The Language of Flowers

Amaryllis - splendid beauty

Apple Blossoms - temptation

Bachelor's Button - celibacy or hope of celibacy

Bluebell - constancy

Buttercup - riches

Camellia - perfect loveliness, gratitude

Carnation - pure, deep love

Daffodil - regard

Daisy - share your feelings

Forget-Me-Not - true love

Gardenia - joy

Honeysuckle - generous and devoted

Ivy - fidelity

Jasmine - grace and elegance

Jonquil - affection returned

Lily - purity

Lily of the valley - happiness

Lime - conjugal bliss

Marigold - sacred affection

Myrtle - love

Orange Blossom - purity, loveliness

Red Chrysanthemum - I love you

Red Rose - I love you

Red Tulip - love declared

Rose - love

Violet - modesty, faithfulness

White Camellia - perfect loveliness

White Daisy - innocence

White Lilac - first emotions of love

White Lily - purity and innocence

Wood Sorrel - joy

flowers

At home, a simple floral arrangement can be the most beautiful and charming way to go. There's no need to spend hundreds of dollars or fuss over the shade of every single petal. Simply go to a flower shop or market and pick out the prettiest, freshest looking blooms.

Keep things streamlined.

Stick with monochromatic flowers or a few shades in a similar palette. Shapes and textures should complement each other, not fight for attention.

Use chic vases.

The vessel should never upstage the flowers. Plain glass cylinders and bowls and silver mint julep cups are timeless. Try other materials like ceramic, wood and tinted glass can be as sleek if they suit your party setting.

Spend less without sacrificing style.

If looking for something simple and your budget is limited buy a few large blooms and float them in low, clear bowls of water. If you're buying from a grocery store then give them a quick makeover by removing all greenery and baby's breath. Then trim stems down to five or six inches. Now, group similar colors together in small vessels.

Don't limit yourself to flowers.

Fresh herbs, lush tropical greenery, branches of berries, boughs of holly, pinecones and fruit all make lovely centerpieces.

Place flowers in all the right spots.

Put arrangements where people will see them: in the entryway and on the bar, coffee table and buffet, and anywhere else guests will congregate. It's also nice to place a small arrangement, or even a few buds in a small glass, in the bathroom. Centerpieces belong in the center of the dining table. You can place a large arrangement in the middle of the table or put several small ones in a line down the center. Make sure they don't block people's vision or take up too much surface area.

Using a Florist for a Wedding?

When discussing floral arrangements with your florist, consider the style and mood of your wedding, the season or environment, your budget and what you like

You need to have selected your gown, the bridesmaids' dresses and the color theme of your wedding before visiting your florist. It is also helpful to have fabric swatches and textures of your selected gowns and the attire of the groom and his attendants.

Ask your florist for an itemized bill in advance and supply your florist with the names, addresses and times for delivery of your bouquet, boutonnieres corsages and floral arrangements.

To preserve your flowers as a keepsake and not just a faded memory of your day, you should consider floral preservation.