5 Best Wedding Flowers For Every Season

Nothing complements a white wedding dress better than a colorful bouquet. Florals enhance the ceremony with color, fragrance, and all-around elegance. Whether you prefer cultivated blooms or wild, environmentally-friendly flowers, celebrate your nuptials with nature.

Check out these five wedding flowers for every season.

Spring

Spring may be the easiest season to select wildflowers for your wedding. You'll see tickseed, purple coneflowers, and beach sunflowers everywhere you look. But if you're looking for flowers that scream "romance," be aware it's not always easy to grow the cultivars in Southern Florida’s heat zone. That's where The Bride Candy comes in, providing the flowers that symbolize love and romance. 

1. Roses are a symbol of beauty and love. Roses blooming in South Florida during the spring come in many shades and colors. White roses enhance your bridal bouquet with a fresh look.

2. Carnations come in many natural colors, and can be dyed to match your wedding décor. Carnations make hardy floral arrangements.

3. Dahlias make nice centerpieces for buffet and guest tables. Heat-tolerant varieties like “Elsie Huston” can hold up well in outdoor weddings, but they do need to be kept moist.

4. Proteas do well in the Florida heat, and hold up well in outdoor weddings. “King protea,” “blushing bride,” “pin cushion,” and “queen protea” are tropical beauties that won’t tucker out in extra-warm temperatures.

5. Tropical greenery is popular these days, and it handles the Florida heat well. Ranunculus, orchids, and ginger highlight foliage from palms, vines, and groundcovers placed on serving tables and laced through bouquets.

Summer

From spring to summer, these hardy blooms can handle the Miami heat. 

1. Astilbe is a hearty stem in either pink, crimson, mauve, or white. Its feathery look is suitable for boutonnieres.

2. Orchids make stunning wedding bouquets in shades of magenta, purple, deep blue, yellow, red, and everything in between.

3. Anthuriums spice up a wedding bouquet with color and texture. Green heart-shaped leaves with white, red, or pink blooms will handle the heat of the day.

4. Pink roses look great in bridesmaid bouquets or floral arrangements. With so many varieties from which to choose, The Bride Candy can help you decide the type for your nuptials.

5. Tulips withstand heat quite well, and because they grow in so many hues, you can order them year-round for any color scheme.

Fall

Autumn flowers make a nice wedding theme, but they’re tough to find in Florida. Thanks to The Bride Candy, they’re easy to order from other parts of the United States.

1. Lilies, asters, chrysanthemums, gerbera daisies, marigolds, and zinnias add to the bold rich colors of your autumn wedding décor.

2. Color up outdoor garden weddings with toffee or cappuccino roses.

3. Amaranthus feature rope-like flower stalks. Choose from magenta flowers on “love-lies-bleeding,”or “Joseph’s coat,” -- no flowers, but this plant has colorful foliage in shades of orange, red, or green.

4. Sunflowers scream “fall” with bright golden petals and brown seed centers.

5. Fall dressingsof curly willow, fig branches, Indian corn, pinecones, gourds, crabapples, and pumpkins dress up wedding and reception venues.

Winter

White and ivory are popular hues for winter weddings, but you can spice things up a bit with brilliant colors of red, purple, blue, and pink.

1. Christmas collections of mistletoe and “snow” tipped pinecones bring elements of a cold-weather winter to your warm Florida wedding.

2. Holiday flowers like red Asiatic lilies, holly, juniper, and anemone are perfect for bridal bouquets and centerpieces.

3. Dusty Miller blends into just about any color scheme. Silvery leaves pair up nicely with blue and purple flowers, but also work well with orange and hot red blooms.

4. Tweedia covers the “something blue” aspect of your wedding, and you can add these fragrant blooms to the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets.

5. Mixes with gardenias, spruce, eucalyptus, red amaranthus, jasmine, orchids, poinsettias, roses, camellias, and narcissus are perfect for winter weddings -- blend these colorful blooms into backgrounds of ivory and frosted white.

Flower Power

Don’t underestimate the importance of flowers on this special day. They’re more than just an accessory. Florals are an essential part of the bride’s outfit, and often set the scene for the ceremony and reception. Maybe the flowers won’t last forever, but the photos and memories will last a lifetime. 

Ask your floral and event designer for advice on how to arrange these flowers to make your dream wedding into reality.

Kim Hess is a nature lover and wedding planner who enjoys incorporating a hometown feel in the ceremonies and receptions she designs. She also enjoys tasting food at venues around the country, so she can recommend the best wedding day feasts. (Hey, somebody’s gotta do it!) 

The 3 Bridesmaids Every Bride Should Have

Friends – what would we be without our friends? Those people who are your family and chosen family. They will hold your hair up when you’ve drank too much, hold you when you cry. There are friends you vent to and surprise you on your birthday. We have a lot of friends, cousins, sisters, brothers, high school friends work friends etc. but there are 3 essential friends you need in your bridal party. Let’s see what The Bride Candy has to say (and by the way I’m naming each paragraph after my Bridesmaids).

The Sister Bridesmaid (The Jaja)

Your first bridesmaid is usually the person you’ve grown up with. You’ve known for years they would be your bridesmaid and usually become your maid of honor. They can be your biological sister or chosen sister you’ve been friends with forever. This bridesmaid has known every stage of you, there are secrets you have together you will take to your grave. You both nurture each other because you know that in the end, you’ll always have each other. This bridesmaid knew he or she was the one and if all fails will climb a mountain to save you. You’ve watched each other grow, experienced some of the most beautiful moments in your lives together and also the darkest. Brides need this person in their life always because they are your family. This bridesmaid is named after my maid of honor and sister Jaja, which is what I called her when I was baby.

The Wise Bridesmaid (The Jeff)

We all have a wise friend. Someone who calls you out when you are wrong and gives you advice when you need it most. They come from a place of love but yet make you see the other side of things. You trust this person because you know they are smart, loyal but know what’s best for you. They remind to keep your cool and every so often you get into trouble together that you somehow get out of. This bridesmaid is named after my bridesman Jeff, who is the brother I never had.

The Ride or Die Bridesmaid (The Nelly)

This bridesmaid is always down to have a drink with you – and trust me there will be a few times you’ll have one too many. They will defend you till the end and always be on your side. Loyalty is the name of their game and anyone who crosses you should watch out. This friend is tough but not when it comes to you. They will drop anything to lift you up, and you can drive to their house in the middle of the night when things are tough. This bridesmaid is named after my Miami sister Nelly.

All your bridesmaids are important, and each bring different qualities who have made you, you. It’s important to have them by your side especially on such a momentous occasion. I have been blessed to have amazing friends who would life me up when everything felt like it would crumble and fall. They filled my happiest of times with even more joy and love. I don’t know what I would do without them. I feel so blessed to have these amazing people by my side. I know for those of you who are reading this, whether you are married, getting married or even single, know who these people are in your lives. We all have them, and our world wouldn’t be the same without them. To my bridesmaids I love you so much, thank you for being my rock.

Creating a Storybook Wedding Invitation

When planning our wedding, my fiancé and I really cared about our guest’s experience. Since I was very young I dreamt of a fairytale wedding and Jeremy was a history teacher and naturally loves historic venues. We wanted the invitation to echo the essence of our venue: The Ancient Spanish Monastery. I always dreamt of a book-styled wedding invitation and Jeremy, someone who has loved reading books since he was very young, loved the idea. So we put our heads together and came up with the perfect invitation for us. Read how we created our dream wedding invitations with the help of our friend Tasha from Tinta + Pulso.

The first step: Story Books

The very first thing we needed was the actual books! It’s hard to find beautiful ornate books so we searched far and wide for a vintage book shop. We came across this book store called Dunbar Old Books. This hole-in-the-wall bookstore had everything we were looking for, beautiful books with ornate covers in different colors and styles. This part was very fun to do, we loved searching for the books and I love the smell of old library books. All the books varied in price from $10-$20. Some books were almost 100 years old! Once we purchased the books we knew exactly the size we needed the physical invitation to be. Each book was different which made all of our guests feel special and we picked each one especially for them.

Second step: The Invitation 

Now it was time for some professional stationary help. We contacted our friend Tasha from Tinta + Pulso who took our vision and designed these beautiful invitations that took my breath away. She asked me all the details of our wedding, which was very important so she could bring our vision to life. The theme was a storybook wedding but there were two very important elements. The ceremony was geared towards my love for flowers and my childhood of growing up in my fathers garden. The reception was to resemble a library where Jeremy spent a lot of his childhood with his head buried in a book. Tasha loved this idea and since the invitation already resembled “Jeremy’s library” with the book, she added florals to the invitation suite to bring in the “Christopher’s library” element. She presented us with a beautiful proposal. We also wanted a card catalog pocket in each book for the Details and RSVP cards. Tasha had the amazing idea of making them with a vellum material that made them translucent with a floral print, which was one of our favorite parts of the invitation! 

Third Step: The Assembly 

Once we received our beautiful invitation suites it was time to assemble them which was the most difficult and least fun part of the experience. With double-sided tape we attached the vellum packets and invitations to each book. We added a wax seal to the top of each invitation to make it look as if the invitation was secured by the wax seal. Next we added the ribbon strap which forced each guest to look at the inside front cover where the invitation was located. We cut a slit in the folding crease inside the front and back cover of each book, then used wire to feed a ribbon through the spine of the book. It took a steady hand and a lot of patience. We used brass buttons with velcro to close each ribbon strap. I wouldn’t recommend doing this if you have a big guest list. It took us lots and lots of time. Luckily we have a guest list of 40 which meant each household had one book each that equaled to about 25 books. 

With patience, some professional help and lots of wine our beautiful fairytale invitations were created. We wrapped each invitation in beautiful wrapping paper and added a tag with the name of our guests. We loved the reactions we received from our guests. It was the prefect prelude to our wedding and made everyone very excited. Our friends and family could see our personality in the invitation and are now curious to see the ceremony and reception areas we named “Christopher Garden” and “Jeremy’s Library”. I want to take the time to thank our friend Tasha for not only designing our beautiful invitation but for her exceptional customer service. Even during a pandemic she made our experience an amazing one.

My last piece of advice is to remember that your invitation is the first chapter in the story of your wedding. This is your opportunity to make your guests excited, to enhance their experience, and preview your wedding theme. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as we did! Make sure to visit Tinta + Pulso on instagram for more wedding stationary inspiration!

5 Unique Ways To Use Flowers At Your Wedding

If you’re like us, you’re obsessed with flowers. They can make just about anything better! And a wedding isn’t really a wedding until you add lots of flowers to it. But beyond your bouquet and centerpieces, where else can flowers make a magical moment at your wedding? Here are some of The Bride Candy’s top picks for unusual places to use flowers at your wedding that will wow your guests!

Fountain Flowers

If your venue has a fountain, it’s automatically going to be a focal point of your wedding. Why not take it to the next level with flowers? You can always float some candles and petals in the fountain for a muted romantic effect, or you can choose to go large with floor arrangements surrounding the fountain and asymmetrical foam arrangements in the tiers. Flowers do great in fountains even in direct sunlight.

Staircase Garland

There’s nothing quite like descending a beautiful staircase to make a grand entrance at your wedding. If it has a railing, add a light garland and pillar candles to decorate it without breaking the budget. Or go all-in on a whimsical installation that climbs the banisters and adds a sense of floral drama. Beautifully decorated stairs are a popular photo and video spot, so it makes sense to do something special with them.

Semi-circle Wedding Altar

Wedding arches have always been a popular ceremony backdrop. But what if the natural background for your wedding ceremony is already beautiful? You can create a beautiful and intimate space to tie the knot with a semi-circle wedding altar. It looks especially stunning outdoors! And often these flowers can be repurposed after the ceremony.

Floral Chandelier

For a grand and opulent decor statement, it’s hard to beat a chandelier. And the way to make it even more romantic is to fill it with flowers! Add ivy and flowers to existing chandeliers to make them stand out. Or ask your florist about custom suspended installations to go over your tables or dance floor. It’s one of the most impactful ways to use flowers indoors or in a tent, and is sure to be one of your wedding’s WOW pieces.

Cake Flowers

It’s true that some wedding cakes can be stunning all on their own. But with trends leaning towards naked cakes and other minimalist designs, it’s a good idea to look beyond the cake topper when decorating a cake. Choose smaller and more delicate flowers that match your theme. The cake doesn't need a lot of flowers, so this is where a little bit of extra budget can really go a long way, especially if you’re having a cake cutting.

No matter where you choose to focus your floral energy, it’s always worth it to go over the top. We can help! Ask The Bride Candy about how we can create a standout floral experience at your wedding.

Best Places To Take Romantic Engagement Photos in Miami 2020

Miami is the perfect place to take your engagement photos. With lots of romantic spots and pretty amazing weather, it’s hard to go wrong! Here are The Bride Candy’s top picks for a romantic and tropical themed engagement photoshoot in Miami. 

Crandon Park Carousel

Once part of a since-abandoned zoo, the restored Crandon Park Carousel is a romantic and sweet spot for a quick engagement shoot. It’s also steps away from a beautiful beach, so you can do double duty with a more traditional beach shoot either before or after. 

Cape Florida Lighthouse

Did you know there’s a beautiful lighthouse on a natural Miami beach just a few minutes from downtown?  Hidden in Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne, the Cape Florida Lighthouse is a beachy and romantic spot for your engagement photo session. Be sure to wear something light and flowy to take advantage of the sea breeze.

South Pointe Park

Situated at the southernmost tip of Miami Beach, South Pointe Park is the perfect place to watch the cruise ships go by and take in a stunning Miami Sunset. With views of both the ocean and the skyline of Miami, it also features direct beach and pier access. This is a public park, so you’ll be able to take photographs without limitations or fees. Try going at sunrise for the best shots.

Deering Estate

This charming 1920s estate near Cutler Bay is a top Miami wedding venue. But the Deering Estate’s most striking feature is its palm-lined keystone harbor on Biscayne Bay. If you’re looking for romantic tropical vibes without a beach, this is your spot. Photography permits can be purchased at the gate for $100.

Vizcaya

This is the larger and more opulent sister property of the Deering Estate, which were owned by brothers. An opulent Gilded Age estate, Vizcaya boasts an incredible bay view and Miami’s best formal gardens that are perfect for photography. Permits are required and will cost you $250-350 depending on the day of the week.

Ancient Spanish Monastery

Stepping into the Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach is like stepping back in time. The gardens are lush and verdant, and there are many corners and nooks that make for a beautiful photo backdrop. But the most stunning feature is the 12th century stone cloisters - it’s the closest thing that South Florida has to a castle. If you’re going for a princess theme, this is the perfect place. Note that you’ll need permission and to pay a $200 photo fee to shoot at the Ancient Spanish Monastery.

Miami Beach Botanical Garden

This gem is steps away from South Beach but feels like a world away. From Japanese-inspired gardens to orchid-filled corners, this is a prime spot to find your perfect nature backdrop that’s easy to access. Photography is allowed but will set you back $50 an hour.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

If you need even more gardenscapes for your photography session, check out Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the largest garden in Miami. Featuring a butterfly exhibit, a hummingbird aviary, and a stunning greenhouse with Chihuly glass art, this is the crown jewel of Miami’s tropical vibes. Photography requires a permit and a fee.

More to consider

• Miami Skyline under MacArthur Causeway

• Wynwood Walls

• Little Havana

The Mermaid Bride

The Mermaid Bride

IG: @Mermaid_jules

Photography @thestory

Many of us have seen Little Mermaid. As a child I would flip my hair just the way she did in the movie in my bath tub splashing water all over my bathroom (poor mom). So you could only imagine what I felt when I discovered a bride of mine was a professional mermaid! I became one of her biggest fans and would stalk her instagram on the regular.

IG mermaid_jules

I remember the first time I spoke to mermaid Jules. She was everything you would expect a mermaid to be like. She was bubbly , sweet , and very pretty. She has a pink mermaid tail , her hair was long , and she wore crowns made out of seashells. Anthony her fiancé definitely resembles a prince. Anthony was a tall, dashing, dark haired gentleman. The both looked like they came straight out of a fairytale.

What does a mermaid Choose for her wedding? A seaside wedding of course! Starfish were placed on every table, pearls were added to her bouquet and a mini starfish in Anthony’s boutonniere . Her colors were blush pinks, pearly whites and light shades of greens.

On the day of the wedding I wore my Little Mermaid shirt. I must say it was a hit, especially for my bride who noticed it immediately. What does a mermaid wear on her wedding day? A dress with a seashell top, pearl necklace , and a smile that made the entire ocean sparkle with her. When she walked down the aisle her dress flowed as her bare feet hit the sand. Hair blowing in the wind she married her prince in front of all of their her loved ones. It was a happily ever after straight from a fairytale.

#MermaidSquad

Look closely at the petals in her bouquet!

Fun Fact : Mermaid Jules made her dress!