Camilla Parker-Bowles carried a simple bouquet of primroses and lily of the valley; Princess Diana had chosen a bouquet of roses, orchids, freesia and gardenias. But, of course, it's not just royalty who vary greatly when they choose flowers for their weddings, opting for either simple or ornate bouquets.
Indeed, from Melissa Rivers who carried black magic roses, to Debra Messing's long stemmed calla lilies, those in the public eye often make a dramatic statement with the flowers that they choose for their wedding.
When you choose flowers for your wedding however, there are a number of things to consider.
Your choice of wedding flowers may be affected by the season of your wedding. If you are getting married in the spring months, you may opt to include spring flowers, purple-blue iris, yellow daffodils, fragrant lavender lilacs or bright multi-colored tulips.
Similarly, those who plan their weddings for the summer months may choose, like Debra Messing, to carry calla lilies, or they may choose sunflowers, roses or even brightly colored zinnias. Roses, sunflowers and zinnias also are popular options for weddings that take place in the early autumn. Those choosing to be married in the winter months will also have a variety of flowers from which to choose including accenting their bouquet with season holly or by carrying beautiful but delicate orchids.
Of course, seasonal flowers are not the only accents that can be added to a wedding bouquet, something that many celebrities have considered on their wedding days. Britney Spears, for example, carried a bouquet that was accented with Swarovski crystals to capture the light. Another young star, Jessica Simpson, carried a snowball bouquet that sparkled because of carefully placed crystals and pearls in the center of each flower.
Carrying a crystal or gemstone studded bouquet, however, is not for everyone. Similarly, carrying a dazzling bouquet is not the only way to capture the attention of everyone in the room when you say your "I Dos."
Choosing your wedding flowers based on color is another way to capture the attention of those in attendance. Some brides choose to carry bouquets that are muted and in shades of ivory and white so that the attention is focused solely on them, ivory white roses, creamy while lilies.
Others choose to match wedding flowers to the shades of the bridesmaids' dressed. Those who choose lavender dresses incorporate pale purple roses or lilacs into their wedding bouquets. Those whose bridesmaids wear pink may choose pale pink flowers or they may choose to use blooms in brighter, richer shades. To play of the yellows of a bridesmaid's dress, sunflowers, roses and a variety of other blossoms are often used, both for the bride's bouquet and for decorating at the wedding and the wedding reception.
Many women choose to line the aisle with flowers that tie in the color of their wedding, choosing to place small bouquets or flower petals along the path to the altar. Others will choose to create floral centerpieces for each table at the receptions, centerpieces that bring the elegance of their own and their bridesmaids' floral bouquets.
In addition to centerpieces, many couples choose to decorate the reception hall with a variety of plants and flowers, both surrounding the dance floor and creating an elegant spray on the bridal party's table. Still others choose to use edible flowers to create beautiful salads to serve their guests or to decorate their wedding cake.
There's no right or wrong way to choose flowers for your wedding. Choose by season or by color. Choose elegant, muted tones, such as those of Debra Messing's calla lilies, or the vivid hues or wildflowers.
No matter which flowers you choose for your wedding, choose those that catch your eye, those flowers that say something about you or about your wedding. Choose flowers that will create a lasting impression and lasting memories.
