Choosing wedding flowers that fit your style and that match your color palette isn’t always easy. Here’s everything you need to know about the most popular wedding flowers (cost, season, meanings, and color choices).
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Alstroemeria (also known as Peruvian lily)
These flowers have small, bright blooms that grow in clusters and often have freckled petals. They’re best used as a backdrop to primary flowers (but make a lovely and cost-effective bouquet).
°Season: year-round
°Colors: white, yellow, orange, pink, red, lavender, purple, flecked
°Scent: none
°Cost: $
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Amaryllis
Brides desiring maximum impact may choose this impressive flower, which features two to five large, trumpet-shaped blossoms that open in succession at the top of its extra-long stalk. Grown from a bulb, the amaryllis originated in the tropical rainforests of Africa and South America. Very rare and expensive, these flowers are long-lasting and offer a lot of drama with just a few stems.
°Season: November-April
°Colors: white, yellow, green, pink, red, burgundy
°Scent: none (belladonna variety has a mild sweet fragrance)
°Meaning: splendid beauty, pride
°Cost: $-$
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Anemone
Greek mythology has two legends about the anemone. These jewel-toned flowers were said to have sprung up from the blood that was shed by Aphrodite’s lover, Adonis, when he died. The ancient Greeks also believed that Zephyrus, the god of the west wind, favored the bloom, hence its other name: windflower. Though unscented, this relative of the peon and ranunculus is sought after for its vibrant magenta, red, and purple hues. Just a few bright blooms add a blast of color to bouquets and arrangements.
°Season: November-May; primarily spring
°Colors: white, pink, purple, magenta, burgundy
°Scent: none
°Meaning: expectation
°Cost: $-$$
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Bouvardia
This flower is perfect for fleshing out a classic wedding bouquet or arrangement. It has clusters of small, star-shaped blossoms bursting from a leafy green stem and is very delicate.
°Season: year-round
°Colors: white, peach, pink, red
°Scent: faint
°Meaning: enthusiasm
°Cost: $
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Calla Lily
Also known as the arum lily, this trumpet-shaped blossom originated in Africa and symbolized “magnificent beauty” to the Victorians. Two types are commonly available: one with a large head and a long, smooth stem, suitable for tall arrangements or presentation bouquets; and a miniature version ideal for nosegays and boutonnieres.
°Season: year-round, winter to late spring is the peak
°Colors: ivory, yellow, orange, light pink, dark pink, red, dark burgundy
°Scent: none
°Meaning: ardor, magnificent beauty, feminine, modesty
°Cost: $$$
A symbol of loveliness and beauty, this multipetaled relative of the tea plant was originally from China. The flower had a notable role in Verdi’s opera La Traviata, which he adapted from the play The Lady of the Camellias. In the story a courtesan named Violetta always wore a white camellia, except for the few days of the month when she was “not available” and donned a red camellia instead.
°Season: late-winter to early-spring, fall
°Colors: white, cream, pink, red
°Scent: mild, sweet
°Meaning: excellence, beauty, perfected loveliness, contentment
°Cost: $-$$
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Chrysanthemum
About a thousand varieties of long-lasting, versatile mums can be found in single blossoms or sprays. The mum has been cultivated in the Far East for more than 2,500 years, even making appearances in the writings of Confucius. What it lacks in sweet perfume, it makes up for in a range of bold colors.
°Season: year-round, peak in late summer and fall
°Colors: white, yellow, green, orange, russet, red, burgundy
°Scent: strong, musky
°Meaning: cheerfulness, optimism, long life, joy
°Cost: $
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Cosmos
Brides hoping to capture the look of a summer garden in full bloom would succeed with cosmos. This daisylike flower grows in shades of pink and magenta on long stems with feathery foliage. A striking chocolate color is also available and can be used to create rich, late-summer arrangements.
°Season: mid summer-fall
°Colors: white, pale pink, dark pink, chocolate
°Scent: none
°Meaning: modesty
°Cost: $-$
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Dahlia
These bold, bushy flowers have a history as dramatic as their appearance. Conquistadors found the dahlia in the gardens of the Aztecs and caused a sensation when they brought the flower back to Europe.
°Season: summer-early fall
°Colors: white, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple
°Scent: spicy
°Meaning: gratitude, dignity, forever thine
°Cost: $
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Hydrangea
With its big, bushy head and intense colors, a stem or two of this moderately priced, scentless shrub flower helps fill out arrangements and bouquets. Hydrangea is most popular in shades of bubble-gum pink to sky blue.
Season: July-November
Colors: white, green, pink, burgundy, purple, blue
Scent: none
Meaning: devotion, remembrance, boastfulness
Cost: $$-$$$
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Peony
The peony is showy in its lush and full-headed structure, sweet perfume, and bright colors. Despite these traits, the flower became a symbol of bashfulness. Cultivated in Asia for more than a thousand years and developed further by the French, the peony is a cherished wedding flower. A relative of the ranunculus and the anemone, the peony is available in two main types: the herbaceous and the tree peony (the latter flowers do not last as long when cut).
°Season: spring, imported, scentless variety available in fall and winter
°Colors: white, cream, peach, pink, burgundy
°Scent: sweet and mild to very aromatic
°Meaning: beauty, welcome, bashfulness
°Cost: $$-$$$
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Rose
Is it any wonder that roses rank as the most beloved of wedding flowers? Long considered a symbol of beauty and love, the rose has captivated commoners and royalty alike. Legend has it that the Roman Emperor Nero required rose petals to be strewn at his feet and wore wreaths of roses at his many weddings; and that Cleopatra seduced both Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony with the flower.
Their accessibility means that roses can be surprisingly affordable. However, the price of roses goes up around key flower-giving holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day — so if your wedding date is near one of these holidays, you may want to rethink your flower choice. Three main types of roses are likely candidates for your wedding flowers: hybrid tea roses, spray roses, and garden roses.
Season: year-round
Colors: white, cream, yellow, apricot, orange, pale pink, dark pink, red, burgundy, lavender
Scent: none to intense, depending on the variety
Meaning: several meanings depending on color, general, love, beauty, grace, joy, unity
Cost: $$-$$$
Looking for more information on booking the Wedding of your dreams at the Mt. Pleasant Comfort Inn and Suites Hotel and Conference Center? Call our sales team now 989-956-0460 or go to www.mtpcomfortinn.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
Blog By:
Rachel Farquharson
Blog and Photo Credits:
https://www.theknot.com/content/your-guide-to-wedding-flowers
www.pinterest.com