Photo: Kelly Dillon Photography

I love the vintage quality of this petite centerpiece by Petalena Flowers. Coral charm peonies, Juliet garden roses, Quicksand roses, and parrot tulips cascade over a silver vase, while poppy pods and maidenhair ferns give the centerpiece a hint of greenery. The stack of books is equally inspiring. This arrangement would look lovely at a tented summertime affair, like Christina and Will's Gatsby-inspired wedding.

Browse more wedding centerpieces in our gallery or visit our local vendor listings to find a florist in your area.

—Rosie Purdy

Photo: Corbin Gurkin

Browse more wedding centerpieces in our gallery or visit our local vendor listings to find a florist in your area.

—Rosie Purdy

Photo: The Decisive Moment

—Rosie Purdy

Photo: Erin Kate Photography

Browse more fall wedding centerpieces in our gallery or visit our local vendor listings to find a florist in your area.

—Rosie Purdy

Photo: Flory Photo

Love this idea: At her wedding ceremony last summer, San Francisco-based florist Natalie Bowen set up a boutonniere-making station for guests. A table displayed trays of lush flowers and even fresh fruit, along with ribbons, pins, and a sign instructing guests to get creative and fashion their own boutonniere, corsage, or hair accessory. "It was so fun to see everyone wearing the flowers in their own unique way," said Natalie. —Heather Lee

See more boutonniere photos in our Flowers Gallery and find a florist near you in our local vendor listings.

Over the course of a year, thousands of amazing flower photos make their way into our inbox. After much heated debate, we've narrowed it down to our top five floral designs of 2011. Check 'em out after the jump. Read more ››

Photos: Eric Lundgren

If you're inviting a lot of children to your wedding, it's a good idea to plan a few activities to keep them entertained. These chalkboard wedding cakes, spotted on photographer Eric Lundgren's blog, are such a brilliant idea for the kids' table! The bride and groom created the cakes from cardboard and painted the tiers with a chalkboard finish; the cakes were displayed at the reception with colored chalk so their littlest guests could have a blast coloring them. Such a clever idea! Have you thought of any activities to keep the kids entertained at your reception? Let us know in the comments below! —Heather Lee

Photos (clockwise from top left): Courtesy of Joyelle West Photography (top row); Dan & Anne Almasy; Better Homes and Gardens

In honor of Halloween, I put together a roundup of my favorite pumpkin- (and gourd)-themed wedding décor ideas. —Heather Lee

Clockwise from top left:
1. Mini pumpkins used to weigh down ceremony programs
2. Illustrated pumpkin-themed wedding invites by stationer Smudge Ink
3. Modern reception table numbers made with white pumpkins and brushed-metal house numbers
4. Hollowed-out butternut squashes as centerpiece vessels for fall blossoms

Photo: JoshNeil.com

Balloons aren't just for kids' birthday parties anymore—they can be tastefully incorporated into your wedding décor. I've seen a lot of amazing balloon ideas floating around the wedding blogosphere—everything from heart-shaped mylar ones to jumbo-size balloons by Geronimo. My favorites, though, are giant 40" alphabet balloons, available in metallic colors from online stores like BalloonManiacs.com. For Sarah and Patrick's wedding (above), which was held at a planetarium in Tulsa, OK, the couple DIY-ed their ceremony backdrop using silver balloons spelling out "LOVE." It's such a cute and affordable décor idea—the balloons cost about $7.25 per letter. (See more pics of Sarah and Patrick's ceremony backdrop below and their entire wedding on Josh Neil's photography blog.) You can even incorporate the balloons into your engagement shoot, like Ashley and Chad did during their adorable New York City session with photographer Trent Bailey (below). —Heather Lee

Photos: Trent Bailey (top); JoshNeil.com (middle and bottom)

Photos: Conde Nast Digital Studio (runway); Kimberly Sentner (stills)

Having already considered the Spring 2012 collections from a smattering of angles—runway trends, celebrity "Get the Look" features, accessory ideas—we figured it was time to tackle the gowns with that Springiest of Springy motifs in mind: flowers. You may have mastered your personal style in selecting a wedding dress, but those of us without green thumbs still need help choosing a bouquet to boot. For the right guidance, we asked a group of creative floral designers to dream up gown-and-bouquet combinations that make a perfect match. From bold and whimsical free-form bouquets to a bundle of sleek white calla lilies, these blooms put the finishing touch on a season of gorgeous gowns. Too see all of the perfect pairs, watch the full slideshow, and be sure to check out our Wedding Flowers page for more ideas. —Phillip B. Crook

Courtesy of James Bass

Cyd Converse (thesweetestoccasion.com) shares money-saving strategies for getting the most out of your wedding-day essentials.

1. KEEP THEM COOL WITH PROGRAMS

If you're celebrating during a warm-weather month, print your ceremony information on paper fans.

2. REPLACE RICE WITH RIBBONS

Put ribbon sticks at the end of each row as funky ceremony decor; guests can grab them on their way out and wave 'em in lieu of rice or flower petals as you and your man make your grand exit.

3. THINK ELEGANT AND EDIBLE

Skip the traditional floral centerpiece, and display an assortment of colorful confections (mini cakes, small tarts, fondant-iced cookies) at each table. After the entrée, it's dessert time!

4. FIND YOUR SEAT AND EAT

Have the menu work overtime. Print each guest's name at the top instead of having separate place cards.

5. SNAP AND SAVE

Set up a DIY photo booth using a digital camera and a printer. Friends and family snap one pic to take home and paste a second into a scrapbook—instant guest book!

6. SNAG A TRIPLE THREAT

Find an aunt with a piece of jewelry in sapphire, blue topaz, or turquoise and you've covered your somethings old, borrowed, and blue.

Photo by Halley Ganges

7. BESTOW TABLE BLOOMS

Another centerpiece idea: Cluster mini vases as table decor, along with a note inviting guests to take one home at the end of the night. (Remember: You'll need enough for every couple or single at each table.)

8. CELEBRATE IN ONE SPOT

Get the most out of your venue by holding your ceremony and reception in the same place. You'll save major cash, and there's less chance out-of-towners will get lost.

9. TOAST WITH WINE...OR A MOJITO

You don't need champagne to say, "Cheers!" Attendees can order a cocktail from the bar and raise that beverage come speech time.

10. REUSE CEREMONY FLOWERS

The blossoms that decorate the pews can be hung from chair backs at the reception. Also, altar arrangements can take center stage on either side of the dance floor, and your bouquet can add style to the cake table.

—BRIDES magazine

Photos: Denise Cregier

For Beth Zemetis, the owner and lead floral designer of Blush Floral Design Studio in Madison, CT, including her favorite flower—cafe au lait dahlias—was a must. "The season is fairly short, so I basically chose our wedding date based around this flower!" says Beth. The bloom was ubiquitous throughout the midsummer affair and was featured prominently in her bouquet, the ceremony arrangements, the centerpieces, and was even interpreted in sugar on the wedding cake. How did Beth pull off designing her own wedding flowers? The floral design was a collaboration between Beth and Hana Floral Design. "I wrote the 'recipes,' and their staff made my vision come to life," says Beth. To see all of Beth and Marco's wedding details, check out the full slideshow, and visit our Real Weddings page for more great ideas. —Lauren Matthews

Photos (clockwise from top left): L'amour de Vie; Michelle Warren Photography; Abby Rose Photo; Stephen Bobb/Love Life Images; Brewer Photo & Video; Revert Photo

Good question. To find the answer, we combed through some of our favorite real weddings from across the country that best represent a range of floral styles and budgets. A bold cluster of brightly colored blossoms (including orchid buds) for $150? Yes, please. Sweet amnesia roses accented by privet berries? A steal for $175. See the descriptors and prices below for the bouquets featured above, but be sure to check out the full slideshow for all 40 of our favorite bouquets! —Phillip B. Crook

Clockwise from top left:
$150, by Plum Sage Flowers, Denver: Bouquet of hydrangeas, peonies, lisianthuses, dusty miller, mini calla lilies, Baccara roses, spray roses, and cymbidium orchid buds

$300, by Adornments Flowers + Finery, San Luis Obispo, CA: Bouquet of blushing bride proteas, roses, echeveria, gardenias, velvet leaves, and dusty miller

$175, by Crimson & Clover Floral Design, Baltimore: Bouquet of dahlias, button mums, roses, aspidistra leaves, lily grass, and uluhe ferns

$125, by Dream Designs Florist, Orlando, FL: Bouquet of blue hydrangeas and silver-dollar eucalyptus, with rhinestone accents

$190, by The Perfect Petal, Denver: Bouquet of ranunculuses, anemones, silver brunia, dusty miller, phalaenopsis orchids, vanda orchids, hen and chicks, and craspedia

Photos: Alison Conklin; Shannon Renee Photography

When we found out that Madonna loathes hydrangeas we decided to ask our Facebook and Twitter followers which flowers are on their "loathe" lists. The most hated-on blooms? Roses were by far the least popular, followed by chrysanthemums, carnations, lilies (particularly stargazer lilies), sunflowers, and daisies. While we've definitely seen our fair share of not-so-great arrangements featuring all of these flowers, we've also seen them look pretty amazing when in the hands of a talented florist. In the hopes of changing your mind, here are two of our favorite arrangements showcasing those unpopular blooms. And for more wedding flower ideas, check out our Wedding Flower Gallery. —Malabi Deb