Are you getting married in May? If so, you’ve still got some time to keep planning your wedding, but there are a lot of exciting decisions that you’ll need to make. Wedding planning can be so exciting, but it can also be a little stressful when you think about all of the choices that are available to you. Even just when it comes down to your flowers, you need to figure out how many flower arrangements you’ll need based on the size of your wedding party, your venue, and your May wedding colors. Luckily, this article will break it down for you so you’ll be able to figure out how many flowers will be perfect for your May wedding.

As you're planning your wedding flowers, keep in mind that you’ll want to choose flowers that will align with your desired wedding colors. There are certain kinds of flowers that come in a wide variety of colors, and there are some flowers that only have a few color options. This is important to know as you’re selecting what types of flowers you want for your wedding. Here are a few popular shades for May wedding colors that you’ll want to keep an eye out for. These colors have been arranged into a few different color schemes, but you can mix and match according to your personal preferences.

• Blush, taupe, and tan
• Light mint and peach
• Baby blue, gray, and blush
• Lilac, blush, and baby blue
• Cream, sage green, and peach
• Champagne, green, and blush
• Silver, champagne, and lilac
• Blush and mauve
• Champagne, white, and green
• Light blue, white, and gray
• Lilac, blush, and navy
• Peach and white

Tip: If you’re having a hard time finding flowers that match your color scheme preferences, try using artificial flowers instead of fresh flowers. Artificial flowers, like wood flowers, come in a much larger variety of colors than fresh flowers!

How Many Flowers Do I Need for My Wedding?

Even if you’re going to use less (or more) flowers than are used by the traditional bride, it can be helpful to learn how many flowers are generally used for traditional weddings. Then you can determine which categories of flowers you’d like to minimize, and which you’d like to increase. For example, if you want more of a simple wedding, you could forgo using any ceremony or reception flowers by using a beautiful outdoor venue that is already surrounded in stunning nature. If you’re more of a maximalist bride and you want very dramatic florals, you can add lots of full hanging installations at your reception and plenty of florals lining your altar for the ceremony. Regardless of your personal style, here are the categories of flowers that you’ll traditionally need for your wedding.

Bride and Groom

First of all, you’ll need a bridal bouquet for the bride and a boutonniere for the groom. Your groom’s boutonniere can match the boutonnieres of the groomsmen in size and style. However, your bride’s bouquet should be bigger, more unique, and more dramatic than the bridesmaid bouquets. Keep in mind that you’ll also traditionally throw your bouquet at your reception. If you want to preserve your bridal bouquet for the future, consider ordering a “toss bouquet” that is smaller for this specific tradition. You should also consider if you’re having a bridal photoshoot done before your wedding. Many brides choose to do this so they can display photos in their bridal attire at their reception. If you want to have a bridal photoshoot, you’ll need to have a bridal bouquet and groom’s boutonniere made for the photo shoot, and another version of them made for the wedding as well.

Wedding Party

Next up, you’ll need flowers for your wedding party. Traditionally, your bridesmaids will receive bouquets, and your groomsmen will receive boutonnieres. If you have any flower girls, they’ll usually have a small bouquet, floral basket, or flower crown, in addition to the flower petals that they might spread on your wedding aisle. The mother of the bride and the mother of the groom usually have wrist corsages, as do the grandmothers if they are still alive and in attendance. The father of the bride and the father of the groom normally receive boutonnieres, as do the grandfathers. These boutonnieres can match the boutonnieres of the groomsmen and groom. In all, you’ll have quite a few flowers to purchase for your wedding party alone.

Ceremony Decorations

You will undoubtedly have lots of floral decorations that you will want for your wedding ceremony since it is the most important part of your wedding day. Your ceremony and reception decorations do depend a little more on your personal preferences, but there are still trends that dictate what many brides do for their ceremony flowers.

Many brides have some sort of floral installation around their wedding altar. For example, if they’re having an archway at their wedding altar, they might have flowers attached to the corners of the archway. If they’re being married in an indoor venue, they might have a hanging installation over the aisle and leading up to the altar. If you want something more minimal, you might choose to use some sprigs of frothy greenery and floral filler instead of flowers. You also might want some floral arrangements lining the aisle that you’ll walk down as the bride. Beside each row of seats, you could have a tall arrangement that stands from the floor. You could also have small floral arrangements attached to the back of each of the guests’ seats. Of course, the finishing touch could be the flower petals that your flower girls spread on the aisle. Make sure that you spend some time researching to determine what your vision is for your ceremony.

Reception Decorations

You’ll also likely have some floral decorations at your reception. Maybe you’ll want to have a dramatic floral installation where you’ll be greeting your guests, like a hanging floral ring, or a wall of flowers or greenery. It can also be beautiful to put floral centerpieces or table runners on the tables where your guests will sit during the reception. If you’re having tables for the bar, cake, refreshments, etc., consider adding some flowers to those tables to tie all of your decorations together. Most brides also love to decorate their wedding cake with a few sprigs of flowers, or many flowers if you’re more of a dramatic bride. These floral choices can make your reception beautiful and unforgettable. Make sure to check out this wedding floral guide to help you to make sure you’re not forgetting any of your floral decorations.