For the couple involved, their families and others, it is bound to be one of the happiest days of their lives. As soon as the groom pops the question, finds his bride the perfect ring, and they settle on a date for the big day, one of the first jobs to do is pick out the right wedding flowers.

There is of course plenty to consider, and the pressure will be on to pick the right flowers, all the way down to the minute details: flowers for the church, bouquets, table decoration flowers, flowers for people's buttonholes, even flowers for the wedding cake. You'll have to work out what colour you want to have, what type of flower, how many, and with all this it can begin to seem like a daunting task. However, there are some things you can do to keep it as simple as possible, while keeping the special day every bit as special as it ought to be.

Settling on a particular colour theme will help you as it will keep you to a particular colour. You should then of course bear in mind both the venue of the wedding and the season: would a bright but understated pink or white perhaps serve as a nice contrast to a dark and austere church building? Would purple flowers for instance really be a good choice in the summer months?

A good way of doing some important research is to go to your newsagent and have a look at some wedding magazines. That way you can build an image of what would be right for your wedding. Similarly, consider what you like best of all and what will suit you. Do you prefer the fiery, passionate colours such as red and orange, or would a calmer, more understated blue be more you?

If you select flowers which are in season at the time of your wedding, you'll be better off in two ways. First it will enable you to save money as these flowers will be less dear. Furthermore, you'll be helping the environment too.

The overall cost is bound to be something you'll have to keep in mind. You can still incorporate expensive flowers even if you are working with a tight budget. For instance, you could use an expensive flower in your bouquet and complement that with cheaper flowers in your table arrangements. Buying artificial flowers is always an option too, enabling you to mix them with real.

Of course by choosing long-lasting flowers you'll be able to ensure your money goes a long way, especially for flowers in button holes. However, surely the best advice is simply to go for the flowers that you like most of all.

When you've chosen your flower type, you should buy some and arrange them in your home, just to see if it's right for you, what you make of the scent and the impression they give. That way, you'll be able to ensure one part of your special day is taken care of.

Maricruz Tennill is a horticulturalist and wedding planner based in Leeds. They recommend Interflora for florists in Leeds.