We've decided to get married in late May or early June 2009, and some of our top priorities are to keep it low-key, low-budget, and as local (with regard to food, flowers, etc.) as possible. There is a good chance that we'll plan to have the ceremony and/or reception right in our own back yard, but even if we don't, I'd love to carry a bouquet and decorate our reception with flowers from my own garden. I figure that it's not at all to start planning or even planting for some of the things I might want!

FYI, there's no color scheme I'm trying to hold to, and I'm just as fond of more "casual" flowers (if perhaps not more so) as I am of the more formal wedding favorites.

I'm a total "stick it in the ground and see what happens" gardener though, so I could use some serious planning help. Please suggest anything that you think might be in bloom at around that time (or have beautiful leaves, stems, berries, whatever) that could be cut and included in our celebration or left in place to decorate our backyard.

If it's information you alraedy know, please also guide me as to when I should plant it. For perenneals, I'd appreciat knowing how much growth I can expect from each plant/bulb/whatever that I put in at the next possible opportunity. For annuals, let me know if it's something I'll need to start inside at a certain time or if it's something I can almost always find in flats for sale (I don't have much experience at all with annuals).

Thanks for any help you can give me!!