Spring Foward!!!

With the warm weather we have been experincing in the Carolinas, and with daylight savings time in effect, I can not help but to get excited about my favorite time of the year...Spring!

Spring weddings brightly shine with spring blossoms. The season represents rebirth and new growth, so your flowers should equally reflect this blossoming time. By selecting flowers that are in season, not only are you saving money, but it is also the greener choice to support local and seasonal agriculture, and in the end, you often have a much bigger selection to choose from (that isn’t so cost prohibitive). So what should you be shopping for? Take a look at some fabulous flowers for your wedding:

One spring favorite is the tulip, which comes in over 400 varieties and colors in spring (but sorry, no blue). Sweet peas are also a great option and are plentiful, a great bargain for the budget bride, and their light and sweet scent makes for a mild wedding perfume. Another option is lily of the valley, which is great for an accent or even possibly as a part of a larger arrangement or bouquet (beware as they are delicate flowers). These small flowers have a distinctive fragrance that many love, and can also be used in boutonnières. Or consider daisies and bright yellow daffodils, which are quintessential spring and can be a sweet touch in a flower girls hair or on table arrangements.

Multi-colored calla lilies are amazing in this season and are a popular choice - so make the most of them when the price is right.

Peonies are plentiful this time of year. A classic flower, they have a vintage flair and looks amazing as a center focus of wedding design or as an accent flower. They can be in bud or fully open or a mixture of both.

Spring is a great time to use the local bounty that nature has provided to help celebrate your day and represents the new growth that you and your fiancé are about to embark on. Pay homage to that tradition in the flowers you carry on your very special day!

Are you ready for the flower truth? Can you handle it?

Contrary to popular opinion, don't think that silk flowers are always going to be cheaper than real. Many of the quality ones are as expensive as the real thing -- if not more. While many people tend to love silk flowers more because they last forever, the truth is that you can also make your fresh flowers last forever by preserving them. This is becoming a more common tradition. Whether you learn to do it yourself or you have a florist do it, it is possible.

Personally, we love working with real flowers. However, silk comes with some advantages -- it's tough and shelf stable, and the petals won't come off at the worst possible moment. On the other hand, silk flowers don't always look real, and they aren't always a bargain, either.

Picking wedding flowers in season can save you a bunch of money. Sure, growers are now able to fly almost anything in from the other side of the world, but you'll pay a premium for that.

Knowing what flowers grow local to your region of the country and are in season during the time of your wedding, can drastically reduce the overall cost of your wedding.

Spring Wedding Flowers:
Apple or cherry blossoms, Daffodils, Dogwoods, Forsythia branches, Hyacinth, Iris, Larkspur Lilies, Lilacs, Lily of the Valley, Pansies, Peonies,Sweet Peas, Tulips

Summer Wedding Flowers:
Asters, Calla Lilies, Dahlias, Daisies, Delphinium, Geraniums, Hydrangeas, Iris, Jacobs Ladder, Larkspur, Queen Anne’s Lace, Roses, Shasta daises, Stock Sunflower, Zinnias

Fall Wedding Flowers:
Asters, Chrysanthemums, Zinnias, Gerbera daisies, Marigolds, Roses, Sunflowers

Winter Wedding Flowers:
Amaryllis, Camellias, Forget-me-nots, Jasmine, Orchids, Poinsettias, Holly

The final choice depends on what type of person you are.

If you're a practical person that wants her bouquet as a keepsake, and would not be concerned by the odd guest saying 'aren't they artificial flowers?' then by all means go for silk wedding flowers.

If you are a real romantic and just feel that there is no substitute for the velvety smoothness of 'Grand Prix' red roses or the fresh fragrance of hyacinths - then enjoy your day with natural real flowers.