Welcome to the wonderful world of wedding florals! Inquiring couples, fellow wedding vendors and curious flower fanatics, use this glossary of commonly used words and phrases as a guide to help you navigate the wedding floral industry. Finding the perfect wedding florist doesn’t have to be difficult when you know what you want and what to look for.

ARCH

A decorative structure that serves as a focal point for ceremonies, often positioned where the couple will stand to exchange vows. Floral arches come in various shapes, including traditional curved arches, rectangular structures, or freeform arrangements like half-moons or asymmetrical designs. Their purpose is to create a visually impactful backdrop that enhances the ceremony setting and complements the overall wedding aesthetic.

BOUQUET

It serves as both an accessory and a focal point, contributing to the wedding’s overall aesthetic and theme. Bouquets come in various styles and forms, each carrying its own symbolism, composition, and impact on the wedding look.

BOUTONNIERE:

A small floral arrangement usually pinned onto the lapel and designed to complement the color palette and floral theme of the wedding. Boutonnieres are generally crafted with hardy flowers that can withstand handling and maintain freshness throughout the day.

BUD VASE

A small, often narrow vase that holds one or a few stems of flowers or greenery. Bud vases are widely used in weddings to add floral accents without overwhelming the space, making them an ideal choice for adding delicate, elegant touches throughout the venue

CENTERPIECE

A floral arrangement designed to be the focal point of each table at the reception. These arrangements add beauty, help establish the wedding’s theme, and can reflect the couple’s personality, venue ambiance, or season. Wedding centerpieces are a key design element, setting the tone for each guest’s experience and bringing a cohesive look to the event space.

CHIMNEY

A cylindrical glass sleeve used to enclose taper candles. They come in a wide range of sizes and are typically made of plain clear glass. They serve both a decorative and a practical purpose. Some venues require them to prevent from fires starting.

COMPOTE

Is a type of floral vessel or container with a shallow bowl shape, typically elevated on a short pedestal. The compote’s unique shape, which resembles a low, open bowl, allows for more organic, spilling, and freeform arrangements that work especially well with garden-inspired or loose, romantic aesthetics. Its wide, open structure offers flexibility in arranging flowers with flowing greenery, creating a relaxed yet elegant display.

CORSAGE

A small, decorative floral arrangement typically worn on the wrist. Corsages are often coordinated with other wedding florals to create a cohesive look, subtly reflecting the arrangements used in the bridal bouquet, boutonnieres, and other floral decor.

FLAT LAY

A styled arrangement where florals, accessories, and other wedding details are laid flat and photographed from a bird’s-eye view. It’s an artistic way to capture key elements of the wedding, like bouquets, boutonnieres, rings, invitation suites, and personal items such as jewelry or family heirlooms, in a single, cohesive image.

FLIP

Typically refers to the process of transforming one type of floral arrangement into another to fit different settings or moments during the event. This can involve repurposing bouquets, centerpieces, or other floral displays from the ceremony to the reception, effectively maximizing the use of flowers while maintaining aesthetic appeal.

FLORAL INSTALLATION

Floral installation refers to the artistic arrangement and integration of flowers and greenery into a space to create a specific atmosphere or aesthetic. Unlike traditional bouquets or centerpieces, floral installations are often large-scale and can be a focal point of the venue. These can include a wide variety of structures and designs, such as arches for ceremonies, hanging floral installations, floral backdrops, and elaborate table designs. They are designed to enhance the venue’s existing decor while adding a distinct floral element that captures the couple's vision​.

FULL SERVICE FLORALS

Encompasses all aspects of floral planning and execution for the wedding day. Full-service florists typically work closely with couples to understand their vision, preferences, and overall wedding style. This often includes creating a custom floral design plan that aligns with the couple's aesthetic and budget. In the months leading up to the wedding, the florist manages all details related to the floral arrangements. This includes sourcing flowers, selecting vases and other decor items, and prepping materials. The florist usually starts preparing floral arrangements about one to two weeks before the wedding. On the wedding day, full-service florists take care of everything related to the flowers. They handle the delivery, installation, and setup of all floral arrangements at the venue, ensuring that everything is styled to perfection. This can also involve moving arrangements between locations (e.g., from ceremony to reception) and addressing any last-minute changes or adjustments. After the wedding, full-service florists often return to the venue to dismantle and clean up all floral setups, ensuring the couple does not have to worry about the logistics after the celebration ends​.

HEAD TABLE

A prominent table at the reception where the newlyweds and their wedding party (like bridesmaids and groomsmen) are seated. This table is often centrally located and is designed to be a focal point in the venue, distinguishing it from other guest tables.

HURRICANE

A specific shape of vase, but more often used in the wedding and event industry to describe cylindrical closed bottom vases typically used to enclose pillar candles. Sometimes also used to refer to the cylindrical glass sleeves that are used to enclose taper candles.

IKEBANA

Is the Japanese art of floral arrangement, deeply rooted in principles of balance, harmony, and simplicity. In wedding floral design, incorporating Ikebana brings an artistic and intentional approach that emphasizes minimalism, natural beauty, and a respect for each flower's unique form. Unlike Western floral arrangements, which often focus on fullness and abundance, Ikebana embraces open space, allowing each stem and leaf to be showcased for its individual shape, color, and texture.

MOCK-UP

A preliminary model or prototype of floral arrangements that allows clients to visualize how the final product will look at the event. It’s an important step in the planning process, as it helps both the florist and the couple ensure that the design aligns with their vision before the actual wedding day.

NO-FOAM

With the rise of eco-conscious practices, no-foam methods are becoming increasingly popular, especially in regions like the Pacific Northwest, where there’s a strong focus on sustainability. No-foam floral design often involves using reusable materials like chicken wire, tape grids, sustainable moss, or natural alternatives like flower frogs, which are metal or ceramic bases that hold stems securely. These methods allow for beautiful, lush designs without compromising environmental responsibility. Additionally, these arrangements often rely on water-filled vases or containers to keep flowers hydrated, ensuring longevity without foam.

PERSONAL FLORALS

Refers to any floral arrangements that are directly worn, carried, or held by individuals in the wedding party. These designs are customized to reflect the wedding’s style and color palette while also catering to the specific roles and attire of the people who wear or hold them. Bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquet, boutonniere, corsage, flower crowns & hair pieces, etc.

PILLAR CANDLE

A freestanding, thick, cylindrical candle often used to enhance the ambiance and aesthetic of wedding decor. Unlike taper candles, which are thinner and require candle holders, pillar candles can stand independently due to their width and stable base.

PIN FROG

Also known as a flower frog or kenzan (Japanese for "sword mountain"), is a mechanical tool used to secure flower stems in place within a vase or container. It typically consists of a heavy base made from materials like metal or ceramic, topped with a dense arrangement of upward-facing pins. These pins allow florists to insert stems directly into the frog, ensuring that they remain stable and positioned as desired. The primary advantage of using a pin frog is that it offers strong support for various types of floral materials, including woody branches and heavier blooms.

POCKET SQUARE BOUTONNIERE

A modern twist on the traditional boutonniere. Instead of pinning a small floral arrangement onto the lapel, this style incorporates a small floral cluster that fits into the breast pocket, mimicking the look of a pocket square. In wedding floral design, pocket square boutonnieres offer a fresh and stylish alternative, especially popular for grooms and groomsmen looking for something a bit different from the classic pinned look.

SEASONAL

The use of flowers and greenery that are in bloom during a particular time of the year. This practice aligns floral choices with the natural growing cycles of plants, which influences not only the availability and freshness of the blooms but also the overall aesthetic of the wedding. Seasonal flowers are typically more affordable and readily available, ensuring that they are at their peak freshness. This can enhance the quality of the arrangements and reduce costs associated with sourcing out-of-season flower

SINGLE VARIETY, MONO-BLOOM

Refers to arrangements that feature only one type of flower throughout the entire design. This approach highlights the beauty and unique characteristics of a particular flower, allowing it to stand out without the distraction of other varieties. Single variety, or mono-bloom designs can convey elegance and sophistication, making them suitable for a variety of wedding styles, from minimalistic to more opulent themes. This technique not only emphasizes the texture and form of the chosen flower but also allows for more cohesive color palettes and design themes.

STRIKE

Refers to the process of returning to the event venue after the wedding has concluded to dismantle and remove all floral arrangements and any rented items. This includes taking down large installations, such as arches or hanging decorations, and packing up centerpieces and other decor that were used during the event. The strike process is typically handled by the florist, as they are familiar with the arrangements and how best to disassemble and transport them.

SWEETHEART TABLE

A small, intimate table reserved for the newlywed couple during the reception. It's often styled beautifully to serve as a focal point, emphasizing the couple's special status on their big day.

TABLESCAPE

The overall aesthetic and arrangement of a dining table, focusing on how floral elements and decor are integrated to create a visually appealing dining experience. It encompasses not only the flowers themselves but also how they interact with other table elements such as linens, dinnerware, centerpieces, candles, and overall decor themes.

TAPER CANDLE

A long, slender candle often used as an elegant, vertical decor element in tablescapes. Typically, taper candles are paired with complementary candleholders, such as brass, glass, or ceramic bases, which add a design detail and help secure the candle.

VOTIVE

A type of candle holder often used to enhance the atmosphere of a ceremony or reception. Votives are typically small containers or holders designed to hold votive candles, which are short, stout candles meant to be burned in these holders.