9 Reasons to Use Succulents in Your Wedding

Succulents are booming in popularity for two simple reasons: they are beautiful and nearly indestructible. These plants are far more robust than their cut flower peers and are tolerant to adverse outdoor conditions that normally would cause fresh cut flowers to prematurely wilt or die off completely. Succulents store water in their leaves, their stems or their roots.

Succulents used with wedding flowers make for an interesting match. Very asymmetrical in size, form and appearance, these plants bring something very different to a wedding floral arrangement. Unique, unusual and very interesting, succulents are very often a real conversation piece with your guests and also make for excellent wedding favors.

Where succulents come into their own in terms of careful design and a creative floral construction is to add bulk and texture, and to amplify and accentuate the wedding flowers, especially the focal wedding flower of choice. Sometimes described as fat plants, succulents simply add enormous value to wedding floral design. They match well with most wedding flowers, but in particular roses, ranunculus, dahlias, proteas, peonies, freesias and orchids.

Brides would want to consider using succulents for one or a combination of the following reasons:

1. These plants are very effective when used in vintage and rustic wedding environments, especially when potted. These plants add a certain quaint intrigue to your floral decorations, making for a talking point amongst your guests.
2. To contribute more greenery to the overall holistic wedding theme, an approach that is particularly effective with brightly colored wedding flowers.
3. To intentionally add additional bulk, texture and volume to the floral designs, and to reduce the overall costs of her wedding floral arrangements.
4. As reception flowers they can also be used very effectively as place card holders, favors, horizontal centerpieces and also work well as hair arrangements.
5. To strive for a unique look to her floral designs using succulents that are available in a diverse range of different shapes and sizes.
6. To use indigenous plants that represent the local vegetation.
7. To leverage maximum benefit of the superior shelf life these drought resistant plants offer compared to freshly cut flowers. 
8. To use these arrangement as a favors for the guests to take home with them, a gift which serves as a lasting reminder for the wedding, reinforced by the fact that various of these plants can be very successfully replanted.
9. To take advantage of a large and widely diverse selection. Most of these plants are available locally all year round.

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Source: Josh Elliott

4 Tips on Getting Floral Estimates

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1. Try to find a florist that specializes in your style. Some florists specialize in tall, lush, ornate centerpieces, while other are better at modern, minimalistic arrangements. The florist should be able to show you examples of recent work that matches the aesthetic you desire.

 

2. Have each florist put together a detailed proposal for your wedding, based on what you've told them about your wedding vision and floral budget. Ask them to prepare a "high" best-case scenario and a "low" bare-minimum proposal. You can always mix and match to create a mid-range package.
 
3. When shopping florists and getting estimates, always have them note the type and variety of flowers used. You must compare apples to apples when getting estimates!
 
4. Once you select and hire a florist, request a contract and check it for:

• Vendor name and contact information
• Date, time and location of your ceremony and reception
• Itemized list of all the flower arrangements you've chosen (including specific blooms)
• List of flower alternatives, should certain blooms be unavailable
• List of everything the florist will supply (vases, trellis and other accessories)
• Arrival times and amount of time needed for setup at each site
• Where and when bouquets and boutonnieres should be delivered
• Name of the florist who will be on-hand during setup on the wedding day
• Itemized fees including delivery and setup, a total cost, deposit paid and balance due
• Balance due date, cancellation and refund policy

Source: The Knot