Wedding Flowers
Symbolic Wedding Flowers: there is nothing like a wedding to start debates about the flowers that should and those flowers that should not go into a bride’s bouquet, or decorate the church. The large white peace lily is one of those flowers that older generations associate with funerals and wreaths, peace symbolic of “rest in peace”! However, there was a stage when it was popular for bride’s to hold a single stemmed white lily.
Symbolic Wedding Flowers: how do you decide on what is appropriate?
There are some indicators as to what is appropriate (rather than what is not appropriate) to include in your selection of wedding flowers for your bouquet and wedding decorations:
- your country’s national flower will be regarded as a symbol of good luck, e.g. the Scottish use white heather, the Irish use myrtle, in Singapore orchids, etc
- flowers generally match the colour of your country’s traditional wedding attire, e.g. in European and Western countries white, in Eastern countries gold and red, etc
- flowers with a symbolic link to warding off evil spirits e.g. herbs
- wild flowers and sprays of foliage associated with your countryside that would have been accessible to all brides (beware of preservation orders)
- perfumed flowers, again to ward off evil spirits
When considering flowers for wedding decorations you also need to be mindful of how you go about arranging them. For instance, the vases:
- the conventional narrow necked vase is associated in the western world with death
- ornate, or too gaudy, vases may be frowned upon by the church, or not balance with the architecture
- if following my DIY theme use jam jars decorated with moss or tree bark
Also bear in mind the effect lighting has on the colour of your wedding flowers. Churches are usually rather dim, or have shadows thrown on them by candlelight. Dark colours need careful handling, as they tend not to show up well. Enquire if it is possible to have a discrete spotlight on the flowers.
List of Symbolic Wedding Flowers:
This list is certainly not inclusive of all the symbolic wedding flowers as they are too many to mention. Nor does the list include the names of the numerous exotic blooms shipped worldwide from the tropics, which are increasingly popular with brides. Here is a small selection for consideration:
- Apple Blossom for Better things to come
- Daffodil for Regard
- Daisy for Innocence
- Fern for Fascination and hope
- Forget-me-not for True love and remembrance
- Honeysuckle for Generosity
- Iris for Warmth and affection
- Ivy for Eternal fidelity
- Lilac (white) for Youthful Innocence
- Lily for Majesty
- Rose (white) for Innocence
- Rose (red) for Love
- Rose (yellow) for Deep Friendship
- Snowdrop for Hope
- Sweat pea for Delicate pleasures
- Violet for Faithfulness
Wedding Flowers of HRH Queen Elizabeth:
When marrying the Duke of Edinburgh in Westminster Abbey, there were two huge sprays of yellow and white flowers either side of the alter. They included arums, forsythia, pale yellow tulips, narcissi, white hyacinths, white lilac and trails of variegated ivy.
Wedding Flowers Options:
- for those following a DIY theme, try drying and preserving flowers that may then be used as a basis for your key flower
- incorporate sprays of berries and fruits into your decorations
- use unusual pieces of wood, e.g. twisted hazel, or a piece of driftwood from the beach, or pine cones (that you may spray paint) as the basis of your centerpiece
- consider using silk flowers, or make paper flowers
- an alternative to bud vases is a wide rimmed glass (e.g. brandy glass) half filled with a bloom of your choice floating on top
- consider holding a rosary instead of a bouquet just as Melania Klauss did when marrying Donald Trump
- if appropriate consider holding a bible instead of a bouquet
To conclude, there is no right or wrong when choosing your wedding flowers. Just remember when making your choice you will have to look at those flowers for the rest of your life in your wedding photographs!
Wedding Flowers
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