Poll results: What's your main wedding flower?

The results are complete from our latest poll. Take a look at what flowers brides are using today:

What's your main wedding flower?

• Roses: 27 percent
• Calla Lillies 27 percent
• Other: 17 percent
• Hydrangeas: 15 percent
• Daisies: 10 percent
• Tulips: 4 percent

Thanks for voting, and stay tuned for our next poll!

New poll: What's your main wedding flower?

Between bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnières, altar arrangements and more, chances are you'll be using a lot of flowers on your big day. But one is the one bloom that is the focus of your wedding floral arrangements?

Vote in the poll in the left sidebar and tell me, what's your main wedding flower?

• Roses
• Calla Lilies
• Daisies
• Hydrangeas
• Tulips
• Other

Check back soon for results!

Green Wedding Tip #3: Buy locally

Another way to reduce your wedding's carbon footprint is to purchase items and hire vendors locally. The closer vendors are to you and your wedding venue, the less environmental impact they will have, using less fuel to travel to your ceremony and reception. The same goes for purchased items, such as invitations, cake toppers and decorations. Buying wedding goods from a local store eliminates the need for shipping, which uses both fuel and packing materials that wouldn't otherwise be necessary.

Also, even if you hire a local florist, think about the types of flowers you are using in your bouquets, centerpieces and other decor. If the flowers aren't in season locally, they'll need to be shipped in from somewhere else.

Advertisement:

Fab 5: Stylish boutonnieres

Think beyond roses, baby's breath and bows and let your groom don a boutonniere that's stylish and, well, a little more manly. Calla lilies are always a popular choice for a sleek modern look, but reach a bit further outside the box and check out these fabulous five options:

1. Modern Elegance
   
   Creamy white flowers accented with a bit of purple create a stunning accent against a black tux. Match the accent color to the tie for pulled together look.
   Image from Get Married
   
   
2. Starring Role
   
   Two stephanotis flowers paired with a sprig of berries create a modern boutonniere for the costar of your wedding day.
   Image from The Knot
   
   
3. Unexpected Twist
   
   Leave the floral behind with this all green bout made of succulents and green amazon coleus for a decidedly non-feminine look.
   Image from Brides.com
   
   
4. Something Blue
   
   Whether your wedding colors are blue or your groom wants to get in on the "Something Old" tradition, lean toward the unexpected with these charming blue blooms.
   Image from The Knot
   
   
5. Keep It Simple
   
   Let his boutonniere accent, not distract. This lily of the valley bout is simple and understated.
   Image from Wedding Channel
   

Fab 5: Bright, bold centerpieces

Happy December everyone! We got our first real snowfall of the season yesterday through this morning, and after getting stuck in a white-out snow squall on the turnpike last night, I could use a little brightening up! So I give you five deliciously colorful centerpieces to brighten up your table.

1. Hot Pink
   
   I used fuchsia at my own wedding, so it will always hold a soft place in my heart. This bright pink floral arrangement, balanced with a bit of green from the pears underneath, sits atop pink table linens.
   Image from Wedding Channel
   
   
2. Faux Floral
   
   For a more abstract touch, decorate your tabletop with works of art, like this metal flowers sculpture painted bright blue, green and yellow.
   Image from The Knot
   
   
3. Fluorescent Flowers
   
   Whoa! Yeah, this is bright. On top of a black tablecloth, these babies practically glow. (Tip: If you're using this color scheme, please let your bridesmaids wear black dresses--unless you want them to hate you.)
   Image from Wedding Channel
   
   
4. Mix-matched Blooms
   
   Arrange a few, small mismatched vases on your table and fill them each with a different brightly colored bloom or two for a casual feel.
   Image from The Knot
   
   
5. Bold Hues
   
   Top your table with a large bowl of boldly red carnations, and they'll just pop off a pale aqua and white color scheme.
   Image from Martha Stewart Weddings
   

Cute holiday wedding idea

I was browsing through the latest Williams-Sonoma catalog this week and came across this kissing ball/pomander made from evergreen and holly:
If you're having a holiday or winter-themed wedding, wouldn't this be a fun idea for your flower girl to carry? Or you could use them as pew decorations to decorate your aisle.

Dancing, food and flowers

Happy rainy Tuesday everyone! The Post-Gazette added some new wedding articles to their site yesterday, so I thought I'd share:

Ask Carley: Balancing dancing, dinner at reception
My take: If you're having a sit down dinner, dancing during the meal does not seem like a good idea. Plus, guests won't want to dance while food is being served. If your worried about guests getting bored, start the dancing during the cocktail hour and have your band or DJ ask guests to be seated for dinner. You can start again after the meal.

If you really want dancing all night long, consider a different set up for your reception. Offer food stations or heavy hors d'oeuvres throughout the evening with tables situated away from the dance floor to allow for conversation.

It's the flowering accessories that make a wedding blossom
My take: You shouldn't limit yourself to a venue's recommended florist. Sure, they may know who does the best work in their space, but they might also be recommending a florist because it's down the street.

Also, not all venues require that you use one of their florists, so choosing someone else may not be an additional cost. When making a decision, take a look at work that florist has done, both in the space and elsewhere. Ask to see examples of what they can create for you, in your budget.

Budget saver: silk flowers

Wedding planners say to estimate about 10 percent of your wedding budget for flowers: from the centerpieces to the bouquets, the corsages to the altar arrangements, the costs can add up quickly. But you can save some money here by considering silk flowers as an option.

Silk flowers don't have to look fake. Look around before you buy anything, and make sure you are comfortable with your purchases. Sometimes less expensive may mean low quality. If you order online, try to find a site that will send you samples or has an easy return policy. Shop smart, because you certainly can end up spending as much on silks as you would on fresh flowers. Watch for sales and coupons--one advantage silk has in this area is that you can buy the flowers as far in advance as you want.

You can also do a mix of both fresh and silk flowers, either by combining silks with the real thing in all or some of your arrangements, or by picking and choosing which elements are made with silks and which ones are fresh.

Once you've found your flowers, consider whether you want to hire a professional to create your arrangements or if you want to DIY. If you DIY, you can find many Web sites with instructions and tips. Michael's and DIY Network are great places to start.

Advertisement: