When it comes to wedding floristry, you may have your heart set out on Peonies - but then when it comes to booking your wedding date in late summer, realise they’re no longer in season.
This blog post is to help you understand which flowers are in season and when. If you do love a certain flower, then this will help you know which season is best to have your wedding to incorporate this. Likewise, if you already have the date booked, you can use this as a guide for similar flowers that will work to your style.
I thought this best come straight from the florist expert so have invited Gemma, floral designer and owner of Bloominati Florals, a luxury Sussex & Surrey wedding florist over to my blog for Q and A session.
1. Which flowers are most popular and in season for a late Winter/Early Spring wedding (Dec-April)?
Oh how I love these months - an abundance of delicate, pastel-shaded beauties pour into season, giving us florists plenty of choice for couples wanting to get married in these early months. Some of my show-stealing Spring favourites are fluffy Ranunculus, which are available in an array of shades: from Salmon to soft Mauve.
For couples that enjoy loose garden designs when it comes to their bouquet, I recommend incorporating Hellebores into your floral recipe. These beautiful flowers come in white, series, and burgundy, and will provide shape and movement to your designs. These flowers aren’t typically a focal flower like our Roses, Ranunculus, or Anemones, but act as a stunning supporting cast to build a natural, loose and garden look.
If scent is important to you, I recommend considering Lilac, I guarantee you’ll have your nose in your bouquet all day. Available in soft lilac and white shades, these flowers are perfect for garden-style bouquets as they fall naturally into shape and provide plenty of movement and texture. These do fall into a higher price bracket, so speak to your florist about where these can be incorporated as per your budget.
If you’re looking to add a touch of Spring and some texture to your bouquet, I recommend incorporating Cherry Blossom, which is available in the Spring months up until around May. These delicate flowers add so much interest to bouquets and will add that lovely Spring feel to your design.
2. Which flowers are most popular and in season for a late Spring/ Summer wedding (May-Aug)?
With the temperature starting to climb as we move more into Late Spring/Summer months brings a brand-new selection of flowers for us to enjoy.
Late Spring brings the coveted Peony, available for a short window between April and May. A firm wedding favourite, their heads transform from a tight golf ball bud into a tennis ball-sized arrangement of ruffles and frills. Peonies are available in dramatic burgundy, white, baby pink, and cerise that work well for both soft, pastel and bright, bold palettes.
Again, if scent is an important aspect of your floral checklist, check out Sweet Pea - their ruffles are to die for and they smell divine. They’re available in an array of colours ranging from white, pastels and bold, bright hues. They look stunning in all types of bouquets and pair well with other flowers such as Roses, Delphinium and fluffy Carnations (don’t write Carnations off - they are available in some absolutely beautiful shades, are cost-effective, and we have tricks up our sleeves to make them look like Roses!)
It’s worth noting that there are a few months in the Summer where the Eucalyptus becomes very poor/is unavailable. It’s worth keeping an open mind when it comes to foliage, your florist will be able to recommend other options that provide the same look and maybe more cost-effective overall, as Eucalyptus can be an expensive option as it’s the most popular wedding foliage.
Dahlias, which are one of my all-time favourites, also makes an appearance in the Summer months, and remain one of the most popular choices of the season. They can range in size up to side-plate sized blooms, our Cafe Au Lait Dahlias. If your heart does sing for these though, be ready to spend as these are most suited to larger budgets. Again, your florist can help you to fine-tune your budget if you would like to include these in the mix.
Sunflowers are popular in the Summer months thanks to their bright, bold appearance and are best in quality in these seasons. These are available for most of the year, apart from the late Winter months.
Image Credit: Francesca Pillon photography
3. Which flowers are most popular and in season for an Early Autumn/Winter wedding (Sept-Dec)?
Autumn is my favourite month to play in thanks to the jewel tones and texture that these months provide. Interesting grasses, gorgeous berries and a flurry of wine, burgundy, rust, copper, and caramel shades of foliage and flowers are available.
For couples wanting to add a metallic element to their bouquets, I recommend incorporating sapphire-blue Viburnum berries into their foliage selection. For those that want to add a seasonal touch, I recommend Skimmia with their Ruby-infused tones for interest and texture.
Dusty Miller is a popular choice for foliage in the late Autumn/Winter months with its silver-toned leaves and an elegant nod to Christmas themes. Poinsettias are synonymous with Winter and look sensational when used sparingly in arrangements such as your bouquet, vase arrangements or in larger quantities for floral archways or chuppahs.
There are some really beautiful subtle-metallic Chrysanthemum Blooms available which look beautiful in Winter-themed bouquets and can be a cost-effective choice as they’re available all-year-around.
Anemones make an appearance as we move into later Winter months and come in a selection of hues, including deep purple, poppy-red, cerise, and white. My personal favourite is the white, I love how much it contrasts with the black centre and find them incredibly striking.
Image credit: Nina Emily Photo + Film
4. Do you have any other tips you could give to couples?
Ensure you mix seasonal favourites such as Peonies, Anemones and Dahlias with flowers that are available all-year-round such as Roses, Lisianthus and Chrysanthemums to keep your budget tight. When specific flowers are in season, they become more sought-after, and therefore the price increases for us florists to buy them in, so it’s important to speak to your florist about how you can incorporate the beauty of the season into your floral recipe whilst enjoying a varied selection of other flowers on offer.
Image Credit: Jessi Zou Photography
I hope this provides you with some inspiration when researching flower and foliage options. My goal is to always help couples to match their budgets with their floral visions so that they feel informed, confident and thus, delighted on their wedding day.
Gemma x
Thanks so much to Gemma for answering my questions on my blog page and I hope this provides you with a good insight for your wedding floristry! You can find Gemma's website here.
If you are in need of help planning and designing your wedding I would love to hear from you. Contact me on hello@yourstoryevents.co.uk or call 07469942646.
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