Pew Decoration

Many would think of wedding pew decorations as of less importance than the altar flowers - after all, after the bride marches into the chapel, all eyes are on the main action which takes place up front at the altar. What we often fail to remember, is that wedding pew decorations, though, frame all the wedding pictures of the bride coming up and down the aisle.

It doesn't have to be extravagant. Sometimes, simple arrangements work just as well. Important note to make: If the decorations are going to be put up the day before, skip hydrangeas as they need lots of water through their blooms (not stems). But if you insist, spritz them with an abundance of water on the morning of the wedding.






















Via Charles Maring















Via Joanne Lee















Via Style Me Pretty













Via Wedding By Color

















Via Kristin Studio

















Via The Knot

















Via The Knot

















Via Alliance Photography

















Via The Knot

















Via The Knot














Via Wedding By Color

Budget Bouquets

Row 1: Purple Hydrangea Bouquet - Source Unknown, Black Carnation Bouquet via Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: Blue Hydrangea Bouquet via Free Wedding Flower Guides, Pink Carnation Bouquet via Credit Crunch Bride

The simplicity of the above hand-tied style bouquet might tempt you to try constructing your own. You may like to think twice. As it is, the few days leading up to your wedding day are guaranteed to be nothing less than crazy, so the unnecessary stress of finding the freshest, hardiest blooms, removing thorns and leaves, actually arranging the stalks as well as proper storage of the bouquet, can easily be done away with, just by engaging a trustworthy florist.

However, if you happen to be a budget conscious, low-maintenance or a DIY-loving bride, then I'd say go for it - but with lots of luck. Here are some practical tips:

A month before the wedding
1. Drop in on the flower wholesaler (I'd recommend going to Far East Flora because it carries a big selection of flowers). Place an order for the kind of flowers/leaves you intend to use. Definitely order back-ups (in the form of alternative varieties) as you do not want to be stressed if the shipment of flowers that arrive on the eve of your wedding day do not look like what you had imagined. Set the delivery date of the flowers for 2 weeks before the wedding, and another, 1 day before the wedding. Remember, you need to practice making the bouquet!
2. Shop for ribbons or twine or whatever you need to hold the stalks together.

1 week before the wedding
1. Call the wholesaler to check on your order
2. Make a mental note of where you will be storing your flowers. Remember, the family refrigerator is usually stocked to the brim with drinks and snacks for the wedding day itself. So if you do not have an air conditioner in your place (which is pretty rare for Singaporean homes), make sure you find a friend with one.

1 day before the wedding
Try to collect your flowers and construct your bouquet before you get your mani and pedi done. You do not want to get your lovely nails ruined by thorns!

On the day of the wedding
Brief your bridesmaids to spritz the bouquet frequently. During the down time before the start of the dinner reception, place bouquet in a pail of water to hydrate the flowers.

Having said all that, I still say you're best off leaving the stress of preparing a beautiful bouquet to a professional. You need to spend your energy and time on other more important things, like looking your best on the most important day of your life.

The All Important Hand Bouquet

A wedding without beautiful flowers is as sad as a marriage without love. A bridal bouquet should do more than complement the bride's outfit. It should also be a statement in its own right.

In Singapore, the wedding bouquet is often 'thrown in' as part of the bridal package. The bride-to-be is made to choose from a small collection of 'standard arrangements' and more often than not, ends up walking down the aisle with the boring conventional hybrid tea rose which has been used to death in the '90s.

To navigate around this: Ask the person at the bridal salon if you could exchange the value of the flowers for add-on embellishments to your gown - additional lace, longer train, etc. Then knock on the door of professional florists to discuss your wedding bouquet needs. Let the florist know exactly what kind of flowers you want in your bouquet, and also give her a back-up list just in case the flowers you want are not in season. Do your research beforehand, so that your expectations could be managed. This could save you a lot of frustration if you set your heart on one type of flower only to find it is out of season during the period you are getting married. The good news is that many flowers have a longer or even year-round season these days. This is due to imports from warmer climates, and commercial growers cultivating the flowers under glass, out of season. Nevertheless, always be an educated bride. Here's a quick reference guide:

More conventional flowers that should be available all year:
Roses
Orchids
Lilies
Gerberas
Anthuriums
Hydrangeas
Eustomas

Other seasonal blooms:

March - August





















Row 1: Sweet pea via Mooseys Country Garden, Daffodil via flower-garden-bulbs.com
Row 2: Hyacinth via Patty Hankins and Bill Lawrence, Peony by Crystal Eng

June - August





















Row 1: Poppy by Ian Britton
Row 2: Iris via Horticulture Update
Row 3: Calla Lily by John D Williams

September - November





















Row 1: Zinnia via Gardens Ablaze
Row 2: Dahlia via Salt and Pepper
Row 3: Ranunculus via Katie K Design

November - February
















Row 1: Forget-me-not via How Stuff Works
Row 2: Amaryllis via Flower Gardening Made Easy

Apart from the list of flowers, also discuss the type of arrangement you have in mind. Consider shape, proportion, and style. Calla lilies, for example, suit a clean-lined dress better than rotound roses. And dainty Amaryllis blossoms complement a refined, delicate gown. My 2 favourite styles are the beidermeier and the hand-tied.

Biedermeier: The shape of the beidermeier is also round. The biedermerier is quite unique because flowers of the same type is arranged in a circular pattern. Each ring will represent one type of flower.





















Via The Knot

Hand-Tied Style Bouquet: Made popular by Martha Stewart, these are sometimes called European hand-tied bouquets or Roundy Moundies, and when done properly, the stems spiral at the bottom and they can stand on their own. For bridal bouquets, however, the stems are usually bound with ribbons or twigs.
















Via Martha Stewart Weddings

FLORAL CENTERPIECES

Flowers never fail to exude a sweet aura of enchantment, be it arranged beautifully in a bridal bouquet or elegantly perched atop a towering tiered cake.

For most wedding guests, the most memorable botanical displays are usually the ones that artfully bedeck their reception tables.

There are different kinds of centerpieces to suit every budget - towering topiaries that point sky-high, lush bouquets which are full and luxurious, floating blooms that make a simpler statement, inexpensive posies in minimalist vases.

At my own wedding dinner reception, I felt it compelling to invest in gorgeous blooms. But I had a grand total of 48 tables, which meant an extra expenditure of over SGD5k for flowers alone. Solution: Mix and match. 60% of the tables had accented centerpieces which were displayed atop sterling silver four arm illuminated candelabras. The other 40% had more affordable low centerpieces which comprised of heavenly smelling heavy rose blooms, cymbidium orchids and floating candles.

I shall leave you with a fraction of my collection of photos which showcases some very beautiful centerpieces which I myself painstakingly collected all those years leading up to my wedding.
















Via Martha Stewart Weddings






















Via Martha Stewart Weddings






















Via Martha Stewart Weddings





















Via Martha Stewart Weddings






















Source Unknown



















Source Unknown