Flowers, without a doubt, can make or break the tone of a wedding. Would you serve a farm-to-table outdoor meal with a formal orchid arrangement? Would you carry a loose and free-flowing multicolored wildflower bouquet with an embellished dress? You get our point. No matter what mood you have in mind, it is important to understand what blooms are best when. Here, Tom Lewis, owner of Floral Studio, helps us get to the bottom of this seasonal conundrum. After working in the floral industry for 30 years, it is safe to say you can trust his guidance.

Spring

• Flowering branches are only available from February to mid-April, so are unique and special for weddings during this season. These include quince, forsythia, cherry blossoms, dogwood, and pear.
• All season long, you can rely on tulips, hyacinths, hydrangea, ranunculus, and anemones.
• French tulips are great in spring because although more expensive, the stems are very tall and the bloom is larger than a regular tulip’s.
• The late spring produces fan favorite and perennially adored peony.  

Summer

• Peonies are still available in early summer.
• All summer long, hydrangea, roses, and sunflowers are abundant.
• Wildflowers such as goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace, and coneflower are great in the hottest months.

Fall

• This is one of Lewis’s favorite seasons because of the abundant availability of foliage like maple, sweetgum, oak, and pear.
• Fall brides may also want to use berries such as rosehip and viburnum, and perhaps even acorn and mini apples.
• Traditional florals in the autumn include dahlias, sunflowers, and roses.

Winter

• Cold months are ideal for berries and winter greens such as winterberry, pine, magnolia leaves, boxwood, and cedar to create depth and texture.
• The best florals when it is freezing are amaryllis, white lilies, white or red roses, orchids, or paperwhites.  
• While they can be sourced, peonies or tulips feel far too spring-like for winter nuptials.

Year-Round

• Hydrangea of all colors, anthurium, roses, and lilies can be used any month of your choosing!
• Keep in mind that almost any type of flower can be sourced at any time, but the cost per stem of out of season options will dramatically spike.

Written By: Casey Sharbaugh
Photo: Courtesy of Emily Wren Photography.