Wedding Flowers From Around the World

Flowers add color, fragrance and joy to weddings from India to Ireland.

By: Lynn Coulter

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Bouquets for Hot Climates: Cabo San Lucas

Roses and lisianthus are good choices for weddings in hot climates, like this one in Cabo, San Lucas. The bouquet also features sedum, hypericum berries and dried scabiosa seed heads (scabiosa bitterballs). According to Rebecca Hochreiter, of Destination Weddings Travel Group, “Succulents have been on-trend for weddings here in the U.S...and this option has also been popular abroad, especially with beach destinations. Succulents are weather-resistant and much less likely to wither, compared to their more delicate counterparts. Additionally, succulents are an eco-friendly choice for couples focusing on hosting a green celebration for family and friends.”

Bohemian Bouquets in Canada

“With long sleeve lace dresses, and soft colors from Anthropologie, a more 'boho' bouquet look is on the rise" in Canadian weddings, says Callandra Caufield of Postcard Weddings & Events, Inc. "These bouquets are far less structured and can be fairly large, with lots of movement in them. Bohemian-inspired bouquets often feature beautiful streaming ribbons made of lace and hand-dyed raw silk." Caufield predicts a movement toward using plants as well as fresh blooms since the value of the Canadian dollar has fallen."I predict that we'll start to see centerpieces made of mixed woods, terracotta pots filled with 'house' plants, and candles. Greenery garlands are hot. With the decor trend towards rectangular raw wood tables and wood chairs, greenery garlands (think seeded eucalyptus or passion vine) are the perfect centerpiece option."

Bridal Headpiece

For this Calgary wedding, the bride and groom wanted "a loose, natural, bohemian look," says Callandra Caufield, of Postcard Weddings & Events. Designers at Flower Artistry used white ranunculus, Astrantia, spray roses, seeded eucalyptus, lavender, ivy, thisle, Thryptomene and Blushing Bride protea for a floral crown.

Driftwood Centerpieces

"Being in the mountains provides couples with diverse and beautiful elements to incorporate into their wedding day such as pinecones, Brunia berries, scabiosa pods and thistle, says wedding planner Callandra Caufield. "We are also seeing more foraging - the art of finding beautiful things in your local surroundings!” Centerpieces for this Calgary wedding were made from driftwood (actually, floodwood from Southern Alberta), aspen and birch leaves, garden roses,'Vendela' roses, Astrantia, Blushing Bride proteas, 'Quicksand' roses, explosion grass, seeded eucalyptus, Thryptomene, thistles and dahlias.

English Wildflower and Woodland Bouquet

"When I designed the bouquet, I was channeling windswept fields of British wild flower meets beautiful woodland jeweled blooms," says Louise Bowditch of Bouquets & Blooms. Photographed at England's Titchfield Abbey, the bouquet features calendula, Jasmine, Cerinthe, quaking grass, Achemilla mollis, dill, delphiniums, Euphorbia, scabiosa, imported David Austin roses, peonies and Eucalyptus parvi. Bowditch adds, “This season's brides have continued to ask for 'vintage style' wedding flowers with that 'just picked from the garden', quintessentially British look - although bouquets have been looser & slightly more unstructured than in previous years...this trend is still popular, but there have been many requests for a more natural/rustic look, with wild/woodland themes also appearing."

British Blooms

"I had help (with the British-grown flowers) from the lovely grower/florist Lara Smith," says florist Lousie Bowditch, of Bouquets & Blooms. The trailing waterfall bouquet uses the smaller British flowers as a delicate backdrop to showcase the "leading ladies - the exquisite David Austin roses and the deep red, blousy peonies." As to popular trends in wedding flowers, Bowditch says she's seeing "...hand-tied posies and jam jar flowers, bigger and fuller trailing bouquets...meadow boxes and flower runners. Pink seems to have lost favor and been replaced by pale peaches/apricots and nudes. However, there is also a call for what I would call 'festival' colors - brightly colored and clashing flowers that create a carnival feel."

Japanese Bride

A few simple but stunning blooms highlight this Japanese bridge's upswept hair. Peonies like this red blossom are popular in Japan and signify romance, good fortune and a happy marriage. Flowers by Happoen Garden.

Hawaiian Ceremonial Ring

“The (Hawaiian) ceremonial ring is symbolic of the wedding rings, never ending, says Taylor'd Events designer Jennifer Taylor. "The base is basic greenery, with a combination of roses and a pincushion protea (the spiky flower)." Flowers by Blossoms Hawaii. Venue: Sugar Beach Events.

King Protea

"The King protea is one of the many tropical flowers you see at weddings in Hawaii, says designer Jennifer Taylor."We chose the white protea for the bride's bouquet to show off the versatility of the flower." Flowers: Blossoms Hawaii. Venue: Sugar Beach Events.

Australian Flowers

"The flowers featured in this wedding at Campbell Point House were all sourced locally from Victoria (Australia)," says florist Kate Hill. She used the couple's favorite colors and flowers in her design. This arrangement includes fragrant white garden roses, white hydrangeas and greenery.

Australian Wedding Arrangements

These arrangements, designed by Kate Hill for an Australian wedding, feature roses, hydrangeas, green hanging amaranthus, white cymbidium orchids, privet berry foliage, trailing ivy berry foliage, white freesias, hydrangeas, green peppercorn foliage, and white clethra foliage. Hill sees a trend toward floral Installations, "such as walls, structural pieces and hanging pieces...(we) are pushing creative boundaries utilizing fresh seasonal blooms, specialist lighting and structural influences...to ensure the florals are always the talking point of the event.”

Green and White Wedding Flowers

Inspired by the landscape on Bellarine Peninsula, in Victoria, Australia, Kate Hill designed this arrangement with roses, hydrangeas, clethra foliage and other green and white florals.

Wedding Aisle Arrangements

All the flowers for this wedding in Victoria, Australia, were sourced locally to suit the bride and groom's tastes. "The result was an aesthetic that was authentic to the couple while maintaining a synergy with the venue," says florist Kate Hill.

South Asian Wedding

While South Asian weddings use lots of flowers, they seldom have an on-site florist, says Preeti Moberg, who blogs at The Big Fat Indian Wedding. "Garlands and free-style flowers are bought by the pound at street markets" where artists sometimes design them on the spot. "Considered an aphrodisiac, the rich fragrance of jasmine is used...especially (in) South Indian weddings, like this Hyderabad wedding." She says garlands of bright pink/magenta orchids are often exchanged between the bride and groom or used as decorations. This bride's garland includes heart-shaped betel nut (paan) leaves. Moberg adds, “While South Asian weddings may incorporate modern/western elements, the flowers in the bride's hair or the garlands are still quite traditional. Marigolds (which actually originate from Mexico), jasmine, orchids, roses and auspicious plants will always be in vogue.”

Irish Wedding Flowers

“Because of our generally wet weather," says wedding planner Annie Byrne, of Aislinn Events, "most wedding flowers in Ireland come from flower farms in Holland." For this riverside ceremony in September, jam jars were filled with wildflowers and garden flowers. "More and similar floral arrangements topped the tables for the guests’ dinner in the garden." The bride's bouquet used Irish-grown ferns and wildflowers, including dusty miller, fountain grass, cosmos and dahlias. Florist: Hanako Floral Studio.

Outdoor Irish Wedding

Amaranth cuttings decorated guests' chairs at this outdoor Irish wedding. Wedding planner Annie Byrne says, "Other natural grown Irish flowers popular with weddings are hydrangea, which you can see growing in gardens around the country in colors from blue to deep plum.” She sees wedding florals in Ireland trending toward “loose and overflowing arrangements. Everything is very organic with a just-picked from the garden feeling. Many brides are asking for flowers that are native to Ireland and grow wild like heather, lavender, bells of Ireland and astilbe. Even thistle is popular. Larger more traditional blooms like hydrangeas, dahlias, poppies and spray roses are also currently featured in Irish wedding flowers. Brides in Ireland are carrying large mixed bouquets. Lush, large bunches with several types of flowers are very common, with a mix of ferns and armfuls of various leafy foliage. Floral crowns and headpieces are also very popular to continue the whimsical, just-gathered from the garden feeling. Table flowers are also lush and overflowing. We often see them arranged in bowls, allowing them to drape over onto the tables. The look is also showcased with an abundance of moss and ivy for floral table runners, dotted with dainty wildflowers.“ Florist: Hanako Floral Studio.

Italian Wedding Bouquet

For each design in this Italian wedding, floral event designer Noosheen Noei-Tabrizi used some local elements. "But the final result," she says, "represents my personal style, which is a mixture of different cultures that I've acquired from my origins and by living in different countries." The bouquet includes anemones, ranunculus and viburnum berries.

Red Italian Bouquet

This Italian wedding bouquet is composed of 'Red Piano' garden roses, local pomegranates, viburnum berries, and (eggplant-colored) Zantedeschia (also known as calla lilies). "Having four distinct seasons is one of the defining characteristics of most regions in Italy," says floral event designer Noosheen. "In Italy, there is a growing industry of producing seasonal flowers for export and national-use purposes."

Italian Florals

Silver Dusty miller leaves and locally-grown, dusky pink roses were used in this hair ornament, worn for an Italian wedding. If you're looking for a similar rose, says floral event designer Noosheen, the international market may offer such varieties as 'Silverstone,' 'Memorylane,' 'Antique' or 'Heaven.' She adds, "(My) one tip would be, when in Italy, choose seasonal, homegrown flowers, foliage and fruit and enjoy their unmistakable and extraordinary color and scent."

New Orleans Wedding Wreath

A floral wreath, attached to an historic oak tree in New Orleans' Audubon Park, enhanced this Southern-style wedding. "If you can incorporate (oak trees) in the display or have them for a backdrop, you have hit the jackpot," says florist Ashley Bateman of Nola Flora. "The major botanicals that totally evoke the New Orleans garden/courtyard feel are the gardenias, magnolia and gardenia foliage, giant oak trees and even Spanish moss." Other wedding florals included a magnolia foliage-covered chandelier, "loose-blooming roses, garden roses and spray roses with a very Southern vintage feel," Bateman adds. "The accent flowers—wax flower (Calcinia)—all had a ‘fresh herbs from the garden’ feel to them.”

Wedding in Punta Canta

“The Dominican Republic offers couples a landscape filled with dazzling colors," says Rebecca Hochreiter, of Destination Weddings Travel Group. "Oftentimes, our couples decide to complement this tropical palette with bright whites, which pop against the scenery.”

Punta Canta Wedding Pergola

Held at Punta Canta, in the Dominican Republic, "(This )wedding is the perfect example of incorporating bright colors into your island celebration," says wedding and travel planer Rebecca Hochreiter. "Tropical florals, such as lilies, are ideal for warmer climates. Additionally, we would encourage couples to be mindful of the placement of ceremony flowers. Adhering them to a structure, such as a canopy in this case, allows the florals to withstand potential winds.”

Turks and Caicos Wedding Flowers

“Roses are some of the best flowers to stand up to the hotter temperatures you’d come to expect in Turks & Caicos," say wedding and travel planner Rebecca Hochreiter. Peach-colored English roses, white sweetheart roses, Dusty miller foliage and gray Brunia berries mingle gracefully in this arrangement.

Bridal Bouquet in Turks and Caicos

Roses were "the perfect choice for the bridal bouquet," says events planner Hochreiter, "which needs to be able to resist wilting throughout the day."

California Wedding Florals

An arbor was draped with white fabric and floral swags for this California wedding. The flowers and foliage include 'Juliet' and 'Romantic Antike' (Antique) roses; jasmine, in season from March through August; orange ranunculus and coral peonies, in season during the summer; young pomegranates, available in California from October to January; and olive foliage. Wedding plannner: Alex Quintana, Quintana Events Florals: Rion Designs

Tabletop Wedding Flowers

Event planner Alex Quintana and florists from Rion Designs carried the use of fresh-cut roses, sweet-scented jasmine, ranunculus and peonies into tabletop arrangements for this California wedding.

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