Wedding Flowers and Their Meaning

Flowers truly are magical. They have the ability to transform a simple location into a fairy wonderland, or add that extra touch to an already magical site. Each flower or plant has its own fairy or deva which will bless your wedding with its own unique essence. Your flowers establish your color scheme and level of formality. They can be simple and earthy, or extravagant and celestial.

In the interest of personalized energy, cost, and creativity, my partner and I asked an artist friend of ours who worked part time at a florist's to design the flowers for our wedding. A year before the wedding this friend and I went to the local farmers' market to see which flowers were in season. My friend took notes while I went from booth to booth pointing out what I liked. She went to the market the day before the wedding to pick out fresh flowers from local growers, which she supplemented with willow bark and other accessories from a florist.

Give yourself time to play with flowers. Hang out at florists' shops and farmers' markets to acquaint yourself with their individual energies as well as colors and properties. Peruse gardening magazines and wedding books for ideas. Consider color, smell, weight, and durability when choosing your favorites. Look for local flowers in season both to reduce costs and, most importantly, to infuse your nuptials with the energy of the land that hosts them.

The princess of flowers at your wedding is of course the flower girl. If you choose to invite a little fairy friend to precede you down the aisle, make sure to decorate her with flowers as well. Ask your florist to make a lovely but simple flower crown out of small roses or herbs and baby's breath. Or incorporate flowers from your bouquet in her crown; make sure, however, that she is not allergic to the flowers. Give her a small pomander to carry, or a basket with rose petals to strew on the aisle ahead of you. I still remember my first wedding experience as a seven-year-old flower girl sprinkling rose petals from a little white basket. I fulfilled this role with great pride and all the seriousness due the task, much to the amusement and pride of my aunt, the bride.