Picking out your wedding flowers has to be up there at the top of your wedding to-do list along with ‘find a wedding dress’ and ‘don’t become a bridezilla’.
For some brides, flowers are their thing.
Others aren’t really sure where to start, aside from walking into a florist or falling down a Pinterest/Instagram rabbit hole.
In a casual conversation with a colleague about wedding flowers (as you do), she mentioned how the timing of her wedding meant she couldn’t have her dream bridal bouquet.
‘I’d always wanted red roses for my wedding, only I got married in February… my florist told me I had bugger all chance of getting them thanks to Valentine’s Day,’ she said (or something to that effect).
This kind of wedding planning dilemma begs the question:
What flowers are in-season and readily available during your wedding month?
To find out (and to help you avoid disappointment), I asked the flower fanatic and floral designer behind Lilli-Anthus Floral Design, Leigh Sexton, for the flowers you can depend on for your bridal bouquet and wedding flowers based on the month you’re getting hitched in.
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The Adelaide-based florist and wedding/event stylist said with more and more beautiful products coming from overseas (think Amsterdam, Japan and South America), it means floral designers are able to get their hands on stunning blooms out of season. There is never a guarantee on quality, though.
“The lines are very blurred on seasons sometimes, as it’s all weather dependant and some varieties can be grown later or earlier if grown in a glasshouse,” she told Mamamia.
That said, here’s Leigh’s round up of the most popular and readily available flowers for each season:
Best wedding flowers for summer
Getting married in December, January or February? Ask your florist about the below:
- Hydrangea
- Peonies
- Delphinium
- Queen Anne Lace
- Amaranthus
- Lisianthus or Prairie gentian
- Tuberrose
Best wedding flowers for spring
September, October and November brides have a bunch of options to choose from, including:
- Poppies
- Anemone
- Lilac
- Guelder rose
- Ranunculus
- Stocks
- Tulips
- Sweet pea
- Some natives
- Late season peonies
Best wedding flowers for autumn
As the weather starts to cool down, options can become more limited, but still equally beautiful. Couples getting hitched in March, April or May should consider:
- Dahlias
- Stocks
- Hyacinths
- Calla lillies
- Scabiosas
Best wedding flowers for winter
Planning a June, July or August wedding? Leigh suggested asking your florist about:
- Cymbidium orchids
- Sweet peas
- Hellebores
- Poppies
- Stocks
- Hyacinths
- Tulips
- Some natives
Flowers available all year round
Then, there are the trusty flowers you can depend on to be available all your round, including:
- Phalaenopsis orchids
- Singapore orchids
- Roses (except before/after Valentine's Day)
- Chrysanthemums
- Carnations
Leigh's biggest piece of advice when consulting with your florist about your wedding flowers is to do your research, but also come prepared to compromise if you're after something in particular.
"For example, the two most requested flowers women ask me for are peonies and dahlias - peonies aren't readily available in autumn and winter, and dahlias aren't in spring," she said.
"But to replace peonies in winter, you could always opt for a glass house grown garden rose for a classic look, and chrysanthemums are a great dahlia replacement in spring as they come in a variety of shades and, when used with the right accompanying blooms, will give you the vintage garden look."
In short, brides - know what you want, but also know what you can have.
Here's to your wonderful florist mashing the two together to create a memorable bouquet!
For more information on Leigh and Lilli-Anthus Floral Design, visit their website or follow Lilli-Anthus Floral Design on Instagram.
Did you struggle choosing your wedding flowers? What's your best advice for other brides?
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