Wondering which wedding flowers are in season for your big day? Here’s your ultimate guide to seasonal wedding flowers, their colours and what they symbolise.
Spring
Top picks: Tulip (symbolising ‘perfect love’), Narcissus (symbolising ‘new beginnings’), Daisy (symbolising ‘innocence’ and ‘purity’)
Springtime brings you an abundance of choice when it comes to your bouquet, as there are so many beautiful flowers in bloom at this time of year. Whether you want romantic pastels or pops of colour, there’s an array of flowers readily available throughout the season.
In March through to April, you can expect to find explosive colour as nature welcomes a wide variety of Tulip and Narcissus, more commonly known as the Daffodil.
Meanwhile, providing shades of blue, Hyacinth, Bluebell and Iris are also available for Spring weddings. Blossom, Lily of the Valley, Hydrangea and, later in the season, the familiar Daisy, offer more subtle hues.
Ranunculus and Rose species can also be found in the Spring months, rivalling Tulips in their ability to bring bursts of bright colour to your wedding palette!
Summer
Top picks: Peony (symbolising ‘prosperity’ and ‘happiness’), Rose (symbolising ‘love and ‘romance’)
Summer is without a doubt the “wedding season”, and so it’s not surprising that there are lots of stunning flowers to choose from once it officially starts.
One of the first (and probably the most desirable) flowers to bud early in the summer is the Peony. Coming in a range of blush tones and with breathtakingly large and fluffy heads, the Peony plant has long been a favourite among summertime brides. However, since it is not in bloom for long you only have a very small window to get these beauties at their very best, usually around the month of June.
June also marks the best time of year for cutting Roses, with many kinds of Rose plant producing numerous variations of the traditionally British flower. Sweet Pea, Nigella, Astrantia and Delphinium also present themselves during these early stages of summer.
In July, you might begin to see impressive Dahlias which offer not only cheerful colours but also great interest in terms of structure. During the driest month of the season – August – Gaura, Cosmos and Foxglove are in their element.
Of course, spring and summertime will also produce countless varieties of greenery, including Eucalyptus and Ruscus, while Hydrangeas of all colours continue to be the flavour of the month (or season!).
Autumn
Top picks: Dahlia (symbolising ‘elegance’), Cosmos (symbolising ‘order’ and ‘harmony’)
Sweet Peas will continue to be in season as many flowers begin to die back, and Verbena and Achillea will come to life.
In October, the standout flower for bridal bouquets is the Dahlia, which maintains its bold colours into the Autumn and makes it the perfect choice for a bold Autumnal bouquet.
But by the time November comes, there is less choice when it comes to colour, yet hardy plants like Cosmos can still provide some flushes of colour to your floral arrangements.
Winter
Top picks: Honeysuckle (symbolising ‘pure happiness’), Winter herbs (with Sage symbolising ‘domestic virtue’ and Oregano ‘joy’)
While the winter months offer fewer flourishing plants, there’s still an abundance of foliage at your disposal which means that rustic, woodland themed arrangements are easy to achieve from the month of December. As the festive season approaches, berries can be added to your wintry bouquet and you also have the likes of winter flowering Honeysuckle, Magnolia, Laurel and Viburnum available to you.
Don’t be afraid to play around with cut branches in your arrangements too. January is a great time to find all sorts of woody growth like Maple, Oak and Beech which can be really striking in an arrangement. Bunches of dried herb flowers or buds like Oregano, Sage and Dill also make great additions to Winter wedding flowers.
You may already have guessed it, but all the flowers mentioned above are seasonal British flowers which can be grown and sourced from UK soil and if you are looking to be more environmentally conscious this is the best option. But if it is your preference, many non-native species can also be imported to make your floral arrangements that bit ‘extra’, including exotic species like Orchids, Proteas and other ornamental plants, or if your chosen blooms aren’t in season in the UK.
Your florist will be able to advise which species can be used for your specific wedding date and will no doubt bring the bouquet of your dreams to life on the day!
At Fennes we have wedding planners on hand to help with flower choices and anything else you need advice on. Get in touch to find out more.