7 Good Luck Flowers to Include in Your Bridal Bouquet

Many of today’s wedding traditions originated hundreds of years ago to attract good luck, symbolize love and prosperity, and keep evil spirits away. Wedding flowers, in particular, often play a part in these traditions. So, for those who are curious about what popular wedding traditions mean, or those who want to make sure they have as much good luck juju as possible on their big day, we’re giving you the interesting history and details you never knew you needed! From ancient practices to modern, the floral experts at Rose Hill Flowers – Weddings & Events list seven popular wedding traditions known for bringing good luck and symbolizing love, wealth, and long-lasting happiness.

The rose has been a symbol of love and romance since brides started walking down the aisle! The ancient Greeks and Romans used roses in their weddings by carrying them, putting them in their hair, and strewing them across the floor to release the heady, perfumed scent of their petals as they walked about. The Greeks also linked the rose to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. A hardy bloom available all year-long and in nearly every color imaginable, the rose is a beloved, amazing flower that will always be associated with love.

Ivy is another good-luck charm brides in ancient Greece used in their weddings. In addition to symbolizing fidelity, wedded love, friendship, and affection, ivy was also believed to ward off evil spirits and suppress drunkenness. In Greek mythology, the God of wine, Dionysus, is represented by ivy, giving it the meaning of joy and vitality. Today, ivy is commonly used in bridal bouquets and headdresses to symbolize youth, loyalty, and never-ending love.

Bells ringing in the local town square often signaled that a new couple had just been wed. The melodic sound spread the news to those who lived near and far that a celebration of new love was at hand. Tracing this custom back to Scotland, the sounds of bells were also used to ward off evil spirits, and grant wishes to the newlyweds. Bells became a standard wedding gift for couples to receive, representing a harmonious connection between two people. Additionally, Irish brides often include bells in their bridal bouquets as a reminder of the sacred vows and true love they will be sharing with their partner.

Peonies have become an immensely popular wedding bloom in the U.S., but this lush blossom has been used in weddings in China and Korea for some time already. Thought to bring wealth and prosperity, peonies are often embroidered on the bride’s gown and featured along with other flowers in Chinese weddings, and in Korea, they are frequently used as centerpieces and represent marital bliss and happiness.

Before flowers became the dominant feature of bridal bouquets, weeds, herbs, and spices were used instead. The origin of the bridal bouquet is quite fascinating, and besides offering a nice fragrance to cover up bad smells, early bouquets also used herbs and spices to ward off bad luck and evil spirits to make sure nothing went awry during their wedding. In addition to ensuring a lovely wedding and marriage, many of the herbs in bridal bouquets also symbolized fertility and faithfulness.

A trend in Polynesian weddings is to use the stems of lilies to bind the couple’s wrists together. Here, the lily is considered a sacred flower as it is believed to attract positive spirits while driving off negative ones. As the officiant “ties the knot,” the couple is now linked together forever, and the lily will bring them luck as they grow their life together.

The bride herself was considered lucky in a wedding, and if someone got a “piece” of her, most likely from her dress, it was considered good luck. The tradition of tossing the bouquet originated in England years ago as a way to not only protect the bride from having her dress ripped to shreds but also to throw some luck to the crowd. Today, the bridal bouquet is still considered lucky as the first single woman to touch it will be the next one to get lucky in love and get married.

Make sure you incorporate one – or all – of the lucky charms mentioned above when it’s time for you to get married. And for the best wedding florist with quality blooms and exceptional service, visit Rose Hill Flowers – Weddings & Events and they will make your floral dreams come true.