The wedding season for 2004 will soon be in full swing. If you want things to go smoothly, do begin planning early. When it comes to choosing flowers, the best guide around is “The Bride’s Bouquet” by Jeanne Graham, published by Phinium Publications.

Graham and her husband Geoff Graham collaborated to produce this unique volume. It belongs in the library of every future bride, floral designer, and wedding consultant.

Graham created this book to fill the needs of floral designers. It showcases over 150 different bouquets. The book is so easy to use. At the front there is an Index with thumbnail color photos of the 150+ bouquets listing their page numbers. Just choose the ones you like, and look at those pages to find details on those particular bouquets.

There are colors and styles to suit every imaginable need. Whether you’re planning a simple, down-home wedding or an elegant one, you’ll find so many suitable arrangements.

Simplify your wedding planning by using this book to select the kinds of arrangements you like and the specific flowers you want. With this information, the planning sessions with your wedding planner will go much more smoothly.

Graham devotes particular attention to detail, and this is obvious in the results she achieves. I love so many of them that it would be hard to pick a favorite, but I found the one of blue hydrangeas to be so gorgeous. I also loved a mixed bouquet with white hydrangeas and blue agapanthus because I found the white birch holder to be so striking.

The photos of the individual bouquets are in lush full-page color, and Graham lists the names of all the flowers and floral materials used for each arrangement. If you’re looking for a particular flower, such as peonies, all you need to do is look at the last page where all the plants are listed alphabetically with the appropriate page numbers. For the more commonly used flowers, like roses, she also lists all the different varieties as well.

Anyone planning a wedding will find this book to be so useful. I highly recommend it for professionals as well.

Graham is widely known as a successful, innovative floral designer. As a child, she was initially introduced to flowers in her grandmother’s garden. She went on to open her own flower shop, Blue Sage Inc., which specializes in events. Since 1991, she has created unique floral arrangements for hundreds of weddings and events. She makes her home in Baltimore with her husband Geoff and daughter Delaney.