Common Wedding Flowers

STEPHANOTIS

MEANING: Marital happiness
SCENT: Very fragrant
SEASON: Year-round
PRICE RANGE: Moderate
FLOWER FACT: These trumpet-shaped blossoms are traditional bridal flowers, no doubt due to their meaning. Preserve very well but often wilt during reception.

CALLA LILY

MEANING: Magnificent beauty
SCENT: Lightly fragrant
SEASON: Spring and summer
PRICE RANGE: Expensive
FLOWER FACT: This large tropical flower is very popular in weddings. Preserves well.

DELPHINIUM

MEANING: Swiftness, lightness
SCENT: Lightly fragrant
SEASON: Summer
PRICE RANGE: Moderate
FLOWER FACT: This large, multi-blossom flower is a traditional wedding favorite. Preserves well.

FREESIA

MEANING: Innocence
SCENT: Very fragrant
SEASON: Spring and summer
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive in season. Preserves well.

GARDENIA

MEANING: Purity, joy
SCENT: Very fragrant
SEASON: Year-round
PRICE RANGE: Expensive
FLOWER FACTS: Preserves well but can turn brown when handled.

HYDRANGEA

MEANING: Purity, joy
MEANING: None recorded
SCENT: None
SEASON: Spring and Fall
PRICE RANGE: Expensive
FLOWER FACT: There has been a recent resurgence in hydrangeas’ wedding popularity. Preserves well.

ORCHID

MEANING: Love, beauty
SCENT: None
SEASON: Year-round — almost always imported
PRICE RANGE: Expensive. Most preserve well.

LILY

MEANING: Majesty, truth, honor
SCENT: Fragrant, often reminiscent of Easter
SEASON: Summer, but often imported during other seasons
PRICE RANGE: Moderate to expensive. Preserves well.

LILY OF THE VALLEY

MEANING: Happiness
SCENT: Fragrant
SEASON: Spring and Summer
PRICE RANGE: Expensive
FLOWER FACT: These small, fragile, bell-shaped flowers are considered traditional marriage flowers. Preserves well when fresh, but may brown during reception.

STOCK

MEANING: Lasting beauty
SCENT: Very fragrant
SEASON: Year-round
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive
FLOWER FACT: Stock can be found in many colors to complement and fill out arrangements. Preserves well.

TULIP

MEANING: Love, passion
SCENT: None
SEASON: Late Spring
PRICE RANGE: Expensive
FLOWER FACT: These sweet and stately flowers can be found in a myriad of colors. They preserve well when very fresh.

SWEET PEA

MEANING: Departure
SCENT: Fragrant
SEASON: Late Spring and early Summer
PRICE RANGE: Moderate
FLOWER FACT: Does not hold up well.

BABYS BREATH

MEANING: Innocence
SCENT: None
SEASON: Year-round
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive filler
FLOWER FACT:

CARNATION

MEANING: Pink represents boldness, red symbolizes love, and white indicates talent. Some other colors have negative connotations.
SCENT: Very light fragrance or none at all, depending on variety
SEASON: Year-round
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive, preserves well.
FLOWER FACT:

CHRYSANTHEMUM or MUM

MEANING: Wealth, abundance, truth
SCENT: None
SEASON: Year-round
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive
FLOWER FACT: Mums come in several varieties, which determine their size and color. The name literally means “golden flower.” Used most often in the fall.

DAFFODIL 

MEANING: Regard
SCENT: None
SEASON: Spring
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive in season
FLOWER FACT:

DAISY 

MEANING: Share your feelings
SCENT: None
SEASON: Year-round
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive in season. Does not preserve well.
FLOWER FACT:

IRIS

MEANING: A message of faith, wisdom
SCENT:
SEASON: Spring
PRICE RANGE: Moderate to expensive, depending on variety
FLOWER FACT: Iris come in several sizes; they are usually blue or white, but you may find exotic varieties (including purple ones). Preserves well.

LILAC

MEANING: Love’s first emotions
SCENT: Very fragrant
SEASON: Local lilacs are available in the spring; imported French lilacs are available year-round
PRICE RANGE: Moderate to expensive.
FLOWER FACT: The local lilac is grown like a bush and is used as filler because of its greenery. The French lilac is more flower-like and can be used as such in bouquets and arrangements. This exotic flower comes in a variety of colors and sizes. Preserves well.

SUNFLOWER

MEANING: Short-stemmed sunflowers mean adoration; long-stemmed sunflowers symbolize haughtiness
SCENT: None
SEASON: Fall
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive to moderate in season
FLOWER FACT: Smaller blooms recently have become popular in arrangements

PEONY

MEANING: Bashfulness, the American spirit of ambition and determination
SCENT: Lightly fragrant
SEASON: Late Spring
PRICE RANGE: Expensive
FLOWER FACT: Preserves well