Ask any bride, and she will tell you that her flowers are one of the most important parts of the wedding. She has spent hours, days, or even years picking out exactly what kinds and colors of flowers should be in her bouquet, at the ceremony, and on the tables at the reception. But how do you know that the flowers you choose will look their best immortalized in your wedding photos? Here are some rules of thumb:

1. Make sure the flowers arrive at least an hour before the photographer. One of the worst situations you can find your self in is having your photographer arrive to take photos of the bridal party and there are no flowers!  You can take some photos without the bouquets, but the bride and her attendants wont know what to do with their hands.  They will stand around awkwardly and you will be able to tell in the photos that they weren’t comfortable.  When the flowers finally do arrive, you will waste 30 minutes looking at them and then getting the girls lined up again.  On the day of the wedding, there’s just no time for that.

2. Pull back on the right colors. Too many times, I’ve worked with brides that wanted a whole slew of really bright colors in their bouquets. While tempting, it creates a situation where the flowers totally dominate the photographs and the bride’s pretty face becomes the secondary focus. If you really like bright colors, incorporate them into your reception decor. Or choose one or two for the bouquet surrounded by other, more subtle flowers.

3. If you’re petite, skip the cascade. A cascading bouquet can be really beautiful with the right dress and the right bride. But if you’re on the smaller side, resist the urge. Cascading flowers totally overwhelm short or thin brides, making them look even shorter and thinner. This sort of bouquet can also completely block the petite bride’s dress.