The pollen of some flowers, such as lilies, sunflowers and many daisies, can bother people with allergies and stain tablecloths and clothes. Strong scents from lilies, tuberose, jasmine or gardenias, in a closed room or on the table, overpower the food and can give people headaches. Dried flowers and grasses hold dust and shed fibres.
You do not have to give them up: florists remove the anthers from lilies, choose low-pollen varieties, and place scented flowers at the entrance or outdoors rather than on the tables. If you know the bride or a guest has allergies, say so at the first meeting. The guide to scented flowers, pollen and allergies explains what to choose; the one on sunflowers covers pollen-free varieties; the one on dried and preserved flowers deals with fibres.
What to ask: which flowers in the design have a lot of pollen or scent, and where they will be placed.
