Many churches have set requirements on what can be decorated and candle restrictions so be sure to check before you plan.
From the time we are young girls, we are attracted to flowers. They are gifts from nature and we give them as gifts throughout our lives. They are used to say I love you, I’m sorry, to celebrate a new baby, for weddings and funerals. They brighten our days with lovely colors and sweet fragrances. They are used to make expensive perfumes and some are edible.
When we decorate a church for a wedding, we are actually giving our guests a gift. We are creating an atmosphere of beauty touching all of our senses which heightens the excitement of our special day.
They are a feast for the eyes and food for the soul. Flowers set the stage and envelope the viewer in a way that says “this is a special occasion”. They enhance the main attraction and leave a lasting impression as well as making a lovely background for the photos.
Some brides want to cover everything in sight with flowers and others prefer to keep it simple. No matter what your individual taste, there are many choices and ideas for choosing the right church wedding flowers.
If you are one who wants a lot of flowers, there are ways to keep the cost down and still have everything you dream of.
Greenery is a huge factor in floral design so let’s explore some ways to help in that area. Most of the greenery that a florist uses can be as expensive as flowers so using potted ferns, ivy, etc. are a good alternative. If you know someone who is willing to share ivy cuttings, magnolia or camellia leaves, or anything you think is lovely, you can provide it for the florist for huge savings.
The same is true for cut flowers. They can be grown in your garden or from a friend’s garden and will equal huge savings.
The most popular shape for church centerpiece designs is a tall triangle. They can be placed on a pedestal or on the floor in containers. All flowers look great in this style.
Arches can be covered with greenery alone or floral arrangements cascading down the sides. Unity candle stands can also be enhanced with a small arrangement.
Pew markers add so much in the way of floral design and can be anything from a pomander which is a round ball covered with flowers to a single stem. Miniature arrangements like the bridal bouquet are also a good choice. These arrangements can be tied around the pew end with a soft ribbon instead of plastic pew clips for a more pleasing effect.
Church windows can hold bows of greenery, flowers, and candles.
One of my favorite designs for the front door of the church is a wreath of flowers. Double doors are really lovely with two wreaths of fresh open roses and ivy. Wreaths symbolize eternity and offer a taste of what’s to come as guests arrive.
Topiaries of fresh flowers and greenery can add to the church porch or arrangements attached to the rail leading to the front door. A simpler approach would be satin bows.
Candles make lovely additions to the church, but extreme care should be taken when using real candles. Some churches will not allow real candles to be used except for the unity candle so be sure to check before you make final plans. Battery operated candles are a better choice.
An hour glass is also a symbolic way of uniting the families. A bit of sand is poured into an hour glass from each side of the family. The hour glass lid can be engraved with the names and date. It symbolizes the life of the married couple from the beginning. What a special keepsake!
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