rubyandjoy: January Wedding Flowers

Welcome to the second guest post from the gorgeous and effervescent Nicola from rubyandjoy.

Hello my lovelies! Welcome to my second guest post and my second attempt at trying to sound coherent while discussing something that truly excites me. Always a difficulty I assure you!

I trust you’ve all had a wonderfully Merry Christmas and a spectacular New Years. I made my traditional fresh holly wreath for our door that not only looks festive in all its glossy green glory, but also doubles as a dangerous weapon when needing to get rid of door to door salesmen. Brilliant!

January Blooms
So to get down to business, let’s begin with your options if you’re getting married in January of 2011. January is a tricky time of year with the steamy weather which on a whim can swing to torrential downpours. Keep in mind a lot of grower’s holiday in the first few weeks of January which can also diminish availability and abundance. But of course, there are always loads of fresh and gorgeous blooms to choose from, as with any morning at the market.

* Beautiful roses of every type, peach and pink full headed David Austen roses are a favourite, as are the garden roses that smell delicious and come in yellows, creams, all kinds of pinks and deep burgundy.

* Dahlias in their cheerful brights are everywhere and look divine used in all their colours in relaxed table arrangements and bouquets, as do Gloriosa lilies with their scrummy pink green and yellow combo.

* If you’re after a beautiful scent, fragrant frangipanis are about, as are gardenias and tuberose.

* Lotus pods with their long green stems and heavy heads look incredible in structural creations and modern themed weddings.

* Unusual Pineapple lilies look amazing when used in fresh green arrangements. * And of course, we still have the lovely fluffy Hydrangea, finishing up in white but still readily available in blues.

* There’s so much gorgeous foliage around at the moment, big troughs of Pineapple lilies, green celosia, amaranthus and loads of leaves look magnificent!

* Simple bouquets that look like they’ve been picked from your garden always make me happy, and incorporating berries, nuts and seed pods will create a gorgeous texture palette to work from.

Blooms on a Budget
If you’ve purchased your dream Louboutins and are trying to cut costs elsewhere, there are a few things to look at.

* Buttonholes- Many classic weddings of late have said no to all buttonholes, the men preferring to keep their lapels flower free.

* Delivery- Ask around your extended family to see if anyone would be able to pick up the bouquets on the morning of the wedding to avoid a delivery cost and always check to see what is actually included in your venue hire.

* Book centerpieces through the venue- Some venues are starting to offer lovely options for centrepieces and will often offer a discount if you book everything through them, or perhaps even include them in your chosen package.

International Floral Trends
If you’re looking to overseas trends for some new ideas a great idea if you’ve planned a relaxed and festive day is to ask your florist for different buttonholes. Keep them original and unusual and the men folk will be pleased as punch* to tuck a bloom in their buttonhole! More importantly, they’ll look sharp for your wedding day.

My favourite ideas change hourly so it’s very difficult to choose just a few! I’ve also been planning my wedding since I was approximately 7 (will deny vehemently if confronted) so it’s incredible delightful to work in an industry where I get to see the loveliest of lovelies every day, and work with such creative people.

Well my lovelies, I do hope you all have a wonderful week discovering new delights and loves. And always, always remember to keep your eyes shut when getting a lash tint. Pain is not gain when it is in your eye.

Nicola x
rubyandjoy.com.au

*This may be a lie
Image Credits (from top to bottom): rubyandjoy by Cassi Kennedy, rubyandjoy by Global Sanctuary Photography, Brides.com.uk.