For years there has been a subtle language of flowers that goes beyond what simply looks nice. The Victorian Language of Flowers was published in the Victorian Era and acted as a guidebook to gifting flowers and what each individual flower meant. There are even different meanings for flowers based on their colors! At Creative Ambiance Events, it is our goal to us organic, locally sourced and intentional blooms in all of our designs. We pull on the traditional meaning and symbolism of flowers when we design and wanted to share some of our favorite symbolic flowers with you!
Popular Flower Meanings:
There are certain flowers you can always expect to see in a wedding arrangement, such as roses, see below the meaning of some of our most popular flower types:
Roses
Roses are the original flower of love, and depending on their unique color or shade, they can also represent innocence, purity, and passion.
Hydrangeas
Popularly used in bridal bouquets and design, the traditional hydrangea represents gratitude, grace, and beauty.
Delphinium
Delphinium is revered as a dreamy flower and are said to represent heaven. The Victorian Language of Flowers states that delphinium can aid in "transcending the bounds of space and time".
Peonies
In Chinese culture, peonies were seen as a flower of royalty. Today, peonies can symbolize love, harmony, and good fortune.
Chamomile
A popular ingredient in tea to add in relaxation, chamomile is also a gorgeous delicate flower to use in arrangements. The Victorian Language of Flowers states that chamomile represents patience and success in overcoming adversity.
Mums
A fabulous fall flower, mums have a rich history in symbolizing good fortune and vitality. In modern times, mums are gifted as a token of friendship during the fall season.
Tulips
One of the first blooming flowers of spring, tulips represent rebirth and love. In the Victorian era, tulips were also used as a symbol of charity & goodwill.
Flowers by Color:
While each individual flower type has it's meaning, each color of a flower has it's own special meaning as well. Below are the standard meanings for different types of flowers:
Red - Red flowers are associated with romance and passion, as well as desire, strength and courage.
Orange - Orange flowers represent joy & warmth and are given to help cheer someone up.
Yellow - Yellow blooms are cheerful and symbolize friendship, joy, and good health.
Green - Green flowers are rare in nature, but represent good fortune, rebirth, and luck.
Blue - Blue flowers are peaceful and symbolize serenity and relaxation.
Purple - The color of royalty, purple flowers are associated with respect and tradition.
Pink - Playful pink flowers represent innocent love and grace.
White - White flowers represent purity and honesty, and can also be given to show sympathy for others.
These historic and traditional meanings of flowers are still around today, and are used by many florists to add impact and emotion to their arrangements. We are more than happy to discuss using these meanings of flowers to help you create your own ultra-personalized design plan for your next event. To book a call with a designer, please follow this link.
sources:
Ellis, M. E. (2021, November 25). The meaning of flower colors – learn what flower colors symbolize. Gardening Know How. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/flower-color-symbolism.htm
Seibert, L. (2023, February 19). Intentional ingredients to include in Your wedding floral design plan. starcrosseddesignco. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.starcrosseddesignco.com/post/incorporating-intentional-ingredients-in-your-wedding-floral-design-plan