Popular Wedding Flowers
Calla Lilies - also called the arum lily, they have an elegant trumpet shaped blossom. Blossoms tend to bruise easily which makes them one of your more expensive flowers. Callas tolerate heat quite well making them a great choice for summer weddings. They are available in two sizes: a larger blossom, ideal for centerpieces and other table style arrangments and a miniature blossom, beautiful in nosegays or hand-tied bouquets and boutonnieres. Available year round. Ivory is the most popular color, but callas also come in yellow, orange, mauve-pink, and dark purple.
Casablanca Lilies - large beautiful fragrant flat blooms make this an exquisite flower choice for bridal bouquets. Many people find the strong fragrance appealing, however some are allergic to it. Since the blooms are fairly large and take up a lot of space they make a great focal flower in ceremony arrangements. Available year round they come in white.
Hydrangeas - available in white, intense shades of pink, varying shade of green, blue, burgundy, and purple this scentless shrub flower has a large head and is perfect for filling out bouquets and arrangements. It is prone to wilt once out of water so it is best used in container arrangements or bouquets using wet foam. Moderately priced hydrangeas are available year round with the best show during the summer months.
Lily of the Valley - sometimes called, "the ladder to heaven", has fagrant little white bell-shaped florets dangling from a thin stem. They are in season during the month of May and sporadically the rest of the year. In season or out they are very expensive. Lily of the Valley are sensitive to heat, handling, and like water, so they are best used in arrangments or bouqets with wet foam.
Orchids - with more than 17,000 species known thoughout the world they are available in many varieties which vary in size, shape, and color year round. The price fluctuates depending on the variety and time of year. They are very resistant to heat and hold up well without water, so they make great body flowers used in corsages or boutonnieres, as well as in bouquets and other arrangements. This is an excellent choice for summer weddings.
Roses - timeless and classic - the quintessential wedding flower! Available year round, the rose comes in many varieties and colors including bi-colored, striped, and tipped. Versatille and beautiful, the price fluctuates from affordable to moderate depending on the variety and time of year. The three most common types used for weddings are hybrid tea roses (the classic rose used in rose arrangments by florists), spray roses (usually has 5 to 10 small heads on one stem), and garden roses (expensive, old-fashioned variety with bushy open heads and delicious scents).
Stephanotis - very traditional and formal wedding flower with dainty white star shaped waxy florets. They actually grow on a vine, so to be used they must first be individually wired or placed on a special holder before they can be arranged. Stephanotis must have an adequate source of water and are prone to wilting when used in bouquets or body flowers. Lightly scented, available year round, and moderately priced.
Tulips - though available year round they are at their best quality and price in the late winter to early spring (February thru April). They are grown in a wide range of colors including cream and white making them versatille enough for a very formal affair or a more casual relaxed setting. The most common varieties include: Dutch Tulips (typically seen at your local florist or in gardens), French Tulips (expensive and elegant with large tapered blooms and extra long stems), and Parrot Tulips (known for their ruffled, striped petals and intense colors).
The Peony - seasonally available from late spring to early summer. At their best blooms are large, fluffy, fragrant and vivid in color. Used for centuries in Asia and France this expensive bloom is beautiful in bouquets, centerpieces, and arrangements.