Copyright (c) 2010 Nadine Davis

Winter weddings have become increasingly popular with modern brides as our summers become hotter and more uncomfortable. No bride wants to spend time, money and effort on beautiful flowers from Florist Brisbane, only to have them wilting in her hand while she's walking up the aisle.

Winters in Brisbane are generally fairly mild, especially for a day-time wedding, with cold nights and early mornings warming to glorious sunshine, and normally fine weather. If the bride doesn't need to worry about flowers wilting in the high heat and heavy humidity of summer, there are far more choices to make a selection from with which to mark the occasion.

To avoid putting together unrelated floral species that might clash, first choose a theme for the wedding. Here are some suggestions:

> A formal, traditional occasion with a church service, then a reception at an elegant and expensive venue, or

> A park or other outdoor setting with a celebrant and a small wedding party, then a venue with a simple meal and a boisterous celebration or

> A garden wedding at a private home - still classy but low key, followed by cocktails and finger food.

Each of these choices will fit better with a specific type of flower or flowers, starting from the bridal parties bouquets right through to the table flowers at the reception. It would look completely out of place, for example, to have elegant orchids as the dominant floral decoration for a park wedding followed by a loud gathering at the local club, so the choice of flowers becomes important.

For formal occasions, consider the following types of flowers:

> Camellias, Carnations, Dahlias, Hydrangeas (rather large for bouquets but stunning as table decorations), Cymbidium Orchids, Roses, Tulips and several different types of Lilies.

Informal occasions would suit these flowers:

> Freesias, Gerberas, Jasmine, Jonquils, Poppies, Stocks, Sweet Peas and Violets.

Whilst there are a large number of other choices for consideration, these flowers can start the mind thinking and due diligence should always include a little research into flowers and their appropriateness for use in your wedding. Winter will also deliver different species of foliage to provide the contrast needed to show off the flowers to their best advantage. There should be many types of native grasses, ferns etc. available which may be a little more unusual than normally seen.

Australian Natives should also be included in the decision-making pool, as winter is the season that they are seen at their best. The sheer variety of wattle, for example, that is in flower at this time of year will give plenty of food for thought, and there are dozens of other native species that in summer, don't rate a second look but in winter are just spectacular.

Florists can provide wedding planners and brides alike with advice and information about the different types of flowers available in winter, and their suitability for different styles of weddings. They can also assist with bouquets, corsages, button-holes, and flowers for the ceremony itself, to create a beautiful winter wedding that guests will remember for years afterward.