Your wedding is one of the most memorable of your life. A great deal of planning goes into making this day a perfect expression of your love for one another, love of family, and uniquely yours. The day is abundant with symbolism and tradition: the dress, attendants, unity candle, music, and flowers. Yes, flowers can offer their own distinctive symbolism and therefore another level to the ceremony.

Tradition holds that Persia introduced the symbolic use of flowers as an expression of emotion, or hidden message. Later, due to trade and travel, Victorian England and America embraced the seductive language of flowers. You, too, can enjoy placing secret meaning into your floral selection,

The red rose is by far the recognizable symbol of love, a hold over from Victorian times. Roses are the most popular flower for both the wedding bouquet and decoration because of their beauty and intoxicating fragrance. However, the choice in color can lend an interesting touch:

Red =>respect, unconscious beauty, courage, love

Pink =>grace, admiration, thank you

White =>purity, innocence, secrecy, silence

Yellow =>gladness, joy, friendship

An example of utilizing rose language, before the bride and groom approach the minister, or official, they present each parent with a red rose and after the ceremony present each in-law with a yellow rose or maybe incorporating pink roses into the hairpiece of a flower girl or your attendants.

You do not have to limit yourself to roses other flowers speak to us as well. For example, the tulip is quite popular in wedding bouquets and, it too is froth with meaning:

Red =>declaration of love

Variegated =>beautiful eyes

Yellow =>hopeless love

Floral arrangements are limited to blossoms, however, there are many aromatic herbs that have lovely foliage that will add another dimension to the bouquet as well as their own secret message:

Wintergreen =>harmony

Lavender =>luck, devotion

Fennel =>strength

Oregano =>joy

Other greenery to consider:

Ivy =>fidelity

Fern =>grace

Whether you choose a cascade, cluster or hand-tied garden bouquet for you, or a buttonier for your groom add more breadth to your choice with the language of flowers. Choose them not only for their visual beauty but for the secret message they will hold between you and your bridal party, family, or the one you love.

Information for this article obtained through the following sources:

The Language of Flowers: Symbols and Myths by Marina Heilmeyer
The Language Of Flowers by Sheila Pickles

Return to Index