So far, no one has tossed out the notion of floral bouquets and decor at weddings, as florists around the country describe today's growing use of flowers as "lush and opulent." From New York to Missouri to California, florists say that the English Garden look is more popular then ever, emphasizing a natural and romantic style. This can be seen in the type of bouquets carried by the bride and bridal party. "We are seeing more hand-tied bouquets rather than wire-held or structured ones, this gives the sense that the flowers were just picked, not cut." Floral colors are also more natural. "The flower colors being used are 'botanically correct,"' explains Bill Harper, vice president of services at Stuppy Mid-America School of Floral Design in Kansas City, Missouri. "We are not seeing flowers dyed to match the decor anymore." Specifically, a few popular colors this year are burgundy, fuschia, cranberry, plum and orange. "There isn't as much emphasis on pastels as before," Pamper says. "Instead, people are interested in the fully saturated and rich colors."

I ask brides for a wish book, of what they think is beautiful. Once I set the book. I know her inside and out in two minutes." Rob Smith Laurels Custom Florist, Los Angeles top. There have been wedding parties made up entirely of dogs, a wedding theme designed around the brides cats (who were not present) and a Night of the Living Dead cake These are just a few of the weddings that Vicki Gianonne of Los Angeles, has done to live up to the name of her company-Creative Weddings. If you're thinking "only in L.A.," think again. David Tutera of Designs By Masque in Port Chester, New York, has produced a wedding at which the bride arrived by canoe and the groom on horseback for a Southwestern style wedding (see page 30). But he's also done weddings with a less natural theme, such as an all neon wedding. "There are so many companies that do traditional so well. We are known for a more avant-garde approach," he says.

Still, themed weddings are rare, while Victorian remains the norm. "There are more evening weddings, which contribute to a certain elegance and maintain the tradition of black and white as the primary colors," Joanie Freese of Event Resource and Design in San Rafael, California, says. Locale is also less traditional. Instead of a church, people are choosing mansions, private residences and hotels. And, resort weekend events are now in vogue. "These destination weddings are the hottest trend going," Blum says. "Twenty to thirty couples will go to the Caribbean for a weekend." They are so popular that Jamaica and Disneyworld now offer package deals for weddings. No matter where, how or when, the essential ceremony followed by a reception is not being questioned, and happy couples continue to tie the knot in their own style.

While many trends seem to transcend locale, food and how it is served at weddings is still marked by regional differences, the largest being between the North and South. Patrick Cuccaro of Affairs to Remember in Atlanta says the South is being influenced more and more by the North. "Trends to us are already well-established traditions in the North," he says. "A served dinner at a wedding reception is traditional in the North but we are just beginning to do those here, as opposed to the Southern tradition of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres only."

Southern ways have also made it to the North, however. David Buck, account executive at Great Performances in New York, says he sees fewer sit-down formal dinners and more buffet and cocktail stations. "People just nosh all night," he comments. Tracey Amemick, director of catering at The Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, California, has also noticed a more casual approach to dining. "There aren't as many plated and seated dinners as before," she

says. Whether it's eaten while sitting or standing, the food at weddings seems to be more unusual. But that also depends on where you live. As Rebecca Wallace, co-owner of Word of Mouth Catering in Austin, Texas, points out, what is theme food in other areas is standard in Texas. "It's normal here to serve a Southwestern menu of tacos and burritos for a wedding," she says. One common denominator in wedding menus is a lighter, or more vegetarian, selection. Wallace says some variations she has seen are eggplant caviar, hummus and more salads. "People want more adventurous foods, like a Middle Eastern menu or other ethnic choices," she adds.

TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK

While the tradition of matrimony has lasted centuries, the details of that tradition have enjoyed a lot of latitude. But like fashion, every look that once was, is again, and no one style is dominant. Traditional romantic weddings are still popular and, of course, the level of production depends on religious and class back- grounds. Yet, overall, protocol and etiquette have been sidelined. "We have to educate people on things such as receiving lines," Marcy Blum of The Bridal Group

in New York, says. With some, this isn't even an option. Elise Shuman director of catering at the San Ysidro Ranch in California says they don't offer them anymore. "There is still a lot of tradition at the ceremonies," Shuman says, but once the ceremony is over, tradition also ends. However, it is not tradition being discarded as much as individuality is being asserted. For example, at one wedding, Shuman used metal sconces instead of vases for flowers that stood next to a gold and silver cake shaped like Rockefeller Center. Sometimes, individuality can go over the line.

Robert Smith of Laurels in Los Angeles believes that one reason for these latest looks is the improved availability of certain plants. ``We now have growers here who are competing strongly with the European market," Smith says. "Before, certain roses or orchids and a number of flowers were expensive and difficult to buy with any certainty." Since it is not always possible to get a guarantee on specific items, Harper recommends that florists approach clients with a color or seasonal theme. "This allows us to take advantage of wholesale bulk buys as well as satisfy the client," he says. Harvey Bresch of Floral Park in Boynton Beach, Florida suggests a substitution clause in the contract in case a particular flower is unavailable. As Romeo said to Juliet, "A rose by any other name..."