Do You Know The Best Year-Round Flowers For Weddings? Let Me Tell You!

Before I sit down with a couple to discuss their wedding flowers, I like to have brainstormed a bit prior to our meeting. I take out my handy dandy “vision” sheet and start reflecting on what they have told me about their wedding date, the venue, how many guests are invited and their color palette (The 4 Crucial Decisions That Need To Be Made Before You Start Thinking About Wedding Flowers).  I find myself at some point always writing down the same little trustworthy group of flowers somewhere during this process. They are available year-round and come in a sufficient amount of color choices.  I thought I would share them with you!  

HYDRANGEA: Available colors are- white, pale blue and mini chartreuse green. (there are more colors that hydrangea comes in, but I am only listing the year-round ones)
Pros: Moderately priced for how much space they take up.
Cons: Can wilt easily and prone to break if not taken care of properly.

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LISIANTHUS: Available colors are- white, light pink, cream, butter, pale green, lavender, dark purple and bi-color white/purple.
Pros: Hardy for how delicate they look. Great foliage and shoots that can be repurposed in arrangements and boutonnieres. 
Cons: If left in grower packaging too long, they can get   condensation on the petals which turns them mushy. Petals show bruising easily.

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STOCK: Available colors are- white, butter, apricot, light/dark pink, light/dark purple and raspberry red.
Pros: Inexpensive for how much space they take up. Smell like cinnamon.
Cons: Sometimes they can be a little leggy on top...where the petals are more spaced out….doesn’t look as pretty. Short vase life. Vase water can get VERY smelly if not changed out often with these.

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FREESIA: Available colors are- white, yellow, red/orange, lavender, dark purple, light pink and dark pink.
Pros: Smell wonderful. Unique shape. Good option for boutonnieres and corsages. Long lasting.
                Cons: Sometimes buds can be small and immature, which never open.

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ROSES: Available colors are- Anything you can imagine except black, blue or gray.
Pros: Long-lasting. Look great tight or fully open. If you bruise a petal-just pluck it off.
Cons: Cleaning thorns off.

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GARDEN ROSES: Available colors are-Anything you can imagine except black, blue or gray.
Pros: Romantic ruffled center. Lovely fragrance. Great alternative for peonies.
Cons: Expensive, some varieties can blow (open) really fast.

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SPRAY ROSES: Available colors are-Anything you can imagine except black, blue or gray.
Pros: Long-lasting. Great for boutonnieres, corsages and head wreaths. Lots of blooms-you can really get a lot out of one stem.
                            Cons: Cleaning thorns off

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GARDENIAS: Available in white
Pros: Amazing strong scent. Romantic and elegant. One bloom looks great as a statement piece in hair. If hydrated properly it can last a long time floating in water.
                       Cons: Comes stemless (need to give it a wired stem). Bruise very        easily from the oils on your fingers. Expensive.

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ORCHIDS: Available in lots of varieties (Mokara, Vanda, Dendrobium, Oncidium, Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis and Lady Slipper are the most common)
Pros: Visually striking and unusual. Long lasting. Very versatile and can be used in arrangements, submerged under water,        boutonnieres and corsages and hand held bouquets.
                       Cons: Expensive. 

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CALLA LILIES: Available in large and mini size. The large are available in white and green. The mini’s are available in yellow, burnt orange, red, all shades of pink, white, all shades of purple, bi-color white and purple (picasso) and deep blackish plum (swartzwalder).
Pros: Long-lasting. Great for arrangements, hand-held bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages.
Cons: Tricky to use with oasis foam. Since their stems are porous and not woody it makes it challenging not to bend them. Large white callas can bruise and brown if not handled with care.  As they unfurl, they have a tendency to rip.

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HYPERICUM BERRY: Available in red, burgundy, brown, peach, green and cream.
Pros: Great accents for boutonnieres, corsages and head wreaths. Long-lasting. You can get a lot of berries off just one stem.
Cons: Sometimes there will be a couple random brown berries within the bunch. Just pluck them off.

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Now, there are plenty more year-round varieties that I purposefully didn’t mention.  They have their place and usefulness at times, but the above are my go- to group. They are reliable and abundant stems that offer wonderful color and elegance to any celebration.