Florist extraordinaire Ashley shares some quick, useful tips on picking the right decor for your destination wedding (and your budget!) 💐✨

When planning your destination wedding, it's especially important to think about the overall style, theme, and colors you want to include in the decor. As you start collecting ideas on Pinterest, Instagram, and other sites, be sure to share them with your florist and wedding coordinator so that they have a solid understanding of your tastes and preferences when they get down to styling everything.

Also key: always keep your budget in mind! Florists like me pay particular attention to our clients’ financial needs so we can make sure you’re getting the most out of your decor and flowers. If you’ve got champagne taste on a beer budget, there are plenty of substitutions and cost-conscious tweaks you can make to bring your vision to life—without the extra dollar signs.

Faux flowers make an excellent, low-maintenance alternative to fresh ones for destination weddings, too. Simply ship the flowers to your wedding venue in advance—no allergies, wilting, or unpleasant floral surprises to worry about on your big day! One of our brides, an Australian, recently got married in Orlando and everyone except for her aunt was traveling from Australia for the wedding. We made all of the faux flower arrangements, bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres in advance and shipped them directly to her venue early, making things that much easier on the bride and her family the day of. Opting for faux florals also helped her keep costs low since she didn’t need to use the on-site florist. Win-win!

Right now, wedding florals are all about the greenery, as well as moody, darker-toned flowers. More and more couples are making an effort to use locally-sourced and organic stems, as well, which is a trend I’m particularly excited about! But regardless of whether you plan a perfectly trendy or rebelliously unique wedding, staying true to your personal style will guarantee your special day is one both you and your guests will love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ

Ashley started working for a wedding florist in college and never looked back. Having the opportunity to work with couples on one of the most important days of their lives is an honor that Ashley takes very seriously. She loves helping brides’ visions come to life, and crafting florals that are both gorgeous AND affordable is her passion. Her many happy brides are a point of pride, proving that good customer service truly is a part of every aspect of her work. For more information about Ashley, Garden and Grace Florals, or to view ready-to-purchase decor products on Garden and Grace's Etsy site, check out her website.

Photo credits: Tyler Mackenzie (1st three photos) & Alex & Cammy Wedding Photography ( last picture; bridal party on the beach)