Traditional Wedding Flowers

Wedding flowers are an essential part of your wedding, and especially your wedding bouquet. When taking photos, they can make or break the final effect as well as what you remember about your day. This is not a place to scrimp on the budget.

Matching Flowers
Traditionally the bride carries white and her bouquet is larger than that of her attendants. The groom also wears a matching boutineer to his bride's flowers. The next in line, the maid or matron of honor, is next in size, but usually will carry a color to match the wedding colors, other than white. If the wedding colors are pink and white the maid of honor would carry mainly pink, and could have a touch of white. The same with the bridesmaids. The groomsmen should match their counter parts with colors. That is the traditional way, with the bridesmaids bouquets being the smallest of the group.

Which Flowers are in Season
Flower type is only dependent on the bride, and what she likes, though some flowers are seasonal and can cost more at various times of the year.

YEAR-ROUND: Calla lily, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Daisy, Freesia, Gardenia, Gladiolus, Iris, Lily, Lisianthus, Orchid, Ranunculus, Rose, Snapdragon, Stephanotis.

SPRING: Anemone, Bells of Ireland, Daffodil, Dogwood, Forsythia, Hellebore, Hyacinth, Hydrangea, Lilac, Lily-of-the-valley, Peony, Ranunculus, Tulip, Vibrunum, Wax Flower,

SUMMER: Dahlia, Delphinium, Jasmine, Larkspur, Marigold, Peony, Scabiosa, Violet, Zinnia

FALL: Autumn leaves, Dahlia, Ornamental Peppers, Seasonal berries, Sunflower.

While these flowers may be in season at these times of the year, it does not mean they are condusive to a bridal bouquet. The gardenia for instance, may be great as a corsage, but would not work well in a bouquet. A bride can make any choice but if on a budget, it is better to find out what flowers she is interested in and if they are readily available at the time of the wedding, or if she will have to pay premium prices to get them at that time. The best thing to do is to check with your local florist.