Hot Wedding Flower Advice!

It’s hot out there!  Here’s a few tips for handling the heat for your wedding day

Plan ahead.   As is so often the case, the best tips for beating the heat are made well in advance of a 10 day forecast.  In Oregon, it can be hot May- October and is pretty likely to be over 85 July and August so having a plan in place is so important.

1. Find shade.  Oftentimes, people only really consider tents or indoor options when thinking about a rain plan.  But when it’s over 90? Consider moving things under cover.  Not only will this help your guests but your vendors will love you when they’re setting up during the mid-day heat.  It will also prolong the life of your flowers exponentially.

2. Choose hardy flowers.  Certain flowers definitely handle heat and sun better than others.  A few of my favorites for the heat?  Dahlias (ball varieties, NOT dinnerplate), anthurium, orchids, protea, thistles, butterfly ranunculus (seriously), berries, clematis, lisianthus, mums and hardy roses.  Flowers that are notoriously fickle in heat are hydrangea, cafe au lait dahlias, fragile garden roses, peonies and lily of the valley to name a few.  We always take the time of year and venue into account when initially planning your flowers and if someone loves hydrangea but they’re getting married outdoors in August we will have a backup plan.

3. Hydrate!   Yes, I’m talking about people but I’m also talking flowers. When you are not actively using your bridal bouquet for photos or the ceremony PLEASE put it back in the vase it was delivered in and leave in the shade.  A 30 minute drink makes a huge difference in the life span of your flowers.  You’ll also likely see us running around with misters throughout the day.  Those actually help.

4. Consider a second bridal bouquet.   There are a lot of benefits to a first look for photos.  One downside is it means your bouquet is going to be used for several hours before the ceremony.  If it’s a really hot day and you have your heart set on delicate blooms we’ll want to consider making you two bridal bouquets.  Same goes for boutonnieres.

5. Timeline considerations In a dream, climate controlled, world, we arrive hours before your wedding and begin setting out flowers right away.  In a heat dome we arrive hours before your wedding, set the flowers in AC or shade, set out all hard goods and then race at the last minute placing flowers outside so they’re in the sun for the least amount of time possible.  Your photographer will likely be taking more detail shots during cocktail hour than pre-ceremony.  Similarly for your timeline (but not flower related) you’ll want to plan on a longer break between photos and ceremony so you have some extra time to touch up makeup and cool off.

6. Reconsider Re-purposing.  Repurposing ceremony decor to the reception has been a huge trend in recent years, and for good reason!  However, if your ceremony is in direct sun and heat it’s going to take a big toll on your flowers so it might be best to avoid moving them to really key places in your reception.

7.  Make a hot weather plan with your caterer and planner! This one is not so much about flowers as it is guest experience.  We’ve seen caterers greet tests with cold towels to cool off.  Frozen drinks (alcoholic and zero proof) are also a really fun welcome to a hot soiree.  Programs printed on fans.  Rental companies actually have misting stations for a really reasonable price!  There are a lot of great ways to make the heat not only more comfortable but a fun part of your wedding plan.

Stay cool out there and remember to slow down a little this week if you can!

For more information and/or questions please feel free to email me at info@blumfloraldesign.com or call us at 503.851.1672!