Floriography or the language of flowers means that every flower type and colour has its own meaning and significance. From a passionate symbol of love to a variety relating to endearing friendship and resilience, here are the most popular flowers seen in weddings, what they mean and how to style them.
Roses
A classic, timeless flower choice – roses are known for evoking a sense of elegance when used in a wedding and each colour can have a different meaning. Red roses symbolise romance, love, beauty and courage while yellow are seen as a symbol of friendship and new beginnings. Vibrant pink roses mean gratitude and lighter shades can symbolise gentleness and grace.
Use varying pink and white shades of roses together with other delicate blooms to make a unique floral installation. Alternatively, you could pair romantic red roses with soft white tones in your bridal bouquet for a striking floral design. Burgundy and wine-coloured shades will give a moody, dark look to your wedding, symbolising passion and devotion.
Dahlias
Elegance, inner strength and dignity are the meaning behind dahlia flowers. Pink shades can represent grace and kindness, red dahlias are known to mean strength and power, and purple types can symbolise royalty. Dahlias are ideal for a rustic wedding theme as they can be arranged in an unstructured fashion to tie in nicely with the country setting.
Intersperse pink shades with yellow florals and soft greenery for a romantic feel to your wedding bouquet. Otherwise, use innocent, white varieties to add texture to your floral arrangements.
Peonies
Delicate peonies symbolise honour, joy and romance. Pink is the most popular and common variety, chosen for its romantic charm and symbolism of prosperity. Take care when using white peonies – while they can be used to express bashfulness, they can also be seen as a sign of apology.
Similar pink hued flowers and peonies would perfectly suit a minimalist wedding. However, peonies are quite versatile and tend to suit any wedding theme from classic and formal to an intimate, boho-style affair.
Succulents
While they can be considered a unique plant variety for your wedding day, succulents can be used in a plethora of ways. Because of their robust nature, succulents can symbolise endurance and timeless love. Consider an all-succulent bridal bouquet or add them sparingly to your bunch. Alternatively, they can be used as centrepieces to add a boho or rustic feel to an outdoor wedding, especially when they are used in long planters for a statement look. They can also be used in small terrariums to bring the outdoors inside.
Maintenance is minimal as they are drought resistant and can cope in the higher summer temperatures.
Baby’s breath
Baby’s breath or gypsophila represents purity and everlasting love. This flower variety can be used to add texture to flower crowns, whether worn by the bride and/or her bridal party.
You can also use it sparingly throughout your wedding venue. Baby’s breath looks especially delicate and romantic in small bunches on the backs of ceremony chairs.
Lily of the valley
A flower with the royal seal of approval, lily of the valley can represent happiness, youth and sincerity. Used in both the Kate Middleton's and Meghan Markle’s bridal bouquets, this flower is thought to bring good luck, making it ideal to use in your wedding. Use it with soft green foliage to make a simple and delicate bridal bouquet or add it with cream toned flowers to your groom’s buttonhole.
Lilacs
Add a pop of colour to your wedding day with a lilac bridal bouquet. Lilacs can symbolise spirituality as well as the first emotions of love. This soft hued flower is ideal for a spring or summer wedding, and you can pair the shade with similar coloured bridesmaids' dresses and mauve groomsmen suits. Alternatively, you can use lilacs and flowers of a similar shade with textured greenery for an outdoor ceremony arch.
