Your wedding will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable days of your life. When planning for this special event, you’ll need to decide on various aspects such as catering, music, and most importantly, the flowers.

To help you pick your wedding bouquets and flower arrangements, check out our ultimate wedding flower guide below.

Why are flowers important at a wedding?

Dating back to Ancient Rome, bridal bouquets were used to symbolise fidelity, new beginnings, and fertility. This  historical trend continues today, with an additional focus on displaying stunning floral arrangements at the wedding ceremony and reception.

Not only do these flowers look amazing on the day, but they also stand out in photographs. Therefore, it makes sense why brides want to spend time picking the perfect flowers to bring their dream wedding to life.

What should I do before picking my wedding flowers?

Before meeting with us, it usually helps to have a vague idea of what you’re after. We'd recommend going through this list and noting down your preferences.

Brainstorm the type of flowers you’d like

Having a few saved photos on your camera roll will show us what kind of flowers you’re after. You can find images on  Instagram, Pinterest, or even Google Images. Don’t worry, if you have absolutely no idea, we’re more than happy to help you brainstorm.

Estimate your floral budget

According to most wedding experts, 10% of your overall wedding budget should be spent on flowers. Using this as a rule of thumb, your estimated floral budget can help you plan what flowers to get for your wedding.

Know the size of your bridal party

With each groomsman and bridesmaid comes a buttonhole and bouquet. As a result, you’ll need to know the size of your bridal party before ordering your wedding flowers.

Choose your colour scheme or wedding theme

Once you know your colour scheme or wedding theme, picking your wedding flowers will be much easier. Using it as inspiration, we can then recommend what varieties will enhance or compliment your desired look.

How do I choose my wedding theme?

Your wedding theme sets the tone for everything about your wedding, including the flowers.

Common wedding themes include:

• Vintage
• Bohemian
• Romantic
• Beach
• Contemporary

When deciding on your wedding theme, you may want to consider the following questions:

• Where did you and your partner meet?
• Is there a special place you and your partner like to go together?
• Do you have the same favourite colour?
• Do you want to reflect your culture or heritage on your wedding day?

From these answers, you may discover that there’s an obvious theme that’ll suit your wedding.

Although picking your wedding theme can be an overwhelming task, don’t let it stress you out too much. At the end of the day, your wedding is a time to celebrate your love with friends and family.

What flowers should I use for my bridal bouquet?

Your bridal bouquet is the most prominent accessory on your wedding day. Typically, they’ll be made up of white, cream, or peach blooms. Accordingly, a classic bouquet will usually include the following varieties:

• Classic white roses
• Cream roses
• Other romantic roses
• Snapdragons
• Lisianthus
• White hydrangeas
• Freesias

One of our most popular options is the fresh white market bouquet. This stunning choice is made up of white roses, snapdragons, lisianthus, hydrangeas, as well as foliage. We then wrap this assortment in our signature paper with tissue and ribbon trim. Another go-to is our classic bridal posy.

That said, your wedding is your special day. Therefore, it’s important to pick flowers that reflect the theme of the wedding, as well as your personality. 

For more information, check out our article, “Flowers for Different Personality Types”.

When picking your bridal bouquet, you’ll also want to consider the colour of your wedding dress. If you’ve opted for a coloured dress, you’ll need to be selective about your colour combination. Alternatively, if you’re wearing white, you usually won’t have to worry about a coloured bouquet clashing with your dress.

For more information, read our article, “What to Look For When Buying Fresh Flower Bouquets”.

Should I have a round or cascading wedding bouquet?

Amongst the various types of wedding bouquets are round and cascading.

Round bouquets are presented as a compact cluster of flowers held together by a ribbon. As this is the classic type of wedding bouquet, many brides choose this style. If you have an elaborate dress, this type of bouquet often works well.

On the other hand, a cascading bouquet is larger and has ‘overflowing’ blooms or foliage to create a more extravagant look. If you have a simple dress, this type of bouquet often works best.

Do I have to do a bouquet toss at my wedding?

We've all seen it in the movies. The single friends gather around on the dance floor in the hopes of catching the lucky bridal bouquet. Although this historical tradition is still evident at many weddings, don't feel pressured to do the same.

Rather than doing a toss, your beautiful bouquet can be preserved by taking it home. Plus, unless you have a large bunch of single friends who are dying to take part, the whole thing can feel a bit awkward.

If you do want to have a bouquet toss, you could ask your florist to make a smaller replica or use of one of the bridesmaid's bouquets instead so that yours stays perfect.

What flowers should I use for my bridesmaid's bouquets?

Often your bridesmaids will hold a smaller, slightly modified version of your bouquet. If you want to switch it up but still have a cohesive look, some brides choose to have a few different bridesmaid’s bouquets. Each bouquet is predominantly made using one of the varieties in the bridal bouquet.

For instance, if you were to pick our fresh white market bouquet, there could be a snapdragon bouquet and a lisianthus bouquet for two different bridesmaids.

Another way to choose your bridesmaid’s bouquets is by considering each of their personalities. As each bridesmaid means a lot to you, it could be special to pick varieties that are unique to them. For more information, check out our article, “Flowers for Different Personality Types”.

What flowers are good to use for buttonholes?

A buttonhole is a small flower worn on the lapel of a man’s suit at a wedding. Traditionally this will match one of the flowers used in the bridal bouquet.

At Wild Poppies, we offer white, lavender, and peach rose buttonholes. All of which come with a matching bouquet to make the planning a whole lot easier. If you have any other preferences, we’ll try our best to accommodate.

What flowers are good to use as ceremony decorations?

From the entryway to the aisle decorations, there’s usually a lot of flowers at a wedding ceremony. Common ceremony flowers include:

• Phalaenopsis Orchid
• Hydrangeas
• Tulips
• Roses

What flowers make good reception centrepieces?

A centrepiece is an item that sits in the middle of the table. Accordingly, picking the right centrepiece can take the theme of the wedding to a whole new level. Often wedding centrepieces will be made up of the following varieties:

• Casablanca lilies
• White roses
• White blooms
• Fresh foliage

When choosing your centrepiece, it's best to make sure that it's short enough to allow for easy conversation and eating around the table. For more information, read our article “Beginner’s Guide to Flower Centrepieces”.

If you’re a rustic, yet sophisticated centrepiece, our country table arrangement is enjoyed by many brides.

What flowers can I use on my wedding cake?

Wedding cakes are often topped with beautiful flowers. When decorating, it’s vital that the flowers you choose not only look good but are also safe to eat.

Edible varieties include:

• Roses
• Nasturtium
• Calendula
• Dahlia
• Borage
• Cornflowers
• Violas
• Pansy
• Lavender
• Fennel

What is the meaning behind wedding flowers?

Rather than battling to decide between countless stunning varieties, it usually also helps to know the meaning behind different flowers. That way, you can pick arrangements that look beautiful and hold a symbolic meaning.

Anemone - These classic flowers represent “expectation” and good luck.

Baby’s Breath - This elegant, white filler flower symbolises innocence.

Calla Lily - Calla lilies covey magnificent beauty.

Carnation - The colour of a carnation holds a significant amount of meaning. Pink carnations represent boldness, red carnations symbolise love, and white carnations embody talent. Just make sure to avoid yellow as these express disappointment.

Chrysanthemum - Chrysanthemums represent good fortune.

Cornflower - This dainty, blue flower symbolises prosperity and friendship.

Daffodil - Daffodils signify happiness and kindness.

Dahlia - Dahlias are popular wedding flowers as they symbolise commitment and an everlasting bond.

Daisy - Daisies are known for representing shared feelings.

Freesias - This beautiful flower embodies innocence.

Gardenias - Gardenias symbolise purity and joy.

Hydrangeas - You’ll often see hydrangeas at a wedding as they convey a full heart.

Iris - Iris’ express faith and wisdom.

Lily - Lilies are known to symbolise honour and truth.

Orchid - Orchids express love and fertility.

Peony - Peonies symbolise happiness, love, and ambition.

Ranunculus - This gorgeous flower embodies charm and admiration.

Rose - Roses represent romance, love, and beauty. The meaning then slightly differs depending on its colour. Red symbolises passion, white represents purity, peach embodies modesty, pink conveys appreciation, lavender illustrates enchantment, and yellow emphasises friendship.

Stock flower - Their tall stems represent everlasting beauty.

Sunflowers - Vibrant sunflowers convey happiness, adoration, and loyalty

Sweet pea - Sweet peas convey pleasure.

Tulip - Red and pink tulips express love and passion.

By picking flowers that hold meaning, your special day will become even more memorable. For more information, read our article, “The Meaning of Flowers and Their Colours”.

Can I wear a flower crown at my wedding?

What you wear at your wedding is entirely up to you. Therefore, if you want to rock a flower crown on your wedding day, do it!

You can either make your own DIY flower crown or buy one of our stunning floral hair garlands.

Is it best to use seasonal flowers for my wedding?

Choosing seasonal flowers for your wedding will usually be less expensive. As a result, many couples decide to get married in Summer or Spring when the weather is warmer, and there are more varieties available.

That said, there’s still plenty of options throughout the colder months as well. To get an understanding of what varieties are available at different times of the year, here’s a general wedding seasonal guide according to Auckland Weddings:

Spring

• Anemones
• Tulips
• Clematis
• Lilac
• Peonies
• Poppies
• Sweetpea

Summer

• Hydrangea
• Amaranthus
• Anthurium
• Cosmos
• Garden Roses
• Tuberose

Autumn

• Dahlia
• Echinacea
• Protea
• Sedum
• Yarrow/Achillea

Winter

• Lilies
• King Protea
• Magnolia
• Ranunculus
• Stephanotis

Although you might be disappointed that certain flowers aren’t in bloom, many varieties have lookalikes which can help create your desired look. If you let us know when you’re planning on getting married, we can discuss which seasonal blooms might be best for you.

For more information, read our articles, “New Zealand Spring Flower Guide”, and “New Zealand Winter Flower Guide”.

What should I do with my flowers after the wedding?

After the hype of your wedding, your stunning flowers don’t need to go to waste. Instead of throwing away your flowers, consider the following options.

Take them home

You can gift your floral arrangements to your guests or take them home yourself. While they may not last fresh for that much longer, many varieties such as baby’s breath, and roses, also look stunning when dried out.

Press them in a book

It’s very common for the bride to take home her bridal bouquet to press the flowers between a book. Once these flatten flowers have completely dried it out, you may want to display it a frame as a wedding memory or pop it away with other keepsakes.

Give them to a hospital or nursing home

As long as they’re not too fragrant, patients in a hospital or nursing home would certainly love seeing your beautiful flowers.

We hope that this guide has helped you start planning your wedding flowers. At Wild Poppies, we love chatting with brides and their families to bring their dream wedding to life. If you need help picking your wedding flowers, email us at service@wildpoppies.co.nz, see us in-store at 28 Ethel St, Sandringham, Auckland, or call us 09 357 6161.