The Flower Dictionary: General

We thought you could use a brush up on your flower vocabulary...so you sound smart when meeting with florists!

Here are some vocabulary words that will help you sound like an expert when discussing your general flower ideas.

Boutonniere: This is the man's buttonhole, but some may call it a boutonniere. It can be made of a single flower or a flower and some greenery. A buttonhole is often provided for the groom, groomsmen, ushers, fathers and any other important male attendant.

Corsage: A corsage is kind of like the female buttonhole. It can either be a wrist corsage, in which it is tied with ribbon or lace around the forearm, or it can be a pin-on corsage, in which it is pinned on to the chest. A corsage is typically worn by mothers, grandmothers etc.

Dais: This is the centerpiece for the head table, at which the bride and groom (and bridesmaids and groomsmen, unless it's a sweetheart table) are seated during the reception. As this is typically a long table facing the rest of the guests, the dais tends to be a bit more dramatic and cascading than the other table arrangements.

Fish Bowl: These are becoming more and more common - they are round, glass bowls that are filled with flowers. You can also fill the bowls with water and float one or a few blooms. For an extra, romantic effect, you can also float a few tea lights.

Garden: This type of arrangement is a carefree, light-hearted version of table centerpieces. Wildflowers or an assortment of blooms are simply collected and put together in a manner that looks like you just picked them from the garden. It looks great at a backyard wedding in summer.

Garland: This is a woven arrangement that is put together using greenery and flowers to create a long "rope like" decoration. It is typically used to line an archway or doorway and decorate the ends of pews or rows.

Oasis: Oasis is a special foam that is sometimes filled in a bouquet holder or in the base of a vase. It soaks up water like a sponge, which means it can keep flowers hydrated throughout the day.

Topiary: Think of Edward Scissor Hands. Topiary are manicured plants/foliage/flowers that are cut into shapes.

Trellis: This is a wooden screen, usually with crisscrossing panels, through which greenery and flowers can be woven. They can be create beautiful backdrops.

Wreath: They aren't just used for Christmas! Wreathes are ring shaped arrangements made with flowers and greenery. While they can be hung from doors, small versions of wreathed flowers look beautiful as headpieces, especially for the natural bride or the boisterous flower girl. Larger versions also look great hung with ribbon from the end chair of a row or pew.