking for a strikingly different addition to your wedding flowers, then these brightly-coloured members of the sunflower family could be the answer. Meaning "Innocence", the very popular cut flowers come in a range of colours, including yellows, oranges and pinks as well as white, and make a stunning impression in arrangements for your ceremony or reception.

6. Gypsophila
"Fertility" is the meaning of this popular flower, which is rarely used alone but usually combined with other flowers, giving a sense of exuberance and informality. In America, it is common for young girls going to a wedding to have their hats decorated with this flower and, while this might not be the custom in the UK, it is still a popular element in floral arrangements at ceremonies. Gypsophila gives a light, frothy effect and goes with any colour scheme.

7. Hyacinth
The meaning of the hyacinth varies depending on colour, but blue ones mean "Constancy", while white ones mean "Loveliness", making both of these appropriate for floral arrangements at weddings. The buttonhole pictured here combines a white rose, meaning "Innocence", with a blue hyacinth, signifying "Constancy".

8. Ivy
It's not a flower, admittedly, but ivy is still an important element in many floral arrangements at weddings, with its meaning of "Fidelity and Wedded Love". Ivy's trailing and glossy dark green leaves are a great way to add drama and interest to a floral display at the ceremony or reception, while still maintaining a simple colour scheme.

Mixing it Up
With these meanings in mind, choosing flowers for a wedding bouquet, or floral arrangements at the ceremony and reception, can be about more than creating a colour scheme and making a visual impact. The flowers become ways to give your special day extra significance. Some brides like to preserve their bouquets and, if you do decide to keep some of your flowers, the effort you made in choosing your bouquet will then have enduring meaning over the years.

About Tolly's

Whether you are seeking traditional or contemporary wedding flowers for your Essex, Suffolk or Cambridgeshire wedding, Tolly's can create arrangements tailored to you. Head designer Tolly Constantine has been coming up with stunning floral creations for more than 20 years.

Wedding Flowers in Essex and Suffolk - Follow the link to browse our bouquets and arrangements.

Contemporary Summer Wedding Ideas

Couples marrying in summer have a great choice of colourful and seasonal wedding flowers for their ceremonies in Essex or other areas of the UK. This time of year is especially popular with brides and grooms because it is an upbeat season when we all tend to feel happier and more relaxed. It also means the happy couples can take a honeymoon near home in the UK, or jet off further afield if preferred, and should be able to enjoy sunshine either way. Tolly's Flowers has put together some ideas for contemporary summer weddings.

Over the centuries, the sun has traditionally been linked with fertility, which was one reason for the popularity of summer weddings in the past, and in Scotland brides used to “walk with the sun”, which involved walking from east to west and then circling the church several times. Nowadays, the sun is still a very welcome wedding guest.

If you are seeking a great venue for a wedding in Essex, there are many to choose from, including historic country houses like Gosfield Hall near Braintree, a Georgian manor house which has won awards for its facilities. Alternatively, another exciting choice would be a wedding by the waterside, perhaps at a hotel near the beach in Clacton or Southend-on-Sea, while Crowne Plaza Resort/Five Lakes in Colchester is a hotel and golf club complex which has become another popular wedding venue.

Based in Newmarket, Tolly’s specialise in wedding flowers for Essex venues and, whether you want contemporary displays or traditional flowers for your wedding, they will create spectacular and memorable arrangements to fit perfectly with your chosen theme.

Wedding Flowers Essex – click here to see our designs.

Choosing Contemporary Flowers

You might want to choose a contemporary wedding floral display for your Essex ceremony because you are looking for something fuss-free and less elaborate, and perhaps have minimalist tastes or prefer modern styles of art and fashion. If you would like to add a touch of symbolism through your choice of flowers, you might want to consider including gladioli, which are traditionally the blooms symbolising the month of August, in your bouquets or arrangements.

In the “language of flowers” during Victorian times, when courting couples passed secret messages to one another through their choice of flowers, the gladiolus meant love at first sight, while another meaning is sincerity. These beautiful flowers come in a number of colours, including white, red and pink, all popular bridal choices – but for your summer wedding arrangements you might also like to pick orange and yellow, colours with a flavour of sunshine.

Bright colours and tropical flowers can help to create a relaxed summer wedding atmosphere, while seasonal British flowers are another increasingly popular choice and especially eco-friendly. Seasonally-grown wedding flowers available over the summer include sweet peas, peonies, sweet Williams, delphiniums, sunflowers, stocks, daisies, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and scented lavender.

The Bridal Bouquet: We can create contemporary bridal bouquets in many different styles, depending on your taste. Some brides like a simple hand-held bouquet with just a few colours, perhaps white with orange or yellow, while others prefer more sophisticated designs, for instance a trailing arrangement of white orchids, or a more rural flavour with a frothy array of white gypsophila.

Buttonholes and Corsages: You could opt for a more elaborate buttonhole for the best man and fathers, and simpler versions for other male guests. White or pink roses are a traditional choice for a buttonhole, but an orchid or a double lisanthius would make a good contemporary alternative. We can also create corsages for mothers of the bridal couple and other important female guests, to tie in with the wedding theme.

Wedding Flowers: At the ceremony itself, pedestal, archway and window arrangements will all help to make the church or other venue look beautiful, and can be themed in accordance with the venue. Contemporary choices here could include arrangements of multi-coloured roses interwoven with other flowers, or arrangements of delphiniums and hydrangeas. 

Reception Flowers: One strikingly different idea for a centrepiece is an arrangement of orange roses surrounding a glass bowl containing floating candles, but you could also go for angular vases, an unusual display of flowers in a globe or even a mock birdcage. In-season British flowers will help to give a fresh and modern feel, and it may be possible to re-use arrangements from the ceremony.

Vehicle Flowers: Finishing touches for the ceremony include flowers on the wedding car – which can be just as colourful as you choose.

About Tolly’s

Whether you are seeking contemporary or more traditional wedding arrangements for your Essex ceremony, Tolly's Flowers can create spectacular displays using our expertise in floristry and our design flair. We are based in Newmarket and serve a wide surrounding area.

Contemporary Essex wedding flowers -click here to browse our designs.

Wedding Flowers Essex – A Spotlight on Roses

Couples choosing wedding flowers in Essex, or elsewhere in the UK, often ask for roses as a key element in bridal bouquets or floral arrangements, and Tolly's can design imaginative displays incorporating these much-loved blooms. Roses have long been the traditional flower for weddings because they symbolise romance. As well as being the top choice for brides, they often feature in Valentine bouquets, while a lovelorn suitor might first declare his feelings by presenting a single red rose to the woman he adores.

Prior to Victorian times, brides usually carried bouquets of herbs, which were believed to ward off evil spirits. However, Queen Victoria herself chose an arrangement of flowers with only a few herbs at her marriage to Prince Albert, and most brides then followed the royal example, with bouquets frequently including roses because of their association with romance.

Although the idea of using roses at weddings only goes back to the 19th century, the flower has been a symbol of love for centuries, featuring in love poems such as Robert Burns' "My Love is like a Red, Red Rose”. There is even a famous reference to the flower in Shakespeare's romantic play "Romeo and Juliet", where Juliet says that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". Roses also provide a wonderful fragrance in floral displays and this is often used in scents, from the most expensive French designer fragrances to scented candles.

Wedding Flowers Essex – click here for design inspiration.

Language of Flowers –There are around 150 varieties of rose to choose from, and a wide range of colours. We at Tolly's have found that brides choosing wedding flowers in Essex and other parts of East Anglia often choose colours to match their wedding theme and gown, as well as the time of year. However, the choice of roses in different shades also has a meaning attached to it, stemming from another Victorian tradition, the language of flowers, where suitors who could not speak to one another outright expressed their feelings through selection of blooms. For instance, red roses signify love and passion, while white roses, the traditional bridal choice, mean purity, innocence and happy love; light pink blooms, also often chosen by brides, carry a message of grace and joy, and yellow roses express friendship. A combination of white and red roses, which makes a dramatic display and is another popular choice for weddings, is said to suggest unity.

Roses in the Bridal Bouquet – A traditional bridal bouquet might feature white or pale pink roses in a round arrangement, with dark green foliage woven in among the flowers. A more contemporary choice could see roses in different shades of red and pink arranged together, or a loose shower shape with roses of different colours, from cream to peach.

As an alternative to roses alone for wedding floral arrangements at your Essex ceremony, you could also choose a bouquet featuring a combination of flowers, depending on the time of year, for instance, a combination of roses, lilies and orchids, or dark red roses together with light-coloured tulips. Peonies and roses make a beautiful combination of scents and would be an unusual and individual choice.

In rural England in past centuries, it was traditional for a young girl to sprinkle rose petals as a bride walked down the aisle, and this idea lives on in the tradition of having flower girls at weddings. Roses are also a popular choice for buttonholes or corsages.

Roses at the Reception – Roses are not only used in bridal bouquets, but also at wedding receptions, where they look wonderful in table centre pieces. These could range from a traditional circular arrangement of white and cream blooms (with contrasting dark green leaves and stems arranged in a large silver or glass bowl), to a more contemporary arrangement combining roses and other flowers of different sizes and colours in a sphere or another unusual container – perhaps with white candles for an added touch of drama.

Another option is to decide on flower arrangements in vases for each table, which can again range from traditional to more modern looks and take in a wide choice of colours, from delicate pastel shades such as a combination of brownish pink and cream, to bright reds and yellows.

As well as featuring in table arrangements for the reception, roses can also be used to create a floral arch and they can be used in pedestal arrangements, perhaps combined with other blooms such as orchids, gladioli and green hydrangea.

About Tolly’s

Tolly's Flowers are based in Newmarket and we specialise in providing beautiful wedding flower arrangements in Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. We will help you to choose the perfect traditional or contemporary designs for your special day, including bridal bouquets and arrangements for the reception. You can call us on 01638 668805 to discuss your requirements.

Flowers for your Wedding – click here to find out more.

Summer Nuptials: White and Minimalist Weddings

If you are currently thinking about your choice of wedding flowers for your Essex wedding, you may not necessarily want elaborate floral displays; but instead, you might choose to keep your blooms simple and low key. If you are keeping the decor minimal for your wedding – with just a few well chosen, striking floral displays – Tolly’s are the experts in wedding arrangements and can create wonderful displays to suit your special day.

Minimalism is all about stripping back any unnecessary detailing and showing the subject in its basic form. The focus is not on flamboyant arrangements, but displays that are simple and striking. For instance, you may choose a bridal bouquet to match a gown that is slinky and sophisticated and lacks frills, layering, lace and sparkles, so the emphasis is on clean lines, elegance and a non fussy look.

If you are having a minimalist wedding, white is a popular colour to choose and symbolises innocence, purity and simplicity. It also represents a fresh start or new beginning, which is perfect for the start of a couple’s new life together. And, the splendour of white is that it is a very traditional choice for nuptials. This article focuses on some ideas for couples choosing a white and minimalist theme.

The good news is that if you are having white wedding flowers at your Essex venue, this colour works well with almost any decor. So, whether you are tying the knot in one of the county’s ancient churches or country houses, or whether you are choosing a fabulous contemporary building, your arrangements will coordinate perfectly with the interior.

Essex Wedding Flowers  – See a selection of our creative designs for Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire weddings.

Among the most popular white flowers for weddings are Roses, Calla Lilies, Lily of the Valley, Gardenia, Tulips, Ranunculus (which is related to the buttercup), and Lisianthus. For scent filled blooms, Freesias and Lily of the Valley are wonderful flowers to incorporate into a white bouquet.



Bridal Bouquets – Clutching a white bouquet with fresh green foliage, and light detailing such as ribbons or pearls is a very elegant and classic look for a bride. In an all white hand tie, the foliage is just as essential as the flowers and can bring a wonderful design element into the bouquet. Bouquets featuring Orchids and Lily Grass look fabulous and contemporary. However, if you want a more country wedding look, consider Daisies, Roses, Aster and/or Sweet Peas in a hand tie. 

Button Holes – Button holes and corsages are smaller arrangements worn by some of the most important guests in the wedding party. Flowers are worn by male guests on the button holes of the lapels of jackets, and corsages are pinned onto the jackets or dresses of the female guests. They can be as delicate and minimal as you like, and again, foliage plays an important part in the overall design and finish.  

Wedding Venue – Floral displays are an essential part of a wedding venue and whether you marry in a church or a country house, they add the all important romantic touches and detailing. If you are after a minimalist look, think of wreaths at the base of beautiful lit candles arranged on window sills, pretty blooms on the end pews, and striking, yet simple pillar displays.

Wedding Reception – Blooms are a vital part in setting the scene at the venue you choose for your wedding reception. Among some of the possible arrangements for a minimalist wedding you might include Orchids or Roses artfully displayed in clear vases, or pomanders (kissing balls) hung from beams or archways, and used in table arrangements. The cake is a centrepiece and can be brought to life with beautiful white roses or other white wedding flowers for your Essex venue.



Other Flowers – The flowers are not just centred on the bride, the wedding party and the venues, they can also used to decorate the outside of the building, or to enhance certain architectural features as the guests make their way into the venue. Minimalist displays can be used to decorate archways, doorways, banisters, and pillars, and create the all important show-stopping factor. Not forgetting, minimalist blooms can feature on the back of the wedding car and create a wonderful backdrop to pictures of the happy couple that will always be treasured.

About Tolly’s

At Tolly’s no two weddings are the same; we create spectacular, show stopping wedding arrangements to suit the couple’s venue, attire and personality. Whether you want more traditional displays to tie in well with a classic wedding theme, or want to opt for more contemporary and minimalist flowers, Tolly’s arrangements help make the biggest day of your life even more magical.

Tolly's Flowers  – See a selection of our creative designs for Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire weddings.

Bridal Bouquets – Traditional Round Bouquets or Trailing Bouquets?

East Anglia-based wedding florists Tolly’s create beautiful and elegant arrangements of wedding flowers in Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, to make every couple's special day complete.

Along with the dress, the bridal bouquet is one of the most important things for the bride-to-be to think about. As well as holding stunning blooms in colours that match the theme of the wedding, the bride will also want a bouquet that will complement her dress.

When it comes to choosing your bouquet, there is no right or wrong option, as it is a very individual choice and you will want to consider your own favourite look and the style of your dress. The most popular choice is a round bouquet and this looks fantastic with dresses with a full skirt. Meanwhile, A-line and empire line dresses and figure-hugging mermaid-style dresses, with a skirt spreading out dramatically like a mermaid's tail, look equally good with round or trailing bouquets, also known as cascading bouquets.

However, it is not just the style of the dress you should take into account when choosing the perfect bouquet of wedding flowers for your Essex ceremony, but your height and size too. The more petite you are, the smaller your bouquet should be – and either a posy or round bouquet will look fabulous with your smaller frame. If you choose anything too big this will look too overpowering, so keep it small.

If you are a curvaceous, fuller-figured bride, you are in luck when it comes to choosing the bouquet, because there are more options available and you will look fantastic with a larger round or cascading bouquet. Very tall brides also look stunning with cascading or shower bouquets.

Wedding Florists Essex  – See a selection of our creative designs for Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire weddings.

As well as choosing the shape for your bouquet, you will also need to make a decision about whether to go for a traditional or more contemporary look. Which one you prefer really depends on your personality. If you are someone who loves nostalgia and are opting for a wedding dress in a traditional style, complete with a veil, then you will probably want a traditional round or trailing bouquet to add the finishing touch.

The Traditional Round Bouquet – Roses and Peonies are among the flowers which often feature in a round wedding bouquet, both for their beauty and because Roses in particular are traditionally seen as the flower of love. White Roses are a classic choice, going well with a white gown, while pink and white arrangements of Roses and Peonies are also popular. A selection of roses varying from pink to a deeper orange could also look stunning, again depending on your style of dress and chosen colour scheme for the wedding, while a green and cream arrangement would give a more subtle touch.

Traditional Trailing Bouquet – A trailing bouquet, which features flowers with longer stems trailing from the main arrangement, is another traditional wedding choice, echoing the shape of a gown with a train. Again, Roses are a popular choice to include, and you could go for a champagne colour or white, cream and pink, perhaps combined with Freesias and Orchids.

Other Bridal Bouquet Ideas

If you want something slightly different from the norm, here are some other bridal bouquet ideas to help give you inspiration when choosing your wedding flowers for your Essex venue.

Contemporary Bouquets – A bride who is going for a more modern, or alternative type of dress may well want to choose a very different floral arrangement to match her gown, and Tolly's can help here too, creating just the kind of display you are looking for. Bright red Roses arranged together with Sweet Peas would make an unusual and stunning contemporary round bouquet, while trailing Orchids could add an exotic touch to cascading blooms. You may want to choose a pomander bouquet (also known as a kissing ball) or have flowers wrapped around your wrist. Contemporary bouquets are perfect for brides who want something more fashionable or original.

Jewelled Bouquets – Brides who love attention to detail may want to incorporate certain features of their dress or jewellery into their bouquet – such as lace, pearls, brooches or netting. Pearls set against red Roses in a bouquet make a dramatic contrast, and a ballerina bouquet (with netting) looks stunning; hand ties wrapped with a trail of lace also work well with a gown that has this type of detailing.

Tropical Bouquets – If a bride wants a bouquet to reflect their honeymoon destination, or chooses to make the tropics part of their wedding theme, there are a wide range of tropical and colourful flowers that look striking in a bouquet. Orchids and Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) look fabulous in a hand tie and there are all sorts of varieties and colours available. 



Colourful Bouquets – If you have a bold, outgoing personality you may want to reflect this in your bouquet, with something as equally bright and colourful. These types of bouquet are very upbeat; consider bouquets with a mix of Roses, Dahlias, Delphiniums and Clematis in purples, blues, reds, oranges and cream.

About Tolly’s

For more than two decades head designer Tolly Constantine has created stunning wedding flowers for wedding venues in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, and worldwide. To find out more, or to see examples of our portfolio, just click on the link below.

Tolly's Flowers  – See a selection of our creative designs for Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire weddings.

Formal or Informal? What Style of Wedding Flowers is Right for You?

With such a huge range of choice when it comes to choosing wedding flowers for your Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk or Hertfordshire wedding, the task of narrowing down the options can feel overwhelming. But at Tolly's Flowers we are well used to helping couples choose wedding flowers that reflect their own personal taste and style.

One of the key decisions that can really help this process is whether the couple wants the overall wedding day to feel formal or informal – or somewhere in between. This decision does much to dictate both the style of flower arrangements and the types of flower and foliage that will work. Here we look at a selection of formal and informal styles that we have created for previous weddings, enabling you to see which style appeals to you most.

Wedding Flowers Essex – See a selection of our creative designs for wedding flowers for Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire weddings.

Formal Wedding Flowers
Formal wedding flowers will typically be arranged in recognisable shapes and structures, using traditional arrangements and classically styled vases or holders. Chosen shapes will have definite outlines and where there are multiple arrangements together (table decorations, for example) the same pattern will typically be repeated in a predictable way.

The type of flowers chosen will tend to be very traditional, such as Roses, Lily of the Valley and so on, and the colours chosen will also tend to be highly traditional such as cream, white, pink and yellow, usually limited to one or possibly two types of flower. Colour choice will also tend to be limited to one or two colours, and will tend to use paler or muted shades.

Whatever flowers and colours are chosen, the effect is restrained and controlled, giving a very sophisticated effect, with a more "serious" edge, although nonetheless stunning as the following examples illustrate.

In this table decoration a very formal but traditional effect is achieved by using a perfect globe shape supported by a silver candelabra. The colour palette is muted, using cream and very dark red. However the formality is slightly softened by the use of different types of flower within this colour scheme.



But a formal style can also be achieved in a very contemporary way. In these table decorations a highly modernist sculpture features two perfect globes of cream carnations. The overall effect is stunning and original, proving that "formal" definitely does not mean the same thing as "stuffy".



Sometimes the formality is less in the flower arrangement itself, but the overall arrangement of a table or a room. In this example, the use of identical globe vases in a row, with a row of single roses marking each place setting, creates a formal but very inviting ambience for a wedding reception.



The formal look can include a bride's bouquet of course. In this traditional bouquet, cream and pale pink roses are arranged in a sphere, just slightly softened by the foliage. The formality of this arrangement perfectly matches the formal and traditional style of the bride's dress.




Informal Wedding Flowers
Informal wedding flowers will typically involve less structure and looser arrangements, perhaps using more varied shapes, or using shapes with no clear outlines – for instance flowers and foliage allowed to splay out or hang naturally.

Where shapes are used, these may be more unusual and make use of non-traditional vases or holders. And you may also expect to see more non-floral elements amongst or around the arrangement such as shells or strewn petals.

Informal arrangements tend to use a wider range of flowers and colours, as well as brighter colours.
The overall effect is more "fun" with the emphasis on relaxation and exuberance.

In these table decorations a multitude of flower types in a range of yellows and oranges is loosely arranged in silver bowls, giving a sense of relaxed, overflowing abundance.



Even more informal is this use of individual orchid plants as table decorations. Here, the flowers haven't been "arranged" at all, simply presented in the pots they were grown in, giving a very natural feel while still feeling very special.



In this informal bouquet arrangement, a range of flower types is used, mixing cream and different shades of orange, with some of the flowers allowed to hang naturally. Using longer stems and an irregular arrangement gives the impression of simplicity and innocence, perfectly complementing the style of the bridal gown.




Formal and Informal Mix
If neither of these approaches quite hits the mark, arrangements can include both formal and informal elements, for an effect which lies somewhere between the two. This can be a useful compromise for couples where one prefers formal and one prefers informal. It is also an ideal approach when couples want to make a definite design statement, but also want an atmosphere in which guests are encouraged to relax. In this approach we will tend to see an underlying formality which is then departed from in various ways, either through variety of blooms, colour or shape.

For instance, in this table decoration, a silver candelabra gives the arrangement an overall formal structure, which is then softened with entwined roses and foliage in a loose, almost random way.




In this brightly coloured arrangement there is a mixture of flowers and colours and no strong outline to the roughly circular flower arrangement itself – but the globe vase and square mirror with candles placed at each corner gives it just enough formality to work as a table decoration.




This vibrant room decoration is perhaps the ultimate mix of formal and informal. Overall the arrangement is highly symmetrical with a clear arch shape and presented on a traditional pedestal, giving an overall sense of formality. But the inclusion of multiple flower types in strong and contrasting colours, tall spikes growing out of the top of the arch and free hanging foliage below, give it all a very natural feel and successfully emphasises the celebratory nature of the occasion.




Informality can be signalled by the use of unconventional vases and holders. In this pretty table decoration a cream bird cage appears to be bursting with cream and muted pink roses, as well as other flower varieties and foliage. The bird cage provides the formal element of the arrangement while the flowers produce an informal and very relaxed overall effect.



Finally, In this semi-formal bouquet, the choice of simple, cream Lily of the Valley creates a level of formality, but the loose arrangement gives a very natural and informal feel.



If you've enjoyed seeing some of the many arrangements and styles of wedding flowers that we have created for Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire weddings, please take a look at our wedding gallery or contact us today for your free wedding consultation.

Wedding Flowers Essex – Tolly's are based in Newmarket, Suffolk, conveniently located for the provision of wedding flowers for Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and  Norfolk weddings.