While there’s a lot to think about when choosing flowers for your wedding, there are also plenty of rules out there that may or may not be helpful. It’s important to remember first and foremost that this is your day and you can keep or break as many of those rules as you like. Moreover, people choose certain flowers for their bouquets for a lot of different reasons.
Thanks to the Victorian era, the symbolism behind flowers became an important way to communicate feelings, so flowers are often chosen with their meanings in mind. You might also want to be pragmatic, looking at which flowers are in season or more cost-effective at the time of your wedding. Some people even choose to include items beyond flowers in their bouquets. At Rose Hill Weddings, we want to help you make the perfect choice for you. Here are some things you might consider when choosing your wedding bouquet flowers.
Choosing Wedding Flowers Because of their Symbolism
Thanks to the Victorian era, we see plenty of meaning behind different varieties and colors of flowers. Want to communicate sentiments of loyalty? Dahlias, representing commitment and a life-long bond, will be a beautiful way to say it. Want to represent faith and wisdom as you come together as one? Choose iris for your wedding blooms. Virtually every flower, especially those most popular in weddings, has a particular meaning that can be conveyed in your wedding bouquet or other floral decor. Check out this extensive list of meanings to learn what your favorite blooms have to say.
Why Certain Flowers are Chosen (or Not)
You may find that there are certain flowers which, while beautiful and fragrant, you may want to avoid for your wedding. Some, like gardenias, are so fragile they will likely wilt between the creation of the bouquet and the wedding ceremony itself. Others might simply be more costly than your wedding budget allows because they’re out of season during your wedding month. Do your research ahead of time for particular flowers you like to make sure they’re hardy and attainable at the time of your wedding.
On the other hand, you might choose flowers because they’ve been used before. Include the same flowers your mother and future mother-in-law carried in their wedding bouquets to honor them in your ceremony. Choose the flowers he brought you on your first date to keep their specialness between you. Opt to follow in the footsteps of royalty by choosing Lily of the Valley, the signature wedding flower chosen by Kate Middleton, Grace Kelly, Queen Victoria, and Princess Astrid of Sweden.
Other Items to Include in your Wedding Bouquet
Some cultures throughout history included non-floral items in their wedding bouquets for various purposes. For example, the Ancient Romans and Greeks, in a concerted effort to ward off evil spirits, carried garlic in their wedding bouquets. Some cultures have included other, more fragrant herbs like rosemary, thyme, or lavender, and even stalks of wheat to symbolize abundance, along with their wedding flowers. Today, some brides choose to attach a special memento, like a locket from a grandmother, a monogrammed ribbon, or a special family jewel to their wedding bouquet to include their own special meaning as they approach the altar.
There are so many ways to personalize your wedding, but relying on the symbolism of flowers is an enduring way to communicate your feelings and add a special, unique touch to your wedding. To learn more about including flowers with special meaning in your wedding decor, talk to the wedding designers at Rose Hill Weddings. We’ll happily walk you through the abundance of options and help you find the perfect choice for you.