Bride In Bloom
Flowers come and go with the seasons, so before you decide on the perfect variety for your wedding day, you will need to determine whether it’s even in bloom. Here, Cloé Timperley speaks with Kathleen Farrell, the owner of Floral Impressions, about the most popular wedding flowers, from summer through to winter, to help you pick your ideal buds, bouquets and boutonnieres.
When deciding on your wedding date, there are a number of variables to consider. The time of year you choose will directly affect the theme and cost of your event, and may have some bearing on whether or not you can go ahead with an outdoor ceremony.
Moreover, the season in which you decide to tie the knot will determine the type of bouquet you carry down the aisle. The last thing you want is to lock in your dream date only to discover that your favourite bloom is out of season. If you have your heart set on a particular type of flower, it’s important to do a little bit of horticultural research beforehand to figure out when it’s actually available.
Luckily, each of Mother Nature’s glorious seasons afford a wide range of beautiful blooms. Whether you opt for a winter wedding or a colourful spring soiree, you can rest assured you will be spoilt for choice.
To help you better understand which flowers are available during the month of your wedding, Melbourne Wedding & Bride rounds up the most popular blooms associated with each season.
Summer
Marked by clear blue skies and heady floral fragrances, summer is a carefree and romantic time of year. If you’re planning a summer wedding, a bouquet in buttery yellows, dazzling purples or peachy pinks is the perfect way to pay homage to this vibrant season.
“English roses, lisianthus and peonies are always very popular in summer,” says Farrell, who’s been working in the floral industry for more than 12 years. “Peonies have a shorter season of about eight weeks, and they can’t be grown in a glasshouse, which means the weather has a lot of influence on their season.”
Versatile and highly affordable, hydrangeas also come into season during summer. While the hydrangea is often unfairly perceived as old fashioned, a skilled florist can make this bloom truly shine. Equally, if you’re after ‘something blue’ in your bridal bouquet, the humble hydrangea provides the perfect solution.
Farrell says that flowers in soft pink or lemon shades are a common pick for summer, which makes the lotus flower an obvious choice. Available only in January and showcasing a unique oriental aesthetic, the lotus flower is a stunning seasonal addition to any floral arrangement.
Autumn
In an autumnal bouquet, the colours are often just as important as the actual flowers. Bouquets comprising rich reds, fiery oranges and radiant gold shades capture the warmth and beauty of the season, while special accoutrements such as foliage, twigs or berries add a dramatic flair.
“Warmer tones are definitely the preference for autumn,” says Farrell. “Sometimes the style of bouquet is a bit more rustic and moody, and textural native varieties increase in popularity as the weather cools down.”
Chrysanthemums, ivy and Queen Anne’s lace are some of the most common choices for autumn, while fragrant slipper orchids make for an unusual floral design with their striking shape and exotic colouring.
Also coming to life in autumn, dahlias are a sophisticated bloom that will bring an air of elegance to your wedding day. A classic flower that’s perfect for a large bouquet, the dahlia offers a huge variety in colour and shape.
Winter
Winter brides often worry that their floral choices will be limited, however this couldn’t be further from the truth! With an array of stunning colours and textures to choose from, there are so many interesting flowers available in the frosty months.
A floral arrangement in deep red, emerald green or snowy white hues captures the crystalline beauty of the winter season and provides the perfect complement to an elegant indoor celebration.
“White flowers are still very popular in winter,” says Farrell. “Roses, berries and cymbidium orchids are also timeless options that never go out of style.”
Tulips, hyacinths and carnations burst with seasonal charm, while the oriental lily – with its links to Venus, the goddess of love – is a pertinent choice.
Finally, it’s not a winter wedding without the protea. In contrast to some other delicate winter blossoms, this hardy South African flower is exceptionally long lasting, and will add great texture and a point of interest to your arrangement.
Spring
Spring is the season for new beginnings, so it makes perfect sense that this is the most popular time for weddings. With an abundance of varieties coming into bloom during this time of year, spring brides have some of the most fragrant, cheerful and delicate flowers at their fingertips.
“The lovely spring weather gives people a surge of energy, and they tend to want to see a bit of colour and new-season flowers after a cold winter,” says Farrell. “Sweet pea, ranunculus and freesias are great seasonal choices.”
With spring-time flowers ranging from the deepest of blues to the sheerest of pinks, your wedding bouquet possibilities are endless. Gardenias, jonquils and lily of the valley are soft options that will create a lovely pastel-coloured bouquet, while irises, gladioli and anthurium provide a rainbow of shades from which to choose.
With its powerful fragrance and vivid purple colouring, lavender is a charming seasonal flower that suggests lazy spring afternoons and buzzing bees. Similarly, cherry blossom is spring’s calling card and is an evocative symbol of love’s fragility, beauty and tenacity.
If you don’t want your wedding flower choices restricted by the seasons, it’s worth keeping in mind that some varieties, such as roses, lilies and phalaenopsis orchids, are available year-round. Furthermore, with efficient modern-day transport, many out-of-season flowers can be sourced from around the world with the click of a mouse.
Whether you opt for an ever-green variety or a fleeting seasonal bloom, it’s important to choose a bouquet that speaks to you. “You need to remember that your wedding flowers will be immortalised in photographs,” says Farrell. “With that in mind, they need as much consideration as the venue or even the dress.”